Blog Tour: Review for Bring Me Back by B.A. Paris and Giveaway

Bring Me Back by B.A. Paris 
Publisher: HQ
Release: 8th March 2018
Genre: Thriller
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis:

"A young British couple are driving through France on holiday when they stop for gas. He runs in to pay, she stays in the car. When he returns her car door has been left open, but she's not inside. No one ever sees her again.

Ten years later he's engaged to be married; he's happy, and his past is only a tiny part of his life now. Until he comes home from work and finds his new wife-to-be is sitting on their sofa. She's turning something over in her fingers, holding it up to the light. Something that would have no worth to anyone else, something only he and she would know about because his future wife is the sister of his missing first love.

As more and more questions are raised, their relationship becomes strained. Has his first love somehow come back to him after all this time? Or is the person who took her playing games with his mind?"

Review 
B.A. Paris is one of my favourite psychological thriller authors, she puts her characters in these impossible situations and I can never turn the pages fast enough as I’m desperate to see how the story will unfold.

This time in Bring Me Back we’re following Finn whose girlfriend Layla went missing 12 years ago whilst the couple were on holiday in France. On their journey home Finn pulls their car into a rest stop but once he returns from the bathroom Layla has vanished, never to be found.

Now in the present-day Finn is engaged to be married to Layla’s sister, Ellen. Not long after their engagement Finn comes home to find Ellen clutching a Russian doll a symbol that holds huge significance between Layla and Ellen and their past. As more Russian dolls are left for them and Finn starts to receive emails from somebody claiming to be Layla the past comes rushing back to haunt them. Is Layla still alive? And if she is what really happened to her that day in France all those years ago?

Once again B.A. Paris had me absolutely absorbed in her writing. Right from the start you know that Finn is a suspicious character and that we’re not getting the whole truth from him but you’re never sure how much he is to blame for what happened to Layla. I loved playing detective and trying to guess what happened back then and if Layla truly is alive and well in the present day.

I also loved the role that the Russian dolls had to play in this book. It gave the story a distinctly horror-esque vibe that you don’t often see in thrillers, adding another chilling piece to this complex puzzle.

I have to say that I did have some mixed feelings on the ending to this one. I found that I had to suspend belief a little too much for my liking but it’s also an ending that got me thinking and discussing the situation with my friends to see what they’d do and I love when a book leaves you thinking long after you finish it.

Overall Bring Me Back is another gripping domestic noir from B.A. Paris and I’m already eagerly anticipating her next book.

As part of the blog tour I'm giving away a copy of Bring Me Back! 

Make sure you enter over on Twitter 

⭐GIVEAWAY⭐
Win a copy of #BringMeBack by @BAParisAuthor
RT & Follow @JessHeartsBooks to enter
UK only #bookbloggers #thriller #blogtour #giveaway #win #forgetsleephttps://t.co/S96jOnScYo @HQstories pic.twitter.com/Zn8heWrcFd

— Jess Hearts Books (@JessHeartsBooks) February 23, 2018

Don't miss the rest of the blog tour!

Review for I Have Lost My Way by Gayle Forman

I Have Lost My Way by Gayle Forman
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Release: 5th April 2018
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis: 

"A powerful story of empathy and friendship from the #1 New York Times Bestselling author of If I Stay.

Around the time that Freya loses her voice while recording her debut album, Harun is making plans to run away from everyone he has ever loved, and Nathaniel is arriving in New York City with a backpack, a desperate plan, and nothing left to lose. When a fateful accident draws these three strangers together, their secrets start to unravel as they begin to understand that the way out of their own loss might just lie in help­ing the others out of theirs.

An emotionally cathartic story of losing love, finding love, and discovering the person you are meant to be, I Have Lost My Way is best­selling author Gayle Forman at her finest."

Review
Gayle Forman is one of my very favourite contemporary YA writers so a new release from her is always cause for much excitement! It’s been three years since her last YA book and it’s safe to say that I Have Lost My Way was everything I wanted it to be, filling up the Gayle Forman shaped hole in my life.

