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I’m so thrilled to be sharing my review for Strangers by C L Taylor as part of the blog tour today. Thanks to Sanjana at Avon for the invite to join the tour and for my copy via Netgalley. 

Synopsis

Ursula thinks she killed the love of her life. Gareth's been receiving strange postcards. And Alice is being stalked. None of them are used to relying on others - but when the three strangers' lives unexpectedly collide, there's only one thing for it: they have to stick together. Otherwise, one of them will die. Three strangers, two secrets, one terrifying evening.

Review

I've read quite a few C.L.Taylor books now and I always thoroughly enjoy them, I think what I love most about this author's books is her ability to write really good strong characters and it's always the one's you'd expect to like the least that you end up loving. For me Ursula was that character she was just such a fantastic well developed strong character that I really wanted to know more about after each chapter, her story is actually pretty heartbreaking and I really felt for her in Strangers. 

The main theme of strangers is loneliness and it really comes through so well you can feel the loneliness in each of the characters and their need to connect with someone and feel something is palpable throughout. Each character has there own plotline and you just know that they all connect in some way, it's such a fantastic well plotted novel i absolutely love watching all the dots connect. I flew through this as I do with all C.L.Taylor books and if you're a fan of this author you will love strangers and if you're just reading C.L.Taylor for the first time this is a great book to start with! 

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The Liar's Daughter By Claire Allan

Publisher - Avon

Kindle Pages - 400 

Rating - 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis

No one deserves to be taken before their time. Do they? Joe McKee – pillar of the Derry community – is dead. As arrangements are made for the traditional Irish wake, friends and family are left reeling at how cancer could have taken this much-loved man so soon. But grief is the last thing that Joe’s daughter Ciara and step-daughter Heidi feel. For they knew the real Joe – the man who was supposed to protect them and did anything but. As the mourners gather, the police do too, with doubt being cast over whether Joe’s death was due to natural causes. Because the lies that Joe told won’t be taken to the grave after all – and the truth gives his daughters the best possible motive for killing him…

Review

I've pretty much read all of Claire Allan's books and I can safely say without any doubts that this author never disappoints she writes complete page turners and this for me was the best of them all! I read this in 2 sittings at break neck speed of was just so compelling i had to know how this would all unfold and it definitely gave me hard core Agatha Christie vibes it's just a sheer fast paced who dunnit perfection! The story begins with the death of Joe Mckee, a man who appears to be a pillar of the community expect his daughter Ciara and step daughter Heidi seem not to sad about the fact that there father is dead and so begins the clever, fast paced page Turner that is often hard to read yet just as hard to put down story of a man who hides his evil well.

Heidi was just such a strong character i loved her fighting spirit although she appears not as strong as Ciara i felt like she was, she had dealt with so much at such a young age i just really felt for her the most she was so brave! I had an idea of whodunnit all the way through and I was right in the end but it was such an excellent ending i won't forget this book for a long while. 

Honestly this was just so well done, I was so angry at times reading this and at other points it totally made me cry, cannot rate this high enough. I voluntary reviewed this book Thank you so much to the publishers who sent me a ecopy of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Who Did You Tell - Lesley Kara

Publisher - Transworld Digital

Rating - 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis

Every town has its secrets. Lesley Kara knows them all . . .  It’s been 192 days, seven hours and fifteen minutes since her last drink. Now Astrid is trying to turn her life around. Having reluctantly moved back in with her mother, in a quiet seaside town away from the temptations and painful memories of her life before, Astrid is focusing on her recovery. She's going to meetings. Confessing her misdeeds. Making amends to those she's wronged. But someone knows exactly what Astrid is running from. And they won't stop until she learns that some mistakes can't be corrected. Some mistakes, you have to pay for...Thank

Review

I'm so excited to be part of the blog tour for Who did you tell by Lesley Kara. This is my first time reading this author and I was definitely not disappointed, this was a gripping, tense and emotional read due to the difficult topic that it deals with. 

I think that the author does an amazing job of showing the reader just how much alcoholism can destroy someone's life and also the impact it has on others too. I think the intern struggle that Astrid is dealing with is done really well while I don't know what it's like to deal with alcoholism i do know the effects it has on a family and I could truly sympathise with Astrid right away she's a great character that has to deal with some seriously hard things and you can feel her tension from the start not just with wanting to drink but with the constant feeling of being watched. 

