Tag Blog Tour Review

The Wave by Virginia Moffatt #TheWave @aroomofmyown1 @0neMoreChapter_ @damppebbles #damppebblesblogtours #Bookreview

yvonnembee 5 Comments

I am delighted to share my review for The Wave by Virginia Moffett. My huge thanks to Emma at damppebbles blog tours for my spot on the Blog Tour and for my e-copy of this book.

Let me show you what it is all about…

Tonight they’ll share their darkest secrets, but tomorrow, there is no escape…

A devastating tsunami is heading towards the Cornish coast. With no early warning and limited means of escape, many people won’t get away in time.

While the terrifying reality of the news hits home, one young woman posts a message on Facebook, ‘With nowhere to run to, I’m heading to my favourite beach to watch the sunset, who wants to join me?’

A small group of people follow her lead and head towards the beach; each of them are harbouring their own stories, and their own secrets.

As they come together in the dying light of the Cornish sunset, they will discover something much more powerful than they ever imagined. But there is no escaping the dawn … the wave is coming…

Here are the links so you can buy your own copy – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Harper Collins – Waterstones – WHSmiths – Foyles – Hive

Well this was an addictive read. A deadly tsunami is due to hit coastal areas around the world. The author has chosen to focus on a cove in Cornwall and as it is a county I live in it was so easy for me think of many of the covers near where I live.

The story focuses on a handful of people and they are introduced in a very clever way. The first person posts a status on Facebook, it is seen by the person who mentions it to a third and so on. This is how the small group of strangers find themselves on a remote beach facing the inevitable.

Each person tells their own story of how they came to be there. It is told in the present tense and so there is a little repetition but from each ones own perspective. For me this was a good way to get to know the characters and what made them tick.

The group come together, there are cross words, but there is also the understanding that they are all going to die together as the wave hits. There is a sort of resolve to the group, this almost makes the story come across not as emotionally charged as I thought it possibly would be. The inevitability of their situation I suppose. While there is emotion it is understated, and I realise it is how each of the characters hold back the tears and overly emotional blubbering. There are nerves, tensions, times of calm, as well as fun and laughter, there is contemplation and thoughts of if things could have been differently in the past. Call it wishful thinking if you like, but what it boils down to is working out who is important and how to make peace and say that final goodbye.

I was totally captivated by this book and it made me think about what I would do if I heard the news of an impending tsunami. A wonderful read that had me mesmerised and one that I would definitely recommend.

Virginia Moffatt was born in London, one of eight children, several of whom are writers. ‘The Wave’ is her second novel. Her previous publications are ‘Echo Hall’ (Unbound) and ‘Rapture and what comes after’ (Flash fiction collection published by Gumbo Press). She also writes non fiction. Virginia is married to Chris Cole, Director of Drone Wars UK. They have two daughters at University and a son still living with them in Oxford.

Follow Virginia on – Twitter – Facebook – Website

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

Missing by A.D. Hay @writeradhay @BOTBSPublicity #BOTBSPubliscity #Mystery #Bookreview

yvonnembee 4 Comments

I am delighted to share my review for Missing by A.D.Hay. This is a novella and the first book in the James Lalonde series. My thanks to Sarah at Book On The Bright Side Publicity for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of this book.

Let me show you what it is all about…

Excalibur is missing, a killer is on the loose, and his career is on the line…

James has a nose for trouble. But that’s nothing new.

This time, things are different…

…his life is on the line.

James is the chief editor of a small newspaper. It’s hardly captivating work. He’s bored. But all of that is about to change.

Late one evening, he returns home to discover his long-time girlfriend and journalist, Valentine has left. Early the next morning, James fails to reallocate her assigned story. To avoid blank space in the culture section, and loosing his job, he decides to write the story on the local museums latest acquisition, Excalibur.

But, there’s one thing he didn’t count on…

….Excalibur is missing, and a dead body is at the crime scene.

As his investigations commence, James unravels a tangled web of betrayal, kidnapping, and murder. But, his fact-finding hasn’t gone unrecognised. The wrong people have started to notice. And there will be consequences…dire consequences.

You’ll love this gripping cloak and dagger mystery because of the twists, turns, and ending you’ll never guess.

Missing is the first book in a reporter crime thriller series. Get it now.

