Category Debut

Go As A River by Shelley Read @RandomTTours @DoubledayUK #GoAsARiver #historicalfiction #bookreview

yvonnembee 6 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for Go As A River by Shelley Read. This is a stunning book and the story was such an amazing one to read.

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

In this soaring, compassionate novel, a breathtaking picture of our natural world – its trees and mountains and light – emerges. But more than this, it is the tale of female resilience and becoming that gives Go As A River its strength, its soul, and its possibility.


Nestled in the foothills of the Elk Mountains and surrounded by sprawling forests, wandering bears and porcupines, the Gunnison River rushes by the tiny town of Iola.


On a cool autumn morning, seventeen-year-old Torie Nash heads into her village pulling a rickety wagon filled with late-season peaches from her farm. As she nears an intersection, a mysterious young drifter with eyes dark and shiny as a raven’s wing, grimy thumbs and smudged cheeks, stops to ask her the way. She could have turned left or crossed over, but she did not. She stayed. ‘Go as a river,’ he whispers to her.


So begins a mesmerising story that unfolds over a lifetime, as Torie attempts to absorb and follow his words.
Gathering all the pieces of her small, extraordinary life, spinning through the eddies of desire, heartbreak and betrayal, embracing and challenged by the landscape she calls home, Torie arrives at a single rocky decision that changes her life forever.


“What I’ve learnt about becoming is that it takes a long time”

MY REVIEW

Oh my goodness, this is an absolutely heartbreaking yet gorgeously written story. This is a historical fiction story that does have some roots that are based around an actual event. The tale the author has brought is of a young woman who discovers life as she gets older and that things can have consequences.

Set in the 1950s through to the 70s the author tells of a small town, Iola in Colorado. Her family grow peach trees and the main voice of this story is that of Victoria Nash. Victoria has a younger brother and her father, after the death of her mother it has gradually fallen to her to take over the house chores.

It is a random meeting with a young man that alters her life in a way she could never have dreamed of. Realising she needed to get away she goes into the mountains, this is an area the author knows well and she describes the terrain and the conditions so well. I should also add other is also a good amount of detail regarding the peaches.

The town of Iola is destined to be lost under the waters when a new dam is to be built. Taking courage and initiative Victoria decides to make a huge move and make one of the biggest gambles of her life.

This is a book that enthralled me and captured my attention from the very first pages. A story of growing up in the US with references to the war in Vietnam kept me rooted in the time. The author brings the hardships and also the hard work required to live and work on a farm and also some of the politics of the time. Not too much, but enough that is relevant and to the point.

The story is one that is of life, love and loss. It is part and parcel of most people’s lives no matter what time they live or where they live. Bringing the humdrum and mundane world of Victoria, as she sees it, to life in such a way as to make such a compelling story was fabulous. The author really nailed this for me. Completely riveting.

There is much more to this story than the synopsis or this review lets on. The story does flow as a river with highs and lows, rapids and quiet pools but it is forever moving. I was so surprised when I read the synopsis after reading the book, this is a debut! Wow!

This is one for those who like their fiction to lean a little towards literary fiction but also have a feel of a classic. It is imaginative and thought-provoking but above all extremely readable and an addictive historical fiction story. I adored this book so much and I am excited to see where the author goes next. It is one I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shelley Read is a fifth generation Coloradoan who lives with her family in the Elk Mountains of the Western Slope. She was a Senior Lecturer at Western Colorado University for nearly three decades, where she taught writing, literature, environmental studies, and Honours, and was a founder of the Environment & Sustainability major and a support program for first-generation and at-risk students. Shelley holds degrees in writing and literary studies from the University of Denver and Temple University’s Graduate Program in Creative Writing. She is a regular contributor to Crested Butte Magazine and Gunnison Valley Journal, and has written for the Denver Post and a variety of publications.
Go As A River, her first novel, is inspired by the landscape she comes from and will be published in over thirty territories.

