Book Review - The Holiday by T.M. Logan - #HolidayReading Thailand

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Title: The Holiday

Author: T. M. Logan

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Zaffre

Publication Date: 13th June 2019 

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Seven days. Three families. One killer.

It was supposed to be the perfect holiday, dreamed up by Kate as the ideal way to turn 40: four best friends and their husbands and children in a luxurious villa under the blazing sunshine of Languedoc-Roussillon. 

But there is trouble in paradise. Kate suspects that her husband is having an affair, and that the other woman is one of her best friends. 

One of these women is willing to sacrifice years of friendship and destroy her family. But which one? As Kate closes in on the truth in the stifling Mediterranean heat, she realises too late that the stakes are far higher than she ever imagined. 

Because someone in the villa is prepared to kill to keep their secret hidden.

Well this is definitely a book about a holiday,  for four friends.  Right from the start you sense something epic is going to happen on this trip. 

What frustrated me was that we were given so many clues and red herrings about the truth,  and it seemed like Kate was going round in circles about some suspicious messages found on husband Sean's phone, that the real juicy action took until around 85% to get going. 

It may be that reading this on holiday myself and not checking the blurb,  meant that I was expecting it to be a different sort of book to what it was.

I enjoyed the writing style,  and once I got used to getting insights into almost all the characters through dedicated chapters,  it became easier to follow. 

I would happily read another book from this author in the future. He certainly kept me guessing throughout,  and I couldn't have predicted half of it. 

Thank you to Zaffre for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - The Secrets You Hide by Kate Helm - #Holiday Reading Mexico

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Title: The Secrets You Hide

Author: Kate Helm

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Zaffre

Publication Date: 7th February 2019 

Rating: 4 Stars

IN HER EYES, NO ONE IS INNOCENT

Georgia Sage has a gift: she can see evil in people. As a courtroom artist she uses her skills to help condemn those who commit terrible crimes. After all, her own brutal past means she knows innocence is even rarer than justice. But when she is drawn back into the trial that defined her career - a case of twisted family betrayal - she realises that her own reckless pursuit of justice may have helped the guilty go free.

As Georgia gets closer to the truth behind that case, something happens that threatens not only her career, but even her sanity. At first, she fears her guilt around the events of her terrible childhood is finally coming back to haunt her. 

But the truth turns out to be even more terrifying . . . 

There is a great deal of information to take in with this book.   There are plots on plots on plots, giving the book a great amount of depth and complexity. 

It took a while to get to grips with how things fitted together and it was all from Georgia's point of view. 

We have what happened in Georgia's past, her current work as a courtroom artist, the reasoning behind why she is doubting her own sanity, and a couple of cases that are told in depth. 

For most of the first half of the book we see the court proceedings of a big rape trial, which introduces us to just what a courtroom artist does, as well was Georgia's ex - Oli - and a very realistic if not traumatic telling of what happens at one of these trials. 

Having read previous books by Kate Harrison, Kate Helms, last author name, I knew she was able to write books that would grab me.  In this her crime book, she has found some new angles to the genre and told a complex story,. 

I was always a few steps behind Georgia in this, and never really had a concrete theory, but even while events are being explained and secrets are being told, its a book that will definitely keep your interest and you guessing.  

Thank you to Netgalley and Zaffre for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - If We're Not Married By Thirty by Anna Bell - #HolidayReading Mexico

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Title: If We're Not Married By Thirty

Author: Anna Bell

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Zaffre

Publication Date: 1st December 2018 

Rating: 4 Stars

Lydia's not exactly #LivingHerBestLife. She never imagined she'd be here at thirty - newly single, a job that's going nowhere and her friends all winning at life when she's still barely taking part. So she jumps at the chance of a free holiday and jets off to sunny Spain. 

Then, out of the blue, she bumps into her childhood friend, the handsome and charming Danny Whittaker. She's always had a crush on him and they soon enter into a passionate holiday romance. 

But this relationship could be more than just a fling. Years ago they made a pact that if they were still single when they turned thirty they would get married. But noone really follows through on these pacts . . . right?

Could Lydia's back-up man really be her happy ever after?

Another really enjoyable book from Anna Bell who is fast becoming an author I might just drop everything to read. 

This was a fun story and I wasn't completely convinced whether the right couple would end up together. 

I loved the craziness from Lydia and Danny's mums, the creativity of the events that Lydia is coordinating and the really obvious connection Lydia and Danny have. 

This book is a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed reading the assorted antics from the characters.  Add in some stunning locations too, and you have a very good book.  

Thank you to Netgalley and Zaffre for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Christmas at the Palace by Jeevani Charika

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Title: Christmas at the Palace

Author: Jeevani Charika

Format reviewed: Paperback

Source: Publisher supplied copy

Publisher: Zaffre

Publication Date: 18th October 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Snuggle up and fall in love with the perfect holiday romance, as one ordinary girl learns what it means to love a prince, perfect for fans of Heidi Swain. 

