Killer Instinct by Zoe Sharp (Charlie Fox #1)

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My Rating: 4/5

Being somebody that buys more than I read, I have that nagging feeling that I am missing out when people get excited over authors I have never read. Yes I know, I have issues; don’t get me started! When I saw on my lovely Facebook page that people were excitedly chattering about Zoe Sharp I immediately Googled her and realised that she has been writing for the best part of ten years. How dare I not know about this crime author, especially being a British female author? I immediately ordered her first release in the series featuring Charlie Fox and eventually got around to it.

Charlie Fox is an ordinary sort of woman and within the first few chapters I decided that I liked her very much. Charlie teaches women self-defence, prefers to dress in jeans and had a passion for riding motorbikes. Charlie was kicked out of the army for reasons unknown to the reader early on and although she is certainly not without issues I loved her no-nonsense attitude. When Charlie is offered a job working for the security at the New Adelphi club she has no idea that a few hours after her tussle with Susie Hollins in the club, that she would be found dead a few hours later.

This is the catalyst for a string of events that put Charlie’s life on the line. There are many authors and books out there in this genre and although this wasn’t necessarily one that stood out by a mile, it certainly whets my appetite for Charlie and her life. The characters are easy to read and the plot twisted enough to hold your interest well into the early hours. I realised at around the halfway mark that were many more layers to the story than I originally thought.

I realised pretty early on that this would be a series I would stick with. After a slower paced beginning, the second half flew by and I found myself racing to find out who is involved and to what degree. By the end of the book I made sure I went online and got part 2. It may well take me a while to get to but I will certainly be looking forward to it. Now I know why people were talking about Zoe Sharp and I will be among them next time, although as ever I like to read a series in order and it may take me a while to catch up. Overall, I am dead chuffed that I can now add another female British crime writer to my list of must reads. Fantastic start to a series (and what planet have I been on having only just started reading ZS???!). Recommended!

Better Together by Sheila O’Flanagan

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My Rating: 4/5

I have been reading Sheila O’Flanagan since she published her first book and am rarely disappointed with the books she writes. Her last book though wasn’t her usual type of story and although I enjoyed it I could see why not everybody would. Her last book seemed to have a more serious theme running through it than maybe her previous books have. I was still looking forward to reading her new book, especially as I had an early proof copy.

This latest books synopsis sounded very interesting and is based around two women. Sheridan Gray is a journalist who manages to lose her job, her home and her boyfriend in a matter of days. The other main character is Nina, who is dealing with the fallout from her separation from her actor husband Sean; following the national press revealing he was having an affair with a co-star. Nina runs a Guesthouse in Ardbawn and this is co-incidentally where Sheridan ends up.

Sheridan was an easy woman to like and to read about. Nina was a little harder going as we see her struggle to keep things going. When the two women meet things get a little more interesting. The thing I noticed about this latest book is that straight away I was drawn into Ardbawn, and I really liked the characters that make up his pretty village. When Nina stays at the Guesthouse, she uncovers what she thinks could be an explosive story guaranteed to get her back at one of the national papers. Unfortunately it surrounds Nina and Sheridan has to make some tough decisions.

The story was certainly interesting and had a mystery element to it which I enjoyed. I warmed to Nina a lot more as the story went on, almost as much as I gained loathing for the husband Sean. As I was nearing the end of the book I realised that we still weren’t at the conclusion. To my surprise the last 3 or so chapters managed to wrap up everything and left me feeling a little disappointed. I really enjoyed the story but thought that the ending seemed so quick and almost rushed. It certainly didn’t ruin the book for me but made me knock off a star. Overall another great summer read from Sheila O’Flanagan, it seems she never fails to disappoint!

MEET ME AT THE CUPCAKE CAFE BY JENNY COLGAN

My Rating: 5/5

I am almost disgusted with myself for having never read a Jenny Colgan book. I have always seen her books around but don’t ask me why, have never managed to pick one up. Thankfully, I finally got around to buying this book which was released in 2011 with its very enticing cover. I started reading and immediately loved the main character Issy. Issy’s Grandpa Joe ran bakery’s his whole life and has passed his love of baking on to Issy.