I Have Lost My Way follows three teenagers who literally crash into each other’s lives when they each need a friend the most. We have Freya, an online singing sensation who is tipped to be the next big star, Harun the perfect Muslim son who is about to leave his home in search of a wife and Nathaniel who is visiting New York City for the very first time. Each character has recently lost something vital and is questioning their place in the world and how to move forward. As the three of them develop a friendship they help each other confront the things that they have lost and find the courage to carve a new future for themselves.

This book reminded me a lot of Just One Day, my favourite of Gayle Forman’s books. It takes place over 24 hours in New York City but instead of a romantic relationship this time Forman explores the impact that friendship can have on our lives and how just one person’s actions can change everything.

I Have Lost My Way doesn’t give up all its secrets at once. As you get to hear from each character in the present you know that something pivotal has happened in their pasts that has led them to where they are today. Of course, in true Gayle Forman style, as you learn about each character’s story your heart breaks for them and you want nothing more than for each character to find some hope and the strength to move forward. Although I loved all three characters so much my favourite was Nathaniel, his story was the one that moved me to tears.

Overall, I Have Lost My Way is another triumph for Gayle Forman. This book features a wealth of much needed representation on topics such as child carers, mental illness, suicide and coming out, to name just a few, and is handled in a compassionate manner that felt carefully researched. This short but powerful book packs an emotional punch and is one that I’d highly recommend to anybody who likes poignant writing on hard hitting topics.

Review for Far From The Tree by Robin Benway

Far From The Tree by Robin Benway 
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Release: 8th February 2018
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review




Synopsis:

"'Sometimes, family hurts each other. But after that’s done you bandage each other up, and you move on. Together. So you can go and think that you’re some lone wolf, but you’re not. You’ve got us now, like it or not, and we’ve got you.'

When 16 year-old Grace gives up her baby for adoption, she decides that the time has come to find out more about her own biological mother. Although her biological mum proves elusive, her search leads her to two half-siblings she never knew existed. 

Maya, 15, has been adopted by wealthy parents and seems to have the picture-perfect family – that is, if you look past her alcoholic mother and the fact that Maya stands out like a sore thumb.

Older brother Joaquin hasn’t been so lucky. At 18, he’s shuffled between foster home after foster home, always careful never to get attached to anyone or anything, because it always gets taken away. 

When these three siblings come together, they find in themselves the place they can belong, while the secrets they guard threaten to explode..."

Review 
I’ve been a huge fan of Robin Benway’s books ever since I read her debut novel Audrey, Wait! way back in 2013 so when I saw that she was releasing Far From The Tree, a new book all about adoptive families (a personal buzzword of mine) this year I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it! Thanks to the publisher I didn’t have to wait for very long and I devoured my proof copy over a couple of days. 

Robin Benway’s writing is so gorgeous. She has a way of getting across exactly what her characters are feeling so that you connect with them on an emotional level straight away. This book opens on our main character Grace having just given birth and putting her baby up for adoption. I was immediately thrown into Grace’s shoes and felt her loss tremendously. Being an adopted child herself, this pivotal moment puts Grace on the path of reaching out to her biological siblings Maya and Joaquin in attempts to track down their birth mother.

The book follows the perspectives of Grace, Maya and Joaquin in alternating chapters and I came to care about each sibling so much. Maya has always felt like she’s never quite fit in with her adoptive family and Joaquin has serious trust issues after spending his entire life bouncing from one foster family to another.

One of my favourite things about this book was seeing the relationship that the siblings have develop over time as they let each other in and built a support system. Having experience with adoption in my own family, I have to say that I thought that Robin Benway represented the topic really well. I love family based YA Contemporary and found it so refreshing to read a book about adoption, something that I think that the genre is severely lacking.

Far From The Tree is a beautifully written, emotionally evocative novel that looks at different types of families, sibling relationships and how sometimes home isn’t a place, it’s a person. If you’re after diverse books about modern families I can’t recommend this one enough!

