Category: Book Reviews

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Books On Tour (Review): Fearless Girl by Emma Tallon

I absolutely devoured this book but will admit that I felt like I was coming in halfway through the story. Turns out, that feeling was not unfounded.

Memo to me: check before starting a series in the middle.

Buy Link: https://geni.us/B083WCYPWLSocial

First, the good parts (and there were a lot of them). I loved the grittiness of the world that the author created. The atmosphere was apparent from the very beginning, and the characters matched the world in which they lived. The author has established a fully-realized setting where everything and everyone fits in their place.

From the central players down to the minions of the “family,” the characters were realistic.  I got an excellent sense of Anna’s sorrow and determination, of Freddie’s tension, even of Ethan’s uncertainty as he seems to understand more than adults give him credit for noticing.

The plot itself is good for this installment, and this is totally my fault, but it is also where I bogged down a little bit. It is gripping (two brothers get out of prison and return to their “family business”). But not having read the first books, I was missing all of the set up that really would have brought everything together.

It’s a strange thing because I “got it.” I mean, I understood the characters’ motivations, and I wasn’t lost in the plot at all – the story for this book is clear. But without the backstory, it was simply a story instead of the continuation of an epic family story. I found myself debating whether or not I should stop reading and go back to start at the beginning of the series, which pulled me out of the story. I hope that makes sense.

I think it’s a testament to the author to be able to create this kind of conundrum.

It’s aI want to be clear that this is totally on me – as mentioned, the author has created a gritty and hard-hitting world filled with unique characters, and this was a great read. I would definitely recommend picking it up – but learn from my mistake, and 100% read the others in the series first. You will enjoy it so much more.

P.S. It can be read as a stand-alone (I did it) but would be much more enjoyable with the other stories under your belt first.

Author Bio:

Emma Tallon is a British, gritty crime writer, adventurer, Londoner and mother to a young son. Starting her career a few years ago as a ghostwriter, Emma crafted some of the most adventurous, edgy and heart-wrenching stories you can find on the shelves today.

In March 2017 Emma stepped out of the literary shadows and self-published her first book, Life Game. The book was an instant success, the results far exceeding anything she had expected. As news of Life Games popularity spread, she joined forces with W.F.Howes and the audiobook was launched in October 2017.

In December 2017, Emma signed a book deal with publishers Bookouture. This included Life Game which was changed, re-edited and re-released as Runaway Girl.

Drawing inspiration for her books from a mixture of her own observations and an active imagination, the characters Emma paints are colourful and larger than life. Her story lines are an interesting recipe of deep emotion and violent grit, that keep her readers engrossed.

With more books in the works for this series already, Emma has many more stories planned out for the future.

For more information on Emma or to join her mailing list, please go to: www.emmatallon.com or alternatively, follow her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/emmatallonofficial or on Twitter: @EmmaEsj
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Book Review: The School Mistress of Emerson Pass by Tess Thompson

I am a huge fan of this author’s Cliffside Bay series, so I was very excited to see that she was branching out into a new series with a historical setting. I am happy to say that all of the trademarks of her writing are still present.

The premise (young, pretty, schoolmistress shows up in a wild west town) is one that is familiar and dear to me. I grew up in Northern California, whose modern history is built on the Gold Rush of 1848-49. I quite literally grew up on stories about people who came from the East to make money to send back home, intending to return but winding up staying.

Field trips were to Sutter’s Mill and ghost towns, and vacations were spent in the Sierra Nevadas, where some mining towns have modernized, but retained their history. The author’s descriptions of Emerson Pass, therefore, felt familiar and allowed me to be comfortable in the setting. She did a great job of bringing the town (warts and all) to life.

I also liked how she had a cross-section of characters filling the town. None of them were caricatures, and they seemed like they could have been built on real people (pretty sure this author does a LOT of research to get things just right). Everything about the characters and situations rang true.

I have to give a special shout out to the Barnes children. I liked how each one had their own personality and weren’t just lumpy children. There is sometimes the tendency of authors to focus on adult characters at the expense of children, but that’s not the case here. This is good, especially considering that Quinn is a schoolmistress – the individuality of all of the children is essential.

I very much enjoyed this book, and I look forward to more visits to Emerson Pass.