This is a quick one sitting read, well it was for me, it is also quick in the pacing of the story. James Lalonde is the Chief Editor of a small newspaper. He takes over an interview about the discovery of Excalibar, but is caught up in a crime scene.

This has all the hallmarks of a whodunnit style of cosy mystery, and in fact if you removed some of the modern items it could easily be set a few decades ago. The story is one that is quite captivating and my curiosity kept me hooked to the story. It has plenty of intrigue and characters that I quickly got to know, some I liked some I didn’t. Given the quick nature of this novella, the balance of characters was appropriate.

AS I mentioned the pace of the story is quick, in fact there were times it felt just a tad too quick. By this I mean some of the leaps between clues or the way things were thought out by the characters happened a little too conveniently and with only the slightest hint of a link. But you know what, it didn’t bother me that much, it just caught me out a couple of times.

An interesting and intriguing novella that was a quick one-sitting read and one that I think would appeal to cosy mystery readers and one I would recommend.

A.D. Hay is a passionate bibliophile and can usually be found reading a book, and that book will most likely be a thriller. She is the author of Missing, the first book in a thriller series. When not absorbed in a gripping page-turner or writing, she loves to travel, drink tea, rosé, and eat pizza. 

Follow A.D.Hay on Twitter – Facebook – Website and Blog

Check out the other stops on the Blog Tour…

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

Willows Wedding Vows by Debbie Viggiano @DebbieViggiano @rararesources #rachelsrandomresources #Bookreview

yvonnembee 3 Comments

I am delighted to share my review for Willow’s Wedding Vows by Debbie Viggiano. My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of this fabulous book.

Let me show you what it is all about…

Wedding vows have never been this personal…

Willow has been living with marriage-shy Charlie for more years than she cares to remember and is old-fashioned enough to want a wedding band and a loads-of-sex honeymoon before stretchmarks and nipple shields.

So when the once-wary Charlie surprisingly goes down on one knee, Willow doesn’t question why her boyfriend is suddenly so keen to rush her into saying “I do”.

The first clue comes as Willow is zipped into her Cinderella dress, the second as she bobs into the wedding car, and the third as the Roller swings towards its fairy-tale destination… leaving a shell-shocked Willow desperately trying to figure out what to do next.

A bride can do anything she wants on her wedding day, but nobody expected her to do this…

Get your own copy at Amazon UK

The synopsis does a good job of laying out the basics for this story and if you are a fan of romance and rom-coms then I think you are going to really enjoy this one. While it does read as a rom-com, there is far more then meets the eye. Meeting the eye, well the least said about that the better, as a roving eye is probably more appropriate! There are certainly some chuckles as well as some eye-opener with this story… I seem to be a little fixated with eyes!!!

So, Willow is a lovable character who has been with long term boyfriend Charlie for several years. They live together and as his job is oh so much more stressful than hers, after all she is a librarian that may occasionally have to deal with disgruntled customers, yeah I wasn’t a fan of him in case you hadn’t realised!

He is successful and often has to attend meetings and is often away for weekends. His best mate Ben has just split up with his other half. Willow’s best mate, Emma has not had much luck in the boyfriend department, and even Emma’s Mum seems to single. It is only Willow and Charlie that seem to be the only couple. Oh, and I almost forgot Kev, well this is a character that had a quite a large part to play in the grand scheme of things.

Now as the story progressed I got to know more about Charlie and Willow, and I have to say the inclusion of the italicised comments are brilliant. They add a humorous tone and are definitely enjoyable.

The story goes through the high’s and lows of Willow and Charlies relationship, things are not as hunky-dory as they appear, but they are a solid couple aren’t they…

I really enjoyed the pace of this story, it had an easy flow and made for effortless reading. In no time I was caught up in the shenanigans of, well mainly Charrlie actually. Yes, this is a story about Willow, but the first half focused more on Charlie. It is later in the book that Willow takes the larger part and for good reason to.

This is not a straight-forward rom com, it has much ore to it and follows a very twisty route. The is a very large secret that I will admit to working out, but I think this was down to the hints that were gradually dropped and led me to follow the breadcrumbs as it were to successfully work it out.

A very enjoyable read and one I would definitely recommend for a lighter read but one that still has serious undertones. It has left me wondering why on earth I have not read any of this authors books before. I have purchased a few of her books and they are still to be read. I know I am not alone when I mention this!