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The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz @juliabartz @RandomThingsTours @OneworldNews @PointBlankCrime #crime #thriller #murder #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz. This is a wonderful book and it will make you think twice about going on a retreat!

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 Magpie Publishers.

There was no radio. No phone. No connection to the outside world. We were completely on our own.

Alex, a struggling young writer, is delighted to join four other hopefuls at a month-long writing retreat with Roza Vallo, the controversial high priestess of feminist horror.

At the remote Blackbriar estate, they discover they must complete an entire novel from scratch, and the best one will receive a seven-figure publishing deal. Alex’s longed-for dream now seems within reach.

But then the women begin to die. Trapped, terrified, yet still desperately writing, it’s clear there is more than a publishing deal at stake. Alex must confront her own demons – and finish her novel – to survive.

It seemed so perfect, but turned out to be every writer’s worst nightmare…

MY REVIEW

This is a very dark read. A writing retreat run by Roza, a renowned author sounds great and it is in her own mansion. The mansion is isolated and becomes more inaccessible as the winter weather develops. The mansion also has a story of its own!

There are five female budding authors at this retreat along with a small staff and of course the author. The idea is that this retreat will give these five women a chance to work on a story, get tips and advice as they go and hopefully come away with a publishing deal.

As I mentioned this is dark, and the history of the mansion gradually emerges in one of the stories. The main focus is on Alex, she knows one of the other women and they have a history that isn’t as friendly or as close as it was. The other women are all unknown, but five women don’t really pair off as there is always going to be an odd one out.

As the author brings her characters out and explains the reasons for the retreat and also shows Roza’s character to be more unexpected than you first realise.

This is a tense thriller that is also full of mystery and intrigue. With the story of the property, of Roza and the other women there is also another story that gradually emerges. It is a busy story but one that is at all times controlled, I do think the author has done a brilliant job with keeping all the threads clear, and each of the characters has their own part, although not always that obvious at the beginning.

I really enjoyed this one and at times it really had me on edge, this does have a twisted mystery element to it as well as being a thriller. A great read for me with this author and it is one I would happily recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Julia Bartz is a Brooklyn-based writer and practicing therapist. Her sister, Andrea Bartz is a New York Times bestselling writer (most recently with We Were Never Here.) She is the author of the popular Psychology Today blog ‘My Pleasure: The New Science of Sex, Dating, and Self-Care’ and previously ran the Brooklyn literary blog BookStalker. Her fiction has been published in the South Dakota Review, FictionDaily and InDigest Magazine and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. The Writing Retreat is Julia’s first novel.

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The Source by Sarah Sultoon #crime #thriller @OrendaBooks #bookreview

yvonnembee

I am delighted to share my review today for The Source by Sarah Sultoon. I have had a copy of this book for quite a while now and I am kicking myself for not reading it sooner. The Source is the debut book for this author and my goodness she doesn’t mess about.

I originally won this book in a giveaway that was run last year.

A young TV journalist is forced to revisit her harrowing past when she’s thrust into a sex-trafficking investigation in her hometown.

One last chance to reveal the truth…

1996. Essex. Thirteen-year-old schoolgirl Carly lives in a disenfranchised town dominated by a military base, struggling to care for her baby sister while her mum sleeps off another binge. When her squaddie brother brings food and treats, and offers an exclusive invitation to army parties, things start to look a little less bleak…

2006. London. Junior TV newsroom journalist Marie has spent six months exposing a gang of sex traffickers, but everything is derailed when New Scotland Yard announces the re-opening of Operation Andromeda, the notorious investigation into allegations of sex abuse at an army base a decade earlier…

As the lives of these two characters intertwine around a single, defining event, a series of utterly chilling experiences is revealed, sparking a nail-biting race to find the truth … and justice.

A riveting, searing and devastatingly dark thriller, The Source is also a story about survival, about hopes and dreams, about power, abuse and resilience … an immense, tense and thought-provoking debut that you will never, ever forget.

