Category Book Reviewer

My Week In Books (w/e 15th sept) #MeAndMyBooks #BookNews

yvonnembee 4 Comments

Another week has come and gone, time is absolutely flying by and it only seems a couple of days ago when I last wrote up a weekly book update!

This week has been a good week, we managed to rearrange our kitchen after taking out the old fire. It’s amazing how much space this took up! It was also an opportunity to go through the cupboards and get rid of all the crap that we seem to have accumulated.

So to the books I read this week…

I finished reading…

KULT by Stefan Malmstrom

This is a dark crime fiction book. It is atmospheric, insightful and poignant. As the title suggests this is a story that spends some of its time in a cult. The author uses his own experiences from when he was lured into one, and boy you can tell he knows what he is on about. This is a fabulous read and I am so glad I signed up for the blog tour for this book. My review will be at the end of the month.

Next up was…

Coming Home to Glendale Hall by Victoria Walters

Anyone that knows me knows I don’t do Christmas until December, but this was a an author I recognised from other Book Bloggers reviews and I wanted to read one her books.

So even though it is not officially winter, the evenings are feeling a little chilly and this worked really well for me. It is a lovely heartwarming read that I loved. It had various threads weaving through it that gave it such a good depth, there were wonderful characters who had to work through dilemmas. A great read and another Blog Tour book that I will review at the beginning of october, yes you read that right October!

Then I read…

The Demons Beneath by WD Jackson-Smart

This is a creepy crime thriller and the synopsis really intrigued me. It is a really good crime thriller that has a bit of something else… This is a new author for me and after reading this one it will not be the last time, and I have just discovered the 2nd book in the series is available 🙂 Look out for my review in, yep you guessed it October.

Currently Reading…

The Secret Life of Books by Tom Mole

This is a book for a Blog Tour in September, its a book about…well…books or rather how books can transform and evolve. It is about innovations and errors and people defacing books, burning books and books that create. I am really looking forward to this one. It has been a while since I have read a non fiction and this looks good.

Well that’s the Book stuff done… now for the Non Bookish stuff…

It has been another day today (sunday) of cooking again. Its all well and good growing food but then I have to deal with it. Now you know how homegrown and home cooked food is supposed to be healthier? Well not in our house in ‘aint, I was brought up proper and that means puddings, cakes, jams and chutney 😂

So this week saw me finally making a start on the raspberry jam, I have been picking these for weeks and bunging them striaght in the freezer until I had a good stock for a proper jam making session. So 12 jars of my “Almost Seedless Raspberry Jam” was made along with 2 jars of runner bean chutney, some coffee and walnut buns because the eggs needing using up and finally another crumble, this time a plain apple one, I say plain but a good dollop of maple syrup and also some cinnamon adds a nice bit of mmmmmm to it.

Well that’s the lot!

I wish everyone a great week ahead

Yvonne xx

My Week In Books (w/e 11th Aug) #BookNews #MeAndMyBooks

yvonnembee 4 Comments

Welcome once again to another round up of bookish news. I do want to say a HUGE thanks you to those who shared my midweek Blog Tour review, it was greatly appreciated. Me and He have both been off work for the week so social media definitely took a back seat. I will sort out a separate post with photo’s of the places we went a bit later in the week 🙂

So let’s have a look at the books I read shall we?..

In last weeks post I was still reading The July Girls, well I finished it and WOW! In case you have not seen it this is what it is all about…

The July Girls by Phoebe Locke

Every year, on the same night in July, a woman is taken from the streets of London; snatched by a killer who moves through the city like a ghost. 

Addie has a secret. On the morning of her tenth birthday, four bombs were detonated across the capital. That night her dad came home covered in blood. She thought he was hurt in the attacks – but then her sister Jessie found a missing woman’s purse hidden in his room. Jessie says they mustn’t tell. She says there’s nothing to worry about. But when she takes a job looking after the woman’s baby daughter, Addie starts to realise that her big sister doesn’t always tell her the whole story. And that the secrets they’re keeping may start costing lives…

Next up…

A Fever In The Blood by Oscar de Muriel

This is the 2nd in the series and is feels different to the first. It is more mysterious as the duo of McGray and Frey are involved in a chase that has personal connection for McGray as they end up in Lancashire at the notorious Pendle Hil! A mystery that oozes atmosphere and is set in 1889. This is number 11 of my #20Books of Summer reading list, and I really must get my arse into gear and get the reviews wrote up!

