His Wife, Her Answer - Danielle Yosere

Synopsis:

Tyler needs a wife to fix his reputation. Lucy needs and answer to her problem. Are they one and the same? After a quick marriage agreements, they have a long journey ahead of them. Will they stay together? Or will things be more complicated that they expected? Come along for the ride! Find out what happens to Tyler and Lucy!

Review:

So Danielle and I actually met via instagram and that was when and how I learnt she was a published author. Me being me and having this blog I assured Danielle I would read and review her book for her once I purchased a copy. Wanting it as soon as possible I bought an Ebook copy and got right to it.

I had no idea what to expect from this book, well i mean i had a rough idea but nothing too exact. Pretty much right from the beginning I was imersed, as a reader you are thrown right into the thick of things, meetinb oth charracters and getting small hints of their deeper story but nothing too soon that would leave you knowing everything before it happened.

The book switches between two points of view, both being the mian characters, thankfully even though it is told through two points of views, there were no repeating of events, what you heard in one persons POV was pretty much non existent in the others. I fell for Lucy, she felt like a close friend of mine and Tylers felt the same and I just wanted to protect and love them both. The secondary characters int he story each add something lovely to the story, more depth and something i cant quite explain, but with both sets of characters the story moves smoothly along.

Danielle created and told events in such a way that make your emotions swirl throughout the book, there are unexpected twists and turns, laughs and moments of pure awghs. Something great about this book, one of the many, is that there is brief desciptions of both the characters and the settings which leaves room for the reader to fill in the gaps witht heir own mind which makes the experience different for each reader.

His Wife, Here Answer is an easy read, quick and sweet. I can not wait for what Danielle has in store for the rest of the series. a 4.5/5 from me, I just want more!

Stories for Homes volume 2 Short Stories Collection Blog Tour Review

Information about the Book

Name: Stories for Homes volume 2

Release Date: 28^th September 2017

In Support of: Shelter Charity

In Response to: Grenfell Tower

Format: Ebook

Link: http://storiesforhomes.wordpress.com

Summary:

Published and unpublished writers come together to create an anthology of stories about what ‘home’ means.

55 writers are included in a second charity anthology that brings issues around housing, poverty and crisis to life through the power of storytelling. Volume One of the Stories for Homes Project raised over £3K for housing charity Shelter and raised awareness of housing issues. Volume Two of the anthology includes stories, poems and flash fiction and again all proceeds will be donated to the charity.

Review:

Seriously fell in love with these stories, there is a lot of material to go through in this volume but the ones I've read so at, as I haven't finished it all for the above reason, have been fantastic in so many ways. They're so raw and heart breaking and beautiful and warm and so many emotions its hard to say.

This anthology covers a large range of subjects and showcases many writing styles whilst never once really telling you the real meaning of a home or home. The thing is a home can be anything or anywhere, someone's arms, a certain location, it's just lovely to be able to see how homes can be in anything through these stories.

These stories are also great because they give you insight into the lives of people from different cultures and backgrounds which I feel is an important thing to have done. It's incredibly hard to express how much this book makes you feel, this is an incredible way to help those with no homes etc. by playing with the meaning of a home like many clearly skilled writers have come together to do here.

It's a 5/5 from me due to its perfect mix of emotions that were throughout, the pure range of skill and such and for the fact all of this work will be helping out so many people, I hope you will check out these stories and help some people out.

I clearly cant express my love for this read clear enough so here is more praise for the book and the stories within.

Praise for the Book

Emma Darwin, author of The Mathematics of Love, commented on the quality of writing in the anthology as: “A cornucopia of witty, tragic, elegant, raw, heart-warming and terrifying stories that take the idea of Home, play with it as only truly talented writers can, and all to help those who have no home at all."

Joanne Harris, author of Chocolat, said: “Stories give our imaginations a home. It's good to see them helping to give people shelter in the real world, too...” reflecting the connection between the immediacy of housing crisis and the stories people tell about their lives around and within it.