Prior to turning her attention to writing, Debbie Viggiano was, for more years than she cares to remember, a legal secretary. She lives with her Italian husband, a rescued pooch from Crete, and a very disgruntled cat. Occasionally her adult children return home bringing her much joy… apart from when they want to raid the fridge, or eat her secret stash of chocolate. Follow her on Twitter

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

The Book of Koli by M.R. Carey @michaelcarey191 @orbitbooks @Tr4cyF3nt0n #dystopian #Bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for The Book of Koli by M.R. Carey. This is an author who amazed me when I read The Girl With All The Gifts, so when I saw there was to be a Blog Tour for his lteast book I immediately jumped on board.

Let me show you what The Book of Koli is all about…

The Book of Koli begins a breathtakingly original new trilogy set in a strange and deadly world of our own making.

Beyond the walls of the small village of Mythen Rood lies an unrecognisable landscape. A place where overgrown forests are filled with choker trees and deadly seeds that will kill you where you stand. And if they don’t get you, the Shunned men will.

Koli has lived in Mythen Rood his entire life. He believes the first rule of survival is that you don’t venture too far beyond the walls.

He’s wrong.

This is the first book in a trilogy by this author and The Book of Koli got off to a great start. Set in a future earth where small defended settlements are the norm, strangers seldom seen and where the vegetation is just as vicious and wild as the animals.

Technology is the commodity of power and status, being able to use it sets you apart from the general population. It is this desire to own and wield a piece of tech from the old world that sets Koli on his future path.

I like the character of Koli, he is inquisitive and it at an age in life where he wants to know more. The author spends a good deal of time in the first half of the book giving background information, well as much as is possible as the story is told from the perspective of Koli, so the world as it is is through the eyes of Koli.

Koli is the teller of his own story, and it is a format I really liked as after all he is the main focus of the book. I got to know his daily routines, his friends and family as well as his wanting to know more. As well as this the author fills in more about the surrounding area and this I liked a lot. Using some place names that had been twisted over time so that they are still recognised but not quite right, sort of like Chinese whispers, gave a dimension to the story that added to the reading.

For me this does have the hallmarks of being the first book in a series, there are background details, some histories and explanations that are needed to be put in place to make what follows flow in a more understandable and coherent way. There are some good descriptions of plants, scenery, dangers and also how the community works as a whole.

The second half of the book gradually picks up the pace, still not a fast break neck pace, but one that worked for me especially as the pace of life is more walking and running speed. Everything about this book worked well and I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish.

This is the story is of a boy who wants more and goes the wrong way about it, this gives it a coming of age feel but in a very dangerous world. The world that the author has created is so well done, descriptions of the unusual flora plants have been done so well. An edginess and nervous place where danger lurks, under, behind and above. A world that sounds okay within the walls of a community, but not outside them.

I do like a good dystopian read and this for me ticked the boxes. Having read and been amazed by The Girl With All The Gifts a few years ago I was glad to get back to this author, and I am aware that I do have other book of his still to read!

This is a book that I liked a whole lot, it was a little slower as there is a lot of groundwork that has been laid down. As a reader this works for me when I know there are more books to follow, and it suits the lifestyle of the people who live here. The book does finish at a good place but has definitely left me eager to read on with the other two books in the series.

The Book of Koli is a good read and one that I really enjoyed. It is a story that captivated me and one I would definitely recommend.

I also have the next book, The Trials of Koli, on pre-order and have to wait until September before it is released!

Image taken from Amazon UK

M. R. Carey has been making up stories for most of his life. His novel The Girl With All the Gifts was a word-of-mouth bestseller and is now a major motion picture based on his own screenplay. Under the name Mike Carey he has written for both DC and Marvel, including critically acclaimed runs on Lucifer, Hellblazer and X-Men. His creator-owned series The Unwritten appeared regularly in the New York Times graphic fiction bestseller list. He also has several previous novels, games, radio plays, and TV and movie screenplays to his credit.

Purchase your copy from Amazon UK

At the time of writing this post up one of Michael’s other books is on offer on Kindle – The Boy on the Bridge is 99p – here is the link

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

The Wheelwrights Daughter by Eleanor Porter @elporterauthor @rararesources #histfic #bookreview

yvonnembee

I am so delighted to share my review for The Wheelwrights Daughter by Eleanor Porter. My huge thanks to Rachel for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of this fabulous book.

