Month: January 2021

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The Boatman’s Wife-Books On Tour (Review)-Fiction-Available Now

I was a huge fan of this author’s The Island Girls, so I was excited to see a new release.

Right off the bat, I have to say that this is one of my favorite books of the year.

I know, we’re only a few weeks in. But it was so well-written and interesting that I think it would be one of my favorites even if it were later in the year.

I do need to preface this review by re-stating that once I read an initial blurb about a book, I don’t go back and additional blurbs or other early reviews. I prefer to be surprised (as much as possible) by what I read, or at the very least, don’t want a roadmap of what to expect.

This usually works in my favor and this book is no exception. The first part of the book was especially interesting as two seemingly disparate storylines were introduced.

One is set in Rockland, Maine in October 2017 and the other is set in Mullaghmore, Ireland in July 1992. It’s obvious that they tie together somehow, but the author does a great job of slowly building the connections.

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To me, the gradual coming together of the two storylines reminded me of the way the tide comes in and out – fitting, I suppose, considering the focus on the ocean in this book.

Although I couldn’t entirely relate to Lily and her grief, the author wrote her in such a way that she was thoroughly understandable and sympathetic. I was instantly ready to take the journey right along side of her.

And what an interesting journey it was.

From the heartbreak of her loss to the family drama she unwittingly uncovered, everything was well-written and kept me engaged.

I especially liked the point that we don’t ever really know the history of the people closest to us, no matter how close we are. It’s impossible to know everything that happened before a couple got together.

This could be said for any relationship, I think. There has to be faith and trust, but I do believe that everyone keeps a part of their past from people. It might not be because of shame or embarrassment, but simply because it’s not relevant anymore.

I don’t know how I would exactly classify Connor’s “secret” but I would say that Lily learned a lot about life in her search for the truth about her husband.

I very much enjoyed this book from beginning to end and I look forward to reading more from this author.

Facebook: NoelleCBHarrison
Twitter: NoelleHarrison

Author Bio:

I’m an Irish author who’s been writing novels and plays for nearly thirty years. My first novel, Beatrice was published in August 2004 which was a bestseller in Ireland. This was followed by A Small Part Of me in 2005, I Remember in 2008, The Adulteress in 2010, The Secret Loves of Julia in 2012, The Gravity of Love in 2018, and The Island Girls in 2020.

I currently live in Edinburgh in Scotland, and I am one of the founders of Aurora Writers’ Retreats, and part of the wellness hub The Space To BE.

If you like stories written from the heart, historical with contemporary timeslip, family mysteries and secrets and always always a love story set against evocative landscapes from all over the world, you might like to pick up one of my books. My aim is to tell women’s stories from the past and present and to give voice to those who are rarely heard.

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The Little Grave-Books On Tour (Review)-Crime Thriller-Available Now

I have mixed feelings about this book.

On the one hand, I liked that the protagonist (Amanda Steele) had such a personal connection to the case she was trying to solve. As with any plot, if there is more human connection to the events, it is more interesting.

The grief that Amanda was still feeling about losing her husband and daughter was palpable from the beginning. It did make her sympathetic and relatable, because anyone who has suffered a tragedy would be able to relate.

That feeling of “get up, go through the motions, get through the day” was well-captured by the author.

Once the case pops up, her grief (and the anger that went along with it) has to be tempered with the drive to solve the case properly. It’s an interesting juxtaposition of feelings that presents certain challenges to Amanda.

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That’s kind of the problem I had with the believability of it. From what I know, no supervisor in their right mind would even think about allowing someone to be that involved with such a personal case, much less essentially take the lead on it.

But reading novels is about suspending disbelief, right? So, I tried to do that. For me it was a bit difficult because Amanda’s emotions are so closely tied to her actions that the separation of the two didn’t always happen.

I suppose in that regard, my reading experience mirrored Amanda’s more closely than some others might, simply because I understood the conflicts?

