REVIEW; Predator, by Michelle Horst

Rating: ★★★★☆

Genre: New-Adult, Romance, Suspense

Recommend: Yes

Standalone

NO SPOILERS 

Summary:

Cara has been on the run through America since the murder of her parents in South Africa. Trying to fly under the radar, Cara soon finds herself kidnapped and locked up after letting her guard momentarily slip. But she's a fighter, and doesn't give up when she is being beaten or raped. 

Then in lands Predator, hired to kill her captors and save her. But he has his own demons and reasons for protecting her. Together, they need to work on saving Cara and rebuilding her life, while flying under the radar. But Cara doesn't want to rely on him and is trying to battle her feelings for him. They can't get too comfortable though, as the danger is always out there. 

My Thoughts:

Predator: He is a hired killer. He gets rid of the bad guys and rescues if necessary. Cara's uncle hires him to save Cara and he busts in and rescues her, hell bent on building her back up to the girl she was. But I am disappointed he didn't remain as Predator for long, he very quickly became human and less powerful by being called Damian. Being Predator allowed him to appear more powerful and secretive but stripping him of the title stripped also the intimidation. He wants to save Cara because he couldn't save his first love which is absolutely devastating to read about the amount of guilt he has being harbouring. 

Cara: I liked her strength and independence. When kidnapped she could have taken the easy route by succumbing to the torture to receive a lesser punishment. Instead, she proved to be a difficult victim by always fighting back. Even when Damian rescues her, she remains independent and tries not to rely on him for anything. But then at times, she did a 180 and appeared extremely weak, panic attacks and crying after everything. Understandable at times but then at others it was just frustrating. 

Story: there's quite a simple storyline that allows for focus on grief and trauma and character development. I was expecting a lot more action compared to what there was. Apart from a few scenes, there wasn't much else going on.  The story was told from both POV's and I wish it wasn't. Allowing the reader an insight into Damian's mind further stripped him from the secretive allure around him. But we get some truths revealed before they are to Cara and we learn a lot more about the danger Cara is still in despite being rescued. 

Overall:

This is definitely more of an emotional read and it does work if you have the patience for it. It deals with real harsh issues and the mental process of moving on and natural reactions. While I would have liked more action, I can appreciate the delicate nature of the topic at hand and think it was depicted realistically and truthfully. Definitely recommend. 

Goodreads 

REVIEW; By Invitation Only (Gilt #1), by Geneva Lee

Rating: ★★★★☆

Genre: YA, Romance, Suspense

Recommend: Yes

Book 1

NO SPOILERS 

Summary:

Emma Southerly feels out of place at Belle Mère Prep, just outside of Las Vegas. Her mother has left and upgraded to a rich husband and Emma is left with her alcoholic father. 
When her best friend invites her to a party hosted in the home of her father's arch enemy, Emma knows she should say no... There she meets Jameson, hiding out from the crowds and the party and Emma has the best night of her life. But waking up in the morning she discovers Jameson is now the prime suspect in a murder, and she is thrown into the mess of truth and deception.

My Thoughts:

Story: I feel like this was a guilty pleasure read. Definitely YA and for younger readers but I loved it. The Romeo and Juliet vibe runs through this but in an adorable way, and the added mystery of "Romeo" being a murder suspect really adds a thrilling side to it. There's a great mix of romance and excitement with the captivating plot twist of a "who dunnit?" 

Emma: I felt so sorry for her. Her mother left and "upgraded" her whole life, leaving poor Emma with her alcoholic father and grieving over the loss of her sister. She is then forced to attend the party of the rival family, And then she unknowingly falls for his son and has to keep him a secret from her father. She is then fired into doubt and wonders if he truly is responsible of murder and the poor girl can't just get a break!

I'm not so much a fan of how the books have been split up. Usually with a series I like each individual book to have at least some story resolve but we don't get many answers in this so feel pressured into buying book 2 to find out anything about this story. As a result, this all felt like a build up but you need to get the 2nd installment for the actual climax. This type of thing usually just annoys me so much I don't want to bother with the next book as I feel it's cheating a little. I don't mind cliffhangers, but give us SOMETHING! 

Overall:

Despite feeling short-changed, I still enjoyed this and got swept up into Emma's world. Recommend for YA readers who enjoy a 90210/Pretty Little Liar's mash up. 

Goodreads 

REVIEW; Madam Tulip, by David Ahern

Rating: ★★★★☆

Genre: Mystery, Contemporary

Recommend: Yes

NO SPOILERS 

Summary:

Derry O'Donnell is a struggling actress in Dublin City, with a psychic gift. In need of some money, her friend encourages her to do psychic readings and so Madam Tulip is born. But Derry is caught between the drama of her separated parents and soon finds herself in even more trouble when she performs at a celebrity event that sees the murder of a famous rapper. Derry is thrown into a mess of suspicion and doubt, as she tries to escape being framed and save her best friend from taking the blame. 