Review for Freshers by Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison

Freshers by Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison 
Publisher: Chicken House
Release: 3rd August 2017
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis:

"Uni beckons. Phoebe can't wait to be a fresher - especially since her crush from school will be there too. She'll be totally different at Uni: cooler, prettier, smarter ... the perfect potential girlfriend. She'll reinvent herself completely. But Luke's oblivious, still reeling from the fallout of the break-up with his ex. Thrown head first into a world of new friends, parties and social media disasters - can Phoebe and Luke survive the year, let alone find each other?"

Review 
I’m a massive fan of Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison’s debut novel Lobsters and am happy to confirm that with Freshers they’ve delivered another hilariously honest story on what it’s like to be a young adult.

The book is told in a dual narrative between Phoebe and Luke who went to school together and are starting their first year at the same university. Phoebe’s had a massive crush on Luke forever and she hopes that at university she’ll get the chance to come out of her shell and be the person she’s always wanted to be. Luke on the other hand had the dream high school experience as a popular jock with a beautiful long-term girlfriend. Now that he’s at uni he’s a fish out of water struggling to keep his long-distance relationship going and make new friends. As the two characters bond during freshers week we follow their relationship and the highs and lows of their lives as students.

Freshers delivered everything I was expecting from a book by Tom and Lucy. It’s funny, relatable and honestly feels like taking a peek at the lives of real teens. This book delivers all of the craziness that you’d expect from a book set during Freshers offering both painfully awkward and laugh out loud scenes. Some of my favourite moments included sexual mishaps, Phoebe and her friends standing up for the sisterhood, and Quidditch matches to name just a few.

I’d highly recommend this book about growing up, moving on and finding your place in the world. It’s an absolute must read for anyone heading off to university this year.

Blog Tour: Review for The Little Teashop of Lost and Found by Trisha Ashley

The Little Teashop of Lost and Found 
by Trisha Ashley 
Publisher: Bantam Press
Release: 9th March 2017
Genre: Women’s Fiction, Chick-lit
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis:

"Alice Rose is a foundling, discovered on the Yorkshire moors above Haworth as a baby. Adopted but then later rejected again by a horrid step-mother, Alice struggles to find a place where she belongs. Only baking – the scent of cinnamon and citrus and the feel of butter and flour between her fingers – brings a comforting sense of home.

So it seems natural that when she finally decides to return to Haworth, Alice turns to baking again, taking over a run-down little teashop and working to set up an afternoon tea emporium.

Luckily she soon makes friends – including a Grecian god-like neighbour – who help her both set up home and try to solve the mystery of who she is. There are one or two last twists in the dark fairytale of Alice’s life to come . . . but can she find her happily ever after?"

Review 
The Little Teashop of Lost and Found follows the story of Alice Rose a woman who hasn’t had the kindest start to life. Abandoned on the Yorkshire moors as a baby she’s adopted by a wonderful father only for him to pass away. So when her fiancé is also killed in an accident at work distraught Alice decides to use the money left to her in his will to start over in the village where she was found. 

Calling upon her talent for baking, Alice opens up a little teashop to make ends meet by day and by night she escapes into the fairytale stories that she writes about. As Alice searches for her birth mother and digs deeper into her own history she finds that how she ended up on the moors above Haworth is very much a mystery. So far Alice’s life has been far from a fairytale but will unlocking the secrets of her past and following her dreams lead her to her very own happy ending?

I found The Little Teashop of Lost and Found to be such a page turner! I loved the Yorkshire setting, the proper Northern locals and Alice’s adventures in setting up her own teashop but what really kept me gripped was the mystery running throughout this book surrounding Alice’s past and the identity of her birth mother. Between each chapter we are given little snippets from her birth mother’s point of view and I loved trying to fit the pieces of the puzzle together.

Alice is incredibly hard working and I enjoyed the fact that outside of her day job she’s also a writer. Seeing her juggle two jobs and pursue different hobbies made her feel a lot more real to me than your average Women’s Fiction heroine. There’s also a fantastic cast of secondary characters who I fell in love with from Tilda and Nell the rudest waitresses in Yorkshire, to the Giddings family who take Alice under their wing I loved being in the company of so many warm and interesting characters.

Overall The Little Teashop of Lost and Found is a heart-warming and charming adult fairytale about family, starting over, self-discovery and finding a place to call home.