It left me as the reader truly tense honestly some fantastic writing, it's clever and completely surprising always kept me guessing and I highly recommend picking it up! 

Thank you so much to Anne at randomthingstours for inviting me on the blog tour and to the publishers at transworld for my e-copy of the book.

[thelifeofmeabookworm]

Woman In The Water By Katerina Diamond

Publisher -  Avon

Synopsis 

I’m alive. But I can’t be saved . . .

When a woman’s body is found submerged in icy water, police are shocked to find she is alive. But she won’t disclose her name, or what happened to her – even when a second body is discovered. And then she disappears from her hospital bed.

Detectives Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey follow their only lead to the home of Reece Corrigan, and when his wife Angela walks in, they immediately recognise her. She’s the woman from the river, with her injuries carefully masked.

The more they dig into the couple, the less they understand about them.

Why have people in their past been hurt, or vanished?

And why doesn’t Angela want to be saved?

Thoughts

I'm so excited to be part of the blog tour for Woman in the water By Katerina Diamond! 

Due to unforeseen circumstances I'm actually still currently reading this book so I can't give a totally final rating but what I can say is that I'm pretty sure this book is going to be a 5 star book for me. From the minute this book starts it really does not let up, I've been constantly surprised by the turns it has took and while this does deal with some uncomfortable issues I think the author has done a fantastic job of dealing with it in a very sensitive manner. About halfway through this book turns into a complete gamechanger of a read and it totally changes the tone of this book it's dark and totally sinister and even though it is super hard and shocking to read it's done in a way that makes you feel so much for the characters i honestly don't think I've ever felt so much for a character in such a short time, I'm extremely invested in this character.

I've also loved getting to know Miles and Grey and seeing there relationship struggle while they're working this case I'm actually super intrigued about how they got together and think I will start this series from the beginning even though this can 100% be read as a standalone. 

So far this book is a cracking read and I would highly recommend picking it up, honestly that first chapter will completely suck you in, and the rest is just such a read. I will say be prepared going in It's a hard read, but I think it's going to be a top ten read of 2019 for me. And right now and it is on sale for only 0.99 pence on Amazon what a bargain! 

Thank you so much to Sabah and the publishers at Avon for inviting me to be part of the blog tour. 

Woman in the Water is out now as an ebook and will be published by Avon in paperback on the 9 January 2020..

About the Author

Katerina Diamond was born in Weston in the seventies. She moved to Thessaloniki in Greece and attended Greek school where she learnt Greek in just 6 months. After her parents’ divorce, they relocated to Devon. After school, and working in her uncle’s fish and chip shop, she went (briefly) to university at Derby, where she met her husband and had two children. Katerina now lives in the East Kent Coast with her husband and children.

[thelifeofmeabookworm]

The Day We Meet Again by Miranda Dickinson

Publisher -  Harper Collins

Rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis

We’ll meet again at St Pancras station, a year from today. If we’re meant to be together, we’ll both be there. If we’re not, it was never meant to be . . .’

Phoebe and Sam meet by chance at St Pancras station. Heading in opposite directions, both seeking their own adventures, meeting the love of their lives wasn’t part of the plan. So they make a promise: to meet again in the same place in twelve months' time if they still want to be together.

But is life ever as simple as that?

This is a story of what-ifs and maybes - and how one decision can change your life forever...

Review 

This was just such a cute will they won't they romance novel that I absolutely fell in love with, Sam and Phoebe's story just totally captures your heart. Honestly any review I write will fall short of expressing how much I truly loved this book, it's such a heartbreaking but beautiful story about fate, second chances and the mistakes everyone can make, ugh just brilliant I absolutely loved Sam and Phoebe and both of their adventures. But what really steals the show is the second half of this book, it's just so so bloody good, full of broken hearts, missed chances and second chances a complete whirlwind of a story that will sweep you off your feet. Just beautiful!  Thank you so much to HarperCollins for asking me to be part of the blog tour.