My Thoughts:

 ***Thanks to the author for a copy in exchange for an honest review!*** 

I didn't know what to expect with this other than a main character who was psychic and a murder mystery but the blurb really piqued my interest as being unique and unlike any other story out there. 

Derry: She was hilarious! She had fantastic Irish wit and I enjoyed reading from the POV of a Dublin character as a Dubliner myself. She had psychic abilities although somewhat accidental or coincidental as her father, Jacko, would piece together her predictions. Thing about her was that she came across like an average young female that wasn't over the top with note-worthy characteristics that plague NA stories trying to show some strong-willed perfect unrealistic role model for readers. For once, the protagonist seemed real and "just like the rest of us." 

"The truth was, Derry O'Donnell was fully qualified for unemployment in three different dialects."

Setting: I'm so used to reading stories set in America and most Irish based novels are targeted for older readers so I was excited for an Irish set novel with a young female protagonist that was actually written by a legit Irish author... There's nothing worse than a character written with a nationality different  to the author and it just being plagued with stereotype so it was refreshing to read a realistic representation of a character in terms of their nationality. The story was mostly set in Dublin and there are some noteworthy landmarks mentioned (Trinity to Guinness Storehouse), creating a good map for the story to evolve, adding a good dimension to everything.

Writing: There is good pace to the story and the drama and mystery tumbles through nicely. There is great charm and humour to the story, which really did it for me. I laughed so many  times and enjoyed the colloquial language and throwaway remarks permeating the story. Some phrases may not be universally understood but I think this a  good thing - I'm so used to phrases common to other worlds that don't read well or make sense and I felt like at times I for once understood the private joke woven between letters. 

"Derry was enveloped by a gloom darker than the stairwell outside her door, whose bulbs hadn't been changed since the Titanic was news and the Irish ate potatoes rather than Croquette Perigourdine with truffles and nutmeg." 

"Normally, any man who called Derry baby was mere seconds away from what her father metaphorically called a clip around the ear, though in practice this could take the form of a stiletto on the instep or a toe in the shin."

Plot: There is a great murder mystery / drug related scandal among all of Derry's psychic escapades with the various characters. The suspense definitely piqued my interest as I seeked to get to the bottom of it all. I just wish that there was more focus on Derry's tarot readings and seeing something more dangerous or shocking - it all seemed a little reserved and I doubted if she really had any talent.

Overall:

This is definitely a unique story and I'll remember it. It is so original and engaging and has so many "laugh out loud" moments. Derry is a brilliant and authentic character that you can't help but fall for and cheer her through all the drama.

Goodreads 

REVIEW; Killing Cupid, by Louise Voss & Mark Edwards

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Genre: Psychological Thriller, Suspense

Recommend: Yes

SPOILERS !!!

Summary:

Alex signs up for a creative writing class and instantly falls for the tutor, Siobhan. Fixated on her, he reads her novel and reviews it highly. He finds out where she lives and leaves secret expensive gifts for her, using her own credit card, and even initiating the death of a suspected love rival. 

Siobhan discovers Alex is behind everything and warns him off. But when Alex moves on with another woman to embark on a healthy relationship, Siobhan is adamant on seeking revenge and gaining Alex's attention again. How far will the two of them go for "love"?

My Thoughts:

Alex: Alex was quite interesting but creepy. As soon as meeting Siobhan he decides he loves her and convinces himself she feels the same way. He went too extreme with the stalker acts, even resulting in the death of, most likely, an innocent person. Unusually, he gave up on Siobhan quite soon after realising she didn't feel the same way. It adds to the idea that his feelings weren't genuine to behind with, leading to a little confusion as to how the novel ended...

Siobhan: I didn't like her. She appeared to be the crazier of the two and yet she hadn't committed murder! After Alex moved on with his new girlfriend, Siobhan becomes fixated on becoming the stalker, watching his new girlfriend and even arranging for Alex to be beaten up as revenge for moving on from her! What the hell?! And she didn't care too much that Alex had been in her house a number of times without her knowledge and had been a full on creep. 

Ending: So, this culminates in Alex and Siobhan ending up togther, with Alex in prison for murder. I don't really comprehend how the two were meant for each other. Alex was able to move on rather quickly and then didn't KNOW each other either. It was all information by observation.

Overall: 

This was really creepy but just didn't seem real for me. It was too out there and weird for my liking. I don't believe their love was real and whilst the stalker becoming the stalked was an interesting twist, it all seemed too dramatic and over the top... Bit of a let down after the brilliant reads from Mark Edwards. 