Next is a book that is not on my summer reading list, but I could not resist it…

My Lemon Grove Summer by Jo Thomas

Last year I read my first Jo Thomas book and that was Sunset over the Cherry Orchard and I absolutely adored it. This was why when I saw My Lemon Grove Summer I had to buy it and read it. Sicilian sun, stunning setting, lemon groves… aaah take me there! A fabulous summer read.

I was very fortunate to win a Signed copy of my next book as well as an Audio CD and it has sat on my shelf for far too long…

The Good Doctor of Warsaw by Elisabeth Gifford

What can I say about this book! It is a beautifully written and absolutely heartbreaking read. I am still trying to find the words to describe what a wonderful read this was. If you have not read it yet, then please consider getting a copy!

I am currently reading a book that was sent out via the publisher for me to review…

Raven’s Wind by Steve Hutton

I am only a few chapters in and I’m really enjoying this… here is what the synopsis says…

Raven’s Wand sees two opposing secret societies waging a war of belief behind the skin of Victorian Britain. One uses magic to heal the world, while the other twists it into abominations and war machines. It is 1886 and a battle is about to be waged; Knight Superior Krast of the Illuminata is prepared for victory but fate is not wholly on his side. Many years later, the survivors of that dreadful day will meet again. Kolfinnia has a great task set before her and, with the aid of the Raven wand, she dares more than she ever dreamed possible. A tale of two clashing worlds. The world of Kolfinnia and those who wish to eliminate her and all of her kind. Raven’s Wand is Book 1 in The Dark Raven Chronicles. Book 2: Flowers of Fate will be published Autumn 2016.

Well that is me done for this week, hope you all had a great reading week.

All the best, Yvonne xx

One Summer In Little Penhaven by Angela Britnell @AngelaBritnell @rararesources @ChocLituk #Review

yvonnembee 4 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for One Summer in Little Penhaven by Angela Britnell. My huge thanks to Rachel for my spot on the Blog Tour and also to Angela for my e-copy of this fabulous book.

Let’s have a look and see what it is about…

Could one summer change your life?

When high-flying American lawyer Samantha Muir finds out she’s lost her partnership whilst on an assignment in London, she has a dramatic reaction.

Rather than returning home, she resigns, leaves her business suits behind and jumps on the first train to Cornwall at the encouragement of a friendly stranger.

The village of Little Penhaven, where Samantha eventually ends up, is a world away from her life in Knoxville, Tennessee – and local farmer Cadan Day is certainly a world away from any man she has met before. But could the Cornish village and Cadan play a part in Samantha’s summer of self-discovery?

Purchase Links: Amazon UK – Amazon US

My Thoughts

Sam Muir is beyond disappointed when she doesn’t get the partnership she spent the last 10 years working towards. She kind of goes off in a huff and catches the first train to anywhere, it just so happens she ends up in Cornwall. She meets locals who make her feel welcome Oh and also warn her off local bad boy Caden Day!

I soon realised within a few chapters that this author knows Cornwall, she had me sniggering at the infamous tale-backs during the holiday season, and frowning at the second homes, and nodding in agreement with the setting. Along with the local vernacular, this author managed to create a setting that takes in the Cornish Scenery around the St. Austell area.

Now then, to Sam and Caden… well they say opposites attract! Sam is a feisty American and Caden a rough around the edges and a rather hunky sounding Cornishman. Rumours and gossip play a huge part in Caden’s life, rather than argue and prove his innocence he justs lets the rumour mill run. for Sam, however, this provides intrigue, a mystery even as she wants to know more.

Along with Sam and Caden, there are a few other characters that make up the local community. They add their own stories and opinion as well as the odd surprise.

