Category: reviews

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: The Man I Married – Elena Wilkes*

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You love him. You’ll do anything for him. But do you really know him?This is the story of Lucy and Paul.

They met. They fell deeply in love. They got married.

Lucy thought that she had everything she wanted.

Until she found the photograph from Paul’s past life, read the text messages he’s so desperately trying to hide. Until she uncovered Paul’s darkest secrets.

Now Lucy realises she doesn’t really know her husband. She doesn’t know if she can trust her own mind. She doesn’t know the lengths Paul would go to keep his perfect life.

And worst of all, she doesn’t know that she’s in danger…

A gripping, dark psychological thriller with an absolutely nail-biting ending that will keep you hooked – the perfect read for fans of Behind Closed Doors, Mark Edwards and Lisa Jewell.

Elena Wilkes grew up in Walsall in the West Midlands. After eighteen years of working in H.M Prisons, she emigrated to New Zealand. She now lives in Shropshire. ‘The Man I Married’ is the author’s debut novel and will be published by Hera Books in August 2020.

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My thoughts:

What seems like a whirlwind romance deteriorates into a gaslighting nightmare, with a dangerous and controlling man manipulating everything.

Paul is a psychiatrist and knows exactly how to pull the strings and cause Lucy to doubt herself and her grip on reality. He plays games with her, lies, tells her best friend conflicting stories, slowly breaking down her resilience.

As Lucy’s mental state grows more fragile and she can’t trust the people around her, Paul claims more power, sending her to the mental health unit and making sure no one will believe her.

This was gripping, shocking and frustrating (I really hate men like Paul and he just seemed to keep getting away with it) and the ending was a twist I did not see coming.

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

books, reviews

Book Review – Skelton’s Guide to Domestic Poisons

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I was gifted a copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley with no requirement to review.

Mary Dutton is accused of killing her husband by poison, though there aren’t many who dispute her involvement in his death. The police see it as an open-and-shut case, and even those protesting for her freedom believe she committed the act, but is innocent of wrongdoing after suffering years of domestic abuse.

Since his recent success in the high-profile Dryden case catapulted him to the front pages of the national press, unassuming Yorkshireman Arthur Skelton is now one of the most celebrated and recognisable barristers in the land. His services are much in demand and, despite the odds, he agrees to represent Mary Dutton.

Yet with a general election on the horizon and both sides of the political divide keen to turn the Dutton case to their advantage, as well as long-held secrets within the Dutton family itself, can Skelton ever really expose the truth?




My thoughts:

This is a tremendously fun read. The humour is black and the plot is a murder that might have never been discovered.
Skelton’s cousins make excellent detectives with their travelling ministry and ear for details.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and really hope there will be more to come as I’m out of Christie and this harks back to the Golden Age of detective novels while also being refreshingly modern.
blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: The Witches of Vegas – Mark Rosendorf*

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Where can Witches and their vampire mentor practice their powers without being discovered or persecuted?

By using their magic, the Witches of Vegas become the number one act performing on the Las Vegas Strip—a great achievement for them, but not so much for the magicians—who can’t possibly keep pace.

Isis Rivera is the adopted fifteen-year old daughter of The Witches of Vegas. Zack Galloway is the teenage nephew and assistant to the last magician left in the city. Although they should be rivals, when Valeria, a four-hundred-year-old witch with a long-seeded grudge against humanity arrives in Sin-City, both teens act to bring their families together to stop the evil hag in her tracks.

But can the combined witches’ powers and the ingenuity of the magicians be enough to stop Valeria from taking over the city and possibly the world?

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Mark Rosendorf’s writing is based on the personalities and experiences he has come across throughout his life, coupled with his own wild “if only I could do that” imagination. He is the author of the young adult series, The Witches of Vegas. He is also credited with The Rasner Effect series, a suspense/thriller trilogy published between 2009 and 2012.

Mark is a licensed Guidance Counselor for the New York City Department of Education’s special education district. He began his counseling career in September, 2001. Prior to that, he worked in the hotel industry. He has also moonlighted as a professional magician. Today, he teaches magic and Illusion to his students in order to teach teamwork while developing their confidence.

Having accomplished his goals of becoming an author, Mark decided on an early retirement from writing. Then, one night, at two a.m. a new and unique story shot into Mark’s brain like a lightning bolt, screaming for him to write it. Mark found himself spending several nights taking notes on the characters and their stories. That is how The Witches of Vegas was born.

This is Mark’s first young adult novel.

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My thoughts:

I love the idea of real magic on the Las Vegas Strip. When I went we saw some magicians, but I was more impressed with the contortionists and acrobats and the pirate ship show.