All of that being said, this isn’t the author’s first crime procedural and she apparently does extensive research, so I could be totally off base on this. I don’t know.

What I do know is that the author did a great job of tying threads together. Amanda soon finds that what she thought was a simple case with a personal attachment is actually much more. I thought this was well-plotted.

All in all, I think it was a successful first book of the series, and I look forward to seeing how Amanda progresses through future investigations.

TWITTER: Carolyn_Arnold
 FACEBOOK: AuthorCarolynArnold

Author Bio:

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has several continuing fiction series and has nearly thirty published books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures. Her crime fiction series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining. This led to her adopting the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.

Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.

She currently lives near London, Ontario, Canada with her husband and two beagles.

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The German Girl-Books On Tour (Review)-Historical Fiction-Available Now

This author’s The Child of Auschwitz is a book that stayed with me for a long time. I thought she had a very strong understanding of the horrors of Nazi actions during WWII but balanced those with illustrations of compassion and resilience quite effectively.

 I was, therefore, very excited to see her latest book revisiting WWII. I was not disappointed.

I particularly liked how the contemporary storyline took place in Sweden. Most of the historical fiction WWII novels I have read recently either have a British or American connection. I enjoyed (if one could say that about Nazi persecutions) the different perspective.

I also thought the author did a good job of setting up the contemporary story line. I know that my grandfather never talked about his time in the South Pacific when he returned from WWII, but that he was a changed man (by all accounts)

I think that this was a common story among people (especially men) who saw and experienced the atrocities of war. Didn’t matter if it was in combat, or at the hands of the enemy. Their positions as protectors of their families were threatened – and often destroyed.

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Ingrid’s grandfather personified that. By establishing this from the beginning, the author made him a sympathetic character in a way that went beyond simply feeling sorry for his story. He was very real.

Because of this, I thought there was a good balance between the contemporary and historical story lines. Sometimes one is stronger than the other, but in this case, they complimented each other. To me, this meant that the reading was smoother because the transitions were natural and not abrupt.

My only complaint (and it’s really a minor one) is the change in title. It was originally titled The Flight of Swallows. I thought this was much more evocative and thought-provoking. I don’t know why it changed to the mundane and non-descriptive The German Girl.

In looking at my review of the author’s last book, it seems as if the same thing occurred. Interesting to note (though not of any real importance, I suppose).

Still, this was a good read with interesting characters and a unique perspective. I would recommend it.

Twitter: @lilygrahambooks
Facebook: LilyRoseGrahamAuthor/

Author Bio:

Lily has been telling stories since she was a child, starting with her imaginary rabbit, Stephanus, and their adventures in the enchanted peach tree in her garden, which she envisioned as a magical portal to Enid Blyton’s Faraway Tree. She’s never really got out of the habit of making things up, and still thinks of Stephanus rather fondly.

She lives with her husband and her English bulldog, Fudge, and brings her love for the sea and country-living to her fiction.

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Their Frozen Graves-Books On Tour (Review)-Crime Thriller-Available Now

I really enjoyed the first Mackenzie Price book, Our Daughter’s Bones (formerly Hidden Lake). I thought that the main character was just messed up enough to be interesting without seeming to be a caricature. I was therefore interested to see what the next case would be.

The author does not disappoint.

Keeping the reader as off balance as Mackenzie herself is, the action takes off quickly; the fast start involved me right away and kept me interested through the whole book.

I liked how there were parallels between Mackenzie private life (which is still a mess, but kind of even more so with some early revelations) and the investigation that she undertakes in this book.

I mean, who doesn’t like a “I thought they were dead, but they aren’t” theme?

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I felt that Mackenzie continued to grow as a character in this book. It’s easy to have the lead stay the same – there’s something comforting in knowing how Sherlock Holmes will approach something (for example).

But Mackenzie rolls with the punches and each revelation from her twisted past shapes her. She is both street smart and book smart (which I like) and she doesn’t suffer fools (which I really like).