Sally Swingewood, who also edited the collections, commented: “The Stories for Homes collections would not be possible without the generosity of a huge number of volunteers. By working together we have produced a book which will not only delight but also help address one of the biggest humanitarian crises facing modern society. In a world where migration, identity and belonging are in the news daily we have a duty to help everyone have a home in which they feel safe and settled. Stories for Homes is one way we can be part of the solution”

Further Stories

A dedicated website includes a further collection of flash fiction and poetry, real life experiences from people who have had housing problems or have experienced homelessness, as well as a series of articles from a professional working with homeless people. 

www.storiesforhomes.wordpress.com

Tour Schedule:

Sunday 24^th September

Blue Striped Square

Monday 25^th September

Everywhere and Nowhere

Grassmonster

Tuesday 26^th September

Live Otherwise

Books, Life and Everything

Wednesday 27^th September

YA Under My Skin

Bart’s Bookshelf

Thursday 28^th September

Alejandra’s Life

A Books Eternal Glory

Friday 29^th September

Chouett

Fabulous Book Fiend

Saturday 30^th September

A Little but a Lot

Bookends and Endings

Sunday 1^st October

Portable Magic

Scout Finch

Monday 2^nd October

Sarah Withers Blogs

Kraftireader

Tuesday 3^rd October

Delightful Book Reviews

Big Book Little Book

Wednesday 4^th October

Linda’s Book Bag

Whispering Stories

Thursday 5^th October

Reading with Jade

Rosie Freckle Reads

Friday 6^th October

Bibliobeth

Sally Akins

Saturday 7^th October

Kirstyes

Annie’s Book Corner

Sunday 8^th October

Rachel Bustin

It Takes a Woman

Mindless (Short Story) - Louise Cole

Synopsis:

‘My parents chose who they wanted to be and I knew it would end badly. What I didn’t see is I’d be the one to pay the price.’

Everything changes the day Stella is hit by a car outside her London council flat. It’s not an accident. It’s a warning. Her dumb, drug-dealing father and her soppy mother don’t have the sense between them to keep Stella and her little brother safe. Her father Joe has stolen from local mob boss Horse - and then his scheme to repay Horse goes south, and lands Joe in prison. Where he starts to talk.
Horse is coming for them. If anyone is going to protect her family, it will have to be Stella herself. But how far will she go? And who must she become in order to survive?

Tense, gritty and beautifully written, Mindless is the story of a clever girl trapped in a stupid, violent world. It will appeal to young adults and adults alike. Told by Stella itself, the story alternates between the thriller narrative and her later conversations with her psychiatrist.

Review:

Firstly I'd like to thank Louise for providing me a copy of Mindless for a honest review, I hope she likes what I have to say.

So we follow Stella who's clearly an intelligent young woman, she tells us her story and its a tense one at that. Her life isn't perfect but it is what it is and things change one day when Stella gets hit by a car right outside of her council flat in London and I have to admit I flinched at this scene, I physically recoiled which was a clear sign I was really into the book. Stella ends up in the hospital and goes on to recover from the incident and she becomes aware soon after that it wasn't an accident, instead it was a warning for her Father.

Stella clearly has more sense than both of her parents put together and her brother isn't like Stella, she quickly puts together the proof in her mind and a plan to execute, going on to confront her dad and he reassures her he's going to fix it all, but things goes south when the scheme he made to fix it all goes south and puts him behind bars where he can't keep his mouth shut and Stella remains aware throughout, figuring it out that if they can't do a good job of getting to Joe whilst behind bars, they'll hurt him through the people outside of prison whom he loves but Stella is already ready for this as her mind is the only one functioning.

The last part of the middle and the ending of the book blew me away, it was intense action and utterly jaw dropping. Stella is clearly a very strong and determined character well built and portrayed. Although only a short story I utterly loved it, I'd easily fall in love with Stella all over again if she ever resurfaced in any more work of Louise'. A short story indeed, immersive more so, action packed and wonderful I have to give it a 5/5 which it truly deserves. Louise has a great writing style which I fell in love with in The Devil's Poetry when I read it not so long back.

Champions: At Fires End (Champions #1) - Charlotte Jain

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old best friends, April and Kyle, are thrown into the final battle of the Titan and Olympian war. Locked into an endless struggle, the Immortals have finally reached a solution - bestow mortal Champions with control over the elements to wage their final campaign.

Bestowed with control over fire and water, April and Kyle were raised by Immortals with a single purpose - win the war. After finally uncovering the remaining Champions' identities, April and Kyle must launch themselves into their final battle for survival. Winner takes all. But the Immortals are growing restless, and time is running out. 

Review:

Thanks to Charlotte whom provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The story follows April and Kyle, two 17-year olds who've been chosen as two of the four Champions to wage the war for the Olympians against the Titans on earth. Both teenagers were raised and trained by Immortals, and both hold powers given to them at birth which allows them to control fire and and water along with several other abilities which are a little sprinkle pf surprise when they make an appearance. April and Kyle are on a mission to find the remaining two Champions as they come in pairs, but they’re supposed to train and then go on to destroy them. As both of them come to struggle to control their abilities that are slowly but surely wearing them down the inevitable war moves closer and closer and that's all they think about.

