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I post book reviews as often as possible but at least once a week every Wednesday! I hope they help you to find some new books that you'll love as much as I did!
 Today is my stop on the blog tour for The Fear by C.L. Taylor and I'm very excited to be taking part! Thanks to Sabah for organising the tour. Don't forget to check out the rest of the stops! The Synopsis Sometimes your first love won’t let you go… When Lou Wandsworth ran away to France with her teacher Mike Hughes, she thought he was the love of her life. But Mike wasn’t what he seemed and he left her life in pieces. Now 32, Lou discovers that he is involved with teenager Chloe Meadows. Determined to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself, she returns home to confront him for the damage he’s caused. But Mike is a predator of the worst kind, and as Lou tries to bring him to justice, it’s clear that she could once again become his prey… The million copy Sunday Times bestseller returns with a gripping psychological thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat. My Review I've just got to say, C.L. Taylor is an expert at keeping you on the edge of your seat! The Fear is shocking, disturbing, unsettling and dark, but extremely tense and really addictive! I immensely enjoyed the way it was written, it gripped me and was really vivid, so much so that in some scenes I found myself reacting aloud. There were so many twists which left me reeling and the very last perspective made me gasp several times. While I did guess one of the earlier twists, I don't think this spoiled the book at all and if anything, actually engaged me more as I read on in anticipation to see if I was right and what effect this would have if I was. The characters were well-developed and human. I felt for Lou and supported her throughout. Even at times where her decisions were going to make things worse, I was still rooting for her and I wanted her to do well because I really felt as though I knew her and went through all of her emotions with her. I thoroughly enjoyed the ending. It was clever and after the rollercoaster of a journey, it felt right. Overall I'm giving The Fear 4.5 out of 5. It's really tense, really shocking and really addictive. The above are affiliate links. This book was provided for free in exchange for an honest review. About the AuthorC.L. Taylor is a Sunday Times bestselling author. Her psychological thrillers have sold over a million copies in the UK alone, been translated into over twenty languages, and optioned for television. C.L. Taylor lives in Bristol with her partner and son.
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 Today is my stop on the blog tour for We Were the Salt of the Sea by Roxanne Bouchard. Thanks so much to Anne for organising the tour. Make sure to check out the rest of the stops! The Synopsis As Montrealer Catherine Day sets foot in a remote fishing village and starts asking around about her birth mother, the body of a woman dredges up in a fisherman's nets. Not just any woman, though: Marie Garant, an elusive, nomadic sailor and unbridled beauty who once tied many a man's heart in knots. Detective Sergeant Joaquin Morales, newly drafted to the area from the suburbs of Montreal, barely has time to unpack his suitcase before he's thrown into the deep end of the investigation. On Quebec's outlying Gaspe Peninsula, the truth can be slippery, especially down on the fishermen's wharves. My Review When I get a book from Orenda books I go into it already knowing I'll enjoy it because they always publish outstanding reads. What I didn't know about this one though, is that I'd love it quite so much! The writing style is really unique and almost poetic and the words flowed from the pages. The setting is atmospheric and beautifully described. It draws you in and immerses you in its pages until you can smell the salty sea air drifting from within. The descriptions of the sea are original and quite stunning and it brings the whole novel to life. After I finished reading this, I felt as though I'd actually been on a trip to Quebec. The complex characters add yet another layer to the story with each character's individuality and depth really coming through. They are all well-defined and developed and each brings something different to the book. I really enjoyed how all of the different aspects come together, it's still a compelling crime thriller, but it's really beautifully written and expertly crafted. Overall, I'm giving We Were the Salt of the Sea 4.5 out of 5. It's poetic yet gripping and the writing style was completely unique. I'll look forward to reading more from Roxanne Bouchard. The above are affiliate links. This book was provided for free in exchange for an honest review. About the AuthorTen years or so ago, Roxanne Bouchard decided it was time she found her sea legs. So she learned to sail, first on the St Lawrence River, before taking to the open waters off the Gaspe Peninsula. The local fishermen soon invited her aboard to reel in their lobster nets, and Roxanne saw for herself that the sunrise over Bonaventure never lies. We Were the Salt of the Sea is her fifth novel, and her first to be translated into English. She lives in Quebec.