Very early on we meet Issy’s pathetic excuse for a boyfriend Graeme (who I despised from start to finish) along with some other characters that feature in the book. When Issy is made redundant from her City job she takes the plunge and sets about opening her own type of Bakery called The Cupcake Café.

Jenny Colgan has done a grand job of making the readers feel for Issy. We see her struggle with lots of things at once and try to manage starting a new business, her love life, the care of her Gramps as well as having some sort of social life. What made this book a little bit different is that at the start of various chapters (I cannot recall if it was every one) we see Issy’s recipes for her famous Cupcakes. There is something refreshingly different about that approach, and some of the descriptions that go with the recipes had me chuckling.

I read three quarters of this book in one day, I read in the morning, my lunch break, my commute and even when I was washing up! I then eagerly picked it up the following morning and finished it. The story is a lovely read and you feel like you are taking the journey with Issy and you can’t help but will her success on. I loved the characters, including the feisty Pearly and difficult Caroline both who work with Issy. I also loved Issy’s flatmate Helena who has a very brisk attitude. You also see other local characters come in and they all add their own flavour to the story.

I was really excited to see that Jenny Colgan has a follow up to this book due out October 2012. I think a follow up would be brilliant, especially as the end of this one is extremely open-ended with many possibilities for the characters. Overall this was a book that I loved in every way, and it especially cheered me up as I am in the middle of my own very precarious start of a new business. This book was a real `feel-good’ read and I loved every bit of it. Highly recommended.

Summer With My Sister by Lucy Diamond

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My Rating: 5/5

I am ashamed to say that I only picked up my first Lucy Diamond book last month. I was so glad that I did because I loved that book and made sure that I had her new one ready to read. Sue Mongredien (the author’s real name) has produced another fantastic book with this latest release. Polly has always been the sister that `made it’. With her high flying career she is lucky if she can even make time for her family, let alone friends and a social life. So when she loses her job and her home she is awoken from her idealistic bubble with a very sharp shock! On the other end of the scale you have Polly’s sister Clare, a single mum who struggles to make ends meet. Clare still lives in the village she grew up in and although nearly always broke she has her friends and family close by.

Polly has to face up to things and eventually returns to her home village and she ends up living with Clare and the two kids. The story drew me in almost instantly and I found myself disliking Polly and falling in love with Clare. The two sisters are poles apart and as a reader you can see Polly’s demise coming. When it does happen and the two sister’s end up living together the story takes an interesting turn. As the story goes on you begin to see the reasons that the two sisters have different outlooks and their past family history becomes clearer.

Although I originally disliked Polly you can see the changes in her as time goes on and before too long I was rooting for both sisters to work things out. The writing flows so easily that before I knew it I was into the last quarter of the book and once again chastising myself for reading too quickly. I really liked the odd character that was thrown in as well such as Clare’s slightly barmy next door neighbour as well as her work colleague Roxie. Towards the end, the only thing that I can honestly say was a negative was the final three or four chapters. I felt like things had wrapped up too quickly and I could have easily read another 60-70 pages with the conclusions drawn out a little bit more.

Overall, this particular book is one that is perfect for the current climate that we live in. It makes you realise that there are many `Polly’s’ in this world and maybe you should just appreciate what you have (there’s nothing quite like a good `moral to the story’). I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it was a pleasure to read. The only reason I knocked a star off was because the ending was far too quick and I could have easily read more; other than that just brilliant!!!

Not Dead Yet by Peter James (Roy Grace #8)

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My Rating: 4/5

I have read each and every one of the Roy Grace series and I would imagine like many others was looking forward to the latest book. Like many other popular series of books the characters and their history are what add another dimension for the readers. In this latest Roy Grace book we again see the return of my favourite and much loved characters I have got to know. Of course we have Roy himself and his other half Cleo who is now pregnant and expecting their first child. In addition we see many favourites like Glenn Branson (who I adore), Norman Potting and Bella Moy.