Goodreads

REVIEW; Because She Loves Me, by Mark Edwards

Rating: ★★★★☆

Genre: Psychological Thriller, Suspense

Recommend: Yes

NO SPOILERS 

Summary:

When Andrew meets Charlie he instantly falls for her. She is beautiful and funny and loves him just as much. Before he knows it, he's asking her to move in with him - everything is perfect. 

But is everything as it seems? Andrew notices some things have gone missing, he's losing friends on Facebook, his pretty young cleaner is replaced with an older woman, an ex-girlfriend winds up dead. Charlie has shown she has issues with jealousy... but how far will she go to ensure she keeps Andrew for herself? Is she capable of murder? Or is it just a chain of coincidences... ?

My Thoughts:

Story/ Paranoia: Similar to The Magpies, the cause of torment and menace is a simple one. Supposedly all down to the jealousy of a girlfriend, which adds to the creepiness as it's something that could easily happen to anyone. I love how Mark Edwards can take a simple concept and make it grow to create such horror stories. Towards the end I was nearly shouting at people to listen to Andrew and stop the deaths we were expecting to occur as it all got heated. The one thing this does is get inside your head. Is Charlie who she says she is? Who is she? Is she lying? Is she responsible for strange things occurring? Is she mentally unstable? Is she just insecure? WHAT IS GOING ON?! It drives you crazy. 

Twist: There is a twist in this and it is the reason why this isn't a 5 star rating... I didn't HATE the twist, which I won't mention as it is a huge spoiler. I just don't think it was necessary too much. It wasn't too awful; just before the twist occurred it was hinted at and I had a moment of calculating the possible plausible conclusions before the truth was revealed. I can see why people are annoyed at it - a solid story was built for everything that the reader knew to just be thrown to one side and BAM! something else with no warning... but a part of me liked it also. I liked it wasn't a complete predictable outcome and the reader was blind-sided by the events. I think my main issue is who was involved with the twist seemed off and it would have worked better if a different character was involved with a better reason... 

Ending: I think the hardest part about psychological thrillers is constructing the ending. Do you end it on a high of the shock? Or finish off the stories of the characters? And to what extent do you follow their aftermath? Endings are delicate aspects of every story and I have to applaud this one. There was a suitable epilogue to the events and a nice ending that still leaves the reader wondering what truly occurs in the future. 

Overall: 

I think this is my favourite Mark Edwards read so far. Possibly because I can relate to knowing jealous people and having been jealous myself at times, it's nearly more scary as you realise "this could be me", be it for either Andrew or Charlie's position! Recommend this for anyone looking for something unnerving and different to your regular reads.

Goodreads 
Amazon

REVIEW; A Game For All The Family, by Sophie Hannah

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Genre: Psychological Thriller, Suspense

Recommend: Yes

SPOILERS 

Summary:

Justine Merrison has left her London life behind as she moves to Devon with her husband, Alex, and their daughter Ellen. 
Finally, she gets the peaceful life she wanted. But after reading the beginning of a story Ellen is writing for school, Justine can't rid the feeling of something being wrong. 
When Ellen's best friend George gets expelled from school, she spirals into despair. But when Justine goes to discuss George's expulsion with the school, George's existence is denied. 
Being plagued with anonymous phone-calls from a woman who promises to kill Justine and her family if they don't leave, Justine's world is thrown upside down. 
Who is the caller?
Does George really exist? And if so, why is the school lying about him? 
And where did Ellen get the material for her murder mystery story? 
Can Justine get to the bottom of things before she and her family come face to face with the real danger?

My Thoughts:

This is the second novel by Sophie Hannah that I've read, so I did have relatively high hopes. Ultimately, I felt let down though. I kept waiting for everything to fall into place and click and just make sense, but it never did. It all read like one crazy train and never really making much sense for the reader... 

Characters: I didn't really like or connect with any of the characters in this. Justine was just crazy from the start and a little neurotic. Ellen was a brat. Alex was dull. George was an oddball and to me, didn't fit the personality of a child in his position. School teachers were not at all authoritative. Just completely all over the place! Justine was so easily spooked and it didn't seem like she had a back-bone at all in regards to dealing with her family, but this was the same person who forced her way into a school and spoke down to the principal? And this same person was later capable of murder without a shadow of guilt or shame? None of it fits! 

Mystery: This is meant to be a story of suspense, to keep the reader on the edge of their seats and be scared, like the main character. But it was dull. My attention wasn't held to want to get to the bottom of Perrine's murder, the anonymous calls, the truth about George, the alleged unhinged Anne. I didn't feel the threat behind the calls either and the reader should've been scared for Justine- especially after she falls into a grave that has been dug! But nope, I didn't care. I ended up just skim reading just to be able to finish the book. 

