Category Political Thriller

Death of a Union by Andrew Wood @cunninglyclever @palamedespr #thriller #politics #histfic #bookreview

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I am delighted to share my review today of Death of Union by Andrew Wood. This book is a mix of past and present, fact and fiction and one that I really enjoyed.

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

“Death of a Union” is a gripping geopolitical thriller set against the tumultuous backdrop of the UK’s infamous 1984 miners’ strike. George McDonald is a union leader, on the verge of exposing staggering corruption within Arthur Scargill’s National Union of Miners, where millions have vanished. However, sinister forces, including a shadowy KGB agent and fellow union leaders, conspire against him, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown. Fast forward four decades and Scotland is on the verge of becoming an independent nation under dynamic new leadership, transforming the SNP from a joke into a powerhouse of positive change. But this new direction leads Scotland into uncharted territory, forming unconventional alliances, particularly with China. These alliances draw the ire of Whitehall and Washington, triggering alarms on both sides of the Atlantic. As the political landscape intensifies, MI5 reopens the Pandora’s box of George McDonald’s corruption case. The echoes of the past resonate in the present, thrusting Scotland’s First Minister into a web of intrigue and peril. Amidst political manoeuvring, covert operations, and the weight of untold secrets, “Death of a Union” becomes a riveting tale of power, betrayal, and the relentless pursuit of justice.

MY REVIEW

I can remember seeing things on the news in 1984/5 about the miner’s strikes, I can remember watching some of the battles between the miners and the police. But, I was only a teen at the time so I didn’t really understand what this was completely about. Since then I have picked up things and read things. This book fills in some more blanks and the author has mixed fact with fiction to make an interesting and well-paced story.

The book is set over two timelines. That of the miner’s strikes in 84/85 and also a present-day setting in Scotland. The 80s is focused on George Macdonald, his role starts in the mines but then he gradually finds himself as a union man and on the committee. He rubs shoulders with Arthur Scargill and other influential figures. He doesn’t understand how those further up in the union have flash cars and homes, yet he is just about keeping his own battered car on the road. The miners who are striking are not coping well, some are literally starving or unable to pay the rent, they either have to lose everything or go back to work.

The present-day timeline is of a widow who is taking on her dead husband’s mantle, Maggie McGowan may be new in the political ring, but she has a good business head on her shoulders. She is not going to be spoken down to, she will hold her own as she steps into the arena. She has to hold her nerve and show that she is for the people of Scotland, this will take some doing as she is considered to be very wealthy, and most people do not have the money. But, she does have a background that shows how she was brought up and raised.

I really liked this tale of two parts, the majority of my attention was more on the miner’s strike as this is something I wanted to know more about. The present-day setting is good, but it took e a while to understand the relevance of it. This section was good and it was more current and interesting to read, it did provide the link and also a chance for things to move forward further.

The tensions between the strikers, the union leaders and the police were well put. The struggles that the miners went through and also the decisions of those to go back to work were interesting and with the corruption added in made for a thrilling read.

This is a good book and one that I really enjoyed, it is a mix of two stories and each is linked, but they also show how the politics of the day can shape decision-making. Anything political is going to leave me thinking of corruption and conspiracy and this book is another one that backs those thoughts up.

If you want a book that is a thriller, historical fiction, or political thriller that reaches around the globe and brings in foreign powers, then this is a good book to have on your list. I would happily recommend this one.

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The Crash by Robert Peston @ZaffreBooks #NetGalley #thriller #politics #bookreview

yvonnembee

I am delighted to share my review today for The Crash by Robert Peston. This is the second book I read by this author and I have to say they are brilliantly addictive reading.

My huge thanks to Zaffre Books for accepting my request to read and review this title via NetGalley.

As the world falls apart, a deadly conspiracy comes together . . .

London, 2007. It’s summer in the the economy is booming, profits are up and the stock market sits near record highs.

But journalist Gil Peck is a lone voice worrying it can’t last. Deep in the plumbing of the financial system, he has noticed strange things happening which could threaten the whole economy. But nobody wants to hear not the politicians taking credit for an end to boom and bust, not the bankers pocketing vast bonuses, not even Gil’s bosses at the BBC, who think it’s irrelevant.