But the acts in the Witches show are literally gravity defying magic, and not sleight of hand.

When an old enemy comes to town planning to take their magic, they team up with an old school magician and his card sharp nephew to defeat her.

This was a really fun story and there’s lots of scope for more stories about the witches and their show.

*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: Dead After Midnight – C.P. Daly*

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Suzie Q is a prostitute and determined to get out of her current line of work and excited for a fresh start with best friend Lucy by her side. Her dreams come to an abrupt halt, when, during a night of turning tricks, she stumbles upon Lucy’s brutally murdered body. Fearing for her life, Suzie runs to her neighbor, Luke’s, to regroup, where she discovers he’s not just a creepy client, but an undercover FBI agent.

He blindsides her when he reveals that she’s mixed up in an FBI investigation, and that she’s been unknowingly working for Johnny Stone, New York’s notorious crime boss.

Suzie flees from New York, hiding in a quaint seaside town in Maine. She changes her identity and her life. Now she has to survive, to keep the life she has come to love.
Fearing for her life, Suzie runs to her neighbor, Luke’s, to regroup, where she discovers he’s not just a creepy client, but an undercover FBI agent.

He blindsides her when he reveals that she’s mixed up in an FBI investigation, and that she’s been unknowingly working for Johnny Stone, New York’s notorious crime boss.

Suzie flees from New York, hiding in a quaint seaside town in Maine. She changes her identity and her life. Now she has to survive, to keep the life she has come to love.

This is the first novel in the Kelsey Woods thriller series.

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CP’s reading tastes are an eclectic mix of thriller, crime, romance, and the occasional fantasy novel. But, when she puts pen to paper, she can’t resist the intrigue of a thriller.

CP has written two novels in The Kelsey Woods series, Dead After Midnight (debut novel, released in May 2020) and Dead Before Sunrise – which is scheduled for release in the fall of 2020.

A true east coaster from beautiful Nova Scotia, Canada, CP is happily married to her high school sweetheart. She’s been blessed with a wonderful family, including six adorable grandchildren.

CP loves hearing from readers, connect with her via email or Twitter.

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My thoughts:

This was a really interesting thriller, with Suzy Q fleeing for her life and reinventing herself in a small town in Maine, before her past catches up with her.

There’s a lot happening when Luke and the bad guys roll into town. The pace switches from easy living and a happy life, into high octane nightmare of armed gangsters and terror.

I loved the Peters family, who basically adopt Julia when she arrives, a warm mix of slightly over the top Italian mama and a chilled out dad and they run a restaurant.

Thankfully there is a sequel, as the ending is left with lots of possibilities hanging.

*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: Entwined – A.J. Rosen*

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Avery Montgomery doesn’t even know if she wants a soul mate. As a member of the Hellenicus—a race founded in antiquity and descended directly from the Greek gods—Avery’s attending her first Gathering where she’ll gain the ability to entwine her thoughts with her destined soul mate and be tied to them forever.

But all is not as it seems at the Royal Court. There are severe and strange looks from the elders, whisperings from the ancient Dodona tree, and encounters with spirits who seem to know Avery better than she knows herself.

Throughout these whirlwind events at Court, Avery finds herself torn between her feelings for the wise and protective Vladimir and the passionate, fun-loving Adrian.

Unwilling to surrender her independence or to betray her heart, Avery must decide once and for all if she’ll give in to her desires and risk the wrath of the Gods.

Because who are you if your destiny lies with another person?

About the Author

A.J. Rosen is a twenty-three-year-old Indonesian Wattpad Ambassador who splits her time between full-time school, three part-time jobs, and writing YA fantasy.

She’s the founder of online movements like #ilovemyflaws (which supports victims of bullying) and #CareforCancer (which supports the loved ones of those battling cancer).

She currently lives and studies in Singapore. Entwined is her first novel.

My thoughts:

This was a fun Royal romp, inspired by Greek mythology and the Platonic myth of soul mates.

The Hellenicus are descended from the Greek gods and have a caste system, which feels a bit odd, but allows the story to unfold.

Avery is attending her first Gathering, which aims to unite the soul mates separated by the wrath of Zeus (according to Plato). Except Avery’s not keen on this.

I found the location a bit random – a small town in Alaska, instead of a Greek island retreat, which would have been my choice, but I supposed it’s remote enough that locals might not question all these people rocking up for a few weeks.

It was certainly a interesting and entertaining read, which developed nicely and had some great characters, like Vlad and Adrian. I also loved Avery’s sweet best friend Kris.

The next in the series is being written by a different author so it will interesting to see how someone else develops and adds to the narrative.

