prdgreads

Today I am on the tour for The Dragon Tree by Julia Ibbotson, 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: 312

Synopsis: Echoes of the past resonate through time and disturb medievalist Dr DuLac as she struggles with misfortune in the present. She and Rev Rory have escaped to the island of Madeira on a secondment from their posts, yet they are not to find peace – until they can solve the mystery of the shard of azulejo and the ancient ammonite. Viv’s search brings her into contact with two troubled women: a noblewoman shipwrecked on the island in the 14th century and a rebellious nun from the 16th century. As Viv reaches out across the centuries, their lives become intertwined, and she must uncover the secrets of the ominous Dragon Tree in order to locate lost artefacts that can shape the future.

My Thoughts: by now we all know that historical fiction isn’t a favourite genre of mine, but something about Julia’s writing really draws me in.

This is the 2nd book in the Dr DuLac series, and I was so happy to be back with Viv and Rory and see how their lives had progressed since the first book!

I won’t lie, this one did take me a little longer to get into I spent the first 60 pages a little confused and overwhelmed with the new characters we were meeting and the new timelines, but that’s definitely more of a me problem and my concentration levels sometimes so don’t let that put you off, once I got my head round who was who and what was going on I realised that the transitions were actually pretty seamless.

The story has some really heartbreaking moments that make you want to grab the characters out of the book, give them a hug and reassure them that everything will be ok and that it will work out in the end.

It’s full of secrets and will really make you think all the way through as Viv and Rory try to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding the azulejo and the ammonite.

I would absolutely recommend this series, but make sure you start with book one A Shape On The Air first to understand how the whole time slip started.

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Today I am on the tour for My Lost Sister by Eleonor Samuel, 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: 461

Synopsis: Twenty years ago someone stole my sister.

They say Leonie got into a man’s car. She was never seen again. It was the day before her fifteenth birthday.

But what if she was never taken? What if the truth is right here, all along, in the house where we grew up. The house I’ve come back to, trying to piece the past together.

A notification flashes on my phone. Photos on social media. I stare, chilled, at old pictures of my childhood home. Our front door, the gardens outside the window where I sit now. They’re tagged: #leonieshouse.

A shiver of unease runs down my spine.

Who knows?

What do they know?

I keep saying that I don’t remember.

But I do.

My Thoughts: another new author for me! I’m loving that despite being an avid reader for so many years and a book blogger for 5 years I am still discovering authors that have me hooked on the stories they create!

I was slightly put off when I realised it was 461 pages as I prefer my thrillers short and snappy! – however I am willing to eat my words, this one was fantastic and the longer length helped to build the story but also leave us hanging and eagerly chomping at the bit to work out the puzzle that was slowly being put together.

Rosie is helping her mum write a book about the disappearance of her older sister, not that she remembers much she was only 7, but she’s hoping that returning to the home she grew up in might just help.

When she arrives she meets the groundsman Kacper, she doesn’t know who he is, but something in her is convinced she knows him or at least used to..

The story was told in 2 timelines, and we all know that’s a favourite format of mine, it didn’t do me any favours this time though.. it left me more confused than ever!

I thoroughly enjoyed this one, I didn’t work it out at all and was on the edge of my seat throughout.

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Today I am on the tour for Two Doors Down by Mary Hargreaves, thank you to Hannah at Hygge Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 332

Synopsis:

Sometimes love is closer than you think.

Eve’s life is a constant juggling act between her successful, but fast-paced, marketing career, complicated friendships, and a revolving door of disastrous dates. But life would be fine . . .

If only her neighbour from two doors down would stop his cat getting into her house!

Adam’s life is on track. He’s a dedicated tutor, has a close-knit group of friends and a steady, long-term relationship. Except his girlfriend is distant, and he’s lost motivation for his job. But life would be fine . . .

If only his neighbour from two doors up would stop her cat getting into his house!

Eve tries to return Adam’s cat, but it becomes clear neither own ‘Old Sausage’. They have been duped by the antics of a stray. Despite his endearing presence in both their houses, he must be returned to his true owner.

As Eve and Adam start their search, they realise they have more in common than they thought, and when both are betrayed by those closest to them — Eve loses her job and Adam’s girlfriend leaves — they find that there’s more to life than just getting by.

And perhaps a new beginning was on their doorstep all along . . .

My Thoughts: I bloody love Mary’s writing, it’s laugh out loud funny with a serious undertone underneath, we’re following Adam and Eve (seriously 😂)

They’re both going through things in their personal lives which has left them doubting everything and not knowing which way is up.