MY REVIEW

This is a book that I have had on my shelf for far too long and I am annoyed that I didn’t pick it up sooner. This is a fantastic read although it is sometimes hard due to the subject matter.

This is told over two timelines, one from a young girl called Carly and the other is in the present-day from Marie. The synopsis tells well of the two women and of the way they are living at the time. But, what the synopsis doesn’t mention is the way they have been treated over the years.

This is a story that is a tough read as it does deal with sex trafficking and abuse. While the author doesn’t go into any details she definitely gives the impression of how it makes Carly feel.

As a journalist, Marie is looking into stories regarding the sex trade, and she goes undercover to find those responsible. What she and the rest of the newsroom do not expect is an announcement regarding an older story. Operation Andromeda is reopened and declarations are made announcing that mistakes were made. How opportune is this announcement though, the timing feels rushed and it could derail the investigation that Carly is looking into.

Carly is only 14 and has already had a troubled and awful life. A missing father and a drunk mother are not the best way for a young woman to grow up. She also looks after her young sister and does have an older brother.

Marie is a woman who suffers with demons from her past, she has ways of dealing with these but they are getting increasingly more difficult to quiet.

The author has taken the horrendous theme of sex trafficking, abuse, systematic abuse and corruption to the limits. It is one of those stories where you want to say is all fiction, but if you read the papers then you will be aware that this is just not the case. Covering up past allegations, not reporting crimes and trying to hide events is just the tip of a very complex iceberg that the author has built. The trail of corruption rises into some very high echelons of society and government. This makes this very much a political thriller as well as a journalistic thriller that shows systemic corruption at work.

This is a story that feels very wrong when I say it is a brilliant one, but it really is. The story is one that flows and gradually lets out the secrets of the past. While it is laden with awful events it does have a message of hope of things being finally revealed. It is a story of strength and discovering the truth. If you like a more serious and eye-opening story then this is one you should definitely read. It is one I would definitely recommend.

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

The Empire by Michael Ball @mrmichaelball @rararesources @ZaffreBooks #historicalfiction #romance #NetGalley #bookreview

yvonnembee 5 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for The Empire by Michael Ball… yes that Michael Ball! This is a fabulous debut novel that I adored and I was so lucky to have got a spot on the Blog Tour for this book.

My huge thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the Tour and for arranging my e-copy from the publisher, Zaffre Books, via NetGalley.

Welcome to The Empire Theatre

1922. When Jack Treadwell arrives at The Empire, in the middle of a rehearsal, he is instantly mesmerised. But amid the glitz and glamour, he soon learns that the true magic of the theatre lies in its cast of characters – both on stage and behind the scenes.

There’s stunning starlet Stella Stanmore and Hollywood heartthrob Lancelot Drake; and Ruby Rowntree, who keeps the music playing, while Lady Lillian Lassiter, theatre owner and former showgirl, is determined to take on a bigger role. And then there’s cool, competent Grace Hawkins, without whom the show would never go on . . . could she be the leading lady Jack is looking for?

When long-held rivalries threaten The Empire’s future, tensions rise along with the curtain. There is treachery at the heart of the company and a shocking secret waiting in the wings. Can Jack discover the truth before it’s too late, and the theatre he loves goes dark?

Musical theatre legend Michael Ball brings his trademark warmth, wit and glamour to this, his debut novel.

Enjoy the show!

Purchase Links – AMAZON UK – US

MY REVIEW

I really didn’t know what to expect when I first saw this book, and I only glanced at the synopsis to know it was one I wanted to read. The author has trod the boards of theatres around the world and so it makes sense that his first book would be set in a theatre.

The Empire is a theatre that has pretty much been left to its own devices. It is owned by the Lassiters, but neither really seems to take a huge amount of interest. The day-to-day running is done by Grace, a young woman with a passion for theatre. Not officially in charge, but knows that she needs to organise things to keep it running. The behind-the-scenes crew go about doing what they need to. When Jack is told to go and see Mrs Lassiter for a job it is Grace who he sees. Mrs Lassiter is in the US still in the morning over the death of her husband. As there seems to be no one really paying attention to the Empire, it seems that another businessman sees an opportunity to take advantage.

