My Review for Beta's Bane by Liv James

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. When the opportunity came my way to read and review an ARC of the first in a paranormal series, I jumped at the chance.  Give Me Books Promotions sent me a copy of Beta's Bane by Liv James and it is absolutely outstanding, as the author's debut novel I am only hoping she continues to write more!

Cam and Brodie are brothers, born to Cecily, who was the Alpha of the Ridgeway pack.  Cam steps into his mother's shoes and becomes the new pack Alpha, with Brodie as his Beta.  The Pathway is the route that Wolf Shifters take when their souls pass from one world into the next and must be protected.   Liv James's story follows Brodie as he attempts to claim his fated mate, Iris, but will his brother's new law prevent them from being together?

Different squads form the Ridegway pack, with Squad Leaders in charge of their own team.  They work together, training with other warriors from around the world, to protect the Pathway.  Once I became familiar with the characters I couldn't get enough of this new series.  The majority of them were so likeable and entertaining, it was a joy to read.  

The author draws the reader into the story with her descriptions and tales from the past as we learn the story behind the prophecy and how the Ridgeway pack, is what it is.

As there is erotic content in the book, it is definitely for those over 18, however, don't be fooled into thinking it's just a lot of sex with a bit of a story - it is so much more than that.  Liv James writes beautifully and there are some very poignant moments included throughout the book.

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My Review for 20th Victim by James Patterson

⭐⭐⭐⭐  20th Victim is my first James Patterson novel and part of the Women’s Murder Club series.   I listened to it as an Audiobook,  narrated by January LaVoy and borrowed from Borrowbox. I enjoyed it but I think James Patterson is probably better to read as a physical book rather listened to as an Audiobook - it got slightly confusing for me - it doesn’t take much these days though!  Having read other reviews of James Patterson's books it appears that once again I’m late to the party, and, as this is one of his more recent books I am convinced that they can only get better as I go backwards.

Predominantly the dominant story is about three victims, in three cities at the same time with Sergeant Lindsay Boxer as the investigating officer.  There are a couple of other subplots which don’t seem to have any relevance to the story but I guess everyone has a life outside of their job, with friends and family who are connected with the protagonist and this is what Patterson shows as he writes his story.  

I loved the enthusiasm and comradeship of the women, who I am presuming, are the ‘Women’s Murder Club’.  With careers that are different, but linked, they are always there for each other, no matter what.

Will I read another James Patterson?  Almost certainly, although I need to do some research into his earlier novels and start off with those, I think.

If you are a James Patterson fan then yes, definitely read 20th victim, however, if, like me, you are new to the author then start off with something different.  I'm off to find out what I should have read first!

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My Review for The Cursed Girls by Caro Ramsay

⭐⭐⭐⭐. Thank you to NetGalley, Canongate and Black Thorn for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of The Cursed Girls by Caro Ramsay.

What is the Melvick Curse?  It seems that lives begin to deteriorate for anyone who gets involved with the Melvick family.  Melissa is the eldest daughter, and she’s dying, Megan, the youngest, is deaf and people think she’s mad.  Their mother disappeared. And whatever happened to Megan’s best friend?

Megan returns to her childhood family home, the Melvick Estate, to say goodbye to her dying sister.  But once there she finds it hard to leave, people around Megan are doing their utmost to make her stay, but why?

I found The Cursed Girls slow, to begin with, but it soon became a book I just couldn’t wait to get to the end of - for all the good reasons!  Caro Ramsay is brilliant at keeping you guessing throughout the story and it will keep you guessing as to what will happen next.  There were many times throughout the book when I was sure I knew what was coming, only to be thrown in a completely different direction!

I wasn’t sure which characters I could trust in this book and even right until the end, the only one I believed was the protagonist, Megan Melvick.  Certainly, strange things were happening to her, some of which she couldn’t explain, Megan but for me, she was a likeable character who only wanted to discover the truth.

If you like a mystery/thriller then check out The Cursed Girls, I need to find myself some more Caro Ramsay novels to read.

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My Review for Stephen Fry in America

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. In September 2021 we have a 5-week road trip booked in America, flying to Atlanta, Georgia and travelling South, then West, then North a bit and finally East, back to Atlanta!  Whether this will happen in September 2021 remains to be seen as currently (June 2021) we still aren’t allowed to travel there from the UK.   Never mind, we will get there eventually, I tell myself!  If you are reading this and there is also a post on this blog for the trip, then we made it at some point!  In the meantime I thought I would get myself in the mood, so we watched BBC1’s ‘Stephen Fry in America’ and I decided to listen to the audiobook too.

In his own inimitable style, with wry humour and enthusiasm, Stephen tells us of his journey across the 50 (or 51 - I’m still not sure) states of the United States of America in an English, black taxi cab, collecting fridge magnets as he goes!  