The Brighton police force has its work cut out for them. The international superstar Gaia is filming in Brighton for the LA Producer Larry Brooker. Before Gaia leaves Bel Air an attempt is made on her life. By the time she arrives in Brighton Roy is set the challenge of ensuring her safety as well as running a murder investigation. Initially the story hits the ground running and when we see Gaia arrive in Brighton there are already two plots running through the book. On the one side we have the security and attempted murder of Gaia and on the other we have a torso found which the Murder team are trying to identify.

My attention was grabbed a lot more with the storyline in this current book than the last one so I almost felt like the books were back on the up again. The story certainly kept its pace up and I have to be honest as the story continued I got the feeling that this was a real `who dunnit’ kind of story. There are lots of plot threads, lots of action and a real head scratcher of a case. Now on the down side I have to say I am getting slightly irritated by the `Sandy’ thread of the story. I think a conclusion to this element of the story would make me a lot happier because I find myself just shaking my head in disappointment every time I read a bit more.

As I neared the end, I was genuinely taken aback by the plot conclusion and thought it was a good wrap up of the story. Then I was thrown with the last three chapters. I think one part of me admires Peter James for doing this as he has almost certainly drawn a large percentage of readers into the next book (and I admit I am one of them!). I fear that the series may get tedious but there certainly doesn’t seem to be any sign of that (apart from the Sandy part). The only one minor niggle I had was that I never got to find out the conclusion of the story regarding Norman and Bella. Yet again I think that this has been done with good reason and yet again there are things pulling me back and preparing myself for the pre-order again this time next year.

Peter James has certainly continued to show his brilliance as a Crime Writer and as usual I look forward to the next Roy Grace book.

I, Michael Bennett by James Patterson (Michael Bennett #5)

My Rating: 3/5

After my last Michael Bennett (MB) outing (Tick Tock) I was looking forward to, and hoping, that the next instalment would be ramped up in terms of excitement. As usual with a Patterson I read this latest one in a day. Irrelevant of whether you love his books, he has that writing genius that keeps the readers engaged and for me it means literally not putting the book down.

In the latest MB we see the lovely Detective (ooohh I think I have a crush) take on the infamous Crime Lord Manuel Perrine. As usual the whole Bennett troops are there, all ten children, Michael’s Nanny Mary Catherine and Seamus. I think that alone means that readers become familiar with the family and you grow a certain attachment to them which keeps fans like me coming back time and time again. Unfortunately, the stories are not always James Patterson’s best but because I love the characters so much, I tend to overlook that!

The story itself is the usual JP style of short sharp chapters with plenty of action. When Michael and his school friend Hughie, who is also his colleague, try to take on Perrine the consequences are dire. Michael’s whole life is catapulted into danger as Perrine makes it his mission to destroy Bennett as well as his family. The story trundles along and I couldn’t help but feel that although I loved meeting up with the Bennett crew again the story just wasn’t as strong as it could have been. Yes there was plenty going on with drive by shootings, court room dramas and assassinations galore, but I just felt it was lacking that certain something. I enjoyed the personal element of the book and as usual Bennett’s love life is as screwed up as ever and I am really looking forward to what happens next.

The ending however is what made the book that bit better. It ends in a way that some people may say is a cliff-hanger, whereas in reality it’s a great opener for the next book. The ending made me happy that there was more drama, but irritated that I had to again wait to see the outcome for the Bennett’s. I debated the scoring of this and was tempted (after the ending) to give it 4 out of 5. However, the storyline just didn’t grab me enough so I resorted back to 3/5. A book that will keep the fans sweet for now but I am hoping we see a corker of a book in the next instalment!