*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 Eternal Dusk – Victoria J. Price*

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Angels are disappearing. Witches are gathering. An ancient darkness is rising.

It’s been just over a month since eighteen-year-old Fia Aldridge has returned to Earth from the parallel world of Ohinyan.

She thought she’d be safe back in London—and that she’d be protecting her friends from Erebus, the ancient darkness that was calling to her.

But when she discovers angels are going missing at the hands of a local witch coven, she knows she has to find a way back to Ohinyan and warn her friends, even if it means Erebus will be waiting.

Little does she know, the darkness is about to be set free—and he’s only interested in one thing: finding Fia.

Find out what happens next in the thrilling sequel to The Third Sun: Daughter of the Phoenix Book One. A richly woven tale drawing on ancient myths and legends, bursting with adventure, elemental magic, angels, witches, shapeshifters and slow burn romance.


Victoria lives in leafy Surrey, in the South East of England. She loves fairy tales, myths and legends, and grew up creating stories both in words and pictures. When she’s not writing you’ll find her exploring with her husband and their two dogs, searching for beautiful hidden places and secret picnic spots.

My thoughts:

This was an interesting take on angels and witches and other worlds. Tropes that are very popular in fantasy fiction at the moment.

Instead of being all powerful agents of some form of God, these angels are just one among many peoples living in Ohinyan, a magical world that exists alongside Earth, and with windows between both worlds, windows that only angels and some witches can use to travel between.

Fia fell through such a window and found herself in Ohinyan, now she’s the champion who will unite warring factions and save their world as the sun dies and another takes its place.

A fun, diverting fantasy romp with romance and magic along the way.

*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: Crackle & Fire – Russ Colchamiro*

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Angela Hardwicke isn’t just any private eye.

She’s a PI from Eternity, the cosmic realm responsible for the design, creation, and maintenance of the Universe.

When accountant Gil Haberseau hires her to find an intern with stolen corporate files, Hardwicke soon finds herself embroiled in a deadly case of lies, intrigue, and murder, clashing with vengeful gangsters, MinderNot rallies, and a madman who’s come a long way to get what he wants.

In Russ Colchamiro’s thrilling Sci-Fi mystery Crackle and Fire, Angela Hardwicke learns once and for all that when it comes to being an intergalactic private eye, there’s no telling what threats she may face on-realm and off… including the demons that lurk deep within her soul.

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Russ Colchamiro is the author of the rollicking space adventure, Crossline, the zany SF/F backpacking comedy series Finders Keepers: The Definitive Edition, Genius de Milo, and Astropalooza, and is editor of the SF anthology Love, Murder & Mayhem, all with Crazy 8 Press.

Russ lives in New Jersey with his wife, two ninjas, and crazy dog Simon, who may in fact be an alien himself. Russ has also contributed to several other anthologies, including Tales of the Crimson Keep, Pangaea, Altered States of the Union, Camelot 13, TV Gods 2, They Keep Killing Glenn, Thrilling Adventure Yarns, Camelot 13, and Brave New Girls.

He is now working on the first novel in a new series featuring his hardboiled private eye Angela Hardwicke, and the first of three collaborative novella projects.

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My thoughts:

A crime thriller with a twist, set on a world similar to ours in some ways, but wildly different in others.

PI Angela Hardwicke is looking for a missing person but a lot of details haven’t been divulged and she’s also been tasked with finding missing fireworks by one of the individuals tasked with maintaining the entire galaxy. Could these two cases be connected?

Armed with a quick brain, a team of brilliant friends and allies, and y’know a gun or two, she’s in a race against time to solve both mysteries and save the universe.

Funny, fast-paced, and full of twists this is an excellent sci-fi crime noir.

*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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Book Review: Mexican Gothic – Silvia Moreno-Garcia

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I was gifted a copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley with no requirement to review.

The acclaimed author of Gods of Jade and Shadow returns with a mesmerising feminist re-imagining of Gothic fantasy, in which a young socialite discovers the haunting secrets of a beautiful old mansion in 1950s Mexico.

He is trying to poison me. You must come for me, Noemí. You have to save me.

When glamorous socialite Noemí Taboada receives a frantic letter from her newlywed cousin begging to be rescued from a mysterious doom, it’s clear something is desperately amiss. Catalina has always had a flair for the dramatic, but her claims that her husband is poisoning her and her visions of restless ghosts seem remarkable, even for her.

Noemí’s chic gowns and perfect lipstick are more suited to cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing, but she immediately heads to High Place, a remote mansion in the Mexican countryside, determined to discover what is so affecting her cousin.