Follow the rest of the blog tour

Blog Tour: Review for The Last Act of Hattie Hoffman by Mindy Mejia

The Last Act of Hattie Hoffman 
by Mindy Mejia 
Publisher: Quercus
Release: 9th March 2017
Genre: Thriller
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis:

Eighteen-year-old Hattie Hoffman is a talented actress, loved by everyone in her Minnesotan hometown. When she's found stabbed to death on the opening night of her school play, the tragedy rips through the fabric of the community.

Sheriff Del Goodman, a close friend of Hattie's dad, vows to find her killer, but the investigation yields more secrets than answers: it turns out Hattie played as many parts offstage as on. Told from three perspectives, Del's, Hattie's high school English teacher and Hattie herself, The Last Act of Hattie Hoffman tells the story of the Hattie behind the masks, and what happened in that final year of her life. . .

Wonderfully evocative of its Midwestern setting and with a cast of unforgettable characters, this is a book about manipulation of relationships and identity; about the line between innocence and culpability; about the hope love offers and the tragedies that occur when it spins out of control.

Review
The Last Act of Hattie Hoffman was an incredibly addictive read that completely surpassed my expectations! Despite being marketed for adults, I can see this book being popular with mature teen readers too because of Hattie’s strong YA voice. It’s a book shrouded in mystery and intrigue and every chapter ends in a way that leaves you wanting more. I found myself flying through this book desperate to know the real Hattie Hoffman and her secrets.

The book follows the life and death of Hattie Hoffman, a small town girl with big dreams of becoming an actress and making it big in New York City. Little do her friends and family know, Hattie is already getting in good practise as she plays the roles of star pupil, the Jock’s girlfriend and the wholesome girl next door whilst inside she hides a dark secret that could ruin the lives of several people.

When Hattie’s body is discovered local Sheriff and Hattie’s father’s best friend, Del Goodman, digs into Hattie’s life and learns that she was not the girl she appeared to be. As the final curtain closes on Hattie’s last act, Del must unearth the secrets of Hattie Hoffman and deal with the fallout of a small town shook by his findings.

The story switches between following the last few months of Hattie’s life to the present day when her body is first discovered. I really enjoyed the shifting timeline as we got to hear from Hattie herself meaning that we as the readers are the only people who really get to know the true Hattie Hoffman before her death. I loved getting inside Hattie’s head and witnessing her make the choices that you know will later on have huge consequences. In the present we get to hear from Del as he investigates Hattie’s murder and although I didn’t find his voice as compelling as Hattie’s, I loved watching him unearth the remains of the true Hattie Hoffman and bring them into the light for everyone to see.

The Last Act of Hattie Hoffman is a fascinating read that looks at manipulation, blame and desire and leaves you with plenty to think about. If you like books with complex characters that have you questioning everything you think you know about right and wrong you won’t want to miss this book!

Follow the rest of the blog tour

Review for The Dry by Jane Harper

The Dry by Jane Harper
Publisher: Little Brown
Release: 12th January 2017
Genre: Crime Fiction
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis:

"After getting a note demanding his presence, Federal Agent Aaron Falk arrives in his hometown for the first time in decades to attend the funeral of his best friend, Luke. Twenty years ago when Falk was accused of murder, Luke was his alibi. Falk and his father fled under a cloud of suspicion, saved from prosecution only because of Luke’s steadfast claim that the boys had been together at the time of the crime. But now more than one person knows they didn’t tell the truth back then, and Luke is dead.

Amid the worst drought in a century, Falk and the local detective question what really happened to Luke. As Falk reluctantly investigates to see if there’s more to Luke’s death than there seems to be, long-buried mysteries resurface, as do the lies that have haunted them. And Falk will find that small towns have always hidden big secrets."

Review 
In the small dried up country town of Kiewarra Australia, three gunshots are fired on another blisteringly hot day. Three lives are taken and the smoking barrel is found next to the corpse of Luke Hadler, the husband and father of the other two victims. All evidence points to Luke Hadler killing his family before turning the gun on himself.

