Tag: Books On Tour

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Books On Tour (Review): Winter Dark by Alex Callister

I’m not always a fan of action books because it sometimes seems like the author tries too hard. That is not the case with this new series by Alex Callister.

Amazon: https://geni.us/B07YX7P4V6Social
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/winter-dark
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=zPC0DwAAQBAJ
Apple Books:  https://books.apple.com/us/book/winter-dark/id1482904710

The action starts from the beginning and doesn’t let up (for once, the tag line of “heart-pounding suspense” is truthful). 

I did find it difficult to sort out the characters at first. There seemed to be references that referred to prior events (but this is the first book). Eventually, however, it all became clear.

I loved that the protagonist was a young female. With all of the talk these days of female empowerment, it was refreshing (and sure as heck a lot better than the proposed new “female Bond.” But I digress).

I thought that Winter was an interesting character. I liked that she had a spotty background, but that she was smart as well as feisty. In fact, her intelligence (to me) is what made her stand out as a heroine to root for.

The concept of torture for the online masses is also timely. As people become more involved with virtual experiences, and with the lack of civility that seems to be tracking with the rise of social media, it is not too farfetched to believe that we will one day have these types of options, as distasteful as it is. Who knows, maybe it’s already occurring on the Dark Web.

Anyway, I thought it was a great book. It was exciting and read like a movie, which I appreciate because the action moved the plot along quickly. If you’re looking for a crime thriller that keeps you intrigued, look no further.

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Books on Tour (Review): The Argument

I am pretty sure that I have mentioned it before, but in my mind, there are different types of psychological thrillers. Mostly, however, they fit into two categories: the roller coaster and the drawn-out exploration. The Argument is squarely in the latter category.

Amazon: https://geni.us/B07YCPXL2FSocial
Apple Books: https://apple.co/2mUlIKN
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2lJrf74
Googleplay: http://bit.ly/2ljeMqo

I find books like this sometimes to be a difficult read. There is so much detail in the thought processes of the characters, little minutiae that needs to be read and processed. On the one hand, I appreciate the attention to details like this as it is apparent that the author has put a lot of thought into the characters’ motivations.

On the other hand, it can make for a plodding read and that can become tiresome.  That might not be the correct word, because the action is still ongoing, it’s just more in the characters’ thoughts instead of actual activity within the book.

Regardless, this is one of the better ones that I have read. At any given time, I felt for either Hannah or Olivia. There was the right balance of both of their points of view, and I found my belief in the individual points of view to change depending on the action. At first, I was not a fan of Olivia at all, but it became apparent there were a lot of underlying issues that were slowly revealed.

There were comments by characters that made me question their motivations, and all of the plot points (even seemingly unimportant ones) eventually added up to quite the finale. I think the author plotted and paced everything out perfectly.

I recommend this book, but make sure you read it when you can devote the time to appreciate every word; you don’t want to miss anything.

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/victoriajenkinswriter/
Twitter:      @vicwritescrime
https://twitter.com/vicwritescrime

Victoria Jenkins lives with her husband and daughter in South Wales, where her series of crime novels featuring Detectives King and Lane is based. Her debut novel The Girls in the Water is an Amazon UK top 30 bestseller, and top 5 bestseller in the Amazon US chart.

Her first psychological thriller, The Divorce, was published in July 2019. The second, The Argument, publishes December 10th 2019.

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Books On Tour (Review): The Blossom Twins

Gutted.

There is no other way to describe how I felt by the end of this book.

I knew that something big was going to happen (based on reviews from earlier readers), so I tried to brace myself.

Didn’t help.

When last we saw Natalie, she had to make some crucial decisions regarding her family. There have long been issues with both of her children, mostly born from the fact that Natalie and her husband, David, have been on the outs for quite a while. This book continues with that conflict and everything comes to a head as significant decisions are made (can’t say more, ‘cuz it would give it away).

