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17/12/2016

#Giveaway: Signed Copies of The Confession of Stella Moon by Shelley Day


Further to my recent posting of my #TopTenBooks2016 I was contacted by the very generous Author of one of those books. Shelley Day is the author of The Confession of Stella Moon. She has kindly offered four signed paperbacks of her book. Here is a bit more about the book and if I have tempted you to enter please do so by using the widget at the bottom of this post.

1977: A killer is released from prison and returns home to a decaying, deserted boarding house choked with weeds and foreboding. 

Memories of strange rituals, gruesome secrets and shame hang heavy in the air, exerting a brooding power over young Stella Moon. 

She is eager to restart her life, but first she must confront the ghosts of her macabre family history and her own shocking crime. Guilt, paranoia and manipulation have woven a tangled web of truth and lies. All is ambiguous. Of only one thing is she certain... 

Stella Moon killed her own mother.

What I said:

The author's experience in Psychology has made this book the triumph that it is, an exploration of memory and of truth and reality. A melee of past and present,  I have found few other books as compelling this year. It made me sad in places and it make me feel angry and I think that it is a great skill of writing to be able to provoke reactions and thought. "

The Confession of Stella Moon was Published by Contraband and you can read my full review here.




a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Winners will be selected randomly by Rafflecopter. I will contact you via the details you provide and I will be posting the winners their books directly. I will aim to do this within 5 days of the competition ending. I will not store your address other than for the purpose explained above. The Competition will end at 12.00am 24.12.2016 GMT.

12/12/2016

Top Ten Books of 2016...


Hi all,

I want to say thank you to all who have read my reviews this year. Time constraints mean that I am not able to blog as much as I would like, this makes me frustrated because I love reading/blogging way more than working! 2016 however has been an amazing year for books and I have a sneaky suspicion that next year is going to be even better.

I have read some amazing books this year and I am about to give you my top ten out of those that I read this year. I just want to thank my fellow bloggers, publishers and authors who I have interacted with in whatever capacity this year. You are all amazing.

Right I am going to do the other nine in no particular order but there is one that is my book of the year. I read to find books as emotive as this, written with as much passion, grace and poise as this author writes. My book of the year is The Wacky Man by Lyn G. Farrell. This book is astonishing, bold and brave and it has captured a piece of my heart. Below are some of my thoughts from the time I read it:


Published by Legend Press on 2nd May 2016. Available in paperback and e book.

My new shrink asks me, 'What things do you remember about being very young?' It's like looking into a murky river, I say. Memories flash near the surface like fish coming up for flies. The past peeps out, startles me, and then is gone... 

Amanda secludes herself in her bedroom, no longer willing to face the outside world. Gradually, she pieces together the story of her life: her brothers have had to abandon her, her mother scarcely talks to her, and the Wacky Man could return any day to burn the house down. Just like he promised. 

As her family disintegrates, Amanda hopes for a better future, a way out from the violence and fear that has consumed her childhood. But can she cling to her sanity, before insanity itself is her only means of escape?

 I am going to go out on a limb here, and I don't often say this, it is one of the most incredulous, brilliant and stupendous pieces of writing I have EVER read.

This story is about the lives of a family where all is not well, most live in fear. Happiness is snatched in the smallest of glimpses, before The Wacky Man comes around. Happiness is not an option with him around. Amanda and her two brothers are not children who are allowed to grow up and experience the best things of childhood, they are scared, they are abused and they are vulnerable. 

The emotions danced around on the page, every emotion that the characters portrayed provoked a strong reaction in me. This story made me cry, but it also made me so bloody angry. Angry, at the father, angry at the way the children were treated and angry at the mother for not intervening more.

I don't know with what if any experience that the author writes this story. Her background in Psychology might have helped but I don't know. She managed to get into every one of the characters heads entirely and lay them out on the page bringing a stark, harsh reality to the story they portrayed.

Amanda is heart breaking, this poor damaged girl. The start she had to life was unfair and unjust and it shows as the book progresses the lasting damage that can occur. My heart ached for her throughout. No one to understand her and nobody that seemingly particularly cared. I think that she felt alone, unloved and abandoned. 