The Charm Bracelet by Melissa Hill

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Synopsis: Every charm bracelet tells a story and Holly O’Neill knows this better than most. Many years ago she was sent one mysteriously, just a single charm attached. Some time later another charm appeared, and the same happened until the bracelet was almost full. Each charm proved significant, as if her anonymous benefactor knew she needed a little bit of magic in her life. So when Holly stumbles across another bracelet – one that somebody else has lost – she recognises a lifetime spelt out through the charms, and knows she must try to reunite it with its owner. Using each charm to help discover more about the bracelet’s owner, Holly gradually begins to piece together details of this other charmed life. And her quest leads her somewhere she never expected…

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: I only recently picked up my first Melissa Hill book; her most recent Something From Tiffany’s. When I realised she had a new book The Charm Bracelet I really looked forward to reading it. The first thing I noticed when it arrived was the very pretty front cover. Simple yet elegant and once I had read the synopsis I got started.

Holly O’Neill lives with her son Danny in New York. She works for a Vintage Clothes store which seems to perfectly fit her personality. Straight away the reader gets a feel for the sort of woman Holly is. Romantic notions are what set her going as she learns the history of each piece of clothing that comes into the store and becomes insistent on sharing her knowledge with customers. Many years prior she had received a charm bracelet yet she had no idea who it was from. Each year she receives a charm relating to her life even though she still has no idea who she is getting them from. Her charm bracelet is always on her wrist so when she discovers somebody has left one in an item of clothing she is determined to reunite it with its rightful owner. Holly uses each charm as a clue and slowly she works her way through them all looking for clues as to the owners identity.

I realised before long that this book, like Melissa’s last, has a very old school romance feel to it. Melissa Hill manages to convey the old fashioned romance that many people wish for. The characters that appear in this book are very readable and we meet Greg who decides to start a new career much to the disdain of his girlfriend Karen. We also meet his father Jeff and as the story progresses we learn about somebody pivotal to both of them.

Towards the end of the book I was mesmerised by it all and found I wasn’t prepared to stop reading so sat down and finished the last quarter in one sitting. I began to piece together parts of the story as the book went on but by the last few pages found I was shocked. I certainly didn’t see the ending and thought it was a lovely way to finish the book. This isn’t typical to the very modern chick lit books but has a very charming feel to it. If I am being honest, although this wouldn’t normally be my first choice of story I was completely mesmerised by the magical feeling the book creates. Overall, an absolutely fantastic read, and certainly one that I would recommend for all you `old romantics’ out there.

Something From Tiffany’s by Melissa Hill

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My Rating: 3/5

I have never read a Melissa Hill book before and was looking forward to reading something light hearted. After reading the synopsis on the back I figured this was just the sort of ‘feel-good’ read I could do with. The book starts off set in the wonderfully romatic city of New York and we meet two men on completely different trips. Ethan is making a special trip to Tiffany¡¦;s with his daughter to collect an engagement ring for his girlfriend Vanessa. Meanwhile Gary is shopping until he drops and at the last minute decides on a short trip to Tiffany¡¦s to get his girlfriend Rachel a charm bracelet. What follows the trip is an accident where the two bags get mixed up and Rachel ends up with the ring and Vanessa the bracelet.

The first few chapters were a great introduction to the two main male characters and I have to say that I took an instant dislike to Gary and his awful attitude. Ethan on the other hand was a joy to read with his charming and well mannered ways. With both couples back in their respective homes the story then takes a turn where we see Ethan and his vain attempts to track down the missing ring.

I really liked the character Rachel and enjoyed reading about her a lot more that Vanessa. The story did stretch a little in the middle and I felt like it was missing something, however towards the end it picked up again. A lot of previous reviews I have read seemed to complain that the synopsis gives it away, and although I know what they mean, the book is still a great read. The characters are engaging and the storyline interesting. The best part about this book for me was the ending. I managed to do that smug self satisfied grin to myself because I knew what the ending would be. Thankfully I was proved totally wrong and the ending was great, especially as it managed to wipe that smug self satisfied grin off my face º

No the book is not original, and it certainly isn’t the best that is out there in this genre. Having said that, it is a really easy to read book with good characters and it kept me interested. I will certainly be looking out for more Melissa Hill books in the future.

