Tag: New Release

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Books On Tour (Review): Burning Island by Suzanne Goldring

I have been on somewhat of a historical fiction kick lately, and this book is the second in a week I have read that has a unique perspective on WWII.

I am a student of history and have long been interested in this period. As mentioned in other reviews, I have been to Dachau and studied the politics of the time. But in all of my studies, I never once gave thought to the full extent of the reach the Nazis had across Europe.

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That is just one reason that the new release from Suzanne Goldring had me fascinated from the very start. Set on the island of Corfu, Burning Island is two stories in one. The first takes place in contemporary times between 2006-2009, as Amber and James move from London to Corfu to start a new life together.

The second and more telling part of the story revolves around the removal of Jews on the island in 1944. This is an event that is seldom (if ever) relayed in history books and the part I found most interesting. It tracks a family who makes the ultimate sacrifice as Nazis take over the island and start rounding them up for shipment to the camps.

The author does a masterful job of weaving these two narratives together. I found myself getting wound up in both as the chapters switch points of view between James, Amber, and Rebekka, the oldest daughter of the Jewish family. The transitions were seamless; even over time and differing perspectives, the story flowed smoothly.

I thought that the chapters detailing Rebekka’s story were exceptionally well-done. The author conveyed the dismay and disbelief the townspeople had while also illuminating the sheer evil of the Nazi goals. Balancing the hope of the people in the face of the callousness of the Nazis is tricky, but the author succeeds. It still remains that the tragedy is overwhelming.

As always, I will not give away the plot points, as everything develops naturally, and I think it is essential for readers to discover the parallels on their own. I will say, however, that I did love how the person who embraced the history of the island and took the time to understand it is the person who got the most out of the life they chose. I know that’s cryptic, but honestly, you have to read it to understand it.

Once again, as with The Fortunate Ones by Catherine Hokin, this author also brings up an interesting perspective on the Nazi period. This time it’s how the younger generation of Germans felt when they realized what their parents and grandparents and been a part of (whether willingly or not); this point of view could have used some more elaboration, but I liked how the author addressed it.

Ultimately, the two stories do come around to each other in a satisfying way. I did think that the book ended rather abruptly. I think a reflection or two from a couple of characters would have been the emotional ending that the story warranted. But the events in the last third of the book do wrap up the plots (very satisfying) and leave the reader with many thoughts to ponder.

I loved My Name is Eva and was excited to read this second book from the author. I was not disappointed, and you won’t be either.

AUTHOR BIO

Following an eventful career as a public relations consultant, specialising in business and travel, Suzanne Goldring turned to writing the kind of novels she likes to read, about the extraordinary lives of ordinary people. Her debut novel MY NAME IS EVA draws on her experience of volunteering in a care home and was partially inspired by a cache of wartime love letters which were saved from the flames. Her second novel, BURNING ISLAND, is set in Corfu, a place of fun and beauty but also tremendous tragedy.
Suzanne writes in her thatched cottage in Hampshire and a seaside cottage in Cornwall. 

https://www.facebook.com/suzannegoldringauthor

https://twitter.com/suzannegoldring  

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Books On Tour (Review): Her Secret Past by Kerry Watts

I thought that the plot of this novel had a lot going for it. It starts with a graphic murder in the past and then skips ahead to a similar crime in the present. What follows is the investigation of the current case, with some interspersed flashbacks to the time after the first murder.

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Sound a little convoluted? Unfortunately, it is. The murder investigation is relatively straightforward; it’s all the extraneous plotlines that muddle things up. Detective Jessie Black has a budding romance and the reappearance of an abusive ex to deal with in addition to following the clues to find the killer.

Autism, domestic abuse, teen pregnancy, severe alcoholism…they all make appearances. Taken individually, they are important issues to tackle. In the course of this plot, however, it just seems like the author tried to do too much.  

I admire that the effort was made to make things interesting, and there were a few twists that worked well. I did appreciate that what was one of the bigger “reveals” occurred relatively early in the book, as it allowed other questions to arise. This did make a couple of points more interesting as well.

All in all, it was a good book that could have been made better by some editing and tightening. I would still recommend it as a decent crime procedural.

