prdgreads

Today I’m on the book tour for Vows of Gold and Laughter by Edith Pawlicki, thank you to Kelly at Love Books Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Synopsis: The meeting of four lonely immortals will change them – and the world.

High in the Heavens, an immortal court celebrates the betrothal of Jin, Goddess of Beauty, and Xiao, God of Pleasure. But as soon as the vows are made, the Sun Emperor collapses from a death curse.

Raised away from the Sun Court after her mother’s murder, Jin is called a useless goddess, but she is now the emperor’s only hope. The curse’s cure is locked in the Underworld, and even though the court dismisses him as a hopeless alcoholic, Xiao vows to help his betrothed find the lost key.

They hire a thief who is more interested in stealing the groom than recovering the key, and begin their search at the legendary grave of the Great Warrior – only it turns out he never died. Tens of millennia old, he is a master of everything but his own heart.

Their journey takes them from the icy peaks of the White Mountain and the lush banks of the Kuanbai River to the palace of the Sea Dragon and the halls of the Moon Deer, through court intrigue and bloody battles, power struggles and magical traps. Heaven, Earth, and the Underworld will forever celebrate their triumphs – and mourn their mistakes.

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: The writing in this book was magical and whimsical, the audiobook flowed well though parts were really difficult to keep up with purely because there was so many characters and tangents to keep track of 😂 I found myself reading the ebook along with the audiobook that helped me keep track.

Both The world building and the character descriptions were incredible, it was really easy to picture it in my head where as normally with audiobooks I find it really difficult to visualise the words!

We’re following Jin and Xiao who are to be betrothed, whilst neither of them are really sure it’s what they want, it has been arranged so they go ahead with it, only for the sun emperor to be struck down with a death curse as soon as the vows have been exchanged.. on starts a journey for the newly betrothed couple to try and find a cure!

What follows is an adventure full of love, anguish, betrayal and certain characters discovering the truths about their past!

I loved it so much and after that cliffhanger I cannot wait to see what happens in book 2!

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Today I’m on the book tour for Migration Event by K.C. Gillis, 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: 426

Synopsis: Environmental destruction. Tax evasion. When reporter Jordan Reed uncovers a link, will she meet a fatal deadline?

Jordan Reed lives to expose criminals who believe they’ll never get caught. So after receiving a tip about a high-profile company dodging tariffs, the relentless journalist digs into the case. But though her lead turns out to be a red herring, a possible connection to the mysterious death of long-distance migratory birds pulls her into a byzantine maze of corruption and pollution.

Joining forces with a rogue conservationist, Jordan infiltrates the inner circle of one of Boston’s top corporate citizens. But when she and her new teammate find themselves surrounded by high-powered enemies, her hunt for the truth could force the coverup of their own murders.

Will the tenacious reporter live long enough to write the ultimate exposé?

Migration Event is the third book in the thrilling Jordan Reed mystery series. If you like powerful female protagonists, threats around every corner, and unexpected twists, then you’ll love K.C. Gillis’s edge-of-your-seat tale.

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: I think Jordan Reed may now be my new favourite female protagonist, she was bad ass, sassy and not afraid to take the path you least expect to get the results she needed!

We’re following Jordan who had stumbled upon a possible tax evasion case on one of the biggest business men in her area, little does she know that investigating it will lead to something a hell of a lot bigger!

This was gripping and really hard to put down, had more than one very strong female character, I loved Maggie just as much as I loved Jordan!

It was full of twists and turns, I honestly didn’t know where the story was going!

This is the third book in the Jordan Reed story and although I haven’t read the first two (yet) I didn’t feel lost or like I was missing anything.

I honestly cannot recommend this enough!

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Today I’m on the blog tour for Clandestine by James Quinn, 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: 248

Synopsis: James Quinn, author of the Gorilla Grant spy novels, will take you on a new adventure with his first short story anthology based around espionage, deception and intrigue.

A former spy investigates the murder of an old colleague – and uncovers a conspiracy that takes him back to the horrors of the Second World War.

A Close Protection Driver runs the gauntlet against assassins in the heart of Mexico City and is determined to keep his VIP alive… no matter the cost.

A Russian spymaster tells the tale of his nefarious plan to get an agent inside the Oval Office and to bring down American democracy, with devastating results for the future.