I like the relationship between Nick and Mackenzie. It reminds me of real-life police partnerships I have seen. There’s an understanding, a camaraderie, and a warped sense of caring that goes beyond respect for a co-worker. The author captures this well.

As with the first book, the author also does a great job of weaving all of the threads together into a cohesive narrative that kept me turning pages to the very end.

And (as always) I’m not going to give away the investigation or any plot points. They’re original and very entertaining.

In a genre that sometimes feels overcrowded with tough-talking, strong female protagonist crime solvers, Mackenzie is a stand-out. I can’t wait to read more of her investigations.

Twitter:  RuhiSChoudhary

Author Bio:

Ruhi Choudhary discovered her passion for writing when she was seven years old and wrote her first Star Trek episode. Being a fan of the dark and twisted, she found her calling in crime thriller.

She likes to write stories that make you a little uncomfortable and characters that you struggle to make up your mind about but stay with you.

She lives in Toronto and spends her days training to be a scientist and wishing it rained more often!

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Single Mother-Books On Tour (Review)-Psych Thriller-Available Now

It’s no secret that I like a psych thriller that keeps me guessing, and this one definitely fit the bill.

I thought everything, from the characters to the plot and even minute details, was well-done. The author did a great job of laying everything out so that it all made sense, even as the reader was trying to figure out the truth right along with the characters.

I will admit, I wasn’t sure what to make of Mel at first. It was obvious that she was a hard luck case, but some of the descriptions didn’t seem to fit with each other. I just couldn’t get a grasp on her. But that didn’t really bother me.

The same could be said for Katie, her daughter. They were obviously struggling, and it made sense that she would be picked on (because kids like her often are, unfortunately). But the instances and descriptions of the bullying against her seemed over the top – especially not for Mel to do anything.

But that all went by the wayside when they relocated – and then plot picked up.

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There was a gothic feel to the primary location: the mysterious acquisition, the reclusive tenant, and the odd occurrences all added to the atmosphere.

I liked how this seemed to get under Mel’s skin, as she began to see the person who haunted her the most in every detail. She had a nagging feeling of dread that came across clear and was shared with the reader.

I also thought it was effective in showing how her perspective was skewed by that person and how she sometimes couldn’t see the forest for the trees, never knowing exactly who to trust.

Turns out there was good reason for that – but I’m not giving anything away.

I did like the parallels that were revealed between Mel and another character and thought that a couple of the surprises were well-done. A few wrap-ups didn’t work as well for me but didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment.

The author had me guessing right up until the very last page (and I mean that literally), so I would certainly recommend this as a good psych thriller to help get you through the January doldrums.

FACEBOOK: SamanthaHayesAuthor
TWITTER: samhayes

Author Bio:

Samantha Hayes grew up in a creative family where her love of writing began as a child. Samantha has written eight thrillers in total, including the bestselling Until You’re Mine. The Independent said “fantastically written and very tense” while Good Housekeeping said “Her believable psychological thrillers are completely gripping.” Samantha’s books are published in 22 languages at the last count.

When not writing, Samantha loves to cook, go to the gym, see friends and drink nice wine. She is also studying for a degree in psychotherapy. She has three grown-up children and lives in Warwickshire.

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The Missing Woman-Books On Tour (Review)-Psych Thriller-Available Now

This was a great book to kick off the new year!

In some ways, it reminded me of a locked room suspense thriller because a lot of the action is static. That’s not to say that it was boring – the fact that much of the information is relayed via conversations actually added to the tension.

I spent the first half of this book trying to figure out what each character was hiding, because it certainly seemed as if there were secrets galore. A few were revealed here and there, which kept me engaged.

Roughly halfway through the book, the author abruptly switches for some backstory. I did not see it coming. There was a lot of information in this section of the book. Some of it was obvious as to the bearing it had on the current day events and some of it was more subtle.