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The end Of The World Survivors Club by Adrian J Walker

Publisher - Ebury

Release Date - 5th September

Synopsis

In THE END OF THE WORLD RUNNING CLUB Edgar Hill ran 550 miles after an apocalypse to try and find his family. He had it easy. This is his wife’s story. Beth Hill has survived the apocalypse with a baby and toddler in tow. And what’s more she’s done it alone - without her husband’s help. He’s never been any help. But when disaster strikes and someone steals her kids, she knows what she has to do. The new world might be very different: no government, no law, no infrastructure and a whole lot more ocean than there used to be. But one thing hasn’t changed - the lengths a mother will go to save her family... 

Review

This was such a fast paced, race against the clock, pirate type book and I absolutely loved it! I say Pirate but I kind of mean that loosely for me it had a pirate feel to it. This novel continues the story of The End of The World Running Club although this one now follows Ed's wife Beth as she struggles to basically cross an ocean to reach her children who were taking from her. I haven't read the first book so I would say you could read this without reading the first but there is references to it, so I am going to go back and read it after loving this one so much. I was pleasantly surprised when I first started reading this, this being my first Adrian Walker book I have to say it's super fast paced, bursting with high sea chases and you really are whole heartedly routing for Beth the main character it's a fantastic read that really portrays what lengths a mother will go to to reach her children. The writing really makes you feel the complete desperation of Beth you're so swept up in this harsh world with its fair share of even harsher characters and you along with the main character feel like there is no time to waste every second of this felt like a race against the clock a dangerous journey just a sheer fantastic read one that kept me up reading all night turning the pages desperate to know how it all ends! This book swept me up in its clutches and did not let me to go until the last page, if you love an end of the world race against time adventure you'll love this, highly recommend! Thank you so much to Anne at RandomThingsTours and the publishers for asking me to take part in the blog tour.

About the author

Adrian J Walker was born in the bush suburbs of Sydney, Australia in the mid '70s. After his father found a camper van in a ditch, he moved his family back to the UK, where Adrian was raised. His second novel, The End of the World Running Club, is a post-apocalyptic running fable about hope, love and endurance. It is being published by Del Rey UK, in May 2016.

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The Flatshare by Beth O' Leary

Publisher -  Quercus

Rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis

Tiffy Moore needs a cheap flat, and fast. Leon Twomey works nights and needs cash.

Their friends think they're crazy, but it's the perfect solution: Leon occupies the one-bed flat while Tiffy's at work in the day, and she has the run of the place the rest of the time.

But with obsessive ex-boyfriends, demanding clients at work, wrongly-imprisoned brothers and, of course, the fact that they still haven't met yet, they're about to discover that if you want the perfect home you need to throw the rulebook out the window...

Review

Well this was just such an amazing read and one that totally took me by surprise! I'd actually tried to read this a few months back and how the Leon chapters were written felt so jarring at the time that I put it down and if I'm being honest when I first picked this up again I felt the same but let me tell you after about 50 pages i didn't even notice it anymore and ugh omg this was just so sweet! The characters are are all so standout and just brilliant to read about and Leon and Tiffy are just so damn sweet, their post it note, slow burn get to know each other romance was just so lovely and I loved every minute of it, even the side characters were fun and witty and so supportive of Tiffy. Another thing that I loved about The Flatshare was that it had so many other threads to it, Richie being one which I loved, and really good themes about healthy relationships.  Just a total standout romance that I actually can't wait to re-read so excited for Beth O' Leary's next book The Switch! ARC acquired from the publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, also purchased my own copy.

[thelifeofmeabookworm]

The Darkest Lullaby by Jonathan Janz

Publisher - Flame Tree Press

Release Date - 8th August

Synopsis 

The old house waited. For years there had been rumors that the owner, Lilith Martin, had been part of an unholy cult. People spoke of blasphemous rituals, black rites filled with blood, sex...and sacrifices. Then Lilith died and the house sat empty. Until now. Lilith s nephew, Chris, and his wife, Ellie, are moving in. Ellie isn t happy about living in such a dark, foreboding place, but she wants to get pregnant and this house has a lot more room to raise a baby than their apartment. Unfortunately, she and Chris will soon learn that Lilith has other plans.

Review 

The Darkest Lullaby follows Chris and Ellie who are down on there luck and have decided to live in Chris's aunt's old house not being able to sell it they hope to raise a family there but being a horror novel you know things aren't going to go well. For one the aunt was rumoured to be in a cult and believed she could somehow return as a vampire.