I cant say much about the plot of the story because as always with a book the joy of the story with a romance of any kind is not knowing what happens in the in between.

But I really appreciated all the representation in this book, Adam knew he could lean on his boys and not be judged, they were all open with each other and honest about their feelings which was an absolute delight to see.

Eve had her best friend had conflict at work which showed just how far people can go and how sneaky they can be do end up on top!

Hugh was by far my favourite character, I just loved him, maybe I was a little bit biased because I also have cerebral palsy, although it doesn’t affect me in the same way.

Add in the most adorable elderly tortoise shell cat and I can honestly say that this is a romance book that made my heart so happy I wish I could read it for the first time all over again.

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Today I am on the tour for The Twin by Steena Holmes, 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: 313

Synopsis: My twin brother is the person I’m closest to. But now he frightens me.

We both have the same white-blond hair and clear blue eyes. All our lives people have stared at us. So we had to be there for each other.

Bryce tried to protect me from our dad. But when he died, I thought I was finally safe.

After the funeral, Bryce takes me aside: “Since Dad’s passing . . . well, it’s been going on for a few years now. I’ve been keeping a huge secret from you.”

Now I’m lying bruised and broken on a cold floor in a dark room. How I got here is the question. And what they want from me is insane . . .

My Thoughts: now we all know I am a fan of a psychological thriller, usually the darker and the twistier the better, but this one made me so uneasy that I found myself constantly wanting to put it down and distance myself from it.. now don’t take that as a negative, the book was brilliant!

Steena is a new author to me and I had no idea what to expect, I can promise you that this won’t be the last book of hers that I read.

The story is a bit of a slow one to begin with which allows you to create your own thoughts which also means that it draws you in slowly and by the time you realise how dark the story is about to get you’re so invested that you have to finish it to see how it ends.

Cults is one thing that honestly gives me the heebie jeebies.. I’m blaming my addiction to crime documentaries on Netflix!

Brynn and Bryce have always been close until the loss of their dad leaves Bryce to step into his shoes in The Family.. Brynn knows that she’s been involved before but doesn’t know the ins and outs, until she finds a letter and a photo album from her late mum which leads her on a path of discovery that could very well be the last thing she ever does..

This book will live rent free in my head for a while.

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Today I am on the tour for Meet The Parents by Emily Shiner, 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: 325

Synopsis: “We’re so excited to have you here in our home.” My boyfriend’s mother smiles at me a little too wide. His father’s eyes are hard at the edges. It’s like they’re hiding something. But of course, I already know that… 

The mother: Stay-at-home mother Marta lives in her successful husband’s shadow, overlooked by him ever since her darling son Owen went to medical school. She’s not about to let the beautiful Gina take Owen away from her. Marta will play nice, get Gina to trust her. And then she has a plan of her own.

The son: Owen is already certain he wants to marry Gina. She’s perfect. They just have to get through this weekend and then he’ll propose. Sure, his mom can be overprotective. But Owen knows why. He knows what she’s hiding.

The girlfriend: Ever since purposefully running into Dr Owen Whitlock at the hospital, Gina has been playing the doting girlfriend. She didn’t mean to fall for Owen’s charms for real… Now she’s finally meeting his parents at their sprawling, secluded home. Gina knows all about the terrible secrets this family is covering up. And she’ll do anything to make sure they never find out who she really is.

By the end of the weekend, the Whitlock’s beautiful house will have burned to the ground.And someone won’t make it out alive…

My Thoughts: I knew that I would love this book.. I am a huge fan of Emily Shiners books, she always leaves me wanting more and this one was no different!

This one is a constant guessing game that flips the story on its head multiple times.. you honestly never know who is the good guy and who is the bad guy. I know which way I wanted the story to go but was forever doubting myself.

Marta was a horrible woman, but you were left wondering wether she is jealous of Gina, scared of losing Owen or if she’s just overcompensating because she knows the secrets her husband is keeping and doesn’t want Gina to find out!

The kicker is we already know that Gina knows more about the family than they think, she has her own hidden agenda.. they’re linked to a tragic part of her past and she wants to make it right!

Emily really is a cut above in the psychological thriller genre, all of her books are impossible to put down and leave you with a pounding heart by the end.

I am excited to see what she comes up with next, though also a little bit scared.

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Today I am on the tour for Hush Little Baby by J.A. Baker, thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 296

Synopsis: When she hears the baby crying, she knows she has to do something to keep it safe. To protect it from its terrible parents…

When Melissa Crawford snatches a crying baby from outside a house, she knows she’s done the right thing. She can’t bear to see the baby suffer one more day in that house, with those people. With her, baby Gabriel will be safe and loved.

