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Hard Knocks by Zoe Sharp (Charlie Fox #3)

Hard Knocks

My Rating: 4/5

I recently finished book 2 of the Charlie Fox series by Zoe Sharp and couldn’t help myself by going straight on to book 3. For those that aren’t familiar with Zoe Sharp she is a female author that has now written 10 books in a series featuring Charlie Fox. Charlie is ex-special forces who moved onto self-defense training and then on to working at a gym. For those of you that want to read the series in order maybe don’t read my review as inevitably the series has moved on and it may spoil the plots for the first and second books.

At the end of book 2 Charlie had run into her ex-comrade and lover Sean Meyer. In this book Sean returns and asks Charlie if she will help him find out what happened to Kirk Salter following an accident at an elite bodyguard training school in Germany. Charlie feels obliged to help even though she didn’t care for Salter, but feels she owes it to Sean to find out how Salter got killed. With that in mind Charlie sets off to pose as a Student at the training school and from the outset the reader soon realises things are not going to be easy for Charlie.

I really like Charlie as a character and in this book I feel like I am more attached to her as the author has drip fed readers small details about her past as the books continue. As Charlie arrives at the Bodyguard Training centre I felt almost out of breath as I read about the challenges presented to the students. Zoe Sharp has a way with words, literally! You feel like you are along for the ride with Charlie and can’t help but wince as she takes some risky chances in her quest to find out about Salter.

I don’t want to include spoilers, but I can’t fail to mention the Sean Meyer side to this story. Of course with he and Charlie having history there is some what of an underlying romance feel to this book which I like because we get to see the other side to Charlie. Having said that before all you blokes (and some women) turn your nose up; trust me when I say it’s done brilliantly. There is still plenty of action, torture, mystery and intrigue to keep the pages turning without the `romantic’ element over-riding it. As usual I found myself racing through the last quarter just having to find out what was going on. I also found myself hastily ordering books 4, 5 and 6 in preparation for the next Charlie Fox leg of my reading.

I am trying desperately not to launch straight into book 4 as I have a stupidly long to read list. However, I find myself thinking I don’t really care, I just want to see what happens next. Who knows, maybe the next review will be along sooner than I think. A brilliant series that seems to get better with each book and I can’t wait for the next one. A book and series that I would highly recommended.

Before I Met You by LIsa Jewell

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My Rating: 4/5

I tend to get around to Lisa Jewell’s books a lot later than they are published and I make the same mistake every single time (doh!). I pick up the book, devour it and fall in love with her latest novel. I then tell myself I’m an idiot for not reading it sooner and then by the time the next one comes around I do it all over again. With this book released in 2012, here I am again making the same mistake. With Jewell’s latest book it feels almost like she has taken a departure from her usual topics and delved into something a little bit different. In the beginning of this book we meet Betty Dean as a young girl who has moved to Guernsey to live with her Grandmother. When her grandmother dies and leaves something in her will to a mysterious woman named Clara Pickle, Betty is determined to find the woman.

On a mission to find Clara Pickle Betty arrives in grungy, 1990s Soho, ready for anything. This is the first element of the book and the second element involves Betty’s Grandmother Arlette growing up in 1920’s London. I really liked Betty’s character and adored the fact that she was seeing London through a young girls eye’s in the nineties (my age is showing somewhat there). Although I really liked Betty I was surprised to learn that I actually liked Arlette’s story just as much. I had stupidly made the assumption that London in the 1920’s would be a little boring and predictable, how wrong was I?

I was quickly drawn into both women’s lives and the nice thing about this book is that the layers are revealed gradually. The more we learn about Arlette, the more we see Betty discover about the mysterious Clara Pickle. I didn’t particularly like the fact that a rock star happened to live opposite Betty when she moves to London, but the story was driven the right way in my opinion.

Any other outcome for that particular storyline may well have ruined the book for me. Arlette and her friends from that era were extraordinary and I really could picture their hedonistic and glitzy lifestyle in the twenties. Although this was a slight move from Jewell’s usual stuff I loved it and thought the story was heartfelt and very interesting. I was certainly hooked and found that the slight element of mystery surrounding Arlette made it that little bit more intriguing.