I won't say to much about this as I wouldn't want to give anything away, but the author does a brilliant job with the setting and the forest surrounding the house almost becomes like a character as well changing along with Chris, also the isolated atmosphere definitely comes through in the writing style. It's easy to see that the author is a fan of Stephen king as this has slight nods to the shining with Chris's decent into evil/madness, and even has a reference to Jack's writing in the shining. A short horror novel that definitely leaves you disturbed.

Thank you so much to Anne at Random things tours and the publishers for inviting me to be part of the blog tour.

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Someone we know by Shari Lapena

Publisher - Transworld Publishing

Release Date - 25th July

Synopsis 

Maybe you don't know your neighbors as well as you thought you did . . . 

"This is a very difficult letter to write. I hope you will not hate us too much. . . My son broke into your home recently while you were out." In a quiet, leafy suburb in upstate New York, a teenager has been sneaking into houses--and into the owners' computers as well--learning their secrets, and maybe sharing some of them, too. Who is he, and what might he have uncovered? After two anonymous letters are received, whispers start to circulate, and suspicion mounts. And when a woman down the street is found murdered, the tension reaches the breaking point. Who killed her? Who knows more than they're telling? And how far will all these very nice people go to protect their own secrets? In this neighborhood, it's not just the husbands and wives who play games. Here, everyone in the family has something to hide . . .

You never really know what people are capable of. 

Review

I've been a huge fan of Shari Lapena for a few years now and read most of her books except her debut The Couple Next Door my favourite being an Unwanted Guest, so I was super excited at being invited to join in with the blog tour.  

Someone We Know is another standout mystery thriller that I highly enjoyed, no one writes small town communities teaming with secrets quite like Shari, and this little community has a whole lots of secrets just waiting to be revealed. 

I think what I liked the most about this book is all the little threads that connects everything and everyone there is just so many dots here and there Robert who's wife Amanda has gone missing and then turns up murdered, Rayleigh who's been breaking into people's houses and Olivia and Paul Rayleigh's parents and everyone else in the street they all have something they don't want getting out and it really does keep you turning the pages like mad to discover the truth of it all. I was so immersed in Someone We Know and it's been another one from Shari that I've devoured in a short space of time, she writes such easy to read mystery thrillers. Very cleverly written book that keeps you gripped to the last page. 

Thank you so much to Anne Carter of Random Things Tours and the publisher for my copy of the book and for inviting me to be part of the blog tour.

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About The Author

Shari Lapena worked as a lawyer and as an English teacher before writing fiction. Her debut thriller, The Couple Next Door, was a global bestseller, the bestselling fiction  title in the UK in 2017 and has been optioned for television. Her second thriller, A Stranger in the House and third, An Unwanted Guest, were both Sunday Times and New York Times bestsellers.

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Forget me not by Claire Allan

Publisher - Avon

Release Date - 30th May

Synopsis

I disappeared on a Tuesday afternoon. I was there one minute and the next I was gone. They’ve never found my body…

It’s six in the morning during the hottest summer on record when Elizabeth O’Loughlin, out walking her dog, comes across Clare, a victim of a horrific knife attack, clinging onto life at the side of the road. Clare dies minutes later, but not before whispering her haunting last words to Elizabeth. When it becomes clear that Clare’s killer has more than one murder on his mind, Elizabeth has to take drastic action or face losing everything. But what if she can’t stop a killer determined never to be forgotten?

Review

What a cracker of a read this was! After reading this and her name was Rose I can definitely say that Claire Allan’s books 100% stand out from the crowd, they’re fast paced, tension filled, always keep you guessing and gripping as hell!

There’s 2 POV’s in forget me not and I think that’s what makes this so tense from the get go, every character is literally dealing with something Elizabeth is still trying to come to terms with the death of her daughter. Rachel is dealing with the grief of losing her mother and they’re both unravelling quite a bit after Claire’s death, throw in creepy cryptic notes attached to flowers that leave everyone thinking they could be next and you have yourself a lot of paranoid characters, basically all I need in a thriller to keep me hooked.

Fantastic characters, well written suspenseful read that will leave you surprised and eager for more from this talented author! Definitely one for every thriller reader out there. 

Thank you so much to Sabah and Avon for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review and asking me to be part of the blog tour.

