Year: 2015

Christmas at Lilac Cottage by Holly Martin (White Cliff Bay #1)

Synopsis: Penny Meadows loves her home – a cosy cottage decorated with pretty twinkling fairy lights and stunning views over the town of White Cliff Bay. She also loves her job as an ice-carver, creating breath-taking sculptures. Yet her personal life seems frozen. 

When Henry and daughter Daisy arrive at the cottage to rent the annex, Penny is determined to make them feel welcome. But while Daisy is friendly, Henry seems guarded. 

As Penny gets to know Henry, she realises there is more to him than meets the eye. And the connection between them is too strong to ignore… 

While the spirit of the season sprinkles its magic over the seaside town and preparations for the ice sculpting competition and Christmas eve ball are in full swing, can Penny melt the ice and allow love in her heart? And will this finally be the perfect Christmas she’s been dreaming of?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 Continue reading “Christmas at Lilac Cottage by Holly Martin (White Cliff Bay #1)”

The Stranger by Harlan Coben

Synopsis: The Stranger appears out of nowhere, perhaps in a bar, or a parking lot, or at the grocery store. His identity is unknown. His motives are unclear. His information is undeniable. Then he whispers a few words in your ear and disappears, leaving you picking up the pieces of your shattered world.

Adam Price has a lot to lose: a comfortable marriage to a beautiful woman, two wonderful sons, and all the trappings of the American Dream: a big house, a good job, a seemingly perfect life.

Then he runs into the Stranger. When he learns a devastating secret about his wife, Corrine, he confronts her, and the mirage of perfection disappears as if it never existed at all. Soon Adam finds himself tangled in something far darker than even Corrine’s deception, and realizes that if he doesn’t make exactly the right moves, the conspiracy he’s stumbled into will not only ruin lives – it will end them… 

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I’ve only read a couple of Harlan Coben’s books but was looking forward to this as the synopsis sounded very intriguing. Adam Price is a normal guy and within the blink of an eye a complete stranger turns everything upside down. Within the first few chapters I was completely drawn into the story and my mind was buzzing with questions. Why would a stranger approach Adam and tell him a secret that could potentially ruin his whole life. Well thankfully Adam has the same questions and he starts to do his own investigating into the Strangers statement.

The story unfolds with The Stranger making even more elaborate statements to other people and before long the plot has more than one thread, and certainly more than one victim. I liked reading about Adam and found myself compelled to carry on, even though at times some of the things were verging on the incredulous! The suspense is ratcheted up enough to hold your interest and the pace was pretty good too so all in all it was a very easy read.

Although I certainly enjoyed this book, I wouldn’t say it had a lasting impression on me. It still merits a 4 star rating but I found that it was one of those books you could take or leave depending on your mood. I have read a couple of other books by Coben and thoroughly enjoyed them so will continue to read his work, and hopefully catch up on the Myron Bolitar series, of which I am a huge fan!

Liar, Liar by M J Arlidge (Helen Grace #4)

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Synopsis: In the dead of night, three raging fires light up the city skies. It’s more than a tragic coincidence. For DI Helen Grace the flames announce the arrival of an evil she has never encountered before.

Because this is no Firestarter seeking sick thrills, but something more chilling: a series of careful, calculating acts of murder.

But why were the victims chosen? What’s driving the killer? And who will be next? A powder keg of fear, suspicion and dread has been laid. Now all it needs is a spark to set it off…

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: Having only recently (from Nov 14) starting to read M J Arlidge books this series is brilliant and fast becoming a firm favourite. This is book 4 in the series and features DI Helen Grace who is a fantastic character and one that I have been looking forward to reading about again. Alongside Helen is her colleague Charlie who is also another favourite of mine and I think the series works well with both of them in it.

Charlie is back at work following the birth of her daughter and we see her juggling both career and Motherhood. In addition Helen is working alongside a new boss who I really like and think he makes a good fit it the series. When they are called to the scene of a fire, it’s clear pretty quickly that this was no accident. The reader sees glimpses of the killer and their rambled thoughts by way of a Blog, and these small snippets actually worked really well.

I must say that I am a little squeamish when it comes to fire and MJA does a cracking job of being extremely descriptive when writing the scenes of the victims in the moments when they realise what they are faced with. The story seemed to pick up extreme pace for the last quarter and I had no idea what was going on or who was responsible. The one thing I will say is that I had a shock when it was revealed who it was but in a good way as I love that surprise element.