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Books On Tour (Review): Daughters of Wild Rose Bay by Susanne O’Leary

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but I can safely say that it wasn’t a purple-haired Irish mother on a raw food diet who is into yoga and meditating. And that’s just one reason I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Amazon: https://geni.us/B082FGJ97WSocial
Apple Books: https://apple.co/2E0WUWP
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2YxxZDQ
Googleplay: http://bit.ly/38hq9Tg

It is filled with quirky characters, some of whom may be familiar to readers of this series (it’s the fourth out of five books). As I am new to the series, I found joy in each new introduction from Sally to Mad Brendan and all of the other inhabitants of Sandy Cove. And yes, Aiden is an absolutely swoon-worthy Irish suitor. 🙂

I thought that the author painted a lovely picture of an Irish seaside town. Her writing is almost lyrical at times, effortless to read, and it drew me in, nearly lulling me the way lapping waves on a beach would. I know that might sound a little corny, but I had that same feeling of contentment as I read.

I also like Jasmine as the “heroine.” I thought her background was unique, and I enjoyed her journey. I also appreciated how the author didn’t hit the reader with a great big sob story from the start. That sometimes seems manipulative, like we’re being forced to feel pity for the character.

But Ms. O’Leary allows us to get to know Jasmine gradually so that when her reasons for leaving France are revealed, we have a greater understanding of her and, therefore, my reactions and feelings towards Jasmine were more real and heartfelt.

As I mentioned, this is the fourth book in the Sandy Cove series. If Daughters of Wild Rose Bay is any indication, I will absolutely be going back and grabbing the first four to catch up while I wait for the fifth one. This is a place I will be happy to revisit.

Author Bio

Susanne O’Leary is the bestselling author of more than twenty novels, mainly in the romantic fiction genre. She has also written three crime novels and two in the historical fiction genre. She has been the wife of a diplomat (still is), a fitness teacher and a translator. She now writes full-time from either of two locations, a ramshackle house in County Tipperary, Ireland or a little cottage overlooking the Atlantic in Dingle, County Kerry. When she is not scaling the mountains of said counties, or keeping fit in the local gym, she keeps writing, producing a book every six months.

Visit Susanne at her website, http://www.susanne-oleary.co.uk  or her blog, http://bit.ly/11F4e4S 
Find her on Facebook, http://on.fb.me/1A2NAbr and on Twitter, http://bit.ly/1rH67dK
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Books On Tour (Review): Buried Deep by Susan Wilkins

I always look at the first book in a new series like the pilot of a television show. The author has to introduce all of the characters, give them at least a little bit of backstory, and write a plot that grabs the reader and hooks them for however long the series lasts. I would think that would be a challenging task. Fortunately, the new Detective Megan Thomas series mostly delivers.

Amazon: https://geni.us/B083JLJ8WTSocial
Apple: https://apple.co/2QAaFTL
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2QRPL1m
Google: http://bit.ly/2R0Dibs

I liked Megan. She suffers from almost crippling self-doubt due to past trauma (more on that later). As a result, she has to find her footing personally and in her new assignment. She’s feisty and tenacious, which sometimes leads to conflict with her superiors. Although, it was difficult to determine if that was due to Megan’s personality or for some other reason.

The members of her unit are unique individuals, and I could see the beginnings of a good working relationship between all of them. I did think a couple of them got short shrift; one did not have much to do, and another made some pivotal discoveries but then seemed to get sidelined a bit. Regardless of that, the chemistry is there to build upon in later books.

The plot is twisty, with two different cases running concurrently. The reader is led through both, wondering if they ever converge (I’m not tellin’). But both are fully realized, and the investigations are well-described and thorough.

The only thing that felt stilted was Megan’s past trauma. It seemed to exist in a vacuum, and its sole purpose was to give her a reason to be broken. There was no other tie to anything, which made it seem contrived. I would have liked to have seen it play more of a part, or come full circle somehow.

But that’s trivial. I liked the author’s writing style, and the plot did have me guessing more than a few times. I will undoubtedly be looking to read more of Detective Megan Thomas’s investigations.

Author Bio:

Susan Wilkins also writes as S.J. Wilkins. Susan worked for years in television drama, wrote for shows including Casualty, Heartbeat, Coronation Street and Eastenders and created the London-based detective drama South of the Border.

Her gritty, Essex-based gangster trilogy – THE INFORMANT, THE MOURNER and THE KILLER – has been compared to Martina Cole and Kimberley Chambers and described as “blazingly brilliant” (Sunday Mirror). IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME, her fourth book, is a twisty psychological thriller, featuring police detective Jo Boden, an ambitious cop still grieving for a murdered sister.

