The Breakdown - B.A Paris

Synopsis:

THE NEW CHILLING, PROPULSIVE NOVEL FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.

If you can’t trust yourself, who can you trust?

Cass is having a hard time since the night she saw the car in the woods, on the winding rural road, in the middle of a downpour, with the woman sitting inside―the woman who was killed. She’s been trying to put the crime out of her mind; what could she have done, really? It’s a dangerous road to be on in the middle of a storm. Her husband would be furious if he knew she’d broken her promise not to take that shortcut home. And she probably would only have been hurt herself if she’d stopped.

But since then, she’s been forgetting every little thing: where she left the car, if she took her pills, the alarm code, why she ordered a pram when she doesn’t have a baby.

The only thing she can’t forget is that woman, the woman she might have saved, and the terrible nagging guilt.

Or the silent calls she’s receiving, or the feeling that someone’s watching her…

Review:

The Breakdown had an immediate grip on me, I had been reading small portions of the book just so I could read another book on the side but soon find it extremely hard to stop reading this book so instead I focused on finishing this book which I managed eventually. There were so many times throughout the whole story that I was on edge, there were time when I sat alone reading and didn't feel alone, at points I begun to jump at small noises that were explainable but the tension and suspense in the book just tipped me over the edge into a small puddle of paranoia.

At times characters really got to me a little, like Cass because I just wanted her to tell someone but as the story progresses I'm kind of glad she didn't because it may have altered the rest of the story and taken it down a different route that may not have been better than this one. Matthew got me mad at times because he simply wouldn't listen, would force a subject or something of that nature but much like what I said about Cass, if he hadn't have been that way the story may have been drastically different. Every character felt so real, they were convincing and felt like people that were really in my life.

Not only is this book a thriller but it faces the issue of possibly having early on set dementia having watched the deterioration of dementia in one of your parents, and how the thought of beginning to decline that same way alone effects a person.

This book really gets you thinking, you can never really tell who's being 100% true and who are the friends amongst foe, it's really one of those and I loved every second of it. There were parts that seemed too far fetched but in the end they stitched together and made perfect sense which made this an even better read because it wasn't just your ordinary run of the mill Thriller.

The book itself felt like an new take on Thriller, it just felt like it gripped me more, fully absorbed me compared to other thrillers that I've adored in the past. I really didn't want it to end but of course it has to or else I'd have been on edge and paranoid for the rest of my life. Its a clear 5/5 winner for me, a recommendation to anyone who's a fan of the genre and loved stories that are fast paced and gripping. Part of me really wants to read her first novel, 'Behind Closed Doors' now that I've experience how much of a great author she is.

Many thanks to Harlequin and Netgalley for providing a copy of this novel on which I have written an honest review.

The Food of Love - Amanda Prowse

Synopsis:

A loving mother. A perfect family. A shock wave that could shatter everything.

Freya Braithwaite knows she is lucky. Nineteen years of marriage to a man who still warms her soul and two beautiful teenage daughters to show for it: confident Charlotte and thoughtful Lexi. Her home is filled with love and laughter.

But when Lexi’s struggles with weight take control of her life, everything Freya once took for granted falls apart, leaving the whole family with a sense of helplessness that can only be confronted with understanding, unity and, above all, love.

In this compelling and heart-wrenching new work by bestselling author Amanda Prowse, one ordinary family tackles unexpected difficulties and discovers that love can find its way through life’s darkest moments.

Review:

First of I would like to thank the Author/publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book for an honest review.

The Food of Love is by far one of the hardest books I've read. it wasn't hard to read because it was badly written because it deffinetly wasn't.  it wasn't hard because the plot was terrible because that's wasn't either.  it was hard because the plot was so raw and true, a real look into the life of not only a teenager suffering with an illness but also a look into the life of a family who have to try and deal with it.

I felt really connected to each of the characters and they were really easy to sympathise with. Alexia who is the character the plot revolves around, is struggling with her weight, she's only 15 and soon diagnosed with Anorexia after a very 'sickening' discovery by her mother. She's a very delicate character, she tugged at my heart and I really felt for her and how she felt emotionally.

