prdgreads

Today I am on the tour for Ty by Brian Montgomery, thank you to Zoé at Zooloos Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 236

Synopsis: In a city gripped by fear and ruled by the iron fist of Albanian kingpin Kajan Marnesh (K.M.), fourteen-year-old Tyrone Lewis’ (Ty) life is a relentless battle for survival. Hardened by neglect and violence, Ty’s world is turned upside down when he and his friend Asha discover an abandoned baby beside its dead young mother in an alleyway. This unexpected responsibility ignites a new purpose within him.

However, their journey through the gritty streets of London and the struggle to protect the baby lands Ty in jail, which is a harsh reality for a boy already burdened by life’s cruelties. But even behind bars, Ty’s resolve only strengthens. Upon his release, he is more determined than ever to change.

Ty forms the Hay Patrollers, a gang with a difference. Alongside Asha and other like-minded youths, they become the guardians of their community, providing support and safety where needed most. From encouraging the youth to return to school, running errands for the elderly, wiping out racism and knife crime, to standing up against the oppressive forces that haunt their streets, the Hay Patrollers are a beacon of hope in a dark world.

This gripping story follows Ty’s transformation from a victim of circumstance to a leader of change. His journey is one of resilience, bravery, and the unyielding belief that even the most unlikely heroes can make a difference.

My Thoughts: now we all know I’m a pretty quick reader, but this is one that I had to read over a few days, I didn’t want to rush it because although it was a harsh brutal story it was also raw and honest, I wanted to appreciate the book as a whole, take it all in and understand the message at the end.

My heart broke for Asha, what she went through just doesn’t bear thinking about, she knew that she wouldn’t be believed when she told her family & chose a life on the streets instead of having to deal with the shame and disappointment she felt emanating from them.

Ty has always had a hard life, he prefers to be on the streets instead of at home with his junkie of a mum, but that means that he has street smarts, he’s well known and well respected by all on the streets so is the perfect person to help Asha.

What I don’t think either of them realised is how important they would become to each other in the years that followed, we see them through all of it.

It breaks your heart to begin with, but as the story goes on you start to see little cracks of light throughout.

I feel like this is a really important read, the story may be fiction but the truth is that it’s a reality for a lot of youngsters.

🐧🩷

Today I am taking part in the blogathon for Redemption by Jack Jordan, thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 384

Synopsis: Aaron Alexander has just been released from jail after serving eleven years for causing the death of Joshua Moore in a hit-and-run. Now a free man, all he wants to do is stay on the straight and narrow and leave his troubled past behind him.
But for Joshua’s mother Evelyn, eleven years in jail isn’t nearly enough. Consumed by grief and rage, she has been waiting for Aaron’s release, counting down the days until she can exact the revenge he deserves. And now that time has come.
But as Evelyn and her husband Tobias embark on a road trip to track Aaron down, they find themselves caught on two different sides of a gripping game of cat-and-mouse. Because Tobias knows what Evelyn is planning, and he will do anything to save her from herself.
Even if it means protecting the man who killed their son.

Locked in a collision course set in motion eleven years ago, Aaron, Evelyn and Tobias are about to find out whether the road they have chosen leads to redemption . . . or to retribution.

My Thoughts: well this one is a wild ride. Honestly had me twisted in knots and second guessing myself throughout.

We’re following Evelyn and Tobias, who on the surface seem like a couple who have lost their way, but as we get further into the story we learn that it goes so much deeper than that, they’re both grieving the loss of their little boy Joshua who was killed in a hit and run.

Tobias craves Evelyn’s attention, he wants his wife back, whereas Evelyn has been working on herself and a secret plan, one that will come to fruition soon if she has her way.

We also have the perspective of Aaron, who’s just been released from prison which added a whole new level to the story!

There’s so much going on that you’re never really quite sure who’s side to be on because you kind of got it from all perspectives, they all had valid reasons for their feelings and their ‘goals’ for lack of a better word 🤣

It’s shocking, it’s brutal and it honestly just doesn’t let up at all.