Story: All over the place. From the start... As they're driving to Devon the story is all haphazard. They're arguing in the car and Justine is overwhelmed after seeing a particular house. Then dealing with a crazy stalker and everything being intertwined with the story Ellen was writing -more interesting than Justine's story but equally as ridiculous - it was like the reader was meant to be sent on a mind f*ck journey but truth being told, the train never even left the station. Things did pick up pace towards the end, but I felt like we were still left without answers. The conclusion was so far-fetched and out there, I was left wondering "did I really just read what I think I read?" Hrm...

Overall: 

I'm quite undecided with this book. I really enjoyed the other book by Sophie Hannah and this sounded equally as mysterious - but I guess the story just wasn't for me. I did keep going and read through the whole thing, so it can't have been so bad! 

Goodreads 
Amazon

REVIEW; A Perfect Mess (Hope Parish #1), by Zoe Dawson

Rating: ★★★★☆

Genre: New-Adult, Romance, Suspense

Recommend: Yes

NO SPOILERS 

Summary:

Aubree Walker left Hope Parish following a Summer of secrets, leaving her aunt behind and focusing on college in Tulane. But a phonecall brings her back to the town, following her aunt being in an accident. 

Booker Outlaw knows Aubree's secret and everything that happened last summer. And he has secrets of his own that he dreads telling Aubree. 

But when Aubree starts getting anonymous threats and messages, Booker assumes protector role and vows to keep her safe. As the two grow closer and remember the events of last summer, their secrets threaten to tear the two apart and ruin them as she may be more dangerous for him, than the bad boy is for the good girl. 

My Thoughts:

This story will suck you in, send you on a wild rollercoaster and spit you out at the end not knowing what just happened! 

Aubree: She has an obsession with being perfect and runs away from a dark past and from Booker, to follow a busy, studious life at college. She cuts herself off from her aunt, her only relative, so she does not have to return to the town that haunts her. Pursuing a relationship with Booker Outlaw, is the last thing on her list, especially when she is forced to return and their paths become forever entwined. Booker helps her see flaws are what make people perfect, and to let go of what restrictions she has set herself. 

Booker: He doesn't do "forever" and he tells himself to leave Aubree alone- Miss Perfect is the last thing he needs. But when she returns into his life, it's like a second chance for him at love.  Aubree was always different, and when she is in danger he can't help but step up and protect her any way he can. She stirs emotions in him that he's worked years to mask as he is sent on a journey of inner turmoil and despair. 

Aubree & Booker: I loved their banter and flirting between them. It flowed so naturally end effortlessly with the right amount of awkward exchanges between them here and there. There was a great chemistry evident from the start, and it probably helped they both had a huge shared secret which brought them closer. What was so endearing was how slow their romance built to one of substance and depth and felt real - none of that instant love nonsense. I liked that Booker called her "Sugar" instead of "baby" that's used in every other romance book!

Suspense: I would've liked a little more suspense in this, although there was a very good mystery element woven in to the story to make it more than just a romance. Admittedly, I guessed from the beginning what had happened last summer so a lot of it was fairly predictable, but the simplicity of it all made it seem more plausible and realistic I suppose. I think there needed to be an increase in threats leading up to the climax, as at times I forgot she was meant to be in danger. I like how there were hints to the secrets surrounding Verity and Boone, which will be the focus of the second novel, so rather than a cliffhanger, it was a nice way to gauge interest in those characters early on. 

Overall: 

This is a whirlwind of emotion; there is laughter, fear, tears, death, love, despair, jealousy, everything. Booker is actually the more fragile of them both, and this sets for such a captivating read as we get to read from both POV's. Definitely recommend!

Goodreads 
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REVIEW; I Am Pilgrim, by Terry Hayes

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: Thriller, Suspense

Recommend: Yes

SPOILERS

Summary:

Pilgrim is a top secret agent, set out for retirement to lead a normal life, under the radar. Brought along to comment on a murder scene, he sees more than anyone else, and finds himself swept up into the investigative world again. 
Meanwhile, a Saudi-Arabian man is plotting against the world and fabricated an expert plan to eradicate America.
Can Pilgrim solve the crimes and stop him? Or will the hunter become the hunted?

My Thoughts:

This book!!
Firstly- it's extremely hard to write anything about this without giving things away, but with how sparse the blurb of the book is, it leads you nearly blindfolded into the depth of the story so I really don't want to spoil it for others.

I'm at a total loss as to where to even start with this one. At being 889 pages long in the paperback version, it's definitely a wrist-ache but totally worth it - it was a story to get utterly lost in. 