The Angel at No. 33 by Polly Williams

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My Rating: 3/5

I have never read a Polly Williams book before and was looking forward to trying somebody new. Polly Williams is far from a newbie on the writing scene though and this will be her 7th release. The synopsis of the book was interesting and the cover was appealing enough.

When I first started reading the book I instantly liked the main character Sophie. She is a normal married mum with her little boy Freddie and her handsome husband Ollie. However, when she meets her best friend Jenny for a drink, she doesn’t realise that her time on earth will finish with that night out. Now I know that put like that it will seem like a depressing read, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.

The story then shifts and we see a different perspective on life and death. Sophie appears in the book, but we only get to see her thoughts and feelings as she witnesses her friends and family deal with the loss of her. Her best friend Jenny then takes the main lead as we see her try to make sense of not only her own life, but help Ollie and Freddie put their life back together.

I wasn’t initially as keen on Jenny as I was Sophie, but at around the halfway mark I had warmed to her much more. Jenny has to deal with some of Sophie’s `other’ set of friends that were involved through Freddie’s school. This certainly makes the story a whole lot more interesting and the characters involved certainly brightened up the story.

Overall, this was a very easy book to read and featured some really nice moments. I really liked the fact that Polly Williams has made the issue of death a little more light-hearted, as I feared the book may become a bit morose. There were some very funny moments, as well as the most irritating character on earth being Jenny’s fiancé Sam. I enjoyed the story, but after the halfway mark I knew where the story was taking the reader. I know that many books have a predictability factor, but this was a little too predictable to make this book stand out from others.

I certainly liked the writing, and from other reviews of the book can see that this book is slightly different from Polly’s usual style. I will most certainly be looking out for more books from her and look forward to reading some of her older books too.

A Mother’s Journey by June Hampson

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My Rating: 5/5

I have read all of the books written by June Hampson and for those that maybe haven’t read her they are all part of a series featuring Daisy Lane. The first book in the series (and June’s debut novel) is set in the 1960’s and her last book in the series entitled Fighting Dirty has moved on to the 1980’s. Her most recent release had aroused my curiosity due to the fact that this book is almost a prequel. The books feature Daisy Lane but also her friends and family. Vera has been a central character from the word go and has been a brilliant presence in Daisy’s life. This book takes you back to the 1940’s when Vera was a young girl.

If I am being 100% honest I was a little worried but only because I love Vera so much and wondered whether this book would be as good as the Daisy Lane books I have read to date. If anything this book far exceeded what I expected and was a brilliant read. June Hampson takes us back to when Vera was a 14 year old girl living with her family in the middle of the war. Straight away I was drawn into Vera’s world and it took me less than a few pages to remember why I loved the June Hampson books so much.

If people haven’t read any of the Daisy Lane books, you can still read this as a stand-alone but to be honest for me it was so much nicer having the history of all the characters. It explained so much about Vera and how she has arrived at the place she is now. Vera’s life was certainly not easy and along the way she has her fair share of heartbreak and I realised why I loved her as a character so much. This book only made me want to read more and has whetted my appetite for the next Daisy Lane book.

I am not normally a fan of books set in the 40’s but June Hampson has done a fantastic time of taking you back to that time and being able to picture a place torn apart by the War. I was absolutely gripped from the very first page to the very last. I am annoyed that I left this so long to read (it was released in March 2012) but am so glad that I got around to it. I think that June Hampson fans will absolutely love this latest instalment.

I think some fans are concerned that after the last book Fighting Dirty, the series may have come to a natural conclusion, but I beg to differ. I think that the next book that June Hampson produces may well feature Daisy’s children as the previous book gave loads of scope for that part of the story to be developed. I will as always wait impatiently for her next instalment. For people that haven’t tried June Hampson I would highly recommend her but would suggest starting at the beginning.