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Today I am on the tour for Guns and Almond Milk by Mustafa Marwan, 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.

I have to be completely honest and admit that I’ve messed up, I had the date for this tour in my diary as March so I can only apologise to the author, publisher and everyone involved that I haven’t had chance to finish it yet!

Pages: 240

Synopsis:An adrenaline-fueled journey into war-torn Yemen, this novel is the perfect read for fans of passionate, fast-paced fiction.

 

Luke Larson, a British Egyptian doctor, runs from his problematic past in the UK and becomes a war surgeon. When he is taken hostage by Western security contractors in a besieged hospital in Yemen, he realizes that after spending years saving the lives of others, he needs to face the demons of his past in order to save his own.

 

Guns and Almond Milk is a study of identity, war and redemption.

 

It is The Sympathizer mixed with M.A.S.H by the way of Ramy.

Born to Egyptian parents and raised as a first-generation British Muslim, Luke Larson struggles to be from two worlds at the same time.

 

He is working in a humanitarian mission in Aden, at the height of the Yemeni conflict. Max Gorsky, Luke’s new patient, is a security contractor working for the government forces. Rebel forces have taken over the city, and Max’s team is now taking refuge in the city’s hospital, in preparation for their final stand. Luke and his team find themselves caught in a deadly clash between the ruthless rebel group and the desperate security contractors.

At the same time, Max and Luke need to settle debts from their shared past in the UK where they joined forces in fencing a multi-million-dollar stolen artifact operation that went wrong.

 

Guns and Almond Milk is a fast-paced story of love, murder, and thrill that provides readers with a fresh perspective on humanitarian work, religion, assimilation, and Middle Eastern politics.

Initial Thoughts: you can feel the unease of this story coming through the pages, none of the characters really know wherever they’re coming or going, although all of them are trying their best with the limited resources they have, we haven’t gotten into the nitty gritty of the story yet, but Luke is reliant on painkillers, so I know that something big must’ve happened in his past to make him that way. I love Luke as a character, his vulnerability is really coming through which as weird as it sounds is nice to see in a male main character!

I’m excited to carry on I have a feeling I’m really going to love it.

About The Author:

Mustafa Marwan is an Egyptian writer, aid worker, and trainer with over a decade of experience in more than a dozen conflict zones around the world. His debut novel, Guns and Almond Milk, a 2021 Page Turner Awards Finalist, is set in Yemen and the United Kingdom, where he has lived and worked. Mustafa has a Bachelor’s in Pharmacy and a Master’s in Public Health and has lectured and consulted on topics such as management and leadership, health and social care. He has also facilitated intercultural dialogue programs in several countries.

Mustafa currently resides in Bangkok, Thailand.

Today I am on the tour for In The Shadows by L.B. August, 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: 497

Synopsis: Damned by gods and threaded by fates, two mortals must embrace the darkness to find their true destinies.

Lilith Clarke is supposed to be dead: murdered by the vicious King Oren, her blood staining a field of daisies. But death would have been merciful.

After years of having no name, she is finally given a title: Queen of Umbra. But it will cost her everything. Lily is now bound to King Asher, the most powerful and brutal shadow divinus in all of Omnia. Forced to rule in secret, she slowly loses herself to the darkness. She fears it will swallow her whole.

Until he arrives, tugging an ancient thread deep within her soul.

Theodore Kincaid seeks justice in Umbra but falls captive to his sworn enemy, the ruthless King Asher. Trapped in the kingdom that killed his beloved, his fate seems sealed until a chance encounter with the secret Queen of Umbra offers him an opportunity he can’t resist.

Theo and the Queen each believe that they are in full control, but neither is prepared for what the fates have in store.
Amidst a realm on the brink of chaos, two souls collide in a heart-wrenching tale of unveiling secrets, conquering the darkness, and igniting a love that could save or destroy.

In The Shadows is the first book in a new series filled with forbidden romance, enemies-to-lovers, magical powers, fated mates, and political intrigue. It’s perfect for fans of The Serpent and the Wings of Night, Fourth Wing, The Cruel Prince, One Dark Window, and A Court of Thorns and Roses.

In The Shadows features mature content and themes that are not suitable for all audiences. Reader discretion is advised. For all content warnings, please visit L.B.’s Instagram.

My Thoughts: it’s been a while since I read a fantasy novel and got really lost in it, I find new fantasy worlds overwhelming sometimes now that I read so much, but this one was so seamless I found myself engrossed early on.

The first chapter kicked the book off with a right bang and it just didn’t stop at all, we open with Theo and Lily finally confessing their love for each other, which I knew would be too good to be true.. but what we don’t see coming is the tangled web that their admissions will weave 😩😩

I don’t want to give too much away but this book was just incredible, it’s a bold statement but I think this might just be my favourite book of the year so far.

It’s got characters that are full of heart and will always try and do the right thing, the guards especially will always look out for their queen.

I’m not doing this book justice but I promise you it’s worth the investment of your time and attention I got real ACOTAR vibes & that cliffhanger.. oh my days!!

I cannot wait for the next book in the series!