First of all, I went in to this book without any expectations, that's mostly down to me not knowing what to truly expect from the book. I really liked how Charlotte's story played out in the end, I loved the vivid descriptions which allowed me to, without much effort imagine each and every setting. Both the main characters and the side characters were well developed and portrayed, I wasn't too fond of Kim for some reason but I was inevitably drawn to Noah whom had this dark presence about him but that's a whole new can of worms that we definitely wont be opening here.

I used to love Greek Mythology as a kid so the mention of it within this book kind of re-awoke the child in me and loved it just as much as I did. I loved each part of the story and definitely wasn't expecting the ending. I got completely lost in the book, fully immersed and in love with what I was reading. April felt like a best friend for me I really hooked onto her or her to me and I was simply unable to not get any sort of emotional or on edge when she was involved in something. I did remain neutral on Kyle though, at first I loved him and all he was and brought to the story but by the time it ended, after all that had happened throughout the book I didn't hate nor love him. But all the characters were greatly written and portrayed and id happily give this book a 4/5 and ill definitely be wanting to see how the rest of this series goes.

If you’re a fan of Greek Mythology like my inner child and Percy Jackson, you may want give this series a go.

An American Cage by Ted Galdi

Synopsis:

Three inmates break out of a maximum-security prison in Texas, one of them Danny Marsh, a suburban kid in his twenties who landed in jail because of a crime he never intended to commit.

An American Cage follows Danny and his two escape partners over a twenty-four-hour period as they struggle to cross Texas to freedom in Mexico. On this dangerous journey, Danny has to evade the rabid Texas authorities, and even worse, the schemes of one of his closest allies, who isn't who he seems.

Review:

So I managed to read this book in like 6 hours, it was so good I really couldn't put it down so it wasn't much of a surprise for me to read it all in one go. 

Danny Marsh is 24 years old, after one error of judgment one night after a dinner out with his colleagues he ends up behind bars at Crick Maximum Security Prison located in Texas. He was often a victim of panic attacks until he was housed with a new cellmate, the soft spoken Professor Phil Zorn who's forty-ish and a neuroscience researcher and was able to offer Danny father-like support and encouragement. It is then no surprise that when Phil plans a prison break, Danny, as well as ghetto raised Monty Montgomery support the escape plan.

I don't want to run through the book bit by bit and ruin it from anyone so I'll leave it there but as soon as you open the book you are thrown right into the action, it's a gripping piece of writing all the right way through. We see all of this over a 24 hour period, the time is filled by great characterizations and relentless action which helps the time pass super quickly. The characters are perfectly crafted and well developed throughout the story which juts makes it all the more wonderful. 

Although there are three main characters and point of view, we see some of the story through other characters eyes which only deepens the link between story and reader. It was lovely to see the book broken up by changes in the POV which helped give the reader a look a all angles of the story including the police and the family of those involved. 

I wasn't expecting the ending to play out like it did, it was a great surprise and I actually loved it more than I probably should. This books was truly great, even much so that on Instagram where I was hosting a book tag in August I named this book my favourite book of the year so far. Ted Galdi crafted a great book with great characters and executed it all perfectly and even though I didn't know what exactly to expect from this book when I first opened it, I fell in love with what came from it in the end. I cant give this book anything less that the 5/5 it deserves, and I can only recommend this book to anyone out there who wants to be surprised and immersed in action.

Than you to Ted who provided a copy of the book for an honest review, it was an honour.

I Know Where She Is - S.B Caves

Synopsis:

An explosive, gripping thriller for fans of Karin Slaughter, Linwood Barclay and Karen Dionne, don’t miss this heart-stopping debut.

On the tenth anniversary of her daughter Autumn's abduction, Francine receives an anonymous note containing just five words: I KNOW WHERE SHE IS

When a young woman approaches her the next day claiming to have sent the letter Francine wants to dismiss it as a cruel, twisted joke.

But the stranger knows things that only Autumn would know.

It soon becomes clear that Francine must go to dark places in order to learn the truth about her child’s kidnapping.

She will discover that danger comes from unexpected sources. She will do things she never imagined herself capable of.

But will Francine get her daughter back – or is it too late?


Review:

I didn't know what to expect as I went into this book but whatever it was I was completely blown away by the whole thing.

Francine who is visibly struggling with the anniversary of her daughters abduction, its been nearly 10 years but then one night she gets a note under her door and at first she think it's an incredibly sick joke  being played on her because her name isn't listed anywhere, neither is her number, she's basically incognito so things like this don't happen. The following day whilst at work she notices someone lingering by her car and she confront them, only to find out her name is Lena, she sent the note and she knows where Autumn is.