I think this might just be my favourite book of Jacks yet!

🐧🩷

Today I am on the tour for Under Her Skin by Jessica Huntley, thank you to Zoé at Zooloos Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 273

Synopsis: She invited a stranger into her home. Now he won’t leave.

When her teenage son gets into trouble with some very dangerous people, Natasha knows they need to flee the city. But where can they go?

Out of the blue, she receives an inheritance that seems the answer to her prayers. A distant relative has left her a house, deep in the countryside.

It needs a lot of work, but to Natasha it feels heaven-sent – the perfect place to keep her son safe and soothe her crushing anxiety.

Soon after they arrive, local builder Henry offers his services. Natasha’s happy to hire him, but quickly realises there’s something odd about Henry – he doesn’t respect boundaries and acts like he’s one of the family.

Natasha is tempted to get rid of him, but then discovers that her idyllic home harbours a terrible secret. A secret which threatens to destroy her new life.

The increasingly sinister Henry is willing to help her keep that secret. But he does want something in return…

My Thoughts: I absolutely ate this one up, it was a bit of a slow start, but boy was it worth it!

We’re following Natasha, she works 2 jobs just to try and make ends meet, she feels like she can’t catch a break, made worse when she realises her son is hiding things and staying out all hours.. then one day he comes home covered in blood and tells his mum he owes someone a lot of money.

Then a way out of everything falls into her lap.. the only problem is when things seem too good to be true they normally are.

Henry was creepy, just an absolute no from me!

The book read like a film, and the way Jessica writes her descriptions I could see it all unfolding with ease, I was literally wound so tight throughout because I didn’t know which way the story would go or what would happen next, I was almost scared to turn the page at times!

The chapters were longer than your typical thriller, but I think it was needed and it worked really well.

Jessica has definitely become an auto-read author for me and I’m am looking forward to throwing myself into her back list at some point in the future.

🐧🩷

Today I am the tour for Winter Magic in Port Berry by K.T. Dady, thank you to Hannah at Hygge Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank n you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 263

Synopsis: Welcome to Port Berry, where love and festive magic are just around the corner.

As Christmas approaches, Ginny Dean is happily running Port Berry’s only café and dreaming of opening her own tearoom. But the sudden arrival of gorgeous and enigmatic Will Pendleton disrupts her quiet life.

Will has returned to Port Berry looking for answers about his family. He doesn’t expect to immediately bump into a beautiful and feisty woman, causing sparks to fly. Nor for their chemistry to bubble over at the annual holiday party.

But any chance of romance is shattered when Will announces plans to open a tearoom next to Ginny’s café. In one moment, Ginny sees her future plans melt as quickly as the winter snow.

Despite the tension between them, Ginny and Will can’t keep away from each other. And when they find themselves stranded in the snow, they discover that neither can deny their true feelings.

With Christmas approaching, both Will and Ginny must learn to face their own fears if they are to take a chance on happiness.

And perhaps they need a little winter magic to help . . .

This festive, uplifting, opposites-attract romance is perfect for fans of Sue Moorcroft, Milly Johnson, Holly Martin, Sarah Bennett, Jessica Redland and Jo Bartlett.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this one, mainly because it wasn’t just about the romance, the book opens with Will meeting his grandmother, she’s in a care home with dementia, but he finally feels like he had some idea of where he came from so he promised to be there for her for whatever she needs.

And then we’re following Ginny, who’s mum resents her because in her eyes Ginny ruined her life, she never had a nice word to say and is just plain nasty, I really hated her, because Ginny was always there and it was just never appreciated!

The pair get thrown together & feel an instant connection, but after the initial spark the romance becomes a slow burn and it’s an absolute joy to watch them begin to trust each other 🥰

The book is filled with hope and happiness, and really shows how a community can come together when support is needed.

There are some sad bits and parts that make you angry as a reader, because you really start to feel for the characters, you just want to jump into the story and make things right.

