#BlogTour #Promo : Entrapped by Claire Ayres. @NeverlandBT

Blurb: Cellist, Luka, has moved to Bristol to start a new job and recover from the betrayal of finding his best friend and his girlfriend in bed together. He doesn’t plan on the emotional thunderstorm that meeting his next-door neighbour Jess causes. 
Jess had everything, a man she loved, friends she adored and then the world crashed around her. Depression came from nowhere and slowly started ripping her life away.

Now she lives a lonely, sad life but the music which she keeps hearing next door is waking her up and she doesn’t know why.

Join Luka and Jess as they discover life after heartache, how to forgive and how to live and love again.

*Entrapped is an 18+ Contemporary Romance with several graphic sex scenes*

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40242813-entrapped?ac=1&from_search=true

Amazon UK:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07DD6ZJHR/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_bb_uk21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738

About Claire Ayres: 

Claire lives in Bristol, UK and has taken her inspiration from the people and the places she has seen over the years. She always has a book close at hand and devours Fantasy and Romance like some devour chocolate! Claire loves a happily ever after followed by lots of bloody sword-fighting and dangerous dragons!

But when writing her debut novel Entrapped drew on her childhood ambition to be a musician and one of the instruments she played and still loves as a centre-point. 

Claire is also a passionate mental health advocate who lives with bipolar disorder and has done regular radio interviews and even some TV. She is also a huge heavy metal fan and can regularly be found banging her head at a concert or festival.

Website:https://brizzlelassbooks.com/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/BrizzleLass

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#BlogTour #Review : Do No Harm by L V Hay. @OrendaBooks @LucyVHayAuthor #DoNoHarm

Today I am beyond thrilled to bring you my review of Do No Harm, partly because it is an amazing book and partly because I have the honour of being on the final day of the blog tour. Many thanks to Orenda Books and Anne Cater for letting me be part of this tour and sending me a copy of the book for review. And now, onto the really important part, what did I think………

Blurb:  If I can’t have you … nobody can.

After leaving her marriage to jealous, possessive oncologist Maxwell, Lily and her six-year-old son have a second chance at happiness with headteacher Sebastian. Kind but vulnerable, Sebastian is the polar opposite of Maxwell, and the perfect match for Lily. After a whirlwind romance, they marry, and that’s when things start to go wrong… Maxwell returns to the scene, determined to win back his family, and events soon spiral out of control. Lily and Sebastian find themselves not only fighting for their relationship, but also their lives… 

Chilling, dark and terrifying, Do No Harm is a taut psychological thriller and a study of obsession, with a killer twist that you will never see coming. 

My Review:  I’m not sure where to start with this review. The book opens with Lily and Sebastian getting married and Maxwell, Lily’s ex, showing how unwilling he is to truly let go of Lily and her son. From there on things happen that are not normal but equally hard to explain and then it gets even worse. 
I started this book one night and had to forcibly put it down so that I could go to bed. I’m not one for staying up all night reading but this book brought me close to doing that! However the next day, despite having things to do, I decided to start reading again at breakfast and could not put it down. All my plans went out the window and I spent the whole morning reading. It was as if nothing else mattered but finishing this book. Every chapter, every section of the book brought more events and more questions. I did reach a point where everything became clear, but even that brought more questions than answers.  

The characters and their actions and reactions are described really well. The author wrote in such a way that I felt I knew the characters even though I had barely met them. Right from the beginning there is a thread that runs through the story and you don’t see it until the end, it’s there and with hindsight you can see it but while you’re reading you don’t notice it. That is why this book is so good. It is really good in itself, in what it appears to be but then you find out what it really is and it just blows your mind. I’d love to ask the author where she gets these ideas from because they are dark and twisted and fabulous!

There are a lot of psychological thrillers out there and so many books that talk about a twist you didn’t expect so you may have doubts about this book but don’t. This book stands above many of the others and the twist is genuinely unexpected. It is, in my opinion, a very overused phrase but for this book it is entirely appropriate. If you only buy one more psychological thriller this year, make it this one. I doubt you’ll be disappointed. 
About the author:

Lucy V. Hay is a novelist, script editor and blogger who helps writers via her Bang2write consultancy. She is the associate producer of Brit Thrillers Deviation (2012) and Assassin (2015), both starring Danny Dyer. Lucy is also head reader for the London Screenwriters’ Festival and has written two non-fiction books, Writing & Selling Thriller Screenplays, plus its follow-up Drama Screenplays. Her critically acclaimed debut thriller The Other Twin was published in 2017. She lives in Devon with her husband, three children, six cats and five African Land Snails.  