This is such a lovely read and one that I quite happily lost myself in for a few hours. It flows nicely and has a good pace.

If you are a fan of Choc-lit and romance that has a really good storyline and a great cast then this is one that you will enjoy.

It’s one I would recommend.

About the Author

Author Bio – Angela grew up in Cornwall, England and returns frequently from her new home in Nashville, Tennessee. A lifelong love of reading turned into a passion for writing contemporary romance and her novels are usually set in the many places she’s visited or lived on her extensive travels. After more than three decades of marriage to her American husband she’s a huge fan of transatlantic romance and always makes sure her characters get their own happy-ever-after. Over the last twelve years she’s been multi-published and sold over 25 novels. She also writes short stories for women’s magazines. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the Romance Writers of America and the Music City Romance Writers.

If you’d like to find out more of what Angela gets up to (Advance warning: this may include references to wine, chocolate, Poldark and the hunky Aidan Turner) check out www.angelabritnellromance.com or follow her on www.facebook.com/angelabritnell , www.twitter.com/angelabritnell and on Instagram as Angela Golley Britnell.

See what other Book Blogger think by following the tour

#20BooksOfSummer #ReadingChallenge

yvonnembee 19 Comments

I have been seeing various Book Bloggers signing up for the 20 Books Of Summer Reading Challenge and thought why not join as well!

Well the hard bit was choosing 20 books, it didn’t have to be 20 it could have been 10 or 15, if I wanted. But, and I know this is something many readers struggle with, trying to choose a small amount from the mountains of books on my TBR was tough… so 20 it was 🙂

This is a fun challange and the rules are not written in stone, in fact there are not really any rules.

If you wan to take part just choose your books and then link them back to Cathy @746Books. There is a Linky link so you can keep track of not only your own reads but also see others and how they are getting on.

Choose 10, 15 or 20 Books.

The Challenge begins on 3rd of June and finishes on the 3rd September.

So now to my 20 Books…

Now then, the eagle eyed amonst you will notice that there are several books that are the first in a series… yes this is me attempting to catch up with authors that I have been wanting to read for a while.

I think I have a good mix in there and a couple of long ones as well!!!!!

Eeeek wish me luck 🙂

The Comedy Club by Peter Bartram @PeterFBartram #RandomThingsTours @annecater #Review

yvonnembee 6 Comments

I am delighted to share my review for The Comedy Club by Peter Bartram. My thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for my spot on the Blog Tour and also to Peter for my copy of his latest book.

Let’s have a look and see what it is all about…

The Comedy Club Mystery: A Crampton of the Chronicle comic crime adventure

Murder has never been such fun…

When theatrical agent Daniel Bernstein sues the Evening Chronicle for libel, crime reporter Colin Crampton is called in to sort out the problem. But trouble escalates when Bernstein turns up murdered. Colin discovers that any of five comedians competing for the chance to appear on a top TV show could be behind the killing. As Colin and his feisty girlfriend Shirley Goldsmith investigate, they encounter a cast of colourful characters – identical twin gangsters, an Irishman who lives underground, and a failed magician’s assistant. And it’s not long before their own lives are in peril as they battle to crack a code that will lead to a fortune. Join Colin and Shirley for a rollercoaster of an adventure in Swinging Sixties England – where the laughs are never far from the action.

Purchase Link – Amazon

I have read a couple of this author’s Colin Crampton books and it was a pleasure to read about Colin’s latest escapades.

Set in 1960’s Brighton, Colin is a crime reporter for the Evening Chronicle. The murder of Daniel Berstein causes problems for one of Colin’s colleagues who asks for help.

One-liners are aplenty in this book and had me smirking several times. Along with the gags are mentions of songs, films, actors of the day. Their inclusion kept me grounded in the time the novel is set in.

The victim is an Agent for comedy acts, though his shine seems to have lost some of its polish with the death of the Star act, one Max Miller. There is a mystery surrounding this comedian and it gradually comes to light over the story. The murder mystery rolls along at a pace that is suited to the decade of the setting. It keeps Colin on his toes and also means he drags his girlfriend Shirley along for her help.

