As I said in my previous post I have been working hard on my TBR list and spending lots of time reading. ( Hopefully to get the pile to a more manageable level). To make extra reading time I have put together a series of mini book reviews with a more concise summary.
These are books I have chosen myself, rather than been invited to review for a blog tour, so they portray the exact type of book I go for.
The Last Mrs. Parrish: An addictive psychological thriller with a shocking twist!
I found this book a little slow to start with but it becomes a real page-turner when you begin to read from Daphne’s point of view. Well written, the characters are not what you expect, with plenty of twists and turns. A gritty psychological thriller with personalities you will love to hate and a few surprises along the way.
The Secret Child: A gripping novel of family secrets
The Secret Child is set in the 1960’s onwards and the book is narrated firstly by Suzie, then later by her daughter Grace. When Suzie finds herself pregnant out of wedlock (her husband is away in the navy) she is forced to join a mother and baby unit run by nuns and her baby is adopted. Suzie agonises over this decision for the rest of her life and it greatly affects how she brings up her two children. A heartbreaking story which is an excellent portrayal of the bond between mother and child. I really disliked Suzie’s mother who forced her to put a child up for adoption in order to save face, thank goodness times have changed.
The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae: Perfect for those who loved Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
This is the story of Ailsa Rae who receives a heart transplant at the age of twenty-eight. The book chronicles what it is like to live with a chronic illness then secondly how to adapt to life when the ‘crutch’ of illness is taken away. Ailsa writes a blog about her journey and you really feel like you get to know her. The timeline seems to jump back and forth which confused me at times but I did like the blog extracts. The book was extremely emotional but it was balanced out with some happy moments too.
Look For Me: (Detective D. D. Warren)
I didn’t realise this was part of a series so I read it from the viewpoint that it was standalone and it worked just fine. Immediately we are informed of a crime scene where four members of the same family are murdered. However, sixteen-year-old Roxy is out walking her dogs at the time. Did she avoid the same fate or actually orchestrate it? Detective DD Warren is helped by kidnap survivor Flora Dane in a race against time to find the girl. No spoilers, so I will just say it was a gritty, tightly written crime thriller and I will be looking out for more by Lisa Gardner.
Dark Game: A gripping crime thriller that will have you hooked! (Detective Kelly Porter Book 1)
I was drawn to this crime thriller because it is set in the Lake District, a location that I know really well. DI Kelly Porter returns to Cumbria and begins to investigate a cold case. However, it soon becomes apparent that the case is linked to much more recent crimes. Before long a much darker criminal world is exposed. This book kept me up all night, I was desperate to find out more. It is graphic and not for the faint-hearted but I found the storyline extremely enlightening.
The War Widow
Again, I was drawn to this book by its location, Aberystwyth in Wales and I just love anything set around WW2. Kate goes to the seaside town because her ex-husband had recently ended his own life there. She feels that she is being followed and that her life is in danger. At the hotel where she is staying, she meets a charming author who shows interest in Kate but she feels that she can trust no-one. The book is narrated by Kate, a woman on the verge of a mental breakdown. To reflect this the content was confusing at times. The author keeps the reader in suspense throughout, and the characters are described extremely vividly. However, I do feel that parts of the book were slow paced.
Thank you to NetGalley and all the publishers for copies of the above books which I have reviewed honestly
These are all great mini reviews! I want to read them all, especially Mrs. Parrish and the new book by Stephanie Butland. I loved her bookshop book!
Thank you , hope you enjoy them x
I was tempting by last mrs Parrish and now I’m defenetely set my mind on it.lisa Gardner I like her too so may be that’s next …..when I finish the two I’m reading now😳these hols have brought very few time to write but lots too read💁🏻♀️
Hope you’re enjoying your hols Ortensia, Mrs Parish is a good one. What are you reading now?
I’m finishing “ on writing” from S.King and “my husband lies” but I must say it is not really captivating me,the last one.I downloaded “the wife secrets as well” ,curious to see if it is the author style That doesn’t particularly engage me or the single book.
You need something that really grips you . Have a lovely weekend.
You too dear,even if it’s already monday😱I had time for nothing during this holidays ,my book,wp,my blog but read three books in three weeks and just started the fourth one so I suppose not all has been lost😉😀