Blog Tour (Review): The Guest by Cathryn Grant.

Every so often, I come across a book that has a lot of promise that I am excited to read, especially if I enjoyed a previous book by the author. I liked The Good Mother, so I figured that The Guest would be of those books.

I liked how the author set the stage. A stranger with a tenuous friendship with a relative is invited to stay with the family. What could possibly go wrong?

Purchase Links: Amazon UK-https://tinyurl.com/TheGuest-AmazonUK Amazon US-https://tinyurl.com/TheGuest-AmazonUS

There are also character tensions galore: husband and wife, stepson and husband, stepson and schoolmates. Everybody seems to have an issue with at least one other character. Things take a turn early when the son is questioned about a missing classmate. And then things got weird.

The stranger insinuates himself seamlessly into the lives of the family. Tensions between husband and wife continue; wife gets suspicious of the stranger even as she fights her attraction to him. There’s also bad news about the classmate. When it comes to light that the husband has been lying about something, all bets are off.  

I think that is a problem that I had with this book. There was just way too much going on, and it all lacked focus. There were also a lot of details in odd places. I thought the descriptions of food were strange but enjoyed the perspectives on art. I just kept hoping that the seemingly disparate storylines would converge, and all make sense together.

I can’t stress enough; I liked the premise, and the storylines could have been woven into an amazing psychological thriller. The pieces were there, and it could have been so good. But it ultimately needed editing to keep things tight and cohesive. As it was, by the time I got to the epilogue, I wasn’t that surprised by what should have been a shocking reveal.

I would still recommend it because there were some entertaining aspects. But in the end, it felt rushed; if a little more time had been taken, it could have been so much more.

About Cathryn Grant

Cathryn Grant writes psychological thrillers, psychological suspense, and ghost stories. She’s the author of twenty-three novels.

She’s loved crime fiction all her life and is endlessly fascinated by the twists and turns, and the dark corners of the human mind.

When she’s not writing, Cathryn reads fiction, eavesdrops, and tries to play golf without hitting her ball into the sand or the water. She lives on the Central California coast with her husband and two cats.

Cathryn is the author of The Good Neighbor and many other crime thrillers. THE GUEST will be her third novel published with Inkubator Books.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CathrynGrant
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CathrynGrant.Writer/
Website: https://www.cathryngrant.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cathryngrant_fiction/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cathryn-Grant/e/B004G1I484?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3&qid=1566901527&sr=8-3

Blog Tour (Review): Sister Dear by Hannah Mary McKinnon

This book had me running the gamut of emotions. I wasn’t sure who to trust at any given time, my loyalties to individual characters switched, and I was left feeling disturbed. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

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The author did an admirable job of creating sympathy for Eleanor in the beginning. She had been beaten down by life (literally and physically), and she was losing the one person she could rely on…until she couldn’t anymore. I related to her early on, because her feelings about her father brought back memories of my dad’s illness. I could feel her pain.

I was fortunate, however, to not have a vile mother like Sylvia. It was easy to see why Eleanor was as insecure as she was. Both her mother and sister, Amy, were horrible people in general and specifically to Eleanor.

Eleanor finds out a secret that she isn’t meant to know, and at that point, I thought the book took an odd turn. I understand the point that desperate people can be led to do desperate things, but it felt a little off. I’m not sure why, but because Eleanor got a little dark, I felt less sympathy for her.

I don’t want to give away the rest of the book, because it all flowed well after that, and I found myself going back and forth between disliking Eleanor for her duplicity and feeling sorry for her because she obviously had severe issues that compelled her decisions.

I also don’t want to give away anything, because there are a few twists that I did not see coming. There were also a few I thought would happen and didn’t. I like it when an author can balance the tension like that. I did think that the middle was drawn out, and then an awful lot happened in the last quarter of the book. Some of it was even just described instead of actually occurring within the plot. There were some surprises, but I think I would have enjoyed the action of them instead of a description. (hope that makes sense).