This is my first dive into K.T. Dady’s work (I think) but it won’t be the last, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

🐧🩷

Today I am on the tour for Death By The Book by Lucy Connelly, my review is very late so I can only apologise! but thank you to Sarah at Bookouture for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 253

Synopsis: Irish scones, shamrock shortbread, a local literary festival… and a rather dead author? Join Mercy McCarthy on her next case! 

Mercy and Lizzie McCarthy are settling in to the charming seaside village of Shamrock Cove on the west coast of Ireland. Lizzie throws herself into organizing a book festival and mystery writer Mercy even agrees to come out of her bookish hidey-hole to get involved. But then the event’s star author is found dead. James Brandt was killed by a falling bookshelf in his own cottage… 

The local detective is not convinced by Mercy’s suspicion of murder but when someone else turns up dead, the police cannot ignore it. There’s just one problem: Mercy and Lizzie’s beloved dog Mr. Poe sniffs out the second body in the storeroom of their own bookstore. And now all the gossips seem determined to pin the murder on Mercy!

Convinced the police are focusing on a red herring in this real-life case, Mercy needs to act fast to clear her name. A meddling mayor, a cheerful chef and a bashful botanist make her suspect list, but it’s not until Mercy discovers a tatty old photograph in the local library archive that she is onto the killer’s trail.

With the police keen to shut her out of the murder investigation, can Mercy play this case by the book, or will she be the next to fall off the shelf…? 

A totally gripping and twisty cozy crime novel, perfect for readers who love Agatha Christie, Carlene O’Connor or Faith Martin! This incredibly fast-paced and fun murder mystery will whisk you off to Ireland and won’t let you go until the final page!

My Thoughts: it was nice to be back in Shamrock Cove with Lizzie and Mercy, but I do think the girls are cursed, either that or trouble just follows them! – they always seem to stumble upon something.. this time an author (coincidentally one that sees Mercy as less than him) turns up dead when they are sent to pick him up!

There’s just something about a cosy mystery that I adore, I don’t know if it’s because it’s never too gruesome so acts as a good palette cleaner between the thrillers that I love to read or wether it’s the feel of community within them that pulls you in and makes you feel like part of the family, but whatever it is Lucy had done a fantastic job!

The story is so easy to get lost in, it’s easy reading whilst also being gripping with enough twists & red herrings to keep you hooked & unable to stop turning the pages!

Mercy can be a force to be reckoned with, she tries her best to stay between the lines and behave, but her curiosity and need for information always seems to get the better of her, much to the dismay of her sister 🤣

This one had me laughing and shaking my head at some of the situations she seemed to get herself into & I absolutely cannot wait for the next instalment!

🐧🩷

Today I am on the tour for The Breakdown by Robert W Kirby, thank you to Zoé at Zooloos Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 296

Synopsis: A breakdown-A secret-A trip that will change everything.

Two years after suffering from a stress-induced breakdown, defence lawyer Beth Gunning is struggling to cope with life. When her husband, Rory, suggests they join Beth’s sister and partner on a wild camping trip in a remote part of Montana, she decides that the freedom and tranquillity of a place far away from London might be what she needs. A chance to repair, relax, and get her head together.

Rory’s brother, Elliott, invites himself and his two teenage kids along for the trip. So it’s set to be a wild adventure of a lifetime. Provided that Rory and Elliot can set aside their sibling rivalries, that is.

Apart from some quarrelling and physical struggles, the trip seems to be going well. The Bob Marshall Wilderness is a stunning place, and everybody is embracing the fabulous experience.

But after a GPS malfunction and one wrong turn that leads them off course, cracks quickly form within the group. As some clash and others struggle with their dire predicament, the situation goes from bad to worse.

But Beth’s dark past is about to come back to haunt her and rock the very foundations of her world. Because it appears that someone in their hiking group has an ulterior motive for joining this trip.

Something extremely sinister that could ruin everything.

And out here in the vast, untamed wilderness, Beth knows she can no longer run from her bleak past and must finally face her dire demons…

But at what cost?