This book is absolutely astonishing, I am pleased to have read it. There are some times when I read a book that I class as important. A story that ought to be told and ought to be read. A story with a message and this is one of those.

Important, emotionally charged, unflinching in its scope and a masterpiece of human emotion and a portrayal of the worst of behaviours. It would take flying unicorns to park up outside for this not to be on my books of the year list.

Read it for yourselves, you'll see...

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Here are the other nine in no particular order, all wonderful and memorable in their own way, I have given the description and the link to my review. 

Every secret has consequences.
Autumn 2004
In Bampton, Derbyshire, Lena Fisher is arrested for suffocating her husband, Andrew.
Spring 2016
A year after Lena's release from prison, Andrew is found dead in a disused mortuary.
Who was the man Lena killed twelve years ago, and who committed the second murder? When Lena disappears, her sister, Kat, sets out to follow a trail of clues delivered by a mysterious teenage boy. Kat must uncover the truth - before there's another death . . .

What I said:
" It would seem to me that Sarah Ward is not afraid to tackle important issues and whilst a work of fiction, some important social problems. They are also tackled with care and sensitivity despite the brutality of the story. 

Excellent and assured, I know I am in safe hands when I pick up one of this authors books, from the gripping first chapter until the final closing sentence and I can't wait for the third. "
A Deadly Thaw was published by Faber & Faber and you can see my full review here.

In the woods outside the town of Willnot, the remains of several people have been discovered, unnerving the community and unsettling Dr Lamar Hale, the town's all-purpose general practitioner, surgeon and town conscience. 

At the same time, Bobby Lowndes - his military records missing, and followed by the FBI - mysteriously reappears in his hometown, at Hale's door. Over the ensuing months, the daily dramas Hale faces as he tends to his town and to his partner, Richard, collide with the inexplicable vagaries of life in Willnot. And when a gunshot aimed at Lowndes critically wounds Richard, Hale's world is truly upended. 

What I said: 

The writing enclosed within these pages is bold and beautiful. It makes you think and it makes you care. Within such a small space James Sallis has created a glimpse at the location and cast of individual and fantastic characters all as if the reader is looking through a window. The characters all have a uniqueness but no one is more important than another. The writing is sparse and poetic. At times brutal but always honest. "

Willnot was published by No Exit Press and you can read my full review here.


You will be scared. But you won’t know why…

I’m thinking of ending things. Once this thought arrives, it stays. It sticks. It lingers. It’s always there. Always.

Jake once said, “Sometimes a thought is closer to truth, to reality, than an action. You can say anything, you can do anything, but you can’t fake a thought.”

And here’s what I’m thinking: I don’t want to be here.

In this smart, suspenseful, and intense literary thriller, debut novelist Iain Reid explores the depths of the human psyche, questioning consciousness, free will, the value of relationships, fear, and the limitations of solitude. Reminiscent of Jose Saramago’s early work, Michel Faber’s cult classic Under the Skin, and Lionel Shriver’s We Need to Talk about Kevin,
 I’m Thinking of Ending Things is an edgy, haunting debut. Tense, gripping, and atmospheric, this novel pulls you in from the very first page…and never lets you go.  


What I said: 

"This book is an examination of ones identity, and of desire and longing. It is about things not being quite as they appear set against a backdrop of horror and sadness. 

I was scared witless and it was quite simply brilliant."

I'm Thinking of Ending Things was published by Text Publishing and you can read my full review here.

 A MOTHER’S LOVE CAN BE MURDER

Lydia Fitzsimons lives in the perfect house with her adoring husband and beloved son. However, there is one thing Lydia desperately yearns for to make her perfect family complete, and nothing can stop this mother from getting what she wants…


Andrew and Lydia Fitzsimons are on the surface an upstanding couple in the community. He is a judge and she is, although a little reclusive a housewife. They have a son called Laurence, but Lydia has always wanted more children. One fateful night a young girl called Annie is murdered by the Fitzsimons. You would imagine here that I have given something remarkable about the plot away but when you consider the opening sentence which is fantastic, it becomes clear that I haven't.

"My husband did not mean to kill Annie Doyle, but the lying tramp deserved it".