And there Francine begins the riveting roller coaster ride as she follows her gut to reunite with her daughter dead or alive. Francine is completely human, flawed and utterly believable and true. Her ex Will however is a complete swine, he seems to have given up all hope on finding his daughter, he's married again and now there's a child on the way and when Francine approaches him about something to do with their long lost daughter he's quick to shoot her down, thinking there is something wrong with his ex but I can see where he's coming from with it all I mean some people lose hope after 10 years but Francine is a fighter and is full of hope.

As the book goes on the whole situation behind Autumns kidnapping unravels and we're shown the brutal and deprived world that had everything to do with it. I'm not even able to imagine how heart breaking and all losing a child in such a way would truly be but I can feel the determination in Francine throughout the book as she follows her mothers instinct and gut. It's a beautiful book, it shows the determination of a mother to find and protect her daughter even though she believes she failed years ago when her daughter was taken from her. It's a book showing strength and resilience but also corruption and the sick, unhuman acts on innocent people.

A gripping page turner, I was gripped from the very start and I was on a rollercoaster with Francine as she goes through all of these situations. My heart broke, mended but still cracked and so much more. If you like your thrillers then this is definitely one you should check out. It's a 5/5 from me and I'll be keeping my eye out of S.B Caves in the future because I'm sure his future work will be just as great at this debut.

Wrecking Balls - J. Giambrone

Synopsis:

Charleston and Gary are on the verge of comic greatness: broke, wasted, and floundering through life. As Charleston turns 30 he faces an existential crisis. His comedy career in the gutter, he considers leaving the life. That is until Gary pilfers one of his joke ideas. Then it's comedy Jihad to the death, and there can be only one.


Review:

This book was a book of which I had alot of expectations for, mostly down to hoping the jokes within were going to have an affect on me.

So Gary and Charleston have shared the same dream since they were kids growing up together, to become top notch comedians with fans and the spotlight on them. They tumble through life doing gigs here and there as many as they can, finding nothing much like the success that they want. Out of the blue Gary steals one of Charlestons jokes from his line up so naturally they both having a fall out which consists of jokes gone awry and vengeful videos online, each of them trying to outdo the other and let me say its crazy.

The stand up parts of this book were actually funny, so much so I had a good hearty laugh even though they push the limits of being acceptable. Through the stand up parts of the book Giambrone highlights how sensitive America is, and not essentially just America but almost every other place on the earth. With each stand up moment there is also a great insight of how the whole thing actually works which makes it even more enjoyable to read. 

I have to be honest when I'm writing these reviews, I don't like to write of negative things but this one isn't negative as such, it was more of a complication I faced. When I first begun reading the book it took me a couple of chapters to really get into the book as I found it hard to gain some sort of understanding of what was going on but I was able to catch on not too late into the book. I really loved Gary and Charleston, I think they would look great on stage in a small run down bar.

I love how Giambrone was able to write 3 different comedians in this book and managed to give each of them all their own different audience and view on the world and the issues going on. They all stood out as individuals on the stage, and I feel like  making that happen is hard to do. I was really impressed by Giambrone' ability to do so much with 3 completely different characters within a story. Some of the jokes throughout the book had me laughing hard, it was quite nice to be able to laugh at certain of the jokes. I'm giving it a 4/ 5 , that's really not the books fault really because I didn't laugh at all of the jokes and I felt if I did I'd have given it a 5/5 but I wasn't laughing all the way through even though I thoroughly enjoyed the whole story and some of the jokes. If you're into comedy then this is definitely a book for you.

Juniper Limits (The Juniper Series, #2) - Lora Richardson

Synopsis:

Celia has spent her life waiting for the next crisis. When the tension at home begins to ease, she wonders if she’ll finally be able to relax. Her father has stopped drinking, her cousin Fay has moved back to Juniper, and it seems like Paul might really care about her. But trust is an uphill battle for Celia, fighting against doubt the whole way.

Paul has been drawn to Celia for as long as he can remember, and she is finally giving him a chance to show her how he feels. But when Celia can’t stop worrying everything will fall apart, and when things in Paul’s own life take a turn for the worse, can they learn to rely on each other?

Review:

Having read and reviewed Lora's work which is the first book of The Junpier Series called The Edge Of Junpier and fell in love I was more than happy and honoured to read Junpier Limits. This time we follow Paul and Celia throughout the book, watching their friendship strengthen and blossom.

