Category: Book Review

A book review is a summary of my thoughts, feelings, and impression of a book.

#BookReview The Girl and the Sunbird by Rebecca Stonehill @bexstonehill

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#BookReview The Girl and the Sunbird by Rebecca Stonehill @bexstonehill Title: The Girl and the Sunbird

Author: Rebecca Stonehill

Published by: Bookouture on Jun. 17, 2016

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 502

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Bookouture, NetGalley

Book Rating: 10/10

A haunting, heartbreaking and unforgettable novel of a woman married to a man she can never love, and drawn to another who will capture her heart forever… 

When eighteen year old Iris Johnson is forced to choose between marrying the frightful Lord Sidcup or a faceless stranger, Jeremy Lawrence, in a far-off land, she bravely decides on the latter. 

Accompanied by her chaperone, Miss Logan, Iris soon discovers a kindred spirit who shares her thirst for knowledge. As they journey from Cambridgeshire to East Africa, Iris’s eyes are opened to a world she never knew existed beyond the comforts of her family home. 

But when Iris meets Jeremy, she realizes in a heartbeat that they will never be compatible. He is cold and cruel, spending long periods of time on hunting expeditions and leaving Iris alone. 

Determined to make the best of her new life, Iris begins to adjust to her surroundings; the windswept plains of Nairobi, and the delightful sunbirds that visit her window every day. And when she meets Kamau, a local school teacher, Iris finds her calling, assisting him to teach the local children English. 

Kamau is everything Jeremy is not. He is passionate, kind and he occupies Iris’s every thought. She must make a choice, but if she follows her heart, the price she must pay will be devastating. 

Review:

This is a poignant, heart-wrenching, impactful story that I won’t soon forget.

It is the story of Iris, a young, naive woman who is sent to British East Africa to marry an arrogant, brutish widower, only to find true love in the arms of a native.

The story is predominantly set in Kenya during the early 1900s, and then again during the Mau Mau uprising in the 1950s, and is told by differing perspectives that sweep you along through the highs and lows of Iris’s life effortlessly.

This is, ultimately, a story about loneliness, loss, injustice, determination, strength, solace, happiness, and love.

The prose is poetic, precise, and exquisitely descriptive. And the characters are multi-layered, engaging, and empathetic. 

This is a truly powerful story. It will make you smile. It will make you cry. And it will resonate with you long after the last page is finished.

This book is due to be published on June 17, 2016.

Pick up a copy of this story from your favourite retailer or from the following Amazon links.

Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon Canada

 

 

Thank you to NetGalley, especially Bookouture, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Rebecca Stonehill

Rebecca Stonehill is from London but currently lives in Nairobi with her husband and three young children where she set up Magic Pencil, an initiative to give children greater access to creative writing and poetry. She has had numerous short stories published over the years, for example in Vintage Script, What the Dickens magazine, Ariadne’s Thread and Prole Books but The Poet’s Wife (Bookouture) is her first full-length novel, set in Granada during the Spanish Civil war and Franco’s dictatorship. Her second novel, The Girl and the Sunbird, was published by Bookouture in June 2016.

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#BookReview Security Breach by Humphrey Hawksley @hwhawksley

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#BookReview Security Breach by Humphrey Hawksley @hwhawksley Title: Security Breach

Author: Humphrey Hawksley

Series: A Kat Polinski Thriller #1

Published by: Endeavour Press on Aug. 1, 2008

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 464

Format: eBook

Source: Endeavour Press, NetGalley

Book Rating: 9/10

When you move, they watch. When you speak, they listen. 

They track you by what you touch and how you walk. 

Welcome to the not-so-distant future, where terrorism is so feared that near-total surveillance is the new way of life. 

In Washington, a young American agent, Kat Polinski, is on a routine assignment – break into the embassy of the energy-rich government of Kazakhstan. 

What she finds is a massacre. 

But the worst is yet to come. 

The murder of her sister and the discovery of a plot as dangerous as anything coming out of the Middle East, forces Kat on a new mission. 

Nothing and no-one will stop her from hunting down her sister’s killer. 

But the closer she gets, the more she peels away layers of her own society where fear is used as a control mechanism and governments act above the law. 

Kat is on a voyage of self-discovery as the truth about the ‘tragic’ deaths of both her parents – her father in an air crash and her mother’s subsequent suicide – comes into question. 

Is anyone, even close family, who and what they appear? 

What exactly is the relationship between her dad – a man of high moral principle – and the powerful female Russian oligarch Tina Gracheva?

Review:

Fast-paced, intelligent, intriguing, and suspenseful!

This a political thrill ride of murder, surveillance, power, and corruption that reminds us that the line between good and evil can be very blurry.

The main character, Kat, is smart, tough, and tenacious. And the supporting characters are multi-faceted and complex.