The author brings his passion for theatre, musicals and variety to every page of this wonderful novel. There are stories within stories and some real mysteries that are wonderfully woven into this tale of family disagreement, rivalry and blackmail. Underneath all of this though is the dogged determination of those who do not want to go down without a fight. It is their stubbornness and belief that gives magic to this story. They add glamour and glitz if you like.

While this is a story about grief and getting on with your life it is also about accepting mistakes from your past. There are a few juicy little secrets that the author has snuck into this story and it is one that had me hooked from the very first pages.

As well as the story of The Empire, this is also a story about certain characters as well. It is the everyday lives and working relationships of those who work in the theatre. They are a family and they have close bonds and therefore loyalties. This is something that I adored, as the author took me through the mazes behind the scenes, to the offices, the foyers, the dressing rooms and the stage.

The story has a bit of everything in it, so it is a romance, a mystery, it has loss and regret and hope for the future. Set between the wars in the 1920s this has the glamour and glitz of the music hall and variety shows. This is where the author really did work his magic so well. There were several times when I got goosebumps reading this book. Whether it be the cast getting a scene right, someone singing and dancing at an unexpected moment or when the cue for the show is called. The emotions and feelings that this book oozed were spo0t on for me.

This is a fabulous story and one that I really adored. It has the razzmatazz and the glamour, it also has the shady and the undesirable, but all the way through this story the feeling of “the show must go on” is one that resonated with me. No matter what the pitfalls there is always something to work toward, whether it is in the belief of others around you or accepting that you are capable of being successful, there is always a glimmer of the possible.

This a fabulous debut novel from someone who knows the industry, the history, the backstage and centre stage of theatres. A time when Jazz was making its way across the Atlantic and the roaring 20s was making itself heard. It is an addictive story and one I would absolutely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael Ball OBE is a singer, actor, presenter and now author. He’s been a star of musical theatre for over three decades, winning the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical twice, he’s also won two BRIT awards and been nominated for a Grammy. Michael regularly sells out both his solo tours and his Ball & Boe shows with Alfie Boe and has multiple platinum albums. The Empire is his first novel.


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Black is the Colour by Seamus Connolly @seamusconnolly_ @ZooloosBT @SpellBoundBks #thriller #crime #debut #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to be one of the Bloggers to open the Tour today for a Debut Author and share my review. Black is the Colour by Seamus Connolly was a brilliant read and if you like twisted thrillers then have a look at this one!

My huge thanks to Zoe at Zooloos Book Tours for my spot on the Tour and for arranging my copy via the publisher Spellbound Books.

It has been almost three decades since the brutal murder of a young father took place on the streets of Glasgow.

Fleeing the country as a child Cal Lynch returns to Scotland a man, a lawyer, determined to exact vengeance on the gangster who killed his father and tore his family apart.

His desired retribution would be complex and challenging. He had dreamed, trained and prepared for the day of his return.

Falling in love was not part of the plan.

As Cal’s revenge on Eddie Quinn draws ever closer, what happens next will leave him broken and fighting for his very existence.

Black Is The Colour is a gritty gangland tartan noir thriller set against the turbulent backdrop of Thatcher’s Britain.

PURCHASE LINKS – AMAZON UK – US

MY REVIEW


What an absolutely fabulous read this book was. If I didn’t need to go to work I would have easily read it in one sitting.

From the synopsis, I knew this was going to be a thriller, I didn’t realise just how twisted it would get though. Cal has returned to Scotland, he has a plan and one that he has thought about for many years. He has revenge on his mind and he knows who he has in his line of sight. As a solicitor, Cal is able to use his experience and also the law to get what he needs to get. Or, so he thinks. Things don’t go all his way and there will be a price to pay along the way.