However there are two loose threads that have been left wide open meaning the next book is bound to be explosive. My absolute favourite thing happened with this book. Just when you think it’s all sorted out that very last sentence that makes you shout out “Nooooo”. Yep, that! M J Arlidge you have seriously raised the bar with this latest instalment and I am literally on tenterhooks waiting to see what the next book will bring. Thankfully we don’t have too long to wait as ‘Little Boy Blue’ is due out in March 2016. This was a tense and heart stopping read that got better with each page!

The Girl Who Broke The Rules by Marnie Riches (George McKenzie #2)

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Synopsis: When the mutilated bodies of two sex-workers are found in Amsterdam, Chief Inspector van den Bergen must find a brutal murderer before the red-light-district erupts into panic.

Georgina McKenzie is conducting research into pornography among the UK’s most violent sex-offenders but once van den Bergen calls on her criminology expertise, she is only too happy to come running.

The rising death toll forces George and van den Bergen to navigate the labyrinthine worlds of Soho strip-club sleaze and trans-national human trafficking. And with the case growing ever more complicated, George must walk the halls of Broadmoor psychiatric hospital, seeking advice from the brilliant serial murderer, Dr. Silas Holm…

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: George McKenzie is back, and this time she is flitting between London and Amsterdam. We also see the return of Chief Inspector Paul van den Bergen. The actual storyline was very engaging and I found myself falling into the storyline very quickly. As usual George is being pulled in different directions and its clear from the outset that her current personal set up isn’t all that great.

With the request from Van den Berg for her to help him with his current case everything else get moved down the list of importance. Paul starts a murder investigation which quickly escalates into so much more. In addition to this we see George interviewing convicted sex offender as research for her studies. Her conversations with the offender for some reason gave me the heeby jeebies. I think that’s always a sign that the writer is ‘getting it right’. The pace picks up as the book moves on keeps at a steady pace inching up as the ending nears.

There is plenty of action, drama along with moments where I thought I knew who was doing what, but no I was wrong. The book certainly touches on issues involving the sex industry and at times is unsettling. There is a gritty realism to her books which I love and I was absorbed right up until the end. The only thing for me that was lacking was my ability to like  George more than I do. Paul is a great character and although not without his issues is incredibly likeable. It’s just a shame that I don’t feel like that about George, however this may be because she is written as such a brash character due to her tendency to self-protect.

I really enjoyed this book and am certainly looking forward to reading what happens next. Luckily there isn’t too long to wait with the third part being released in October 2015 entitled ‘The Girl Who Walked in The Shadows’. I would certainly recommend this although it’s probably an idea to read the books in order. 

I Will Marry George Clooney (…by Christmas) by Tracy Bloom

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Synopsis: There comes a time in every woman’s life when the only answer is to marry George Clooney. For Michelle, that time is now.

Slogging her guts out in a chicken factory, whilst single-handedly bringing up a teenager who hates her, is far from the life that 36-year-old Michelle had planned. But marrying the most eligible man on the planet by Christmas could change all that, couldn’t it?

Sometimes your only option is to dream the impossible – because you never know where it might take you…

Kat’s Rating: 3/5

Kat’s Review: I loved the title of this book but wasn’t entirely sure of its synopsis. Whilst I use the word escapism, this book takes it to a whole new level Michelle is a likeable character, and as a 36 year old woman raising her teenage daughter there was a certain amount of empathy for her.  Due to her pregnancy she gave up her pipe dream of working as a chef and instead fills her days working at a chicken factory with her equally likeable character friends Gina and Little Slaw.

Michelle also has the label of the girl whose sister died, and sadly there are more secrets surrounding that than at first appears. Michelle’s family are all a little bit bonkers, her Mother Kathleen, Father Ray and incredibly stroppy 15 year old daughter Josie. Michelle ‘literally’ agrees to marry George Clooney in a bid to persuade her daughter not to make bad decisions. This alone borders on the slightly surreal and although enjoyable, lost its appeal slightly for me for the sheer craziness of the premise.