When Gil gets a tip-off that a small northern bank has run out of money, everything changes. His report sparks the first run on a UK bank in 140 years. The next day, Marilyn Krol, a director of the Bank of England dies in an apparent suicide.

For Gil, it’s personal. Marilyn was his was his scoop connected to her suicide? Or is there something more sinister in her death? Gil is determined to find out.

The more he investigates, the more he is drawn into the rotten heart of the financial system, where old school ties and secret Oxbridge societies lubricate vast and illegal conflicts of interest. The whole economy has been built on a house of cards, and Gil is threatening to bring it down.

When simply reporting the facts can make or break fortunes, Gil has to ask is he crossing the line between journalist and participant? Are his own conflicts of interest making him reckless? And in a world ruled by greed where nothing and no-one is too big to fail, what price will he pay for uncovering the truth?

MY REVIEW

After reading this author’s first book, and thoroughly enjoying it, by the way, I was definitely up for reading his next book. The Crash takes Gil Peck into the world of finance and politics and where you get those two you are sure to get corruption. Gil is now a reporter on the BBC and when he gets the sniff of a story about a bank running out of money her blogs the story. The following day his beast friend commits suicide, something that is out of nature for her. This gets Gil wondering if there is more to the bank than he first thought!

Once again I adored this book, I do like the character of Gil, he does get picked on a little bit as things do seem to end up more about him. He does become the story at several points in this book and it fits in well with how the author has created him.

With the world of finance, I did expect some mentions of things that would be over my head, and yes there were. Not too much so that it stopped the flow of the story but it did slow my reading a little when these were mentioned. Even though it is a world I don’t really understand the author kept this story more about the intrigue and the corruption and of course working out what happened to his friend. There is more to the book than just the death and the bank running out of money. The book goes into some shady areas and these are dangerous for several that are involved. There is a mention of a character who is a bit of an enigma but gradually he is teased out and I kind of like this one. Still working out if he is really bad news or what, hopefully, he will feature again.

There are several characters in this book and to be fair they all have a role to play, no bystanders as such but also memorable for various reasons. While Gil is the focus of the story there are mentions of his private and family life, this is relevant and it does show how the journalistic world works, especially for someone breaking a story, blogging about it, following it up and also broadcasting it. There is a lot more than I realised, but then when you know the author has been in this field successfully you can see why these things are brought into the story.

A fabulous fast-paced book and one that is very addictive. It kept me on my toes and guessing the whole way through. Ideal for fans who like thrillers with a political slant to them and one I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

Robert Peston is ITV’s political editor, presenter of the politics show ‘Peston’, founder of the education charity, Speakers for Schools (www.speakers4schools.org), and vice president of Hospice UK. He has written four critically acclaimed non-fiction books, How Do We Fix This Mess?, Who Runs Britain?, Brown’s Britain and his latest, WTF?, which was described by the Financial Times as ‘mandatory reading’ for anyone seeking to understand Brexit, Trump and the collapse of confidence in western liberalism. For a decade until the end of 2015, he was at the BBC, as economics editor and business editor, and in the 1990s he was at the Financial Times, as political editor, financial editor and head of investigations. At the BBC he played a prominent role in exposing the causes and consequences of the credit crunch, banking crisis and Great Recession. Peston has won more than 30 awards for his journalism, including Journalist of the Year and Scoop of the Year (twice) from the Royal Television Society. The Whistleblower is his 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

No Child of Mine by Olga Gibbs @olgagibbsauthor @ZooloosBT  #NoChildOfMine #ZooloosBookTours #dystopian #thriller #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for No Child of Mine by Olga Gibbs. This was a fabulous dystopian thriller that had a strong Orwellian feel and I really enjoyed it.

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

“No Child of Mine” is a story of a father’s journey to save his child from a totalitarian regime, who is in order to bury the truth prepared to exterminate an entire generation.