I managed to read the last quarter in a couple of hours and found myself once again berating myself for leaving it so long to read this book. I wouldn’t say it was my favourite Lisa Jewell book but it made a refreshing change to read something a little different and I would certainly recommend it.

Review of No Way Back by Andrew Gross

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My Rating: 5/5

I first discovered Andrew Gross as he co-writes with James Patterson. Following on from those books I picked up his novels …written by him alone and featuring Ty Hauk (major character crush going on there!). I have since read all of his books that he has written alone and with the exception of one have enjoyed all of them. His last release ’15 Seconds’ was a “hang on to your seat” kind of book and I was hoping his new one would be just as good. Thankfully Mr Gross has come up trumps once again with this newest release of No Way Back.

One thing I would point out (although minor I know) is that some people may mistake this book for his last as the covers are similar at a glance. I know this is minor but can’t help but feel it may make some people skim past it online, thinking they have already read it, which I certainly wouldn’t recommend! Wendy Gould and Laurita Velez are the two main characters in this new book and their worlds will become terrifyingly dangerous as the book starts as a pretty fast paced read from the get go!

Wendy Gould was an average mother, however now she’s the sole witness to the murder she’s being framed for. The first few chapters see Wendy in a hotel bar, and the shocking thing is that it could be any woman out there. Her situation is one that many people could have been in that day, only Wendy (thankfully fictional) was the one that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It takes mere three or four chapters for me to realise that this latest Gross book is no less thrilling than the last.

Lauritzia Velez is a suburban nanny with a tragic past and a terrifying future. After another attempt on her life, she once again leaves everything she loves behind to go on the run. Both women know too much and have no idea just how much their worlds will clash. Both characters drew my attention from the early days and as both women find their worlds becoming more and more dangerous, I found myself reading quicker. Having started this book yesterday morning, I finished it by the time I had to go to sleep. It was a book that was full of threads that have you questioning who is involved and why.

I found myself having to pay close attention in the latter part of the book as there are so many potential characters involved and different threads that are all intertwined. The book held my attention from start to finish and there were plenty of twists turns and surprises that I thoroughly enjoyed each and every page. I almost feel like the more Andrew Gross writes, the better he gets. This is certainly a thriller that has all the right ingredients, and one that will keep you up into the small hours reading. I still await the return of my character crush, with a new book featuring Ty Hauck, but until then am keeping myself occupied with his fantastic stand alone novels. Highly recommended!

Riot Act by Zoe Sharp (Charlie Fox #2)

My Rating: 4/5

Okay, so in July 2012 I gave in to the nagging feeling that I was missing out. Every time I looked on Facebook I kept seeing people take about Zoe Sharp and the character Charlie Fox. Not one to miss out I immediately read the first book in the series and LOVED it. I have finally got around to book 2 and finished it in less time than the first.

Charlie Fox is ex-special forces, however that may sound like a `bog standard’ character template for a female lead, but she is far from standard. Charlie Fox is an ordinary woman with a very interesting past. Yep, she was in the special-forces but eventually kicked out due to a harrowing event that has gone on to make her a little bit cynical. Currently working at a gym and house-sitting for her friend she has no idea that things are about to go a little crazy in her life. I really like Charlie Fox as a character and although she certainly has some skills, she isn’t what you would call the most settled of people.

The thing about a good series is that you begin to learn about the characters as each book is released. Sharp does a cracking job of feeding enough to keep the reader interested, but too little for you to feel you really have the whole picture. It’s what makes people continue to read series like these. With Charlie’s house stay coinciding with a rush of violence on the estate, she finds herself trapped between toeing the line with the law, and getting involved to help get to the truth of what’s going on. In typical Charlie style, the trouble comes looking for her.