When policeman Aaron Falk returns to his hometown for his childhood best friend Luke’s funeral he can’t help but get caught up in the case, but Kiewarra is a ghost town of bad memories for Aaron after him and his father were run out of town many years ago when Aaron was a suspect in the death of local teen girl Ellie Deacon.

Despite being hounded by the locals upon his return, Aaron is determined to find out what really happened to the Hadler family, because in a town as desperate as Kiewarra everyone has a motive to kill.

The Dry was such an accomplished crime debut, Jane Harper’s writing is so vivid that I could almost taste the dirt and feel the heat of the sun on my skin as I was reading. The setting was so clear and vivid to me that it made the reading experience feel cinematic. The farming town of Kiewarra practically becomes a character in itself, it’s a place where desperation hangs heavy in the air making you feel like anything could happen.

The plot is incredibly well crafted intertwining the build up to the death of Ellie Deacon all those years ago and the fall out of the Hadler murders in the present day with effortless ease. Every character in this book felt so well developed with their own agendas and secrets which made me suspect everyone at some point or another.

Overall The Dry was an atmospheric and compelling study on what people are capable of when they’re pushed to the brink.

Review for Comfort and Joy by Cathy Bramley

Comfort and Joy by Cathy Bramley 
Publisher: Transworld
Release: October 13th 2016 (ebook only)
Genre: Chick lit, Women's Fiction, Christmas
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis:

"It’s been a busy year for Verity Bloom at the Plumberry School of Comfort Food, but Christmas Eve is finally here. With delicious treats all wrapped up and the ingredients packed away, Verity is looking forward to a relaxing few days with her new boyfriend.

Good food, family and friends – it’s a simple recipe for true comfort and joy, and all Verity’s friends in the village are full of excitement about the holidays too.

But the weather has other plans in store… Relentless rain leads to a power cut that spells disaster for many of Plumberry’s residents. It’s starting to look like this year’s celebrations could be a total washout.

With dreams of a perfect Christmas dashed, will the last of the festive cheer be swept away in the downpour? Or can the cookery school create a Christmas miracle for everyone Verity holds dear?"

Review 
I make it a rule to not read any Christmas stories before November but I could not resist diving into Cathy Bramley's festive little number in October!

Comfort and Joy is a Christmas short story featuring the cast from The Plumberry School of Comfort Food a book that I read and loved earlier this year. It was so lovely to catch up with all of my favourite characters and find out where life has taken them since we parted ways.

Our main character Verity Bloom is looking forward to taking a break from the Plumberry School of Comfort Food over the holidays and spending Christmas day snuggled inside with her new boyfriend Tom. But it seems like the weather has other ideas as heavy rain lashes down leading to flooding and power cuts, meaning that for the residents of Plumberry, Christmas is canceled. Can Verity and the Plumberry School of Comfort Food save the day and bring Christmas to an entire village?

I loved every moment reading this book, I wasn't expecting to feel Christmassy so early into the season but this book put me in the festive spirit! I loved the sense of community, kindness and sharing that is explored in this story, all essential ingredients in the true meaning of Christmas. 

Comfort and Joy does exactly what it says on the packaging, whether you're in the mood for Christmas yet or not Cathy Bramley's short story will make you feel cosy and happy bringing a smile to even the most hardened of Scrooges faces.

Review for As I Descended by Robin Talley

As I Descended by Robin Talley
Publisher: MIRA Ink
Release: 6th September 2016
Genre: YA, LGBT, Retelling
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis: 

Maria Lyon and Lily Boiten are their school’s ultimate power couple―but one thing stands between them and their perfect future: campus superstar Delilah Dufrey. Golden child Delilah is a legend at exclusive Acheron Academy, and the presumptive winner of the distinguished Cawdor Kingsley Prize. But Delilah doesn’t know that Lily and Maria are willing to do anything―absolutely anything―to unseat Delilah for the scholarship. After all, it would lock in Maria’s attendance at Stanford―and assure her and Lily four more years in a shared dorm room.

Together, Maria and Lily harness the dark power long rumored to be present on the former plantation that houses their school. But when feuds turn to fatalities, and madness begins to blur the distinction between what’s real and what’s imagined, the girls must attempt to put a stop to the chilling series of events they’ve accidentally set in motion.

