Tag: RATED 4/5

NO SAFE HOME BY TARA LYONS (DENIS HAMILTON #2)

51QtAlCwssL._SL250_

Synopsis: Detective Inspector Denis Hamilton is haunted when the suspicious death of a teenage girl triggers suppressed memories. With a stalker targeting vulnerable women in Central London, and his team rapidly diminishing, Hamilton must conquer his emotions before another family is destroyed.

In a sleepy town in Hertfordshire, Katy has worked hard to rebuild her life after leaving behind everything she knew. But when her past catches up with her, and her young son’s life is threatened, Katy must admit her true identity if she has any hope of surviving.

A home should be a safe place, shouldn’t it?

But sometimes it is hard to know who you can trust…

London’s murder investigations team returns in the second novel from the bestselling author of In the Shadows.

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I was looking forward to reading the next in this series by Tara Lyons. The first book was a great read but a little slow to start with. Thankfully this one wasn’t the same in that respect and it only took a chapter or two before I was back in the life of Denis Hamilton and his colleagues. Their first case is something that Hamilton is struggling with and his colleague just can’t work out why. As a reader, we begin to learn a little more about Hamilton’s history and why his reaction to this particular crime scene was so unusual for a man with his experience. Hamilton’s colleagues Clarke and Fraser are likeable and easy to read about but my favourite had to be the addition of a new rookie team member Rocky. The team dynamic is great and more than anything very realistic. 

The other element of the story involves Katy, a woman and her small child that are clearly hiding from someone. They live their life in fear and it seems the safe place that you should call home, just doesn’t apply to them. Tara did a great job of translating Katy’s fear and paranoia to the reader and although I was frustrated for Kate, I also felt fear for her too. Reading her tale in conjunction with the murders being investigated by Hamilton and the team add even more tension to an already pretty tense situation.

As the story progresses, we learn more about the characters as well as the reasons behind all of their choices. Sadly, the situation just becomes increasingly more dangerous for Katy and her son and I found myself wondering who was responsible. I wasn’t entirely sure and was exceptionally pleased at the last quarter of the book. Lyons ups the ante and I read the last part of the book in one sitting. There were a couple of things that bugged me, which is why I couldn’t rate it the full 5, however they were small and insignificant enough for me not to care too much about them! I think this was so much better than the first book and if the next one is better still it will hopefully be a full 5 stars for the next book. This will definitely be a series I now follow and would recommend starting from book 1 even though this can be read as a standalone.

Run by Mandasue Heller

51PMLe2U9FL._SL250_

Synopsis: After being cheated on by her ex, Leanne Riley is trying her hardest to get her life back on track, which isn’t easy without a job and living in a bedsit surrounded by a junkie and a mad woman.

On a night out with her best friend she meets Jake, a face from her past who has changed beyond all recognition. Jake is charming, handsome and loaded, a far cry from the gawky teenager he used to be. Weary of men, Leanne isn’t easy to please, but Jake tries his best to break through the wall she’s built around herself.

But good looks and money can hide a multitude of sins. Is that good-looking face just a mask? And what’s more, what will it take to make it slip, and who will die in the process . . . ?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: It’s been a while since I have read a Mandasue book and I was looking forward to her latest release. I must confess having finished it I was a little surprised at the change in pace almost, it seemed to me that there was certainly a slightly different theme to her writing compared to other books she has released. That said, this was still a great read and I was certainly engrossed, although admittedly a little surprised.

Leanne Riley lives in a grotty bedsit, has little money, no job, and little prospects. Her life seemed to have taken a downhill turn after catching her bloke cheating on her and losing her job. Her friend Chrissie seems to be the only good and consistent thing in her life. When she goes on a rare night out she bumps into the very handsome Jake who it turns out she knew back at school. Her life suddenly looks a whole lot more interesting with a new man on the scene who is showing interest. Although she is wary of men Jake is literally a Prince Charming and it seems Leanne’s luck has finally changed.

Leanne and Chrissie were great characters and very easy to read, I especially liked their obviously close friendship. Ben and Jake’s friendship seemed a little one sided but I loved Ben and thought he was a real gem of a character. By the halfway mark I could have been mistaking this sort of book for one that fall sin the Romantic Suspense genre, however once past that point it all seems to change…and very quickly.

I won’t say any more as it will inevitably spoil some great threads in the story line, suffice to say I was hooked with the plot and thoroughly enjoyed this latest release. I finished the book in a little over one and a half sittings and realised that although this was a slight departure from her usual style of writing, I really liked it. It almost keeps the work ‘fresh’ and instead of getting a dose of the ‘usual’, you get a variation of the usual which makes for a very refreshing change. Another great read with this new release and one that will no doubt tick the boxes for all her fans.

