High Force by LJ Ross

High Force by L.J. Ross
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book free of charge from the author, in return for an honest review.

This is the fifth part in the DCI Ryan series of books and I have to say, the plot just continues to thicken. The end of Angel (DCI Ryan Mysteries, #4) saw The Hacker make an elaborate break from prison, arriving at the door of an unsuspecting DI Denise MacKenzie. This left me so many unanswered questions which I needed answers to. Thankfully, Ross wasted no time in putting pen to paper and satisfying my ever growing curiosity.
Always one step ahead of the game The Hacker, aka Kier Edwards, does his best at keeping DCI Ryan running in circles. Little clues dropped, but nothing to give away his whereabouts or whatever transport he may be using. It takes a great deal of police manpower to piece together the clues and come up with a viable solution - each time leading them up a dead end street! Edwards is the master of games and loves playing with the emotions of Ryan, however maybe this time he's bitten off more than he can chew. For the first time, we get an insight into how Edwards was shaped from an early age into the dangerously calculated killer that he later became and we learn a little more about his childhood.
Overall, this is a very tense read which keeps you on the edge of your seat. Think you've got Edwards sussed? Think again because there's more twists and turns which will keep you guessing till the very end. Can Ryan and his colleagues save MacKenzie before it's too late? Does she have the strength to keep going or will she give up before her captor? Will everyone survive or are more victims on the cards? Will Edwards ever be caught? These were all questions running round my head whilst reading High Force and the answers surprised even me.
Brilliantly written and engaging. I am now desperate to see how all the loose ends tie up and, as usual, Ross left me with unanswered questions and the need to get my hands on her next book, Cragside - I can't wait!!

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Beautifully Broken by Laura Lee BLOG TOUR

Title: Beautifully Broken

Author: Laura Lee | @lauraleebooks

Release Date: November 15^th 2016

Genre: New Adult

Tour Dates: December 19^th – 23^rd | December 26^th – 30^th

http://bit.ly/2gQ0vwY

I KNEW HE WOULD RUIN ME FROM THE MOMENT WE MET. 

Everything about the man screamed confidence. Sensuality. Intelligence. Worldliness. But it was how he saved me that ruined me most.

Through him, I learned to end my path of self-destruction. I no longer needed to numb the pain with mindless one-night-stands and drunken blackouts. He made me feel worthy. Treasured. Optimistic about my future.

Here I stand four years later, in a coffee shop a world away, still broken…but beautifully so. My scars no longer hold me back. Instead, they give me strength and enrich my appreciation for the good things in life. I have hopes and dreams…faith that anything is possible. I am no longer the lost little girl fighting for survival. I have direction. I have courage. I am not without possibility.

I’ll always have Gavin to thank for that—Mr. Cooper, I remind myself. That’s who he is to me now: just a former teacher. I know what you’re thinking, but don’t worry. I was eighteen when we first met. Legally, we did nothing wrong. Morally? Well, I guess that depends on how flexible your morals are.

My name is Kat and this is my story.

Review

I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.

It took me no time at all to get completely lost in the pages of this book and I raced through it not wanting to put it down for one second! I love how honest Beautifully Broken is, and how it doesn't over complicate things, leaving your mind free to immerse itself in the story without losing track. I really warmed to Kat and loved her blunt outlook on life, but began to feel more sympathy towards her when details of her past started to emerge. I really enjoyed how the relationship between 'Sparkles' and 'Red' progressed and found the humorous banter shared between them a pleasure to read. This is the story of one womans fight to show the world that she can cut it with the best of them, despite the most difficult of circumstances. Both inspiring and flabbergasting with a good mix of emotion, turmoil, love and above all, the determination to succeed. 

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“Do you want me to turn something on from Netflix?”

“Sure. What’d you have in mind?”

He gets a boyish smile on his face. “Okay…if anyone asks about this, I will deny it until I’m six feet under.”

“And what’s that?”

“I’m going through a Dawson’s Creek binge right now. Wanna watch it with me?”

I can’t help it; I laugh until I’m snorting. “Are you serious?”

Gavin grabs the remote and begins flipping through the menu. “Completely serious. I never joke about The Creek.”

“Wow…I have no words.”

He bumps his shoulder into mine. “C’mon, you’ll love it. Have you ever seen it before?”

“Of course I have!” I reply. “Do you know how many Dawson ugly cry memes there are in existence? I had to know the source.”

“Yeah, I’m definitely Team Pacey all the way. Dawson is way overrated.”

