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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 blogtour for The Emperor of Shoes by Spencer Wise. Thanks so much to Anne for organising the tour. Don't forget to check out the rest of the stops. The Synopsis Alex Cohen, a twenty-six-year-old Jewish Bostonian, is living in southern China, where his father runs their family-owned shoe factory. Alex reluctantly assumes the helm of the company, but as he explores the plant's vast floors and assembly lines, he comes to a grim realization: employees are exploited, regulatory systems are corrupt and Alex's own father is engaging in bribes to protect the bottom line. When Alex meets a seamstress named Ivy, his sympathies begin to shift. She is an embedded organizer of a pro-democratic Chinese party, secretly sowing dissonance among her fellow labourers. Will Alex remain loyal to his father and his heritage? Or will the sparks of revolution ignite? My Review Wow, what a beautifully written debut The Emperor of Shoes is. It transported me straight into a completely different world through the rich and vivid descriptions and I could hear the dialogue perfectly in my head. I felt that there was a real authenticity to the book which was aided by the realistic and well-developed characters, particularly Alex. I really enjoyed being part of Alex's journey and seeing the way he and his relationships progress and change during the course of the book. I liked how Wise explores the different cultures and also the issues surrounding the treatment and exploitation of workers, yet he also brings in humour, making it multi-layered and all the more absorbing. Overall, I'm giving The Emperor of Shoes 4 out of 5. It's beautifully written and engrossing, a debut not to be missed. This book was provided for free in exchange for an honest review. The above are affiliate links. About the Author Born in Boston, Spencer Wise is a graduate of Tufts University and the University of Texas at Austin and worked in the editorial departments at Sports Illustrated and Time Out New York. His work has appeared in Narrative magazine, Hayden's Ferry Review, The Florida Review, and New Ohio Review. He is the winner of the 2017 Gulf Coast Prize in nonfiction. Wise teaches at Florida State University and lives in Tallahassee.
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The Synopsis We can’t choose the strangers we meet. As the guests arrive at beautiful, remote Mitchell’s Inn, they’re all looking forward to a relaxing weekend deep in the forest, miles from anywhere. They watch their fellow guests with interest, from a polite distance. Usually we can avoid the people who make us nervous, make us afraid. With a violent storm raging, the group finds itself completely cut off from the outside world. Nobody can get in – or out. And then the first body is found . . . and the horrifying truth comes to light. There’s a killer among them – and nowhere to run. Until we find ourselves in a situation we can’t escape. Trapped. My Review Set at the isolated Mitchell's Inn in the middle of a snowstorm and with death around every corner, An Unwanted Guest made for one claustrophobic and chilling read. I could almost feel the cold seeping into my bones and the fact that I was reading this in 30 degree heat, only further illustrates how vivid the descriptions were. While on one hand I felt as though the pace was a little too slow at times, on the other, I felt that this actually added towards the atmosphere, giving a real sense of how time seems to slow in a situation like this and how the characters feel like the weekend of their nightmares is never going to end. I must admit that I did guess 'whodunnit', although I had no idea of motive, but even when I thought I was sure, Lapena made me doubt myself and then change my mind and then change it all over again many, many times! Ultimately I was right, but it was a brilliantly twisty journey to finally having my suspicions confirmed. Although, I didn't see the final extra little twist coming, and I rather enjoyed that. I loved how there were perspectives from every character and I felt that it was a brilliant way of telling this type of story, because it keeps you on your toes, as well as giving you a sense of each character not only through their own eyes, but through every other character's views on them too. You never know who to trust and you get lots of different opinions and points of view making you keep second guessing everyone and you end up doubting everything you thought you knew! It really does highlight the question of whether you can ever truly know someone. Overall, I'm giving An Unwanted Guest 4 out of 5. It's chilling, engaging and a thoroughly enjoyable read. This book was provided for free in exchange for an honest review The above are affiliate links About the AuthorSHARI LAPENA worked as a lawyer and as an English teacher before turning to writing fiction. A Stranger in the House, as well as Lapena's suspense debut, The Couple Next Door, were both New York Times and international bestsellers.
 Today is my stop on the blog tour for Between the Lies by Michelle Adams. Thanks so much to Anne for organising the tour. Don't forget to check out the rest of the stops! The Synopsis The truth is hiding between the lies. A page-turning psychological thriller with twists that keep the reader guessing until last page, this addictive read will be loved by fans of Shari Lapena's A STRANGER IN THE HOUSE and Liz Lawler's DON'T WAKE UP. What would you do if you woke up and didn't know who you were? Chloe Daniels regains consciousness in a hospital with no memory of how she got there. She doesn't recognise the strangers who call themselves family. She can't even remember her own name. What if your past remained a mystery? As she slowly recovers, her parents and sister begin to share details of her life. The successful career. The seaside home. The near-fatal car crash. But Chloe senses they're keeping dark secrets - and her determination to uncover the truth will have devastating consequences. What if the people you should be able trust are lying to you? My Review After reading and loving My Sister last year (and choosing it as one of my books of the year) I was absolutely delighted to be invited to take part in the blog tour for Between the Lies and I couldn't say yes quickly enough! I'm so glad I did say yes, because this is another brilliant book from Michelle Adams. Chloe is a character who is easy to like and I felt as though I went on her quest for the truth with her. Adams is an expert at making the reader feel part of the journey and I thought that the way I experienced the flashbacks and memories starting to come back alongside Chloe worked really well. I really felt her confusion and desperation to know the truth about her old life just as much as she did. It's emotional at times and the complicated relationships Chloe has with others are really well developed and put across, another thing Adams does brilliantly. The story is packed with secrets and lies at every turn and you end up wondering whether anyone is telling the truth at all! I loved the addition of the narrative from an unnamed person because it added a lot of intrigue for me. I did guess who had been involved in the crash about 2/3 in, but this didn't have a negative effect on the book for me because I enjoyed reading on to see if I was right just as much. Overall, I'm giving Between the Lies 4 out of 5. It's intriguing, engaging and packed with secrets. This book was provided free in exchange for an honest review. The above are affiliate links. About the Author Michelle Adams grew up in the UK and now lives in Cyprus, where she works as a part-time scientist. She read her first Stephen King novel at the tender age of nine, and has been addicted to suspense fiction ever since. BETWEEN THE LIES is her second novel following the acclaimed psychological thriller MY SISTER.
