Category: reviews

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: The Haunted Shore – Neil Spring*

ramblingmads

A CHILLING GHOST STORY SET IN THE HAUNTING WILDERNESS OF SUFFOLK
When Lizzy moves to a desolate shore to escape her past, she hopes to find sanctuary. But a mysterious stranger is waiting for her, her father’s carer, and when darkness falls, something roams this wild stretch of beach, urging Lizzy to investigate its past. The longer she stays, the more the shore’s secrets begin to stir. Secrets of a sea that burned, of bodies washed ashore — and a family’s buried past reaching into the present.
And when Lizzy begins to suspect that her father’s carer is a dangerous imposter with sinister motives, a new darkness rises. What happens next is everyone’s living nightmare . . .

From the bestselling author of The Ghost Hunters and The Lost Village, The Haunted Shore is a terrifying tale of suspense that does not let up until the last page is turned.

My thoughts:

Well this was suitably weird and creepy.

I’ve read a few books now set on Orford Ness, which is a former military base on the Suffolk coast, it was a secret base and not declassified til the 1970s so lots of stories and rumours persist about it.

This book dips into some of the rumours and mysteries surrounding the area, now a bird reserve, as well as mentioning some of the wider Suffolkian stories.

The Ness is remote and I imagine quite eery, especially in bad weather, making it the perfect setting for this story of regret and revenge.

Lizzy has made a serious mistake at work and having been fired she flees back to the family home, a converted tower on the Ness. Her father is suffering from dementia and her brother has hired the rather unpleasant Hazel to look after him.

Lizzy takes an instant dislike to her, and as events start to spin out of control, she becomes more and more afraid of Hazel and the amount of control she has over her dad, Cliff.

This book was really sinister and I could imagine all the strange noises and creepy things Lizzy thinks she’s experienced, the desolate shoreline slowly revealing its secrets.

The ending has so many twists and turns that I just couldn’t believe what was real and what the characters were imagining, which I think is the point.

It was really, really good and perfect for the short days and gathering nights of autumn. Plus, my husband, a Suffolk native, is going to take me to see the Ness for myself, so I can soak up the atmosphere for myself.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: The House Mate – Nina Manning*

ramblingmads

The perfect life? …Or the perfect lie?

When Regi moves into her new house share, she’s ready for a clean slate. A new home. A new routine. A new identity…

Desperate to escape the shadow of her past that follows her everywhere she goes, Regi finds the ideal distraction in the perfect lives of others on social media.

But as innocent scrolling turns into an unhealthy obsession, Regi will soon learn that seeking perfection comes at a price…

A gripping psychological suspense from the international bestselling author of The Daughter In Law. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, K L Slater and Jackie Kabler.

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Nina Manning studied psychology and was a restaurant-owner and private chef (including to members of the royal family).

She is the founder and co-host of Sniffing The Pages, a book review podcast.

Her debut psychological thriller, The Daughter in Law, was a bestseller in the UK, US, Australia and Canada.

She lives in Dorset.

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My thoughts:

This was very cleverly done, flipping between Regi now and what seems to be Regi in the past, but then a massive set of twists throw all of your assumptions in the bin!

There’s also a Mrs Hinch style instagrammer in the mix, which seems banal but Regi gets very curious and goes digging.

A very clever, very gripping thriller that just isn’t what it seems at all. I think Nina might just be a bit of a plotting genius!

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Disenchanted – Brianna Sugalski*

ramblingmads

A Breton princess at the peak of the French Renaissance, Lilac lives prisoner in her parents’ castle after a wicked secret is revealed on the eve of her tenth birthday soirée. Years later, her coronation ceremony looms, and between the riotous townsfolk and scheming nobleman bent on snatching the throne, Lilac prepares for the worst…

Until a mysterious letter arrives from The Witch of Lupine Grotto, detailing a curious offer to cure her darkness forever. Lilac begrudgingly trades her coronet for a cloak and ventures into the forest Brocéliande in pursuit of the impious enchantress at the edge of town. With only the protection of an inherited dagger-and, unsolicited help of the sardonic stranger who inserts himself on her quest-she must traverse Brocèliande and return in time to claim her rightful position as sovereign monarch.

This is the story of a cursed princess,

A crestfallen killer,

The town that wants them to burn,

And the witch that can save them both.

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With an education in Mass Communication–and an engrossment in all that is curious and bewitching–Brianna Sugalski is an author and blog editor at the Parliament House Press.

The Filipino-American author was born and raised on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, but travels the country every few years with her husband and two children. She admires the luminaries of the Victorian Era; growing up reading period literature, folklore, and fables has inspired her to paint vibrant settings of nature and narratives that readers will hopefully enjoy.