What I said: 

This book has left me with much to think about. There are thoughts of what happens when the events of our childhoods have repercussions in adulthood and it is also a story of a Mothers love and how far someone is prepared to go to protect the ones they love. It is also a story of truth and lies, cat and mouse and a story of control. 

Addictive reading, I would definitely recommend it. "

Lying in Wait was published by Penguin and you can read my full review here.

If war is madness, how can love survive?
Yugoslavia, summer 1979. A new village. A new life. But eight-year-old Miro knows the real reason why his family moved from the inland city of Knin to the sunkissed village of Ljeta on the Dalmatian Coast, a tragedy he tries desperately to forget.
The Ljeta years are happy ones, though, and when he marries his childhood sweetheart, and they have a baby daughter, it seems as though life is perfect. However, storm clouds are gathering above Yugoslavia.
War breaks out, and one split-second decision destroys the life Miro has managed to build. Driven by anger and grief, he flees to Dubrovnik, plunging himself into the hard-bitten world of international war reporters.
There begins a journey that will take him ever deeper into danger: from Dubrovnik, to Sarajevo, to the worst atrocities of war-torn Bosnia, Miro realises that even if he survives, there can be no way back to his earlier life. The war will change him, and everyone he loves, forever.

What I said:

This book is a brutal and realistic portrayal of the savages of war on lives and also those that are left to continue afterwards. War changes everybody. I felt incredibly emotional reading this book, the author did such a fantastic job of describing Croatia, and then also did an accurate job of describing how whole villages were destroyed when the fighting starting. "

The People We Were Before was Published by Quercus and you can read my full review here.


A perfect life … until she discovered it wasn’t her own 

A tragic family event reveals devastating news that rips apart Bella’s comfortable existence. Embarking on a personal journey to uncover the truth, she faces a series of traumatic discoveries that take her to the ruggedly beautiful Cornish coast, where hidden truths, past betrayals and a 25-year-old mystery threaten not just her identity, but also her life. Chilling, complex and profoundly moving, In Her Wake is a gripping psychological thriller that questions the nature of family – and reminds us that sometimes the most shocking crimes are committed closest to home.

What I said:

I would say that ultimately this book is an exploration of families, identity, betrayal, and what happens to us when the root of everything we know gets turned upside down.

If you like thrilling, shocking and exciting books written with a great skill and beautiful prose then this author and this book are for you. You can tell with every word, sentence and page that writing is her craft."

In Her Wake was Published by Orenda and you can see my full review here.

1977: A killer is released from prison and returns home to a decaying, deserted boarding house choked with weeds and foreboding. 

Memories of strange rituals, gruesome secrets and shame hang heavy in the air, exerting a brooding power over young Stella Moon. 

She is eager to restart her life, but first she must confront the ghosts of her macabre family history and her own shocking crime. Guilt, paranoia and manipulation have woven a tangled web of truth and lies. All is ambiguous. Of only one thing is she certain... 

Stella Moon killed her own mother.

What I said:

The author's experience in Psychology has made this book the triumph that it is, an exploration of memory and of truth and reality. A melee of past and present,  I have found few other books as compelling this year. It made me sad in places and it make me feel angry and I think that it is a great skill of writing to be able to provoke reactions and thought. "

The Confession of Stella Moon was Published by Contraband and you can read my full review here.

When Ben and Juliette's young daughter dies in a tragic accident on a school trip, they begin searching for answers. But will they ever know the truth? What was the role of the teacher on the trip - and are the rumours about his past true? As Ben and Juliette search for the truth and the pressure rises, their own secrets and motivations are revealed.... An Honest Deceit is an intelligent and gripping contemporary psychological thriller that questions not just the motives of others, but the real reasons for discovering the truth.

What I said:

This book is spectacular. It burns away with a quiet fury, that doesn't die down until the final page turns. Clever, creative, complex and unforgettable it gets under your skin and itches away. Guy Mankowski is a very talented writer, who has a real skill for the portrayal of the best and worst traits of humanity. "

An Honest Deceit was Published by Urbane Publications and you can read my full review here.

A missing boy. A missing book. A missing husband. A woman who must find them all to find herself.

On the night Bernadette finally has the courage to tell her domineering husband that she's leaving, he doesn't come home. Neither does Conor, the little boy she's befriended for the past five years. Also missing is his lifebook, the only thing that holds the answers. With the help of Conor's foster mum, Bernadette must face her own past, her husband's secrets and a future she never dared imagine in order to find them all.