As always, Natalie has to work a case while her home life implodes. This one is especially chilling because young girls are being killed similarly to a killer from Natalie’s past. Now, I really can’t say much more, because this is one you have to read for yourself to get the impact. I don’t want to give ANYTHING away.

One of my favorite things about this author is her pacing. The reader gets to follow the investigation “in real-time,” which makes it more interesting. The reader also gets an added benefit of flashback chapters that give extra clues as to the identity of the murderer.

The way the investigation proceeds is easy to follow and dovetails perfectly with events in Natalie’s personal life. In this case, the two become inextricably twined in a way that both Natalie and the reader do not see coming. (Not going to lie, I had my suspicions regarding who the killer was, but still was shocked by the bigger picture).

By the end of the book, Natalie is at a crossroads in her life. Events have broken her. And I, for one, cannot wait to see what she does next. I say it every time – if you haven’t started reading the Natalie Ward series, you should start now, because they just keep getting better and better.

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Books On Tour (Review): Her Hot Ride by Heather Van Fleet

This is the only MC series that I have ever found myself enjoying. I think the author does a fantastic job of portraying the MC life (not that I have anything to compare it to, but I imagine it to be accurate based on a few friends’ experiences).

One of the things I appreciate most about this series, however, is that the characters never enter into stereotype or cartoonish territory. If anything, the male members of the Red Dragons are the antithesis of what one would normally think of when asked to describe someone in an MC. (But I guess that’s the point of these types of books, right? That these guys are not all toughness but have real feelings…)

I do like the recurring theme (carried here by Archer) of the need to protect. There is something so satisfying in reading about a man who has that instinct – even when he feels he should be fighting it due to other conflicts.

In terms of this installment, I also liked that Emily was not really a part of the Red Dragons. She didn’t have the ties that previous heroines in the series did but was still linked. I thought that added an interesting facet to the story.

I also appreciated the continuation of the war with Pops. That has been a driving force through the series, and it was interesting to see Emily’s role in the whole situation. And the end? You won’t see it coming. (No spoilers here, as usual).

I think romance and suspense are balanced nicely in this series and would recommend starting at the beginning to fully grasp the scope of the world created by the author.

Author Bio:
Heather Van Fleet is a stay-at-home-mom turned book boyfriend connoisseur. She’s married to her high school sweetheart, a mom to three girls, and in her spare time you can find her with her head buried in her Kindle, guzzling down copious amounts of coffee.

Heather graduated from Black Hawk College in 2003 and currently writes Adult contemporary romance. She is published through Sourcebooks Casablanca with her Reckless Hearts series and Bookouture with her Red Dragon series. 

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Books On Tour (Review): The Girls in the Lake

The idyllic setting of Lake Windemere in the Lake District is disturbed when a young lady is found floating face down near a boat. From that opening sequence, this is a gripping crime thriller that had me turning pages to find out “whodunit.” The author does a fantastic job of building the suspense while following the forensic clues that lead to the killer.

Amazon: https://geni.us/B07YNQ4N5VSocial
Apple Books: https://apple.co/2K7Z4aU
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2oMUcQl
Googleplay: http://bit.ly/2pBkLIU

I liked that the heroine of this book (Beth) was a Forensic Pathologist, rather than a detective. The author went into great detail several times (I learned more about autopsies than I ever thought I would). Having the lead character not be a detective allowed for a unique perspective on the investigation.

I liked the characters, although I felt some of them could have been more developed. I would have liked to have learned a little more about the squad of detectives, but I suppose that would have taken the focus away from Beth. However, considering that one of them had a family member that figured heavily in the plot, I think we could have had a little bit more.

I did enjoy the plot. I thought it was unique, and the author did a fantastic job of keeping the reader guessing. Some clues pointed to multiple people, just like in a real-life investigation, and only someone who reads a lot of crime novels will put the pieces together faster than Beth.

Not having read the first book in the series, I missed the importance of Beth’s past and that figured heavily in the first part of the book. It didn’t wreck the narrative, but I think I would have appreciated it more had I read the first one. I intend to do so in my downtime – whenever that might be. But in spite of that, this book can be read as a stand-alone.