Pilgrim: Code-name for our main character, Pilgrim. He is a legendary secret agent in the top levels of security, with intelligence and skill like no other. Assuming different identities throughout his life, no one is really certain of who he really is. I loved how the story was told through his eyes; getting inside the mind of a natural investigator as he picks up minor details of the state of a room to conclude to momentous reasoning. 

Pace: This book is long but just right. There are four parts to it: 

1. Introduction to Pilgrim- the story opens in a murder scene in a hotel room with an unidentifiable victim
2. Introduction to The Saracen/main plot - the Saudi-Arabian who grows up to mastermind the plan to bring America to its knees
3. Pilgrim is sent on his mission - Their paths intertwine and the present time thriller unfolds
4. Attack/ End.

The pacing in this is executed brilliantly. The reader gets an insight into the past of both crucial characters and witnesses pivotal scenes that shape their character to lead them to their current choices and decisions. The breakdown of the story into 4 sections helps the intake of the story- the huge quantity of information is put forward in a more enticing way that enables the past/present flow naturally together in a seamless progression of events. Even though the setting/time often changed from chapter to chapter, it was simple still to follow what was going on. 

Writing: Hayes' writing is captivating. Every word appears to be chosen carefully as the passages are succinct and have punch. There is no stream of consciousness or meaningless chatter/waffle that plagues so many stories. There are also subtle hints intertwined that help the reader follow along the path of Pilgrim's mind, without any neon flashing signs pointing to evidence - there's no insult to the intelligence of the reader needing everything explained. In saying that, yeah, there were some repeated phrases here and there or similar descriptions for things - but in 900 pages of course there'll be some repetition!  

Story: Again, I don't want to give much away - half of the success of this novel for me was not knowing where it was going to lead me. But this was one hell of a story. It was so well thought out and constructed, with back stories and thought processes and intertwining plots and conclusions that all fitted together like a jigsaw when moments before things seemed totally irrelevant or unrelated. Hayes' doesn't hold back with the imagery either- warning, not a book to be read when eating!!! But it's all effective, it's a scary book in one way as it's so easy to see (and even understand possibly) how one can come to the mind-frame of seeking revenge and how a plan so huge and detrimental can be orchestrated by an individual. 

Overall: 

I can't remember when I last read a book this good. So many lately have been 5 star reads and this just supersedes them completely. I'm in such book-mourning and urge everyone and anyone to try read this. The second half is definitely a lot more exciting than the first- down to the story developing compared to more of a background lesson - but definitely worth the time to read. 

Goodreads 
Amazon

REVIEW; The Thread, by Victoria Hislop

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: Historic, Romance

Recommend: Yes

SPOILERS

Summary:

Starting in the early 1900's, The Thread follows a story set in Thessaloniki, Greece. As Asia Minor is destroyed by the Turkish Army, young Katerina is separated from her fleeing family and ends up under the care of Eugenia, a fleeing mother with her two older daughters. Here, Katerina befriends young Dimitri, son of a strong politically viewed power hungry man. 
Soon, the city is plunged into chaos of war and fear, as the Jews are pushed out and young men forced to step up and fight with or against. A story covering decades, the reader is brought along the journey of the city itself, and given an insight into the lives of the people and watch how Katerina's life changed unbelievably, from when she was only six years old. 

My Thoughts:

The Island is one of my all time favourite novels and I bought The Thread a few years ago to read but it always got pushed further down my list. Reading it now reminded me of why I loved The Island so much. Although in this case, I have never been to Thessaloniki, it didn't matter in being able to imagine the city. 

Writing: I love Hislop's writing style. The story-telling vibe is so captivating and gripping and you're so quickly swept up into the story and plunged right into the epicenter of the drama. I'm not a huge lover of stories set in the past, as they lack the element of being able to relate to the situations depicted, but Hislop has a unique way of depicting her stories that overrides any dislike for historic tales. 

Characters: The characters in this are all so diverse and captivating, the story nearly writes itself. 

• Katerina's infectious positivity gleams from the pages but as does her despair once married and in grieving for her lost Dimitri. Her utter resilience and strength is so admirable and she always remained so humble - I couldn't help but fall for her from the beginning. 

• Eugenia is also such a kind-hearted and gentle woman and her instant affection for Katerina is so evident from how she immediately treats her as her own little daughter. 

• The ruthless and almost evil nature of Kyrios Komninos, Dimitri's father, never fails to shock the reader as we see the extremes he goes to to ensure family pride and reputation remains strong. 