Stephen meets and talks to fascinating people, views wondrous landscapes and mingles into small-town life, taking Thanksgiving dinner with a family on a plantation.  All throughout his journey (which takes about 8 months in total) Stephen transported us into the days and weeks alongside him. As he describes each state in such detail, we can almost imagine we are there with him.

The audiobook was so, so much better than the television series. There was more content, more detail and a lot, lot more humour.  I’m guessing that if I’d read the actual book, the same content would have been there, probably with photographs too, but I wouldn’t have had Stephen’s dulcet tones, speaking to me directly for 8 hours and this made it even more appealing.

I would definitely recommend Stephen Fry in America for anyone who has the slightest interest in the United States, for me who loves the country. It was a simple decision.  I don’t know why I hadn’t sought out the book before now.

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My Review for Summer at the French Olive Grove by Sophie Claire

⭐⭐⭐⭐. Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Summer at the French Olive Grove by Sophie Claire.

Sophie Claire’s book begins in Columbia where the protagonist, Lily, is making a film about the lives and careers of some Columbian women in a world where women don’t really have careers.  Lily is attacked and suffers a broken arm, returning to her home village in France to recover.  Moving back in with her elderly grandmother, Mamie, Lily catches up with her oldest friend Olivier and enjoys the slower pace of life in this peaceful place.  Torn between returning to her nomadic lifestyle and spending more time with Mamie, Lily has a decision to make.

I love a story set in sunny, seaside villages with idyllic views and villagers who all know each other and this is no exception,  The author takes us into the heart of the French village with her descriptions of the olive groves, the boats in the marina and the tantalising aromas of Mamie’s cooking, making us wish we were there.

Olivier and Lily both want very different things from life which seem to stem from their childhoods, and the author keeps us guessing throughout the novel how their past relates to their outlooks on the future,  Both characters frustrated me and at times I just wanted to bang their heads together and simply tell them to talk to each other!

If you enjoy a delightful novel with a happy ending, then you’ll enjoy Summer at the French Olive Grove.  Slip your sunhat on, grab a cold drink and settle under a shady tree. This is a lovely book for an afternoon in the sun.

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My Review for The Vacation by M.M. Chouinard

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of The Vacation by M.M. Chouinard.

I have never really been a thriller reader, not because I don't enjoy them, it has just never been something I've picked up off the shelf, but wow - if thrillers are like this then I've seriously been missing out!

Six adults and four children are in Jamaica for Thanksgiving, but it is apparent from the outset that all is not as it should be.  When one of the children goes missing, the police have to find out what has happened, is someone perhaps more involved than they should be?

The author kept me guessing throughout the book, with each page turn she threw another spanner in the works, and when I was sure I knew what was going to happen, I was again left wondering.  With twists and turns at every opportunity, and characters that you could sympathise with at one moment yet become angry with, in another, The Vacation kept me hooked until the last page.

Don't miss out on this book if you're a thriller reader but even if you're not, try it, perhaps let it be your first one.  I would totally recommend this to everyone.  I loved it right from the start and will be reading more by M.M. Chouinard as soon as I can.

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My Review for The Broken Hearts Honeymoon by Lucy Dickens

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone and Arrow Publishing for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of The Broken Hearts Honeymoon by Lucy Dickens before the release of the paperback.

Wow! I loved it and read it, in under 24 hours. Granted, it was pouring with rain in the UK and I had nothing else to do but it was such a wonderful book. Informative, educational, happy, sad, comical and slightly heart-breaking, I experienced such a wide range of emotions whilst reading it I didn’t want it to end.

Charlotte and Matt are the perfect couple, they’ve been together since they were 14, they stayed at sixth form together, went to the same university and were planning their perfect life together after their perfect wedding.... until Matt decided perhaps things weren’t so perfect after all. Their honeymoon was all booked and paid for, and Japan had been the one place Charlotte had always wanted to visit, so she bravely packs her bags and flies off to the other side of the world, on her own, and slowly begins to find herself.

The Broken Hearts Honeymoon is such a lovely book, Lucy Dickens writes with such passion and knowledge of Japan, you feel as though are travelling around the country with Charlotte. The author’s descriptive writing is addictive. I wanted to be hiking through the Japanese Alps with Charlotte, taking tea in the Japanese gardens and meditating with the monks.

Less of a love story and more of a story about self-love, Lucy Dickens shows us how often learning about different cultures can make us see things in a new light and encourages us to change our lives for the better.

I would recommend The Broken Hearts Honeymoon to anyone who needs some escapism, to live and enjoy someone else’s life for a while and you know what, you’ll learn some things whilst you’re reading it too.

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