 Not too long ago, a very exciting email appeared in my inbox from Nathan at Magic Alley. He invited me to review some of the the Harry Potter products on the site and I'm a massive Harry Potter fan so of course I was delighted! There are so many fabulous products it was difficult to choose which ones I wanted to review, but I'm very happy with the ones I picked! The ProductsClick on the images to find them on the Magic Alley Website!  Dobby The House Elf - Bracelet Slider Charm (£4.95 - Currently £3.95 on sale!)  Ministry of Magic Necklace (£9.95)  Harry Potter Boy Who Lived Greetings Card (£1.95) My Thoughts The minute Nathan said that my package would be on its way soon, I started watching my letterbox for its arrival! When it arrived, it was just as I'd hoped and I particularly liked the way the greetings card was between cardboard, meaning that it was perfectly straight and survived the often turbulent post! I felt that this showed great attention to detail as often things will arrive battered, yet this simple thing ensured that the quality was maintained. I loved the packaging that the necklace and charm came in and again, there was a real quality feel to it. The greetings card comes with an envelope and is blank inside meaning it can be used for any occasion. It's also completely unique as it's designed by Magic Alley and so only available through them. I'm yet to decide who will get the honour of receiving the card but I'm sure they'll love it as much as I do!! (In fact, I might just keep it myself!) While the Ministry of Magic necklace was a little bit smaller than I'd imagined, the chain is a really good length at 16 inches and comes up just right when I wear it. It can also be extended if you like it a bit longer. The chain is silver plated and the pendant is really detailed and has a nice weight to it too. I've been wearing it for a few days and had several compliments on it already and questions about where it's from! The Dobby charm is adorable and perfectly sized. At the moment, I don't have a charm bracelet so I put the charm on a spare necklace chain I had lying around and it looks really cute as a necklace too! I think it can definitely be worn as either, but if you want to wear it on a bracelet and don't have the bracelet, Magic Alley sells one for just £4.95 along with loads of other cute charms like Hedwig, Hagrid and Draco. I'm certainly going to start a Harry Potter charm bracelet! I'm really impressed with the items and they definitely stand up to the other Potter products that I have in terms of quality and value for money and far surpass anything that I've seen in terms of range of unique products. There are so many more magical items over on the website and I will definitely be heading back nearer to my birthday to treat myself to the Deathly Hallows Watch! (And probably end up buying most of the site while I'm at it!) These products were provided for free in exchange for an honest review. The Synopsis A lawyer is found dead in a Peak District cave, his face ribboned with scratches. A SINISTER MESSAGE Amidst rumours of a local curse, DI Meg Dalton is convinced this is cold-blooded murder. There's just one catch – chiselled into the cave wall above the body is an image of the grim reaper and the dead man's initials, and it's been there for over a century. A DEADLY GAME As Meg battles to solve the increasingly disturbing case, it's clear someone knows her secrets. The murderer is playing games with Meg – and the dice are loaded… My Review The Devil's Dice has all the elements to it I could possibly want in a book. It's absolutely fantastic and DI Meg Dalton is my new favourite detective! Her narrative is engaging and the hints about her past which are gradually dropped throughout, make her already layered and well-developed character all the more intriguing. She has her flaws but I was able to identify with her and relate to her more because of this. The descriptions of the area are vivid and haunting and really set the scene, especially for the really creepy bits. I also liked the humour which is dotted about and I think it's really important in a crime novel because as well as being entertaining, it lightens up some of the darker parts. The plot is tense and gripping and I enjoyed it so much I didn't want the story to end! This is one of those books that had me at the prologue and forced me to read on and on. I lied to myself throughout by thinking 'Just one more chapter' when in reality, I knew that there was no chance of tearing myself away. Overall, I'm giving The Devil's Dice 5 out of 5 and I have no hesitation in adding it to my five star favourites shelf. It's riveting, creepy and extremely engaging. I can't wait for the next DI Meg Dalton novel! The above are affiliate links. This book was provided for free in exchange for an honest review. About the AuthorRoz Watkins is the author of the DI Meg Dalton crime series, which is set in the Peak District where Roz lives with her partner and a menagerie of demanding animals.
Her first book, The Devil’s Dice, was shortlisted for the CWA Debut Dagger Award, and has been optioned for TV. Roz studied engineering at Cambridge University before training in patent law. She was a partner in a firm of patent attorneys in Derby, but this has absolutely nothing to do with there being a dead one in her first novel. In her spare time, Roz likes to walk in the Peak District, scouting out murder locations. The Synopsis Two sisters go missing. Only one returns. Getting people to believe you is easy. If you tell them what they want to hear. When my sister and I disappeared three years ago, they found Emma’s car at the beach. Some people believed she had gone there to find a party or meet a friend who never showed. They believed that she’d gone for a swim. They believed that she’d drowned. Maybe by accident. Maybe a suicide. Everyone believed Emma was dead. As for me, well – now I’m back to tell our story. You’ll have to see if you believe it. My Review What I most enjoyed about this book was the psychological aspect and the exploration of narcissistic personality disorder. As I'm sure I've mentioned before, I find psychology fascinating and love reading about anything to do with it, so this book was a real treat for me as it gave lots of detail and a real insight into the condition which inspired me to do more research after I had finished the book. Due to my love of psychology, I assumed I would prefer the perspective of the forensic psychologist, Dr Abigail Winter, however I discovered that I really liked Cass's perspective and found it the most gripping as I enjoyed how she told the story. The pace is a good fit for the book and I liked the writing style, it drew me in at the start and for the most part, it kept me engaged, although I must admit I did get a little lost occasionally in the middle. I thought the ending was brilliant. I can't really go into much detail for fear of giving spoilers, all I can really say is that for me, it was perfect. I also have to quickly mention the cover which I'm completely obsessed with. In my opinion it's worth buying for the cover alone! Overall, I'm giving Emma in the Night 4 out of 5. It was gripping, twisty and really enjoyable. The above are affiliate links This book was provided for free in exchange for an honest review. About the AuthorWENDY WALKER has worked as an attorney specializing in family law. Her novels include Four Wives, Social Lives, and All is Not Forgotten. She lives in Connecticut where she is at work on her next novel.
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