Enter a world of masterful suspense, action-packed adventures and thrilling twists with James Quinn’s ‘Clandestine’.

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: this serves me right for not reading the synopsis properly before agreeing to the tour but I didn’t realise this was a collection of short stories, they’re not normally my go to because I always feel like I’m left wanting more.

That being said I loved this, and although I was left wanting more it was more stories, rather than more detail in the stories that were already there! – the short snappy part reallly worked here, it made the stories gripping and believable!

I’m all for a bit of undercover spy stores, or stories where someone who is seen as ‘just the driver’ is the one to save the day! – I love it when the underdog comes our on top or when the hero is the person you’re least expecting!

Thank you for giving me the chance to read this, I couldn’t put it down and will be recommending it to all my reader friends.

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Today I’m on the book tour for Vacant by S Graham, thank you to Kelly at Love Books Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy

Pages: 127

Synopsis: For Becca, moving around with her two children and husband is nothing new. Relocating to new cities and viewing new houses is a normal way of life. Finding the perfect home is the hard part, but what comes with their new home was unexpected. As Becca begins to settle in the new house, she starts to experience chilling supernatural occurrences only witnessed by her. Unexplained and horrifying events start to unfold and in due time, the haunting face of a small child appears. The boy takes joy in seeing Becca squirm in terror and his obsession with her grows. They never anticipated what laid ahead, but one thing they did know was that this house was never VACANT.

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: well… I’m not really sure what to say about this one, I really loved it but also wish I hadn’t read it at the same time because I will never look at a child balloon the same way again 🤣

Right from the off this gave me the heebie jeebies but in the best way possible, I was hooked!

It gave me paranormal activity vibes ( my total guilty pleasure) I felt so sorry for Becca, she started off doubting herself and trying to ignore everything that made her gut feelings real!

This was chilling, gripping and just impossible to put down, certain parts made me actually feel cold & to know this is based on real life events made this all the more shocking yet enjoyable..

I couldn’t help out feel like this was left open, not on a cliffhanger exactly, but it feels like there could be more in the future!

The last week of October was definitely the perfect time to read this, it got me all ready for the spooky season!

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Today I’m on the blogtour for Christmas Wishes at The Chocolate Shop by Jessica Redland, 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: 253

Synopsis: Sometimes you just need a little Christmas magic to make your wishes come true…

When master chocolatier, Charlee, takes the leap to move to the picturesque seaside town of Whitsborough Bay, she is determined to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps and set up a chocolate shop.

Luckily, she finds the perfect location for Charlee’s Chocolates on beautiful Castle Street… Now she just has to refurbish it in time for Christmas!

With a useless boyfriend and countless DIY disasters, Charlee doesn’t know if she’ll make it in time. With no ‘traditional’ family to support her, she feels lost in her new surroundings and the secrets of the past are weighing her down.

But the warmth and festive spirit of the Whitsborough Bay community will surprise her, and when plumber, Matt, comes to the rescue, it might be that all of Charlee’s dreams could come true this Christmas, and she could learn what family really means…

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: this gave me alll the warm and fuzzy lovey dovey feelings I was hoping for and I loved it so much!

We’re following Charlee, and the book opens with her spreading her beloved Grandmas ashes, just as she’s finishing and getting ready to come home her boyfriend Ricky appears to give her a cuddle, he hadn’t finished work in time to join but at least he’s there now to offer some much needed support, right?

Ricky tells Charlee that he’s lost his job but there is a new opportunity opening up in Whitsborough Bay that he’s going for and he’d like her to join him, it all seems perfect but right from the start I got a feeling that just didn’t sit right with me, so many red flags that Charlee just kept ignoring!

But then she moves to Whitsborough Bay, finds the perfect shop to realise her dream of owning her own chocolate shop and carry her grandads legacy!

Obviously in true romance style nothing is ever straight forward and everything just starts going wrong and in steps Matt, the local plumber.. there’s instant sparks but the only problem is Charlee has a boyfriend and Matt is engaged.. but is either of them really happy?

On one had this was your typical predictable romance that is everyone’s guilty pleasure but on the other hand it was completely different too!

After this one I will definitely be picking up more books by Jessica in the future!