There is not a huge cast for this book so it is very easy to keep up to speed with who is who and what their role is. Things heat up and the pressure for Colin to get to the bottom of the crime increases and it leads to a serious decision for him to make.

I really enjoyed The Comedy Club. It has just the right amount of humour. think it would have been easy to get carried away with too many gags and it would have taken the edge off of the crime side of the story.

This as a murder mystery with a good cast, a good storyline and the right amount of entertainment. I found myself quickly wrapped up in this and did not want to put it down until I was done! If you like murder mystery novels set in the 0’s then I think you will enjoy this one. It gets a Definitely Recommended from me.

Peter Bartram brings years of experience as a journalist to his Crampton of the Chronicle crime mystery series. His novels are fast-paced and humorous – the action is matched by the laughs. The books feature a host of colourful characters as befits stories set in Brighton, one of Britain’s most trend-setting towns.

You can download Murder in Capital Letters, a free book in the series, for your Kindle from http://www.colincrampton.com.

Peter began his career as a reporter on a local weekly newspaper before editing newspapers and magazines in London, England and, finally, becoming freelance. He has done most things in journalism from door-stepping for quotes to writing serious editorials. He’s pursued stories in locations as diverse as 700-feet down a coal mine and a courtier’s chambers at Buckingham Palace. Peter is a member of the Society of Authors and the Crime Writers’ Association.

Follow Peter on Facebook – Twitter

See what other Book Bloggers think by following the Blog Tour

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

Edie Brownes Cottage by the Sea by Jane Linfoot @janelinfoot @rararesources #Review

yvonnembee 3 Comments

I am delighted to be sharing my review for Edie Brownes Cottage by the Sea by Jane Linfoot. A huge thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the Blog Tour and also to Jane for my e-copy of this wonderful book.

Those who don’t jump will never fly…

Hurtling through the sky was supposed to be Edie Browne’s flight of independence. But when she falls head over champagne bucket while celebrating her successful landing, her life is changed in an instant. 
 
But starting over has its benefits, and as Edie relearns the basics under the watchful eye of her Aunty Josie and an entire Cornish village of new friends and neighbours, she finds love and joy she never could have imagined in the unlikeliest of places… 

Come home to St Aidan and Periwinkle Cottage for a romance full of love, laughter and friends for life!

Purchase Links: From Amazon – UK – US

There is so much more to this book than first meets the eye. In fact, the same can be said for Edie Browne. The synopsis tells how Edie’s life changed and she has to relearn things, so many things that are taken for granted that are not even thought about until they have been taken away…

I met Edie as she was parachuting from a plane. Then I met her as she is making her way to Cornwall and I gradually got to know her and what had happened to her. She is trying to work out who she is now as she is still reeling from her illness and struggling to find her feet.

Moving to Cornwall with her Auntie Jo gives Edie a chance to leave the hustle and bustle of city life. Instead, she can chill out and adjust to a much more relaxed tempo. In helping herself, Edie also finds that she is not the only one in need of help. Auntie Jo needs help with the house and renovations on that and the barn-yard open some exciting new opportunities. Auntie Jo needs Edie just as much as Edie needs Auntie Jo!

Friendship and laughter accompany this book and is such a large part of it. I loved the crafting community and it is so appropriate for small Cornish villages. The mentions of neighbours and friends helping out and lending a hand is another thing I love about the Cornish community. The author has picked up and used this so well and has wrapped it around and into Edie’s story so well.

The author has used Edie’s illness and highlighted that it is not people of a certain age that have illnesses, it can hit people of any age. The use of the illness defining Edie at the start of the story and her struggle to come to terms with changes was something that really touched me. It is a heartfelt read with an important aspect to it, but also not at all morbid or depressing although the frustration and despair are there, it also has a humour to it that is just the right balance. It gives it a more upbeat feel.

This was a wonderful story with so many things that I thoroughly enjoyed. Some fabulous characters with various backgrounds and stories to them, the Cornish setting is a big thing for me and she was spot on with that. The plot was interesting and also very addictive to read.