[thelifeofmeabookworm]

Our Stop by Laura Jane Williams 

Publisher - Avon

Release Date - 13th June

Synopsis

What if you almost missed the love of your life? Nadia gets the 7.30 train every morning without fail. Well, except if she oversleeps or wakes up at her friend Emma’s after too much wine.

Daniel really does get the 7.30 train every morning, which is easy because he hasn’t been able to sleep properly since his dad died.

One morning, Nadia’s eye catches sight of a post in the daily paper:

To the cute girl with the coffee stains on her dress. I’m the guy who’s always standing near the doors… Drink sometime?

So begins a not-quite-romance of near-misses, true love, and the power of the written word.

Review

This was such a fun cute will they won't they meet slow burn summer  romance! And After reading non stop fantasy books for the past few months this ended up being a fantastic change of pace.

I'm honestly such a sucker for the almost meeting but just missing each other romances and this book has that in spades! If you're a fan of plenty missed chances and a really slow burn romance then this is definitely for you it kind of reminds me of Thanks for the memories by Cecilia Ahern so if you liked that book this could be a winner for you.

Daniel and Nadia were both just so lovable and I instantly liked them, both desperately looking for the one and wondering if it will ever happen for them made them super relatable and I absolutely loved the missed connections notes in the paper to each other, it was just so super cute. Such a satisfying romance book and look forward to more from this author.

Thank you so much to Sabah and Avon for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review and asking me to be part of the blog tour.

[thelifeofmeabookworm]

Never Be Broken by Sarah Hilary

Publisher -  Headline

Release Date - 16th May

Synopsis

Children are dying on London's streets. Frankie Reece, stabbed through the heart, outside a corner shop. Others recruited from care homes, picked up and exploited; passed like gifts between gangs. They are London's lost. Then Raphaela Belsham is killed. She's thirteen years old, her father is a man of influence, from a smart part of town. And she's white. Suddenly, the establishment is taking notice. DS Noah Jake is determined to handle Raphaela's case and Frankie's too. But he's facing his own turmoil, and it's becoming an obsession. DI Marnie Rome is worried, and she needs Noah on side. Because more children are disappearing, more are being killed by the day and the swelling tide of violence needs to be stemmed before it's too late. NEVER BE BROKEN is a stunning, intelligent and gripping novel which explores how the act of witness alters us, and reveals what lies beneath the veneer of a glittering city.

Review

This is the sixth instalment in the DI Marnie Rome series and all I can say is what a book! If you're a fan of this series get prepared because these characters are dealing with some heavy blows. This instalment mostly follows Noah dealing with the aftermath of book 5 (come and find me ) the central topic of Never be broken I'd say is grief and how it affects us all differently, and to be honest it is so well dealt with everything in this book is so well dealt with grief, gang culture, knife/gun crime and also racism, it's actually so heartbreaking reading this book seeing the inner turmoil of Noah is just so gut wrenching and I really felt worried for him pretty much the entire story. 

Never be broken is another fantastic, but brutal look into these characters lives, I think this one really connects you to Noah on a completely new level, I felt his grief on every page, the writing is also beautiful which just made this story flow perfectly this is 100% my favourite of the series, an emotional rollercoaster of a read. Sarah Hilary just gets better and better! 

 Thank you so much to Anne Carter of Random Things Tours and the publisher for my copy of the book and for asking me to be part of the blog tour. 

[thelifeofmeabookworm]

Sleep by C.L. Taylor

Publisher -  Avon

Release Date - 4th April

Synopsis

All Anna wants is to be able to sleep. But crushing insomnia, terrifying night terrors and memories of that terrible night are making it impossible. If only she didn’t feel so guilty… To escape her past, Anna takes a job at a hotel on the remote Scottish island of Rum, but when seven guests join her, what started as a retreat from the world turns into a deadly nightmare. Each of the guests have a secret but one of them is lying – about who they are and why they’re on the island. There’s a murderer staying in the Bay View hotel. And they’ve set their sights on Anna. Seven strangers. Seven secrets. One deadly lie. Someone’s going to sleep and never wake up… 

