Tag: RATED 4/5

BLOG TOUR: The Serial Dater’s Shopping List by Morgen Bailey

51T8Bv73XEL Synopsis: Izzy is a journalist who usually writes a technology column for a local newspaper. Her somewhat-intimidating boss William sets her the task of dating thirty-one men, via an internet dating site, all within a month, and writing about it for the paper.

Having an active, though fruitless, social life with her friend Donna, Izzy knows what she wants in a man, so creates a shopping list of dos and don’ts and starts ticking them off as she meets the men.

Follow the ups and downs of the dating process including Tim ‘the Weeble’, whose date leads Izzy to see banoffee pie in a whole new light, Lawrence the super-skinny social worker, Felix with his bizarre penchant for Persian Piranhas, and ‘the music maestro but don’t talk about dead pets’ Jake.

By the end of the month, will Izzy have met Mr Right?

My Rating: 4/5

My Review: Isabel our leading lady is a journalist who has been set a mission by her boss. 31 days in a month so she needs to have 31 dates via INternet Dating Sites all for her column! I think Izzy is somebody as a character I had to warm up to but once I did I found her quite funny. This was almost like reading snippets from hilarious stories either you have had or your friends have had in the past with all of her dates she goes on.

I did initially think this would be a little reminiscent of the film How To Lost A Guy in 10 Days, but it wasn’t however it does give you a real insight into the idea behind the theory. There were some moments in the story which had me laughing out loud and as time went on I felt Izzy’s pain of wanting the month to be over.

This is certainly a fun and light-hearted take on dating and was an enjoyable read. If you want something to make you giggle and something not too serious then this may well be the book for you.

She Saw What He Did by Lynda Renham

41t6ncB+AlL._SY346_ Synopsis: Abby Miller thought she had the perfect family; a good looking, loving husband and a beautiful daughter. Her life was complete. The shock discovery that her husband, Jared, had been having an affair rocked her world. So when Jared suggested a short break to the Cannard Islands, to heal their fractured marriage, Abby agreed. An idyllic holiday turns into a nightmare when Abby sees something through the telephoto lens of her camera. Suddenly her life and the life of her daughter are in serious danger and no one seems able to help them.

My Rating: 4/5 Continue reading “She Saw What He Did by Lynda Renham”

The Silent Children by Carol Wyer (Detective Robyn Carter #4)

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Synopsis: The boy studied the bruise turning yellow at the base of his neck. With quick fingers his mother tightened his tie, and pulled his collar high above it. Her eyes alone said, We will not speak of this…

Years later, a man is found shot dead in a local park. On his phone is a draft text: I can’t keep this secret any longer. The recipient is unnamed.

Detective Robyn Carter knows this secret is the key to the case, but his friends and family don’t offer any clues, and all her team have to go on is a size-ten footprint.

Then a nurse is found in a pool of blood at the bottom of her staircase, and a seemingly insignificant detail in her friend’s statement makes Robyn wonder: are the two bodies connected, and has the killer only just begun?

When another body confirms Robyn’s worst fears, she realises she’s in a race against time to stop the killer before they strike again. But just as she thinks she’s closing in, one of her own team goes missing.

Buried in the past is a terrible injustice. Can Robyn uncover the truth before another life is lost?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5 Continue reading “The Silent Children by Carol Wyer (Detective Robyn Carter #4)”

The Memory Killer by J A Kerley (Carson Ryder #11)

Synospsis: Detective Carson Ryder faces a cunning and inventive adversary in this terrifying thriller from the bestselling author of Her Last Scream.

Young men in Miami are being abducted and tortured after their drinks are spiked with a cocktail of drugs that leaves them unable to recall their ordeal. Despite this, Detective Carson Ryder knows the predator’s name, height, age, colouring … everything. It’s impossible for the perpetrator to avoid detection. Yet he does.

When Carson seeks answers from his brother, a wanted criminal intimate with twisted minds, Jeremy’s odd behaviour sparks even more questions. With each abduction, the violence becomes more horrific, and it’s only a short time until torture turns to murder.

But how do you catch an invisible man?