With the London riots reasonably recent, it made the events in this book that little bit more real for me. What I didn’t account for was a character from Charlie’s past, Sean Meyer’ turning up and rocking the boat. There are a number of threads to this story and as you keep reading it’s like peeling back the layers of an onion! I changed my mind a number of times as to who was behind the violence and riots, but as the story went on I realised I should give up trying to work it out and just enjoy. Enjoy it was what I did in the bucket load! I love Charlie, her close friends and work colleagues and now Sean. However, the number one spot has to go to Friday, the dog of her friend for whom she was house-sitting. He absolutely made his mark and I thought he and Charlie made a great match (ridiculous I know, but true).

Having promised other people I would read other books next, I decided to completely ignore my promises and have already started book 3. I can see this series taking all preference for a while yet! I would absolutely recommend this book and the series. Start at book 1 and you have at least 9 to catch up on…I can’t wait!

The Lost Daughter by Diane Chamberlain

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My Rating: 4/5

I only read my first Diane Chamberlain book a few months ago (shocking I know) however loved the book and decided to go back to a couple of her older books I had on my Kindle. The Lost Daughter synopsis sounded intriguing. In 1977, pregnant Genevieve Russell disappeared but twenty years later, her body is found and Timothy Gleason is charged with murder. The unborn child is not found with Genevieve’s body.

Ceeee Wilkes knows how Genevieve Russell died, because she was there. And she also knows what happened to the missing infant, because two decades ago she made the devastating choice to raise the baby as her own. Now Timothy Gleason is facing the death penalty, and she has another choice to make. Tell the truth and destroy her family. Or let an innocent man die to protect a lifetime of lies.

I have to be honest and say that it took me a few chapters to get into the story but once there I was hooked. We meet CeeCee when she is young and naïve and working in a local diner. I immediately took a dislike to a young Tim Gleason but could see where the story was taking me. We get to see CeeCee as a young girl who makes a lot of bad decisions. The story is pretty compelling and even at the start of the book I wanted to slap some sense into this young girl who had no idea she was being taken advantage of.

The story is told over the course of many years and we see CeeCee raise Genevieve’s daughter as her own (don’t worry that’s in the synopsis so is not a spoiler). What the book manages to achieve is the questions that the reader begins to ask themselves. The story touches on many subjects without the author leaning either way based on her own personal opinion. I found myself questioning what I would have done in CeeCee’s position. All I can tell you is that my answer had changed some what at the end of the book, to what it was at the start.

The characters are very believable and I found myself really empathising with them. BY the time I reached the end I was surprised at how quickly I had become engrossed and how short a time it had taken me to read. I actually gave up on DC books a year ago as I found I couldn’t get into them. I’m glad I persevered months later as I have enjoyed the books I have read so far and really look forward to reading another one. This particular book, though enjoyable, wasn’t as good as her most recent release The Good Father but I would still recommend it.

Not Without You by Harriet Evans

My Rating: 5/5

I was very lucky to receive an early copy of Harriet Evans new book Not Without You and having enjoyed her others was looking forward to it. What I didn’t realise was that the book would be the best in this genre I have read this year so far! Sophie Leigh is a movie star; except her real name is Sophie Sykes and she originally grew up in England even though she now leads the glamorous life of an A-Lister. The early chapters are interesting as we get to meet Sophie and her slightly mad life with the crazy `Hollywood’ types such as her agent. You also get to see the real Sophie too which I liked. She’s a pretty ordinary girl who made it as an actress but she has a real passion for the old time movie star Eve Noel. Eve Noel was a star herself in the 50s and 60s but then disappeared from public life never to be seen again.

At first glance Harriet’s book looks like any other number of books in this genre but what the cover doesn’t convey is that there is a somewhat dark side to this story. We get to see Sophie’s life start to spiral as she refuses to do another `Rom-Com’ movie, and the fans that once loved her seem to now despise her. There are numerous characters appearing in this book and what I really loved is the fact that the synopsis gives just enough away without telling too much. I will aim to do the same so will refrain from going over certain details of the book.

