Sarah
4 stars.
Huge thanks to James Thompson, Kensington Books and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
A deadly plague, a team of people from the CDC, an evil General, a band of mercenaries and a trek through the jungle, just what you need on a cold day to help you decide not to go to the jungle just in case you get anthrax!
I enjoyed the action and science of the book, solving the mystery and trying to find a cure, well rounded characters and a good story.
A couple of members of the team were hardly mentioned which I thought was a shame, they could've been padded out more and I wasn't a fan of the romance, it felt shoehorned in, like the author was saying ‘I'm not sure what to do here so I'll throw in some romance and an ill advised sex scene in a river, there, that's better'.
Other than that I really enjoyed it.
4 stars
This is the first book I've read in Melissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles series. It's a very, very quick read and it was alright.
I know I have the rest of the books to read but after all the hype and with so many people saying how wonderful it is I'm worried that my expectations are too high and that I'm going to be disappointed when I start the main books.
Will read Glitches soon and see if that helps me make up my mind.
3.5 stars
Huge thanks to Michael Griesbach, Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
Having not watched Making a Murderer and not really hearing much about it I decided to request this book and was extremely happy to be approved.
How someone can be sent to prison when there was no evidence to prove them guilty is unbelievable! His previous behaviour, though unpleasant and horrible, wasn't nearly as horrifically violent as the attack he was originally sent down for. The complete lack of police work in making sure they ‘had the right man' is shocking especially with all the stuff that comes to light as you continue to read.
The only thing I've heard about the tv show is that it's biased towards Steve Avery, that he's innocent and the last part of this book is very much the opposite, he's guilty. I know what I'm inclined to believe like, I'm sure, you know what you believe.
4 stars
Huge thanks to Jerry Nelson, Workman Publishing Company and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
Funny and quick read, I enjoy reading books that are bind ups of newspaper and magazine articles, like Bill Bryson's I'm a Stranger Here Myself, so this one was right up my alley.
Will definitely read more by this author.
4.5 stars
Huge thanks to Hideo Yokoyama, Quercus books and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
Is it just me or does this book remind anyone else of a Stieg Larsson book? It has the slow build, the extremely in-depth and intricate details of the police in Japan, the complex and well-rounded characters and the twist at the end.
I enjoyed this so much more than The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo! It takes a little while to pull you in but if you persevere it rewards you with such a good story and some threads still to tie up which may mean a sequel!
When it hooked me I could not put it down, it gives you just enough information to keep you hooked as it continues to build to the twist you very well won't see coming.
I highly, highly recommend this book.
4 stars
Huge thanks to Oscar de Muriel, Penguin UK, Michael Joseph and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first book I've read that's set in the 1800's and, although I wasn't sure about it to begin with, I really did enjoy it!
I was drawn in by the words ‘insane asylum' and pulled in even further when witches were mentioned. A fast paced and fun read, I love Nine-Nails as a character and got a little annoyed by Frey as he seemed a little whiny.
Very good story though and one I'd highly recommend.
4 stars.
Huge thanks to Heather Gudenkauf, Harlequin UK Limited and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
Sneaky husband alert! Jack's always told Sarah that his parents died in a car crash but when they go back to his hometown to see his Aunt Julia, who's in critical condition in hospital, she begins to realise what he's told her may not be, in fact, true. And so begins her sneaky mystery solving to find out what, exactly, went on all those years ago and why Jack has been lying to her all these years.
A good read and a fun mystery, the characters were, mostly, well-rounded and, although I figured out what was going on, it was still enjoyable to go along for the ride.
A couple of things bugged me, not enough to put it down but enough to knock off a star.
4 stars
Huge thanks to Norine Dworkin-McDaniel, Jessica Ziegler, She Writes Press, IBPA and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
I'm not yet a parent but do have an 11 year old nephew who likes to bug me a lot and has been laying on my bed playing on his iPad and watching movies all week, I have the great pleasure in giving him back at the end of the day so not sure if I'm quite ready for kids!
I will make sure this book is close by if I do though as its both funny and informative and I like the graphs, pie charts and illustrations dotted throughout.
5 Stars.
Huge thanks to Wendy Tyson, Henery Press and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
What a cracking cosy mystery that was!! I've read a few cosy mysteries recently that haven't grabbed me at all and I was beginning to think I'd never find another good one again (slightly over the top but that's what I was feeling!) until this little beauty came along.