Exquisitely written and deeply touching, The Mountain in My Shoe is both a gripping psychological thriller and a powerful and emotive examination of the meaning of family ... and just how far we're willing to go for the people we love.

What I said:

This is a story of hope and fixing what is cracked but never broken, it is about removing the pebble from ones shoes and it is about not being defined by one portion of your life....Louise Beech writes with such a grace and elegance. There is a real empathy between those lines, but also an urgency that demands the story to be read and a spark that keeps the story real. It is hard not to be enchanted by her work."

The Mountain In My Shoe was Published by Orenda and you can read my full review here.

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So that is it from me for the moment, I hope you get a chance to read some of the books listed here if you haven't already. 


28/11/2016

** BLOG TOUR ** When the Floods Came by Clare Morrall


Delighted to be kicking off the blog tour for the paperback publication of When the Flood Came by Clare Morrall. My thanks to the author and Sceptre for the review copy.

In a world prone to violent flooding, Britain, ravaged 20 years earlier by a deadly virus, has been largely cut off from the rest of the world. Survivors are few and far between, most of them infertile. Children, the only hope for the future, are a rare commodity.
For 22-year-old Roza Polanski, life with her family in their isolated tower block is relatively comfortable. She's safe, happy enough. But when a stranger called Aashay Kent arrives, everything changes. At first he's a welcome addition, his magnetism drawing the Polanskis out of their shells, promising an alternative to a lonely existence. But Roza can't shake the feeling that there's more to Aashay than he's letting on. Is there more to life beyond their isolated bubble? Is it true that children are being kidnapped? And what will it cost to find out?
Clare Morrall, author of the Man Booker Prize-shortlisted Astonishing Splashes of Colour, creates a startling vision of the future in a world not so very far from our own, and a thrilling story of suspense.


My Thoughts:

I actually really like Dystopian fiction, so was intrigued by the premise of this one from the outset. In her latest novel Clare Morrall has managed to create a post apocalyptic landscape that is as interesting as it is scary. Scary in the fact that it had me thinking, could this actually one day happen!

The Polanski family live in Birmingham, one of very few families left. The families live in four tower blocks. Over 20 years ago a virus called Hoffmans swept across Britain bringing with it flooding and a strange infertility that affects the few survivors. There are no cars left, the survivors use the Motorways for bicycles instead. This book, I would suggest is an examination of the fall out of Global Warming, pollution and the marginalisation of people.

In a time when all of the machines are beginning to stop working and parts can no longer be found the families have to survive by themselves in what is at times a desolate situation.

Roza is about to be married to Hector, she met him on the computer. A mysterious stranger called Aashay arrives on the scene. There is where the story gets more intriguing. 

I found this book to be complex in so many ways, at some points I admittedly found it a tad confusing. The author has a spectacularly vivid imagination that has created the landscape on somewhat familiar territory. I found the landscape and the plot far more interesting than the peculiar characters that are contained within the story.

Throughout the story there are little bits of nursery rhymes that seemed to work well in tying the past to the present. This seems to me to be a good way to understand that words, stories and rhymes can survive great harshness and they will still be recounted in time to come with familiarity. As such they are a lasting reminder of different times.

I can't help thinking that Clare Morrall has written something of an allegory of the world and the direction in which it is heading. Of which some admittedly went over my head. I had to persevere with it, not finding it an easy read. I am glad to have read it. all be it that I found the ending a little ambiguous.

An unusual book within its genre, if you have read it I would love to hear your thoughts. 






About the Author: 

Clare Morrall's first novel, Astonishing Splashes of Colour, was published in 2003 and shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize that year. She has since published the novels Natural Flights of the Human Mind, The Language of OthersThe Man Who Disappeared, which was a TV Book Club Summer Read in 2010, The Roundabout Man andAfter the Bombing.
Born in Exeter, Clare Morrall now lives in Birmingham. She works as a music teacher, and has two daughters.


27/11/2016

Lost in Static by Christina Philippou


Lost in Static


Sometimes growing up is seeing someone else's side of the story.