#Review: Dragon Road by Joseph Brassey. @JosephBrassey @Angryrobotbooks

As anyone who regularly reads my blog will know I tend to mostly read and review crime fiction, however, I’ve been wanting to get back into science fiction and fantasy as well because I am basically a geek at heart. So, when this book appeared on Netgalley I was immediately interested. It’s a mixture of sci-fi, fantasy and crime so sounded ideal for me to dip a toe back into sci-fi/fantasy with and that’s exactly what I did, so read on and find out what I thought.

Blurb:  A murderous plot aboard a city-sized flying ship must be averted before a crazed cult sends a million people to their deaths. When portal-mage Harkon Bright and his apprentice are asked to help select a new captain for the immense skyship Iseult, they quickly find themselves embroiled in its Machiavellian officer’s court. Aboard the Elysium, the warlord Azrael, saved by his former enemies, struggles to adapt to his unexpected gift of life while suffering dark dreams of an ancient terror. As the skies darken and storm-clouds gather on the Dragon Road, the crew of the Elysium come face to face with deadly intrigues, plots from beyond death, and a terrible darkness that lurks in the heart of a thousand-year storm.

Dragon Road is out now and can be bought from Amazon UK here and from other retailers.

 

 

My Review:  I’m not quite sure how to start this review. This is a book that I believe would appeal to a lot of people, as it crosses genres, being both crime fiction and sci-fi/fantasy. It took me a little while to get into the story but I think that is partly because I hadn’t read book 1 in this series (not necessary but will give you some background knowledge of the characters) and because it’s different from what I usually read so I had to get used to the idea of giant ships that are basically flying cities, and a few other new concepts. Once I’d done that though this book was a joy to read. The characters are really well written that even though you’ve known the crew of the Elysium for a matter of a number of pages you are concerned for their safety and loving the connections and conversations between them all. It feels like an actual family on board the ship, despite the fact that some members have clearly been together longer than others.

The character of Azrael is an excellent example of the skill of the writer. Having not read book 1 I don’t know exactly what he has done but due to the bits of background dotted through the story I did get an idea of his past and it’s not pretty to say the least. However, despite that I had great empathy for him and wanted him to find peace from his past and the nightmares and find a new life for himself. Despite the horrors he has clearly committed the author has managed to give him a humanity that even the nice characters in other books don’t always have. Although I had probably the most empathy for Azrael I did care about the other main characters and a few of those on the skyship Iseult as well.

This story is a mixture of action scenes and investigation. Some people on the Iseult don’t agree with Harkon Bright and his apprentice being involved in helping select a new captain after the previous one dies suddenly. The investigative scenes are very well written but even better, if possible, are the action scenes. There are some explosive (in more ways than one!) action scenes and they grab you and draw you in so fast you can barely catch a breath. Despite the amount that is going on the scenes are so clearly written that you keep up with everything, feel everything the characters feel and need as much of a rest as they do once the scene is finished.

There is so much in this book that I could keep writing, but that would make for an incredibly long review and I don’t want to do that. What I will say is that if you already love sci-fi and /or fantasy then this is definitely a book worth reading, the amount of depth in it is just astonishing. If you’re not into sci-fi/fantasy but fancy trying some then you could do worse than to start with this. It might take a bit of time to get into it but believe me it is worth every minute!  I’ve already got Skyfarer (book 1) on my to-read list and can’t wait to add book 3 as well. I cannot wait to get back to the Elysium and find out where they go next!

 

 

 

About the author:

JOSEPH BRASSEY has lived on both sides of the continental US, and has worked as a craft-store employee, paper-boy, factory worker, hospital kitchen gopher, martial arts instructor, singer, and stay-at-home Dad (the last is his favorite job, by far). Joseph was enlisted as a robotic word-machine in 47North’s Mongoliad series, and still trains in – and teaches – Liechtenauer’s Kunst des Fechtens in his native Tacoma.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#Blog Tour #Review: A Vicarage Wedding by Kate Hewitt. @katehewitt1 @NeverlandBT

Today I am thrilled to be taking part in the blog tour for A Vicarage Wedding, the latest in the series of the Holley Sisters of Thornthwaite. I have a review and, at the end of the post, a giveaway for the second book in the series.

Blurb: Rachel Holley has always dreamed of a wedding—the white dress, the fairy tale, and of course, the happily-ever-after. But when her fiancé breaks it off the night before, claiming she doesn’t love him, Rachel’s fairy tale ends in ashes.

Homeless, hopeless, and feeling like her life has been completely derailed, Rachel must start over in all sorts of ways—and hold her head up high in the fishbowl of her tiny village.

The last person she expects to become a friend is Sam West, the taciturn owner of The Bell, Thornthwaite’s rougher pub, and a little rough around the edges of himself.

But as Rachel gets to know Sam, and sees him caring for his orphaned nephew, she finds herself drawn to this enigmatic man. Nothing about Sam is what Rachel expected in a life partner, and yet she can’t deny their increasing closeness. But can love flourish on the rebound? And will there be a vicarage wedding after all?