Meet Me At Beachcomber Bay by Jill Mansell

51W83+L0rqL._SL250_

Synopsis: Love is in the air in St Carys, but you’d never know it – the people of this seaside town are very good at keeping secrets…

The man Clemency loves belongs to someone else. She has to hide her true feelings – but when she ropes in an unsuspecting friend to help, wires start to get crossed.

For the first time in Ronan’s life his charm has failed him in winning over the woman he wants. Loving her from afar appears to be his only option.

Belle seems to have the perfect boyfriend, but something isn’t quite right. And now a long-buried secret is slowly rising to the surface.

The truth has a funny way of revealing itself, and when it does St Carys will be a very different place indeed…

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I have been reading Jill Mansell for as long as she has been writing and her books rarely fail to hit the mark. This latest offering certainly ticks the boxes, but for me wasn’t quite as good as her last book. Clemency is a lovely character and the usual descriptive offerings of the seaside town St Cary’s make you want to visit. I especially liked her colleague and friend Ronan. Clemency’s sister Belle also makes an appearance with her new boyfriend Sam in tow. The story is set around the town and many additional characters make their appearances all of which form part of the overall story and add depth to it all. However, although I really liked everybody I didn’t love them and I’m not sure why? Having said that this was certainly a hugely enjoyable book, but it seemed the extra ‘Mansell Magic’ was missing for me in this book.

There are certain more serious elements touched on such as adoption, race and sexuality but all done in a way that is easy to read about and not made too depressing! I read this in two sittings and the writing is as flawless as ever, yet I am not a huge fan of the cover of this book. I’m not suggesting that it affects my review it’s just so unusual as I normally LOVE her covers but this one seems too boring? Overall this was an enjoyable read but for me I felt like a little something was missing, however Jill Mansell is producing first class books and I remain a lifelong fan!

Deadly Alibi by Leigh Russell (Geraldine Steel #9)

51LFv5n1XkL._SL250_

Synopsis: Two murder victims and a suspect whose alibi appears open to doubt…. Geraldine Steel is plunged into a double murder investigation which threatens not only her career, but her life. And then her previously unknown twin Helena turns up, with problems which are about to make Geraldine’s life turn toxic in more ways than one!

*If you plan on reading the series in order please do not continue to read my review as it will inevitably contain spoilers*

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: Finally! I have been reading this series since its release and would definitely consider myself a fan. However Geraldine has been through the wringer and back and this book seems to answer a lot of questions. Geraldine was adopted and has a good relationship with her adopted sister Celia. However, upon discovering her real birth mother and then losing her the addition of finding out she has a twin sister leaves her reeling. In addition her twin sister is the polar opposite of Geraldine, being a drug user and addict and somebody that is determined to get what she can out of Geraldine. People may question why this is the first thing I mention about the book, but followers of the series will understand. I have enjoyed the last few books but have had a nagging feeling that certain things were left unresolved. That feeling has now gone and been replaced with excitement and what could happen in future books.

As for the cases Geraldine is working on, this time around there are two murder victims and it seems like a simple cut and dried case where the prime suspect is in custody however Geraldine knows that something doesn’t sit right with her. As usual her colleague Sam is by her side and together they work the case both methodically and thoroughly. To be honest the murder cases felt more like the secondary thread for me and Geraldine’s personal life was something that needed dealing with and Leigh Russell certainly did that in this latest instalment,

Because Geraldine’s sister has appeared it means her work on the murder case is hampered somewhat and towards the last quarter of the book the reader gets to see just how far this hampers her work. As a Detective that is so conscientious it makes for compelling reading as Geraldine is faced with situations she has never had to deal with before such as supporting the only family she has, the question is how far she is prepared to go. The book was a great addition to the series but I can say with quiet confidence that I am super excited to see what book 10 brings as I am crossing my fingers and hoping it brings Geraldine back to where she should have been all along. I am going to be waiting rather impatiently for the next one in the series.

HARD ROAD BY J B TURNER (JON REZNICK #1)

Synopsis: Jon Reznick is a “ghost”: a black-ops specialist who takes his orders from shadowy handlers, and his salary from the US government. Still mourning the loss of his beloved wife on 9/11, he’s dispatched to carry out a high-level hit. Reznick knows only that it must look like suicide. It’s textbook.

 But the target is not the man Reznick expected. The whole setup is wrong. In an instant the operation is compromised, and Reznick is on the run with the man he was sent to kill. A man wanted by the FBI, and by a mysterious terrorist organization hell-bent on bringing the United States to its knees. FBI Assistant Director Martha Meyerstein is determined to track him down, and to intercept whatever it is Reznick was sent to do.

When Reznick’s young daughter becomes a pawn in the game, he has to use more than his military training to stay one step ahead of those responsible. Meanwhile, he is the only person who knows the true extent of the threat to national security—and has the stealth and determination to stop it.