I recommend this book and look forward to further investigations with Forensic Pathologist Beth Adams.

Author Bio

Helen Phifer lives in a small town called Barrow-in-Furness with her husband and five children. Helen has always loved writing and reading. Her love of horror films and novels is legendary. Helen adores reading books which make the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. Unable to find enough scary stories to read she decided to write her own. 

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Helenphifer1
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/helenphifer
Twitter:      https://twitter.com/helenphifer1
Website:     https://www.helenphifer.com

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Books On Tour (Review): Accidental Secrets

I read a lot, as the few of you who follow this blog already know. So, when I find a story that goes off the beaten path, I get excited. Accidental Secrets falls right into that category.

I thought that set up was interesting. High school sweethearts separated by her mom (very Romeo & Juliet) find each other again years later through little quirks of life choices. Some might even call it fate. But there is a lot of baggage to unpack, and the path to a “happily ever after” is never smooth.

I liked how the characters were fully realized in this book. I got a full sense of who each of them was individually, and they weren’t just characters. I think that the job selections for Rachel and Mike contributed to that. The author gave thought to their jobs instead of just having them be generic business person.

I also enjoyed reading how Reagan worked her way into the story. (No spoilers). I think giving her a voice in the whole matter also made it seem more realistic. She wasn’t just a bratty teen there for atmosphere; she was a catalyst to several plot points.

The author wrote the story in a way that was easy to read. Everything flowed nicely and the shifts between character perspective were smooth. This is the third book in a trilogy, and there are several references to events in the previous books. It can be read as a stand-alone, but you will definitely enjoy the story more if you have read the first two books. Treat yourself to the trilogy for the holidays!

Author Bio

Dana Mason started writing about ten years ago after being overwhelmed by a story that wouldn’t let her sleep until she wrote it down. The story, Dangerous Embrace, was published in 2012 and won Best Mystery/Suspense from eFestival of Words Best of Independent eBook Awards in 2014. Dangerous Embrace is the first book in her Embrace Series. The second book in the series, Precious Embrace, was Runner-Up for Best Hero from eFestival of Words Best of Independent eBook Awards that same year. Her third book, Broken Embrace, was awarded Best Indie Book in 2015 in the Romance Category.
Dana loves turning your worst nightmares into happy endings. She lives in Northern California with her husband, children, and her writing companion and mighty protector, Mia the Chihuahua.

Website: http://danamasonromance.com/
 Twitter: https://twitter.com/danamason06
 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danamasonromance/
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Books On Tour (Review): The Lies We Hide

This book was nothing like what I expected it to be, and everything a book should be. It was a fascinating look at human resilience and the lengths people will go to for family members.

NOW AVAILABLE!

From the opening prologue, there was a sense that although the scene seemed light, there was an undercurrent of something more to come – and boy was that ever the truth.

The author takes an unflinching look at spousal abuse (I suppose that should be a trigger warning for some people) and does an excellent job of analyzing the psychology behind it, including the long-lasting effects on both spouses and children.

Told from different points of view, but mainly in the past, the reader explores Carol’s choices, and the repercussions of those choices felt by her children both then and into the present.

As always, I don’t want to give anything away, because the way the author lays out the perspectives is perfect and saying too much would ruin the point of watching the stories dovetail as the reader gains understanding from the different characters’ experiences.

The author also does an excellent job of dropping hints as to character motivations and then circling back to address them later in the story. It was an effective way to pique interest while keeping the action natural and in context.

Truthfully, this may be a difficult book for some people to read, based on their personal histories, but the message of resilience, hope, faith, and family come across strongly and could be used as guiding principles for many individual journeys. I highly recommend this book.

Author Bio:
Amazon best selling author of ‘intelligent and haunting’ psychological thrillers VALENTINA, MOTHER, THE PACT, THE PROPOSAL and THE WOMEN. 