Four stories. One truth. Whom do you believe? 

Callum has a family secret. Yasmine wants to know it. Juliette thinks nobody knows hers. All Ruby wants is to reinvent herself. 

They are brought together by circumstance, torn apart by misunderstanding. As new relationships are forged and confidences are broken, each person's version of events is coloured by their background, beliefs and prejudices. And so the ingredients are in place for a year shaped by lust, betrayal, and violence... 

Lost in Static is the gripping debut from author Christina Philippou. Whom will you trust?


Lost in Static is available from, amongst others, Amazon UKAmazon US, and direct from the publisher, Urbane Publications.

My Thoughts:

I am delighted that I finally found the time to read Christina Philippou's debut novel, Lost in Static. She was a guest on my #MondayMusing feature earlier this year where she discussed her route to publication.

Lost in Static is the story of a group of teenagers embarking on their first year of University. It is full of new challenges, freedom and opportunities. It is somewhat of a coming of age story, but there is a sinister note to the story. From the outset of the story there is a crumpled body at the bottom of a stairwell and not everything is as straightforward as it appears. 

This author has a unique writing style, managing to give all of her characters their own voice and writing style. This was an important aspect of why this book worked for me. I particularly liked the email sections that Callum was sending, I think this more to do with the fact that I was desperate to know who they were to!

It was easy to become drawn into this story as it slowly unravelled as it was being told from each person and their own experience and perspective. I found it difficult to find any of the characters particularly likeable and found some of them a bit annoying and immature. Although this didn't detract me from reading the story.

I love the way that this author has portrayed University, whilst being a fun time and a journey of discovery there are also challenging and confusing times. Important themes tackled in this book are sexuality, friendship, betrayal, drink and drugs. Whilst this book wasn't as light hearted as I expected I really enjoyed the way the themes were tackled sensitively. 

This was an assured debut and I look forward to reading more by this author in the future. 

About the Author:


Christina Philippou’s writing career has been a varied one, from populating the short-story notebook that lived under her desk at school to penning reports on corruption and terrorist finance. When not reading or writing, she can be found engaging in sport or undertaking some form of nature appreciation. Christina has three passports to go with her three children, but is not a spy. Lost in Static is her first novel.

Christina is also the founder of the contemporary fiction author initiative, Britfic.

You can connect with Christina on TwitterFacebook, Instagram and Google+.


20/11/2016

A Year and a Day by Isabelle Broom


A Year and a Day was published by Michael Joseph Books on 17th November 2016. My thanks to the Author and Publisher for the review copy.

A heartwarming and heartbreaking story about love and life in one of Europe's most romantic cities, Prague.
Welcome to a city where wishes are everywhere
For Megan, a winter escape to Prague with her friend Ollie is a chance to find some inspiration for her upcoming photography exhibition. But she's determined to keep their friendship from becoming anything more. Because if Megan lets Ollie find out about her past, she risks losing everything - and she won't let that happen again . . .
For Hope, the trip is a surprise treat from Charlie, her new partner. But she's struggling to enjoy the beauty of the city when she knows how angry her daughter is back home. And that it's all her fault . . .
For Sophie, the city has always been a magical place. This time she can't stop counting down the moments until her boyfriend Robin joins her. But in historic Prague you can never escape the past . . .
Three different women.

Three intertwining love stories.

One unforgettable, timeless city.

My Thoughts:
This novel was engaging and captivating from the outset. Set in Prague, this city seemed to hold the magic and was the perfect place for the story to be set. I have been to Prague and I loved it, it is one of the most interesting places I have been and I think it is a special place. 
This is a story of love in its various stages and about friendship and relationships. Centered around three couples who meet in the hotel bar. They formed a group bond throughout their trip and would join up now and again. 
The characters in this story are all very well written but are all different, this book mainly focuses on the three women. Megan is a keen photographer and that is her passion and seemingly the only thing she is interested in. Hope is having a rocky time, she has lost herself, is Prague the place where that changes, can she be inspired to find herself. Finally Sophie, throughout the story there is a melancholy and wistfulness about her. She is absolutely devoted to Robin and he is due to join her at the end of the trip. Is everything with her as it seems?
I loved the way that these characters and their stories came to life in those restaurants, bars and on the streets of Prague I could really visualise myself being there. There is a magic and a spark about this novel that makes it very special indeed. 
This book examines thoughts and feelings that we all have at life defining moments when we take stock of where we are and what the future might hold. 
I wasn't expecting to be as emotionally invested in this story but it swept me up and at times I had a lump in my throat. It is a beautiful read to curl up with at this time of year.
This author has a previous novel out called My Map of You, how lucky am I that I haven't read that one and still have some more to read.
Pure and delightful escapism that was well written and beautiful, what is not to like. 