The story is well written and well plotted with multiple twists and turns that will keep you enthralled to the very end.

This is a highly exciting, action-packed novel that I couldn’t put down.

 It was a great read and I highly recommend it.

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy of this novel from your favourite retailer or from the following links.

Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon Canada,

 

For more information on Humphrey Hawksley, visit his website at: humphreyhawksley.com

or follow him on Twitter at: @hwhawksley

 

 

Thank you to NetGalley, especially Endeavour Press, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

#BookReview The Outliers by Kimberly McCreight

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#BookReview The Outliers by Kimberly McCreight Title: The Outliers

Author: Kimberly McCreight

Series: The Outliers #1

Published by: HarperCollins on May 3, 2016

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 336

Format: Hardcover

Source: Purchased

Book Rating: 7/10

It all starts with a text: Please, Wylie, I need your help.

Wylie hasn’t heard from Cassie in over a week, not since their last fight. But that doesn’t matter. Cassie’s in trouble, so Wylie decides to do what she has done so many times before: save her best friend from herself.

This time it’s different, though. Instead of telling Wylie where she is, Cassie sends cryptic clues. And instead of having Wylie come by herself, Jasper shows up saying Cassie sent him to help. Trusting the guy who sent Cassie off the rails doesn’t feel right, but Wylie has no choice: she has to ignore her gut instinct and go with him.

But figuring out where Cassie is goes from difficult to dangerous, fast. As Wylie and Jasper head farther and farther north into the dense woods of Maine, Wylie struggles to control her growing sense that something is really wrong. What isn’t Cassie telling them? And could finding her be only the beginning?

Review:

I was really excited to read this novel as I have previously read Kimberly McCreight’s other two novels, Reconstructing Amelia and Where They Found Her, and really enjoyed them.

This story, for me, started off really well, in fact it was positively creepy. The plot was interesting, mysterious, and suspenseful. And all the twists and turns had me on the edge of my seat and totally engrossed.

However, the second half of the book seemed a little less intriguing. The plot lost a little momentum, became a bit disjointed, and felt slightly unrealistic.

Overall, though, I think it’s a good story. The writing is strong. And the characters are complex, flawed, and determined. 

This book is certainly unique and interesting, and I think it is definitely worth a read.

 

#BookReview So Many Boots, So Little Time by Kalan Chapman Lloyd

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#BookReview So Many Boots, So Little Time by Kalan Chapman Lloyd Title: So Many Boots, So Little Time

Author: Kalan Chapman Lloyd

Published by: Rebelle Press on Oct. 18, 2016

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 398

Format: eBook, ARC, ARC

Source: Kalan Chapman Lloyd, NetGalley

Book Rating: 8/10

“You need to stop all this yoga crap and find your inner badass again.”

Old love. New Love. A love you wish would just die.

A kinder, gentler Lilly?

Small-town lawyer Lilly Atkins has calmed down. She’s doing yoga, her hair is relatively tame, and she hasn’t shot anyone in a while.

But with bad boy Cash Stetson out of rehab, former FBI agent-turned-attorney Spencer Locke dogging her steps, and a ghost from her past who just won’t go away, her trigger finger is starting to itch.

When cattle rustlers hit a little too close to home, and she’s forbidden to investigate, the only thing to do is get up off the yoga mat and grab her gun.

Will Lilly stay zen? Or get her groove back?

Review:

Dust off those cowboy boots because this book is definitely a boot-stompin’ good time!

This is the third book in the MisAdventures of Miss Lilly series, but it can definitely be read as a stand-alone novel.

This is a well written book. The characters are bold and quirky. The plot is funny, engaging, interesting, not to mention full of mystery, mischief, drama, and romance. And the setting is the alluring Wild West, complete with ranches, cowboys, rustlers, and good southern cooking. It doesn’t get better than that.

I really enjoyed this book. It will definitely make you smile!

 

This book is due to be published on October 18, 2016.

 

 

Thank you to NetGalley, especially Kalan Chapman Lloyd, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

#BookReview Don’t You Forget About Me by Liz Tipping

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#BookReview Don’t You Forget About Me by Liz Tipping Title: Don't You Forget About Me

Author: Liz Tipping

Published by: Carina UK on Jun. 6, 2016

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 205

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Carina UK, NetGalley

Book Rating: 9/10

An athlete, a princess, a brain, a criminal, a basket case… 
Cara Dunham is definitely one of them. But stuck in her small hometown, with no prospects of escape, she’s struggling to find her thing. Her life is more book club than Breakfast Club and there is no Judd Nelson in sight!

So when Cara is invited to a school reunion she knows this is her chance to channel her inner Molly Ringwald and grab her John Hughes moment, once and for all. Because her teenage love, Daniel Rose will be there, the coolest boy at school and the one that got away.

