Tag: RATED 5/5

BLOG TOUR: THE KILLING GAME BY JS CAROL

This new release by JS Carol is also the one and only James Carol who writes the series of books featuring Jefferson Winter which I LOVE. This new book is a fast paced thriller which I promise…you won’t want to put down.

Synopsis: Imagine you are having lunch at an exclusive restaurant, filled with Hollywood’s hottest stars.

 And a masked gunman walks in and takes everyone hostage. 

You must bargain for your life against a twisted individual who knows everything about you.

 He also has a bomb set to detonate if his heart rate changes. 

If he dies. You die.

You have four hours to stay alive.

What would you do? 

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Continue reading “BLOG TOUR: THE KILLING GAME BY JS CAROL”

One Christmas In Paris by Mandy Baggott

51aqq8-LtXL._SL250_

Synopsis: Ava and her best friend Debs arrive in Paris just as the snow starts to fall. The Eiffel Tower glitters gold, but all Ava can think about is Leo, her no-good, cheating ex.

Debs is on a mission to make Ava smile again, and as they tour the Christmas markets, and eat their body weight in pain-au-chocolat, Ava remembers there’s more to life than men… Until they cross paths with sizzling hot, oh-so-mysterious photographer Julien, with his French accent and hazelnut eyes that seem to see right inside her.

Ava can’t ignore the intense chemistry between them, but she can’t help but feel he’s hiding something. Her fingers have been burned before and she can’t forget it, especially when her ex, Leo, starts texting again. Can Ava really trust Julien – and what exactly is his secret? 

Will Ava go home with a broken heart, or will she find true love in Paris? 

Join Ava and Julien in the most romantic city in the world this Christmas, as they discover the importance of being true to themselves, and learn how to follow their hearts.

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: Ahhhh Mandy Baggot I have become a 100 percent fan girl and your books have become the equivalent of a snuggle blanket!!! When I am feeling rubbish, or am just thoroughly fed up of the dreary Wintry mornings, I pick up one of her books and can be transported into a magical world where anything is possible. Ava is such a great character and one that is clearly beautiful but is being bullied by her crazy high maintenance mother who wants her to continue modelling which is something she loathes. When her best friend Debs decides to take a trip to Paris Ava makes a decision to go with her and completely ignore her Mother’s requests for her to take on a new assignment.

Her crazy friend Deb has her own issues, mainly her Step Dad Gary and although she is in Paris ‘working’ that doesn’t stop her dragging Ava along to investigate being single in the City. Enter Julien and his friend Didier. Julien is a fabulous character and has his own harrowing past and is currently in a dark place which he is scrabbling to get out of. When they meet somehow Julien manages to rub Ava completely up the wrong way and they have a strange few hours getting to know each other.

As Julien is trying to move on, Ava also seems to be trying to make changes to her life and it seems their meeting is the catalyst for a whole host of things that go on while Deb and Ava are in Paris. As usual Mandy Baggot has created a book packed full of lovable and laughable characters. Ava’s Mother was brilliant and I wish we had seen more of her. Debs with her crazy dress sense and use of the word ‘totes’ was also a favourite of mine. You get a real feel for the city of Paris ewhilst you are reading this and I couldn’t help but be swept along with their time there.

There are people that may say this is predictable and yes maybe it is but I absolutely loved it. Had Mandy Baggot gone against the grain and done something ridiculous like had a sad ending or killed off a lead character I would have been furious…so for me predictability isn’t always a bad thing. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as I have all her previous ones and I cannot wait to read her next one to escape the monotony of real life!

A Cornish Christmas by Lily Graham

91v+8Mm71UL._AC_UL436_

Synopsis: Nestled in the Cornish village of Cloudsea, sits Sea Cottage – the perfect place for some Christmas magic …

At last Ivy is looking forward to Christmas. She and her husband Stuart have moved to their perfect little cottage by the sea – a haven alongside the rugged cliffs that look out to the Atlantic Ocean. She’s pregnant with their much-longed for first baby and for the first time, since the death of her beloved mother, Ivy feels like things are going to be alright.

But there is trouble ahead. It soon emerges that Stuart has been keeping secrets from Ivy, and suddenly she misses her mum more than ever. 

When Ivy stumbles across a letter from her mother hidden in an old writing desk, secrets from the past come hurtling into the present. But could her mother’s words help Ivy in her time of need? Ivy is about to discover that the future is full of unexpected surprises and Christmas at Sea Cottage promises to be one to remember. 