Author Bio

Kerry Watts was born and grew up in a small town in the East of Scotland where she still lives today. She is always writing and carries a little notebook and pen with her wherever she goes because at her age ideas need to be captured before they disappear. 
Kerry specialises in crime fiction because she enjoys pushing the boundaries of what it is to be human. The nature versus nurture debate.

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/KerryWattsAuthor/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/Denmanisfab
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Books On Tour (Review): The Fortunate Ones by Catherine Hokin

Gutwrenching, heartfelt, and well-researched, this novel was truly unputdownable. The usual themes of a plot set during WWII are all here, but there were a few new perspectives that had me thinking on a deeper level.

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I found the early chapters of Felix’s life to be particularly interesting. When it comes to the Nazis and their ultimate goal, the details are often lost in the horror of the overall plan. I appreciated that the author took the time to describe the different ways that the SS identified people and how there was a hierarchy to which groups had “preferential” treatment.

What really struck me is the way people made excuses along the way. I am a history buff and have been to the camp at Dachau and am familiar with the way townspeople in the surrounding areas “ignored” the situation. I understand the power the Nazis had and how speaking out could bring their wrath down on a family.

However, the author laid it even barer: people knew even after the war was over and still chose to ignore the atrocities. The scenes surrounding the trials were exceptionally well-done. Kitty’s observation that people were not as concerned about what Germany did as they were about what Russia might do was especially thought-provoking.

The attitude of “let’s forget the past and focus on the future” disallowed justice for the millions who died. While the world was correct to worry about Russia, the Germans should not have been let off the hook so easily.

The author illustrated this with Felix’s determination to find the particular person he held responsible for his family’s situation. I won’t say any more than this, but I liked how the book elaborated on those officers who got away and what they did when they escaped. That’s also something that isn’t often covered in novels set during this time.

I also thought it was interesting how Inge and Felix’s lives paralleled each other (in a manner of speaking) and how they both were in untenable situations that caused them both to do what they had to keep going. Those small moments and little steps within a journey that propel a person forward are well-described for both characters.

There are a lot of lessons that can be learned from WWII, and this book does a fantastic job of enumerating several of them. The author vividly illustrates the many different types of losses suffered by the people of Germany. She also allows the reader to feel the determination to survive experienced by people who were caught in the Nazi trap, regardless of which “side” they were on.

I highly recommend this book, as it is a stark reminder of a period in history that should never be repeated.

Author Bio

I seem to have followed a rather meandering career, including marketing and teaching and politics (don’t try and join the dots), to get where I have always wanted to be, which is writing historical fiction. I am a story lover as well as a story writer and nothing fascinates me more than a strong female protagonist and a quest. Hopefully those are what you will encounter when you pick up my books.

I am from the North of England but now live very happily in Glasgow with my American husband. Both my children have left home (one to London and one to Berlin) which may explain why I am finally writing. If I’m not at my desk you’ll most probably find me in the cinema, or just follow the sound of very loud music.

I’d love to hear from you and there are lots of ways you can find me, so jump in via my website https://www.catherinehokin.com/ or on my Cat Hokin FB page or on twitter @cathokin

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Blog Tour w/Review: Getting Off Easy by Erin Nicholas

Erin Nicholas has fast become one of my favorite authors. Her male characters are the right balance of sexy and smart (sometimes street, sometimes book), and her female leads are feisty and quick-witted. In fact, that’s one of the biggest attractions of her books – everyone has smarts of some kind, and they’re not afraid to show it. Her latest is no exception.

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James is a firefighter known for his nurturing nature; Harper is a linguistics professor – talk about opposites attract (and boy, is there an attraction)! I found them to be relatable because my husband is a police officer, and I am an English/Drama teacher by trade. So, yeah, I could see a little bit of each of us in the characters.

I loved how the couple met and got to know each other (a unique opening). I enjoyed how subtle and sexy James was. I REALLY loved how quickly Harper came up with ideas. I kept waiting to see what she would do next.

I also thought that the entire plot was unique. Without giving anything away, I felt that the set-up and subsequent events were interesting and allowed the characters to have quite the slow-burn romance (he’s a firefighter…get it?)