S E Lynes is a writer, tutor and mentor. Formerly a BBC producer, she has lived in France, Spain, Scotland, Italy, and now lives in Greater London with her husband, three kids and her dog, Lola. 

Her critically acclaimed debut, VALENTINA, was published by Blackbird Digital Books in July 2016. Her second novel, MOTHER was published by Bookouture in 2017, followed in 2018 by THE PACT and THE PROPOSAL. In August 2018, VALENTINA was published in a new edition by Bookouture and THE WOMEN was released in 2019. Her new novel, the dark and gripping family drama, THE LIES WE HIDE, is published Dec 4th 2019.

Facebook S E Lynes Author
Twitter @SELynesAuthor

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Books On Tour (Review): Out with the Ex, In with the New

I want to make one thing clear right away: I do not believe that I am the target demographic for this book.

I would like to think that I can read (and appreciate) across genres and age groups – I can usually find something relatable or some message that can be appreciated at any age.

I did like the many references to The Great British Bake Off. And I could sort of relate to Gemma’s job, as one of my first freelancing jobs was writing listicles and click articles just like the ones she describes. But I did that as a sideline and could not imagine hoping for that to be my sole earning potential.

And that’s why I don’t think I was the right audience for this book. Someone younger who is into the vlogging scene, who believes in the earning power of social media, and who can appreciate Gemma’s troubles would no doubt highly enjoy this book.

I was able to read it as long as I stayed remote from it (which is why there were a few parts that I enjoyed). But it did not suck me in with relatable characters and situations. That is by no means the fault of the author.

However, I was also greatly turned off by Gemma’s first day at work. I am quite tired of British authors throwing insults at the American President for no reason other than to try to make points. This passage had nothing to do with the plot and was unnecessary for character development. This is also something that a different demographic would probably also enjoy that perspective.

Honestly, as I mentioned at the beginning, I can usually read just about anything. But for some reason, this one just didn’t speak to me. I would recommend it, though, because there was some humor (the weird homeowners), and Gemma does persevere. I just couldn’t relate personally.

Author Bio

Sophie Ranald is the youngest of five sisters. She was born in Zimbabwe and lived in South Africa until an acute case of itchy feet brought her to London in her mid-20s. As an editor for a customer publishing agency, Sophie developed her fiction-writing skills describing holidays to places she’d never visited. In 2011, she decided to disregard all the good advice given to aspiring novelists and attempt to write full-time. After one false start, It Would Be Wrong to Steal My Sister’s Boyfriend (Wouldn’t It?) seemed to write itself. Her second, third and fourth novels followed. Sophie also writes for magazines and online about food, fashion, finance and running. She lives in south-east London with her amazing partner Hopi and Purrs, their adorable little cat. 

Website: sophieranald.com
 
Twitter: @SophieRanald
 https://twitter.com/SophieRanald
 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SophieRanald

To find out about Sophie’s forthcoming releases and get access to free books and special offers, sign up to her newsletter at sophieranald.com

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Books On Tour (Review): Cold Heart Creek

Hands down, this is one of the best mystery suspense thrillers I have ever read. The characters are realistic, the story is tight (and positively thrilling), and although it isn’t exactly fast-paced, it is evenly plotted so that the action keeps moving forward even in seemingly passive scenes.  

Buy Links :
Amazon: https://geni.us/B07XVM2RQHSocial
Apple Books: https://apple.co/2kobthe
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2lW0agm
Googleplay: http://bit.ly/2mgu92R

After reading a bunch of psychological thrillers, I was pleased that this book was a straightforward crime thriller. I felt like I was watching an extended episode of CSI (or a similar show). The way the action moved from point to point and the engaging character interactions made for pleasurable and simple reading.

The author did an excellent job of connecting the dots in the investigation so that seemingly disparate plotlines converged very neatly. I enjoyed the way the investigation proceeded in a very natural manner, allowing the reader to figure out the clues as the detectives uncovered them. There were no red herrings or sudden disclosures that came out of left field.