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: So you read the synopsis and expect to be let in for a magical fluffy Christmas themed book. No! That’s not what you get at all I think…thankfully what you do get is a rather compelling sort of book. Let me explain. Many of my regular Blog Visitors know that when it comes to ‘paranormal’ or ‘ghost’ type stories I tend to roll my eyes. The exception to this rule only comes in the form of the extremely talented Crime Writer Caroline Mitchell. You may now add to that list Lily Graham. I’m never that keen on paranormal elements, and to be honest although I don’t mind story lines being slightly outlandish, sometimes paranormal type books extend that way too far over my preference for a line. When I started this book I had no clue this element was even part of the story line. Thankfully it’s done in such a way that it’s an emotionally charged kind of ‘tear-jerker’ book as opposed to something bordering on the ridiculous.

Ivy and her husband Stuart have moved from London back to Ivy’s home town of Cloudsea. A beautiful Cornish village by the sea, which has enabled them to start afresh. Now that Ivy is pregnant with their first child, the grief she feels following the death of her Mother eases. However when she brings her Mother’s old writing desk to her home she has no idea how that simple act will change things for her. Sadly I don’t want to explain any more of the story line as I think it ends up being a spoiler for those wanting to read it. What I will say is that the story line follows a normal couple, dealing with normal things. That sounds strange right? Well I have to say it made a refreshing change to read about the normal things, such as a great couple having arguments over misunderstandings and then making it work.

The characters of Ivy and Stuart are easy to like and extremely readable. I fell in love with their dialogue when referring to Stuarts Mother nicknamed ‘The Terrorist’. As the story progresses we see Ivy making decisions that help her deal with her grief such as contacting friends of her Mothers from a group nicknamed ‘The Thursday Club’. I loved the addition of a bunch of older women all so different and they definitely added to the colour of the story. Although I had my doubts at the beginning due to the ‘magical’ element that made not an ounce of difference. I ended up reading the book in one day and loved it. Any author that can produce a book featuring a paranormal element, as well as romance, tears and laughter get a (surprise) 5 out of 5 from me.

We Were On A Break by Lindsey Kelk

51K7+4IeGpL._SL250_

Synopsis: ‘You’ve just had a holiday,’ I pointed out, trying not to yawn. ‘Wasn’t that enough of a break?’

‘I don’t mean that kind of break.’

There’s nothing worse than the last day of holiday. Oh wait, there is. When what should have been a proposal turns into a break, Liv and Adam find themselves on opposite sides of the life they had mapped out.

Friends and family all think they’re crazy; Liv throws herself into work – animals are so much simpler than humans – and Adam tries to get himself out of the hole he’s dug.

But as the short break becomes a chasm, can they find a way back to each other? Most importantly, do they want to?

Kat’s Review: 5/5

Kat’s Review: Although I read maybe 70% crime, the remaining 30% is spent reading books like these. I am a bit of a Lindsey Kelk fan and loved the Angela Clarke series of books. However, this latest release I knew nothing about other that the fact I loved the author. When I started reading I realised that Lindsey Kelk has not lost her touch and as I read I recalled that one of her skills was telling the ‘real’ version of event. Especially dialogue between characters and this book is no different.

Liv is on holiday with her boyfriend Adam and she knows a secret. Adam is going to propose!!! Only he doesn’t, and what was meant to be a return from holiday with a rock on her finger ends up being the start of a ‘break’ between them. They are such likeable and normal characters with a whole host of secondary characters, all of which were brilliant. Vet is a vet and works with her father in the practice in their village. Adam is a self-employed carpenter who has a ridiculously self-important older brother Chris who plays his part in getting Adam into a stick situation.

Just a few chapters in and I was belly laughing at some of the situations they both found themselves in. The great thing about this was that each chapter was written from the POV of either Liv or Adam so we get to see how they are both coping with their current situation. Liv has a whole host of friends who are fabulous in equal measures, one of which is Cass who is married to Adam’s brother, the outspoken and blunt Abi, and the absolutely fabulous David her colleague from the Vets.

Throw in a cat named Daniel Craig (legendary!) some crazy parents a whole village that stick their oar in and you have the winning combination. Lindsey Kelk clearly writes from the heart and creates characters that you will fall in love with. This was an absolute joy to read and made me hastily return to my blog to see which books I have missed out on. Thankfully it is only one book I’ve missed, but with the miserable winter approaching I now have something to cheer me up!!!

Painted Skins by Matt Hilton (Grey and Po #2)

41LnkxsdEeL._SL250_

Synopsis: PI Tess Grey and her partner Nicolas Po Villere have been hired by Margaret Norris to find her granddaughter, Jasmine Reed, who has been missing for sixteen days. But if Tess is to have any chance of finding Jazz, she needs to know the truth about the young woman s troubled past. What is it that Margaret Norris isn’t telling her?