For 2020 a completely gripping new series from Susan introduces the tough and determined Detective Megan Thomas. For fans of Ann Cleeves, LJ Ross and Mari Hannah, this will keep you hooked from the first page to the last. Writing as S.J. Wilkins, A KILLER’S HEART – a tense and timely political thriller, is now available on Kindle.

Website:  https://susanwilkins.co.uk
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/susanwilkinsauthor/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/SusanWilkins32

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Blog Tour (Review): Into Darkness by T.J. Brearton

With a chilling start that I knew was NOT going to end well, this book had me riveted from the very beginning.

I can’t describe how well the plot rolled out. It didn’t feel like anything was forced for the sake of the story. Instead, it felt like an actual investigation, with moments of extreme excitement, followed by periods of investigation. Those “down times” would lull me into the steadiness of fact-finding, and then there would be a break in the case. It was all realistic to how an investigation proceeds.

I really liked the main character, Shannon. She was kick-ass and good at her job but didn’t come across as the obnoxious female trying to make a name for herself. She just did good investigative work. I also appreciated that the author didn’t feel the need to give her a traumatic back story to make the reader feel overly sympathetic towards her (I’ve read a few books like that lately). Being able to follow her through the investigation was easy because there were no other hang-ups or distractions.

One of the things that I enjoyed most about this book was the setting. I read a lot of books set in various parts of the UK, and while I find the differences in their police work to be informative, I get excited (and a little wary) when I see one that takes place in the US.

(You may ask why I am wary of US policework? A husband who has 30+ years of LE – over 20 with NYPD. I’ve learned how to sniff out faulty facts and unrealistic investigative steps).

I’m happy to say that this book rang true to me from start to finish. Having lived in the city (most of the time in Queens), it was especially engaging to see areas and specific locations that were familiar (Kew Gardens and Ditmars-Steinway are particularly familiar to me). I also enjoyed Shannon’s memories of upstate NY, as we lived there for a number of years as well (but more in the central area).

I also think that the author did an admirable job of capturing the speech patterns of the residents of the area. In fact, pretty sure that I worked with the secretary/receptionist at the construction site and lived next door to the eyewitness to Monica’s abduction.

The plot itself was also intriguing and covered a lot of ground. It illustrated just how twisted an investigation can be and how pulling the right thread at the right time can make all of the difference. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to more from the author.

About T.J. Brearton

T.J. Brearton’s books have reached half a million readers around the world and have topped the Amazon charts in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. A graduate of the New York Film Academy in Manhattan, Brearton first worked in film before focusing on novels. His books are visually descriptive with sharp dialog and underdog heroes. When not writing, Brearton does whatever his wife and three children tell him to do. They live happily in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate, New York. Yes, there are bears in the Adirondacks. But it’s really quite beautiful when you’re not running for your life.T.J. is the author of Dead Gone and many other crime thrillers. INTO DARKNESS will be his first novel published with Inkubator Books.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BreartonTJ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tjbreartonauthor/
Website: http://tjbrearton.net/
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Books On Tour (Review): My Husband’s Lie by Emma Davies

 A good set up is key to a good story. If the opening doesn’t grab me, it can sometimes be a slog to get through to anything exciting. Fortunately, the author of this book sets up what’s yet to come with two straightforward statements from the main characters. From there, it was a page-turning read to find out what was behind it all.

One thing I appreciated about this book was the story unfolded. Often-times, there seems to be a rush to “get to the good stuff,” which can sometimes feel manipulative. That is not the case here. Ms. Davies does a terrific job of lulling the reader into a sort of peacefulness, as we follow Thea and Drew through their move to Thea’s childhood home.

I got into the renovations of the studio and was excited that the two characters were excited. The author made me feel that much for them that early in the book. But even as everything seems to be coming together for them, there is an ominous feeling that builds right along with Thea’s odd experiences in the village.

This is another thing that I enjoyed; everything is just smooth. It’s hard to explain without giving anything away, but there was a thin line between the bad stuff that started occurring and the struggle Thea had as she tried to reconcile her memories with current events. Everything melded together into one coherent story, and neither thread got lost at the expense of the other. I thought Thea was a solid character, and I especially liked how she took control and helped her story came full-circle.

One of the things I appreciated most, and I suppose this could be considered a mini-spoiler, was that the family unit was not decimated as so often happens in this genre. I thought the author made the point about support and love at any cost crystal clear through both Drew’s and Thea’s actions.

I read this in essentially one sitting, as I was fascinated with how Ms. Davies crafted her story. It kept me interested and even got me teary as resolutions started to occur. This is one you should pick up right away.