It was an effective way of relaying important information while also casting doubt on the reliability of Erica. From this point, I had a hard time deciding whether or not I trusted her. It made me read a little more carefully.

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I also thought that the author did a good job of making pretty much every character unreliable at one point or another. Even though it was a crime mystery type of book, I still felt like I was evaluating each of the character’s stories and actions for their veracity.

It was a great way to stay active in the story that added on the switches and suspicions.

And then there was the big shoe drop. And I mean BIG.

I didn’t see it coming.

At 75%, another bomb….and it was glorious.

I’m going to get myself into a corner and give something away. So, I’m going to stop here. Suffice to say that everything you think you know or suspect in the first ¾ of the book? You don’t know. Or you’re wrong.

It did seem as if the author tried to wrap up in a hurry, and the ending seemed a little rushed, but all of the revelations were enough to make it interesting until the very end.

It’s masterful, and it absolutely elevated this book from a good psych thriller to the top of my list. That’s pretty good for the first week of the year.

Don’t miss this one.

Twitter: @GCrossAuthor
Facebook: GeorginaCrossAuthor
Instagram: GeorginaCrossAuthor

Author Bio:

Georgina Cross is the author of works of domestic suspense, psychological suspense, and thriller.

She is represented by Rachel Beck with Liza Dawson Associates with her suspense fiction appealing to readers of The Good Girl by Mary Kubica, The Marriage Lie by Kimberly Belle, The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth, and Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty.

Georgina has been writing since she was a child. Notebooks & floppy discs filled with stories: adventures growing up in New Orleans and tales from Malaysia & England where her family lives. After graduating from Louisiana State University, she pursued a career in marketing & communications and founded Susie’s Wish non-profit which sends patients with life threatening illnesses to the beach. She spends time with her husband and their combined family of four sons watching plenty of scary movies and is thrilled to be a full-time author.

Author website: www.Georgina-Cross-Author.com

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An American in Paris-Books On Tour(Review)-Historical Fiction-Available Now

At the beginning, I wasn’t quite sure what to make of this historical fiction book. I knew from the initial chapter that it started pre-WWII, but that’s a lot of ground to cover. An abrupt change to a contemporary second chapter kept me off balance.
However, it quickly became apparent that the author’s intent was to draw as many parallels between Florence and Sage as possible even before their actual connection was revealed.
Once I realized this, I was fully engrossed in the story. By the end, I knew that it would be one that I remembered for a long time.
I liked all of the similarities – some subtle, some obvious – between the two women’s stories. I thought the author did an admirable job of letting those unfold and letting the reader draw their own conclusions.
I also liked how both women were strong, but didn’t actually realize it. Florence was a dancer who wanted to do more, but only had her words to offer; Sage had made a life as an influencer, but came to the realization that she really influenced nobody, because it was all for show.
Both women’s progressions were interesting and kept me hooked. Sometimes in a historical fiction novel, one time period seems a lot stronger or more real than the other. That wasn’t the case here; I was equally interested in both storylines.

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I enjoyed the author’s sense of humor (for example, Florence and Otto’s “unmentionables” meeting and Sage trying to figure out biscuits and gravy). These moments, and several others, added humanity to the women.
Where I thought the author truly exceled was in the descriptions of Paris, both pre-occupation and with the arrival of the Nazis. She did a fantastic job of capturing the atmosphere of the city and beliefs of the people.
She also shined a bright light on how easy it was for some people to be fooled into supporting the Nazis’ rules and behaviors. Pretty stark lesson to learn there.
If that was a cautionary tale from history, Sage’s initial meltdown and perspective on social media was commentary on today’s obsession with surface matters. It made an interesting juxtaposition with Florence’s realization that gossip was more interesting to people than real news.
That was perhaps my favorite parallel between the two timelines. “We didn’t start the fire” and human nature hasn’t changed as much as we think it has.
Regardless, I highly recommend this book. It was a fascinating look at how history can easily repeat itself. Thought-provoking and entertaining, definitely one of my favorites.

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