57th Year of the true leadership of The Ordained Liberating Party; or Year 2273 by the old calendar.


“The Collapse” took millions of lives and most of the country’s farming lands, bringing the surviving population of the island to the brink of starvation.

Out of the aftermath of the chaos and anarchy, a new state had emerged, known as The Federation Britannia, run by the single and unopposed Ordained Liberating Party.


The division of the country’s orphanages for children of “the true citizens” and children of “the enemies of the state” began the clearance of the questionable element, and bloody years of the Age of Cleansing had finished the purge, leaving behind a perfectly obedient electorate that marched every year in the Liberation Day parades, praising the Party’s leadership and following the Party’s every directive.

The rule of the Party is absolute. Its tool of compliance, the State Security Unit, is feared.

Tom isn’t a frightened follower, he is a true believer. He loves the Party with all his heart. He trusts in the Party’s wisdom. The Party had raised him, rewarding his devotion and love with a lucrative engineering job, and after the approval for the Procreation licence, it also granted him a family.

But the unexpected midnight visit by the State Security to his flat, questions asked and blood samples collected, unsettles Tom more than he likes to admit, and the following day, whilst investigating the “black uniforms” interest, Tom witnesses the State Security troops, led by the familiar officer, marshalling the children from his daughter’s nursery, packing them into trucks and taking them into the unknown.

At that moment Tom is forced to make a decision: either to follow the Party directive and to surrender his child into its plenary care or to protect what he loves and run.


But there’s nowhere to run. There’s no escape from the island or from the complete control of the Ordained Liberating Party.

PURCHASE LINKS – Amazon UK or US

MY REVIEW

I do enjoy a dystopian thriller that has an opening that sets the tone of the story to follow. No Child of Mine sets that tone so well in the opening pages.

In a state-run system, everything and everyone is controlled for the betterment of the population and for the good of the country. It has been 57 years since the birth of The Federation of Britannia, there had been years of crime and chaos and now there is peace and law-abiding citizens. People work and are given incentives to better themselves.

As I read this book I was immediately reminded of Orwell’s 1984, the state-run country, the timings, the Big Brother-style ruling and the obedience of the citizens. It gives the reader a dark, atmospheric and intriguing read.

But within this story, there is something more sinister going on. Not immediately obvious but I knew something wasn’t right. I mean why round up children? They are the future in this story. What followed was something that I didn’t expect, but that I found completely compelling.

I really liked this story, it gave a mundane dreariness to the people that are subservient with the monotony of their lives. Tom is the main character and he believes wholly in the state system, he had been brought up on it and trusts it completely. SO, why would he suddenly doubt what he has known and trusted?

The author has woven a wonderful tale, one full of mystery, suspense and intrigue. Having a single ruling party for this story and for the actions that follow was brilliant. I admit it is not a society I would ever want to live in, but reading a story about it makes a really interesting read.

This is one for those readers who like dystopian novels, especially those with the Orwellian influence. I think this one has been done very well indeed and I found it to be really addictive and I adored it. I would definitely recommend it. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Olga Gibbs is a mental health expert who has experience of working with disturbance in adolescents and young people. Using her Masters in Creative Writing, she explores taboo topics such as borderline personality and social effective disorder, effects of abuse and insecure attachment in young people and the inner world which is so rarely spoken about. She was born and raised in USSR and now lives in UK. Olga Gibbs is also a creative writing coach and mentor. Please visit author website for more information on upcoming books.

Follow her on – Facebook – Instagram – Twitter


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

yvonnembee 1 Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

Purchase Links – Amazon UK

MY REVIEW…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

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

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

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

yvonnembee 2 Comments

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

Let me show you more about the book…

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


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


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


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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow Laura on Twitter

Order your copy today from Amazon UK

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

yvonnembee

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

Let me show you what this one is all about…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

American Dirt by Jeannie Cummins #BookReview

yvonnembee 3 Comments

I am delighted to share my review for American Dirt by Jeannie Cummins. I read this book a few weeks ago and am just now sharing it. I do have quite a few books from my own TBR to get caught up on…

Let me show you what this book is all about…

También de este lado hay sueños. On this side, too, there are dreams.