Kat’s Review: 4/5

Kat’s Review: The reason for stepping back from so many Blog Tours were books like these! I am a big Carson Ryder fan and I discovered it had been 3 years since I read one in this series and I was now 3 books behind so I got back in the saddle with book 11, determined to be caught up this year! Carson has moved areas and is now based in Miami Keys and works alongside Ziggy his colleague. I remembered quickly how much I liked Ziggy and how well he and Ryder go together, although he is certainly not as good as Harry (Carson’s old partner).

This latest installment sees young gay men in Miami being adbucted and tortured and it’s far from pretty. Jack Kerly has an incrediibly descriptive manner and this book’s descriptions of these men had my skin literally crawling. The story had me guessing at who the killer was which I alwasy love and I was so thrilled to see a little more of Carson’s personal life taking a turn for the better. It was fabulous to get back into this series and I realised that I had left it far too long. The other element of this story which has always made it that little bit more special is the addition of Carson’s brother Jeremy and yes, he is back (Thank GOD!).

I absolutely loved getting back in touch with Carson and Ziggy and the rest of the characters in this series. This is a great series of books and I just know that reading this one has put me back on track and I will soon be back to read book 12 in the series named The Apostle.

Here Come The Boys by Milly Johnson (Short Story)

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Synopsis: Angie Silverton and her husband are taking a much-needed holiday on the cruise ship Mermaidia, so the last person she hopes to bump into is her one-time best friend Selina who stole the love of her life and married him twenty years ago. 

And what she needs even less is to be marooned in Malaga with Selina when both of them manage to miss boarding the ship in port. 

It will take three days for them to travel across Europe to catch up with the ship again in Croatia. And in the company of each other twenty-four/seven, a lot of old baggage is going to be unloaded. 

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: Considering I don’t read short stories this is the second of Milly Johnson’s I’ve read in the same amount of weeks:-) Angie and her very loveable husband Gil are taking their very first trip aboard a cruise ship. From the moment they start their journey on the coach they realise this will be very different to what they are used to. No sooner have they arrived do they start to meet some onboard friends all of whom had their own part to play in this story.

Both Angie and Gil are such likeable charaters however when Gill is suffering from sea sickness when they dock in Malaga, Angie decides to do some shopping on her own. What she didn’t bank of was not making the ship in time and being stranded. Not only that she ends up being stranded with her ex-best friend who went off and married the man she was supposed to end up with.

This story was a delight to read and as soon as I had finished I checked out whether there was a continuation of sorts andd sure enough the short story named ‘Ladies Who Launch’ appeared and hey Presto, my next Milly Johnson arrived on my Kindle. It’s been far too long since I read this lady’s books it certainly put me back in that zone! A great short read… 

No One Ever Has Sex on Christmas Day by Tracy Bloom

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Synopsis: Katy’s been stuck in the office away from her family so she wants it all: snow (fake or real), the Michael Bublé Christmas album, whatever it takes. 

There’s only one thing missing as far as her husband Ben is concerned: another baby to complete their family. But Katy isn’t so sure she’s ready yet…

Ben may be playing the role of Master Elf in the pre-school nativity but he is struggling to master his own family life. With romantically-challenged friends, an ex who refuses to go away and Katy’s mum’s 64-year-old toy boy thrown into the mix, Christmas looks like it could be going off the rails… Never mind family planning, can Katy and Ben even plan to make it to the end of Christmas Day? 

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I have really enjoyed some of Tracy Bloom’s books and especially since I read the previous book featuring Katy and Ben I was keen to see what had happened to them. Even if you haven’t read that book you can certainly read this as a stand alone, but I found it so much more enjoyable to go back and see where they had got to.

Following on from the last books debacle, Katy is now living in her little house with Ben and their daughter Milly. All Ben seems to want is another baby to complete their little family, however Katy doesn’t know what she wasnts. To add to her woes, when her Mum skypes her to tell her that she had left Katy’s father and found herself a toyboy AND that she was bringing him over for Christmas she doesn’t know what to think. We also see a lot of Braindead who is Ben’s closest pal and as the name suggests not the brightest spark at times.