About the Author:
Isabelle Broom was born in Cambridge nine days before the 1980s began and studied Media Arts at the University of West London before starting a career first in local newspapers and then as a junior sub-editor at heat magazine. She travelled through Europe during her gap year and went to live on the Greek island of Zakynthos for an unforgettable and lifeshaping six months after completing her degree. Since then, she has travelled to Canada, Sri Lanka, Sicily, New York, LA, the Canary Islands, Spain and lots more of Greece, but her wanderlust was reined in when she met Max, a fluffy little Bolognese puppy desperate for a home. When she's not writing novels set in far-flung locations, Isabelle spends her time being the Book Reviews Editor at heat magazine and walking her beloved dog round the parks of north London. 
You can follow her on Twitter @Isabelle_Broom or find her on Facebook under Isabelle Broom Author. 

11/11/2016

** BLOG TOUR ** My Sister's Bones by Nuala Ellwood



 I am delighted to be taking part in the My Sister's Bones blog tour today. Published by Penguin in hardback and audio on 9th February 2017. The eBook is available now. My thanks to the publisher and author for the review copy and inviting me on the blog tour.

Kate Rafter is a high-flying war reporter. She's the strong one. The one who escaped their father. Her sister Sally didn't. Instead, she drinks.

But when their mother dies, Kate is forced to return to the old family home. And on her very first night she is woken by a terrifying scream. At first she tells herself it's just a nightmare, a legacy of her time in Syria.

But then she hears it again. And this time she knows she's not imagining it...

What secret is lurking in her mother's garden?
And can Kate get to the truth...before she loses her mind?


My Thoughts:

It was with great anticipation that I started reading this book. Due in no short part to the publicity that I had seen around twitter with teaser snippets and an email I received with a voice recording. 

I really did not know what to expect when picking this book up. The cover and synopsis gave little away. What I found was an astonishing debut that was gripping and shocking in equal measure. Nuala Ellwood is a fine writer that is superbly skilled at writing flawed and damaged characters and unreliable narrators. So much so that it is hard to know who to believe and who not to. 

Kate Rafter has just returned from Syria, she is a war reporter that has seen things that we could only imagine. Her sister Sally is an alcoholic that struggles with everyday life. The sisters seem to have little in common and do not seem particularly close at all. There was some moving passages about what it is like in a war zone. 

The sisters are brought back together when their mother dies and Kate returns to the family home. Set in Herne Bay, this place is almost another character within the story. At the outset we discover that Kate is being interviewed by police about events that have occurred recently. She seems agitated and confused, and appears to be having a Mental Health crisis. Can her version of events be trusted? Is she hearing voices? Is she seeing things? 

My Sister's Bones is clever, complex and has an intricately weaved plot. This is really accomplished writing and I gasped as I read the last few chapters. Difficult issues are contained within this book but all are tackled with intelligence and sensitivity. Issues such as Domestic Violence, PTSD, alcoholism and bereavement. There are twists and turns aplenty and there is a feeling of tension throughout. It is hard to know which characters to trust, this is where this book was the most thrilling for me. I was on the edge of the seat as I didn't know what was coming next. 

Nuala Ellwood brings something new to a crowded genre and not only that she manages to stand out. This book is going to be huge, and it deserves to be so. 



About the Author:


Nuala Ellwood moved to London in her twenties to pursue a career as a singer-songwriter, but ended up writing novels instead. She comes from a family of war reporters, and they inspired her to get Arts Council funding to research and write a novel dealing with psychological trauma in the industry. My Sister's Bones is her debut thriller.

You can find her on Twitter: @NualaWrites




It would be lovely if you stopped by some other stops on the month long tour.


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