Lydia Quixano Pérez lives in the Mexican city of Acapulco. She runs a bookstore. She has a son, Luca, the love of her life, and a wonderful husband who is a journalist. And while there are cracks beginning to show in Acapulco because of the drug cartels, her life is, by and large, fairly comfortable.

Even though she knows they’ll never sell, Lydia stocks some of her all-time favorite books in her store. And then one day a man enters the shop to browse and comes up to the register with a few books he would like to buy—two of them her favorites. Javier is erudite. He is charming. And, unbeknownst to Lydia, he is the jefe of the newest drug cartel that has gruesomely taken over the city. When Lydia’s husband’s tell-all profile of Javier is published, none of their lives will ever be the same.

Forced to flee, Lydia and eight-year-old Luca soon find themselves miles and worlds away from their comfortable middle-class existence. Instantly transformed into migrants, Lydia and Luca ride la bestia—trains that make their way north toward the United States, which is the only place Javier’s reach doesn’t extend. As they join the countless people trying to reach el norte, Lydia soon sees that everyone is running from something. But what exactly are they running to?

This is a book that has a political aspect to it, it is about immigration into North American from South America. It is the story of a mother and her 8 year old son having to leave their home and make a 2,600 mile journey to start a new life.

Lydia and her son Luca are the only members of their family that have survived a brutal attack. Lydia realises that in order for her and her son to survive they must leave their home in Acapulco and make there way to North America.

The author has created a fictional account of a journey that many thousands have made. It is a story I enjoyed, even though it sounds very wrong to say this, I found it to be very compelling and very hard to put down.

Lydia and Luca meet several people on their journey. Some are very happy to help and give them and other travellers little food parcels, or turn on a hose pipe so they can wash, brush their teeth and refill water bottles. A simple show of humanity that is the difference between life and death.

The story takes the two across the countryside, through deserts, town, villages and cities. Travelling on top of a train, in the back of a truck or walking miles is part of what they have to do to survive.

This is a story that shows that determination, a story that shows what a parent will do to make sure her child has the best that can be given.

A book that was an eye-opener for various reasons, there are mentions of how cartels, smugglers, border patrols and officials all have a hand in this aspect of life. Some are good and turn a blind eye or give water and food, others are just there to take whatever they can.

A story that I would definitely recommend.

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

My Top Reads of 2018…finally

yvonnembee 26 Comments

I know, I know, this is a little late but better late than never as they say..

Before I get into my top reads of last year I just want to share some of my Goodreads stats with you. My original Goodreads 2018 Challenge was to read 200 books, I read 222 and one manuscript that I am sworn to secrecy about at the moment…

I read 59,747 pages across 222 books

I am breaking this down into genres, that I would recommend and then right at the end if you are still reading I will do a TOP 3 Reads.

So first off Contemporary/General Fiction… Recommended Reads

These were stories that really touched my heart, for various and different reasons. They each had a special something about them.

Next up is… Crime and Thriller Reads

Crime is probably one of the genres I read most. There are several authors here that have released more than one book and I would happily list them as well. I have decided to limit myself to one author.

Nest genre is Fantasy/ Dystopia I have put these together for my convenience 🙂 …

Again these are very different and yet still fall into my category. They give a glimpse into a different reality and all are fabulous reads, some are part of a series while others are stand alone reads.

Historical (Fiction/Non-Fiction) is my next category…

I say Historical because the books I have chosen here is because they have either a historic setting or are based in myth and legend, historical culture if you like. They are a mix of fact and fiction or based on real life.

Finally, I have Romance, Chick Lit, Rom-Com… whichever term floats your boat. They all have a romance aspect to them.

These are stories that worked for various reasons, nothing in love ever goes according to plan and these stories really made for great reading.

Now then…

Are you still here?

Helloooooooo, anyone still reading?

Do you think I have missed any?

Are there any books that you think I should have included?