Ultimately, she aspires to make her own readers laugh, to challenge their perspectives on society and systemic prejudice, and to help them discover the magical meaning of their own powers within.

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The Breton flag – Gwenn-ha-du, which means black and white in Breton

Breton, the language spoken in Brittany, North West France, where the story is set, is actually closer to Cornish than French, as it is a Celtic language not a Latinate one like English or French. It originated when Celts from Cornwall and Wales migrated there, taking their languages with them.

Over time the language changed, and some Bretons speak both French and their native tongue, which is sadly not as many as in the past.

I thought it might be fun to see what English, Breton, French and Cornish words associated with this book look like, as some have similarities and some are very different!

I tried to get a pronunciation guide but it can be tricky with minority languages and I was a bit wary of some of the slightly strange ones on Google. But even without knowing exactly how the words are pronounced, you can easily see the differences and similarities in the different tongues. I am endlessly fascinated by linguistics, so I hope you enjoyed my nerd out!

My thoughts:

This was a really fun read, and came at just the right time, I really needed something enjoyable and not too taxing on my poor old brain. Lilac is a great heroine, a bit naive but very brave and determined – even though she’s been locked up in her parents’ castle for a decade she enters the forest (Brocéliande) without a second thought.

Her relationship with Garin is great fun, they have a real back and forth and she drives him nuts! It reminded me a bit of Tangled, only without the frying pan!

I loved all the elements of folklore and the humour, it made me laugh out loud a few times. Honestly it’s just a really fun, modern take on the fairy tale, with a princess who can, mostly, rescue herself.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Unconquerable Sun – Kate Elliott*

ramblingmads

It has been eight centuries since the beacon system failed, sundering the heavens as it collapsed. Without beacons the void between stars is navigable only by the slow crawl of knnu driven argosies.

Rising from the ashes of the collapse, cultures have fought, system-by-system, for control of the few remaining beacons.

The Republic of Chaonia is one such polity. Surrounded by the Yele League and the vast Phene Empire, they
have had to fight for their existence.After decades of conflict, Queen-Marshal Eirene has brought the Yele to heel, binding them into subservience. Now it is time to deal with the Empire.

Princess Sun, daughter and heir to the queen-marshal, has come of age. In her first command, she has driven a Phene garrison from the beacons of Na Iri.

Growing up in the shadow of her mother has been no easy task. The queen-marshal, having built Chaonia into a magnificent republic against impossible odds, is both revered and feared. While Sun may imagine that her victorious command will bring further opportunity to prove herself, it will in fact place her on the wrong side of court politics. There are those who would like to see Sun removed
as heir, or better yet, dead.

To survive, while the battle between empires ignites all around her, the princess must rely on her wits
and companions: her biggest rival, her secret lover, and a dangerous prisoner of war.

Hold on tight.

This is the space opera you’ve been waiting for.Kate Elliott has been writing stories since she was nine years old, which has led her to believe that writing, like breathing, keeps her alive. Writing science fiction and fantasy, her particular focus is immersive world building and centering women in epic stories of adventure, amid transformative cultural change.

Kate was born in Iowa, raised in Oregon and now lives in Hawaii,
where she paddles outrigger canoes and spoils her schnauzer.

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My thoughts:

Inspired partly by the life of Alexander the Great, this is the first book in what promises to be a cracking, conspiracy filled, space drama trilogy.

Sun is the Alexander figure, with a powerful mother and enemies within the governing Houses that support the marshal-queen, who aim to displace their mixed-heritage princess with an heir they can control.

She and her loyal Companions are thrust into war when the enemy empire carry out a daring planetary raid, Sun sees through the attack and is determined to find out why the Phene would risk such an attack.

From a slow start as the main protagonists are introduced, the action then kicks into high gear with the discovery of several overlapping conspiracies and events which affect both Sun and Persephone, twin sister of one of Sun’s closest Companions.

Fast paced, gripping, well written, funny and with several pop culture references that made me raise an eyebrow “I see what you did there” style.

I really enjoyed this, and am already looking forward to the next one.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Shades of Deception – Jacqueline Jacques*

ramblingmads

Walthamstow, 1902: Archie and his police sergeant pal Frank Tyrell investigate the disappearance of teenager Lilian and the discovery of a corpse in the River Lea – Eleanor ‘Nell’ Redfern.

Did her father’s ambitious plans to marry her to a rail magnate cause her to run away to her watery doom? And what about Lilian Steggles, a star swimmer with her eye on the 1908 Olympics – what prompted her to disappear from home and where is she now?

Archie uses his artistic skills to identify Nell and thence to track down her story and that of the other victims of a dastardly scheme to exploit young girls for the benefit of lascivious older men.