The other characters are Matthew and Allison who are expecting baby number four. Matthew is Katy’s ex which makes for a more complicated story than usual. Allison seems to have an ovedoes of hormones making her slight dillusional at times but to be fair also make for some amusing elements of the story. 

This story had some very funny moments in it, and also some slightly chatoic crazy moments in it, but overall was another fantastic read. Tracy Bloom has certainly written a very amusing and entertaining story with characters that you can’t help but laugh at. It may not be everybody’s cup of tea but it certainly put a smile on my face. I would definitely recommend this as an easy to read book that will certainly make you laugh. Can’t wait for the next TB book.

BLOG TOUR: When A Killer Strikes by R C Bridgestock (DI Jack Dylan #8)

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Synopsis: “Boss, we’ve got a body”.

Hardly what Detective Inspector Jack Dylan needs to hear on his day off, especially as he’s in the middle of house-hunting with his wife Jen.

Detective Sergeant Vicky Hardacre greets him at the scene, but what awaits them behind the blood red door of Colonial House is undoubtedly a murder. The approach identifies several prime suspects. But who is telling the truth; and who is lying?

Before the killer can be caught, another body is discovered, this time in a putrefying mixture of mud and slime, lain among the remnants of decaying food within a waste-bin shelter. Now it’s the task of the man in charge to make the call. 

Are the two murders connected? 

There’s only one way to find out, and that’s by working long hours, within strict budgets, and the usual pressure from above to obtain quick results. 

However, Dylan is distracted by personal matters, with Jen being keen to seal the deal on a renovation project. He suggests they delay finalising the purchase; until he discovers the significance of the house, and that it’s about to be demolished.

In his absence, Jen’s pleas for help from his estranged siblings are answered, resulting in hidden secrets coming to light, as Dylan continues, through a twisting and turning plot, to ensure justice is done in respect of the murder victims, whose bright hopes for the future were cruelly snatched away.

Kat’s Rating: 4/5 Continue reading “BLOG TOUR: When A Killer Strikes by R C Bridgestock (DI Jack Dylan #8)”

The Barn on Half Moon Hill by Milly Johnson (Short Story)

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Synopsis: Cariad Williams has been writing to Franco Mezzaluna since they were kids. But he has never written back. And now he has become a famous film star. What’s more, he is due to visit Winterworld, the Christmas theme park where Cariad works. The only problem is that she has boasted to her friends that he is her boyfriend and now everyone will find out about her lie…
An exclusive short story from Milly Johnson to raise funds for the Care for Claire charity.

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I’m not that much of a fan of short stories as no sooner have I got into the story it’s finishing. However with this book being part of a charity to raise funds for the Car for Claire Charity I figured it was a good enough reason to read it.

As usual Milly Johnson manages to createe characters I like instantly and Cariad is no different. A lady that spent years writing to Franco Mezzaluna her childhood friend. The only problem is he has never written back and has now become a famous film star.

With the imminent arrival of Franco to the town where Cariad lives her tension mounts and she has no idea what to expect. A lovely short story with a lovely ending albeit a story I could have continued reading about as I would have loved to have known what happened next for all the characters involved. Although short stories aren’t really my thing this was for a great cause and Milly’s writing does just the thing and this 80 page treat was perfect to cheer me up one lunch break!

When The Killing Starts by R C Bridgestock (Jack Dylan #7)

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Synopsis: Crime is a way of life for the Devlin brothers. Groomed at an early age and trained as criminals by local gangsters, the Devlin brothers get their thrill out of creating fear among their victims. They have a macabre pact; not to be arrested or caged. Brutality hits the town of Harrowfield when the scourge of the community is found dead, his companion slaughtered. The locals react with praise for the killers. The same day firefighters respond to a fire but lose the fight to save Merton Manor. Among the debris two bodies are discovered; executed. As Dylan struggles to cope with the pressure, armed officers await his judgement call. Can he remain professional or will he release his anger?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I came to the party late with this series and as such the first book in the series I read was the last one which was book 6. I struggled with it a little but only due to the fact that I had no history with these characters (proof enough of why I like to start a series at the beginning). Going in to book 7 I was instantly drawn to the story from the very first page. It was incredibly graphic and violent very early on in the book, and yes I know many people may not like that but I was truly gripped and horrified in equeal measure and for me that’s a winning formula. 