We get to see Sophie change locations so the book is part set in USA and part in the English countryside. I felt myself getting pulled further and further into the book and certain elements had a dark side and I was questioning who was involved in it right until the end. The biggest factor which made this book so enjoyable was the fact that although we see Sophie, we also go back to Eve Noel’s life and her rise and fall from fame. It was done so cleverly that you wonder how the two women’s lives will eventually cross over, or if they will at all. I read this book in a matter of two days and absolutely loved everything about it. It just felt so original and fresh, it really did tale me into their worlds.

I read a lot of books and sometimes every now and then one just makes it mark. Harriet Evans latest release is one such book. It is the best book I have read this year in this genre and I cannot recommend it highly enough. If you think female fiction is all about love romance and happy endings don’t be fooled. Harriet Evans’ new book packs in a little bit of everything, creating a story that everyone can enjoy.

Ultimatum by Simon Kernick

My Rating: 3/5

Okay let me point out firstly that I am a big Simon Kernick fan and there aren’t many of his books that I don’t like. Sadly I felt a bit let down with this latest offering. His last book The Siege was a 5 star read that was absolutely brilliant and I literally couldn’t put it down. When I realised this was a follow up of sorts I looked forward to it. What I found frustrating was the beginning seemed so difficult to get into. Kernick has a magic touch when it comes to writing in that fast paced `what’s going to happen next’ kind of way. His writing is still just as brilliant but I found myself irritated with this book for a number of reasons.

Tina Boyd is currently a DC as she has been demoted because she tends to break every rule given to her. Mike Bolt is also back and running a special operation on Terrorism. These characters I have previously really liked, but for some reason they just grated on me this time around. How on earth Tina Boyd still has a job is beyond me! That aside, the story once again features Terrorism at the heart of it which I can understand especially in this day and age. We also see the return of William Garrett (AKA The Fox) who featured in The Siege. Boyd and Bolt are racing against the clock to stop an atrocity before it’s too late.

Like I said the writing quality is still there but this time around I just felt like the story was falling a little flat. I think aside from the characters irritating me, I would have liked to see Kernick make a departure from UK based terrorism and maybe do something a bit different. I know that a lot of people will enjoy this book, however I just felt like Kernick could do better. By no means do I mean that to sound condescending, I just wonder how I can be blown away by one book, and indifferent with another. The second half of the book was a lot easier to read and was much better than the first half as the pace picked up and there was a lot more going on. However, overall I was left feeling a little bit hard done by.

This latest release from Kernick will probably satisfy most readers, but is certainly not what I would call a shining example of his best work. I can only hope that the next one is just as brilliant as his books normally are.

From Notting Hill With Love..Actually by Ali McNamara

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My Rating: 4/5

Having never read any of Ali McNamara’s books I had no idea of what to expect. When I read the synopsis and saw some of the comments left I started to look forward to it immensely. Something I should clarify having now read this book though. The book is described as an endearing and romantic fun read. That’s exactly what it is and it’s frustrating when people leave negative reviews because of this. You should always know the sort of book you are about to pick up and that description is perfect for it.

Scarlett our main character is almost obsessed with the movies. She loves all films but romantic comedies are her thing. Her fiancé David is sensible and caring but that’s where it ends. As soon as I started reading I just fell in love with Scarlett. Yes she is slightly ditzy and has her head in the clouds more often than not, but she is very endearing. Her fiancé …is the most boring character I have read about in a while and my empathy was firmly with Scarlett when she compared him to some of her movie idols.

The movie theme is what really made this book and the fact that the films and certain well known quotes are used from start to finish gave it that extra bit of magic. Scarlett also seems to have an extremely bad habit of causing havoc and mayhem wherever she goes. When Scarlett is given the opportunity to house-sit for a friend in Notting Hill she jumps at the chance. With her house-sitting duties comes a whole heap of new friends as well as an annoyingly handsome next-door neighbour.

Now I know that some people may write this book off as being predictable and far too fluffy and romantic, but I say don’t knock it until you tried it. After all Rom-Com films make millions because people sometimes want the predictable fairy tale. This book was a sheer joy to read and took me completely away from reality. It was like my favourite Rom-Com wrapped up in a book. I loved it so much I immediately picked up the second book featuring Scarlett (and boy was I glad I did!). If you want a book which transports you away from the dreary day to day chores, pick this one up. You will be transported to the madcap world of Scarlett and it’s fun from start to finish.