Edie Brownes Cottage by the Sea gets a Highly Recommended by Me! 🙂

Jane Linfoot is a best selling author, who lives in a muddy cottage, up a steep hill in Derbyshire, with her family, their pets, and an astonishing number of spiders. Although she loves seeing cow noses over the garden wall, she’s happy she can walk to a supermarket.

Jane grew up in North Yorkshire where she spent a lot of her childhood avoiding horizontal gales blowing off the sea, and wrote her first book by accident, while working as an architect, and renovating country houses. While she loves to write feelgood books that let readers escape, she’s always surprised to hear her stories make people laugh, admits to (occasionally) crying as she writes, and credits her characters for creating their own story lines.

Jane’s garden would be less brambly if she wasn’t on Facebook and Twitter so often. On days when she wants to be really scared, she rides a tandem.

Her latest books include a series of stand alone novels, based around a seaside wedding shop in Cornwall. Cupcakes and Confetti – The Little Wedding Shop by the Sea, Sequins and Snowflakes – Christmas at the Little Wedding Shop, and Bunting and Bouquets – Summer at the Little Wedding Shop, and most recently, The Little Cornish Kitchen. These are all published by Harper Impulse, an imprint of Harper Collins.

Follow Jane on Twitter @janelinfoot, or find her on her Author Page Facebook or her Personal Page Facebook. She’s also on Instagram, and has lots of Pinterest boards relating to her novels.

See what other Book Blogger think by following the Blog Tour

Not Having It All by Jennie Ensor @Jennie_Ensor @bombshellpub #Review

yvonnembee 5 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for Not Having It All by Jennie Ensor. My huge thanks Heather at Bloodhound Books and Jennie for my copy and also spot on the BLog Tour.

Let’s see what the book is all about…

Neuroscientist Bea Hudson fears she is a bad mother and that her career will be thwarted by family life. When her husband suspects Bea of having an affair with her best friend, a chain of events is triggered, leading to a crisis in Bea’s life.

Bea Hudson, a neuropsychologist living in Godalming, is struggling to cope with the challenging behaviour of her obsessive husband Kurt and their disruptive four-year-old daughter Fran. On top of this, her boss is pressuring her to get results from her research. Bea has her work cut out.

Things come to a head when Kurt goes away on an extended business assignment. While sacking staff and drinking heavily, Kurt’s insecurities run amok and he becomes convinced that Bea’s close friend Madeleine is seducing his wife and unduly influencing his daughter.

Meanwhile, childless artist Madeleine sees her friend torn between the demands of work and offers to help with Fran. But when she reveals a startling desire to her unsympathetic therapist Mr Rowley, he advises her to focus on the attention of Colin, a man she met in a lift.

Can Bea survive the demands of her career and the turmoil in her marriage without having a breakdown? Can Madeleine survive Kurt’s anger and find happiness with Colin? And can love survive marriage, middle-age, alcohol and ambition?

Not Having It All is about a scientist torn between her stalling career and the demands of her family. With themes of trust, deception and obsession, it is a mercilessly playful take on modern friendships, relationships and family life.

How on earth does Bae Hudson juggle being a neuropsychologist on the brink of a breakthrough with being a wife, mum and friend? Well, I soon found that it isn’t easy for her as I read Not Having It All!

Bea is fraught and struggling. A serious career and research means she has to spend time at work to be seen as someone serious about her career. If she reduces her hours she could very easily be side-lined and her funding may disappear. Her husband also has a demanding job, often working away from home for periods. This time he is in Turkey because “he is the best man for the job”. With both of them in full time careers the housekeeping and looking after Fran, their daughter falls to Polish au pair Katie.

Along the way, I also met Madelaine, Colin, Nigel and Allie. They all have roles to play in one form or another. It seems they are also having some sort of crisis in their lives. This is at times a hilarious read as it includes such a cross-section of people. Whether they are having a midlife crisis, feeling guilty about working too much or feeling downright unappreciated, they all seem to be having problems of some sort. Life can be a pain sometimes as pressures easily mount, making mountains out of molehills and often just needed to be looked at from a different perspective or to have recognise the struggles of others. The author has taken everyday worries and wrapped them into a fabulous story that held my attention.