Story: The historic detail that permeates Hislop's novels is unbelievable and probably only fractionally represents the level of research that had to be undertaken prior to writing anything. The Thread majorly covers the time of the Second World War and the reader gains an insight into the affect it had on Greece, a country that normally wouldn't be of main focus of the War. The fact that Thessaloniki was thriving with many mixed religions, made for an environment that was torn apart and relationships and livelihoods destroyed. In an effortless story-telling setting, I learned so much more about what went on, especially politically, at that time and how Greece specifically suffered. 

The added little phrases and words in Greek, help authenticate the story and remind the reader of where we are and is a beautiful additive. 

Romance: This is really a romantic tale of Katerina and Dimitri relaying their story to their grandson but yet it's not presented as a "romance tale" and I love this. Everything romantic is so beautiful and innocent and makes for a gorgeous read as the two lovers are constantly put up against forces that keep them apart. I nearly cried when Katerina found out she was pregnant and knew it was his and not her dreadful, repulsive, slime-ball husband! (And bravo for cleverly getting rid of him!)

Overall: 

This has definitely made it into my favourites. Having been travelling to Greece / Greek Islands for over half of my lifetime and having Greek relatives, I am obsessed with Greek culture and the language and the serenity and calmness that comes from the little towns and villages. The Thread captivates the very essence of the Greek city and way of life and is a beautiful tale of life and friendships.

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REVIEW; 3.A.M, by Nick Pirog

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Genre: Thriller, Suspense,  Mystery

Recommend: Yes

SPOILER-FREE

Summary:

Henry Bins suffers from a condition named after him. He sleeps 23 hours a day and only wakes up at 3:00am for one hour only. But one day he hears a scream from across the road and sees The President leave the house.

After realising the woman has been murdered, Henry's main suspect is The U.S. President. But can he discover the truth with only being awake for 60 minutes? 

And what happens when he too, comes to be on the list of suspects?

My Thoughts:

I love original pieces of work so when I stumbled upon this, I knew it was my type of thing. It was sitting in my Kindle Library for about a year until I got round to finally reading it and I enjoyed it. 

Novella: To start off, this is a novella. Something I had missed when buying it. It only has about 100 pages and this was a huge disappointment. Even more so as it ends at 70% on the kindle too... There was such a great story to this, but it was too fast and quick. I like proper meaty stories and this sounded like one - granted it was my mistake - but I felt this had so much depth to it, that it could easily have been a proper novel. 

Story: I'm pretty torn with this. Half of me wants to pick apart the errors or problems but then the other half wants to applaud the original idea. 

• The idea of Henry Bins is a really interesting one. How would only being awake for one hour affect and change the human race? How much would the world be altered. Could people be awake for different hours? None of this was really explored and it feels like a missed opportunity. It was simply explained Henry has this condition and just accept it and move on. This felt a little strange as I would've focused a lot more on his condition and the consequences as it was such an unusual aspect of the story. 

• Lassie... uhhh isn't he meant to be a cat? It really didn't fit. I have two cats and just... it was simply frustrating how Lassie was responding to Henry and how he spoke to the cat. Just not realistic and was completely unnecessary too. 

• Amongst everything else going on, there was a slight hint of romance which was as if it was thrown in for the laugh. It didn't fit in with everything else at all and was again, unrealistic. It would've been a lot better had the book been a novel as there would've been the appropriate room for development rather than plonking it in the middle of nowhere.

Plot/Ending: The main appeal of this book was the mystery of "Who Dunnit?" Did The President commit the murder? Most likely not, but we still don't know. I love trying to beat the character into working out the culprit and motive... but this? Come on... the conclusion came out of nowhere and it was just a messy conclusion. Didn't enjoy it or believe it. Just didn't feel right at all and was a slight let down... 


Positives?: Right, so I still rated this 3 stars so there must have been some good points. And there were... To have packed all that was into such a short story was impressive. Yes, I would've preferred something lengthier, but I can't change that. Henry Bins was an interesting character with how he has adapted with his condition and it was a unique and original concept. There were some fun scenes and I did laugh more than once. If you don't read too much into the finer points, it is a great little story. 

Overall: 

Do I/Don't I recommend this? Yeah, sure why not?! It's a short little story that has so much going on and makes for a great read. Won't take more than a few hours to get through and I did enjoy it. Maybe just read it with a light pair of eyes. 

Goodreads 
Amazon UK
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REVIEW; Carter Reed #2, by Tijan

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Genre: New Adult, Romance, Drama

Recommend: Yes

SPOILER-FREE

Summary:

After thinking they had their happily ever after when Carter leaves the mob, he finds himself back involved as an old friend returns. But Emma’s life is in even more danger and she quickly gets tired of hiding away. Finding out more about her family, Emma wonders if she can ever have a normal life without putting those she loves in danger. 