Although I say that, there are some incredibly funny moments in this book mainly coming from her friends with the inclusion of an old school friend Daz. With Michelle agreeing to do a charity event, and then the re-appearance of her dead sister’s ex-boyfriend life seems to get crazier by the day. Now although the story was a little bit on the crazy side, it was also one which I thoroughly enjoyed. I have read one other Tracy Bloom book which I enjoyed and I will certainly go on to read more.

The ending was done nicely and I actually thought it was a good way to wrap the book up. Very readable and there is plenty of humour wrapped up in this book and its characters, so certainly an easy to read book which would no doubt accompany anybody on a nice relaxing holiday!

Snatched by Dreda Say Mitchell

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Synopsis: Mac is back in this thrilling novella following Vendetta, available exclusively as a digital ebook. You’ll find the same characters in Death Trap, the compulsive new novel from Dreda Say Mitchell, coming in October 2015.

In a respectable Victorian terraced house, a young child is discovered behind a panelled wall in a bathroom. He has been hidden there by dangerous criminals.

For DI John ‘Mac’ MacDonagh, the case opens up a raw wound from his past. The child’s mother is the woman who seduced him and then double-crossed him. There’s more: DNA tests reveal that the child’s father is none other than Mac himself.

This is Mac’s chance to rescue his son and have the family he’s so longed for. But will his desire for revenge blind him to the terrible danger surrounding them both?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: First up, there is absolutely NO point in reading this if you haven’t read Vendetta! I read Vendetta and loved it, although had no idea that Dreda would give us this amazing short story featuring the very same character Mac.

Now seeing as this is only an 87 page novella, I truly cannot talk at all about the story other than what you can read in the synopsis. All I will say is that I certainly didn’t see this coming for Mac, and I had no idea of what the outcome would be.

I’m not really a fan of short stories or novellas, but this one I read with a cup of tea and frankly was a little bit gutted when it finished. Although short, this was packed with action, intrigue and cerainly loads of drama! It reminded me why I loved DSM as a writer so much. Captures your attention and demands you to finish reading…fantastic!

Stirred with Love by Marcie Steel

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Synopsis: Sometimes the best friends can be found where you least expect them …

Still grieving after the loss of her beloved husband, Lily Mortimer is determined to do something with the time she has left. After the end of her fairytale marriage, thirty-something Kate is trying hard to mend her broken heart.  Chloe, a young woman with the world at her feet, is struggling to know what to do with her life.

When Lily embarks on a new venture in the picturesque town of Somerley, the three women come together to open The Coffee Stop, the most charming café for miles around.  But opening a coffee shop is never as simple as it seems, especially when you add neighbouring competition, local heart throbs and heartbreak to the mix. When tragedy strikes, can the three women pull together to make the new business fly, or will Lily’s last chance disappear down the drain along with yesterday’s coffee grinds?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: For those that maybe don’t know, Marcie Steel is a pseudonym used by a very popular Crime Writer Mel Sherratt. Now I am a fan of Mel’s crime work so was interested to see how she fared in this genre.  The story sounds familiar, but in this genre that’s not unusual and it sounded like a warm and comforting read about women determined to do things their way. I settled down and before I knew it was over halfway through the book.

Lily Mortimer is getting on a bit but has decided to re-open her once thriving café in Somerley. Since the loss of her husband she hasn’t been able to deal with it, but now seems the right time and as you read about Lily there is something of a quiet determination about her. The other two characters are Kate who is recovering from the breakup of her marriage and the young and exuberant Chloe who although only in her late teens has the world at her feet.

All three characters were extremely likeable and they all fit well together. I have to say that I leaned more towards Chloe as her blunt retorts and black and white view of the world made her a very likeable young girl. Kate certainly didn’t have as much of an impression on me but was a great character all the same. The story itself is certainly not new to this genre, but by no means did this make it any less enjoyable.

However, maybe I am being overly critical but there were things that maybe didn’t sit right with me. For example, for some reason it felt like there were chunks of the book where we skip from the premise of a thread to the conclusion with nothing in-between (if that makes sense). I just thought that sometimes, I wanted to know a lot more about what was going on, the whys and where’s etc, in short I think I would have happily sat through another 100 pages which made me feel more integrated with the story. Other than that a solid read and one I thoroughly enjoyed, I just felt a little short changed because as a reader you were left wanting a little bit more. Even though I have been critical, the fact that I enjoyed it and read it in 2 sittings I think means it thoroughly deserves a 4/5.