 Today is my stop on the blog tour for How Far We Fall by Jane Shemilt. Thank you so much to Jenny for organising the tour. Don't forget to check out the rest of the stops! The Synopsis We've all got secrets. Just how far would you go to keep yours? The moment Beth first sets eyes on Albie - a brilliant, talented neurosurgeon - she decides he is the man she will marry. The man she will tie herself to. The man she will do anything for . . . But Albie doesn't know a few things about his new wife. He doesn't know that Beth is dying to leave her old life behind, or why. He doesn't know about the affair she had with his boss. He doesn't even know that the woman he married would do anything to keep his career, their marriage and her secret safe. Albie is a brilliant husband, but his wife Beth is a brilliant liar . . . My Review How Far We Fall was a brilliant read from start to finish. The structure is clever and effective and the characters are wonderfully flawed and complex creating a twisted, thrilling tale rife with revenge and betrayal. It has a slower pace which allows for a gradual build up of tension and I felt that this was a perfect fit for this book and really made an impact. Shemilt creates a really strong sense of place throughout, whether it be in the description of London or the island Jura. On the subject of descriptions though, just a small thing I thought I should mention, this book contains graphic descriptions of medical/surgical procedures and animal testing. While I was able to cope with the medical descriptions and felt that they added a lot of authenticity to the story, I did struggle a little with the animal testing, although I completely understand why it's included. So I think, just make sure you're prepared going in, but don't let that put you off because it's SO worth the read and not a book you want to miss out on! Overall, I'm giving How Far We Fall 4 out of 5. It's clever, authentic and memorable. A brilliant read. This book was provided for free in exchange for an honest review. The above are affiliate links. About the AuthorWhile working as a GP, Jane Shemilt completed a postgraduate diploma in Creative Writing at Bristol University and went on to study for the MA in Creative Writing at Bath Spa, gaining both with distinction. Her first novel, Daughter, was selected for the Richard & Judy Book Club, shortlisted for the Edgar Award and the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize, and went on to become the bestselling debut novel of 2014.
She and her husband, a professor of neurosurgery, have five children and live in Bristol.  Today, I'm part of the cover reveal for Brothers in Blood by the wonderful Amer Anwar. I had the good fortune of reading this when it was released previously as Western Fringes (read my review here) and I'm so excited that it's being released by Dialogue Books as Brothers in Blood because it's a really fantastic book and I can't wait for lots more people to read it! So, without further ado, let's get on to the cover reveal! The SynopsisA Sikh girl on the run. A Muslim ex-con who has to find her. A whole heap of trouble. Southall, West London. After being released from prison, Zaq Khan is lucky to land a dead-end job at a builders' yard. All he wants to do is keep his head down and put the past behind him. But when Zaq is forced to search for his boss's runaway daughter, he quickly finds himself caught up in a deadly web of deception, murder and revenge. With time running out and pressure mounting, can Zaq find the missing girl before it's too late? And if he does, can he keep her - and himself - alive long enough to deal with the people who want them both dead? Winner of the CWA Debut Dagger "An engaging hero, a cunning plot, and a fascinating journey into Southall’s underworld. We’ll be hearing a lot more from Amer Anwar." – Mick Herron "A fine debut novel. With his engaging characters and skilful plotting, Anwar brings a fresh and exciting new voice to the genre." – Ann Cleeves About the AuthorAmer Anwar grew up in West London. After leaving college he had a variety of jobs, including; warehouse assistant, comic book lettering artist, a driver for emergency doctors and chalet rep in the French Alps. He eventually landed a job as a creative artworker/graphic designer and spent the next decade and a half producing artwork, mainly for the home entertainment industry. He has an MA in Creative Writing from Birkbeck, University of London and is a winner of the Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger Award. Western Fringes is his first novel. For everything else, he has an alibi. It wasn’t him. He was never there. Additional DetailsPublished by: Dialogue Books Release date: 6th September 2018 ISBN: 9780349700281 Extent: 448 pages Also available as ebook and audiobook. And Finally... The Cover!! Isn't it fantastic! I think it's such a striking cover, and I can already picture it on the shelves of a bookshop! Let me know what you think of the cover in the comments!
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