This is s set in the criminal world in Glasgow. While Cal has been away and made himself a name and a career he has never forgotten his roots. This is something that the author brings into the story and it is great to see. Cal knows the streets, and the people and thinks he knows what he is getting himself into. Plans, well on paper they are always great and even if you think you have all the alternatives covered, well there is something that will go awry.

This is a tense thriller and mystery novel and considering it is only around 180 pages long, the author has certainly made for an addictive story. This is one that is dark, it has unexpected twists and not everything is black or white.

I really liked getting to know Cal and some of the other characters. It doe shave that feel that there could be more to come in way of a series. I do hope so as I think there is the potential for much more.

There are a good amount of characters and I think the balance is about right for them, they are there because they are needed. Again there are some who I do think would make for great recurring characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a well-paced story with plenty to keep you thinking and guessing. A couple of great curveballs to keep you on your toes and I look forward to reading more from this author. It is one for crime, thriller and mystery fans and one I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Seamus Connolly is a Scottish based author who has recently published his first novel – Black is the Colour. Brought up in the West of Scotland he combines gritty reality and great humour within his fiction writing.
Seamus is currently drafting a follow up to his debut novel which promises to keep readers enthralled with twists and turns to keep the pages turning.

Follow him on – Instagram – Twitter

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Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter by Lizzie Pook @LizziePook @RandomTTours @MantleBooks #historicalfiction #mystery #bookreview

yvonnembee 1 Comment

I am delighted to share my review today for Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter by Lizzie Pook. This is a wonderful historical fiction set in 1886 in Western Australia.

My huge thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for my copy of this book from Mantle Books.

Fortune favours the brave . . .
It is 1886 and the Brightwell family has sailed from England to make their new home in
Western Australia. Ten-year-old Eliza knows little of what awaits them in Bannin Bay beyond
stories of shimmering pearls and shells the size of soup plates – the very things her father has
promised will make their fortune.


Ten years later, as the pearling ships return after months at sea, Eliza waits impatiently for
her father to return with them. When his lugger finally arrives, however, Charles Brightwell,
master pearler, is declared missing. Whispers from the townsfolk point to mutiny or murder,
but Eliza knows her father and, convinced there is more to the story, sets out to uncover
the truth. She soon learns that in a town teeming with corruption, prejudice and blackmail,
answers can cost more than pearls, and must decide just how much she is willing to pay, and
how far she is willing to go, to find them.


A gloriously rich and wonderfully assured debut, Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter is set
in a mesmerising yet unforgiving land, where both profit and peril lie deep beneath the
ocean surface rendered with astonishing clarity, it is a novel that marks Lizzie Pook
as a name to watch.

MY REVIEW

Eliza Brightwell starts a new life with her parents and siblings in Bannin Bay, N.W region of Australia. Her father is hoping to make his fortune from pearl diving. The voyage from the UK to Australia has been long and arduous. It is 1866.

This is a historical fiction that tells of Eliza and her arrival in Bannin Bay at the age of 10 and back and forth to her life in her 20s. The earlier years tell of sadness, filling in the details of how her father has successfully made a living as a Pearler. It also tells of the hardships of those in the Bay. A mix of cultures, classes and backgrounds. The author builds a wonderful image of this desolate, dusty and dry region, and it is easy to see how quickly one could fall into poverty.

Eliza is a little bit of an enigma, she isn’t interested in the frivolity and frippery as some women are. She is more interested in the natural world, in plants, animals and about what she sees around her. Life is very different from where she first began.

When the boats return from their latest trips her father’s boat is the last one in. It is without her father, her brother is dismissive as are the rest of the crew. She is bewildered, confused and concerned. Not one for being fobbed off she decides to discover what happened herself.

Well now, there is no doubt that this is a headstrong and determined character who knows her own mind. She will take advice but she is also willing to follow what she believes is right. When she senses that there is more to her father’s disappearance she just has to go with her gut.