I smirk. “Oh my God, when did you grow a vagina? I could’ve sworn you were a dude.”

His expression changes from jovial to angry in an instant. 

“We both know damn well I’m one-hundred-percent male. Don’t make me prove it to you, Kat.”

And with that, my expression morphs into equal parts stunned and horny. “Uh…”

He clears his throat and pushes a button on the remote. “And on that note…let’s forget I said that and get lost in North Carolina teen angst.”

“Okay, but make sure it’s an episode that has Mitch in it. Dawson’s dad is where it’s at.”

“You like older men, huh? I’ll have to remember that.”

I burrow under the covers and yawn. “I walked right into that one, didn’t I?”

He smirks. “Pretty much.”

_________

_________

_________

_________

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 Direct Link: http://bit.ly/2gquirW

After working a 9-to-5 gig for many years, she happily traded it for a rewarding career as a self-published author. Laura is the author of the bestselling Karli Lane and Dealing with Love series. She is a proud member of the Romance Writers of America focusing on contemporary, urban fantasy, and paranormal romance.

Laura's passion has always been storytelling. She spent most of her life with her nose in a book thinking of alternate endings or continuations to the story. She won her first writing contest at the ripe old age of nine, earning a trip to the state capital to showcase her manuscript. Thankfully for her, those early works will never see the light of day again!

Laura lives in the Pacific Northwest with her wonderful husband, two beautiful children, and three of the most poorly behaved cats in existence. She likes her fruit smoothies filled with rum, her cupboards stocked with Cadbury's chocolate, and her music turned up loud. When she's not writing or watching HGTV, she's reading anything she can get her hands on. She's a sucker for spicy romances, especially those involving vampires or cowboys! 

Website: www.lauraleebooks.com

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2htw942

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Email: lauraleebooks@gmail.com

Holy Island by LJ Ross

I received a copy of Holy Island free of charge from the author, in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Holy Island is set on the quiet Northumbrian island of Lindisfarne, where most of the inhabitants have lived there all their lives and know each other well. When the body of Lucy Mathieson is discovered on The Priory, the whole island is left stunned and speechless. No outsiders were able to access or leave the island during the time of death due to the tides, which meant that it had to be one of the locals ...but which one and why? Detective Chief Inspector Ryan has been taking some time out after a major case and found himself hiding away on Holy Island, putting himself in the perfect place to head the murder investigation. Lucys' death wreaks of some form of pagan ritual so Dr Anna Taylor is called in to help police with their inquiries. Anna was originally from the island but left years ago to free herself from her past, and indulge in a new beginning. Coming home brings back many bad memories for Anna which she has to overcome, including meeting up with the sister she never really got along with. There is an instant attraction between Anna & DCI Ryan but will they take things further during such an important investigation? I'll leave that for you to find out!

I'm always a bit dubious when I pick up a new crime novel, especially one which has be gifted to me for review, as it's one of my favourite genres and I have pretty high expectations. What I'd seen and heard about this book really piqued my interest, and I'm so glad it did! This isn't a book which had me gripped from the beginning as such, but it did spark a curiosity which meant that I needed to know more.
Ross has an excellent use of vocabulary and manages to give a deep insight into each character without giving too much away at the same time. As a reader, I was quite overcome with emotion at some points of the book and found myself pulling the odd face as descriptions of the murder were revealed ....even the odd shocked expression! Ross writes with great passion and I have to say that I loved every bit of this story and the clever way in which it all came together. I find that as I read, I tend to try and predict what the outcome will be but this had me guessing all the way through and each time I thought I had it sussed, another spanner was thrown in the works. I seriously loved the ending ....nothing could have prepared me for it which is one reason why I'd highly recommend this as a crime novel. It has everything ......love, murder, mystery, suspense, it's all there!
I can't wait for her second novel to be released and look forward to reading it.

Want to get your hands on a copy? Of course you do and it's available for kindle as well as paperback!
Buy from Amazon.co.uk
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Check out http://www.ljrossauthor.com/

About the Author

Born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, LJ Ross moved to London where she graduated from King's College London with undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Law. After working in the City as a regulatory lawyer for a number of years, she realised it was high time for a change. The catalyst was the birth of her son, which forced her to take a break from the legal world and find time for some of the detective stories which had been percolating for a while and finally demanded to be written. 

She lives with her husband and young son in the south of England, but will always be a northern girl at heart.