Author Bio:

After a varied career, Emma Davies once worked for a design studio where she was asked to provide a fun and humorous (and not necessarily true) anecdote for their website. She wrote the following: ‘I am a bestselling novelist currently masquerading as a thirty something mother of three.’ Well the job in the design studio didn’t work out but she’s now a forty something mother of three and is happy to report the rest of her dream came true.

After many years as a finance manager she now writes full time and is far happier playing with words than numbers. She lives with her husband, three children, and two guinea pigs in rural Shropshire where she writes in all the gaps in between real life. It’s a county she adores, her love of its beautiful people and landscapes providing endless inspiration for her books, and in fact the only thing that would make Shropshire more idyllic is if it were by the sea. 

Pop over to her website www.emmadaviesauthor.com where, amongst other things, you can read about her passion for Pringles and singing loudly in the car. You can also wave to her on twitter @EmDaviesAuthor / https://twitter.com/EmDaviesAuthor or find her on Facebook (a little too often than is good for her):  https://www.facebook.com/emmadaviesauthor/

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Books On Tour (Review): One Of Us is Lying by Shalini Boland

I have read quite a few books by this author, and I think she gets better each time. This one is the best yet.

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3axjJjy
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3asr2Jm
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3dJ64Iu
Google Play: https://bit.ly/2JrGycx

I like a book that starts with a flashback and then moves to the present time, leaving the reader wondering how the first event fits in. The author does a fantastic job with that, as my thoughts on the relationship changed more than a few times.

I thought the characters were interesting, if not a little bit unfinished. All three of the main women were unique individuals, but I didn’t feel like I had a full understanding of them. There was enough information for the plot to move forward, but it wasn’t as in-depth as it might have been.

For example, there were hints about Fiona’s relationship with Nathan, but it wasn’t until the end that we find out the true nature of it, and even then, it’s more of a passing statement. I suppose I’m being a little nitpicky because the plot itself drew me in and kept me turning pages to finish this in one sitting.

I liked how the author shifted between the three women’s perspectives seamlessly. I never felt jolted by the switching point of view; each woman’s story dovetailed nicely into the others. The author also did a great job illustrating how easy it is to get carried away with one’s problems and be oblivious to issues others might be having.

(As always, I know that’s cagey, but you know how I am about giving away plot points).

I did figure out most of the overall mystery around three-quarters of the way through, but that’s not because the author made it obvious. More, I think because I have learned a lot about putting clues together through family work. The perpetrator was quite devious, however, and I liked the attention that was given to detailing the steps they took.

It was a really good, page-turning read, and I would definitely recommend it.

Author Bio

Shalini lives in Dorset, England with her husband, two children, and Jess their cheeky terrier cross. Before kids, she was signed to Universal Music Publishing as a singer-songwriter, but now she spends her days writing suspense thrillers (in between school runs and hanging out endless baskets of laundry).

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShaliniBoland
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Blog Tour (Review): The Terror Within by Linda Regan

Some books have intriguing plots that wind their way to the end, hooking you with just enough information to keep you interested. And some books take off like a rocket, shooting you into the action that continues at such a rapid pace it is nearly impossible to turn pages fast enough to keep up.

The Terror Within is squarely and solidly in the latter category. It quite literally left me breathless.

The author chose to start the story with a happy event before things went south, and that happened very quickly. Almost immediately, the reader is catapulted into the middle of riots that morph into something much more insidious and dangerous. And watch out for the twists (mini-spoiler?)

I thought that the author did an incredible job of keeping the plot moving with action flipping between three different locations. It was so seamless I felt like I was watching a movie – the cuts to each character or location happened that quickly.

I was also impressed with the level of detail the author had regarding the subject matter. Not just about police-work and hostage negotiation but about the perpetrators’ motivations as well.

And that is what I think stood out to me the most about this book. Aside from the pulse-pounding action, the bravery of the author to choose this topic in today’s overly-PC world was bold and unforgettable. The details of the perps’ past crimes and their reasons for their actions were both well-researched and accurate. I commend the author for daring to anger the “righteous indignation” crowd.

Brutality exists in the world. Better to shine a light on it and be aware than be afraid of offending someone. And these guys are brutal. Be forewarned, there is graphic detail of injuries and harming of other people. But for me, this made it all the more realistic and gritty and put it into my top reads of the year.

About Linda Regan

Linda is a successful actress, still best known for her portrayal of April, the sweet yellow-coat, in the BBC award winning comedy Hi-De-Hi. Other programmes she has appeared in include: The Bafta nominated Channel five series: Harry and Cosh, The Bill, London’s Burning, Minder, Gentle Touch, The Knock, a Lynda La Plante series: Framed, to name but a few. Also many films, a season with the RSC, and many good theatre roles. To date she has appeared in nearly a hundred commercials.