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Today I am on the tour for Island In The Sun by Monica Carly, 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: 214

Synopsis: An absorbing account of a young English girl experiencing the joys and facing the challenges of her unique pathway through adolescence, against the backdrop of an island people intent on breaking away from their mother country and taking up an independent role in the world.

My Thoughts: non fiction isn’t a genre I reach for often, but something about this one really drew me in & I honestly thoroughly enjoyed it!

Monica tells us all about how her and her family moved to Jamaica in the late 1940’s, you couldn’t possibly get any different from the dreary cold England where she moved from!

The writing flowed easily and it was so easy to picture the things being described and really immerse yourself into the story being told, there were a lot of ups, but also a few downs.. after all life isn’t perfect & Monica doesn’t shy away from the difficulties her and her family faced!

I’d really recommend this one and will look out for more from Monica in the future!

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Today I have a cover reveal for you for The Seeds Of Murder by Dawn Treacher, but before I reveal the cover let me tell you a bit about the book!

Synopsis: Cedric Mallenson’s wife Carolina is missing. Everyone believes she simply left Cedric because she didn’t want to be a vicar’s wife any longer. Now retired, and with time on his hands, Cedric’s mind begins to wonder why. Why did Carolina leave? Did she leave because she wanted to, or had to? His thoughts prompt him to begin writing a detective novel, a cosy murder mystery. His daughter Scarlett encourages him to also take over the task of gardening, something Carolina used to do when they were together. Little does he realise that whilst he is writing his detective novel and doing the garden, he could be nurturing the seeds of murder.

How good does that sound?! Dawn is already a well established children’s author and this is her first venture into another age demographic, i for one can’t wait to read it! – it is coming out in May!

The cover definitely has me intrigued!

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Today I am on the tour for The Prisoner of Acre by Murray Bailey, thank you to Murray himself for organising it, inviting me to take part and for providing me with a copy of the book.

Pages: 287

Synopsis: Ash Carter returns to Israel on what should be a straightforward mission except for one small detail. Why did Alfred Duffy
go AWOL from the British Army, go to Israel and then hand himself in at Acre Prison.

The mystery deepens when Carter finds that Duffy escaped just as he arrived.

The hunt begins but as the mystery unravels towards an exciting climax, it becomes unclear who is the hunter and who the hunted.

My Thoughts: I have been eagerly awaiting the return of Ash Carter, he has to be one of my favourite main characters ever written!

This time round he is sent to Israel to retrieve someone who has gone AWOL from the army and has landed himself in prison, what he first believes will be an easy job turns out to be quite the opposite!

Ash gets to the Prison of Acre to discover that not only has Duffy escaped but he’s taken another prisoner with him.. so begins a search for both parties..

Obviously Ash is stopped at every turn and nothing is ever simple, but the tension is this book was so thick you could cut it with a knife, I found myself distrusting of absolutely everyone that got involved.

There are secrets in almost every chapter and the story just keeps building, just when you think this has to be it, something else happens to throw a spanner in the works!

Full of twists and turns right until the very end, with plenty of action, shooting and fighting that we have all grown accustomed to where Ash Carter is concerned.. I absolutely loved it, but now I’m back to waiting for the next instalment! 😂

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Today I am on the tour for The Boot Camp Murder by Matthew Ross, 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.

My Thoughts: a lot of fun and laugh out loud funny!

Monica and Paddy are siblings, who don’t always see eye to eye but are there for each other when it matters, so when Monica can no longer deal with her work place bullying and leaves her well paid job, her brother introduces her to the world of dog walking..

Thinking it will be a walk in the park, quite literally Monica starts going with him, not realising just how life altering it will be 😂

Full of relatable characters that you can just imagine yourself sitting down with to have a cup of tea and put the world to rights, this book really didn’t feel like reading, despite the murder and the bullying and the secrets it felt like a warm hug and I personally can’t wait to be back with the We Sit Pets team in the future!

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Today I am on the tour for The Wartime Book Club by Kate Thompson, thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 446

Synopsis: Jersey, 1943. Once a warm and neighbourly community, now German soldiers patrol the cobbled streets, imposing a harsh rule on the people of the island.

Grace La Mottée, the island’s only librarian, is ordered to destroy books which threaten the new regime. Instead, she hides the stories away in secret. Along with her headstrong best friend, postwoman Bea Rose, she wants to fight back. So she forms the wartime book club: a lifeline, offering fearful islanders the joy and escapism of reading.

But as the occupation drags on, the women’s quiet acts of bravery become more perilous – and more important – than ever before. And, when tensions turn to violence, they are forced to face the true, terrible cost of resistance . . .

Based on astonishing real events, The Wartime Book Club is a love letter to the power of books in the darkest of times – as well as a moving page-turner that brings to life the remarkable, untold story of an island at war.

My Thoughts: now if you’ve been following my blog for long enough you will know that historical fiction isn’t really my thing, but sometimes the odd one just speaks to me, the wartime book club was one of them and oh am I glad I read it.

The book itself is fiction but very cleverly has real people and real stories woven in throughout, you’ll have to read the authors notes at the end to work out which ones, but it was utterly seamless!

