Tag Archives: Penguin

Book Review: Last Seen Alive by Claire Douglas

Posted in Reviews, Thriller by

Format: Paperback, ARC
Links: Goodreads | Amazon UK
Blurb: She can run

Libby Hall needs to hide, to escape from everything for a while. Which is why the house swap is a godsend. The chance for Libby and her husband Jamie to exchange their tiny Bath flat for a beautiful haven on the wild Cornish coast.

But she can’t hide

But before they can begin to heal their fragile marriage, Libby makes some disturbing discoveries about the house. And soon the peace and isolation begin to feel threatening. How alone are they? Why does she feel watched?

Because someone knows her secret

What is Jamie hiding? Is Libby being paranoid? And why does the house bring back such terrible memories? Memories Libby’s worked hard to bury. Memories of the night she last saw her best friend alive… and what she did. Continue reading →

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Book Review: The Chalk Man by C.J Tudor 

Posted in Reviews, Thriller by

Publication date: 11th January 2018
Publisher: Penguin Michael Joseph
Links: Goodreads | Amazon UK
Blurb: Looking back, it all started on the day of the fair and the terrible accident. When twelve-year-old Eddie first met the Chalk Man.

It was the Chalk Man who gave Eddie the idea for the drawings: a way to leave secret messages between his group of friends.

And it was fun, to start with, until the figures led them to the body of a young girl.

That was thirty years ago and Ed thought the past was behind him. Then he receives a letter containing just two things: a piece of chalk, and a drawing of a stick figure. As history begins to repeat itself, Ed realises the game was never over…

Everyone has secrets. Everyone is guilty of something. And children are not always so innocent. Continue reading →

Quarterly Book Round-up (1/4)

Posted in Book Related Misc., Reviews by

2017 has been a fantastic year for books for me so far. I’ve not picked up a book which I’ve not finished nor have I awarded less than 3 stars to anything I’ve read! With so many others on my to-read list which sound absolutely amazing, 2017 is shaping up to be a pretty spectacular bookish year. So let’s go through the first quarter and take a look at what I’ve read, my favourites and what I’m hoping to read in the coming months! 

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Book Review: You Don’t Know Me by Imran Mahmood

Posted in Crime, Reviews by

Format: Paperback, ARC
Links: Amazon UK | Goodreads

An unnamed defendant stands accused of murder. Just before the Closing Speeches, the young man sacks his lawyer, and decides to give his own defence speech.

He tells us that his barrister told him to leave some things out. Sometimes, the truth can be too difficult to explain, or believe. But he thinks that if he’s going to go down for life, he might as well go down telling the truth.

There are eight pieces of evidence against him. As he talks us through them one by one, his life is in our hands. We, the reader – member of the jury – must keep an open mind till we hear the end of his story. His defence raises many questions… but at the end of the speeches, only one matters:

Did he do it? Continue reading →

Book Review: Dear Amy by Helen Callaghan

Posted in Reviews, Thriller by

Format: Paperback, ARC
Links: Amazon UK | Goodreads
Blurb: In her guise as ‘Dear Amy’, agony aunt for a local newspaper, Margot Lewis has dealt with all sorts of letters – but never one like this…

Dear Amy,
I’ve been kidnapped by a strange man.
I don’t know where I am.
Please help me,
Bethan Avery

This must be a cruel hoax. Because Bethan Avery has been missing for nearly two decades.

But as the present-day search intensifies for another missing schoolgirl, Margot is unnerved enough to take the letter to the police, hoping they will dismiss it as a sick joke.

Instead, they let Margot in on a little secret. One that confirms her darkest fears and tangles her up in the search for the sender, which could save one young girl’s life and cost Margot her own…

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An Interview With Jane Fallon, (author of My Sweet Revenge)

Posted in Book Related Misc., Reviews by
My Sweet Revenge by Jane Fallon was my first read of 017; and what a read it was! I recently reviewed it here, if you want to check out my review but I am also thrilled to bring you a little interview with Jane today on my blog! We’re talking inspiration, dream cast members and writing advice.
jane-fallon

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Book Review: My Sweet Revenge by Jane Fallon

Posted in Fiction, Reviews by

31942576Format: ARC, Paperback
Links: Goodreads | Amazon
Blurb: I want to make my husband fall back in love with me.