Links

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40671669-a-vicarage-wedding?ac=1&from_search=true

My Review:  I’ve read a few Kate Hewitt books before, including the second in this series (this is the the third) and once again she doesn’t disappoint. The author has the knack of writing about series issues but without making the story feel bleak and depressing. These issues are dealt with sensitively and in a way that doesn’t make light of them but at the same time, the story is kept fairly light and easy to read. 

Although this is the third book about these sisters you don’t have to have read the previous two before this. I’ve read book 2 but a while ago so the little references to it were useful to remind me of the story and give enough background for anyone who hasn’t read it, but at the same time not spoiling it for anyone who hasn’t read it yet. 

I read this book while I was getting over a nasty bug and it was the perfect medicine for it, something easy to read but which had enough depth and detail that I could form a really clear picture of the characters and the village itself. The authors work always comes alive from the writing and this story was no exception.

If you want some escapism for a few hours then this is a perfect read, ideal for any time of year, just find somewhere comfy to sit and cosy up with a drink hot chocolate or tea perhaps) and get stuck in, you won’t be disappointed!

About the author:

Kate is the USA Today-bsetselling author of many books of women’s fiction and romance. Her latest releases are A Mother’s Goodbye and A Vicarage Wedding. Under the name Katharine Swartz, she is the author of the Tales from Goswell books, a series of time-slip novels set in the village of Goswell.

She likes to read women’s fiction, mystery and thrillers, and historical novels. She particularly enjoys reading about well-drawn characters and avoids high-concept plots.

Having lived in both New York City and a tiny village on the windswept northwest coast of England, she now resides in a market town in Wales with her husband, five children, and an overly affectionate Golden Retriever.

Giveaway

1x paperback copy of A Vicarage Reunion – International

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/bf633057181/?

#Blog Tour #Review: Playing with Death by Simon Scarrow and Lee Francis. @annecater @headlinepg

Blurb: FBI Special Agent Rose Blake has faced evil and survived.

Haunted by a failed undercover mission, Rose is finding it hard to shake the memories of her close encounter with a ruthless serial killer – one who is still free, and could strike again without warning.

The call to investigate a suspected arson attack that’s left a man dead is a welcome distraction. It’s not the kind of case usually assigned to the FBI, but nothing about this crime is usual. As Rose digs deeper, she finds herself confronting the sort of imagination her son might see in the fantasy worlds of his video games. 

But when your opponent is a killer, nothing feels like a game. . .

My Review: I had high hopes for this book. It sounded really good when I read the blurb but while it wasn’t a bad read it never quite reached my expectations. The pace was not what I expected and it didn’t grab me and make me want to keep reading. 

The premise of the story is really interesting and very relevant to the current, constant advances in technology and the amount of technology we use in our daily lives. The characters were realistic and fleshed out enough that I could understand why they reacted the way they did to new discoveries and developments in the story. 

There’s lots of intrigue and storylines are woven together without confusion and connections appear where you might not expect them to. It’s a good read, it really is I just expected more from it and found it wanting in that department. 
About the authors:

 

A regular on the Sunday Times bestseller list with his historical novels, Simon Scarrow launches an exciting new strand to his writing with PLAYING WITH DEATH, written with Lee Francis: both an edge-of-your-seat thriller and a terrifying exploration of the dangers of the modern world. 

Simon’s Eagles of the Empire novels are legendary amongst readers of historical fiction, and all his novels, have been acclaimed by reviewers and readers alike. Prior to writing fiction Simon worked as a teacher and lecturer; he is now a full-time writer.

Lee Francis worked for several years in the world of film, TV and advertising as a script reader and assistant director. PLAYING WITH DEATH, written with his former lecturer Simon Scarrow, is his first novel.

#Blog Tour #Giveaway : The Little Cornish Kitchen by Jane Linfoot. @janelinfoot @rararesources

Today I am taking part in the blog tour for The Little Cornish Kitchen. I’ve not been able to review this book so this is a post with book blurb and author info along with details of the giveaway running during the tour.

Blurb: 

It’s time to come home to Cornwall.

With an exciting new life in Paris, Clemmie Hamilton isn’t looking forward to heading home to the picturesque but sleepy village of St Aidan, Cornwall. However, when she discovers that the cosy apartment by the sea, which her grandmother left to her, is under threat from neighbour and property developer, Charlie Hobson, Clemmie realises she can’t abandon her home in its time of need.

With her childhood friends encouraging her, Clemmie decides to turn the apartment into ‘The Little Cornish Kitchen’ – a boutique pop up pudding club raising money for the repairs to the building in an effort to stop Charlie once and for all. But when Charlie and his easy charm won’t seem to go away, everything soon becomes even messier than the state of Clemmie’s Cornish kitchen…

Purchase from Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Cornish-Kitchen-Jane-Linfoot-ebook/dp/B076JW252H  

Giveaway – Win a signed copy of The Little Cornish Kitchen, Mermaid Notebook and Sugar Unicorns (Open Internationally)

*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 I reserve 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 I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Enter via this link

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494114/?