In the end, I was left feeling…I’m not sure of the word? Empty, maybe. A little angry or disappointed that people can be so evil to each other? Psychopathy is real, and it is certainly exhibited in spades in this book. Human nature can be the most harmful of all forces.

Kudos to the author for creating memorable characters that left me feeling disturbed and unsettled. And very glad that I don’t have a sister (to my knowledge).  

AUTHOR BIO

Hannah Mary McKinnon was born in the UK, grew up in Switzerland and moved to Canada in 2010. After a successful career in recruitment, she quit the corporate world in favor of writing, and is now the author of The Neighbors and Her Secret Son. She lives in Oakville, Ontario, with her husband and three sons, and is delighted by her twenty-second commute.

Social Links: Author Website Goodreads
Twitter: @HannahMMcKinnon
Instagram: @hannahmarymckinnon
Facebook: @HannahMaryMcKinnon

Books On Tour (Review): Buried Angels by Patricia Gibney

Lottie Parker just keeps getting better. After some big revelations in book 7, I was wondering what could happen next.

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Suffice to say that this is one of the most convoluted investigations that Lottie and her team has faced. There are old crimes, new crimes, a virtual spiderweb of characters…and somehow it all works as a cohesive and page-turning story.

One of the things this author excels at it introducing characters who seem to have no connection to each other and disparate lives or plot arcs. However, during the investigation, links are found. Sometimes the characters know about them and sometimes they’re surprised as well. And nobody is every superfluous, even seemingly secondary characters.

Ms. Gibney also does a fine job of plotting the suspense so that it ebbs and flows. Some crime novels build until a big reveal, and that’s just fine too. But Lottie’s investigations always seem to have more than a few “big” moments, and then the action continues until the next moment. I like that push and pull in a book because it keeps it from potentially being monotonous.

I will say that this plot had a few aspects that might be troubling to some readers. Aside from child victims, there’s also domestic abuse and neglect. Nothing is overly graphic but seemed natural to the characters. I thought they were vital to the story and, therefore, did not bother me, but more sensitive readers may have a different view.

As I said at the outset, at this point, the plots are more intricate, and Lottie still stays on top. I can’t wait to see what’s in store next.

Author Bio:
Patricia is the million-copy bestselling author of the DI Lottie Parker series. She yearned to be a writer after reading Enid Blyton and Carolyn Keene and even wanted to be Nancy Drew when she grew up. She has now grown up (she thinks) but the closest she’s come to Nancy Drew is writing crime!

In 2009, after her husband died, she retired from her job and started writing seriously. Fascinated by people and their quirky characteristics, she always carries a notebook to scribble down observations.

Patricia also loves to paint in watercolour and lives in the Irish midlands with her children. 

Website: http://patriciagibney.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trisha460/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/trisha460

What Only We Know by Catherine Hokin

Captivating. Compelling. Creative. Crushing.

Truly unforgettable.

This one will stay with me for a very long time.

I know that it is sort of backward to say that at the beginning of the review, but I can’t begin to explain how impactful this book was. The author has woven an incredible story that covers not one but two significant historical periods, and it is told with compassion and a deep understanding of humanity.

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Right from the start in the prologue, set in 1971, it is apparent that there is a detailed story to be told. We then jump to Berlin, 1936. Anyone who knows even a little bit about history knows why this year is important, especially as it relates to WWII. The setting for Leise and Michael to have their first notable argument was also appropriate because it clearly outlined their perspectives.

I loved the unique setting of the fashion house, or salon, for the first part of the book. By utilizing a very international business, the author was able to highlight just how far-reaching the sanctions in Germany became, and how quickly they changed. I particularly liked the details, such as Paul urging Leise to identify the scents in the air. It was a moment of joy and beauty that belied the horrors growing in the city.

Once we meet Karen in the more contemporary timeline of 1971, the reader can start to draw some connections. However, the author does an admirable job of building Karen’s identity. I don’t want to give away plot points, but her experiences as an 11-year-old shape her reactions all the way to the very last pages.