Anyway, Ms. Nicholas is at her best when she has her characters sparring with each other, and not necessarily in an entirely adversarial manner. Their banter was entertaining at every turn. I did figure out one twist from the beginning, but that’s because I read A LOT and…well, hellooooo – law enforcement hubby!

Regardless, it’s another entertaining visit to New Orleans, and I will always look forward to the next book from this author!

Author Info

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Erin Nicholas has been writing romances almost as long as she’s been reading them. To date, she’s written over thirty sexy, contemporary novels that have been described as “toe-curling,” “enchanting,” “steamy,” and “fun.” She adores reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines, and happily ever afters.

Erin lives in the Midwest, where she enjoys spending time with her husband (who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books), her kids (who will never read the sex scenes in her books), and her family and friends (who claim to be “shocked” by the sex scenes in her books).

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Books On Tour (Review): The Stranger's Wife by Anna Lou Weatherley

I have mixed feelings about this book. By the end, I found myself asking what I had just read. It seemed (to me) that the author couldn’t decide whether to write a police procedural or a psych thriller. The result is a mash-up of the two.

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That’s not to say that it was a bad book; I did enjoy it. It is quite apparent from the very beginning that there are secrets galore, although some of the secrets are more apparent than others. The author does an admirable job of unveiling them. Whether it was through the course of the investigation or other character confessions, it all seemed natural.

I think part of the issue that I had was that the chapters jumped back and forth between characters and time. I usually do not have problems when books do that; I’m good at following the thread, regardless. For some reason, however, I found myself getting confused with this plot. It could be that I was distracted (I didn’t feel like I was, but maybe). It just seemed as if some events didn’t fit into the story as well as others.

I also had a difficult time getting behind any of the characters. I didn’t get depth from any of them. Even the investigative squad, which I can usually relate to due to personal reasons, seemed shallow; I didn’t feel a cohesiveness.

In reading over this review, I realize that it seems as if I didn’t like the book – that’s not the case. As I mentioned, I did like it. It kept me engaged and turning pages. It just seemed to be disjointed in the actual telling of the story itself. I would still recommend it, but with the warning to pay close attention to the chapter headings, so you know when and who is telling the story.

Author Bio

Anna-Lou began her career as a dancer but a moped accident in Ibiza put paid to those aspirations and so she went back to her first and one true love – writing! She re-trained as a journalist, specialising mainly in women’s interest and celebrity, becoming the Editor of J-17 and Smash Hits as well as writing for a host of women’s magazines.

Anna-Lou has written three Adult Fiction titles – Vengeful Wives and Wicked Wives, both published by Avon in the UK and Bookouture in the US and Canada and Pleasure Island published by Bookouture.

To find out more about Anna’s novels, go to https://www.facebook.com/annalouweatherleyauthor/ or follow https://twitter.com/annaloulondon on Twitter.

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Books On Tour (Review): The Man She Married by Alison James

It’s difficult to classify this book into one genre. It starts as a psychological thriller but then morphs through two more sections that are very different from the initial story. This unique structure had me turning pages to figure out what the “real story” was.

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The first section was a little challenging to get through, only because it was blatantly apparent that there was something very wrong with Dom’s reactions. I felt that Alice was extraordinarily gullible, and I had a hard time feeling sympathetic towards her confusion and uncertainty.

To be fair, she did have a rocky romantic past, so I suppose that could have had something to do with her willingness to be swept away. I also think that her confusion in Part One was a good set up for later when she tries to unravel the whole mystery that has suddenly been sprung on her.

It was apparent that there was more to the story, and the reader gets the whole background in Part Two (which reminded me a little bit of “American Psycho” of the book. I thought this was effective, and it was different from the usual “alternating chapters” approach. Seeing the action through one character’s eyes and then the other’s provided added depth to the story.

I also liked how the story came full circle with a few different red herrings thrown in. The author paid close attention to detail, and everything dovetailed neatly. I did think that the epilogue was a little bit of a throwaway, as there was not a lot to add to the story, but I can see why the author felt it necessary to “wrap it up.”

Taken in sections, the book felt uneven at times. But put all together, it was a cohesive story that I enjoyed. I would certainly recommend this one to anyone looking for a different type of psych-thriller.