I don’t want to delve too much into the storyline as I fear it would spoil the book for somebody new to the book or series. However it results in DI Jack Dylan looking for the person responsible for the murders that occur in the rather grand home that was once Merton Manor. In addition to that Jack and his team are dealing with the death of a local hooligan and although the community aren’t sorry the bloke is dead Jack needs to ensure this crime is solved too. There is certainly a lot going on in Jack’s career and the book holds a lot of pace very early on. Jack and his team are all incredubly readable and there is a real sense of cameraderie between them. The storyline has plenty of action and a has a true police procedural feel to it. 

What I loved about this book was the depth we see Jack and his wife Jen’s personal situation develop. Although a truly terrible time that Jack and Jen are having, the situations the book touches on are done with sensitivity and I felt incredibly drawn to them as characters. I have to be honest and say I was a little blown away with this book. The reason being I just wasn’t expecting it to be as good as this (meant in a non-rude way). Where I struggled to connect in the last (and my first) book in the series this book made up for all of that and some more on top!

The fact that both the writers (RC Bridgestock are a husband and wife writing team) have 50 years experince between them on the Force is blatantly obvious. The book is done incredibly well with the finer details looked at when it comes to Police work and less of the dramatic and flair we sometimes see in fiction (nowt wrong with that either just pointing out what I see). I can truly say I was thrilled with this book and even more so because I stupidly made the assumption I would struggle with it. This is now a series I would love to keep up with! Luckily for me book 8 is ready to go and for the rest of you book 8 is due for release Thursday 19th October 2017!

Worst Fear by Matt Hilton (Grey and Po #4)

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Synopsis: Private investigator Tess Grey discovers that someone from her past is pursuing a deadly vendetta and she could be the next to die.

“If I?m dead, contact Teresa Grey at Cumberland County Sheriff’s Dept. Tell her”

When the body of a young woman is found on a rocky Maine beach, having fallen from the cliffs above, the initial verdict is suicide. But hidden on the dead woman’s social network page is a post requesting that Tess Grey be informed in the event of her death. And why would Chelsea Grace, who was terrified of heights, have chosen to end her life in a way that invoked her very worst fear?

Having not seen Chelsea for years, Tess has no idea why her old university roommate would leave such a message. But, determined to find out what really happened to her, Tess and her partner Po discover that Chelsea isn’t the first of her old university friends to suffer ? and she won’t be the last. It would appear that someone is holding a deadly grudge: could Tess herself be a target?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I am a massive fan of this series and the characters are hugely appealing to me. Tess Grey a PI who was an ex-copper working alongside her partner and lover Nicholas ‘Po’ Villere. This latest installment starts out with Tess looking into the death of somebody she went to college with. Would her old friend really have jumped to her death when she was afraid of heights? It’s ppretty clear early on that this is something more than a one off and somebody from Tess past is trying to even up the score.

Tess and Po are the characters that make this story (especially Po). Although this time around is isn’t just Tess who has problems. Po’s bar is being targetted and he is determined to get to the bottom of the who and the why with his own unique style! Meanwhile as Tess begins to dig through her own memories of the past she begins to see a pattern forming. The great part of this book is we see how and why the crimes are being committed before Tess does. Although I love this series I felt there was a little something missing. Maybe it’s because I see Tess figuring out other people’s problems as opposed to her own? That aside, this still made for a fantastic read.

My one small niggle was that we didn’t see the appearance of Po and Tess good friend Pinky until far too late in the book. As usual he wades in with every ounce of his being to do what he can to help his two friends. The later part of the book was a little more pacey and I enjoyed it more than the first half because the action was ramped up to the maximum.

As ever another cracking read in this series that I love. I literally cannot wait for the next book as this series is firmly in my Top 5 of must reads. With original and engaging characters, and a storyline that will keep yu turning pages you can’t really ask for too much more!