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Continue reading “HARD ROAD BY J B TURNER (JON REZNICK #1)”

Once Upon A Winter by Tilly Tennant

51C2vqYb52L._SL250_

Synopsis: Snow is falling and Christmas day is in full swing at Hannah Meadows’s rural home. But the usual preparations for a turkey dinner with all the trimmings and lashings of festive booze are interrupted by an unexpected knock at the door. And there on the doorstep they find a handsome stranger with no memory of who he is or how he came to be there, begging for their help. 

So begins a winter like no other – one that turns all their lives upside down. For Hannah and her sister Gina, the stranger’s arrival might herald the prospect of love and healing for the hurt caused by messy break-ups. For Jess, Gina’s teenage daughter, however, it signals dark times and discontent. There are new friends and enemies for them all and a new outlook on the world – and when the stranger’s memories finally return, there is heartache too.

If they can all weather the storm, happiness could be theirs. But storms this big can cause a lot of damage and chaos before they blow over… 

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I have read a couple of books of Tilly Tennats and have enjoyed them both so was looking forward to this Christmas themed book. I realised that this book was initially released in 4 parts, however I read it as a whole book. Just make sure if you are buying from Amazon that you get the whole book and not just one part.

The scene is certainly set in this book for the theme surrounding Christmas as in Hannah Meadow’s rural home its just herself along with her sister Gina and Niece Jess on Christmas Day. They plan to do nothing more that eat and drink in front of rubbish TV, especially as the snow is not only falling but settling making it impossible to go anywhere. However, a knock on the door is about to change their easy and lazy day they have planned. When a handsome man turns up on the doorstep with a head injury and zero memory their day starts to get rather more interesting.

Hannah was a character I found easy to read but in all honesty it was her older and more bossy sister Gina I fell in love with. Between the two of them with the occasional unhelpful input from teenager Jess, they end up spending a little time getting to know the mystery man. This seems to be the start of a very strange Christmas that leads into lots more strange events that seem to surround the two women. We get to meet Hannah’s neighbour George, as well as Briony & Paul who live on a nearby farm and their son Ross who also works and lives on the Farm.

I have to be honest and say that I found the beginning chunk of this hard to get in to, however once I was past the initial quarter I really enjoyed it. I thought it was a bit of a slow starter and initially I didn’t have any feelings for the man with no memory. Luckly as you read on and get to know the sisters and additional character more it flowed so well that I think I read the second half of the book in one sitting.

Overall this was a very enjoyable read if a bit slow to start. I loved the additional bit you get at the end (which if I understand correctly you don’t get if brought as short versions). I will look forward to Tilly’s next release!

Dark Fragments by Rob Sinclair

514DRjTkSHL._SL250_

Synopsis: Murder. Money. Revenge.

Outwardly, Ben Stephens appears to be a normal, hard-working family man. In reality, his life has been in turmoil since the murder of his wife, Alice, seven years ago. The killer was never caught.

Now re-married – to the woman he was having an affair with while still married to Alice – Ben’s life is once again spiralling out of control, and he’s become heavily indebted to an unscrupulous criminal who is baying for Ben’s blood.

When Ben’s estranged twin sister, a police detective, unexpectedly returns to his life, asking too many questions for comfort, it becomes clear that without action, Ben’s life will soon reach a crisis point from which there will be no return.

In order to avoid falling further into the mire, Ben must examine the past if he is to survive the present – but just how much pressure can one man take before he breaks?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I was a little undecided about this book but have decided 4/5 is a deserved rating. In this stand alone book we meet Ben Stephens whose life seems top be on an extremely hard and fast path downward. The reason I originally said I wasn’t sure about the rating was the leas character himself. At time I couldn’t feel anythimng than irritation at this man who seems pitiful at times. That aside, the book was written with a great pace and an easy flow to the writing. Once I was quite a few chapters in although Ben irritated me less the decisions he made were ones that made me want to thump him…quite hard!

Ben’s wife was murdered and although he has moved on with his life and children his new wife Gemma is unforgiving when his bad decisions affect them as a family. Ben is involved with some shady characters and as the chapters unfold we get to understand more and more about why he has got to where he is now. Sadly, he just makes even worse decisions and thing progress quickly and not in a good way. As Ben weaves himself into more and more trouble the plot picks up a little pace.

As a stand alone this wasn’t too shabby at all, but my lack of empathy for Ben made me feel a bit ore distanced from the story than I normally would. Even though it was a bit of a stumbling book this was ultimately a good read and I will certainly be reading more of Rob’s stuff in the future.