Blonde Hair, Blue Eyes by Karin Slaughter (Short Story)

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Synopsis: A missing girl in the news reminds Julia Carroll of herself: nineteen, beautiful, blonde hair, blue eyes.

Julia begins to dig deeper and plans an article for her college paper. She becomes gradually more obsessed with the case, never imagining how close she herself is to danger.

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: First off the best advice I can give is to read Pretty Girls, which gives the basis for this short story featuring Julia Caroll, a 19 year old girl. It certainly was a short story and the 8- pages flew by, however I absolutely loved Pretty Girls and this was a fantastic short story to tie in with that book.

Julia is absent in the book Pretty Girls but this gives you a real insight into the character of Julia and how that ties in with the previous full length book. It certainly turned the pages for me but can only give it 4 stars as I am really not a fan of short stories, and felt this could have been built into the original book somehow. Still a typical ‘Slaughter’ style book and I would highly recommend the reading of Pretty Girls

Blood Axe by Leigh Russell (Ian Peterson #3)

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Synopsis: ‘Silently dipping his oars in the water he made his escape. It was a weary journey, with few spoils to show for it. Next time he would do better. He looked back over his shoulder. The bridge had disappeared, swallowed up by the darkness. From its walkway he too had become invisible. Only the bloody body of a woman showed he had been roaming the streets that night.’ DI Ian Peterson investigates a series of gruesome and brutal murders in York. As the body count mounts, the case demands all Ian’s ingenuity, because these are murders seemingly committed at random, and this is a killer who leaves no clues

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: There is a warrior lurking around York and within the first few chapters we have the most grisly crime scene played out in all its gory glory. The first few chapters are pretty absorbing and I would imagine quite a draw for a reader who maybe hasn’t read any of Leigh Russell’s books in the Ian Peterson series. Clues are lacking at the beginning although the only thing that seems to make sense is that the murder is somehow linked to a Viking Museum.

I like Ian Peterson and his spin off series has in my eyes been a total success. I sometimes feel like I want Ian to return to the Geraldine Steel, which is the series in which we meet him originally. We do see very brief glimpses of Geraldine as Ian and his former boss have stayed in contact. One of my most irritating issues within this series actually revolves around Ian’s wife Bev. Although this certainly isn’t a predominant feature in the series it still forms part of Ian’s life. Thank god Leigh Russell decided to deal with this issue in this current book and I am thrilled at the way the book was left.

The murderer seems to elude Ian and his colleagues and as bodies pile up, there seems to be less and less evidence and clues for them to work from. I liked Ian’s colleague Ted, but was less keen on Naomi. Having said that, the team plod on and work the case to the best of their ability. I was certainly engrossed and read this in two sittings. It still doesn’t quite pull me in like the Geraldine Steel series, but after this latest book I have a feeling that might all be about to change. Another solid read in the Peterson series.  Can’t wait for book 4 now!

The House We Grew Up In by Lisa Jewell

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Synopsis: When a tragedy breaks a family apart, what can bring it back together?

The Birds seem to be the perfect family: mother, father, four children, a picture-book cottage in the country. But when something happens one Easter weekend, it is so unexpected, so devastating, that no one can talk about it. The family shatters, seemingly for ever. Until they are forced to return to the house they grew up in. And to confront what really took place all those years ago.

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: The Bird Family on the surface seems to have it all. However this book tells the tale of what goes on behind closed doors. Loreli and her husband Colin have 4 children – Megan. Bethan, and twins Rhys and Rory. The descriptions of their beautiful and rambling house in the Cotswolds made me want to visit. The story actually spans over a long time frame continuously flicking back and forth in time frames. This is down with ease and you feel like you are peeling back layers with each part of the story that is revealed. Other than that in terms of story I really don’t want to elaborate for fear of ruining the element of surprise.

The synopsis gives away very little and I think this adds to the beauty of reading the story with no idea of what will happen. There is an element of sadness to Lisa Jewell’s books which makes them pretty realistic and poignant and this one is no different. Loreli has become an obsessive hoarder and this element of the story and how it impacted her family made for absorbing reading. This book was full of intrigue and the characters made you not want to put the book down. It wasn’t the best Lisa Jewell book I have read, however a fantastically solid read that will keep you turning the pages.