Let me show you what it’s about…

Can she save herself from a witch’s fate?

Martha is a feisty and articulate young woman, the daughter of a wheelwright, living in a Herefordshire village in Elizabethan England. With no mother Martha’s life is spent running her father’s meagre household and helping out at the local school whilst longing to escape the confines and small-mindedness of a community driven by religious bigotry and poverty.

As she is able to read and is well-versed in herbal remedies she is suspected of being a witch. When a landslip occurs – opening up a huge chasm in the centre of the village – she is blamed for it and pursued remorselessly by the villagers.

But can her own wits and the love of local stablehand Jacob save her from a witch’s persecution and death…

A brilliant and accomplished novel that perfectly captures the febrile atmosphere of Elizabethan village life in an age when suspicion and superstition were rife. Perfect for fans of Tracy Chevalier.

This is a wonderful historical fiction story that is set in latter half of the 1500’s during Queen Elizabeth’s reign. This is an era of history that is rife with witchcraft accusations and the deaths of people who are seen to be practising the devil’s work.

The author has created a tale around Martha, the daughter of a village wheelwright in Herefordshire. Her mother is dead and there are rumours around surrounding her and also of her death. Martha is a young woman who is a Christian and she also makes up poultices and uses plants for their natural healing properties. While things are good then she is of use, but when things start happening suddenly the tables turn and fingers point leaving Martha to become the villagers scapegoat.

The finger of blame is supported by a hellfire and brimstone vicar, he is supposedly a man of faith but he really is an odious character. While he preaches the word of God he is also using faith as a game of politics to curry favour with those higher up the ladder than himself.

This is a wonderfully written story and I loved the way the author worked it. The contrasts of opinions and how they are formed without being based on facts are good, essentially if a person takes offence at a comment or a look then accusations can be made.

This has some good research behind it and it has all the right feels to it. The only problem… there is a bit of a cliffhanger…arrgghhhh I want need to know what happens next, so I will be keeping my beady eye out for the next book.

This is a good read and it has a slower pace that fits the time, there is a good amount of drama and I love the dynamics between the characters and the over-riding fear that comes out in their blaming and suspicions. A book I would recommend to readers who like historical fiction novels.

Ellie grew up in Herefordshire and now lives near the Malvern Hills. She’s taught in Hong Kong, London and Birmingham and published poetry and short fiction. Her forthcoming novel THE WHEELWRIGHT’S DAUGHTER grew out of walks on Marcle Ridge where a 1571 landslip is still visible and marked on the map as The Wonder. The book tells the story of a world torn by division, where new beliefs jostle with tradition, where to be different can cost you your life. It introduces Martha Dynely, who refuses to be crushed, even when the horizon crumbles and buries her.

Follow Eleanor on Twitter or visit her Amazon Author Page

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The Lost Child by Emily Gunnis @EmilyGunnis @annecater #RandomThingsTours #headlinepg #familysecrets #BookReview

yvonnembee 4 Comments

I am delighted to share my review for The Lost Child by Emily Gunnis as part of the Blog Tour. My huge thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for my Tour spot and also for my copy of this fabulous book.

Let me show you what it is about…

From the author of the runaway bestseller The Girl in the Letter comes a heartwrenching, twisting novel of betrayal, tragedy and a shocking family secret buried for decades.

1960. Thirteen-year-old Rebecca lives in fear of her father’s temper. As a storm batters Seaview Cottage one night, she hears a visitor at the door and a violent argument ensues. By the time the police arrive, Rebecca’s parents are dead and the visitor has fled. No one believes Rebecca heard a stranger downstairs…

2014. Iris, a journalist, is sent to cover the story of a new mother on the run with her desperately ill baby. But fatefully the trail leads to the childhood home of Iris’s own mother, Rebecca…Seaview Cottage.

As Iris races to unravel what happened the night Rebecca’s parents were killed, it’s time for Seaview Cottage to give up its secrets.

Purchase Link – Amazon UK

Well what a hear-wrenching read this book was as I was taken into the lives of the female characters in this tale. This story is told across different time-lines and from a slower start it gradually builds up momentum.