It is difficult to put into words how well the author weaves both the WWII storyline and the 1970s storyline together. Suffice to say that in other books with dual storylines, I often find myself wanting to get back to one or the other. In this book, I was equally eager for both, especially later, when Karen was older.

Side note: her first entry into Berlin brought back strong memories. My parents and I went to Germany in 1983, and our experience going through Checkpoint Charlie was very similar to Karen’s. We were on a tour bus with a class of high school students, and their teachers had to reprimand them, reminding them of the rules for when the soldiers came on to check passports. It is a trip I will never forget, and Karen’s experience brought it all back.

But now, back to the review. By the time Kristallnacht occurs, Liese’s life turns upside down, inside out, and sideways. She is a formidable character, even as a teenager. I think that is what makes her character arc so compelling because, through her, we see how very simple it was for the Nazis to break even the strongest of people.

I appreciated that the author didn’t feel the need to wrap up people’s stories. Sometimes they just…disappeared. It was another stark reminder of how life was at that time. People came and went, and some were never to be seen again.

I’m starting to ramble now, and I’m not even halfway through the book! I will leave it that Liese’s life goes from bad to worse, and her actions suddenly become much more understandable. Karen also “grows up” when she finally realizes the truth of her mother’s story.

And that whole truth is about as gut-wrenching as anything I have ever read.

The reveal and reconciliation take place in the shadow of the Berlin Wall and stretches into 1989. Again, if you know anything about history, you see the significance. And this section of reconciliation was almost as powerful and moving as Liese’s story from WWII.

It’s a tremendous balancing act that the author accomplishes with aplomb. Straight to the top of my list for this year. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Author Bio
Catherine Hokin is a Glasgow-based author writing both long and short fiction. Her short stories have been placed in competition (including first prize in the 2019 Fiction 500 Short Story Competition) and published by iScot, Writers Forum and Myslexia. She blogs on the 22nd of each month as part of The History Girls collective. 

Website: https://www.catherinehokin.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cathokin/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cathokin

Books On Tour (Review): Her Darkest Hour by Sharon Maas

I’ve mentioned several times that I enjoy historical novels for a few reasons. One, I’m just a big history buff; and two, I like learning new things. Even if I know the overall theme, there’s usually some nugget of previously unknown information to be found.

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In the case of Her Darkest Hour, I knew that the Germans had invaded France and had taken control of most regions, but I did not remember (based on previous studies) the extent to which they turned everything German. And I did not know that they actually built a camp in France. That was very revealing and educational (and I love that).

As to the plot in general, it was somewhat unique among many WWII historical fiction novels in that there was one time period; there wasn’t a contemporary and flashback. That made it easier to follow each of the girls’ stories.

I liked that the families in question were established wine-makers. Their standing in the town made the decisions of the individual members more intriguing. I was a little confused by the family relations at the beginning, but I got them straightened out. I felt a little better about that later in the book when I found out just why everything seemed confusing.

I thought the author did a pretty good job of embodying the spirits of the French people during the Occupation by giving each of the girls (Juliette, Victoire, and Marie-Claire) different perspectives and attitudes. I do wish there had been more of Juliette; I thought that the novel would be more between the three girls. But her story just sort of disappeared for quite a while.

There was certainly plenty else to focus on, and I found Marie-Claire’s story to be indicative of what many women had to deal with when it came to the Germans who took over. I thought that Jacques’ evaluation of her to be accurate, as she never quite reached her potential and made some poor choices that seemed to be based on trying to make herself feel better. She did not seem to be very deep and ended up reaping what she had sown. I can’t say I’m too sorry about that, honestly.

I did think that the build-up took up most of the book, and then a LOT of events happened in the last quarter of the story. Characters came and went, secrets were revealed, and time sped up. Once the story reached early 1942, events went by at rocket speed, with some only receiving a quick mention.