But as Melissa is making her escape, she is involved in a terrible accident which forces her into hiding. She can’t believe she’s been so careless – now she has to lay low and let the dust settle.

Gabriel’s parents won’t care where he is, they’ll be glad he’s gone. But if she goes to prison who will care for the little baby? Who will keep him safe?

But looking after Gabriel is harder than Melissa imagined. Why does he keep crying? Why won’t he settle? Why does he remind her of another child she once loved…and lost?

My thoughts: Melissa has taken her grandson, she believes he is being mistreated and knows that he will have a better life with her, we don’t know the specifics but we’re very quickly drawn into the story and led to believe that it’s for the best!

The book is told in 2 timelines, the present day and then back in 1970 when Melissa was a little girl. The chapters from the past are more compelling and had me turning the pages so much faster! They also helped to put the present day chapters into perspective more and left me as a reader thinking the worst as to the reasons Melissa has stolen Gabriel!

This wasn’t a particularly fast paced thriller, but I think that added to the overall atmosphere of the book and kept me turning the pages, don’t get me wrong there were moments where I was on the edge of my seat and found myself shouting at the kindle, but the most part this was a very subtle thriller that had me biting my nails in utter disbelief.

I will absolutely be reading from this author again in the future.

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Tofay I am on the tour for The Man In My Attic by Tobjn Mahle, 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: 324

Synopsis: He’s in our house.
I never imagined that moving into our dream home, a beautiful Virginia Colonial, would unravel my life.The renovations are finally complete and I revel in the quiet moments, sipping coffee in the morning sun.

But something is off. At first, it’s little things — a creak in the floorboards, a misplaced item. I brush them off, chalking it up to the house settling. My husband Jacob is more distant, buried in late-night meetings and coming home reeking of whiskey and lies.

But I love my life. So I let things go, sweeping them under the rug, because it’s easier that way. That my husband is having an affair isn’t an idea I’m ready to face or believe yet, either.

Our four-year-old son Noah mentions his new friend, Billy, who lives in the walls. I dismiss it as a child’s imagination. Maybe he’s picked up on the strains in our marriage.

As we’re having dinner, Noah peers at his father. “Billy said he knows what you did.” The idea my son knows about his father’s transgressions sends a ball of rage rumbling in my gut . . . and a shiver of fear.

Then one night I hear something — a soft thump in the attic. My heart pounds as I creep up the stairs, the silence of the house amplifying every sound. I reach the top, my breath hitching as I push open the attic door . . .

Billy isn’t imaginary. He’s real. And he’s living in our house.

My Thoughts: I am a huge fan of Robins writing, she just draws you in almost instantly, it has an almost hypnotic feel to it, you just can’t put it down without finding out how it ends!

This one felt too real for it to be fiction, we all have nightmares as children of ‘monsters’ under the bed or imaginary friends who tell you to do things you don’t want to do because you know it’s naughty and you’ll get into trouble.. now imagine every time you go in your playroom there’s someone talking to you through the walls.. for 4 year old Noah that was a reality & he can’t be scary or bad because he’s letting you pick his name and imagine what he looks like, right?

There were so many ways this story could have gone, my heart was in my throat the whole time, the story is a bit of a slow burn whilst also being fast paced at the same time, I know that makes no sense but I honestly don’t know how else to describe it!

The story is told from multiple perspectives which normally would help me work it out, your view of everything is well rounded, you get it from every angle but this time it had me tied in knots 😂

Gary was creepy right from the off I didn’t like him, his chapters almost made me feel like I had to wash my hands!

Another fantastic book from Robin and I’m almost scared to see what she comes up with next!

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Today I am on the tour for His Secret Child by Cole Baxter, 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: 341

Synopsis: I stand at my father’s funeral, tears rolling down my cheeks. Someone puts a hand on my shoulder, pulling me into a hug. As I look into the face of a woman I’ve never seen before, she whispers something that shatters my world. “He was my father too.”

Staring into the woman’s glassy gray eyes, I pray that she’s lying. I can’t believe that my steady, dependable father could do this to me. But a hush falls over my family as my ‘new sister’ Ava spills secrets about his hidden affairs and how he bought her silence. Now she’s finally free, she wants to be a part of the family.