The mystery grabbed me from the start and pulled me in even further when family secrets and more mysteries started to surface, I wanted to know more and more and could not put it down once I started it. I'm supposed to be looking after my 11 year old nephew but made him watch YouTube videos all day so I could get this finished. I have no regrets at all!
The characters were lively, engaging, funny and believable, the town is typical ‘small town America' (at least it's what I imagine small town America to be), it's good to see an organic farm and cafe playing a role in a cosy and for a Scotsman to rock up in one too.
Will absolutely, definitely be picking up more books in this series and others by Wendy Tyson too.
5 stars
I've been saving this book for when I was in a reading slump and as I've just tried to work my way through 3 books I just did not like and couldn't get into, I knew it was the right time to break this little beauty out!
I love Criminal Minds and really enjoy reading about serial killers and the people who search for and catch them.
3 stars.
Huge thanks to David W Robinson, Crooked Cat Publishing and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
It took me a while to get into this book, I was looking forward to a ghostly mystery set exclusively in a Manor House and got part ghostly mystery and part pirate DVD theft and murder. It threw me which was why it took so long to get into.
Loved Fishwick and some of the other characters were good but wasn't keen on others. Not too sure how I feel about this book to be honest, will see if my thoughts change to adjust this review at a later date.
5 stars
This is my second Louise Voss and Mark Edwards book and, again, I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Social media is the culprit again, with much of our lives being online now, the constant need to update our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts (to name but a few!) and not really think of the safety and security of those parts of our lives. I already have my Facebook profile on private because I don't want everyone knowing about everything in my life but then again I don't really post updates or ‘check in' anywhere as I usually forget.
Not everyone you meet online is truthful, you never know who's lurking behind the screen, seeing what you do, following you, watching your every move. Even the people you think you know can be hiding secrets, deep dark horrible secrets.
The twists and turns were good and I did work them out but I'm just very suspicious of everyone in a mystery/crime/thriller novel. Very, very suspicious.
Will be picking up more by this duo, in fact I have Catch Your Death from the library that I should probably read before I run out of extensions.
5 stars
Holy taxidermy batman!! That's the only place I can think of to start the review on this creepy ass book!
I've not been around too much taxidermy in my life and I'm both fascinated and creeped out by it but I know that if it's done well, it can be wonderful and if done badly, looks like shit. Being surrounded by it? I'll reserve the right to say nope but maybe I'd be ok.
Dolls however, hell no, they're too creepy. I watched Annabelle and found it hilarious, I think it was unintentional but it was hilarious non the less. That doll though, no, no, no. Dolls are scary as fuck.
I really enjoyed this book, despite the creepy ass dolls. I'd worked out a few of the twists in the book but that ending was not what I expected, really, really good work, again, by Mr. Adam Nevill!!
4 stars
Huge thanks to Brenda Elsagher, Wise Ink Creative Publishing and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
As you read this you start seeing friends and family in the stories, my mum does that, my friend started doing that etc and you begin to see the joy of humour in what can be horrible and devastating situations in your life, I'm making it sound horrible but I know what I mean, my dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's when my brother was 8 and I was 7, we learned humour can help alleviate some of the stress and pain in situations.
You're never too old to change career or reboot your life. Which is what I'm thinking of doing.
I enjoyed this book and it made me laugh so I recommend it.
5 stars
Huge thanks to Veronica Heley, Severn House Publishers and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is a fun and engaging mystery, although it's the 10th in an established series you can get right into the story as you're given as much info as you need to the characters and places to enjoy it rather than wondering who each person is.
Human remains, unfortunate neighbours and horrible happenings are abound throughout and it was a thoroughly enjoyable time.
I will definitely be picking up the rest of the series, especially if they are as enjoyable as this.
5 stars
Huge thanks to Emily Beck Cogburn, Kensington Books and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
When I first got this I thought it was a cosy mystery, it wasn't, it was a stand alone about saving a library and it was a flaming good book too!!
This is how everyone should feel about libraries, that they should be kept open and available to all people, it's social and educational and people need that.
Highly, highly recommended.
5 stars
Huge thanks to Annelise Ryan, Kensington Books and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was a fun cosy for me, I wanted to be a forensic pathologist when I was younger and anything that involves an ME's office and dead bodies is a thumbs up for me.