From Notting Hill to New York…Actually by Ali McNamara

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My Rating: 5/5

Having never read Ali McNamara’s book entitled From Notting Hill with Love Actually, I immediately picked up this book which is the second one featuring Scarlett O’Brien. Scarlett O’Brien is a complete addict when it comes to movies, especially the romantic ones. She decides that what she needs is a holiday so decides to visit her father in New York and takes along her best friend Oscar. As soon as she hits US soil you just know that her trip to New York is going to be bedlam.

The first book in the series features Scarlett and her family and friends and I absolutely loved it. However, not wanting to give away any spoilers all I will say is that after the last book it’s clear that nothing is straightforward when it comes to Scarlett. While she is visiting all the big attractions in New York she runs into Jamie and Max, a TV reporter and his cameraman. Other than the fact the Jamie and her seem to both love films, she can’t understand why she has a sudden connection with him. Especially since she is so in love with her boyfriend?

Along with Oscar, Scarlett and her new friends Jamie and Max seem to get themselves into an awful lot of mischief. There are lots of story threads going on in this book which certainly keeps you interested but for me the winning factor was the characters. Although I really enjoyed the first book I enjoyed this one much more. Oscar is hilarious and I had a firm picture of him from the moment I picked this book up. Scarlett’s father, Sean, Jamie, Max, they all added that little something to the story and by the halfway mark I actually felt like I knew these characters inside out.

If you haven’t read the first book featuring Scarlett then it’s not a problem as Ali McNamara gives you enough background. However, I would highly recommend reading it because it gives you an idea of just how crazy Scarlett is. As with the first book it took me no time at all to finish this book and was pretty gutted when I finished it. I just love the fact that you are transported away from day to day life with Scarlett and her friends. This book won’t be for everybody but for me it was an absolute winner. I can’t wait to start reading all of McNamara’s other books.

Trapped by Jacqui Rose

My Rating: 4/5

Jacqui Rose came to my attention last year in 2012 with the release of her debut novel Taken. It was a brilliant debut and I have been looking forward to and hoping that this new release is just as good. Maggie Donaldson is a young girl who has just come back to her hometown. Growing up with her father Max certainly wasn’t easy. Max is a face and he and the family the Taylor’s have a bit of rivalry going on that show no sign of letting up. When Maggie returns home, she realises that her time away has changed nothing. Her Dad Max seems even more violent than before, but Maggie is determined to get on with her life.

Jacqui has that knack that certain writers such as Cole, Heller and Chambers have. She creates a character that is believable and Maggie is no exception. Brazen and with a filthy temper, you can almost imagine what her reputation is like. Having said that she is a really likeable character, if only I could say the same about Max! On the opposite side to the Donaldson’s is the Taylor’s. Frankie and Gypsy Taylor have been married for years and their grown up son Tommy is part of Frankie’s firm. The Taylor’s are a much more likeable family but with the sheer violence the Donaldson children see every day it was no surprise that the family members are all slightly deranged in their own way.

With the feud between the two families getting worse, Maggie fears that her secret will be exposed and there will be no turning back from the repercussions that will take place if people found out. It’s clear to the reader what the big secret is from the early days (but I dislike spoilers so will refrain from mentioning what that is!). As the story continues there are quite a few plot twists that involve extended family members from both sides making the suspense raise another notch. By the halfway mark I found myself constantly getting twitch when you just know something is going to happen, but not quite sure when. BY the last quarter I was practically sitting on the edge of my seat and got that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I must say by the time I had finished (it took me just a day and a half!) I was so pleased that Jacqui Rose has proven she can write just as well as some of the others. The violence in this book was worse than in the previous one, or maybe she has just done a stellar job in creating a monster with Max Donaldson (what a vile man!). I truly loved this book and would recommend it to anybody who favours the likes of Mandasue Heller, Kim Chambers and Jessie Keane. A class book that kept me reading and I can’t wait for the next one!