I understand the importance of laying the background, but I wish that it had been a bit more balanced. The events at the end were quite exciting, as were the actions of the girls, and I would have liked more detail of those.  I also felt that a few of the stories were left unfinished or up in the air. It was almost like the author had to wrap it up quickly.

But that didn’t detract from what I learned about the depth of German infiltration into French society (Mein Kampf and German names?!?). It also confirmed that their brand of tyranny and power should never again be allowed to see the light of day.

Post Script: I wasn’t going to add this, but I strongly feel that it needs to be mentioned. It concerns the scene where the Nazis arrived at the chateau and informed Margaux that her livestock, property, and anything she produced belonged to the state. I read that section late at night.

The next morning I woke up to a headline in the news. A legislator in Illinois had proposed legislation that would give the governor the power to confiscate livestock, food, property, clothing, etc. For no other reason except for that he could do so.

I cried.

It was a stark reminder that this type of history should NEVER be repeated. No. Matter. What.

Author Bio
Sharon Maas was born in Georgetown, Guyana, in 1951 and educated in Guyana and England. After leaving school she worked as a staff journalist at the Guyana Graphic and the Sunday Chronicle in Georgetown.

Sharon has always had a great sense of adventure and curiosity about the world we live in, and Guyana could not hold her for long. In 1971 she set off on a year-long backpacking trip around South America. In 1973 she travelled overland to India through Europe, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and spent two years in an Ashram in South India. 

Website: https://www.sharonmaas.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sharon_maas  

Blog Tour (Review): The Best Man by A.S. Kelly

Everybody has favorite authors and look forward to their series, but sometimes it’s fun to find new authors and new places to explore. This is the case with Connemara in The Best Man.

The action starts with a bang as Alex interrupts his best friend’s wedding for, shall we say, personal reasons. From there, we get a long and winding story as Alex and Ellie try to find their way to each other as the pressures of their choices complicate things.

The story does is not rushed. There are a lot of internal monologues and even more angst on both parts. These are interspersed with scenes that could only be set in Ireland. I almost enjoyed the secondary characters more than the main ones, especially Ellie’s brothers.

I liked the setting. I could picture the towns and townspeople; the author made Ireland come alive. I also thought the business that Alex and Ellie worked in was creative – who doesn’t like a good Irish whiskey?

I did think that there were passages that seemed to go on a bit too long. It was almost like the author was trying to meet a word count instead of just getting to the point. However, when I looked at the front of the book, I saw that it was a translation; the wordiness makes a lot more sense in that context.

I do wish that I had seen that before I started reading because it certainly would have changed my mindset. That’s totally my fault. But now I know that for the next book. I am looking forward to it because it was a neat little place to visit. It was also pleasant to take time with a book instead of being rushed through it.

 Connect with A. S. Kelly 

Books On Tour (Review): The Bride by Wendy Clarke

This book was nothing that I thought it was going to be. That’s a good thing. It was a quintessential psychological thriller. I liked how the book read sort of like it was in three acts.

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The first act established Alice’s character and made it very clear that she was someone on the ropes who was reaching for a lifeline. Act two was Alice’s experiences in the apartment once she arrived. And act three…well, the less said, the more exciting it will be for you when you read it. So I’ll just say that it takes everything you learn in the first two acts and completely twists it.

I thought the prologue was smart; even though it was clear whose memory it was, I still found myself questioning what I knew the further I read. I had to go back and read it a few times to make sure that I still understood it correctly.

The author did a fantastic job of creating doubt throughout the plot as well. At any given time, I wasn’t sure which character to trust and whose motivations to believe. I love it when an author can keep me guessing like that.

I did think that there were a few things in “act one” that seemed superfluous the further I read. I know that they were instrumental in driving Alice to make the decisions that she did, but they seemed a little manipulative because once she arrived at the apartment, they just sort of disappeared. That being said, I also get that it was vital to the plot that she had that break. I felt the same about a couple of other secondary characters; they played small parts, but ultimately only served as pawns.