Meanwhile Carter is torn between stepping back into the Mauricio Family to help and protect Emma, or cut loose and face the consequences. As the threats get bigger, the war is beginning, and all wonder who they can really trust. 

My Thoughts:

Despite having already reviewed the characters in the first book's review, there was more to comment on this time round.

Emma: Again, I loved her fight. She wants to be involved and has accepted her fate and knows what she has to do to remain by Carter’s side. But sometimes I wanted to strangle her myself. She’d been in that life for a year and still went into dangerous and foolish situations thinking she was helping and ignoring very clear instruction from either Carter or the bodyguards. It was like she was completely oblivious to the extent of the danger they were in. I appreciate that she didn’t let Carter molly-coddle her and treat her like an incapable child, but there were times where I wished she’d just accept help or care and take the back seat for once.

Carter: I liked at the start how much he cared for Emma and wanted to protect her, but his repetitive and constant denial to let her even learn to fight was just frustrating. Realistically, he should’ve jumped at the chance to teach her self defence back in the first book, knowing that at some stage she’d have to defend herself. Emma had murdered, it was clear she could handle herself to a degree and he needed to stop treating her like such a fragile child.

Aaaaand Moving on more positively.

Story: I much preferred the story in this book. I liked how Carter was torn between the two worlds and having to balance his loyalty. The twist at the last 15% was a lot more of an exciting end than in the first book. The added plot of Emma discovering more about her family was a great additive to the overall picture, adding in clever opportunities for more twists and drama. There was so much more action and secrets in this that kept my attention a lot more than the first one. 

Overall: 

This series has really confused me. I gave the first book 3 stars but yet I preferred the story in this one... but yet it wasn't a 4 star book. The characters' flaws annoyed me more, maybe because I'd put up with them for one book already so reading their negatives a second time round, I became less tolerant. It's made rating both books difficult as the first wasn't on a 2 star level so I can't reduce it. In the end, I guess I'm torn as both novels have positives/negatives. Either way, I'd still recommend them. 

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REVIEW; Death of a Dapper Snowman, by Angela Pepper

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Genre: New Adult, Mystery

Recommend: Yes

SPOILER-FREE

Summary:

Stormy Day returns to her home-town of Misty Falls after cashing in and leaving her boyfriend. Minding her father's house as he is in hospital, Stormy tries to blend in to avoid being gossiped about. After spotting a "Dapper Snowman" in her neighbour's garden, she opts to take a selfie- but discovers more than she ever imagined. 

Her neighbour is the frozen body acting as the snowman's skeleton, and Stormy is thrown in to the mystery behind the murder. Opting to undertake her own investigations when her father is a suspect, Stormy does her own digging to try and pin the murder on different citizens of the town. 

Soon though, Stormy realises she has gone too far in her questions, and has put herself right in the line of the murderer.

My Thoughts:

When I began this novel, it wasn't looking like I'd complete it. It definitely has a poor start and doesn't really hook you. However, it does improve and I am happy to say I easily finished it and mostly have pleasant things to say. 

Show Not Tell: Right, this annoyed me immensely. The author was insulting to the reader by presuming we could work nothing out for ourselves- so much so we had to be told the main character was sarcastic and witty...

"I wouldn't call myself a snarky person, because I never mean to be cruel, but I do serve up a number of sarcastic quips each day. Whenever people are being ridiculous, my instinct is to make a joke and break the tension."

The reader does not need to be told this- this isn't something you'd say if you were introducing yourself. I know I'm fluent in sarcasm, but I can't help it and often bite my tongue, but it wouldn't be something I'd say on PAGE 2!!!!! of anything about me. Every minor joke or attempt at humour basically had a big luminous arrow with "LOOK- A JOKE! FIND IT FUNNY AND LAUGH!!!!" making me just hate the character and not find it remotely funny. Humour is prime with its subtlety - treat your reader as if they have a half a brain, thanks.

" 'Is your cat broken?' She laughed at her joke, then quickly added, 'Just a little veterinary assistant humour to lighten the mood for kitty.'"

Characters: I didn't think the characters were really thought out or developed much. Stormy was all over the place; didn't feel like I could predict her actions or replies and it seemed like she was just constructed with the flow of the novel rather than properly figured out prior to writing. And Logan? Why was he in the vets when he first met Stormy? He was renting and there was no mention of any pet? And there was no chemistry what-so-ever between them. None. Nada. Zilch. No romance and yet she was oh so overwhelmed by him that she couldn't return to her home in case he saw her but she spied on him through his window... whatever.

Writing: The writing was fine. There were little to no mistakes but it was very bland. There were no fancy pancy high-end word choice. And this was a massive fail - the protagonist is meant to be some great business woman... which would suggest in my mind that she had some sort of ability to construct adult syntax and reactions. The writing did not reflect that of a character with her background and/or age.