Not even in her wildest imaginings did Kumari ever think she'd become a princess. But having fallen for Ben - or rather Prince Benedict, sixth in line to the throne - it looks like nothing will ever go as planned again. And as Christmas rapidly approaches the distinction between family festivities and Royalty becomes ever more apparent.

With the paparazzi hounding her, her job on the line and some rather frustrating royal training, Kumari feels panic set in.

Does loving Prince Charming mean she'll get her fairy tale ending - and on her own terms?

I feel as though I should preface this review by stating that I'm fairly indifferent to the real royal family, and as such don't have huge amounts of information about them. 

That being said I couldn't help but feel that large elements of this book were clearly based on real life, and incredibly well researched.  I felt that the initial news articles about Prince Benedict dating Kumari were potentially realistic and I did wonder to some extent how much this was based on the real relationship between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.  

I never intended to read any of the books initially released to tie in with this years Royal Wedding, for various reasons but when this book randomly arrived in the post I was drawn to it, plus I like the author when she writes as Rhoda Baxter, so I knew I would give in to temptation at some point,.  And I am so glad that I have. 

Kumari really is one of the best leading ladies I've read about recently,  she is a strong independent woman who is completely unsure why the Prince is even interested in her.  She is s doctor and works closely with a charity and is close to her family. They are worlds apart but yet as the saying goes, you can't help who you fall in love with. 

I loved seeing how Kumari's attitudes towards everything, and seeing how she deals with everything with poise is rather inspiring. 

Whenever I wasn't reading I was wondering what Kumari was up to now, she really got under my skin and into my heart.  She is a fabulous heroine and a role model. 

I also loved getting up close and personal with a Prince - and learning all about the different traditions within the Royal Institutions.  Benedict is handsome prince indeed, but also he seemed in some ways really down to earth too, as did one of his sisters. 
  
Originally released as A Royal Wedding, it has been re-named and expanded for Christmas, however I wouldn't really call it a Christmas book.  The bulk of the story has nothing to do with Christmas, however the expanded Christmas section was incredibly well done, and I thoroughly enjoyed not only that but the whole book. 

I adored this book, it is feisty, romantic,  and clearly a lot of love and research has gone into the story from the author It is a modern day fairy story that is contemporary and it has certainly made me look at the real life royals in a new light. 

Thanks to Zaffre for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - The Secrets of Primrose Square by Claudia Carroll

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Title: The Secrets of Primrose Square

Author: Claudia Carroll

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Zaffer

Publication Date: 26th July 2018 

Rating: 4 Stars

So many stories hidden behind closed doors . . . 

It's late at night and the rain is pouring down on the Dublin city streets. A mother is grieving for her dead child. She stands silently outside the home of the teenage boy she believes responsible. She watches . . .

In a kitchen on the same square, a girl waits anxiously for her mum to come home. She knows exactly where she is, but she knows she cannot reach her. 

A few doors down, and a widow sits alone in her room. She has just delivered a bombshell to her family during dinner and her life is about to change forever. 

And an aspiring theatre director has just moved in to a flat across the street. Her landlord is absent, but there are already things about him that don't quite add up . . .

Welcome to Primrose Square.

What an impressive story of women's friendship, of their strength or to borrow a well known 90s phrase - Girl Power!  For that is what this is 4 very different females, of assorted ages, all showing their inner strength and courage in assorted circumstances. 

There are four main characters and the focus changes between them all. The one thing they have in common is their address is on Primrose Square. 

There is plenty I would like to say about the specifics but I think this works better as a book you don't know too much about in advance. It will mean the writing is even more powerful especially in the case of Susan and Melissa's stories. 

This is a book that makes me proud to be a woman and the writing deals with a whole host of issues with great compassion.  It is a very well written and researched book, and feels like a slight change of direction from the author. 

I tend to think of romantic comedy when it comes to Claudia Carroll, but yet this is a book that had me thinking and feeling far more than it did laughing.    The Secrets of Primrose Square is a book that needs to be read steadily so that you don't miss anything, as there is a lot going on, and some information is shared really slowly building up not to shocking reveals but ones that make sense in the context of what you have been reading. 

Without a doubt its a very good book, and I will be sad to say goodbye to Susan, Melisa, Nancy and Jayne. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Zaffre for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - First To Die by Alex Caan

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Title: First To Die

Author: Alex Caan

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Zaffre

Publication Date: 14th June 2018 

Rating: 4 Stars

SOMEWHERE IN THE CROWD IS A KILLER 

Bonfire Night and St James's Park is filled with thousands of Anonymous protesters in a stand-off with the police. When a cloaked, Guido Fawkes mask-wearing body is discovered the following morning, Kate Riley and Zain Harris from the Police Crime Commissioner's office are called in.

