Welcome!
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.
2 Comments
 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 is my stop on the blog tour for Sticks and Stones by Jo Jakeman! Thanks so much to Mia for organising the tour. Don't forget to check out the rest of the stops! The Synopsis How far would you go for revenge on your ex? Imogen’s husband is a bad man. His ex-wife and his new mistress might have different perspectives but Imogen thinks she knows the truth. And now he’s given her an ultimatum: get out of the family home in the next fortnight or I’ll fight you for custody of our son. In a moment of madness, Imogen does something unthinkable. Something that puts her in control. But how far will she go to protect her son and punish her husband? And what will happen when his ex and his girlfriend get tangled up in her plans? My Review First things first I just have to warn you, I really, really loved reading Sticks and Stones, so much so that the word 'loved' features in this review 7 times, so you'll have to forgive me if I start to sound repetitive! I'm absolutely obsessed with this book and all I could think about when I wasn't reading it, was getting back to it and reading more. It's such a fantastically written and gripping read that if you manage to put it down (trust me, it's very difficult to do) you just can't help thinking about it constantly. I loved the writing style. I found it really addictive and I loved the way the story progressed. I guessed one or two small details but for me this book wasn't about twists, it was the characters and relationships that made it what it was. I became so invested in the characters and what was happening to them that I could've kept reading about them forever. They were so developed and interesting and really compelling. Sticks and Stones feels like a fresh take on a psychological thriller and I loved the way Jakeman did it. I had so many feelings while reading it, from breathlessness to shock, to amusement, but what I really loved was that I was kept on the edge of my seat the whole way through. All I can say about this book is read it, read it, read it! I really loved every single aspect of it. Overall, I'm giving Sticks and Stones 5 out of 5 and adding it to my five-star favourites shelf! It's a fresh and addictive read and an outstanding debut. If you only read one book in 2018, make it Sticks and Stones.  This book was provided for free in exchange for an honest review. The above are affiliate links. About the AuthorJo was the winner of the Friday Night Live 2016 competition at the York Festival of Writing. Born in Cyprus, she worked for many years in the City of London before moving to Derbyshire with her husband and twin boys. Sticks and Stones is her debut thriller. Find out more at www.jojakeman.com.
 Today is my stop on the blog tour for No Further Questions by Gillian McAllister! Thanks so much to Jenny and Olivia for organising the tour. Don't forget to check out the rest of the stops! The Synopsis The police say she's guilty. She insists she's innocent. She's your sister. You loved her. You trusted her. But they say she killed your child. Who do you believe? My Review Although I haven't read Gillian McAllister's first book, Everything but the Truth, I have read Anything You Do Say and I really really enjoyed it. For me, this was even better than Anything You Do Say and McAllister's books just seem to be getting better and better, even though they're so good already I didn't think that was possible! I loved No Further Questions and there were two things which really made it for me. These were the courtroom setting and the use of different witness accounts to tell the story. It just made things feel so original. It's also extremely well written, with realistic characters and an intense and riveting storyline which is absolutely heartbreaking at times and takes you on a real emotional rollercoaster. The pace is brilliant and kept me gripped throughout. If it hadn't been for other things I had to do during the day, I could have easily finished it in one sitting. In fact, I was desperate to keep reading and really struggled to tear myself away! Overall, I'm giving No Further Questions 5 out of 5! It's emotional, totally riveting and so well written. I can't wait for the next book by Gillian McAllister! No Further Questions is published in e-book on the 2nd of July and paperback on October 4th. This book was provided for free in exchange for an honest review. The above are affiliate links. About the AuthorGillian McAllister has been writing for as long as she can remember. She graduated with an English degree and lives in Birmingham where she now works as a lawyer. Her debut novel Everything But The Truth was a Sunday Times top ten bestseller. Anything You Do Say followed in January 2018 and was both a kindle and paperback bestseller. No Further Questions will be published in autumn 2018.
You can find her on Twitter and Instagram @gillianmauthor. She also blogs at http://www.gillianmcallister.com. |
Categories
All
Archives
July 2018
 Click here to visit my trusted affiliate partner.
 |
RSS Feed