Tess and Po aren’t the only ones looking for Jazz. With shady local businessman Daryl Bruin and his henchman John Trojak also on her trail, as well as a mysterious and violent stranger, Tess prays, for Jasmine s sake, that she and Po find her first. But it s only when Tess uncovers a link to several other missing girls that she begins to make headway in the investigation and finds herself in a desperate race against time to track down Jazz before it’s too late

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: I’m thrilled that I bumped this book up my to read list as it was much better than I expected. I LOVE it when a book surprises me like this. I read the first in this new series and although I enjoyed it, I thought it was a little slow and I struggled to connect with the lead character Tess Grey. Following on with this book, clearly I was walking through sludge with the last book as with this book I fell in love with Tess and her ex-con Partner Po.

In book one (Blood Tracks) I can now see that this was meant as an extremely good base for getting to know these characters. With this book there is no need for that as the readers have already seen Tess reasons for making her way as a Private Investigator instead of a cop. Although book one is an excellent base, I guess this book can be read as a standalone, but I always feel like its best to start a series at the beginning. In this latest instalment, Tess and Po have been hired to find the granddaughter of Margaret Norris. Jazz has been missing just over 2 weeks so Tess and Po get started on trying to trace her.

It becomes apparent pretty quickly that Jazz is also being searched for by Daryl Bruin and his henchman John Trojak, Tess and Po want to know why and the story really starts to pick up pace. It becomes clear pretty quickly that there is a lot more to Jazz being missing than a simple runaway scenario. The book has a great hold over the reader and with each chapter it seems to gain momentum, tension and pace. When their old friend Pinky appeared I rejoiced as he was such a brilliant character in the first book I was hoping he would make an appearance in the second.

This book was everything a great thriller should be and I thoroughly enjoyed every single page. I can imagine this would make a GREAT film, although quite who would play these characters who knows. What I will say is that although the Joe Hunter series of books by Matt Hilton is hugely popular, this new series seems to have fallen short and I cannot work out why. This is an absolutely amazing book and a series that I will continue to read. Hugely enjoyable and massively under rated, if you haven’t tried Matt Hilton before then these books are a great place to start!

Hide and Seek by M J Arlidge (Helen Grace #6)

51tm82DeH0L._SL250_

Synopsis: AFTER Little Boy Blue FIND OUT WHAT AWAITS DI HELEN GRACE IN THE SIXTH THRILLER BY BESTSELLING AUTHOR M. J. ARLIDGE

Kat’s Rating: 6/5…oh no I can’t do that so 5/5 will have to suffice!


**NOTE – Do NOT read this review if you are planning on reading the series in order (which you really should) or are not up to date as this will inevitably contain spoilers!!!***

Kat’s Review: Oh my goodness, I literally do NOT know where to start. I think the first thing I need to point out is that although some people will say this can be read as a stand alone I COMPLETELY DISAGREE! You really do need the previous book and in my opinion the whole series to really feel the impact of this latest release.  We rejoin Helen Grace, except this time she is behind bars and awaiting her trial in Holloway Prison for murders that she didn’t commit. That’s the first thing that set my teeth on edge, it almost gave me a bad taste in my mouth…but in a good way if you know what I mean.

I was just gobsmacked, here she is the leading character and formidable DI Helen Grace and she is living alongside some of those she has put behind bars herself. The whole setting is enough to make you squirm with the feeling of hopelessness at Helen’s situation. However nothing is as easy or straightforward as that where Helen is concerned and being in prison only highlights that. Helen’s stay is far from easy and we see her battle to just stay alive as there are plenty of people who would like to finish her once and for all.

Thankfully there is one person left batting for Helen and that’s her colleague Charlie Brooks. While Helen is trying to stay alive Charlie is desperately trying to find the proof that Helen is innocent. Meanwhile a grisly murder happens within Holloway and it’s definitely on the inside. With so much going on there is no time for the reader to do anything (such as work or other important things) other than turn the pages. This was so well written I could almost feel myself getting claustrophobic from the time inside those prison walls. The ante is upped as more and more story threads are pulled at and there is no let up in this until the very last page.

Relentless in pace and a real nail biter, M J Arlidge has outdone himself with this terrifying and gripping book. I certainly didn’t want to put it down and think fans will be delighted with this latest instalment. My only question now is…”what next for Helen Grace?”. Whatever comes next whether it be more of Helen or a new character I will be itching to read it as M J Arlidge has just shot to the top of my ‘Must Read’ authors. An outstanding book, and an amazing series that I really think if you haven’t already you should read!