The atmosphere created by the author was the most striking aspect of this book. I loved how she created a claustrophobic feeling even though the actual locations were anything but enclosed. I also like how she used the ships coming and going on the river to illustrate that life was continuing outside even as Alice became more focused inward. That was a compelling juxtaposition.

As I mentioned above, the first two acts really just lay the groundwork for the third. Once you hit that point (and you’ll know what it is when you get to it) hang on, because it gets even twistier. Oh, and the author also resisted the usual “everything is resolved” ending. But I won’t say more.  It was a page-turning read that I tore through in one sitting; it is definitely one to pick up!

Author Bio:


Wendy Clarke started her career writing short fiction and serials for national women’s magazines. After having over three hundred short stories published, she progressed to writing novels. With a degree in psychology, and intrigued with how the human mind can affect behaviour, it was inevitable that she would eventually want to explore her darker side.

In her previous life, Wendy has published three collections of short stories and has been a short story judge for the Chiltern Writers Group, Nottingham Writers Group and The Society of Women Writers and journalists.

Wendy lives with her husband, cat and step-dog in Sussex and when not writing is usually dancing, singing or watching any programme that involves food

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WendyClarkeAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WendyClarke99

Books on Tour (Review): Her Last Mistake by Clara Kovach

Detective Gina Harte is back, and this time the investigation hits a little closer to home than she would like.

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One thing this author does well is setting incredibly detailed scenes. But Ms. Kovach goes a step beyond several other authors and sets active scenes. Not only are static details enumerated, but dynamic moments are as well (the flash of a camera at a crime scene, the sounds of the squad room, etc.). It gives a whole different dimension to reading.

I also like how the people involved in the investigation proceed, especially how they talk things out before an official statement is made, spitballing ideas or general thoughts on the case. This type of discussion is something that happens in real-life investigations, and the author captures it perfectly.  

As to the investigation itself, it’s more personal because aspects of it remind Gina of her own past trauma. These moments do serve to catalyze Gina and drive her to find the killer while adding depth to her character.  However, there were a few times I felt that Gina’s memories bogged the plot down. I wanted to get back to the action of the story.

The crime(s) are pretty gruesome, but not gory. The close proximity of the killer and victims proves that it mostly involves the power the killer feels, and that is detailed in sporadic chapters from the killer’s point of view.

As always, the author does a fantastic job of throwing red herrings and twists in that mimic a real investigation (thinking that it’s suspect A, but maybe it’s suspect B, what does suspect C have to do with it all, anyway?). And just when you think you have it all figured out, you don’t. This author is a master at partial guilt. And that’s all I am going to say about that.

Even though this is part of a series, the sixth to be exact, it can absolutely be read as a standalone. You will just have a better sense of Gina’s (and her team’s) backgrounds if you have read the others.

Author Bio:

Carla Kovach was born in Birmingham, UK and now resides in Redditch, Worcestershire. Author of supernatural drama ‘Flame,’ psychological thriller ‘To Let,’ crime thriller ‘Whispers Beneath the Pines,’ and holiday comedy, ‘Meet Me at Marmaris Castle.’ Carla also writes stage and screenplays, some of which have been produced in the Worcestershire area. Her feature film ‘Penny for the Guy’ is being made and is set for release in 2019.

Her latest book, Her Last Mistake is the sixth book in the DI Gina Harte crime series.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarlaKovachAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CKovachAuthor
Website: https://griffbuck.wordpress.com/

Books On Tour (Review): One Mistake by Rona Halsall

Hands down, one of the most zonko crazy psych thrillers I have read in recent memory. And how fitting that a book about how far a woman will go to protect her family is posting on Mother’s Day!

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The set-up was a little bit slow at first, and I thought it was going to be more of an everyday type of story. I could not have been more wrong. In hindsight, I realized that the details at the beginning were vital to build a foundation for the rest of the wild events to rest upon.

