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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.

A Twist of The Knife by Peter James (Short Story)

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Synopsis: With each twist of the knife, a chilling new journey begins . . . From a woman intent on bizarre revenge, to a restaurant critic with a morbid fear of the number thirteen; and from a man arranging a life-changing assignation, to a couple heading for a disaster-filled vacation . . .

In multi-million-copy bestselling author Peter James’ collection of short stories we first come to meet Brighton’s finest detective, Roy Grace, and read the tale that went on to inspire James’ hugely successful novel, Dead Simple. James exposes the Achilles heel of each of his characters, and makes us question how well we can trust ourselves, and one another. Each tale carries a twist that will haunt readers for days after they turn the final page . . .

Combining every twisted tale from the ebook bestsellers Short Shockers One and Short Shockers Two, with a never-seen-before collection of new material, A Twist of the Knife shows Peter James as the undisputed grand master of storytellers with this sometimes funny, often haunting, but always shocking collection.

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I’m certainly, like many others, a fan of Peter James and his infamous Roy Grace Series. I’m not however a fan of short stories. Thankfully this was a great collection and I was actually impressed by how much I enjoyed them. I just re-read that and don’t mean it to sound condescending, it’s just in terms of how much I dislike short stories…that’s what I meant!

This series of stories totals thirty and there are 2 featuring Roy Grace. IN addition to the fictional short stories there are some which are factual accounts just told by Peter James. I wouldn’t want to go into the details of all the stories, there seems little point. What I would say is that this is a nice way to read many stories by the man himself and get a feel for his style of writing.

Although I still am not a fan of short stories and collections, this was pretty good. It was an added bonus that a couple featured Roy Grace, but even those without show the skill and talent that have kept Peter James up there as a Bestselling British Author.

The Skeleton Road by Val McDermid

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Synopsis: When a skeleton is discovered hidden at the top of a crumbling, gothic building in Edinburgh, Detective Chief Inspector Karen Pirie is faced with the unenviable task of identifying the bones. As Karen’s investigation gathers momentum, she is drawn deeper into a dark world of intrigue and betrayal.

Meanwhile, someone is taking the law into their own hands in the name of justice and revenge — but when present resentment collides with secrets of the past, the truth is more shocking than anyone could have imagined . . .

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kats’ Review: For some reason I have only read one other Val McDermid book, so I made sure to put this on my to read list. I actually picked this up a couple of months ago but after the first couple of chapters put it back down. Sometimes, I know I’m not in the mood for a book so I go back to it and in this case I’m glad that I did. The story features an introduction where a skeleton is found hidden iside an Edinburgh building. Detective Chief Inspector Karen Pirie is called to the scene and takes the case hoping to draw some sort of a conclusion.

Karen and her colleague Detective Constable Jason Murray were quite likeable and although at times Murray seemed somewhat unpredictable. In addition to this discovery there are a couple of story threads that at first glance are just additional parts to the story that garner no links. IN all honesty I wondered in the early stages of the book why these were here . However, the latter part of the book certainly made up for the slow start because the plot threads start to make a little more sense and all seemingly come together.

I certainly like McDermid’s writing style and I was certainly immersed in the story. For me this particular book was a little bit slow to start with but the second half of the book more than made up for it and it is certainly worth a read. I have heard so many good things about Val’s series featuring Carol Jordan and Tony Hill I really must make a start on catching up on this series.

Fairytale Beginnings by Holly Martin

Synopsis: Love is an open door…except when it keeps slamming in your face Hopeless romantic Milly Rose has had her fair share of heartbreak. Obsessed with all things Disney, she refuses to give up on finding her Prince Charming – he’s out there somewhere, isn’t he? When Milly is given a job to investigate the origins of a historical building in the village of Clover’s Rest, she’s not sure what to expect. What she discovers takes her breath away – a beautiful real life Cinderella castle, complete with turrets, a magnificent drawbridge AND a very handsome owner…Cameron Heartstone. As Milly and Cameron begin to unearth the secrets of Clover Castle, they can’t ignore the intense chemistry building between them. But they’ve both been hurt badly before. Can they take a big leap of faith and find their own happily-ever-after? A deliciously enchanting read that will delight fans of Rachael Lucas, Lucy Diamond and Miranda Dickinson or anyone who has ever blubbed at a Disney movie. Who says real life can’t be a fairytale?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 Continue reading “Fairytale Beginnings by Holly Martin”

Summer By The Sea by Jenny Hale

Synopsis: They say there’s always one summer that changes you… For Faith the one summer she can’t forget is when she fell in love as a teenager – only for her sister, Casey, to steal her man. Now, at the request of her beloved ninety-year-old grandmother, Faith has agreed to a family holiday – at their childhood beach house, where it all began. Faith hasn’t seen her sister in years but is finally ready to forgive and forget, enjoy the sunshine and relive happy memories. What she’s not ready for is meeting Jake Buchanan – the owner of the beach house – or the long-forgotten feelings he ignites in her. Can Faith overcome the hurt of the past, rekindle the close bond she had with Casey and make this summer THE ONE to remember?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I have only read one of Jenny Hale’s books but enjoyed it immensely so was looking forward to reading this latest release. Faith is at the centre of the story and we start off by seeing her make her way to the beach house that used to belong to her Grandmother. The intention is to gather her family which consists of her sister, niece, mother and Grandmother all together for a two week holiday. The first thing that struck me was the fabulous descriptions Jenny hale makes of this beautiful beach village. I didn’t necessarily warm to Faith as she seemed like she was almost stuck in a rut and it was clear from the early chapters that there was a long running feud between her and her sister Casey.

The story became a lot more interesting as we see her arrive at the beach house only to come face to face with Jake Buchanan the owner. Jake instantly captured my attention, as did the beach house. It truly sounds like somewhere I could visit myself. When Casey and Faith’s Grandmother and Mother join the story a lot more is revealed about both Faith and Casey and I became more and more embroiled in their tale.

There was certainly quite a lot going on regarding the whys and how’s of both women Faith and Casey arrived at the cottage in the situation they are both in. At times I felt like maybe the insight into their emotions dragged a little but nothing too much to upset the apple cart so to speak. If anything there was a certain inevitability about where the story would end but overall I thoroughly enjoyed it. I can also say in all honest that the Epilogue was nicely well rounded and gave me a certain feeling of satisfaction at the end of this book. This was certainly another solid read from Jenny Hale and I will look forward to her next one due out (I think) in time for Christmas!