The book is mostly written in Freyas point of view, as the mother of Alexia and Charlotte she has a bond with her children and adores them and once she becomes aware that her youngest is not quite alright she automatically goes all 'protective mother' on her and tries to figure out what is so wrong. Freya is a writer, mostly a food/health writer and everyone in the book hasn't heard of Anorexia which was quite a twist. I felt for Freya, she often thought her mother bond and 'I know my daughters better than you' and 'mother knows best' mindset would set everything straight but she's made aware that it's not that simple.

Charlotte is the eldest daughter who at intervals we get see the story from her perspective, but she was a relatable character and I really felt for her, she struggled with coming to terms with the diagnosis of her younger sister, a sibling she should have protected.  She is under pressure and soon feeling forgotten by her parents and understandably gets upset alot. She was a really good character, she was never trying to be anything but a big sister and good daughter.

Lockie however, the male in the story is Freyas husband. He refuses to believe that Alexia is ill and that it's all just for attention, but something must click because he's soon ready to snap his daughter out of it all, fed up of her refusal to eat he often lashes out upsetting his youngest daughter, making the whole ordeal alot harder to deal with. He and freya constantly fight over what's the right and wrong thing to do.

As characters they were diverse in the way they handled the whole situation throughout the book and I thought that they were a great mix as their approaches to the situation were a perfect view of what happens daily in the real world in the same situation.

I've heard that people dislike this book because A) none of the characters know of Anorexia B) that the parents were borderline neglecting their child by refusing her medical attention she needed and that C) Lockie was right all along. Here's what I say to that.

Have you ever thought that Anorexia doesn't exist in this book world just so the reader and characters can learn and be informed about it at the same time instead of knowing random facts about it? I liked that it didn't exist in this world, it's a new perspective as there are families and people in this world that don't know of many of the mental illnesses that effect people nowadays.

This one is the one that gets me. Freya and Lockie are parents that are suddenly told their daughter isn't well at all, that there's something worth worrying about. They have no idea how to deal with what's happening and are focused in trying to find out and help their youngest daughter. It wasn't borderline child abuse/neglect, it was a reaction of parents who are suddenly told their child is sick and that it's going to be hard to work with. They have different approaches, Lockie yells, demands, forces. Freya is gentle, she asks, discusses, guides. They get their daughter treatment when they figured out the best route to go. Not knowing what to do in this situation is alot different to child abuse/neglect.

Lockie is somewhat of a forceful character, he wanted his family to be normal again as soon as, he rushes his decisions and forces his ways upon his child, forcing her to do things that push her to her limit. Sometimes brute force works and sometimes it doesn't. Lockie's choices for the sake of his daughter were never the right or wrong ones, they were just the ones that seemed best at the time.

What I thought was a lovely touch was the switching between Freya and Charlotte's POV as they both told stories and wrote letters to Lex which they layer give to her. It was really nice to hear of how the family had been before now and all the memories they had.

Although hard to read, sometimes leaving me teary eyed I really liked the book. It was a refreshing experience to see how a family could be both torn apart and bought back together in the darkest of times. I would read more of Amanda's work without a doubt.  It was heart wrenching yet enlightening to see how the characters would recover.  I would easily recommend this to someone who wants to see it all from a new perspective, to experience a family perspective not just the 'sufferers/victims' perspective. It's a 5/5 for me. Deffinetly worth a read and a tear jerker at that.

Caraval - Stephanie Garber

Synopsis:

Welcome, welcome to Caraval―Stephanie Garber’s sweeping tale of two sisters who escape their ruthless father when they enter the dangerous intrigue of a legendary game.

Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.

Review:

I want to start with thanking Netgalley/Stephanie/Publishers involved for allowing me to receive a copy of Caraval to read and review honestly. with that said I will refrain from telling any spoilers so I do apologise if the review is very scarce or hard to make sense of.

Part of me wanted to review this book closer to its publication date (31st January 2017) but once I finished reading it2 days ago I just simply couldn't wait.