Author Bio

Born in the Cotswolds, Alison spent most of her formative years abroad. She studied languages at Oxford, then became a journalist and author, returning to university after her two children to take a law degree. After a three-year stint as a criminal paralegal, Alison worked as a commercial copywriter and then a TV storyliner, before coming full circle to write fiction again.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alison.james.90226628
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/AlisonJbooks
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Books On Tour (Review): Her Last Goodnight by Michael Scanlon

As this is the third book in the series, I was a little bit concerned (as I usually am when I start a series in the middle) that it could be an uphill battle. Sometimes authors include so much detail from previous installments; it makes coming in late challenging. I’m happy to say, however, that this is not so much the case with this book.

Beck was a tough character to get to know. Without a baseline, it was jarring to have his personal demons come to light in the face of the case at hand. And what a doozy that situation is. As always, I don’t give plot points away here, and you can read blurbs for the background. Suffice to say that I thought this was a unique plot with sympathetic victims and a twisted perpetrator.

In spite of Beck being a tough person to crack, I thought he was also realistic. Given what police see every day, it is often no wonder when they can’t cope. How Beck tries to deal is very familiar to those in law enforcement across the globe. I also appreciated that he had an astute eye for details and evidence. That made him more likable.

I enjoyed the setting of this story. The small Irish town was quaint and appealing while still being the center of a twisted case. The size also added to the claustrophobic feel. In small towns, everybody knows everybody else’s business but are often loathe to share it, even when it’s vital to a criminal case. This hampers the investigation while also providing urgency to Beck’s investigation.

Despite a slow start, this book did take off, and it was quite a read to the final pages. I grew to appreciate Beck more, and I look forward to reading the first two books, as well as any others to come.

Author Bio

Michael Scanlon is a civilian employee of the An Garda Siochana (the Irish police force), but a life threatening undiagnosed illness that struck while travelling in Spain in 2014 has rendered him on long term sick leave. He is married to Eileen and has a daughter, Sarah. He lives in the countryside outside the town of Ballina in County Mayo. The town has arguably the best salmon river in Europe, called the Moy.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MScanlonAuthor

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Blog Tour: Good Girls Lie

What a way to start a new year of reading! From a body hanging at the entrance to an elite girls’ school (literally the first sentence of the book) to the shocking finale, this book was filled with twists galore and had me engrossed the entire time.

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The plot on its own was intriguing because the author sets up from the beginning that not everything is as it appears; this goes for situations as well as people. I loved the way the author put little hints into the narrative to nudge the reader that something might be relevant.

Now, I realize that several authors do this, as they guide their characters and the reader through the story. What makes this author stand out, however,  is how the hints are dropped. They are rarely overt and never scream out obviously. Instead, they are almost throwaways or asides that only a careful and clever reader will catch.

As an example, I re-read the first few chapters before writing this review (to refresh my memory). Having finished the story, I was amazed to see how many little hints were scattered within the first chapter alone. To me, this is just genius.

Because the plot was so twisty, I really can’t get into details (if you have read any of my reviews, you know that I loathe spoilers and book report reviews). I thought that the characters were fully realized, and I could imagine the action taking place in real life – nothing seemed too far-fetched. Given that the author had experience within an all-girls school, this makes sense.

I also liked that the chapter titles gave a hint of what would be revealed in the chapter. And that is what made this book so good; each chapter gave the reader just a little bit more of the bigger picture until the climax (or is it?) of the story. And just when you think everything is resolved…well, you’re wrong – it isn’t. Keep reading until the very last word.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from the author.

Oh, and if this book is any indication of how my reading year will go, I cannot WAIT to jump in!

Author Bio

J.T. Ellison is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 20 novels, and the EMMY-award winning co-host of A WORD ON WORDS, Nashville’s premier literary show. With millions of books in print, her work has won critical acclaim, prestigious awards, and has been published in 26 countries. Ellison lives in Nashville with her husband and twin kittens.

Social Links:
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Twitter: @thrillerchick
Facebook: @JTEllison14
Instagram: @thrillerchick
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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.

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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 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
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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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