My Thoughts: I’ve read a fair few of Robert’s books so I was fairly confident of what to expect, but this one exceeded all my expectations and left me shook!

I won’t go into the story because the synopsis tells you most of what you need to know, but this was dark!

A remote location, with people that you should be able to trust, but there’s secrets and a whole lot of them.

I’ve never had a interest in camping and this book cemented for me that this is definitely the right decision 🤣

People go missing, people get lost and there’s the constant fear/threat of bears, this was absolutely a one sitting read for me, I couldn’t put it down incase doing something else took me out of the story and I lost the edge of my seat, heart in my throat anxiety feeling 🫣

And let me tell you, the story doesn’t end when the camping trip does, this book has layers upon layers.. I need more!

🐧🩷

Today I am on the tour for Lie To Me by Theo Baxter, thank you to Zoé at Zooloos Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 283

Synopsis: A terrified author. A hidden tormentor. A race against time.

Best-selling mystery author Elena Winthrop has survived a difficult and traumatic past. Which may explain why she has become a virtual recluse who depends on her best friend and assistant Lila for almost everything.

So when Lila dies suddenly, Elena is beyond devastated. But that’s just the start of her troubles.

Forced to engage with the world, Elena discovers that her husband has been cheating on her. Then sinister gifts start to turn up on her doorstep. She gets taunting messages about what she’s wearing and doing. Is someone watching her, tracking her every move?

Or, reeling from blow after blow, is she actually losing her mind?

Doubting her own sanity, Elena enlists a private investigator and discovers it isn’t only her mental health at stake – it’s her life. Someone out there hates her and is determined to make her suffer.

But who? And why? Can Elena find her anonymous tormentor before it’s too late?

Lie to Me – the chilling psychological thriller by the best-selling author of The Stepfather and The Scorned Wife.

My Thoughts: Theo really knows how to write a book that’s gripping and creepy yet in a very sneaky, realistic way, this one honestly had me on the edge of my seat.

We’re following Elena, she’s a very well known author but has become a bit of a home body, a recluse due to something that happened in her past, she relies very heavily on her personal assistant and best friend Lila.. so when she commits suicide seemingly out of the blue, Elena starts to spiral, she feels alone.. her husband is worse than useless, she doesn’t have any other family or friends so her editor convinces her to hire a new PA.

In comes Carlotta and things instantly feel like they’re improving and Elena feels like she can breath again, until she starts getting things through the post and threatening emails..

This book honestly went from strength to strength and I loved it! the mind of a thriller writer absolutely amazes me and terrifies me in equal measure and Theo is top tier for me!

I did work out the twist, now is it because I read to many thrillers or was they because Theo wanted us to know, I can’t tell! – but what I will say is that it didn’t take away from the story for me. It felt like I’d been let into a little secret.

🐧🩷

Today is my stop on the tour to celebrate Sue Moorcroft and her amazing achievement of writing 25 books!

I’m here to talk about Christmas Wishes!

Pages: 400

Synopsis: Hannah and Nico are meant to be together.

But fate is keeping them apart… 

As soon as Hannah bumps into her brother Rob’s best friend Nico in Stockholm, the two rekindle a fast friendship. But Hannah has a boyfriend – and Nico has two children to look after.

When Hannah loses her beloved shop in Stockholm, though, she is forced to move back to the little village of Middledip – only to find Nico has just moved in too. Under the same snowy sky, can the childhood friends make a romance work – or are there too many obstacles standing in their way?

About the Author:

Sue Moorcroft is a Sunday Times bestselling author. Her novels have been #1 on Kindle
UK and Top 100 on Kindle US, Canada and Italy.

She writes two books a year for publishing giant
HarperCollins and has won the Goldsboro Books Contemporary Novel of the Year, Readers’ Best
Romantic Novel award, two HOLT Medallions and the Katie Fforde Bursary. She’s the president of the
Romantic Novelists’ Association.

Her novels, short stories, serials, columns, writing ‘how to’ and courses have appeared around the
world.