I was so happy to be back in Juniper and seeing who felt like old friends, this story takes place so close to where The Edge Of Junpier ended and it all fitted so well. Celia's father Tedd is staying sober after being within the hold of alcohol for so long which we got to see in the previous book. it was ice to finally have faith in Tedd and wish he would follow the sobriety all the way through. At the end of the previous book we find out that after leaving Junpier, Fay is moving back and the trio she left behind are excited for her to return. All the while Paul is trying hard to show Celia how much he cares for her and he means it all but Celia doubts him all the way having struggled with trust for a long time.

It's beautiful to watch them both blossom with each other, I knew in the previous book that Paul cared and he was being true. Paul is a breath of fresh air. He isn't a bad boy, just a funny and cheery guy who is persistent in his pursuit of the only girl he's set on getting, but much like Celia his life isn't perfect and my heart really goes out to him, he's caring and sympathetic and yet he's strong and way beyond his years.

What struck me (yet again) about Juniper Limits is how realistic it feels. The dialogue and humor shared between Celia and Paul was so true and relalistic. When it came to how Celia dealt with the stress at home, her reactions felt so believable. Between the sadly true to life situations Celia and Paul were dealing with, Celia's reluctance to trust not only Paul but anyone, and Paul's conflicted feelings about his mother, there was a feeling of authenticity that ran throughout the book. Richardson perfectly captured Celia's tough outer shell, her constant worry, her fear to hope for better, and the shred of hope she allowed herself to feel anyway.

I don't think I can score any lower than 5/5 here, Lora has blown me away again and it was incredible to be able to see their faces and Juniper once again. I went through so many emotions whilst reading this book, all of them with the characters and that just shows you how great Lora writes. It was sad to have to leave them behind when I closed the eBook but I hope ill be seeing them again sometime.

The Fourth Monkey - J.D. Barker EBOOK Deal (US ONLY)

Synopsis:

The most anticipated thriller of the year - Optioned for both film and television

Se7en meets The Silence of the Lambs in this dark and twisting novel from the author Jeffery Deaver called, “A talented writer with a delightfully devious mind.”

For over five years, the Four Monkey Killer has terrorized the residents of Chicago. When his body is found, the police quickly realize he was on his way to deliver one final message, one which proves he has taken another victim who may still be alive.

As the lead investigator on the 4MK task force, Detective Sam Porter knows even in death, the killer is far from finished. When he discovers a personal diary in the jacket pocket of the body, Porter finds himself caught up in the mind of a psychopath, unraveling a twisted history in hopes of finding one last girl, all while struggling with personal demons of his own.

With only a handful of clues, the elusive killer’s identity remains a mystery. Time is running out and the Four Monkey Killer taunts from beyond the grave in this masterfully written fast-paced thriller.

So just a short post to let you know that The Fourth Monkey eBook is only $1.99 in the U.S. through until August 31st  so grab it whilst this offer lasts.

If you purchase this book please don't forget to share your thoughts on Goodreads. 

To read more about this book look here:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31125554-the-fourth-monkey?ac=1&from_search=true 

My Review: https://abookseternalglory.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/the-fourth-monkey-killer-jd-barker.html?m=1 

Encore Moo: A Lawnmowers, Inc. Novella - P.J Benney

Synopsis:

Sometimes Nicholas Wyndham is happy, but it depends which one of him you ask. There are dozens of versions of him, and they’re trying to make contact. The laws of physics are of no concern to a man who can send emails to a parallel universe. Naturally, some of the Nicholases, the clueless ones, are getting worried. Their post keeps going missing, and their kitchens are haunted, and their partners grow suspicious. In the wake of the Lawnmowers, Inc. scandal, Nicholas Wyndham is having a crisis, and Nicholas Wyndham is the only man that can help him – if he can reach himself in time.

Review:

This is such a fun Novella I actually cant contain my good emotions whilst reading it. There are dozens of Nicholas Wyndham, and its quite fascinating to watch them discover what's happening to them and try to figure out what to do about it. Its a quirky novella at that, I mean it's just brilliant to read because there are so many versions of Nicholas and some of him freak out some of them find it perfectly logical when it comes to explaining recent happenings in their lives. There's also Beth and Violet, each of them playing parts in many of Nicholas' lives (this is very absurd and slightly confusing to write) Depending on which one of him you ask but they're more loved by him than not so that's a positive for them. It's great to see that Present Violet is linked to Déjà Moo in the way that she would write vegan friendly recipes for Lawnmowers Inc, well that was before it went in flames anyway.