Let me explain. This isn’t an exercise in 1950s wifeydom. I haven’t been reading articles in old women’s magazines. ‘Twenty ways to keep your man’. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

I want him to fall back in love with me so that when I tell him to get the hell out of my life he’ll care. He won’t just think, ‘Oh good’.

I want it to hurt.

Paula has had Robert’s back since they got together as drama students. She gave up her dreams so he could make it. Now he’s one of the nation’s most popular actors. And Paula’s just discovered he’s having an affair. She’s going to remind Robert just what he’s sacrificing. And then she’s going to break his heart like he broke hers. It will be her greatest acting role ever.

Revenge is sweet. Isn’t it? Continue reading →

What’s Next For Cathy Bramley? Excerpt of Conditional Love!

Posted in Book Related Misc., Reviews by

Today I’m revealing a very exciting and exclusive excerpt from Cathy Bramley’s new novel, ‘Conditional Love’ which is out in November. I’m a huge Cathy Bramley fan, I reviewed both Ivy Lane and part 1 of Wickham Hall and thoroughly loved and devoured both. So, what’s next for Cathy? You saw it here first, chapter 1 of her new novel, ‘Conditional Love’.

Chapter 1

Conditional LoveI woke up on the floor, wedged between the bed and bedside table. My hip bone was bruised, my skin was mottled with cold and I had pins and needles in my arm. Painted across my face was the smug smile of a woman who hadn’t got much sleep the night before. Getting up was a priority; I was freezing and I really didn’t want Marc to wake up and find me down here.

It took a full thirty seconds of grunting, shuffling, inelegant flailing of limbs and a carpet burn to my right buttock to wriggle free. Not a pretty sight.

I sighed with pleasure at the slumbering, golden-haired Adonis taking up the entire width of the mattress. He looked so peaceful. He was certainly a deep sleeper; he hadn’t even woken up when he’d pushed me out of bed. Continue reading →

July Wrap-up: Books, Best Friends and Bits & Bobs

Posted in Monthly Wrap Ups, Reviews by

Well howdy folks! Hello and welcome to my July wrap-up! I hope you’ve all had a lovely July. I don’t know about you but the weather outside as I’m writing this feels more like Autumn! Although I’m not complaining, I’m not one for heat! So let’s crack on, here’s what’s been going down in July…

What I’ve Received in July…

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Book-wise, I didn’t actually receive or buy an awful lot in July. I got 2 kindly sent from publishers which were In The Name of Love by Patrick Smith (thanks to Head of Zeus) and The Way We Were by Sinéad Moriarty (thanks to Penguin). I also bought Pride and Prejudice as a little bit of research for my own work in progress. I’ll say no more, because I don’t want to give anything away! I was also lucky enough to win a giveaway over on Pixie Bebe for a craft and paper cutting kit! I love anything crafty so can’t wait to give this a go! Continue reading →

Book Review: The Dead Wife’s Handbook by Hannah Beckerman

Posted in 2015 Reading Challenge, Fiction, Reviews by

18623494Title: The Dead Wife’s Handbook

Author: Hannah Beckerman

Publisher: Penguin

2015 Reading Challenge Category: A Book That Made Me Cry

Blurb: The end was just the beginning…

Rachel, Max and their daughter Ellie had the perfect life – until the night Rachel’s heart stopped beating.

Now Max and Ellie are doing their best to adapt to life without Rachel, and just as her family can’t forget her, Rachel can’t quite let go of them either. Caught in a place between worlds, Rachel watches helplessly as she begins to fade from their lives. And when Max is persuaded by family and friends to start dating again, Rachel starts to understand that dying was just the beginning of her problems.

As Rachel grieves for the life she’s lost and the life she’ll never lead, she learns that sometimes the thing that breaks your heart might be the very thing you hope for. Continue reading →