Review
Macbeth is my favourite of Shakespeare’s plays so when I saw that Robin Talley had written a LGBT YA retelling I knew that I just had to give it a read during the build up to Halloween and this book lived up to my every expectation!

As I Descended follows the students of Acheron Academy an exclusive boarding school that nurtures competitiveness and values success in its pupils. As candidates for the coveted Kingsley prize are soon to be selected, the fierce competition between the students heats up. For secret couple Maria and Lily, winning the prize would mean securing their future together earning Maria a place with Lily at Stanford University. With the schools it girl Delilah set to win the prize, the girls realise that for Maria to take first place they need to get Delilah out of the picture, but what starts out as a vindictive plan quickly spirals into a deadly accident. With their futures at stake, Maria and Lily must decide just how far they’re willing to go to protect their relationship and themselves.

As with all of Robin Talley’s books, As I Descended is brimming with diverse characters which is something I always appreciate. The characters in this book are so well written and complex, they’re neither good nor bad which I really loved. It was fun to get into the heads of so many different types of people and to learn about the motives behind their actions.

The story opens on an Ouija board scene and builds in creepiness throughout the book. As I Descended is the perfect blend of thriller and horror story, mixing together human misdeeds with the supernatural for a double dose of terror. This book transcends so many genres offering a little bit of everything to satisfy the tastes of any reader.

With its boarding school setting, ruthlessly ambitious characters, and spooky storyline, As I Descended ticked so many of the right boxes for me. If you love scary reads about jealousy and revenge you’ll love As I Descended.

Review for The Singalong Society for Singletons by Katey Lovell

The Singalong Society for Singletons 
by Katey Lovell 
Publisher: HarperImpulse
Release: 7th October 2016 (e-book)
Genre: Chick-lit, Women’s Fiction
Source: Copy received from the author in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis:

"A charming, feel good novel about the healing powers of friendship…and Frozen!

Monique and Issy are teachers, housemates and lovers of musicals! Their Friday night routine consists of snacks, wine and the Frozen DVD. So when Monique’s boyfriend moves to America for a year and her sister Hope moves in because of her own relationship woes, Friday nights get a new name… ‘The Singalong Society for Singletons’!

It’s a chance to get together, sing along to their favourite tracks from the best-loved West End shows, and forget the worries of work, relationships and love (or lack of it). But when Issy shares the details of their little group further afield, they get some unexpected new members who might just change their opinions on singledom for good…"

Review 
I’ve wanted to read The Singalong Society for Singletons for a long time, when I first heard about it I thought that it sounded like a fun feel good read and I was not disappointed! With this books focus on musicals it brings something new and different to women’s fiction. This warm cosy story is the perfect book to stay inside and snuggle down with this autumn.

The book follows Mon, Issy, Hope, and Connie, four friends who are utterly fed up of the dating scene. As the weather turns colder, the women decide to ditch their Friday nights out on the town in favour of snuggling inside with their favourite musicals, snacks, and wine whilst they sing along to the soundtracks Bridget-Jones-style. For once the drama is playing out onscreen instead of in their love lives and that’s just fine by them – thank you very much. But when Issy invites two handsome men to join their Friday night get togethers, the singalong society for singletons starts to become not-so-single anymore. Can good music and good friends really mend a broken heart? These singletons are about to find out.

I had such a good time reading this book! I loved the friendships between Mon, Issy, Hope, and Connie, their Friday nights in sounded like so much fun and was something really fresh to read about. I’m a big fan of musicals and loved seeing what the singletons would choose to watch from week to week. There’s a fantastic selection of musicals featured in this book each with a great soundtrack that I would find myself humming along to after I put the book down. This book does a great job of capturing the joy of musicals and made me want to rummage through my DVD collection and pull out all of my old favourites to re-watch.

Like the musicals that the characters in this book are so fond of, The Singalong Society for Singletons was uplifting, celebratory and jovial making it an absolute delight to read. With a likeable cast, a touch of drama, and a will-they-wont-they romance, The Singalong Society for Singletons gets a standing ovation from me.