I liked the format or this book as it is told in journal entries, notes or emails from each of the respective characters. It felt that it added to the busy lives of those concerned. Yes, it is unusual but, it worked very well as I got to see different sides to each of the characters. It also meant that the story moved along at a good pace but also that it didn’t feel rushed.

I really enjoyed Not Having It All. I liked how it reflected today’s modern and fast world and also was upbeat and had a good level of humour that kept it from falling into a more serious read. I loved that I actually laughed out loud on several occasions.

Not Having it All is one I would Definitely Recommend.

Jennie Ensor lives in London and has Irish roots. During a long trip overseas she obtained a Masters in Journalism and began her writing career as a journalist, covering topics from forced marriages to accidents in the mining industry. Her debut novel BLIND SIDE was published by Unbound in 2016. In January 2018 her short story ‘The Gift’ was placed in the Top 40 of the Words and Women national prose competition. Her poetry has appeared in many UK and overseas publications, most recently Ink Sweat and Tears. She sings in a chamber choir.

Links

Author website & blog – Author Facebook page – Twitter –  Instagram: 

Blind Side on Goodreads: 

Blind Side on Amazon

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NOT HAVING IT ALL: a brazen comedy about the perils of midlife to be published 28 May 2019 by Bombshell Books


Paperback launch: Waterstones, London – Crouch End, 7-9pm Tuesday 11 June. Free entry. To reserve seats email crouchend@waterstones.com or call the bookshop on 0203 551 9706

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

Never Be Broken by Sarah Hilary @sarah_hilary #RandomThingsTours @annecater #Review

yvonnembee 4 Comments

I am delighted to be sharing my review today for a fantastic book. Never Be Broken By Sarah Hilary is the 6th book in the DI Marnie Rome series. Though I have not read the previous books, I have to say this is bloody brilliant and has left me wanting to read the previous ones. My huge thanks to Anne Cater for aloowing me a spot on the Blog Tour and for organising me a copy of Never Be Broken.

The compulsive, gripping and twisty new London crime novel featuring DI Marnie Rome, from award-wining novelist Sarah Hilary


Children are dying on London’s streets. Frankie Reece, stabbed through the heart, outside a corner shop. Others recruited from care homes, picked up and exploited; passed like gifts between gangs. They are London’s lost.


Then Raphaela Belsham is killed. She’s thirteen years old, her father is a man of influence, from a smart part of town. And she’s white. Suddenly, the establishment is taking notice.


DS Noah Jake is determined to handle Raphaela’s case and Frankie’s too. But he’s facing his own turmoil, and it’s becoming an obsession. DI Marnie Rome is worried, and she needs Noah on side. Because more children are disappearing, more are being killed by the day and the swelling tide of violence needs to be stemmed before it’s too late.

NEVER BE BROKEN is a stunning, intelligent and gripping novel which explores how the act of witness alters us and reveals what lies beneath the veneer of a glittering city.

Now I have not yet read any of the previous books in this series, please notice the word YET! After reading Never Be Broken I will definitely be going back to the beginning. Because I have not read the others it means I can say that it does work well as a stand-alone, BUT I would advise reading these in order if you have not yet done so. While this is a brilliant book, I got little snapshots of past stories. These intrigued me a huge amount and made me wish I had read in order…

This is the 6th in the DI Marnie Rome series, though Marnie is obviously the main character for the series, Never Be Broken focuses more on DS Noah Jake. It has such a dramatic start that immediately grabbed my attention. From that point on I was hooked and eager to know everything. The two main characters of Marnie and Noah are wonderful, I was able to pick up the chemistry between these two colleagues that comes with a series. As I got to know more about Noah my heart really went out to him, I got invested in his character and cared about what was going on with him.

Marnie and Noah are working a case in the Muswell Hill area of London and it leads them to a notorious estate. A residential tower block known for its drugs, crime and gangs. But in amongst this is a small community of those who care. Now as much as this story is about the investigation and also Noah, there is also a very topical point being made. It is about knife crime. A very poignant acknowledgement is made at the end of the book.