Phoebe Smith’s Private Blog by Lynda Renham

51jlCTa1fvL._SL250_

Synopsis: Fashion conscious Phoebe Smith wants only one thing: a date for the works party in six weeks’ time. She embarks on a journey to find her man and keeps a private blog of all her disastrous encounters. But when her four-year-old nephew gets into her account, Phoebe’s problems only just begin. With Tinder calamities, a male escort and a pork pie addiction, Phoebe tackles her biggest problem: the just too irritating Harry Bloom. Come with Phoebe on her search for the perfect man and see who will accompany her to the party in this hilarious romantic comedy novel.

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I really love Lynda Renham Books as they never fail to make me chuckle. In this case the same rule applies and I found that it cheered me up immensely in the middle of a particularly drudge filled week. Phoebe Smith is a funny character that I instantly liked. She works at the Department store and is 34 and single. She has a group of equally crazy friends and her current mission is to find a date for the upcoming ‘Works Party’ following her disastrous break up.

With her friend Imogen and the very camp Mak she is surrounded by friends whose solution is to drink through it, but those friends make for some stupidly funny decisions she makes. One drunken encounter sees them all agreeing that Phoebe should write a Blog, albeit a personal one about her life instead of writing in a diary. What follows is a stupidly funny tale where Phoebe finds herself in all sorts of weird situation featuring things such as Pork Pies, Male Escorts and Tinder (and that’s just the start).

I admit I loved the character Harry Bloom, but the ones that made me really laugh were the disastrous dates! The story flows along with the help of Phoebes friends and over lactating Sister Rita as well as her Mum who had some brilliant lines in the book. I can truly say this book had me smiling and laughing and certainly ticked many boxes but (I hear people say) why only 4 stars?

Well the only negative for me was that at times I found myself comparing this to Bridget Jones. There were moments that I read and instantly brought to mind Bridget, however having recently seen the film this may account for why. That was the only reason I didn’t give it the full 5, but at a guess I am assuming Lynda Renham won’t mind me comparing her book to the Bridget film too much! Overall a great romantic comedy that will no doubt cheer up somebody else’s dreary week.

Safe With Me by K L Slater

51J7Ini0icL._SL250_

Synopsis: Thirteen years ago someone did something very bad to Anna. Now it’s her turn to get even …

Anna lives a solitary existence, taking solace in order and routine. Her only friend is the lonely old lady next door. She doesn’t like to let people to get too close – she knows how much damage they can do.

Then one ordinary day Anna witnesses a devastating road accident and recognises the driver as Carla, the woman who ruined her life all those years ago. Now it’s Anna’s chance to set things straight but her revenge needs to be executed carefully …

First she needs to get to know Liam, the man injured in the accident. She needs to follow the police investigation. She needs to watch Carla from the shadows…

But as Anna’s obsession with Carla escalates, her own secrets start to unravel. Is Carla really dangerous or does Anna need to worry about someone far closer to home?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: This is a strange book, in the sense that sometimes while I was reading it I wasn’t sure what was the truth and what was paranoia on behalf of the lead character Anna. Anna lives a very strange and solitary life. At the beginning of the book she witnesses a car accident and is even more shocked that she recognised the driver that had caused the collision. She makes it her mission to befriend Liam, the man injured in the accident so she can garner as much information about the driver Carla as possible.

I have read plenty of books where the lead character is slightly damaged and flawed but Anna seems to take this to a whole new level. At times her logic makes perfect sense, and at others my skin would be crawling with the lengths she was going to, to ensure she was part of Liam’s life. You garner snippets of her past as the story goes along but to say any more would ruin the story for others so I will leave it there. What I will say is that what you feel is obvious as a reader, turns out to be anything but.

Although there were times I felt a little uncomfortable reading this, it was quite a page turner and frankly had the weird and dangerous element to it which makes you want to continue reading. I was surprised where the story went which was welcome in all honesty and by the time I had finished the book I realised that I had thoroughly enjoyed it, albeit in a strangely dark way. I will certainly look forward to future books by K L Slater.

BLOG TOUR: The Girl’s Next Door by Mel Sherratt (Eden Berrisford #1)

51HDBNZkXNL._SL250_

Synopsis: One warm spring evening, five teenagers meet in a local park. Only four will come out alive.

Six months after the stabbing of fifteen-year-old Deanna Miller, someone is coming after the teenagers of Stockleigh, as a spate of vicious assaults rocks this small community. Revenge for Deanna? Or something more? 

Detective Eden Berrisford is locked into a race against time to catch the twisted individual behind the attacks – but when her own niece, Jess Mount, goes missing, the case gets personal.

With the kidnapper threatening Jess’ life, can Eden bring back her niece to safety? Or will the people of Stockleigh be forced to mourn another daughter…?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Continue reading “BLOG TOUR: The Girl’s Next Door by Mel Sherratt (Eden Berrisford #1)”