I don't think I can make this review as long as my others just down to the fact it's a novella and I refuse to ruin anything for you all because there's no fun in spoiling anything for anyone. Take my word for it, Encore moo is funny and exciting and although seemingly confusing to follow its easy peasy.

A plot that's so twisty turny and funny that part of me can't understand how P.J.Benney managed to stay on track whilst writing this and even bought up the question of did he get confused at all? We do get to see a few familiar faces come the ending of the novella and it was a nice way to end it.
Once finishing Déjà Moo I knew I had to read Encore Moo just to allow me to fill the hole left in my life now I had finished the first book. Once again P.J Benney did a great job mixing his humour into the writing creating something unique and quite beautiful. I loved how even though a Novella and nearly nothing to do with Déjá Moo how Benney managed to keep a link between both stories.

It's an easy 5/5 from me, I cant say a single bad thing about the Novella, its a perfect little read to fill a period of time with and tie you over until Bovine Intervention coming in 2018. Even though not a genre I have read lot of besides Déjà Moo. The door has definitely stayed opened and I'm looking forward to reading more of the genre and P.J Benney's work.


Links
Click here to see Déjá Moo: A Lawnmowers, Inc. Novel on Amazon
Click here to see Déjá Moo: A Lawnmowers, Inc. Novel on Goodreads

Click here to see Encore Moo: A Lawnmowers Inc. Novella on Amazon
Click here to see Encore Moo: A Lawnmowers Inc. Novella on Goodreads

Click here to see P.J Benney's Twitter
Click here to visit P.J Benney's Website

Shadows and Lies (Carson Reno Mystery Series Book 16) - Gerald W. Darnell

Synopsis:

All Carson Reno Mystery Series Books are standalone novels. It is not necessary to read them in any particular order.

What happens when a rich client, three beautiful women, a shifty businessman, a gambler and a missing spouse are all suspected of murder? The results are a merry-go-round of shadows and lies in a house of cards with clues almost as old as Carson.

Greed, blackmail, infidelity, murder, serial killers and a twenty year old crime spin a tale that is practically unbelievable – with the truth masked behind a story that nobody wants told.
This old fashion ‘whodunit’ takes Carson Reno and his crew on a complicated adventure, which has too many victims and too many suspects.

Come along and help Carson find the clues and discover the truth as he tries to make sense of all the Shadows and Lies.

Review:

Going into this book I knew great things were going to happen as ive read on Carson Reno Mystery books before and I loved it and this book definitely lived up to the last book of Gerald's book that I read. I love the fact that it is still as fast paced as I remember the series being, as soon as I begun reading I was pulled into the drama and it was great. Some may be concerned that you wont be able to make sense of all that was going on as this book is a part of a series ( Carson Reno Mystery Series) but as Gerald explained this book stands alone and everything ended up being crystal clear easily understandable.

The pictures involved in the pages of the book were really nice and a great change from the usual block of text. I like how not only they split up the text but also helped you imagine the story unfolding in these places because after all each and every one of the photos were of either places or of objects used in the story which helped enhance the overall immersion.

There were many characters within this story, they're easily remembered and I have to admit they are captivating characters, each of them involved within this story are portrayed so well it's hard to not become attached to them. They are all very strong and powerful characters who are all very different from the other. I don't want to name or describe any of them because I feel that doing that with these books takes away some of the magic. Darnell manages to bring each of them to life and makes them truly unforgettable.

The plot was very much a great one, it was a very well thought out and well written. I didn't see any of this plot happening, it was much of a surprise to me as it was the characters. There are so many moments where you have to sit back and try joining the dots, I failed miserably of course so come near the end of the book and I'm on the edge of my seat just begging to know the secrets hidden within the story, when the whole thing is told I sat back in amazement having not seen it coming the conclusion just blew me away, I wish I had managed to join some of the dots if I'm honest. Although to some the plot may seen far fetched or whatever, it's very gripping and brilliantly written. 

I have to give this book a 5/5 I'd feel horrendous and it would feel very wrong for me to mark it anything else. It was truly brilliant and gripping all the way through. There are no negatives from me.

Ask No Questions (Detective Caelan Small #1) - Lisa Hartley Blog Tour

About the Book

Title: Ask No Questions

Author: Lisa Hartley

Release Date: 10th July 2017

Genre: Thriller

Format: Ebook

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35486880-ask-no-questions

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B072X2MY21

Summary:

Some secrets were meant to stay hidden… Trust no-one

After an operation goes badly wrong, undercover specialist Detective Caelan Small leaves the Metropolitan Police for good. Or so she thinks. Then the criminal responsible is seen back in the UK.