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Today I’m on the blogtour for The Reacher Guy, the authorised biography of Lee Child by Heather Martin, thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part & thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 544

Synopsis: Lee Child is the enigmatic powerhouse behind the phenomenally successful Jack Reacher novels. With devoted fans across the globe, and over a hundred million copies of his books sold in more than forty languages, he is that rarity, a writer who is both critically acclaimed and adored by readers. And yet curiously little has been written about the man himself.

The Reacher Guy shows us for the first time the young man behind the invention of Jack Reacher. Through parallels drawn between Child and his literary creation, it tells the story of how a lost and lonely boy from Birmingham with a ferocious appetite for reading grew up to become a high-flying TV executive, before coming full circle and establishing himself as an internationally bestselling author.

Heather Martin explores Child’s lifelong fascination with America – and shows how the Reacher novels fed and fuelled this obsession. Drawing on exclusive correspondence and conversations with Child over a number of years, she forensically pieces together his life, from Northern Ireland and County Durham to New York and Hollywood. This is the definitive account of the man behind one of the most iconic series of our times.

My Thoughts: this was a really interesting in depth look into the life of Lee Child, starting even before he was born looking into the lives of his grandparents!

We get a real insight into Lee (although his real name is James) and the things that shaped him into the person he is today and his motivations for becoming a best selling author!

I did at times find myself getting a little bit lost and confused because the book isn’t written in a linear format it kept jumping timelines and going back on itself.

I’m a Yorkshire girl myself so I really enjoyed the mentions of my hometowns Harrogate and Knaresborough, I could actually picture the places that they were taking about and it made it feel more real!

I really enjoyed the snippets of the Jack Reacher novels that were thrown in, they made me realise how much of his own life he actually put in there and would make me look at the stories in a whole new way!

I did feel that this was maybe a little longer than it needed to be, so just be prepared for a long ride if you pick it up, but it’s definitely one that’s worth the time it takes to consume it properly!

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Today I’m on the book tour for Amongst The Mists by M.L. Rayner, 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: 319

Synopsis: It was the most anticipated summer break of their young lives.

For Bran Lampshire, that summer of 1986 would be far different. The lure of a wilderness adventure sends him and his friends on a troublesome journey that would see them far from home and into the isolated shadows of the Sleathton Estate. In a forgotten land where nature thrives, an unexplained mist settles upon the shaded grounds. And stories were told of events so chilling, they were forcibly buried over time.

Lose yourself beneath the endless trees. And discover that legends are sometimes so much more than ghost stories.

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: Oh my word, this is how you do a ghost story properly, I literally couldn’t give this anything other than 5 stars, it was incredible!

The only problem being that I can’t tell you why! – part of the reason why I enjoyed this was because I just didn’t know where the story would go next!

Boundaries were pushed regularly and I was here for it… I had to put this book down a couple of times and distract my brain with mindless TV because it just creeped me out so much 🤣

We’re following 3 young lads who decide to go on a camping trip in the summer holidays, all is going well until one of them falls off his bike and hurts his back, this leads to one of them running for help and finding Gregory.. he lives alone in a lodge but happened to be in the area..

What follows is gripping, mesmerising, and just so hard to get out of your head. It felt so real I got goosebumps!

The story is actually told from 2 different perspectives & one of them you don’t learn who they are until the end!

Part of me is hoping for a follow up, but I’m also scared for a follow up because I can’t imagine what the author could possibly come up with next!

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Today I’m on the blogtour for Hollywood Bilker by Leopold Borstinski, 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: 261

Synopsis: Is building another casino worth dying for?

Jewish gangster, Alex Cohen returns to America and settles in 1960s California to build a drug and prostitution empire in LA. When he gets a call from the mob to help the CIA invade Cuba, Alex must decide between family and his business associates.

If he helps Uncle Sam and the Mafia then he puts his life on the line fighting for freedom and the chance to rebuild his Havana casinos. If he refuses the favor then death will call on him, his ex-wife and their sons. Once he agrees to one accommodation then others are sure to follow, in a decade where even presidents, assassins and presidential candidates were whacked at a terrifying rate.

The sixth book in the Alex Cohen series is an historical thriller novel, which rips open Jewish organized crime involvement in Lee Harvey Oswald’s death and the assassination of Bobby Kennedy. Leopold Borstinski’s searing crime fiction lays bare the making of today’s USA.