Well maybe they made it into my TOP 5…

Yes I know I originally said TOP 3…

But as I was writing this post up…

I found that I was wrong in thinking I could narrow it down to a Top 3…

What on earth was I thinking…

Okay to my Top 5 book s that I read last year…

Right then…

The eagle eyed readers will have noticed that I have listed only 4 books so far…

wait for it…

There was one book that absolutely made me have goosebumps on a very hot summers day as I read it…

It made my fingernails go twitchy…

I felt claustrophobic and I was sat outside while reading…

It was fabulous read…

Have you guessed what it is yet?

…

…

…

It’s one I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND if you have not yet read it

…

Okay here it is…

And…

It was a brilliant book…

I would love to know what you think of my picks.

I know that some of the genre grouping may look random to some, but for me they make sense. This has been such a hard post to write up as I could included so many more books than the…

just scrolls back to count how many books …

44… thats a nice number…oops

Hope you all have a great reading year and thank you all for sharing, posting and commenting on my posts. Hopefully 2019 Top Reads will actually be posted in 2019 🙂

A House Divided by Rachel McLean #BookReview @rararesources

yvonnembee 3 Comments

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I am delighted to be sharing my thoughts today on A House Divided by Rachel McLean. This is the first in the Division Bell Trilogy and I am excited to be part of the tour for this. My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invite and also the author for my e-copy of the books.

You can purchase your own copy at  – Amazon UK –  Amazon US

Synopsis:

Jennifer Sinclair is many things: loyal government minister, loving wife and devoted mother.

But when a terror attack threatens her family, her world is turned upside down. When the government she has served targets her Muslim husband and sons, her loyalties are tested. And when her family is about to be torn apart, she must take drastic action to protect them.

A House Divided is a tense and timely thriller about political extremism and divided loyalties, and their impact on one woman.

My Thoughts:

Jennifer Sinclair is a MP, wife and mother. A terror attack escalates fear within the government and the country. Muslims are blamed and her husband and children become targets of racist attacks. Her husband is a Muslim.

Wow! I devoured this book in one sitting as the author wove her magic. This political thriller had me totally hooked. It has a sense of realism to it and then the author has taken it further. It begins in 2019 and is from Jennifer’s point of view giving me a great behind the scenes look as I followed her through the corridors of power. These corridors are fuelled with corruption, backstabbing, lies and liars who are intent on only saving their backsides and remaining in the job and position they want. It is good to know that there are those with principles, a conscience and a sense of what moral obligation is.

Jennifer’s home-life suffers as she has to spend more time dealing with ad meeting the demands of her job. The author shows that having a family and a very demanding work schedule is tough, but when a crisis escalates, then the pressure starts to show and cracks appear.

This is a great book that looks at not only the politics, but also takes into account the feelings of people. These feeling do incorporate racism, prejudice and hate but also that there are those that do have a sense of right and wrong.

As the story progresses from getting to know the characters and to then understanding the characters, the author also weaves in their personalities and their beliefs. It is a balance that I think she has successfully achieved and shows different points of view.

The tension that gradually increases in this book is great and there were several jaw dropping moments as I started to discover where this story was heading. The realisation that politics can be used and manipulated is used to great effect.

If you are after a story that brings all the corruption that is expected in politics then this is a book that you really do want to read. The story-line is effective and has plausibility to it, it captured my attention very early on and held it to the last pages as I was drawn deeper in.

A fantastic political thriller and first in a trilogy that I am really looking forward to reading. It gets a highly recommended from me.

About the Author:

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I’m Rachel McLean and I write thrillers and speculative fiction.

I’m told that the world wants upbeat, cheerful stories – well, I’m sorry but I can’t help. My stories have an uncanny habit of predicting future events (and not the good ones). They’re inspired by my work at the Environment Agency and the Labour Party and explore issues like climate change, Islamophobia, the refugee crisis and sexism in high places. All with a focus on how these impact individual people and families.

You can find out more about my writing, get access to deals and exclusive stories or become part of my advance reader team by joining my book club at rachelmclean.com/bookclub.

Social Media Links –  Twitter –  Facebook –  Instagram

See what other Book Bloggers think by following the tour

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