This book made me cry, several times, but it also made me laugh, made me smile and had me feeling like I was part of the community too, the story real just draws you in and doesn’t let you go until the very last sentence.

To know that the stuff you’re reading about actually happened is utterly heartbreaking, you could tell the book was very well researched!

Grace and Bea were incredible main characters who both did their own bit to fight back, even when times got near enough impossible they didn’t give up.

Although the subject matter is a hard one, I would 100% recommend picking this book up if you get the opportunity, it’s one that will stay with you long after you’ve finished it!

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Hi hi 👋🏼

Today I’m here to tell you all about The Only Ones Left by K.E. Jennings which is now available to preorder!!

Pages: 263

Synopsis: Malia lives with Cole, her little boy. They are always together and live a very quiet life because absolutely everyone else is the world has gone, including Malia’s beloved husband Josh. Malia can’t think too deeply about what has happened, or why she and Cole are the only people left on the planet. The thought scares her, so she lives what she perceives to be a ‘normal’ existence until one day, she is messaged by someone on defunct social media channels. In a desperate attempt to connect to this man, Malia strikes up an online friendship with Ian, in Australia. That’s when even more strange and unnatural things start to happen. Dark entities and crows begin to threaten Malia and Cole’s very existence, which Malia desperately tries to cling onto while Ian is trying to get to her and her son. Will he make it? Will Malia and Cole survive and who are the dark entities that threaten the only ones left?

The Only Ones Left is the debut novel of K.E. Jennings, who signed for Provoco in 2023. More books from this talented author are planned in the near future.

The book is released on the 28th March 2024 and can be bought here! It will also be available on Kindle Unlimited!

I can’t wait to be part of the tour for this one!

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Pages: 352

Synopsis: ‘Dark Truth’, the second in a series of three novels, is a suspenseful mystery thriller full of intrigue that will leave you guessing right until the very end. Private investigator Joe Wilde is hired by Tom and Marie Archer to investigate the disappearance of their six-year-old daughter Laura. Joe also takes on an unusual case for a client by the name of Jack Riley. Jack believes he was framed to make it look like he was cheating on his fiancée Claire Brooks. Claire has been the target of disturbing vandalism. As Joe helps the police investigate Laura’s disappearance, he uncovers disturbing secrets concerning the Archers and some of their neighbours. Meanwhile the attacks on Claire become more extreme. Fearing for her life, Claire also hires Joe. As Joe continues to investigate, he puts himself in great danger.

My Thoughts: we all know I like my crime thrillers full of suspense, dark and twisty and that is exactly what this one gave me! – I bloody loved it!

I will say though I can’t have read the synopsis properly when the author approached me asking if I would like a copy in exchange for an honest review because I didn’t realise this was the second in a trilogy.. that being said though I did feel like this could be read as a stand-alone, I was just missing the initial introductions to Joe which meant it took me a while to warm to him!

He now has his own PI Business that isn’t quite off the ground yet so when he gets offered to very different cases that could not only end up being very lucrative money wise but also business wise in getting his name out there who is he to refuse?!

The chapters are short, snappy and engaging which helped to not only keep my focus throughout, but it also made this a book that I really struggled to put down.. I needed to know what happened to Laura & who was the one targeting Laura!

The book deals with some very difficult subjects in a very sensitive way, which is always refreshing for a reader to see, it shows that the writer has not only done their research but that they care!

I will be looking out for more from C.D. Steele in the future, he’s definitely an author that you all want to have on your radar!

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Today I am on the tour for The Au Pair by Jane Renshaw, 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: 352

Synopsis: The Davidsons seem like a normal family. But they do have one little secret…

American student Alice Snyder was excited to be spending the summer in Scotland, working as an au pair for the Davidson family at their remote lodge. But one month after she arrived, Alice disappeared without trace.

Now the new au pair, Melanie, has arrived – and soon notices that the Davidsons are a bit odd. There’s the strange comings and goings at night, the creepy paying guests, and sinister uncle Gray who makes her flesh crawl.

And then there’s the worrying scratch marks on the floor of the au pair’s bedroom. Did Alice try to barricade herself in? What could she have been so afraid of? Are the Davidsons somehow linked to her disappearance? And is Melanie herself now in danger?

As she desperately tries to find out what happened to Alice, Melanie begins to understand that this old house harbours a truly horrifying secret. Alice was its last victim, but she might be its next…

My Thoughts: this one was a one sitting read for me, I couldn’t put it down!

There was tension, suspense, secrets, lies and red herrings galore there was literally no way of knowing which was the story was going.

It’s told in multiple timelines from different perspectives and we all know that’s my favourite type of thriller, it gives you a well rounded look at the story as it unfolds whilst cleverly hiding hints to the upcoming twists throughout!

There were possibilities when it came to Alice and what had happened to her that my head just kept going round in circles, Melanie was also another one that threw me off kilter a little whilst reading, I was constantly wondering if she was somehow involved in Alice’s disappearance or if she knew more than she was letting on!

Parts of this book had me feeling really uncomfortable in the best possible way, I really enjoyed it and it’s one I would highly recommend to fans of psychological thrillers!

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