I think the slower start to this story was ideal for gradually getting to know the characters in the story, by doing this, the author made me care and wan to know more about them. The main characters have a link that is not fully realised until a lot later in the book.

There are various conditions that are dealt with in this story and I do think the author has dealt with them well. These conditions are psychological ones and the author has used them to show how it is not only to be affected by them but also with them.

The story has mystery and intrigue wrapped throughout and it had me hooked as I was gradually shown how the various threads would be drawn together and the links were to be connected. Family secrets are unearthed as the full scale of past events finally see the light of day.

This is an emotional read as the author did a wonderful job of creating characters I cared about, there were heartbreaking revelations and secrets that added an air of suspense. A wonderfully written story that would be ideal for fans who like stories with different timelines and delve into families and their hidden secrets. Thoroughly enjoyable read and one that I would definitely recommend.

’ve wanted to be an author since my mum, Penny Vincenzi, got her first book deal when I was 13. We’d spend hours walking and talking about the worlds her characters inhabited and unpicking any plot dead ends she’d found herself in. I absolutely loved it – this is what I wanted to do!

Fast forward 30 years and I’ve discovered it’s a great deal harder than my mother made it look! But still, here I am.

After graduating I wrote scripts and had two episodes of BBC Doctors commissioned but didn’t like all the input from Script Editors and Producers. So, while I worked in various PA jobs I decided to go for it and just kept learning as much as I could until I sold my debut novel, The Girl in the Letter, which has sold nearly half a million copies worldwide and been translated into 17 languages! 

My second novel, The Lost Child, is out now in Kindle and Paperback and I would love to hear what you think via my website http://www.emilygunnis.com!

I live in Sussex with my husband Steve and our two beautiful, crazy, girls, Grace and Eleanor. 

If you’d like to get in touch please also try me at Twitter @EmilyGunnis, Instagram @emilygunnis and Facebook @emilygunnisauthor.

I love hearing from my readers and I’d love to know what you think of The Girl in the Letter and The Lost Child, so please get in touch.

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

Rabette Run by Nick Rippington @nickripp #BOTBSPublicity #psychologicalthriller #BookReview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for Rabette Run by Nick RIppington. My huge thanks to Sarah Hardy at Book On The Bright Side Publicity for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of this book.

Let me show you what this one is all about…

Alice in Wonderland meets James Bond

EMERSON RABETTE has a phobia about travelling on underground trains, so when he is involved in a car accident his worst nightmare is about to come true.

A middle-aged graphic designer and father of one, Emerson’s entire future depends on him reaching an important business meeting. Without an alternative method of transport, he has to confront his biggest fear.

Things immediately go wrong when Emerson’s Obsessive Compulsive Disorder kicks in and his fellow passengers become angry at the way he is acting. Thankfully a young woman called Winter comes to his rescue and agrees to help him reach his destination.

Once on the train, she thinks her job is done. But Emerson can’t help feeling he is being watched by his fellow passengers, including a soldier, a woman in a hat covered with artificial fruit and a man with a purple goatee beard.

Is it just his paranoia kicking in, or are they all out to get him?

And Winter is taken totally by surprise when Emerson takes flight after reading a message scrawled on the train’s interior.

It simply reads: ‘Run Rabette Run’.

(Rabette Run is Nick Rippington’s fourth book, a standalone psychological thriller. The author’s Boxer Boys trilogy is highly acclaimed and is now available in a digital boxset)

Purchase Links – Amazon UK or US

This is such an interesting story and one that takes the reader down a rabbit hole as such. Welcome to the world of Emerson Rabette, a man with a complex OCD about the number three. This compulsive disorder dominates his life, but why, what started it?

This is a book that is different to the others I have read by this author. It has a psychological edge to it that has initial roots from a past event. The author gives the reader a scenario that rapidly changes from chapter to chapter and this makes for a fast paced book. It is full of intrigue, doubt, mistrust and deception.

The main protagonist is extremely paranoid and the author has taken this paranoia and woven into such and interesting story. From the looks people give to a scribbled message, the author has taken Rabette’s paranoia and taken it on a route that has quite a few surprises.

As the story runs its course things start to add up and then suddenly all is made clear. This is where we discover the cause of the OCD. I did have a small inkling about a couple of things but definitely noit for many others. A cleverly wrapped up ending with yet more surprises.