Don’t think that this book is all about knife crime, it is about Noah dealing with so much in his personal life. About Marnie being a supportive boss and friend, Noah’s home life and the investigation as well. There is quite a lot going on in this book and all these things were woven together so well. I found that I worried about what could possibly happen next as my mind worked overtime.

Marnie and Jake are such good characters to read. I loved the care and compassion from Marnie and the way that Noah thinks he can cope. His conversations are moving and also heartbreaking… I am not telling who these conversations are with though!

This is a hard-hitting book for so many reasons. As well as the murders and investigations, the author has also included social and economic aspects for the residents, knife crime, racism, grief and anger. I realise I make this book sound very bleak and in some ways it is, but the author has absolutely nailed this by making a convincing, real feeling and addictive read. She has for me written an absolute cracker of a read and this is why I will be buying and reading the previous 5 books in the series. And also why it gets a Highly Recommended from Me!

Sarah Hilary’s debut, Someone Else’s Skin, won Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year 2015 and was a World Book Night selection for 2016. The Observer’s Book of the Month (‘superbly disturbing’) and a Richard & Judy Book Club bestseller, it has been published worldwide. No Other Darkness, the second in the series was shortlisted for a Barry Award in the US. Her DI Marnie Rome series continued with Tastes Like Fear, Quieter Than Killing and Come And Find Me. Follow her on twitter @sarah_hilary.

See what other Bloggers think by following the Blog Tour.

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

Malice by John Gwynne #Review

yvonnembee 4 Comments

I am so delighted to be sharing my review today for Malice by John Gwynn.

If you are after starting an epic fantasy series then you definitley need to cast your eyes to this The Faithful & The Fallen series. Malice is the first book.

The Banished Lands has a violent past where armies of men and giants clashed in battle. An uneasy peace reigns, but now giants stir once more, the very stones weep blood and there are sightings of gigantic worms. Those who can still read the signs see a prophecy realised: sorrow will darken the world, as angels and demons make it their battlefield. 

Young Corban watches enviously as boys become warriors and yearns to join them, determined that he will make his family proud. It is only when everything he knows is threatened that he discovers the true cost of becoming a man.

As the Kings look to their borders, and priests beg answers from the Gods, only a chosen few know that the fate of the world will be decided between two champions, the Black Sun and the Bright Star. And with their coming will be a war to end all wars.

This is a great lump of a lump at 672 pages long and I have to say it was brilliant!

It is told in quick chapters that alternate between the main characters. There is quite a large cast that consists of various Kings, Queens, warriors, knights the list goes on and seems to include people from every walk of life. Rulers of the lands to the stable boy and all manner of others in between.

With this large cast, it would easy to think that it would be confusing to remember them all, this is definitely not the case. The author has created characters that are memorable for so many different reasons. Some are more intriguing than others, some are kind and others are mysterious.

With this being the first in what I think will be an absolute belter of a series, there is some brief history in the prologue to start the scene setting. This is then built upon in a wonderfully paced and totally gripping story. I did take my time with this book as I felt it required a little more concentration, but the further I got the more I could relax as I started to get the plots, characters and general feel of the story in my head.

I loved the setting of this story and map at the beginning was helpful. It made it easier for me to understand the placing of the various parts of the Banished Lands.

The story is EPIC! There are alliances that are not exactly set in stone. Loyalties can lie with whoever looks more likely to win, though not everyone is power mad and has questionable morals. It can be the most unlikely that show the most courage. These are the ones that just carry on the best they can, doing what is expected, trying to stay out of trouble!

With the threat of a prophesied God Was looming there are those who look for signs, they try to interpret them trying to get the upper hand. Others are hunting down and laying claim to ancient relics. It is an age-old battle for ultimate power. These struggles lead to skirmishes that then lead to bloodthirsty battles, they separate families and cost lives.