Out of Bounds by Val McDermid

61QAftQQ6hL._SL250_

Synopsis: ‘There were a lot of things that ran in families, but murder wasn’t one of them . . .’

When a teenage joyrider crashes a stolen car, a routine DNA test could be the key to unlocking the mystery of a twenty-year-old murder inquiry. Detective Chief Inspector Karen Pirie is an expert at solving the unsolvable. With each cold case closed, justice is served. So, finding the answer should be straightforward, but it’s as twisted as the DNA helix itself.

Meanwhile, Karen finds herself irresistibly drawn to another case, one that she has no business investigating. And as she pieces together decades-old evidence, Karen discovers the most dangerous kind of secrets. Secrets that someone is willing to kill for . . .

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 

*If you plan to read this series from book 1, please do not read the review as it will inevitably contain spoilers*

Kat’s Review: I realised late that this was part of the Karen Pirie series which I have only read one book of (book 3) but for people starting off at this point it makes no difference as there is enough background history with Karen that you don’t miss anything major. The first thing that struck me is how immediately I connected with Karen Pirie, certainly more than I did in book 3. She is working as part of the Historical Crimes Unit alongside her colleague Jason. When a joyriding teenager crashes his car, a routine DNA test shows something linked to a twenty year old case, so Karen and Jason immediately get digging.

In addition to Karen’s current enquiry her sleepless nights are seeing her up and wandering the streets in a bid to make herself tired. She is still struggling to come to terms with the death of her husband and partner Phil. Her late night walks to battle her insomnia leads us to another thread of the story which is just as absorbing as the first. Some of Karen’s friends are involved in the story line and they all added to the depth of this story. Karen also decides to do her own investigation on another case which is nothing to do with her. This has a two-fold effect of allowing her to sink her teeth into a mysterious case involving the death of 4 people in a suspected air plane bombing, as well as annoying her colleague who she doesn’t get along with Assistant Chief Constable Simon Lees . All of these threads combined seem like too much when read aloud, but in reality they have made for an outstanding book which had me thoroughly surrendered to my every  day tasks such as dinner!

Both Karen and Jason plough their all into both cases, which results on Karen putting herself into some precarious positions and although the threads run alongside each other they are easy to distinguish. What is strange about this book is that it’s not terribly fast paced, but it fits the book perfectly. The various threads of the story make for a compelling read, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Towards the end when I thought I had it all figured out, turned out I was wrong and when the pieces did fit into place I felt terribly stupid! An outstandingly good read which I would highly recommend.

The Hanging Club by Tony Parsons (Max Wolfe #3

51rKq3naAZL._SY346_ Synopsis: A band of vigilante executioners roam London’s hot summer nights, abducting evil men and hanging them by the neck until dead.

As the bodies pile up and riots explode across the sweltering city, DC Max Wolfe hunts a gang of killers who many believe to be heroes.

And discovers that the lust for revenge starts very close to home …

My Rating: 5/5

My Review: So, it seems Tony Parsons has just made me do a full about turn on opinion. The first two books in this series I admit I struggled with. Sometimes with a new series I struggle to feel connected to the characters and small things seem to niggle. This series featuring DC Max Wolfe was no different and the first two books left me feeling a little indifferent. However, I recently read one of the short novellas and it was brilliant. I was actually looking forward to reading the next book, and I was right to look forward to it!

DC Max Wolfe just seemed to fit more this time around. Maybe enjoying the previous novella got me ready for the next instalment, who knows? Seeing the return of Max, his daughter Scout and their little dog Stan was wonderful. This time around a gang of people are hanging known criminals, and although they have the backing of some of the public, Max knows that they need to be caught. The hangings themselves are described in all their graphic glory and the feeling of disgust was very apparent to me when reading. I always take this as a good sign and ploughed on. I absolutely LOVED the addition of a friend Jackson from Max past and can only hope he makes a reappearance in future books.

The story keeps up a massively heart pounding pace and I found myself thrown into the case at the deep end along with Max colleagues and Boss Whitestone. There was an additional thread involving Whitestone which made me warm to the characters a whole lot more and by the end I felt like the MIT team was one big family. This book truly did have everything and kept me reading into the early hours. I read it in one sitting and felt that familiar disappointment that I didn’t have another to read. For me the surprise was that I loved this book SO much in comparison to feeling so mediocre about the other 2. This series just shot way up my increasingly long list of Must Reads. I literally cannot wait to see what comes next for Max and will be counting the days off until the next release!