Sara also seemed weak at first, but it became apparent that she had been emotionally beaten down by life – first while growing up and then by her marriage. I think many readers will relate to the feeling of doing everything they can for their families only to feel unappreciated. I loved her growth and may have actually pumped my fist with a “YES!” in her final conversation with Matt.

Once the action got going, it was difficult to know who to trust, which was all set up perfectly to keep the reader off-balance. Does James have ulterior motives? Is Hailey more involved than it appears? Can Fiona be too good to be true? Why is Matt such a jerk?

All of those questions (and then some) are answered, but not always in the way you might expect. By the end, I’m pretty sure that Sara was wishing that her initial suspicion about her husband had been correct. I’m not saying more than that.

I will say that this book had one of the strangest plot twists and went to a pretty dark place. Some might find it far-fetched, but I thought it addressed a wide-spread problem that is rarely mentioned. It also illuminated how the digital age has made it so much easier to ruin lives – with literally a click of a mouse.

So, in summary, it starts slow but then zooms off around corners and blind spots to take you on a wild ride. Hang on!

Author Bio:

Rona lives on the Isle of Man with her husband, two dogs and three guinea pigs. She has been a bookworm since she was a child and now she’s actually creating stories of her own, which still feels like a dream come true. 

She is an outdoorsy person and loves stomping up a mountain, walking the coastal paths and exploring the wonderful beaches on the Island while she’s plotting how to kill off her next victim. She also makes sure she deletes her Google history on a regular basis, because… well, you can’t be too careful when you spend your life researching new and ingenious ways for people to die.

She has three children and two step-children who are now grown up and leading varied and interesting lives, which provides plenty of ideas for new stories!

To find out more about Rona’s novels, go to www.facebook.com/RonaHalsallAuthor or follow @RonaHalsallAuth on Twitter.

Blog Tour (Review): Family for Beginners by Sarah Morgan

Based on the first chapter, I thought that the book was going to go in a completely different direction. I was expecting flashbacks to how Clare and Becca got to that starting point. I could not have been more pleasantly surprised when the action instead jumped to Flora, with seemingly no connection.

Shortly, however, the connection became apparent, and that is when the book really took flight. The author has a special knack for creating whole scenes that make it feel like you’re watching the action instead of reading it. I was fully immersed.

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I liked the way that the author split the narration between Flora, Izzy, and (later) Clare. Reading the story from the three different perspectives allowed me to compare their personality traits and try to get to the underlying issues that were causing the conflict.

What was most interesting to me was that each of them was ultimately more like the others than they could have imagined. Being able to connect the dots and see each woman’s strengths and weaknesses gave added depth to the story.

I appreciated that the author gave some realism to the males in the story. For the most part, they are relatively tangential characters (even though Jack is a catalyst for it all), but their interactions with the women were natural and not forced. They were typical men, but admitted it and tried to improve where necessary. There weren’t any male-bashing or shallow stereotypes. They were just real.

Ultimately, it is a book about family and all of the ugly stuff that goes with it. Families are never perfect, and they don’t necessarily only connect by blood. They also are not always what you think they might be. The importance of communication is another theme. If the characters had talked with each other, to begin with, a lot of misunderstandings would have been avoided. Of course, then there wouldn’t have been a plot. And it wouldn’t have been as realistic, because those missteps are part of human nature and we have all made them.

This book was emotional but not manipulative, and I could not put it down. Watching each of the characters navigate through the trickiness of death and new relationships was ultimately heartwarming, and I highly recommend it.

Author Bio: USA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes lively, sexy contemporary stories for Harlequin.

Romantic Times has described her as ‘a magician with words’ and nominated her books for their Reviewer’s Choice Awards and their ‘Top Pick’ slot. In 2012 Sarah received the prestigious RITA® Award from the Romance Writers of America. She lives near London with her family. Find out more at www.sararahmorgan.com.

Social Links:
Author Website
Twitter: @SarahMorgan_
Facebook: @AuthorSarahMorgan 
Instagram: @SarahMorganWrites
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