Review

C.L. Taylor has done it again, Sleep is another cracking 5 star read! To be honest I knew it would be, this author has never let me down she's always top of her game and has firmly cemented herself as one of my auto buy authors. This is a highly addictive book I pretty much read it in a day i was that engrossed, it's a fantastic fast paced murder mystery/ thriller that has the perfect isolated setting combined with wonderful writing which makes this an absolute page turner. I was completely gripped and felt the tension and paranoia of the main character Anna on every page, you really do get caught up in it and start questioning every characters behaviour or actions. By the last couple of chapters I was literally on the edge of my seat desperate for the killer to be revealed. As the synopsis suggests be prepared to get no sleep this book will keep you up guessing all night, highly addictive, highly entertaining and i highly recommend this. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie or Shari Lapena. I received this book for free from the publishers in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much to Sabah at Avon for allowing me to be part of the blog tour

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A Version of the Truth by B P Walter

Publisher -  Avon

Release Date - 7th February

Purchase Links -  Amazon UK /  Book Depository /  Waterstones / Goodreads

Synopsis

We all see what we want to see… 2019: Julianne is preparing a family dinner when her son comes to her and says he’s found something on his iPad. Something so terrible, it will turn Julianne’s world into a nightmare and make her question everything about her marriage and what type of man her husband is or is pretending to be. 1990: Holly is a fresher student at Oxford University. Out of her depth and nervous about her surroundings, she falls into an uneasy friendship with a group of older students from the upper echelons of society and begins to develop feelings for one in particular. He’s confident, quiet, attractive and seems to like her too. But as the year progresses, her friends’ behaviour grows steadily more disconcerting and Holly begins to realise she might just be a disposable pawn in a very sinister game. A devastating secret has simmered beneath the surface for over twenty-five years. Now it’s time to discover the truth. But what if you’re afraid of what you might find?

Review

A version of the truth is a dark and truly disturbing book that deals with some very sinister characters and topics, and is actually quite a different read from what I expected. It's probably more of a slow burn reveal type book than a thriller, lots of dark secrets coming out the closet kind of read. As some other review's have mentioned this book won't be for everyone because of it's sinister nature but it is a book that I thought was cleverly written and kept me up reading, I definitely ended up enjoying it, but it did make for some disturbing night time reading. A version of the truth follows two different timelines Julianne in 2019 who is discovering something that will turn her happy family life into a nightmare, and Holly in 1990 starting Oxford university. For me i personally preferred Julianne's chapters but my mum also read this at the same time and she preferred Holly's timeline so everyone will know doubt be different. I won't say to much more about this book because I do think it's better knowing very little going on but it's definitely a very cleverly written intriguing book that doesn't hold back and really does leave you slightly disturbed. I received this book for free from the publishers in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much to Sabah at Avon for allowing me to be part of the blog tour

[thelifeofmeabookworm]

chapter 4 - 13

some thoughts from Aled

read from the beginning / read on tapas / my art blog / my personal blog / art instagram / heartstopper merch / read the next update early on Patreon!

Charlie, a highly-strung, openly gay over-thinker, and Nick, a cheerful, soft-hearted rugby player, meet at a British all-boys grammar school. Friendship blooms quickly, but could there be something more…?

Nick and Charlie are characters from my debut novel, Solitaire. Heartstopper updates three times a month, on the 1st, 11th, and 21st.

I really appreciate reblogs and shares - please help me spread word about this comic! I’m so excited for people to read it!

Buy Volume One: Amazon UK / Waterstones / Book Depository (ships internationally)

Pre-Order Volume Two: Amazon UK / Waterstones / Book Depository (ships internationally)

Keep reading

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A Curse So Dark And Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

Publisher -  Bloomsbury

Release Date - 29th January 2019

Purchase Links -  Amazon UK /  Book Depository /  Waterstones / Goodreads

Rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis

Fall in love, break the curse. It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope. Nothing has ever been easy for Harper Lacy. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she’s instead somehow sucked into Rhen’s cursed world. Break the curse, save the kingdom. A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn’t know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what’s at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin. 

Review

This book was just everything I wanted from a beauty and the beast retelling and more plus it has just the most beautiful writing!