Her first book, "Holy Island", has consistently been listed as an Amazon bestseller since its release in January 2015 and hit the Amazon UK Kindle #1 position in May 2015. She is currently working on the next book in the DCI Ryan series, "Sycamore Gap", which is due to be released on 12th September 2015. 

Critical Hit-On (The Games of Love Book 1) by Deanna Dee

I received a copy of Critical Hit-On (The Games of Love Book 1) free of charge from the author, in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

It's not often I go for chick-lit or romance books but the blurb for this really piqued my interest and I'm so pleased I got the chance to read it!

It's based around two main characters, Molly and Craig, and their chance meeting in A's where Molly works as a waitress. Her last relationship with Ward ended badly, and she has serious trust issues when it comes to men ....especially gamers! Craig on the other hand has his own problems, the biggest of which being his unruly 15 year old sister, Amber.
Craig and Molly meet when he and some friends visit A's to have a gaming session and Molly is the waitress assigned to their table. There is an immediate mutual attraction, but it takes Mollys' good friend Nikki (who's character I really loved), to step in and set them up on their first date.

It doesn't take long before Molly begins to feel comfortable with Craig and she gets on pretty well with his group of friends too. She actually starts to believe that they really could be going somewhere, that is until Ward rears his ugly head. Doubts form in Mollys mind and it's not long before life becomes a bit of a rollercoaster full of mixed emotions. Will they get through it all or is it about to be ruined by outside forces? You'll have to read it to find out!

Although each chapter in this book continues the story from where the last chapter ended, they alternate between the characters so you get it from both Molly and Craigs perspective - something I really loved! You're drawn in from the very first chapter in what I'd class as a very light-hearted geeky romance story with a few twists along the way. Deanna has written this so well that you're carried along for the ride and feel the passion and pain of the characters. I really wanted to give them both a swift kick up the backside at various points of the story and let out more than a few loud giggles at some of the quips and one-liners. Nikki, who is Mollys best friend was by far my favourite character. Her feistiness, strong-will and common sense made her loveable and at times, hilariously funny ......my kinda gal! There are other characters in the book who you learn a little about and I'm hoping to find out more about them in book 2 - which I can't wait for!

Overall a great summer read and definitely recommended if you're looking for something well rounded, fun and light-hearted with a hint of geeky romance.

Purchase your copy now on Amazon.co.uk for only 99p (Kindle Edition)
For those in the US you can buy from Amazon.com for $1.54 (Kindle Edition)
All prices correct at time of post

Check out Deanna Dees' Blog 
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The Prodigal by Nicky Black

Now available to buy is the fantastic gripping new crime novel The Prodigal by Nicky Black.

I was lucky enough to receive a copy free of charge, in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

After many years away, Detective Sergeant Lee Jamieson is about to return to Valley Park in Newcastle where he grew up, to help tackle crime in the local area and to meet his daughter for the very first time. 

Life in Valley Park has been on the decline over recent years, with the area vast becoming a bit of a crime capital. It's not helped by the unemployment rate and unruly kids out pinching cars night after night, which is a far cry from how Lee remembered it all. Keen to help put the hard men behind bars, rid the streets of drugs and generally make Valley Park a place worth living in again, Lee embarks on the seemingly impossible task of clearing out the trash. 

When he unexpectedly falls for the wife of local hard man Micky Kelly, things begin to take a sinister twist. An uncooperative work force with out dated ideas, means that Lee has to come up with a new strategy, and fast! Every lead appears to be hampered until he gets the information he so desperately needs - but will this risk the lives of those he loves?

I really don't want to give away any more of the storyline, all I can say is that I tip this to be a big selling hit for 2015 and you really ought to get out there and buy it!!

I had only read the odd excerpt before reading The Prodigal in full, so only had a very small idea of what to expect. A few pages into the first chapter, and I knew this book already had me gripped. 

The Prodigal is exceptionally well written and the characters are so well described that you actually live the story with them. Their hurt, pain and joy can all be felt by the reader, so be prepared for giggles, repulsion and even maybe a few tears along the way. The dialogue is spot on and the essence of Tyneside has been captured to a tee making the story a believable one. There are several unexpected twists which keep you gripped and desperate to find out what happens next. 

The ending wasn't quite what I expected, but for me I preferred this as it was unpredictable and kept me guessing all the way. 

I cannot thank Nicky enough for allowing me to read The Prodigal, I thoroughly enjoyed it and plan to shout about it to everyone I know! I wish Nicky every success and look forward to her next novel with great anticipation.

