prdgreads

Today I am on the tour for Button Box: Rascals and Revenge by Ruth Enright, 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: When Susan and Baxter fall into the employ of Bram Jarvis, a man with revenge on his mind, they are soon caught up in strange new adventures. Meanwhile, old enemies are still on the loose.

Susan time slips between two very different worlds. Her everyday present is at home and school but by night she has a magical past in Victorian London. There Baxter, a Pearly King coster boy and rat catcher, has taken her under his wing. Children alone in the crowded city, Baxter’s trades bring them into unusual company across a richly varied society.

Each of her worlds is just as real to Susan, who never knows what might happen next in either of them during the twists and turns of this exciting sequel to Button Box.

My Thoughts: this sequel was a lot of fun, with the whole timeslip through a button box aspect explained in the first book, this one was less about word building and more about the story!

It seemed faster pace wise and was so easy to get lost in, the 2 different timelines are woven together so seamlessly that sometimes I’d not realise the change until I saw a certain name and then I’d have to go back and reread it to make sure nothing had slipped through the cracks, but in a way I see that as a compliment to Ruth as the author.

The descriptions of the Victorian timeline were so vivid that it was so easy to picture the world around me.. I loved Baxter as a character he really gave me dodger vibes from Oliver! I found myself just constantly smiling at the book whenever he was on the page!

The modern day timeline was very true to life with Sudan being plagued of thoughts of not being good enough, being scared of letting her dad down & a lot of peer pressure.

A fab book, that although I am far older than the intended target audience I thoroughly enjoyed!

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Today I am on the tour for Look What You Made Me Do by Amy Andrews, thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the publisher and the author for my copy.

Pages: 258

Synopsis: A SPICY sports romance from Amy Andrews
A disgraced football star, a high school in need of saving and a reunion too hot to handle.

Headteacher Ella Lucas and football star Jake Prince have a very complicated history! Their mind-blowing encounter two years ago is proving impossible to forget now Jake has reappeared in Ella’s life after being booted out of the NFL.

She knew he was trouble back then but Ella has enough on her plate right now to worry about Jake and his shenanigans. Except, her school’s on the brink of closure, and it appears he’s the one person who can actually help. All he has to do is coach the underdog football team to a winning streak and maybe Ella can help Jake restore his tarnished reputation in the process. With nothing to lose, Jake reluctantly agrees.

As the school season heats up so does their inevitable chemistry. Far from being stuck in the past, the sparks between them are burning hot. And although he may look like her next mistake, Ella is determined that she will keep her hands off the anti-hero even if he does still have the best tight end on the planet. Because Ella has one golden rule: they are never ever getting together….

My Thoughts: firstly can we talk about the cover?? its bright, its colourful, its eye catching and just totally drew me into the story before I’d even read the synopsis!

Sports romances are all the rage at the moment and I couldn’t wait to get lost in the world of Ella and Jake, I don’t know why but this one just felt different.. in a good way I promise.. maybe because although the romance and the spice was a big part of the story and definitely hit the mark when it was there it wasn’t the main part of the story.

This is a book about second chances and not giving up on what you know is right, with a whole bunch of characters that you can’t help but fall in love with, one of my favourites being Cam, he was ‘raised’ by a mother who didn’t put him first and feels rejected by his big sister Ella, he can’t help but think that she should have ‘saved’ him sooner.

The book is fun and heartwarming but had a very serious undertones where it deals with some sensitive topics in just the right way.

This is the first book I’ve read by Amy but I will be looking for more in the future.

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Today I am on the tour for The Grandmother by Jane E. James, 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: 321

Synopsis: might be a grandmother. But I’m not some sweet, harmless old lady who people can push around.

Two little girls stand with their heads bowed in my living room. I’m told they’re my granddaughters. Daisy is nine, and Alice seven. Daisy is the spitting image of her mother. This is the first time I’ve met them since my daughter and I fell out after she married that waste of space, Vince.

They’ve come to live with me because their mother — my daughter — was murdered. In her own home while they slept close by.

I think Vince killed her. But the police can’t prove it. I’ve always known he was no good. He treated my daughter like dirt. I said he’d cheat on her — but she wouldn’t listen.

Now he wants his daughters back.

Over my dead body.

I finally have a family of my own. And nobody is going to take it away from me.