Soon Caelan is drawn back into a dangerous investigation. But when the main lead is suddenly murdered, all bets are off. Nothing is as it seems. Everyone is a suspect - even close colleagues.

Someone in the Met is involved and Caelan is being told to Ask No Questions.

This isn’t an option: Caelan needs answers… whatever the cost.

The nerve-shredding new crime thriller from bestseller Lisa Hartley starts a must-read new series. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons and Robert Bryndza, it will keep you guessing until the very end.

Review:

So I got this book request whilst I was in the middle of only wanting to read thrillers/crime novels so I was beyond willing to want to read it, the synopsis pleased me and I just couldn't wait to read it. I'm not quite sure how long it took me to read, maybe 2 days? but all the way I was hooked just turning page after page after page needing to get answers and see this through until the end.

In this book we follow Detective Caelan Small, after an operation goes wrong, the backlash causes her to hand in her resignation before going on a holiday beginning her retirement. That is until she finds out the criminal from the operation that went wrong is back in England she cant seem to say no to joining the investigation once again. From the outset I loved Caelan, she;s a very straight forward and pretty much a character who I can relate to personally when it comes to her emotions and personality.

Richard Adamson, a fellow colleague of Small's is approached by Elizabeth Beckett who is an assistant commissioner for the specialist crime and operations and also part of the Mets senior management team. To him she is god and he cant even refuse to do as he's told even if it means convincing his former colleague to come out of retirement and join the Met once again. He's seen as the only one that knows her enough to be able to talk her around.

Deputy Assistant Commisioner Michael Nasenby, Commander Ian Penrith and Inspector Tim Achebe. When these 3 characters meet Small one for the first time it is clear that there are a vary of emotions towards her. Ian isn't her biggest fan and actually does as far as to rip chunks out of her verbally making no move to hide his feelings about her. Nasenby is sort of like a father figure to her, her previous boss and someone who trusts Small to do a good job. Tim meets her for the first time and is amazed by her skills of working under cover and her techniques of changing from one person to another and I'll admit I was just as amazed as he was. These 3 characters pop up consistently throughout the book and I found it quire easy to follow their encounters by the way they spoke to Caelan,

Every character needs a side kick and for our main character she chooses her own, determined not to work with Richard Adamson again or anyone else but Ewan Davies, ex army now working for the Met. Ewan and Caelan get on well for the most part, they are a great pair that I actually want more of.
One more character to remember is Chief Superintendent Adele Brady, with all of these characters to keep an eye on and think about its quite fun, hard to tell who's friend or foe if any of them are either at all. Each character plays their part, I found it incredibly hard to figure out how the plot was going to go, everything was well felt like it was all hush hush.

The whole book is gripping and full of twists you cant see coming, there are shocks and surprises in store for any reader who will turn the pages of this book. I'm definitely looking forward to hearing more from Lisa Hartley and seeing Caelan Small again in the near future. Hartley created a world and situations which feel completely real, action packed and breath taking. I had to pause a few time at each twist and just take a breath or two just to let myself process what I was reading. It's a truly amazing thriller and I hope that anyone who loves crime and thrillers will get a chance to read this book because its definitely worth it. I may even go as far as to pick up copies of Lisa's previous work just to experience greatness like this. I cant give this book any less than a 5/5 and I will be processing the ending for maybe months to come. A truly amazing piece of work.

Author Information:

Lisa Hartley lives with her partner, son, two dogs and several cats. She graduated with a BA (Hons) in English Studies, then had a variety of jobs but kept writing in her spare time. In addition to this new series with Canelo she is also working on the next DS Catherine Bishop novel.

Website: http://www.lisahartley.co.uk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rainedonparade

Perfect Score - Susan Roebuck Blog Tour

About the Book

Title: Perfect Score

Author: Susan Roebuck

Release Date: 3rd May 2017

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Format: Ebook

Synopsis:

Feckless, exasperating Alex Finch is a rich, handsome and talented singer/songwriter who longs for two things: a career as a professional rock singer, and to have his love for Sam Barrowdale reciprocated. But drifter Sam's two aims are simply to earn enough money to pay his sister's medical bills and to hide from the world his reading/writing and speech disability. At this time the word "dyslexia" is generally unknown so to most people he's just a "retard". From the severe knocks life's dealt him, Sam's developed a tough outer coating and he has no time for a spoilt, selfish guitar player.