Go grab your copy now from Amazon.co.uk for only 99p - you really can't go wrong for that and it is a fantastic read!!

Follow Nicky Black on Twitter and Like her Facebook page for more info and further updates.

How to Catch a Star Review & Giveaway!

I was very lucky to receive Oliver Jeffers' anniversary edition of How to Catch a Star in return for an honest review.

The publication of How to Catch a Star in 2004 heralded the arrival of a captivating new talent on the picture book scene. The book has since achieved both critical and commercial success and is enjoyed by children all over the world. Oliver Jeffers has continued to be successful and has won various accolades such as the New York Times Best Illustrated Books Award, Nestle Smarties Book Prize, Irish Book of the Year and The Blue Peter Book of the Year.
Ten years on, and How to Catch a Star is being celebrated by Oliver and HarperCollins with a special 10th Anniversary edition.

Front cover

Back cover

Here is a letter from Oliver Jeffers explaining where the story for this book began .....

This is an absolutely delightful tale of a young boy who loves stars so much, he wants to catch one of his very own. We follow him as he tries to attempt the impossible .....with quite a surprising result!

This book not only tells a fantastic story, but it is also beautifully illustrated and sure to captivate the imagination of any child.

Beautiful illustrations

I absolutely adored this book, despite it being advertised as suitable for children aged 2-7yrs and me being a 30 something year old housewife! My 5 year old niece was fixated by the story and really enjoyed sitting looking through the fabulous pictures .....it's the longest i've known her sit still!!
You can buy this special anniversary edition from Amazon.co.uk and it's currently on offer for only £10.27 (price correct at time of post)
Overall I would certainly recommend this book and because of that, I have a copy to give to one of my lucky readers along with a How to Catch a Star poster.


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Crippen by John Boyne

From the day Hawley Crippen was born, his mother instilled in him the importance of following God and doing Gods' work. The strictness of his daily life, meant that one day, he was sure to rebel.

Much to his mother's annoyance, Hawley grew up wanting nothing more than to become a doctor....something his mother was strongly against as she believed that if God made people ill, it was for a reason and therefore was not to be treated by medicine.

Hawley eventually broke free from his mothers' clutches and set out to live his life. Searching for a job in his chosen profession proved difficult as he never managed to study medicine or gain any qualifications. His only knowledge came from library books and the weekly copies of Scientific American which he'd kept hidden under his mattress from his mothers prying eyes.

The fascination begins when a Mr John Robinson and his 17 year old son, Edmund board The Montrose along with many other passengers including the somewhat overpowering Mrs Antonia Drake and her daughter Victoria (who was used to getting exactly what she wanted), Martha Hayes who is off to start a new life in Canada, Matthieu Zela, the wealthy businessman who now had the task of looking after his 14 year old nephew, Tom DuMarque after his parents had died.....a troublesome task to say the least! Many events occur onboard the Montrose....all of which will leave you guessing whats going to happen next, and chances are, you'll be wrong! All is not quite as it seems with some of the passengers, who seem to be hiding their own, dark secrets.

A gruesome murder, inquisitive friends and  a few suspicious characters  make this one of the most interesting books i've read in a while. Each time I thought I had it sussed, another surprise was thrown in, keeping me guessing until almost the very end. Admittedly, there were a couple of times when I almost put this book down as I found it a little difficult to get into, but i'm so glad I persevered!!

Extremely well written and in such a way that you'll find yourself wanting to continue, wanting to get to the end and wanting to know the truth!! I'd certainly be happy to recommend this book, it's quite in depth but allows you to get to know the characters and feel their emotions which I loved.

This is my 3rd review as part of the Transworld Book Group.

I’m part of the Transworld Book Group!

I am ovet the moon to say that I have just received confirmation to say that I have been included in the Transworld Book Group...as indicated by the new logo over on the right there...pretty isn't it! :)

I first heard about this from my friend Kim after asking her if she had any ideas on what I could review on my blog. She told me about the Transworld Book Group Reading Challenge and pointed me in the direction of her blog Munchy's Place for more info.....I promptly did so. 

I discovered that this was a very interesting challenge. Running from August till October 2011, Transworld send you books in return for reviews on Amazon and your own blog. You get to choose 4 titles from the 15 available (I found this really difficult as they all sound great), they'll send you the first one out, then once you've read and reviewed it, they'll send you the next and so on...easy peasy!