About the author:

Jane Linfoot is a best selling author, who lives in a muddy cottage, up a steep hill in Derbyshire, with her family, their pets, and an astonishing number of spiders. Although she loves seeing cow noses over the garden wall, she’s happy she can walk to a supermarket. 
Jane grew up in North Yorkshire where she spent a lot of her childhood avoiding horizontal gales blowing off the sea, and wrote her first book by accident, while working as an architect, and renovating country houses. While she loves to write feelgood books that let readers escape, she’s always surprised to hear her stories make people laugh, admits to (occasionally) crying as she writes, and credits her characters for creating their own story lines. 

Jane’s garden would be less brambly if she wasn’t on Facebook and Twitter so often. On days when she wants to be really scared, she rides a tandem.

Her latest books include a series of stand alone novels, based around a seaside wedding shop in Cornwall. Cupcakes and Confetti – The Little Wedding Shop by the Sea, Sequins and Snowflakes – Christmas at the Little Wedding Shop, and Bunting and Bouquets – Summer at the Little Wedding Shop, and most recently, The Little Cornish Kitchen. These are all published by Harper Impulse,  an imprint of Harper Collins.

Follow Jane on Twitter @janelinfoot, or find her on her Author Page Facebook or her Personal Page Facebook. She’s also on Instagram, and has lots of Pinterest boards relating to her novels.

#BlogBlitz #Review : Barnabas Tew and The Case of the Missing Scarab by Columbkill Noonan @ColumbkillNoon1 @rararesources

Today I am taking part in the birthday celebration for the unusual book that is Barnabas Tew and The Case of the Missing Scarab. I bought this myself a little while back but as with so many books hadn’t had the chance to read it yet so when I got the chance to take part in this birthday blitz I couldn’t possibly say no. So read on and find out what do thought of a most unusual book. 

Blurb:  Barnabas Tew, a detective in Victorian London, is having a hard time making a name for himself, probably because most of his clients end up dead before he can solve their cases. His luck is about to change, though, for better or worse: Anubis, the Egyptian god of the dead, notices him and calls him to the Egyptian underworld. A terrible kidnapping has occurred; one that promises to put an end to the status quo and could perhaps even put an end to the entire world. It is up to Barnabas (along with his trusty assistant, Wilfred) to discover the culprit and set things to right. Can he turn his luck around and solve the most important case of his life?
Purchase Link – mybook.to/Barnabas

My Review:  I’ve always found Ancient Egypt and their beliefs fascinating so when I found a book that mixed them with crime fiction I was intrigued. Barnabas Tew is a bumbling detective with ideas of being a real life Sherlock Holmes, though in reality is actually not that good at being a detective and fails to solve many of his cases. 

However, one day a former client recommends him to Anubis, Egyptian god of the dead, who then hires Barnabas and his assistant, Wilfred, to solve a very serious crime indeed. Throughout the book Barnabas and Wilfred try to solve the case they have been assigned while trying to navigate the underworld and its unusual inhabitants. 

I enjoyed this book, right from page 1 it had a quirkiness about it that set the tone for the rest of the story. Although we don’t know a great deal about Barnabas and Wilfred we get to know their characters more as the story progresses and they make interesting decisions and react to the consequences of them. I felt the gods that they met during their investigation were quite well written and easy to picture, which for me is important. The characters of the gods were clear and came out of the page which would be appropriate given their high status. I did find the story a little repetitive and a bit too long but other than that I really enjoyed it. 

It’s such an unusual book that it’s hard to know what to say about it. The story works because all of it is quite strange. The thought of someone being summoned to the Egyptian underworld is almost ridiculous so the only way it works is to have a peculiar and bumbling detective like Barnabas. It doesn’t take itself seriously at all so if you prefer your crime fiction sensible and procedural this might not be the book for you. If, however, you fancy something completely different it might be worth trying it out. 

About the author:  

Columbkill Noonan lives in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, where she teaches yoga and Anatomy and Physiology.  Her work has appeared in numerous anthologies and magazines. Her first novel, “Barnabas Tew and the Case of the Missing Scarab” by Crooked Cat Books, was released in 2017, and her latest work, “Barnabas Tew and the Case of the Nine Worlds”, is set to be released in September 2018.
In her spare time, Columbkill enjoys hiking, paddle boarding, aerial yoga, and riding her rescue horse, Mittens. To learn more about Columbkill please feel free to visit her website (www.columbkill.weebly.com), on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ColumbkillNoonan) or on Twitter (@ColumbkillNoon1).

Social Media Links –  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColumbkillNoonan/ 

 Twitter: https://twitter.com/columbkillnoon1?lang=en