The book can be bought here! 🥰

🐧🩷

👋🏼 I’m here today with a review for Always Alchemy by Elodie Hart, which brings us to the end of an incredible series!

Pages: 342

Synopsis: Always Alchemy is a full-length Happy Ever After for all of your favourite Alchemy characters, complete with all the spice and emotion, heartwarming moments and hilarity, that you’ve come to expect from the series.

🩷 Do you absolutely need to see Max, Dex and Darcy exchange vows?
🩷 Want a front-row seat to the sexy chaos that ensues when Cal decides to raise money for the rainforests?
🩷 Desperate for that spreader bar scene between Adam and Nat?
🩷 Have you long harboured a suspicion that Anton’s Terrible Twins will cause even more havoc as they get older?

You’re in the right place!

Always Alchemy takes place over course of a decade. Grab a drink, find a comfy seat, and enjoy this glimpse into the futures of the beloved Alchemy gang.

Always Alchemy is intended for readers who have already read the Alchemy series. If you’re new to the series, may I suggest you give Unfurl a whirl instead!

My Thoughts: I don’t really know where to start with this book!🥺🩷

This series has been absolutely incredible from the beginning, believe me Elodie really knows how to write smut that not only gives you everything you want and more in the spice department, but absolutely fulfils your need for a story to go along with it.

Every time I finished one of the books I had a new favourite relationship 🤣

Her writing draws you in so much that I genuinely felt like part of the family, none of the characters were perfect, they all had flaws and insecurities, just like your average person. But they all had money too, which provided a little bit of an escape from the every day feel.

Always Alchemy was everything I wanted and more, we got to see the happy ever afters, the babies, we even saw the step children grow up! (That last chapter was a tease, I need more!)

But in true Elodie style, the hard conversations were still had, the fun was still there and the spice although less was totally off the charts!

The whole book feels like the goodbye we don’t normally get and I loved it.

I laughed, I cried, I squealed, now I just need to convince myself that I don’t need to start the series from the beginning 🤣

🐧🩷

Today I am on the tour for Anywhen by Beth Duke, thank you to Zoé at Zooloos Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 343

Synopsis: Baezy is born in 2069, the centennial of the legendary Woodstock Music and Art Fair. Everything peace, love, and flower power is celebrated that year in a wave of nostalgia that takes over fashion, music, and the public’s imagination. She grows up listening to and loving the artists of that time, dreaming of witnessing everyone from Joan Baez to Santana in person. When presented with the opportunity to time-travel, Baezy immediately chooses Woodstock as her destination. She plans to enjoy a glorious weekend of vibrant sights and sounds; her bell bottoms and a peasant blouse are packed for the adventure and she’s excited to surprise her great-great-great-grandmother, Kelly Adams.

While Baezy’s certainly not a typical Woodstock attendee, Kelly isn’t either. She is at the very beginning of a stellar career researching artificial intelligence in the 1960s, and will later develop much of what will lead to the utopian society Baezy lives in. Kelly’s future family is immensely proud of her historic accomplishments.

The contrast between Baezy’s 2101 and 1969 is stunning from her first moment. Woodstock exceeds her wildest expectations, but holds far more than an introduction to her distant grandmother. Baezy quickly finds herself in life-altering situations she could never have anticipated.

My Thoughts: I was really unsure going into this book, because Historical fiction and Sci-fi are 2 genres that I don’t have the best reputation with, but I will happily admit I was pleasantly surprised, I really enjoyed this!

A completely new take on a time slip/time travel, I actually really struggled to put this one down.

I won’t lie it took me a while to get my head around the fact that Baezy and Sarah were the same person, just in different timelines.

The book was engaging, the 1969 chapters were so easy to read, you found yourself swept up in the surroundings and the music and all the fun of Woodstock, it felt almost surreal and magical.

The chapters of 2101 were a little more confusing there was so many rules and the use of AI just goes straight over my head, but once I understood a little more I really felt for Baezy!

I’m really glad I picked this one up, a prime example that it’s nice to push yourself out of your comfort zone every now and then.

🐧🩷