But as my relatives welcome her with open arms, I’m certain something isn’t right. Details of her childhood keep changing. And I catch the way she looks at my fiancé, batting her long lashes and touching his well-toned arm. Can this woman be trusted? Does anyone else share my fears? Then, with a snide smile, away from the eyes of my family, she tells me that she knows my own dark secret.

I need to stay silent to keep myself safe. Until I find a crumpled white envelope in my father’s office that makes my blood run cold. What if my father’s death was no accident? Is Ava really here to join our family, or tear us apart?

Ava thinks she knows all my secrets, but she has no idea just how far I’d go to protect the people I love…

My Thoughts: this one was a slow pace for Coles books and I’ve read a few of them. For me at the time of reading the change of pace was appreciated and although I didn’t know it when I picked the book up it was exactly what I needed!

The story was a new twist on a plot that’s been done so many times, the secret ‘child’ was actually a fully grown adult that seemed to be just out for what she could get.. the cover is almost like a red herring in itself.

The plot was gripping without being full of twists and turns, we were just following the perspective of one character which helped the story to flow really easily, it also made it so the story only really had one way it could go for the most part which in turn meant that a lot of detail could be thrown in that would otherwise be missed in a thriller that had different timelines/perspectives and plot threads.

A relatively quick read given the slow pace & full of plenty of unsavoury characters for the reader to hate, as well as a couple that the reader will definitely want to succeed.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one like I do with all of Cole’s books!

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Today I am on the tour for Too Busy For Love by Phoebe MacLeod, thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 284

Synopsis: For Beatrice, working at one of London’s boutique hotels is a dream come true. She doesn’t need a social life. She just needs an ordered diary, crisply folded sheets and happy guests. But Beatrice’s routine comes to an abrupt halt when her hotel is raided by the police. Suddenly she finds herself released on bail, and trapped in London, with only the hotel chef Jock for company.

Having decided to make the most of their situation, Beatrice lets her hair down – figuratively and literally – for the first time in her life. And incredibly, despite the threat of possible prison around the corner, she finds she loves every moment spent exploring London in Jock’s company.

But all bubbles have to burst, so when the pair are released without charge, it’s time for Beatrice to get her life, and her career, back on track. She can’t let a little thing called feelings get in her way… So why can’t she forget Jock, even when her career dreams look set to become reality?

Beatrice may like to keep life fully booked, but can you ever really be too busy for love?

My Thoughts: Too Busy For Love is the epitome of a romcom, it had me laughing right from the off when our main characters get caught in the middle of a scandal when the high end hotel they work at gets raided by the police and is found to be a brothel! – that definitely threw a spanner in the works of Beatrice’s life of order and perfection, poor Jock is shocked but just starts rolling with the punches..

Now their lives and careers have completely fallen through and with the possibility of a criminal record hanging over their heads they now have to try and carve out a new path.

Beatrice throws herself into being part of a reality show and Jock finds himself a chef at the equivalent of a greasy spoon.

With the help of some larger than life side characters Beatrice and Jock realise they need and want more from life & they both have a dream they want to achieve..

I really loved the fact that the romance wasn’t the main focus of this story, it was more about finding yourself and realising your worth and what your capable of.

I think this is the first book of Phoebes that I have read but it definitely won’t be the last.

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Today I am on the tour for The Head Teacher by H.M. Lynn, thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 388

Synopsis: A taut edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller, perfect for fans of Freida McFadden and Claire Douglas.
The higher you climb, the greater the fall.

I would never have been hired if they knew what I’d done. My past.

St Ann’s is a strict environment, and after one year in the coveted position of head teacher, I know I can’t put a foot wrong.

Some don’t think I deserve this. Others are desperate for the job themselves.

And one of those people wants to bring me down.

Whoever this person is, they know things about me. Secrets I’ve barely told anybody.

And I’m scared what they might uncover if they delve a little deeper.

And what they might do to me – and my family – if I don’t get to them first…

My Thoughts: i really enjoyed this one, very different to the usual thrillers that I read, its told all in one timeline, in the present day, which left me with a really uneasy feeling because I just didn’t know where the story was going to go!

It’s been a while since a book made me feel like that, uneasy is the word I’m using but in this context it’s a positive thing.

I really felt for Liz all the way through because it just felt that no one was on her side, the daughter blamed her & ran away, the husband wouldn’t even listen to a thing she had to say and just kept telling her that she should know better.

There were so many side characters and different ways that the story good go that I truly couldn’t work it out, I second guessed myself all the way through and still got it wrong! 😂

This one was gripping, I couldn’t put it down, I bloody loved it and think you should all pick it up like yesterday!

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