Josie’s background played a big part in this novel. The opening scene was stunning and drew me in immediately. I appreciated how her history propelled her through this investigation. It made her actions even more real and believable. Her internal struggle was almost as fascinating as the external pressures she faced.

Even though this is book seven in the Detective Josie Quinn series, I never felt lost in the story. There were quite a few references to previous books, but the author did an excellent job of working them naturally into the story so that the main action was not broken. A newcomer to the series (like myself) will have no problem keeping up with the story.

But it might put a dent in the bank account because if you’re like me, you’ll immediately put the first six on your TBR list. Thank goodness it’s the holidays – my list just got a little bit longer!  

Author Bio

Lisa Regan is a USA Today, Wall Street Journal bestselling author and an Amazon bestselling crime novelist.  She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Master of Education Degree from Bloomsburg University.  She is a member of Sisters In Crime, Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and daughter. Find out more at her website: www.lisaregan.com

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Lisa-Regan-189735444395923/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/Lisalregan
WEBSITE: www.lisaregan.com
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6443334.Lisa_Regan
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Books On Tour (Review): Single

I love this author’s books, but I must admit that this particular story left me feeling a little bit off.

The plot starts relatively straightforward, but the reader soon gets hints that not everything is as it seems. There are allusions to an incident that happened before Darcy’s husband’s death, and it is a bit into the story before we find out how he died in the first place. There are enough veiled references that I was kept guessing that it might have been something nefarious. (Not saying if I was right or not).

I’m going to be brutally honest and say that there are so many twists and turns that I have typed and deleted multiple sentences of this review because they ultimately referenced events and could be considered spoilers. So, I’m going to go very broad.

Darcy has a touchy relationship with her in-laws, and they may or may not have her best interests in mind. She enters into a relationship with a doctor who may or may not be who he says he is. Even Darcy’s backstory and “truth” is up for guessing. There are family members, servants, and seemingly secondary characters who may or may not be important in the grander scheme of things.

I have several notes in the book that range from “no way!” to “WTAF?!?!?” That’s the type of roller coaster this book becomes about mid-way through. There were a few points where I had to stop reading just so my brain could keep up with the amount of information and “truth” that was coming out.

I will say that there were also a few moments where I thought the twists were more manipulative than practical. I appreciate a good “no way” moment, but I don’t like feeling that there was nothing more behind it than an “aha, gotcha!”

I did not guess most of the twists, so kudos to the author for keeping me on my toes. And the ending was just as twisted as the rest of the book, but it all made sense in the same odd way that the other plot points did. I liked it a lot and would recommend it, but I think I was not expecting it to be as absolutely crazy towns as it was. It was still an enjoyable, and very twisted, read.

Author Bio
Kim is the million-copy bestselling author of nine standalone psychological crime thrillers. SINGLE, her new thriller, is published November 2019.

Author website: www.KLSlaterAuthor.com
Twitter: @KimLSlater
Facebook: KL Slater Author
Instagram: KLSlaterAuthor

Order of publication:
SAFE WITH ME (2016)
BLINK (2017)
LIAR (2017)
THE MISTAKE (2017)
THE VISITOR (2018)
THE SECRET (2018)
CLOSER (2018)
FINDING GRACE (2019)
THE SILENT ONES (2019)
SINGLE (2019)
THE APARTMENT – AN AUDIBLE ORIGINAL PRODUCTION (2019)

Her titles are published in eBook by Bookouture and in paperback by Sphere (UK) and Grand Central (USA).

For many years, Kim sent her work out to literary agents and collected an impressive stack of rejection slips. At the age of 40 she went back to Nottingham Trent University and now has an MA in Creative Writing.

Before graduating in 2012, she gained literary agent representation and a book deal. As Kim says, ‘it was a fairytale … at the end of a very long road!’

Kim is a full-time writer. She has one daughter, two stepsons and lives with her husband in Nottingham.

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