But transforming into an 80’s icon isn’t easy and Cara enlists the help of her oldest friend, Stubbs, to teach her all she needs to know about being cool and quirky – a la Ringwald.

Except Stubbs thinks she’s perfect, just as she is and takes it upon himself to show Cara that her life might not be ‘movie perfect’, but there is always another take to get things right. And maybe the hero she’s dreamed of has been under her nose the whole time…

Review:

Funny, touching, quirky, and romantic!

This is a classic friends-to-more romance that pays homage to all those 80s movies we love and can’t get enough of.

The writing is well done. The characters are lovable, cute, and genuine. And the plot flows nicely, has just the right amount of drama, with a side of movie trivia, that will keep you engaged until the last page.

I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it.

And between you-and-I, I always secretly hoped that one day I would be sitting on a dining room table, and Jake Ryan (Michael Schoeffling) would give me a birthday cake and ask me to make a wish!

This book is due to be released on June 6, 2016.

 

 

Thank you to NetGalley, especially Carina UK, for providing me with a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review. 

#BookReview Don’t You Cry by Mary Kubica

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#BookReview Don’t You Cry by Mary Kubica Title: Don't You Cry

Author: Mary Kubica

Published by: MIRA on May 17, 2016

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 320

Format: Hardcover

Source: Purchased

Book Rating: 8.5/10

New York Times bestselling author of The Good Girl, Mary Kubica returns with an electrifying and addictive tale of deceit and obsession 

In downtown Chicago, a young woman named Esther Vaughan disappears from her apartment without a trace. A haunting letter addressed to My Dearest is found among her possessions, leaving her friend and roommate Quinn Collins to wonder where Esther is and whether or not she’s the person Quinn thought she knew. 

Meanwhile, in a small Michigan harbor town an hour outside Chicago, a mysterious woman appears in the quiet coffee shop where eighteen-year-old Alex Gallo works as a dishwasher. He is immediately drawn to her charm and beauty, but what starts as an innocent crush quickly spirals into something far more dark and sinister than he ever expected.  

As Quinn searches for answers about Esther, and Alex is drawn further under Pearl’s spell, master of suspense Mary Kubica takes readers on a taut and twisted thrill ride that builds to a stunning conclusion and shows that no matter how fast and far we run, the past always catches up with us in the end.

Review:

This is a dark, intelligent, psychological thriller that will have you asking yourself, “How well do we really know someone?”

The story is told from two different perspectives. One is that of Quinn, a young woman living in Chicago whose roommate, Esther, has gone missing. And the other is that of Alex, an 18-year-old boy living in a small town 70-miles outside of Chicago who recently noticed a strange woman wandering around the town. These two characters have never met and you are left to puzzle how and when their two paths will collide throughout the novel.

The characters are multi-layered, complex and empathetic. The story is skillfully written. And the multiple plots will have you pondering each and every twist and turn.

This story is not full of action or extremely suspenseful. However, the slow build will keep you enthralled and captivated until the very end.

I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it

 

#BookReview London Belongs To Us by Sarra Manning

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#BookReview London Belongs To Us by Sarra Manning Title: London Belongs to Us

Author: Sarra Manning

Published by: Bonnier Publishing Fiction on Jun. 2, 2016

Genres: Young Adult

Pages: 272

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Bonnier Publishing, NetGalley

Book Rating: 9/10

Seventeen-year-old Sunny’s always been a little bit of a pushover. But when she’s sent a picture of her boyfriend kissing another girl, she knows she’s got to act. What follows is a mad, twelve-hour dash around London – starting at 8pm in Crystal Palace (so far away from civilisation you can’t even get the Tube there) then sweeping through Camden, Shoreditch, Soho, Kensington, Notting Hill . . . and ending up at 8am in Alexandra Palace.

Along the way Sunny meets a whole host of characters she never dreamed she’d have anything in common with – least of all the devilishly handsome (and somewhat vain) French ‘twins’ (they’re really cousins) Jean Luc and Vic. But as this love-letter to London shows, a city is only a sum of its parts, and really it’s the people living there who make up its life and soul. And, as Sunny discovers, everyone – from friends, apparent-enemies, famous bands and even rickshaw drivers – is willing to help a girl on a mission to get her romantic retribution.

Review:

This is a clever, laugh-out-loud funny, imaginative novel.

The writing is exceptional. The characters are smart, adventurous, and engaging. And I love that the sights, sounds, history and diversity of London play a key role, and is a character itself.

The plot is fast-paced, the whole story takes place within 12 hours, is full of fantastic escapades, and is so engaging you will read this book in one sitting.

This is a great book. I loved it.

 

This book is due to be published on June 2, 2016.