Despite his defects, Alex's love for Sam never wavers and when Sam unexpectedly disappears, Alex begins a somewhat bungling quest to find him, only to discover that Sam has a fearful enemy: Alex's powerful and influential yet sociopathic uncle.

As Alex spirals downwards towards alcoholism, many questions need answering. Just why did Alex's evil uncle adopt him at age eleven yet deny him any affection? And what's the mystery behind Alex's father's death?

Both seem to face unbeatable odds. Are they doomed to follow separate paths forever?

Review:

I loved the thought of 2 people from the opposite ends of society coming together, it just seemed such a beautiful thought. Both characters took my heart along with them all the way through the book, they were so well constructed and portrayed I really wish I could open my door and they'd be on my doorstep.

Sam struggles with reading and writing and its evident he also had trouble speaking but I can easily understand what he's saying or trying to say, he works hard and is actually quite smart to the point my mind was blown, he knows things people believe he doesn't have the brain to know and he gets a lot of abuse for his 'disability'. He seems like such a frail character but to me he's quite intimidating. He's a drifter and works hard at any job he gets just so he can pay his sisters medical bills, which is the sweetest thing ever because he seemed to not care what it took or what he had to put himself through to do it. He just simply adored his sister and let me tell you, she's a hilarious character who is so real.

Alex is talented and handsome, also rich but all he wants is Sam to love him back and throughout the story you can see the signals being thrown out and you just cross your fingers that they'll be received and sent back. Alex understands Sam just as much as Sam's sister Amy does. You can tell throughout how much he really cares for him, and how much he wishes and wants to do something to help him out. I fell in love with both characters and found it hard to stop thinking of them once I finished the book.

For the other characters in the book, I felt a mix of feelings for, everyone that ever gave any of the main characters and trouble or said or did something I didn't like I was internally hissing. There were very few characters who I loved like Alex and Sam, I think the other characters were written in a way for the reader to make their mind up about? I did make my mind up in the end. With a few characters there's many conflicting emotions but I have to let it be because some of them I cant just hate or just love.

The plot is extraordinary, I mean the mental and physical things the characters have to go through blew me away, the situations they were caught in took my breath away and I was just crossing everything for everyone to make it out okay and everything be fine. There were a few plot twists I didn't see coming, after the majority of the book I just prayed everything would go smoothly and it to go to plan but obviously it never does. Susan created a world with clear knowledge of treatment of those deemed ill or disabled in this time period (1960's), she also created a story in which the powers of love are tested and the ways of which family ties can be strained. The whole corruption part of it really stuck with me, I think its down to me feeling that there is a lot of it in the current world but we are less aware of it or are and just willing to ignore it and pray it to go away.

Its a beautiful tale of love between 2 seemingly very different boys and the pressures of family and supporting those we love. The ending was something I never imagined, it bought around the concept of acceptance of people who are 'different'. Id recommend this to anyone who's in need of a LGBTQ+ read an anyone else. Its an easy 5/5 from me and I cant wait to see more of Susan in the future and will definitely be looking to read her second novel called Hewhay Hall.

Goodreads link for the Perfect Score by Susan Roebuck

Amazon link for the Perfect Score by Susan Roebuck

Author Information

My first love is, of course, my husband, my second writing, and my third painting. And now I have time to be able to indulge in all three.

My debut novel, "Perfect Score" was published by Awe-Struck Publishing on Sept 21, 2010 and the paperback was launched on May 11 2011. In May 2017 Mundania Press re-released the ebook.

Perfect Score was an EPIC (Electronic Publishing Industry Coalition) finalist in the 2012 EPIC e-Book Awards in the Mainstream Category.

"Perfect Score" is set in mid West USA in the 1960s and is a story about family relationships, corruption, growing up, integrity, responsibility, and being a man of worth in a society of the worthless.

"Hewhay Hall" is my second novel, published by Etopia Press on April 20, 2012. It has won the EPIC (Electronic Publishing Industry Coalition) 2013 e-Book Award in the Horror Category (an EPPIE)

Website: http://www.susanroebuck.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/suemonte

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SusanRoebuckauthor/

Tour Schedule

Monday 19th June

YA Under My Skin

Tuesday 20th June

Portable Magic

Wednesday 21st June

What’s Better Than Books

Thursday 22nd June

A Books Eternal Glory

Friday 23rd June

Blue Striped Square

Saturday 24th June

Summer Reads and Moonlight Dreams

Monday 26th June

Ali the Dragon Slayer

Tuesday 27th June

Birdie Bookworm

Wednesday 28th June

Helen Loves

Friday 30th June

Big Book Little Book

Saturday 1st July

Man of Words