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧.5

My Thoughts: This is the 6th instalment in the Alex Cohen series and I have to say this is my favourite so far!

This one was more character driven than plot driven which I appreciated, it was less heavy on the action which meant that we got to know the characters in a whole different way and it made me feel more empathy for them and everything they’ve been through, Alex especially!

In this one Alex is trying to reinstate his previous drugs and prostitution business after having to leave Cuba in a rush!

We meet characters like Kennedy, Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe and it’s done so seamlessly and fits in quite well with what we know about them and they’re real lives that Alex could’ve actually been a real person in those times!

Then something happens that Alex can’t physically say no too & it makes him realise how old he is and how much he’s missing out on his families lives, could now be the time to say goodbye and let it all go?

I love this series so so much, and I cannot wait to see where it goes next time!

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Today is my stop on the blog tour for The Winter Cottage by Rachael Lucas, thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for organising it and inviting me to take port and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages:264

Synopsis: When Rilla Clark’s long lost father dies, she leaves New England and heads to his cottage in the Scottish Highlands to sort out his affairs. Rilla’s determined that her visit will be a fleeting one. The little village of Applemore holds a lot of memories for her, but looking back might just open up her heart, which she’s kept well-guarded until now.

Lachlan Fraser is less than delighted with his inheritance. He left the grand, crumbling Applemore House as soon as he could, and he can’t see why his three sisters love it so much. Gathered together at their family estate, the battle of wills over what to do with the house is just beginning when into their life walks Rilla, who they haven’t seen for over fifteen years…

Old friendships and long-hidden emotions are rekindled as the romance of a Highland winter works its magic – will Rilla and Lachlan discover that home isn’t a place, but a feeling?

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: this was the perfect winter/Christmas romance,

Rilla has to return to her dads old home in the Scottish highlands, he’s recently passed away and it’s time to clear out his cottage before his lease ends in 3 months time! – she’s expecting it to be hard and emotional but what she’s not expecting is to be thrown 15 years into the past!

Lachlan Fraser owns Applemore House, after the recent death of his dad too, he returns home to see how much work has to be put into the property in order to sell it! – what he didn’t bargain for was his sisters being so dead set on keeping the house, forgetting the inheritance tax and just fixing it up and keeping it in the family!

Then to make matters worse he’s really thrown for a loop when he hears that the loved of his life Rilla is also back for a while, he’s mortified but happy at the same time, could this be his chance to rectify his mistakes from 15 years ago?

Throw in an old family friend of their dads, friends who think they know what’s best, 3 spaniels and a 20 year old secret that has linked both families in a way that none of them could’ve imagined and what you’ve got is a story that is incredibly hard to put down and made me look forward to the Christmas season that will be here before we all know it.

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Today I’m on the blog tour for One More Christmas at the Castle by Trisha Ashley, 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: 523

Synopsis: This Christmas will be the most special of them all…

Elderly widow Sabine knows this will be her last Christmas in her beloved home, Mitras Castle. Determined to make it just like the ones she remembers from her childhood, she employs Dido Jones of Heavenly Houseparties to help with the big day.

Dido is enchanted by the castle as soon as she steps through the imposing front door. And as Christmas day approaches, her feeling of connection to the old house runs deeper than she first thought. But when the snow begins to fall and Sabine’s family arrive at the house – including Dido’s teenage crush Xan – tensions rise around the castle’s future and long-buried mysteries begin to unravel…

As past secrets come to light, can this still be a magical Christmas to remember?

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧.5

My Thoughts: I enjoyed this, it was a lovely read that warmed the heart but also tugged at the heart strings too!

We’re following Sabine, who knows that due to illness this will be her last Christmas, so she invites her close family and friends to celebrate with her and hires a party company to help her recreate the Christmases of her childhood – a task that she makes far from easy but they exceed her expectations every single time!

This story felt really slow in places and I think it’s because it was character driven rather than plot driven so at times we were left feeling like nothing really happened (not a criticism) but before you knew it you were so deep into the story that you needed to know what happened!

There were times where I felt like there was more to it all that Sabine had actually let on and the secrets and hidden aspects did not disappoint!

This was the perfect Christmas read for early in the season because it focussed more on the buildup rather than the big day so it wasn’t festive heavy!

This is the second book I’ve read by Trisha Ashley and so far I’ve loved them both!

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