In this era of history, slavery is common, a time of British Colonialism and of discovery. The pearling industry is something I don’t think I have read about before so this was a really interesting read. There was enough of the basics to make me more curious for further reading.

Eliza was a character I wasn’t sure about at the beginning, but the more I read the more I started to understand her. She would be seen as a feminist and therefore not really accepted into certain circles. In fact, she is her own circle and the author has done a brilliant job with her.

This is a story that ebbs and flows at its own pace. Sometimes it is faster like the storm in the ocean, other times it is slower more languorous and this slower pace gives a chance for the literary side to tease itself out. This at times has a really lovely literary fiction flow, as well as being a mystery and historical fiction in genres. It didn’t take me long to get into this story and I did find the book nagging for me to be picked back up when I had put it down. A fabulous debut from this author and one I would happily recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lizzie Pook is an award-winning journalist and travel writer contributing to The Sunday
Times, Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, Condé Nast Traveller and more. Her assignments have
taken her to some of the most remote parts of the planet, from the uninhabited east coast of
Greenland in search of roaming polar bears, to the foothills of the Himalayas to track
endangered snow leopards.


She was inspired to write Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter, her debut novel, after
spending time in north-western Australia researching the dangerous and
fascinating pearl-diving industry. She lives in London.
You can find Lizzie on Twitter and Instagram.

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Ouija by Zoe-Lee O’Farrell @QuestionPress #Horror #Debut #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for Debut Author Zoe-Lee O’Farrell and her book Ouija. This is the second book in the Question Mark Horror series where different authors write a short story. I have to say Ouija was fabulous reading.

The only thing for certain is the deaths were no accident.

Rayner High School once a prestigious school stands in ruins after such a terrible event.

A year later, a group of friends return to the abandoned school and their nightmare begins.

Something wants to get out and won’t take NO for an answer…

Ouija is Book 2 in a new series brought to you by Question Mark Horror. For fans of Point Horror, Christopher Pike & Nicholas Pine.

You can read my Full review for Camp Death by Jim Ody HERE

MY REVIEW

When a group of teens decide to visit an old, abandoned school you just know there is going to be trouble. Of course, there are rumours about what happened to the school and in particular one day when the school becomes the thing of nightmares.

WOW! What a debut for this author. This is an absolutely cracking read that I adored. Following the teens, I gradually learnt more about them and also about what happened in the school the previous year. The title of the book obviously gives a big clue as to what brings that past to the present. Yep, an Ouija board!

As I have gotten older, I have become a bit of a weedy wuss when it comes to horror, and considering Ouija is aimed at a YA audience it still left me feeling a little uneasy as I was reading it. I mean, abandoned schools and an Ouija board are major no-nos in my book. Thank goodness this author is braver than me as she has worked some wonderful atmospherics into this story.

It definitely has a sinister feel to it and this deepens the further the story goes. Things start to weird as if they weren’t weird already, and they get more intriguing and dangerous. This author has woven a creepy, series and very addictive tale.

If you are a fan of horror, especially teen or YA horror then this is one you really want to pick up. I had a great time reading it and I would definitely recommend it.

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

We Watch You by N.S. Ford @nsfordwriter #WeWatchYou #PublicationDay #psychological #bookreview

yvonnembee 5 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for We Watch You by N.S. Ford. It is always exciting when a fellow Book Blogger gets in touch to see if you would be interested in reading her book. I love reading her BLOG and so I was obviously going to be interested in reading her book.

FOUR FRIENDS. THREE ENEMIES. TWO TRAGEDIES. ONE TERRIBLE TRUTH.

A small English town is rocked by the disappearance of a local woman, Tina. As the search continues, someone is targeting her former best friends for revenge. Lauren, Jess, Claire. They all hide secrets. Who knows what they did? Who’s watching them? The truth is stranger and far more sinister than they can ever imagine.

A dark, twisty thriller which will grip you until the very last page. 