Oh my… I am waffling so much about this book and seem to be getting nowhere! I am trying to explain who bloody good this book is without giving details away…

Back to basics… John Gwynne has created a truly brilliant story. It is detailed and so absorbing, and even though it did require concentration, I loved everything about it. Quick chapters gave a quick pace. It has things that occur in everyday life for those who live in the Banished Lands and epic bloody skirmishes and battles. There are feuds, quests, vendettas and so, so much more.

If you like fantasy reads then you will love this one. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series as there are so many things that I want to know more about.

Would I recommend Malice? Well, absolutely I would!

Many thanks fo reading my post, a like or share would be brilliant 🙂 xx

Baxter’s Requiem by Matthew Crow @MatthewCrow @annecater #Review

yvonnembee 5 Comments

I am delighted to be sharing my review for Baxter’s Requiem by Matthew Crow with you today. I was lucky to win a copy of this book on a Giveaway run by the fabulous Anne Cater on her blog at Random Things Through My Letterbox.

Let me tell you a story, about a man I knew, and a man I know…

Mr Baxter is ninety-four years old when he falls down his staircase and grudgily finds himself resident at Melrose Gardens Retirement Home.

Baxter is many things – raconteur, retired music teacher, rabble-rouser, bon viveur – but ‘good patient’ he is not. He had every intention of living his twilight years with wine, music and revelry; not tea, telly and Tramadol. Indeed, Melrose Gardens is his worst nightmare – until he meets Gregory.

At only nineteen years of age, Greg has suffered a loss so heavy that he is in danger of giving up on life before he even gets going.

Determined to save the boy, Baxter decides to enlist his help on a mission to pay tribute to his long-lost love, Thomas: the man with whom he found true happiness; the man he waved off to fight in a senseless war; the man who never returned. The best man he ever knew.

With Gregory in tow Baxter sets out on a spirited escape from Melrose, bound for the war graves of Northern France. As Baxter shares his memories, the boy starts to see that life need not be a matter of mere endurance; that the world is huge and beautiful; that kindness is strength; and that the only way to honour the dead, is to live.

Baxter’s Requiem is a glorious celebration of life, love and seizing every last second we have while we’re here.

What a stunning book Baxter’s Requiem is! Meeting the character that is Baxter was memorable. A grumpy old man on the outside but with a wonderful wit and a huge heart on the inside! Greg is again another wonderful character, he is quiet and withdrawn in an almost moody way. With over 70 years separating these two there are bound to be differences but, actually not that many!

Both Greg and Baxter have personal stories in them. They are kept close and they almost protect them from the outside world. They are precious memories that they have built up and I can understand this almost secretive shield they have around them.

When Baxter and Greg meet it is at the care home that Baxter has been sent to recover from a fall. Baxter sees Greg as something more than quiet and withdrawn, he sees sorrow and pain. Baxter believes that he can help Greg somehow and so the process of building up a friendship and a bond begins.

It is not only Greg that needs help, Baxter does from a care point, but Baxter has something else in mind. He wants desperatley to go to France, it is something that means so much to him. So without realsining it Greg needs Baxter to help him to be able to live his life and break free of what holds him back. Baxcter needs Greg to break out and fulfil a heartbreaking promise to the man he loved.

I read this book 3 weeks ago and it is only now that I am coming back to my paper notes and what I thought. I have a lump in throat as I type this up, it reminds me how beautiful and poignant this story was. It shows that life can be so fragile and fleeting and also so full of love.

I loved the emotions that the author brought out of me with Baxter’s Requiem, smilrking at some of the one liners from Baxter only for the realisation that life has an expiry date. Care homes are often referred to as “Gods waiting room” but in Baxter’s case he sees them as “practising being dead and paying for the privalige”. This cracked me up and then the reality of what he said…

Sadness and a sort of melancholy was what I expected before I began this book. But then I found that it was heartwarming, moving, funny and yes there is sadness and heartbreak. but, this book wasn’t about that. This was a story that showed me a life lived, a life loved, a life apart and a life to come.

If you after a gorgeous, stunning, beautiful read then you seriously need to read this book. It get a Highly Recommended from Me!

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