The corpse has been eaten away by a potentially lethal and highly contagious virus. The autopsy reveals the victim was a senior civil servant, whose work in international development involved saving lives. Why would anyone want him dead? 

THEY WILL STRIKE AGAIN 

As the research team looking into the origins of the deadly virus scramble to discover an antidote, first one, then another pharmacist goes missing. Meanwhile, a dark truth starts to emerge about the murder victim: he was an aggressive man, whose bullying behaviour resulted in the suicide attempt of one of his former staff members.

AND TIME IS RUNNING OUT . . .

With thirty lives potentially at stake, Kate and Zain have their work cut out for them. Can they find the two missing pharmacists in time, or will they too end up dead?

That was one intense book, I feel as though I have learned about far too about the incredibly scary world of biochemistry, and just what horrors could await the world if this was to become a reality.  My head feels fried from the amount of information i have taken in, and its already been giving me bad dreams. 

Yet I didn't find I was particularly hooked on this thriller,  nor did I have any ideas where the investigation would take us. 

I was though surprised when I referred back to the blurb after I had read a significant amount of the book and things still hadn't really occurred that were mentioned in it.  I thought I was going to be reading a fast paced thriller with a real race against time, but instead it seemed like the majority of the first half of the book was focused on one specific dead body, and that when it started to get more serious and the investigation proceeded, I found myself a bit confused. 

This may be because I am realising that I am just not keen on thrillers that involve drugs, drug trials, pharmaceutical companies and all that related industry. 

That being said I could easily see that the book was getting under my skin, and I was mildly curious as to how everything would be resolved.  The writing is very good, and it was my personal preferences clouding my enjoyment of the book. 

This was the second book featuring this police team, and although I read the first book a few years ago, I found I was struggling to remember things even with the reminder tidbits, so I would say these are best read one after the other, and Cut to the Bone is by far the better story to my eyes. 

I would though be curious to read more from the author in the future, as I suspect it was the crime that I wasn't engaging with properly, rather than anything else.  If you like slow building thrillers with a lot of explanations then this could be the book for you. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Zaffre for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart by Anna Bell

Amazon UK

Title:  The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart

Author: Anna Bell

Format reviewed: Paperback

Source: Publisher supplied ARC

Publisher: Zaffre

Publication Date: 10th March 2016 

Rating: 5 Stars

Abi's barely left her bed since Joseph, the love of her life, dumped her, saying they were incompatible. 

When Joseph leaves a box of her possessions on her doorstep, she finds a bucket list of ten things she never knew he wanted to do. What better way to win him back than by completing the list, and proving they're a perfect match?

But there's just one problem - or rather, ten. Abi's not exactly the outdoorsy type, and she's absolutely terrified of heights - not ideal for a list that includes climbing a mountain, cycling around the Isle of Wight and, last but not least, abseiling down the tallest building in town . . . 

Completing the list is going to need all Abi's courage - and a lot of help from her friends. But as she heals her broken heart one task at a time, the newly confident Abi might just have a surprise in store . 

Do you have a bucket list? Does it have things on it that terrify you? Have you ever considered doing someone else's bucket list even though most of the items on it are your idea of a terrifying and miserable time? Well when Abi is dumped by Joseph, and he returns some of her things, she finds his bucket list in the box too.

And so Abi decides that moping won't get him back ,but showing how compatible they really are, by achieving his bucket list, and posting photos all over Facebook to show him what he's missing, is the best way to try to get him back. 

Abi decides she has to do the list in the shortest time frame possible, so that Joseph hasn't had a chance to meet anyone else.  Thus you are in for a hectic fast paced few months during this book, as Abi challenges herself, and also has to deal with trouble at work too. 

Amongst the items on the list are, cycling around the Isle of Wight (Abi can't recall when she was last on a bike), abseiling down the Spinnaker (with  a massive fear of heights), learning to windsurf, and climbing one of the four peaks.  For a not outdoorsy person this all a bit of  steep ask, so she is grateful when new friend Ben offers to help with some of the tasks. 

Seeing Abi change and gain in confidence as she attempts the various items of the list, is awe inspiring, or it would be if she was doing it for herself, and not just to get back her boyfriend, who doesn't sound that great in the first place. 

This a fast paced book, with a lot of emphasis on the bucket list, which gives the story a good reason to move on. There are some great one liners in the book which had me laughing out loud, and this is a fabulous romantic comedy. 

The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart is a feel good, entertaining story, which a good amount of adrenalin thrown in too, some of the tasks were leaving me breathless, just thinking about them. I read this on Valentines Day, and its made me feel so much better about being single, and I'd love to say its inspired me to create my own bucket list (but I'm just not that sort of person. )

Thanks to Emily Burns at Zaffre for this review copy. This was my honest opinion.