Jacqueline was born on Anglesey and brought up in Walthamstow, where many of her stories are set. She is a retired primary school teacher, now living in Buckhurst Hill, Essex. She has published three books with Piatkus – Someone to Watch Over Me, Wrong Way Up The Slide and A Lazy Eye. This is her fifth book for Honno, which combine her love of writing with her other interests: art and social history.

My thoughts:

This was a really enjoyable, though quite dark at times, historical crime novel. Archie is a police artist, but seems to be quite involved in the investigative side too.

Surrounded by smart women, from his mother to his daughter, he knows that the missing girls didn’t just dissolve into thin air and aims to solve every disappearance, even if it isn’t good news.

Smart, witty and full of heart, this was an inventive and engaging book, I think I might pick up the others in the series, despite their historical setting, these feel fresh and just as gripping as anything set in the 21st Century.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: All About Us – Tom Ellen*

ramblingmads

If you could turn back the clock, would you choose a different life?

Ben’s always loved the month of December, but this year, with his relationship with Daphne on the rocks, it’s missing its usual magic. And then his old friend Alice gets back in touch. Ben’s always thought of Alice as the one that got away, and he can’t help but wonder: what if he’d done things differently all those years ago?

He never imagines he might get to find out… but when a stranger sells Ben a mysterious watch one freezing winter’s night, he’s astonished to wake up the next morning on 5th December 2005: the day he first kissed Daphne, leaving Alice behind.

Now Ben must make the biggest decision of his life, all over again. But this time around, will he finally find the courage to follow his heart?

All About Us is a captivating novel of heartbreak and loss, friendship and hope – and how the choices we make throughout our lives will shape our destiny.

My thoughts:

This was lovely, a sweet, sad, ultimately redemptive, heart warming story about love and how relationships and people change over time.

Ben is at a crossroads in his life and the chance to go back and relive moments from his past allows him to better understand what he wants from his present and future.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Left Hanging – Maria Frankland*

ramblingmads

Two’s company in a marriage. How do you cope when there’s three?

Ed and Kerry Huntington-Barnes have an idyllic life, with their five-year-old twins, successful careers, a luxurious house and an affluent lifestyle. Yet the secrets they’re harbouring force their separation. Kerry is fighting her own demons, amongst which is the knowledge that she is the wrong gender for her husband to ever truly love her.

Parallel to this is the death of a local man, Russell Lawson, which affects both Ed and Kerry in different ways. Will his widow Davina, and the other shadows that surround their separation and Russell’s death, destroy their lives, and their sons’ lives even further?

This is a story that portrays the darkness that can exist inside marriage and the hatred that can linger amongst families that are supposed to love each other.

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Maria Frankland’s life began at 40 when she escaped an unhappy marriage and began making a living from her own writing and becoming a teacher of creative writing.

The rich tapestry of life with all its turbulent times has enabled her to pour experience, angst and lessons learned into the writing of her novels and poetry.
She recognises that the darkest places can exist within family relationships and this is reflected in the domestic thrillers she writes.
She is a ‘born ‘n’ bred’ Yorkshirewoman, a mother of two and has recently found her own ‘happy ever after’ after marrying again.
Still in her forties, she is now going to dedicate the rest of her working life to writing books and inspiring other writers to also achieve their dreams too!

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My thoughts:

This unravels in a very satisfactory manner, beginning with a suspected suicide that leaves Ed reeling, and determined to end his sham of a marriage.

His wife, Kerry’s, fury knows no bounds and as things start to spiral, Ed’s malignant estranged father returns, angry at Ed and after revenge.

What seems to be a domestic drama suddenly becomes a shocking thriller and goes in a totally different and utterly unexpected direction.

Very clever, gripping and full of darkness, under a thin veneer of respectability.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own

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Blog Tour: The Wicked Oath – Michael L. Lewis*

ramblingmads

A wicked conspiracy. A diabolical offer.

Survival: a matter of life or death!

Behind the walls of Blackleigh, a prestigious public boarding school in northern England, lurks wickedness and bullying. Those in power form a conspiracy to devise any means to expel certain boys. Surviving for their victims becomes a matter of life and death…

Jonathan Simon, in his second year, returns to school to find that ruthless prefects – Sleeth, Tunk and Miller – are in charge of his house. Things take a turn for the worse when the new Headmaster starts, and Jonathan and his friends are targeted.
As the pressure mounts, friendships become closer and scheming increases as unexpected revelations occur.

For Blackleigh, the year is just beginning…

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Michael L. Lewis was born and raised in England. After preparatory school in London, he was educated at Stowe School, Buckingham. Michael now lives in Los Angeles, California, has a law degree, and writes full-time. He was on the Board of Trustees for several schools and has been a
member of the same book club for twenty-five years.