Tough and smart, she possesses an indomitable will, and she is not afraid: not of her cousin’s new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noemí; and not of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemi’s dreams with visions of blood and doom.

Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the family’s youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help, but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his family’s past. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The family’s once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemí digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness.

And Noemí, mesmerised by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to leave this enigmatic house behind . . .


My thoughts:

What seems like a stereotypical Gothic novel, complete with large remote house and creepy occupants becomes something far more disturbing and sinister, worthy of a horror film or my nightmares.
The house is menacing and malevolent, the servants mute, the family vicious in their manner, with unbreakable rules that fashionable, fun Noemi breaks with no regard, finding them stuffy and backward.
Uncle Howard’s obsession with eugenics is creepy too, and the reason behind it all was honestly so sinister and sent shivers down my spine.
This was a book that made me wonder how the author could dream up such a nightmarish plot. But at the same time it was a brilliant read, expertly plotted and delivered.

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Blog Tour: The Doors of Eden – Adrian Tchaikovsky*

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I’m on the bookstagram tour for Adrian Tchaikovsky’s amazing new book The Doors of Eden today, pop over there and follow the tour!They thought we were safe. They were wrong.Four years ago, two girls went looking for monsters on Bodmin Moor. Only one came back. Lee thought she’d lost Mal, but now she’s miraculously returned. But what happened that day on the moors? And where has she been all this time?Mal’s reappearance hasn’t gone unnoticed by MI5 officers either, and Lee isn’t the only one with questions. Julian Sabreur is investigating an attack on top physicist Kay Amal Khan. This leads Julian to clash with agents of an unknown power – and they may or may not be human. His only clue is grainy footage, showing a woman who supposedly died on Bodmin Moor.Dr Khan’s research was theoretical; then she found cracks be-tween our world and parallel Earths. Now these cracks are widening, revealing extraordinary creatures. And as the doors crash open, anything could come through.

Adrian Tchaikovsky was born in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire before heading off to Reading to study psychology and zoology. For reasons unclear even to himself he subsequently ended up in law and has worked as a legal executive in both Reading and Leeds, where he now lives. Mar-ried, he is a keen live role-player and occasional amateur actor, has trained in stage-fighting, and keeps no exotic or dangerous pets of any kind, possibly excepting his son. He’s the author of the critically acclaimed Shadows of the Apt series, and the Echoes of the Fall trilogy. Children of Time was the winner of the 30th Anniversary Arthur C Clarke Award for Best Science Fiction Novel.

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My thoughts:

This is an epic book, exploring the many worlds theory and the idea of other Earths.

I loved the wise cracking Dr Kay Amal Khan and the rats (obviously super intelligent rats are going to appeal to me!) and the Cousins.

I felt for Lee, I would be like her, trying to understand what’s going on, despite not fully grasping all the science (maths is my weak point).

Gripping, clever, funny and highly enjoyable.

*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: You Let Him In – J.A. Andrews*

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The only thing she was guilty of was trusting him

All Jenny Clifton ever wanted was to be the ideal wife and mother. When she married Michael in a fairytale wedding, followed by the birth of baby Daniel, her life was complete.

Yet just three years later, the shine has faded. Now, money is tight, and the occasional argument has become daily screaming matches between Jenny and Michael.

Something needs to change… and it does, when Michael is killed in a brutal hit and run, breathing his last with a stranger holding
his hand.

Lonely and distraught, Jenny strikes up an unlikely friendship with the witness to the accident, clinging to the connection with the man who watched Michael die.

But as she uncovers the secrets that her husband was keeping, Jenny realises that her perfect life may have been a perfect lie – and worse, that her new friend may be harbouring dangerous secrets of his own…

A gripping, twisty psychological thriller packed with suspense and a jaw-dropping
ending. Fans of T.M. Logan, C.L. Taylor and K.L. Slater won’t be able to put this one down.

JA Andrews is an author of dark psychological thrillers with books published by Hera, having given up gaming journalism to write novels. When he’s not thinking about sinister plot lines, he often enjoys kickboxing, traveling abroad to sunny climates and reality television shows.

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My thoughts:

This is a gripping thriller that starts with what appears to have been a terrible accident that brings Gary into the lives of widowed Jenny and her son Daniel.

As Jenny struggles to cope with Michael’s sudden death and overbearing mother, Gary becomes a friend, someone she can talk to about her grief. But Gary is not who he seems.

At first I couldn’t work out where this was going, but as Michael’s secrets and lies unravelled and Gary’s behaviour got weirder, it all started to come slowly together.

A nasty little thriller with the insidious way Gary worms his way in and manipulates Jenny with his overt kindness and apparent charm.

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