This is a book that kept me on my toes in such a good way. It is one that is fast paced and also very intriguing and this intrigue builds in momentum. A book that I think readers who like books with a human interest story as well as having a psychological angle. I would definitely recommend it.

NICK RIPPINGTON is the award-winning author of the Boxer Boys series of gangland crime thrillers.

Based in London, UK, Nick was the last-ever Welsh Sports Editor of the now defunct News of The World, writing his debut release Crossing The Whitewash after being made redundant with just two days notice after Rupert Murdoch closed down Europe’s biggest-selling tabloid in 2011.

On holiday at the time, Nick was never allowed back in the building, investigators sealing off the area with crime scene tape and seizing his computer as they investigated the phone-hacking scandal, something which took place a decade before Nick joined the paper. His greatest fear, however, was that cops would uncover the secrets to his Fantasy Football selections.

Handed the contents of his desk in a black bin bag in a murky car park, deep throat style, Nick was at a crossroads – married just two years earlier and with a wife and 9-month-old baby to support.


With self-publishing booming, he hit on an idea for a UK gangland thriller taking place against the backdrop of the Rugby World Cup and in 2015 produced Crossing The Whitewash, which received an honourable mention in the genre category of the Writers’ Digest self-published eBook awards. Judges described it as “evocative, unique, unfailingly precise and often humorous”. Follow-up novel Spark Out, a prequel set at the time of Margaret Thatcher and the Falklands War, received a Chill With A Book reader award and an IndieBRAG medallion from the prestigious website dedicated to Independent publishers and writers throughout the world. The novel was also awarded best cover of 2017 with Chill With A Book. The third book in the Boxer Boys series Dying Seconds, a sequel to Crossing The Whitewash, was released in December 2018 and went to the top of the Amazon Contemporary Urban Fiction free charts during a giveaway period of five days. A digital box set, the Boxer Boys Collection, came out in September last year.

Now Nick, 60, is switching direction feeling that, for the moment, the Boxer Boys series has run its course. His latest novel, Rabette Run, will be released in the Spring and Nick says, ‘It is a gritty psychological thriller with twists and turns galore. Think Alice in Wonderland with tanks and guns.’

Married to Liz, When Nick isn’t writing he works as a back bench designer of sports pages on the Daily Star. He has two children – Jemma, 37, and Olivia, 9. 

Follow Nick on – Website – Twitter – Instagram – Facebook

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The Gift of Cockleberry Bay by Nicola May @nicolamay1 @rararesources #rararesources #Giveaway (Open Int) #BookReview

yvonnembee

I am delighted to share my review for The Gift of Cockleberry Bay by Nicola May. I love this series and I was delighted to get s spot on the Blog Tour, huge thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot and also for arranging a copy of this fabulous book.

Let me show you what it is all about…

From the author of the #1 BESTSELLING The Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay

All of our favourite characters from Cockleberry Bay are back in this final, heart warming story in the series. Including Hot, Rosa Smith’s adorable dachshund and his new-born puppies.

Now successfully running the Cockleberry Café and wishing to start a family herself, Rosa feels the time is right to let her inherited Corner Shop go. However, her benefactor left one important legal proviso: that the shop cannot be sold, only passed on to somebody who really deserves it.

Rosa is torn. How can she make such a huge decision? And will it be the right one? Once the news gets out and goes public, untrustworthy newcomers appear in the Bay . . . their motives uncertain. With the revelation of more secrets from Rosa’s family heritage, a new journey of unpredictable and life-changing events begins to unfold.

The Gift of Cockleberry Bay concludes this phenomenally successful series in typically brisk and bolshy style and will delight the many thousands of Rosa’s fans

Purchase Links – Amazon – UK or US

It was so good to journey back to Cockleberry Bay and catch up with the old faces from previous books in this series. The Gift of Cockleberry Bay is the third and final book in the series which I am absolutely gutted about, I hadn’t realised this was a trilogy.. The author does fill in some details from past books, but you really do want to read them all.

The main character is Rosa, she owns the local pet shop and also works in the cafe and the story opens with a sudden storm, a rescue and the arrival of puppies.

Cockleberry Bay also has some new arrivals and of those not all make a very good first impression. They do add a dash of colour as well as intrigue to the story. There is also various revelations and one involves a surprise from the past.