My Thoughts: this is the kind of story that you think you know what’s going to happen, yet it takes your expectations shakes them up and creates something totally new.

It’s a story told from the perspective of the grandmother and the father of Alice and Daisy, they’ve just lost their mum and have been taken to live with their grandmother who they’ve never met.. a lot of upheaval in a short space of time for 2 children that are so young and they both have different reactions to the situation.

You think the crux of the story is to work out who killed Scarlett, but the more you read the more you uncover that no one in this book is being honest, they’re all hiding something including Daisy and Alice!

It’s fast paced and intense, will have you second guessing yourself & then backtracking and thinking you had it right in the first place. It honestly baffles me how an author can think up some of the plot twists but I am absolutely glad they do!

If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers that will have you on the edge of your seat and unable to put the book down that look no further, you’ve found it!

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Today I am on the tour for Dangerous Descent by Evie Jacobs, 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: 290

Synopsis: Pilot Elise Hughes left the family business in the Florida Keys and now flies the rich and powerful to and from the Rocky Mountains. When she has to execute a by-the-book emergency landing, it’s no big deal. But being stranded in a small town with her handsome new colleague is something else entirely.

Obsessed with getting justice for his murdered father, undercover FBI agent Eric Erickson believes retribution is finally within reach. Until things get complicated. And dangerous. And he’s forced to face a few too many realities—including Elise’s connection to a well-known crime boss.

After Elise is kidnapped by the same man who took Eric’s father, he has a choice to make—find Elise or exact revenge. Meanwhile she has a choice of her own—trust the dangerous family she never knew she had or the man who’s been lying to her from the start.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this one, the romance side of it was a nice unexpected surprise & seemed to add a little extra something to what was already a book that sounded right up my street!

This book is listed as a romantic suspense, now I’m not sure that’s a genre I’ve ever heard of, but I tell you I’ll searching books out and reading more so thank you Evie for introducing me to yet another part of the book world!

In this one we’re following Elise who is a pilot for the rich and famous & Eric, her new partner who also happens to be an undercover FBI agent!

The attraction between them is obvious from the get go, but with them both having a job to do they ignore it.. until their plane is grounded and they’re left alone..

We know the passengers of the plane are part of a crime syndicate & their boss.. the main man is dying turns out he’s out for revenge but we don’t know why or who’s involved until we get further into the book!

It’s dark, it’s twisty but it’s also a whole lot of fun! I couldn’t put it down and ended up reading this book in less than 24 hours (it definitely would have been a one sitting read if I hadn’t fallen asleep with the book in my hand last night 😂🤦🏻‍♀️)

Can’t wait to see what Evie comes out with next!

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Today I am on the tour for Death Plunge by Michael K. Foster, 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: 329

Synopsis: Somebody wants her dead. But there’s a problem. She’s Jack Mason’s partner.
DCI Mason’s peaceful existence is about to be shattered by a notorious gangster’s release from prison. But that’s not the only problem. His partner, a successful physiotherapist, is now the target of a violent stalker.

The perpetrator might be a name from his past. Might be.

What could be more dangerous than a serial killer seeking revenge? Increased brutality. Excess.
With time slipping away, Mason must confront his nemesis head-on if he is to save the woman he cherishes more than anything. If not…

My Thoughts: This review will probably be a little different to the reviews I normally post, because I’m a bit of an idiot, went in completely blind and didn’t realise this was book 7 in an ongoing series 🤦🏻‍♀️ and I don’t want to risk any possible spoilers to anyone. So this time I’ll be focusing more on the way the book made me feel 😂

I was hooked on this book pretty early on, I loved Jack as the main protagonist, he was able to keep his cool for the most part despite his whole world seeming to fall apart, I get the sense that there may have been a lot of character development throughout the series? He’s confident in his own abilities but then wasn’t afraid to ask for help when he realised he was out of his depth.

The story itself is pretty fast paced, it had my heart racing at times whilst I was turning the pages of my kindle so quickly that I’d miss parts and find myself having to go back and reread.. I can only imagine how Michael’s established readers felt!

The smaller sub plots were a little confusing to me but I was able to work out what was happening and still found myself totally invested in the outcome.

It reminded me a lot of a Peter James Roy Grace novel.. police procedural series are one of my favourite genres & it looks like I now have 6 new books to add to my TBR. 🤷🏻‍♀️😂

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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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