So right away we're transported right into the lives of two sisters, Tella and Scarlett, we learn that Scarlett has been writing letters over the course of several years to a man named Legend. upon discovering news that she believes Tella should know about the story unwinds quickly transporting you and the characters across the plot line in a smooth move or few. Before they know it they're not at home anymore and Tella is separated from her sister and the mysterious sailor. All Scarlett wants to do is find her beloved sister and experience this all by her side but that's harder said than done. Scarlett is quick to discover Tella is the centre of this years game which drives her harder to find her first before anyone else.

Scarlett was such an easy character to like and even love, she reflected the emotions of a loving sister just trying to find her sister. I connected with her so easy through those emotions because I know that much like Tella and Scarlett, my sister and I can fight and argue and have our moments, I'd risk all to find/save her. She's a cautious character and was always keeping her eyes open for any sort of thing that would help her or show her the way to go. she felt like a strong character one that could really be depended on if she were a really person. what I loved about her was the fact that all of what I said may still be true but when it came to her arranged marriage, she was blind because all she wanted was to please her father and get the relationship she had always longed for but refused to understand what her sister and the mysterious sailor meant and felt when it came to the fact she hadn't actually met her fiancé before.

Her sister Tella comes across very reckless and spontaneous but you can see that deep down she only wants best for herself and her sister. You can tell that both sisters really do just want what is best for each other but its only Tella who really doesn't fear the consequences that may come of her actions from her father. After all it is her actions that really kick starts the unravelling of the plot.

Now Julian, the mysterious sailor. we first meet him in quite a compromising situation. when you first meet him he comes across really obnoxious and not exactly a great character but as time passes by he really shows himself, the caring, loving, protective side. he reads like a guy id like around in real life, a guy who knows what's what and isn't afraid of telling his opinion. Although he can deceive not only other characters but the reader too, you cant help but love every piece of him.

Throughout the book you're trying to keep up with Scarlett, decipher what's real and what's not but sometimes even you as a reader can't see the difference and can become consumed in the magic of Caraval. (not even lying) the book really sucks you in and its near to impossible to tear yourself away from it and put it down. Everything felt so real to me I had to take a few moments after finishing to fully come back to reality. The book definitely has its fair share of twists and turns that really are unexpected but thrilling. I definitely didn't see the ending coming, it was a true surprise and I may have had to cry a little at it, which way I cried you'll just have to read the book and find out yourself.

It's 100% a 5/5 from me and I can't wait to read more from the wonderful Stephanie. I'm probably going to buy a copy of the book as soon as its out in January.  Caraval alone was truly immersive and to the level it is, shows the true extent of the magnificent author behind it and the level of writing. A true I definitely recommend this book to those who like fantasy and I've already passed on book information for a friend who has said she'll check it out. I hope you've enjoyed the review.

The Two O'clock Boy - Mark Hill

Synopsis:

TWO CHILDHOOD FRIENDS...ONE BECAME A DETECTIVE...ONE BECAME A KILLER...

One night changed their lives
Thirty years ago, the Longacre Children's Home stood on a London street where once-grand Victorian homes lay derelict. There its children lived in terror of Gordon Tallis, the home's manager.

Cries in the fire and smoke
Then Connor Laird arrived: a frighteningly intense boy who quickly became Tallis' favourite criminal helper. Soon after, destruction befell the Longacre, and the facts of that night have lain buried ...until today.

A truth both must hide
Now, a mysterious figure, the Two O'Clock Boy, is killing all who grew up there, one by one. DI Ray Drake will do whatever it take to stop the murders - but he will go even further to cover up the truth.

Discover the gripping, twist-filled start to a fantastic new London-set crime thriller series starring morally corrupt DI Ray Drake - the perfect new addiction for fans of Luther.

Review:

I don't quite know where to start with this except for with the statement. This completely blew my mind.

Kenny Overton is a petty criminal trying to do right. He has a job working the night shifts in a supermarket and is trying his best to do the right thing to make up for a life made up of mistakes and bad choices, but it is a life of which begun in a grim and poor children’s home many years ago. But someone doesn’t want to give Kenny the second chance he wants. Someone has been watching him all this time, waiting for the right moment to make him pay for all he has done in his past, to deny him of his happy ending. And the time has come.