PURCHASE FROM – Amazon UK

MY REVIEW…

I do love a short synopsis, and the one for this book is so tantalising. This is definitely an intrigue laden psychological thriller that has many twists.

The story did take me a few chapters to get to grip on the characters and the story. The chapters do alternate between characters and it is not immediately obvious who these are until you discover more about them in the story.

The story has a small-town feel, where the main characters have grown up and stayed there. Given that is a small place it didn’t exactly have that community atmosphere to it, yet there is something about the place. The main characters have been friends from school, one of these girls has now gone missing. With her disappearance there seem to be other events that could tenuously be linked, but are they linked and if so how.

The author has done a wonderful job weaving a story of secrets, mysteries and also of misdirection. It is sometimes a small and insignificant comment or sentence that suddenly becomes quite important later in the story. Very much a smoke and mirrors type of thing.

I liked the pacing of this book, starting at a good pace and towards the final chapters, it definitely picks up speed but doesn’t feel rushed. As for the ending, well that was interesting, it was something that had passed my mind earlier in the story but still came as a bit of a surprise. Yes, this is vague, but I m not giving anything up here!

This is a very intriguing story, it is a story that mentions elements of depression and mental health, it has a strong psychological tenseness, it has several mysterious threads and it is a very addictive read. I was a bok I found hard to leave, and wish that I had started it when I had a couple of days off rather than fitting it around work!

This is one for those who like a story that is in some ways quite complex as I now sit back and think about it, but it didn’t feel like that as I was reading. I thoroughly enjoyed this twisty journey and I would happily recommend it.

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

Would I Lie To You? by Aliya Ali-Afzal #NetGalley #20booksofsummer @HoZ_Books #contemporaryfiction

yvonnembee 3 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for Would I Lie To You? by Aliya Ali-Afzal. This is a book I requested to read from House of Zeus via NetGalley and I am so glad I did because it is fabulous.

I am including this as part of #20booksofsummer reading challenge, this is a change to my list! 🙂

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From fresh new voice Aliya Ali-Afzal, Would I Lie to You? is a page-turning, warm and funny debut about what happens when you have your dream life – and are about to lose it.

At the school gates, Faiza fits in. It took a few years, but now the snobbish mothers who mistook her for the nanny treat her as one of their own. She’s learned to crack their subtle codes, speak their language of handbags and haircuts and discreet silver watches. You’d never guess, at the glamorous kids’ parties and the leisurely coffee mornings, that Faiza’s childhood was spent following her parents round the Tooting Cash ‘n’ Carry.

When her husband Tom loses his job in finance, he stays calm. Something will come along, and in the meantime, they can live off their savings. But Faiza starts to unravel. Raising the perfect family comes at a cost – and the money Tom put aside has gone. When Tom’s redundancy package ends, Faiza will have to tell him she’s spent it all.

Unless she doesn’t…

It only takes a second to lie to Tom. Now Faiza has six weeks to find £75,000 before her lie spirals out of control. If anyone can do it, Faiza can: she’s had to fight for what she has, and she’ll fight to keep it. But as the clock ticks down, and Faiza desperately tries to put things right, she has to ask herself: how much more should she sacrifice to protect her family?

My Review…

This is a debut and one that I immediately fell for as I began reading. The pages flew by as I read this over the course of one day. The author made it so easy to submerge me into the life of Faiza’s life.

Faiza is a character who is so desperate to fit in, no matter the cost. This isn’t really a problem until her husband Tom loses his job. Their savings have been decimated as Faiza gets sucked into keeping up with the elite mums at school. Wanting to be one of the clique. Not wanting to be on the outside, to be part of a group and to feel as good as those around her.

Initially, I couldn’t understand why Faiza would want to be part of this group of upper-class mothers until I got further into the story. I started to understand her upbringing and the reasons behind her spending. Faiza is a Pakistani Muslim, she is in a multicultural marriage and has three children. She, as many other parents stay at home, runs the house, looks after the children and her husband works long hours to provide for them. They do have a lavish lifestyle and not wanting others to notice the lack of money Faiza does what she can to keep the charade of “being fine” going as long as she can.