We’ll Always Have Paris by Sue Watson

61r8H-cO2TL._SL250_

Synopsis: When she was almost seventeen, Rosie Draper locked eyes with a charismatic student called Peter during their first week at art college, changing the course of her life forever. Now, on the cusp of sixty-five and recently widowed, Rosie is slowly coming to terms with a new future. And after a chance encounter with Peter, forty-seven years later, they both begin to wonder ‘what if’ . . .

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: I have to confess when I read the synopsis I was a little worried. Sue Watson has been a favourite author of mine for some time and her writing style is peppered with humour which normally has me crying with laughter. The synopsis with this latest book seemed a little less like her normal style so I wondered whether I would enjoy it as much? Thankfully this latest release shows that Sue Watson seems able to turn her hand to any style without any problems. 

Rosie Draper is the lead character in this book and being in her sixties means she falls outside the normal twenty or thirty something woman. Rosie is an absolutely brilliant character, but sadly the opening sees her struggling to come to terms with the loss of her husband after a long and happy marriage. Luckily she has her two adult children supporting her along with her granddaughters. Her two daughters run their flower shop and Rosie decides to return back to working with them in an effort to return her life to something approaching normalcy. 

She didn’t count on running into her first love Pete from when she was 17 whilst attending and preparing some wedding flowers. Peter and her slowly claw back their friendship as Rosie struggles to get the perfect balance between her family and her own personal happiness. This book was certainly a change from her normal work but a story that I just fell in love with. I adored the family, Peter and Rosie herself. The story is told with warmth and love and is a real hear string puller!

I can certainly say that this book was an absolute joy to read. Sue Watson has managed to create a wonderfully warm love story which focuses on a lady slightly older than most I read about. It pulls the heart strings, and feels like a big warm hug at the end of a hard working day. I can truly say I think this book will be hugely popular and I for one cannot wait to see what Sue comes up with next, it seems there isn’t a lot this lady can’t do!

Scandalous Lies by Nigel May

511cil+QrfL._SL250_

Synopsis: SUSPENSE: Georgia’s best friend, ballroom dancing sensation Mitzi, has vanished with boyfriend Foster while on holiday in California. Can Georgia get to the truth of their disappearance before it’s too late?

SECRETS: Reality TV star Nova could give the Kardashians a run for their money. But while she allows millions of viewers into her fabulous home, she’s unaware what her husband, celebrity mogul Jacob, is up to behind closed doors …

SEX: Tanya is filthy rich, married to a man who adores her but she is restless. And her sexual appetite is about to get her into a whole lot of trouble.

SCANDAL: Victoria, once the trophy-wife, has lost her mojo. Determined to get her life and marriage back on track, she’s desperate to inject some excitement in her life – but at what cost?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: If you’re a fan of Hollywood glamour, raunchy suspense and secrets then this book will be right up your street! I really love Nigel’s books and they are real Bonk Busters which means they are normally full of loads of sex, some normally underhand skulduggery and there is normally shed loads of celebrities or wealth floating about. This book has the whole shebang….and more! the ballroom dancing sensation MItzi has taken some time out to spend with her equally famous boyfriend Foster and they go missing at some stage during the trip. When the world moves on, Mitzi’s best friend Georgia is struggling to do the same. It seems like the world is quickly forgetting Mitzi and Georgia is determined to find the truth about what happened to her.

At first it seems like there is an overload of characters but by the time I was a quarter of the way through the book it started to all link together. Although there are too many characters to mention one of my favourites was Nova, the mother of Charlie (Georgia’s boyfriend) and a reality TV star. She is a larger than life character that I adored and to be frank the story just wouldn’t have been the same without her.

There are so many threads to the story and it seems that everybody involved has some sort of a secret. There are also some extremely naughty scenes featured heavily in the book, so beware for commuters that like to read over your shoulder, they may get more than they bargained for. By the time I had worked out who was sleeping with who, and who was jetting off to the next country I was pretty breathless. There was so much going on but I literally couldn’t stop reading. From LA to London to India, we see some amazing locations with some sensational characters and it’s all wrapped up in an entire life of glamour and lies. I LOVED this book, even more than previous Nigel May books I have read. One thing is for sure and that is that I will be reading every last book he currently has out as otherwise I fear I may be missing out. If you’re a fan of authors such as Jackie Collins, Tasmina Perry and the like then Nigel May needs to be your new ‘go-to’ author…I promise you won’t be disappointed.