The Car: Something that has reallyyyyy bothered me is that her "high end pricey car" was a BMW... Okay- now I'm a car girl, I'm studying automotive engineering and I understand that to many a flashy expensive car may appear as a BMW so often I overlook the many incorrect information included in YA/NA novels about vehicles. But c'mon!!!! BMW's are so common that Logan would not know the only person such an expensive car could belong to was some successful known business woman. At least give a new luxury model of BMW to highlight the difference. Even I, as a student, could afford a second hand BMW so, it's all in the detail although I'll accept that's a petty aspect that probably only bothered me personally...It's just this sort of hazy writing that doesn't make it believable... 



So, as for the redeeming features of this novel? 

I need to judge it for what it actually is and not be too harsh. It's a light-hearted cozy mystery that probably is trying too hard to be humorous. It is an easy read and not really anything that memorable but does a good job of breaking up the reading of heavier novels.

Some people probably prefer these type of books and don't care for details nor do they tear books apart. Although anyone could probably guess who the culprit was, there was a good bit of suspense and suspects that could be plausible murderers. 

Overall: 

I was going to give this two stars but that'd be rather harsh so it reasonably deserves three. I know I can be quite mean at times with certain aspects but only as I have pet peeves about particular things. I'd still recommend this as a good easy read for escape purposes - but not really funny. 

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REVIEW; Carrots, by Colleen Helme

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Genre: New Adult, Drama, Thriller

Recommend: Yes

Summary:

Shelby Nichols stops into a convenience store to buy some carrots. Whilst paying, the bank section of the shop is robbed and she fails to duck before being shot by the thief. The bullet grazes by her head but when she awakes she begins answering people's thoughts, before realising she can read minds. Confiding in her husband, he can't help but treat her differently, knowing he has no privacy. When Shelby picks up on thoughts about Kate, his co-worker, she soon turns into investigator to see what's going on between them. 

Meanwhile the bank robber is out to kill Shelby, knowing she's the only eye-witness and Shelby has to keep avoiding his path. Soon, Shelby finds herself working for a mob boss who discovers her mind reading ability and forces her to work for him in exchange for her family being safe.

Working right in the middle of organised crime and battling the mental struggle of being over-powered by so many thoughts, Shelby is soon fighting to merely stay alive. 

My Thoughts:
I had high hopes for this book. It sounded so promising with such a unique idea/take on the mind reading front. However, there were a few aspects of the overall story/execution that killed the whole thing slightly. 

Shelby: I felt she was poorly developed. Her current emotions were always described but with little reasoning. There was no opportunity to learn what influences or motivates Shelby. Her familial relationship was all over the place in that it wasn't properly defined - although Chris' character was well done. His anger/frustration at Shelby reading his mind was so understandable and realistic. It got quite tedious reading about how annoyed Shelby was towards Kate when she could see Chris wasn't interested nor reciprocating. He trusted her not to read his mind but she couldn't trust him to remain faithful. She just felt a little all over the place and mood-swinging. 

Characters: I can usually keep up pretty well with novels that have a lot of characters in them. However, there were too many minor/nameless/faceless characters to keep track of. There were the five business men that remained numbered and then there were other mob names floating around, then the jeweller causing chaos, the policemen, Uncle Joey's men... There were too many introduced with not enough purpose or depth to create an impact and towards the end with the scene in Uncle Joey's office when there's a heavy conversation going on- I just got lost completely. 

Ramos: I liked him- was genuinely upset when he got shot and wanted to give up the book!! He was brutal but Shelby could glimpse his moments of humanity and realise he was doing what he did as it was his job and he did find it difficult at times. His care for Shelby was adorable and it's one of the strong points that makes me really want to read on about where their relationship leads...

Story: The whole story in general was enjoyable and unique. The head injury brought on this new ability and it was refreshing to read about the burdens it caused rather than just the positives. I liked how Shelby had difficulty at the beginning to refrain from answering and how Dimples and Ramos were beginning to catch on to her ability and how she went about hiding it. It added a fun and light-hearted aspect to such an eventful book!

Ending: After the final "main scene" it all closed pretty abruptly. Without giving too much away, all the conversations and follow ups just seemed rushed in an effort to finish the story- after a story that nearly carried on a little too much at points. A longer conclusion would have brought this up to 4 stars for me straight away.


Overall:
I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys drama/suspense. It's not too focused on a romantic element but more so a thriller vibe. Apart from being confused about characters at times and the sharp ending, overall it was still a brilliant read. It lulled at parts but I really enjoyed it and it was definitely refreshing and a stand out novel; it's one I'll definitely remember. I also love the name of the book; it's just fun and quirky! 

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