She has been writing all her life: short stories, radio, fact and fiction. Her first crime novel was published in 2006, and her subsequent novels have all received excellent reviews.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Linda_Regan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindaReganAuthor/
Website: https://lindareganonline.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/linda.regan.01/
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Blog Tour (Review): Summer Storms by Brittainy Cherry

I first introduced to this author’s work with Eleanor & Grey, which to me, is still her best work. Summer Storms comes close, though.

Download your copy today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3bJYlYJ
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/SouthernStorms
Add Southern Storms to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2Rj7I94

I love how Ms. Cherry’s characters have a way of seeming familiar as if they’re people that you already know. It’s not because all of her characters are the same (far from it). I think that it is more because they are so relatable and down to earth. They are never caricatures.

What they are, however, is flawed, and that is what makes them human. None of her characters are ever perfect. I mean, even the therapist and his wife have a “moment” that makes them more than “just” a therapist. And that’s not to say that their moment is flawed…I’m getting tangled up. Anyway, the characters always just seem to have an extra something that makes them easier to get to know.

I enjoyed the flashbacks to when Jax and Kennedy were children. I thought those scenes were very well done and gave great insight into the events that further shaped their lives.

I did feel like the editing got lax about two-thirds of the way through. There seemed to be an increase in the number of repeated phrases and paragraphs that seemed to ramble. But that could be because it was an ARC and not fully edited yet.

The one thing I was a little disappointed in was how lackluster the “big reveal” for Jax was. It was something that he had built his whole life upon, and then all of a sudden, it was different, and he raged, but then he was sort of like, “what can I do?” I felt like that should have been a much bigger deal for them to deal with, maybe as a couple.

But I did love the way they found each other again, and how they “knew” what was right. That’s the kind of hope and love that will keep me coming back to her books.

About Brittainy

Author Brittainy C. Cherry is an Amazon #1 bestselling author.

She has been in love with words since the day she took her first breath. She graduated from Carroll University with a Bachelor Degree in Theatre Arts and a minor in Creative Writing.

Her novels have been published in 18+ countries around the world. Brittainy lives in Brookfield, Wisconsin with her fur babies.

Connect with Brittainy
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2Fc8izo
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2Oe1m8V
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2Fltnc1
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Fk2jKg
GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2ThAciJ

Join Brittainy’s Golden Girls (And Boys) Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2Y4WEir
Stay up to date with Brittainy by joining her mailing list: http://bit.ly/2oK1voU

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Blog Tour (Review): Blood on the Tyne-Body Parts

What a departure from my usual genres this book was!

The description caught my eye, so I thought I would give it a go. I’ve always enjoyed “older” mysteries from Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. I love the whole “noir” genre. Imagine my surprise to find that Blood on the Tyne fits right in with them.

I loved the setting from the time period to the location. The mid-50s is a ripe playground for exciting characters, and the author gets them all in there: the chanteuse, the homebody sister, the gangster, the bad boy ex…it’s a great gallery of personalities.

The premise is good also. Rosie has returned home from London for her mam’s funeral. While she is there, she gets embroiled in a police investigation. Young ladies are missing and then found murdered. And they all have a connection to the very places and people Rosie is around. (Don’t want to give too much detail and give anything away).

One thing I especially appreciated was the way the author wrote dialectically. I think it takes great talent to portray an accent or lexicon accurately. When an author takes the time to do so, it adds a whole new layer to the story for me. It also usually takes me longer to read because I read all of it as written to get the full effect. (Plus, the theater-geek in me still likes to work on accents).

I was pleased to see that this is the first in what might be a series, or at least there will be a book two. I enjoyed this one very much, and I look forward to the further adventures of Rosie Robson.

About Colin Garrow

True-born Geordie Colin Garrow grew up in a former mining town in Northumberland and has worked in a plethora of professions including taxi driver, antiques dealer, drama facilitator, theatre director and fish processor, and has occasionally masqueraded as a pirate. Colin has published three stage plays, six adventures for middle grade readers, two books of short stories, the Watson Letters series and the Terry Bell Mysteries. His short stories have appeared in several literary mags, including: SN Review, Flash Fiction Magazine, The Grind, A3 Review, Inkapture and Scribble Magazine. These days he lives in a humble cottage in North East Scotland where he writes novels, stories. poems and the occasional song.

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