If you'd like to become a part of this group or find out more information, click here. I just commented showing my interest, then sat back and waited. After a few days I received my confirmation email.
Please be patient, i'm sure you can imagine theres quite a bit of interest in this so it may take them time to reply and you must apply by the end of August 2011 to be included.

Good luck and I look forward to reviewing my first book soon :)

The Avenger - P.C. Cast

There are a selection of 4 books available as part of the 'Time Raiders' series from Mills and Boon Nocturne, and this is one of them! I was lucky enough to win this from Mills and Boon on twitter and although I haven't been asked to review it, I would feel too guilty keeping it all to myself!
The books available are The Seeker - Lindsay McKenna, The Slayer - Cindy Dees, The Avenger - P.C. Cast and The Protector - Merline Lovelace. As you can see, the book I won is The Avenger and blimey, it nearly blew my socks off!!
This novel focuses on one leading character, Alex, who has the task of travelling back in time to the days of Queen Boudica, and recovering a piece of medallion which the queen was given by her husband upon his death bed. Sounds like a pretty simple task, but there are many complications along the way. In the present day Alex is able to talk with the dead, but hasn't yet learnt to control her powers....something she will later surprise herself with.
When the time comes for Alex to make her journey through time, she has only one thing in mind......get the medallion and return home to the present day. Nothing could have prepared her for what she was about to experience.
From her arrival in the past, she was known as Blonwen, priestess of Andraste and posessed powers unknown even to her. As Blonwen, she meets Queen Boudica's main man Caradoc, who is everything she'd ever dreamed of...and more! Not only is he a man of war, but intelligent, good looking and with hidden depths that she was more than willing to explore. Things soon begin to get complicated when, as Queen Boudica prepares for war, Blonwen (Alex) prepares to gain posession of the medallion.
I'm sorry to disappoint you here, but since I don't want to ruin your enjoyment of it, you're going to have to read it to find out the rest!!

This is the first and only novel I have read in the series and it was not only read within a day (I coudn't put it down), but it left me wanting more! Apart from being absolutely fantastically written, I learned alot about history that I didn't already know...they say you learn something new every day, well I certainly did! I can't boast about this enough, it's a fantastic read which has history, intrigue, passion, love, hate.....you name it, it's there.

Tease by Immodesty Blaize

I have to begin by saying that this isn't the usual type of novel i'd go for, but there was alot of publicity surrounding this, that i just had to read it!

This is the first novel from the famous Burlesque showgirl, Immodesty Blaize, and already i can't wait to get my hands on her next novel.
Although written about a great Burlesque dancer named Tiger Starr, i can't help but feel that this book is loosley based around the experiences of Immodesty hersef - and if i'm right in thinking this, then she lives an absolutely fascinating life.
This book not only goes in depth about each character and their personalities, but takes you behind the scenes in the world of burlesque and the highs and lows encountered in getting each performance inch perfect.
Tiger Starr is a renowned burlesque dancer and the 'best of the best' at what she does. She yearns for the day when she can conquer America and show them that she has what it takes to make it big there too, although there are many complications along the way. Tiger holds a dark secret which is about to be leaked, but who could it be trying to destroy her like this?
There will be laughter, maybe a few tears and certainly gasps of surprise as you read deeper into this tale of mystery and success, with the biggest gasp of all coming towards the end!!
I really hope that you enjoy reading this book too if it sounds like your cup of tea - please leave a comment and give me your opinion too, thanks!

Review of Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo

This is one of my most recent reads, and the first book i have read by Linda Castillo.


The book is written about the life of a young Amish girl who left her hometown and her beliefs only to return some 16 years later as Chief of Police Kate Burkholder.

Shortly after her return to the usually quiet village of Painters Mill, the body of a young woman is discovered with roman numerals carved into her abdomen and Kate is quickly on the case! As the story unfolds, you see that there is alot more to Kate Burkholder than meets the eye, and she has harboured a dark family secret since she left all those years ago.

As more bodies are discovered, Kate's behaviour is causing a few whispers among fellow colleagues...will her secret be disccovered? Could her past have returned to haunt her? Kate knows she has to solve this case, but with so many twists and turns, she is struggling to comprehend what is happening and to make matters worse, her own sister points the finger of suspicion in her direction! You begin to realise that, unless the murderer is found, Kate could be his next victim!


I don't want to give away any more of the plot, but i found this a truly captivating novel and extremely difficult to put down. A few tears and giggles along the way made this book an absolute pleasure to read.


I would strongly recommend this to any lover of crime novels, and even those who aren't!