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My thoughts:

I love boarding school stories, I don’t really know why, and this trilogy is very dark. You don’t have to have read The Oath (book one) to read this one, but it is also very good.

As Jonathan’s second year at Blackleigh, things have changed and now the nastiest bullies at the school have all the power. Their pledge to destroy Jonathan and his friends through cruelty and violence puts lives at risk.

But positive changes are coming too.

This book is dark and twisted, Sleeth and Tunk are violent, cruel and have no regard for anyone else. Their twisted interpretation of the school rules sees them met out extreme and disproportionate punishment.

Jonathan is a great character, resilient and kind, with a great inner strength and determination. He manages to find the good things in life, despite the horrors of the behaviour of the prefects.

I’m looking forward to reading the third book at some point and finding out how Jonathan’s school days end, and how the school changes with the new headmaster and the addition of female students.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: The Tea Room on the Bay – Rachel Burton*

ramblingmads

It’s time for Ellie to return home and rediscover the past she left behind…

After a tough break-up, Ellie returns to the only place she’s ever really felt at home – the coastal town of Sanderson Bay. A year later, she’s living her dream, brewing delicious artisan teas and selling them at her very own café. And when the mysterious and brooding Ben walks into her tearoom, Ellie finally dares to dream of true love.

But then her ex shows up in the Bay, and just as Ellie discovers some tragic truths about her family’s past, she learns Ben might be hiding an unwelcome secret of his
own…

Can Ellie let go of her past and brave a future with Ben?

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Rachel has a degree in Classics and another in English Literature, and fell into a career in law by mistake. She has spent most of her life between Cambridge and London but now lives in Yorkshire with her husband and their three cats.

She loves yoga, ice hockey, tea, The Beatles, dresses with pockets and very tall romantic heroes.

Find her on Twitter & Instagram or follow her blog. She is always happy to talk books, writing, music, cats and
how the weather in Yorkshire is rubbish. She is mostly dreaming of her next holiday….

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My thoughts:

A lovely heart-warming Christmas story set in the seaside town of Sanderson Bay, where Ellie runs a teashop, selling the perfect blends she designs herself.

When Ben enters her life, she’s thrown, having run to the Bay after heartbreak, she’s not looking for anyone new, but there’s something about Ben and his own return to the Bay that Ellie can’t ignore.

This book was really charming and sweet, perfect for curling up under a blanket with a treat and a pot of your favourite tea (I like a chai spice mix).

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

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Blog Tour: Last Girls Alive – Jennifer Chase*

ramblingmads

Half-buried in the muddy earth and surrounded by puddles of water lies the naked body of a beautiful young girl. Her pale skin looks like porcelain in the early morning light. Her fragile arms bent and crooked like a broken doll.
When Detective Katie Scott is called to the discovery of a young girl buried on the grounds of a former children’s home in Pine Valley, California, she’s hopeful it’s the end to a devastating cold case she’s been working on.

No one has seen Candace Harlan since she ran away from Elm Hill Manor five years ago. Her death will be a tragedy, but it will also bring peace to those who miss her most. But the girl in the ground is not Candace.
The victim is almost identical to Candace in every way, but fear grips Katie as she takes in the black ink that decorates the girl’s back—a terrifying message tattooed on her skin after she drew her last breath.
Forcing down traumatic memories of losing her own parents, Katie is certain someone mistook this poor soul for Candace, and that this crumbling home for lost girls is at the heart of this terrible crime. She sets to work digging into the tragic history of the owners who lost so many children of their own and tracking down the last six residents and the staff who cared for them—but no one wants to talk, let alone remember.
The next day, as second girl’s body is found down by the creek at high water, the same words etched into her skin. Katie’s worst fear is confirmed: someone is picking off the last of the Elm Hill girls one by one.

But what does the tattoo mean? And what monster would target these innocent girls who have already been through so much?

Katie must dig deep to confront her own fears and protect the vulnerable—but as the body count rises further, will there be anyone left to save?

An absolutely gripping, dark, and totally unputdownable serial killer thriller that will keep you racing through the pages all night long. Fans of Lisa Regan, Rachel Caine and Melinda Leigh will read in one sitting!

Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning and best-selling crime fiction author, as well as a consulting criminologist. Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master’s degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent psychopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells.

In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling. She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists, and member of the International Thriller Writers.

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My thoughts:

I enjoyed this, the shocking ending was just juicy enough to be very satisfying. I would have liked more about the mysterious bookshop run by the enigmatic Mr Holmes.

I was obviously delighted that there was a dog in the story, it always makes things better.

The mystery of the woman’s body found in the grounds of a former care home for girls, and the way it all links to terrible things that happened in the past is interesting, especially as there’s several red herrings thrown in, leading Katie astray.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.