The author has brought many things to this story, money worries that lead to marriage problems, arguments, stress and keeping their heads above water. Having a change of roles for the parents was such a good route to go down, but then this route turned dark and highlighted other issues. Being a woman working in a high powered city job has a whole set of other problems.

This is a brilliant story, one that had me engrossed from start o finish. It has such good pacing to it and it reflects the spiral and panic as Faiza tries to keep juggling various problems. Cultural differences become a problem and Faiza is not the only one to notice this, rather than confront it head-on, the author uses Faiza to approach this in a different way. There are several eye-opening moments in the book and not just the more obvious ones either.

This is a great read and I am really looking forward to reading more by this author. This is one for readers who like contemporary fiction, family life and relationships. It is one I would definitely recommend.

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

Falling by T.J Newman @T_J_Newman @simonschusterUK @RandomTTours #debutauthor #thriller #bookreview

yvonnembee 5 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for Falling by T.J Newman. My thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging for my copy of this book from the publisher Simon and Schuster.

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You just boarded a flight to New York.

There are one hundred and forty-three other passengers onboard.

What you don’t know is that thirty minutes before the flight your pilot’s family was kidnapped.

For his family to live, everyone on your plane must die.

The only way the family will survive is if the pilot follows his orders and crashes the plane.

Enjoy the flight.

My Review…

When I saw the synopsis for this book I knew it was one that I wanted to read. I was so right about this book as I got a brilliant and adrenalin-fuelled psychological read from start to finish.

The first line of this book did it for me, what an opening line that was. That was the prologue, by the way.

the story is of Capt. Bill Hoffman, pilot of Coastal Airways flight from Los Angeles to New York. Not a scheduled flight for Bill, but an extra and one that his wife isn’t happy about him taking on. He should have been home, maybe if he was then the nightmare that ensues would not have happened.

When the plane is hijacked, it is Bill who is the only one on board that is aware of it. His wife and two children are not able to help as they have been kidnapped. His instructions are simple. Crash the plane or your family will die.

Once I started this book really couldn’t put it down. After the dramatic opening, the chapters that followed drew me further in. The author built an image of a family man who is loyal to his employers, who has a sense of duty and who has a sense of right and wrong. When his family are taken he has a choice, what his decision will be I will leave you to read and discover.

It is not only Bill but also Jo, Kellie and Big Daddy who have a part to play. They are flight attendants, Jo does have the larger role of the three. There is also a couple of key on the ground characters as well.
This gives a good around view of the event as it unfolds and gives differing perspectives as events unfold. Obviously, there is Bill in the cockpit, Jo and the crew with the passengers, the family, the kidnapper and also the FBI. While it may seem as there are many characters, they are introduced in such a way as they become memorable quickly.

The author, who by the way was a Flight Attendant brings her experience in the air to this book. There are little things that cropped up as I read that I didn’t realise. To be honest, I have never flown so it’s not like I am an expert, but there were times where I came across something that I was never aware of.

There are plenty of surprises along the way and several twists that I didn’t see coming. I did briefly give a passing thought about one person but then brushed that off! I do like how the author has used this scenario to try and exert pressure on the pilot. I mean, he is in the air but he can still control what happens to his family. But, what about the passengers on his flight, they are also his responsibility! Talk about a vicious circle!

I thoroughly enjoyed this adrenalin-packed roller coaster of a ride, or should I say flight! I am quite glad I like keeping my feet firmly on the ground after reading this book! It’s a fabulous debut that had me hooked and I think would be ideal for readers who enjoy a fast-ish-paced, psychological thriller. I would definitely recommend it.

About the Author…

T. J. Newman, a former bookseller turned flight attendant, worked for Virgin America and Alaska Airlines from 2011 to 2021. She wrote much of Falling on cross-country red-eye flights while her passengers were asleep. She lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Falling is her first novel.

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