When DI Ray Drake and the newly promoted DS Flick Crowley are called out to the scene of a brutal multiple murder, they sense that it is not going to be a straight-forward case. Three members of one family are slaughtered, the fourth escaping only by having left his phone at home that night. But who would want to kill them all, and in such a personal and gruesome way?

Drake knows instinctively that this is a message. That secrets which have laid buried for years are about to be exposed. Secrets which link back to the Longacre Children’s home, its manager, Gordon Tallis and one of the former residents, Connor Laird – a boy who harboured such anger and intensity within, that he terrified anyone he ever met.

With Drake fearing for his family’s safety and with the knowledge that so much depends on keeping the truth hidden, he knows he needs to find a way to prevent Crowley from following her instincts and investigating the children’s home with its ill-fated history and residents. But the killer, the ‘Two O’Clock Boy’, begins to taunt Drake, reminding him that no matter how much he denies it, their pasts, and their futures, are linked. The killer wants the secrets exposed and the question Drake has to ask himself is – how far is he willing go to stop the murders, protect his daughter and cover up the truth?

‘The Two O’Clock Boy’ is an extraordinary piece of work from author Mark Hill. Moving between the present day investigations and weeks in 1984 after Connor Laird first went to Longacre, Hill gives the reader a thrill, a ride full of twists and shocks. It brings up the questions of are the characters simply victims of their past, driven to poor life choices by a difficult and abusive start in life? or is it merely an excuse to justify their crimes? What is it that creates a criminal? A killer? it really gets you thinking about the answers to all of these questions and to begin with you have your mind set on the path the story is going to take but with me it went nowhere close and nearing the end I was pretty much re thinking all of the events and trying to figure it all out before I got to see if I was right or wrong.

The killer known as the ‘Two O’Clock Boy’ is an emotionally complex character. As his past is slowly comes out to the reader, you are put in a strange position where you feel a little sympathy for him as you do for all of those who he targets. What happens at the home is something which does make victims of them all emotionally and, ultimately, physically. Whether as a result you can forgive his actions or not is really up to the reader and how they feel about it all.The truth is complicated and isn't easy to simply condemn. For sure Hill’s writing messed with my emotions to a point where I couldn’t really,truly hate him, no matter what, and yet I still feared the execution of his plans.

When it comes to Ray Drake, you have an almost impossible character. A guy who doesn't really like to be a hero. He is driven by love for his family, and the need to keep them safe, which you can't help but respect. I can honestly say that I didn’t know how to feel about him. I liked his character at first, but as the story unfolded I found myself wondering how he was involved and what it was that the killer had over him. I didn’t trust him, then his past was unveiled, scene by scene, he became bit by little bit an even more complicated character. My feelings mirrored those of his partner DS Crowley; confused by Drake’s change in character, his determination to avoid the truth and to derail the investigation. He shocked me and made me go gah! in frustration. But I still liked him. A lot. I wanted to hate his character but found myself rooting for him instead.

Flick Crowley is a well written character. She has her own demons to battle, a poor relationship with her father and a is over reliant upon her sister, she is a very likeable character, I took to her almost immediately. Willed and determined she follows her gut and carries on with her investigations, in spite of Drake and l see her being a character with so much to give and more way for her to develop. She is certainly no pushover and a strong believer in acting on instinct. You can’t help but like her. Well I couldn't help liking her.

The writing is paced, the tension gradually builds up until the dramatic end as, chapter by chapter, more of the past and motivations are revealed. The twists in the story, the deception, are so well hidden that I didn’t see the majority of them coming until they were staring me right in the face. I thought I knew, but I was so very, very wrong. The thrill of the chase, the developing sense of danger, all driven by a truly great narrative, making this a literal page turner. And the ending just blew me further away than the rest of the book already had.

The murders are grizzly, the perpetrator without remorse and the protagonist divisive.I was pushed to keep reading. I wanted to learn all of the secrets of each character and the identity of The Two O'clock Boy and try to understand why the killer was so hell bent on such a vicious revenge. I want to know what the heck happens next for Drake and Crowley. What they have been though is definitely going to make for an interesting and complex dynamic in future books. I can't wait. its most definitely a 5/5. I must get a physical copy just so I can revisit it and experience the whole thing all over again. I received a free copy of the book from Netgalley in return I should give an honest review.