I adore this series and this latest book is one that I was eager to read. The author has pulled together a story that does have some mystery and drama and poor Rosa does have a right old time of things. She juggles so much and is pulled from pillar to post as she deals with one thing only to find herself getting her head around another.

By the end of the book I was sad to be saying goodbye to the residents of Cockleberry Bay and it did have a feeling of finality to it. I will miss the characters, but things in the story have come full circle in some ways. The shop Rosa was gifted has done its job and helped her overcome various things, it has helped to ground her and now it is time for Rosa to pay it forward.

This is such a fabulous series and this final book was a wonderful read. It is a story and series that has friendship, second chances, drama, mystery, family, secrets and truth. A book and series I would definitely recommend.

Nicola May lives in the UK, five miles from the Queen’s castle in Windsor, with her black-and-white rescue cat, Stan. Her hobbies include watching films that involve a lot of swooning, crabbing in South Devon and devouring cream teas.

Her bestselling The Corner Shop in Cockleberry, the 1st book in the Cockleberry Bay series, went to #1 on Amazon and stayed there for an unprecedented 6 weeks.

She classes her novels as ‘chicklit with a kick,’ writing about love, life and friendships in a real, not fluffy kind of way. She likes burgers, mince pies, clocks, birds, bubble baths and facials – but is not so keen on aubergines.

Follow Nicola on – Facebook – Twitter – Instagram – Website

Giveaway

Win a signed copy of The Gift of Cockleberry Bay (Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

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

Mine by Clare Empson @ClareEmpson2 @Tr4cyF3nt0n #CompulsiveReaders #OrionBooks #BookReview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to be sharing my review today for Mine by Clare Empson. I would like to say a big thank you Tracy at Compulsive Readers for my spot onthe Blog Tour and for arranging my copy of this wonderful book.

Let me show you what it is all about…

Who am I? Why am I here? Why did my mother give me away?’

On the surface, Luke and his girlfriend Hannah seem to have a perfect life. He’s an A&R man, she’s an arts correspondent and they are devoted to their new-born son Samuel.

But beneath the gloss Luke has always felt like an outsider. So when he finds his birth mother Alice, the instant connection with her is a little like falling in love.

When Hannah goes back to work, Luke asks Alice to look after their son. But Alice – fuelled with grief from when her baby was taken from her 27 years ago – starts to fall in love with Samuel. And Luke won’t settle for his mother pushing him aside once again…

One word…Wow!

What an emotional story Mine was, I say emotional but actually it was an emotional roller-coaster. The synopsis tells you the basics you need to know about this story and to be honest I am not going to really expand on that.

The story is essentially two stories that are intertwined in a Now and Then format. The Now part of the story of Luke and how he finally gets to meet Alice, his birth mother, and how their relationship builds. The second story is about Alice and her journey through Art school, life and to the point of giving her son up for adoption.

There are obviously others in the story, Hannah is Luke’s partner and together they have Samuel, there is Luke’s mother as well. In the past there are those important to Alice, such as renowned artist Rick.

During this slower paced story the there are various aspects that the author has dealt with and I think has done very well. There is an obvious impact of reconnecting with a birth parent, expectations, questions, guilt are just the tip of the iceberg. The impact is felt for all that are part of the family and in someways careful managing is needed.

The emotion aspect of the story was gradually built up, from the initial nervousness of a first meeting to Alice becoming part of the family. While the story does have a psychological thriller feel to it, it is more about family relationships, and it has a more dramatic second half.

A fabulous read that had some surprises, and though I did have a nervous feeling I wasn’t quite expecting the way the author played her story line out. A cracking read for readers who like a book that has a slower build-up, that is as much about family life and relationships as it is the psychological thriller. It is one I would definitely recommend.

Clare Empson is a journalist with a background in national newspapers and has worked as a small business editor, finance correspondent and fashion at the Mail on Sunday and the Daily Express. Clare freelances for The Sunday Telegraph, The Sunday Times, the Evening Standard and Tatler amongst others. She currently works as editor/founder of experiential lifestyle website http://www.countrycalling.co.uk.

Him was her debut novel. Her second novel Mine is an exploration of the fraught relationship between a birth mother and her adopted son set against a backdrop of a passionate love affair in the 70s.

Check out the other stops on the Blog Tour…

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