Sweetpea - C.J Skuse

Synopsis:

The last person who called me ‘Sweetpea’ ended up dead…

I haven’t killed anyone for three years and I thought that when it happened again I’d feel bad. Like an alcholic taking a sip of whisky. But no. Nothing. I had a blissful night’s sleep. Didn’t wake up at all. And for once, no bad dream either. This morning I feel balanced. Almost sane, for once.

Rhiannon is your average girl next door, settled with her boyfriend and little dog…but she’s got a killer secret.
Although her childhood was haunted by a famous crime, Rhinannon’s life is normal now that her celebrity has dwindled. By day her job as an editorial assistant is demeaning and unsatisfying. By evening she dutifully listens to her friend’s plans for marriage and babies whilst secretly making a list.

A kill list.
From the man on the Lidl checkout who always mishandles her apples, to the driver who cuts her off on her way to work, to the people who have got it coming, Rhiannon’s ready to get her revenge.

Because the girl everyone overlooks might be able to get away with murder…

Review:

I have to say all opinions within this review are mine and I thank Netgalley and the publishers for giving me a Ebook copy in return I am to write a 100% truthful review..

I hadn't actually heard much about this book before I got a copy via Netgalley, so I can pretty much say I was looking forward to see what it was all about after such a promising synopsis. Its written pretty much like a diary, but unlike most diary style written books it isn't day by day every day for like 4 weeks, its broken up so it could be written for 3 days in a row and then miss 2 days, its broken up nicely that way and gives you a sense of Rhiannon having what is pretty much a normal life, one where the days are sometimes the same, nothing new and completely uninteresting.

Rhiannon is our main character and hell do I absolutely adore her, there was an instantaneous sort of attraction I guess? towards her, it was instant love I guess. Her friends are unescapable and beyond annoying to me just like I guess they're supposed to be written? I had so many moments throughout the book where I just had to pause and go 'I feel you Rhiannon' like we were on the same wavelength the majority of the time. she's sarcastic, truthful, an actress beyond Oscar worthy, a sociopath without boundaries and ideas and utterly a great character. Shout out to Craig who is Rhiannon' boyfriend, I'm so happy there isn't anyone in my life like him because id probably end up 100% like Rhiannon. He's not exactly likable because he's written in that light but it doesn't even matter because under any other light he's still an unlikable character. Also shout out to AJ who's I fell for instantly, I don't know how but it happened and I don't regret it either. Each supporting character was great besides the fact they were not. They were part fuel for the fire as well as a few people who quite frankly deserve what they got in the

Being an editorial assistant isn't exactly thrilling for our MP but she's very willing to tell you that. Things do liven up when AJ comes into the office to work with his auntie for a short while before he's set to go off travelling again and you cant help but feel the sort of fracture in the boring workplace feeling that Rhiannon has endured until AJ waltzes in with a perfect butt. Things are far from perfect for our MP too, she cant help but dwell on her urges of murdering people, its no secret that she well, loves it. She has a troubled childhood and upbringing really, I think that part of her behaviour and her looks towards certain people and things are a result of her past but the other part of me is sure that besides that, she really does enjoy what she does, she prides herself on it and it helps her stay feeling good. Fair enough she acts out in gruesome ways, to a degree I may have given a small chuckle here and there (shout out canal man) and at several points in my life so far have I encountered people like those upon Rhiannon's kill list that she usually updates each diary entry, they're sometimes funny but completely justified, to an extent of course.

I love how easily the plot unravels, there are points where you can see something coming and you're right but for the most part it was quite nice just to sit back and run with it. If you cant handle gore or any graphic content to any degree this book isn't for you, if you cant deal with sex scenes to any degree this isn't for you, explicit language not your thing? yup this book isn't either. I was completely fine with all of it well to a degree I didn't go off like thrilled by the gore or fantasizing about it or anything I mean in the sense of it didn't make me uncomfortable or freaked out. It was all tolerable.

This book really took turns I didn't really see coming and I'm not going to put any spoilers up in here so all I have to say is if you can handle the violence and the language and can easily agree with people in your everyday life that do the smallest thing that pisses you right off you definitely need to read this book. It hope that in the future we do get to see more of Rhiannon and the rest of the crew. I did declare just minute after finishing this book that I was off to slam my head in the fridge door because I needed more from C.J Skuse, she was pleased with that and that's utterly fantastic. its an easy 5/5 from me an di hope you can enjoy it too if you ever get around to reading it.

Gravedigger - Michael Israel Jarvis

Synopsis:

Dead or alive. Good or evil. Hero or fugitive.

Valo needs a specific solution to a grave problem. The human Claimfold and prigon Torzsi draw apart. War is promised in the West. Worst of all, the magi of Nagyevo are meddling with the dead.

Perin is an apprentice Gravedigger: uneducated, unwanted, unsure. He may be the answer Valo needs, if he doesn't get killed before he works out what's going on. But of course there's the chance that fate hasn't called him after all. The gods are nameless and silent and the best laid plans have a way of going badly wrong.
​
Enter the spade and sorcery world of Valo.

Gravedigger subverts the expectations of that oldest of foes in fantasy, the dead that walk, in a fast-paced adventure through a world of culture, intrigue, magic and blood.

Review:

Dane Cobain had contacted me in early March asking if I would like to read any of the four books he had told me about, I said I could read all four and review each of them, Gravedigger was one of those four.

I have to admit that with a name of Gravedigger, I wasn't sure what to expect, I have to admit that it wasn't something I had expected, and it was truly enjoyable. We take the view of Perin, an apprentice gravedigger who has no friends and what you can see as no future. And then a giant bull-man Kesairl the Prigon, and his dead friend Medrivar the undead king come seeking the services of Perin’s master, and shatter the narrow minded ways of the Graveyard. When unfortunate events occur within and after a year, Perin has no choice but to leave the graveyard behind and follow Kesairl across the land alongside Medrivar, but not in the form you think.

The story is well paced, I loved that all of the characters were individual in mind set and skills it just helped that they weren't clones of each other. I was surprised at the level of gore but it wasn't offensive, in fact it helped the book become greater.

"The book Gravedigger, is about living and dead people and then the living dead people. It has corrupt mages, secret societies and ale-drinking anarchists.
It’s also about brotherhood and resilience in the face of adversity. It questions the existence of fate and the motivations of the gods."

I couldn't sum it up any better, a nail biting, edge of the seat, intense, gory, fantasy with no dragons or pixies, a great amount of progression and amazingly written characters and story line. The ending truly blew my mind, I wasn't expecting it to happen how it happened but it unfolded perfectly and was a overall, I wasn't able to stop turning pages.

I can say that Jarvis has a talent when it comes to writing Fantasy and the immersion is effective due to his eye for detail.

The only thing I've got to say is that for me it felt like a very big lengthy read but it's faultless besides that. I love the artwork, it's an exact replica of the way I see both of the characters pictured. As for the recommendations having now read this book? Well any fantasy lover, anyone who wants to dip their toes into a twist of fantasy or the fantasy genre in general.

Overall a 5/5 from me, I definitely will me looking out for more of Michaels work.