 

Thank you to NetGalley, especially Bonnier Publishing, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

#BookReview Destination: India by Katy Colins

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#BookReview Destination: India by Katy Colins Title: Destination: India

Author: Katy Colins

Series: The Lonely Hearts Travel Club #2

Published by: HQ Digital on Jun. 2, 2016

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 334

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Carina UK, NetGalley

Book Rating: 8/10

Let yourself go…

Georgia Green is about to board a plane to India, alone – again. Things were supposed to be different this time, but Georgia backpacked solo to Thailand and survived, what could possibly go wrong?

Only she is about to find out that when in India the country calls the shots – not you.

Review:

Imaginative, fascinating, and funny!

This is a really nice contemporary romance that takes us on a whirlwind tour of India, both the good and bad, using remarkable description and humorous mishaps.

The writing is well done. The characters are smart, adventurous, and engaging. And the plot is interesting, captivating, full of fanciful escapades, and, of course, a little romance.

I really enjoyed this book. And I look forward to reading the next book in the series, Destination: Chile later in the fall.

 

This book is due to be published on June 2, 2016.

 

 

Thank you to NetGalley, especially Carina UK, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

#BookReview What We Didn’t Say by Rory Dunlop @roryjamesdunlop

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#BookReview What We Didn’t Say by Rory Dunlop @roryjamesdunlop Title: What We Didn't Say

Author: Rory Dunlop

Published by: Bonnier Zaffre on Jun. 30, 2016

Genres: General Fiction, Women's Fiction

Pages: 320

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Bonnier Publishing, NetGalley

Book Rating: 9/10

A darkly funny story of a marriage in crisis, perfect for readers who loved Us by David Nicholls and The Versions of Us by Laura Barnett

Jack and Laura have separated. Jack thinks it’s all Laura’s fault.

Laura disagrees.

Jack writes to Laura, desperate to put across his side of the story.

Laura interrupts.

Wryly sarcastic and intensely well-observed, What We Didn’t Say is about that gap between words and feelings where relationships live – and die.

Review:

Deeply moving, insightful, and captivating.

This is a poignant novel that reminds us that life is short and precious, and that fundamentally we all need to love and be loved.

It touches on familial dynamics, marriage, secrets, jealousy, love, trust, and the importance of communication.

The story is written using a two-person narration, in a creative and unique style, which allows readers to flow both effortlessly between past and present, as well as hear both perspectives seamlessly.

It is well written. The prose is simple, precise, and darkly witty.  And the characters are complex and real.

This is engaging story with a powerful impact, and I highly recommend it.

This book is due to be published on June 30, 2016.

 Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from the following Amazon link.

Amazon UK

 

For more information on Rory Dunlop, follow him on Twitter at: @roryjamesdunlop

 

 

Thank you to NetGalley, especially Bonnier Publishing, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

#BookReview Summer at Oyster Bay by Jenny Hale

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#BookReview Summer at Oyster Bay by Jenny Hale Title: Summer at Oyster Bay

Author: Jenny Hale

Published by: Bookouture on Jun. 9, 2016

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 278

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Bookouture, NetGalley

Book Rating: 8/10

Summer at Oyster Bay is the perfect, feel-good summer romance, about the importance of home and family, learning what love is, and living for the moment.

They say falling in love is easy. But what if you know it’ll break your heart?

For Emily Tate, returning to her charming childhood home Oyster Bay is like coming up for air after the fast pace of her city life. At the farm her grandfather built, surrounded by sister Rachel’s chatter, Gram’s buttermilk biscuits, and the soft, white sand, Emily is reminded of exactly who she is and what she holds most dear.

When Emily starts work at elegant Water’s Edge Inn, Charles Peterson, the handsome new owner, asks for her help. He wants to expand and needs Emily to teach him the local ways, so he can convince the planning commission. Emily vows to make him fall in love with her hometown, just the way it is.

At work, Charles is reserved and serious, yet once Emily has him kicking off his shoes in the sand and sailing across the glistening Chesapeake Bay, she sees another side to him, and their easy rapport feels like the start of something big.

But when it becomes clear Charles’s plans for the inn involve bulldozing Oyster Bay, Emily is heartbroken. Will she lose her home and Charles all at once, or can she save Oyster Bay, and give true love a chance?

Review:

Sweet, amusing, and engaging!

This is a classic contemporary romance story. It has friendship, heartbreak, grief, family, food, and romance.

The characters are lovable, dependable, and real. The plot is captivating and interesting. The prose is well done and exceptionally descriptive. And the setting, is the beautiful East Coast, complete with melt-in-your-mouth seafood, campfires, and endless summer days.

I really enjoyed this book. It was like being wrapped up in a cozy blanket, warm and comfortable.

 

This book is due to be published on June 9, 2016.

 

 

Thank you to NetGalley, especially Bookouture, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.