Okay so this is now 100% my favourite beauty and the beast retelling it completely pulls you in instantly from the first few lines and the ending of the first chapter had me literally squealing I was like YES this is going to be so freaking good and it definitely was. The main character Harper who has Cerebral Palsy was just so amazing she is so fierce and badass I swear you don't want to mess with this girl, I took to her in a second. There is this moment when she's in Emberfall and because she has a bad ankle due to her Cerebral Palsy the Prince and his Guard Grey are trying to tell the people it is a war injury and she completely shuts them down and tells them no it is not she was born with it, I loved that about her, as I said she is so fierce. Then there was Grey who I actually couldn't help but love too, he ended up being such a loyal friend and Guard to Harper. He was just so sweet and I loved getting to discover that side to scary Grey. And then there is the beautiful swoon worthy Rhen, ugh I just loved him to pieces. I especially loved the fact that this book was told in duel perspectives so we got an insight into the beast which I don't think you see to often in a beauty and the beast retelling. Rhen was just so broken and lovely and he was just so easy to like I wanted him to win Harper over the slow build romance was just done so well. Brigid Kemmerer is one of my favourite authors her written is so beautiful and powerful. I absolutely adored Letters to the lost so I knew going in to A Curse So Dark And Lonely I was going to love this but honestly I can't believe just how much I really loved this book. I flew through it in 2 days which is super quick for me, the writing and the story just capture your heart, the struggle that all of the characters go through is one that will totally keep you spellbound and break your heart, 5 stars just isn't enough. I highly recommend this book and cannot wait for January for A Heart So Fierce And Broken one for everyone's TBR. Thank you so much to Bloomsbury who kindly sent me an advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

About The Author

Brigid Kemmerer is the author of dark, contemporary Young Adult romances like MORE THAN WE CAN TELL and LETTERS TO THE LOST (Bloomsbury), as well as paranormal YA novels like THE ELEMENTAL SERIES and THICKER THAN WATER (Kensington). Her next book will be her first foray into YA Fantasy, with A CURSE SO DARK AND LONELY, available January 2019 wherever books are sold. Brigid lives in the Baltimore area with her husband and four sons.

[thelifeofmeabookworm]

Red Snow By Will Dean 

Publishers -  POINT BLANK 

Hardback Release Day - 10th January

Synopsis

TWO BODIES 

One suicide. One cold-blooded murder. Are they connected? And who’s really pulling the strings in the small Swedish town of Gavrik? 

TWO COINS

 Black Grimberg liquorice coins cover the murdered man's eyes. The hashtag #Ferryman starts to trend as local people stock up on ammunition. 

TWO WEEKS 

Tuva Moodyson, deaf reporter at the local paper, has a fortnight to investigate the deaths before she starts her new job in the south. A blizzard moves in. Residents, already terrified, feel increasingly cut-off. Tuva must go deep inside the Grimberg factory to stop the killer before she leaves town for good. But who’s to say the Ferryman will let her go? 

Review

Having just finished reading Dark Pines and loving Tuva and the quirky cast of characters found in Gavrik I was eager to dive into Red Snow and what I found was another chilling and slightly unnerving look into the town and all the residents. Gavrik is such a chilling little town and some of the characters leave you feeling down right disturbed they all have some sort of creepy vibe to them that on more than one occasion left my skin crawling, some of them seem right sinister at times. Then there is the other characters that you just end up totally loving Tuva being the main one for me, I just totally rooted for her and her friendships are just so lovely you really don't want her to leave them all behind, at least that's the way I felt. Red Snow picks up a few weeks/months after the incidents of Dark Pines with a new murder/suicide mystery to solve and plenty of new characters to get engrossed by. Although this setting is beautifully written with plenty of descriptive atmosphere I will say I quite missed the atmosphere of the dark forest filled with all its animals that scare Tuva that complete sense of dread she feels in there was so vivid in Dark Pines although this one makes up for it with the atmospheric winter weather Red Snow was a creepy and compelling read that left me wanting more but completely disturbed at the same time and I can't wait to see what Tuva will be up to next time. Thank you so much to Anne Carter at Randomthingstours for having me on this blog tour and to Point Black Publishing for sending me an Advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

About The Author 

Will Dean grew up in the East Midlands, living in nine different villages before the age of eighteen. He was a bookish, daydreaming kid who found comfort in stories and nature (and he still does). After studying Law at the LSE, and working in London, he settled in rural Sweden. He built a wooden house in a boggy clearing at the centre of a vast elk forest, and it's from this base that he compulsively reads and writes. He is the author of Dark Pines.

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