Interesting characters, intriguing mysteries and some good humour, can't believe I haven't picked up any of this series before. I definitely will be on the look out for the rest now though.
4 stars
Huge thanks to Jean Bedford, Endeavour Press and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
What if you found out that one of your oldest friends was a murderer? That they murdered abused children to ensure their horrifically abusive parents were caught and made to pay for their crimes. Would you commend them or be reviled by their actions?
This book gives you a chance to see what that could be like, it has some descriptions of childhood sexual abuse that some people will not want to read and some of it said casually as though it's just another thing that happened that day BUT that's in the diary the killer is writing and how they see it NOT the feelings of the author.
There are a lot of characters in this book and it did get a mite confusing at times as to who was who and who were they with/what's their job but it got a little easier as I continued to read.
I worked out who the killer was about halfway through and was interested to see how it turned out, wasn't the ending I wanted but if I only read books that end how I want them to I'd be living a very sad life (in my opinion anyway).
4 stars.
Huge thanks to Fiona Barton, Random House and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
I've read a few books recently about husbands and wives and the secrets they keep, both from one another and the shared secrets they keep from the world.
Jean knows most of her husbands secrets and he knows most of hers, she's a quiet unassuming lady who lets him get on with his ‘nonsense' and carries on believing he loves her and he wants the best for her, he also tells her that it's her fault, if she wasn't like she was he wouldn't be doing the things he does.
Throughout the book you can see she's keeping secrets and becomes quite calculating in what she says and does but you also see that she wants to talk, wants to say what's happening.
It's an interesting book if somewhat boring in some parts and overly long in others. I enjoyed it but am still unsure about it.
5 stars
Huge thanks to H.Y. Hanna, Wisheart Publishing and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
I really do love me some cosy mysteries (I know, I know, I say that most of the time when I read a cosy!), this one was fun because it's the first one I've read that's set in the U.K.
I enjoyed the slang used as I use it, some of them not for a while but I've used them on occasion.
I enjoyed the characters, the mystery was fun (as fun as murder can be), Museli was adorable and reminds me of both of my best friends cats.
I will be reading more in this series, just waiting patiently now for the rest to be published.
4 stars
Huge thanks to Cheryl Hollon, Kensington Books and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
I love cosy mysteries, the good ones are full of believable and lovable characters, humour and a good mystery wrapped around the main characters job or hobby.
This is one of the good ones. I've not really thought much about fused glass before, the only glass I think of are the ones I use to drink out of but now know the intricacies of making something so wonderful, delicate and incredibly fragile, not to mention painful if you manage to slice your fingers open, that's not fun.
The characters were fun, I enjoyed the humour and the surroundings and many times wanted to be with them as they drank real ales as I love me some real ale.
I will definitely be picking up more books in this series and more by this author.
5 stars
Huge thanks to B.A. Paris, Harlequin (UK) Limited, Mira UK and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
Bloody hell!! Y'all need to read this book and read it as soon as you can! It. Was. Awesome!
Imagine meeting the man of your dreams, he's gorgeous, charming, a gentleman and he wants you, wants only you and after a few months he proposes, gets the house of your dreams and you get married. Sounds perfect. But not everything is as it seems, not in the slightest.
I picked this up as soon as I was approved and didn't put it down until I'd read the last word, it had me on edge and angry, constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop, to see what happened next. The ending was as if hoped and I now need a lie down to relax.
An excellent read, highly, highly recommended to all. Just read it.
5 stars
Huge thanks to Brenda Novak and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
Holy psychopaths batman! As a rule I don't typically read romance novels (check out my read and to-read folders, not many on there!) so the romance aspect of this did give me pause when I requested it, the psychopath part swayed me hugely and I am so glad I was approved and got to read it!
There I was, curled up in bed, not able to sleep and forcing myself to read a sub-par book (couldn't do it) when I decided to read a few pages of this novella instead, cut to 1 1/2 hours later and I've finished it and now upset that I have to wait until September to read the first novel. Brenda Novak why do you torture me!?
There was a good mix of the burgeoning romance between Evelyn and Amorak and the psychopathic Jasper and his wily ways, action, a little violence and more psychopaths.
A highly recommended book that gets you all excited for continued shenanigans in the books to come!