Before I Let You In Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway!

Hello and welcome to my stop on the Before I Let You In Blog Tour! Today I'm bringing to you my thoughts on this gripping thriller and I have 5 copies of the book up for grabs over on Twitter, so don't miss your chance to win.

Before I Let You In by Jenny Blackhurst 
Publisher: Headline
Release: 28th August 2016
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Source: Bought

Synopsis: 

"Karen is meant to be the one who fixes problems.

It's her job, as a psychiatrist - and it's always been her role as a friend.

But Jessica is different. She should be the patient, the one that Karen helps.

But she knows things about Karen. Her friends, her personal life. Things no patient should know.

And Karen is starting to wonder if she should have let her in . . ."

Review 
Last year I was completely blown away by Blackhurst’s debut novel ‘How I Lost You’ and have been eagerly anticipating another book from this author. Before I Let You In had me just as glued to the pages as its predecessor cementing Jenny Blackhurst as one of my favourite writers of the popular psychological thriller genre.

Before I Let You In follows Karen, a young woman who seems to have it all: a loving boyfriend, good friends and a great job as a psychiatrist. Karen has always been a fixer, so when new patient Jessica comes to see her she’s determined to help.

As Karen gets to know Jessica, she notices an uncanny similarity between their lives. At first she puts it down to coincidence, but then Jessica begins to reveal information about Karen and her two best friends Eleanor and Bea that she couldn’t possibly know. Who is Jessica? And what does she want? As Karen’s own sanity begins to crack as her perfect life crumbles around her, she starts to regret the day she ever let Jessica in.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that this book is told not only from Karen’s point of view but also from Eleanor, Bea and Jessica’s. The multi narrative gives each chapter a different vantage point on current events within the story and the switching perspective keeps the plot racing forward towards its conclusion. I loved the focus on Karen, Eleanor and Bea’s friendship, the complex and realistically drawn women were my favourite aspect of this book and the dynamic between them reminded me of the relationships I have with my own best friends.

Before I Let You In was one of those books which I thought I had all sussed out but it went in a direction that I wasn’t expecting, which for me is the sign of a cracking thriller. Jenny Blackhurst really is one of the best in her field and fans of ‘How I Lost You’ will not be disappointed with this twisty, sinister tale of friendship and revenge.

Like the sound of Before I Let You In? 

Don't miss your chance to win 1 of 5 copies over on Twitter!

⭐️Giveaway⭐️
Win 1/5 copies of #BeforeILetYouIn by @JennyBlackhurst
Follow @JessHeartsBooks & RT to enter
UK Onlyhttps://t.co/uESCuNi6Xc pic.twitter.com/GZ4K4iG4z8

— 👻 Jess ❤s Spooks 👻 (@JessHeartsBooks) October 5, 2016

 Follow the rest of the blog tour

Bookshop Blog Tour: Reviews for How to Find Love in a Bookshop & Astley Book Farm

Today I’ve teamed up with Orion and the Books are my Bag campaign to bring you a special post all about bookshops! I’m reviewing the new novel by Veronica Henry, How to Find Love in a Bookshop and am also featuring my own local independent bookshop Astley Book Farm for Independent Bookshop Week.

How to Find Love in a Bookshop by Veronica Henry 
Publisher: Orion
Release: 16th June 2016
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis:

"Nightingale Books, nestled on the high street in the idyllic Cotswold town of Peasebrook, is a dream come true for booklovers.

But owner Emilia Nightingale is struggling to keep the shop open. The temptation to sell up is proving enormous - but what about the promise she made to her father? Not to mention the loyalty she owes to her customers.

Sarah Basildon, owner of stately pile Peasebrook Manor, has used the book shop as an escape from all her problems in the past few years. But is there more to her visits than meets the eye?

Since messing up his marriage, Jackson asks Emilia for advice on books to read to the son he misses so much. But Jackson has a secret, and is not all he seems...

And there's Thomasina, painfully shy, who runs a pop-up restaurant from her tiny cottage. She has a huge crush on a man she met and then lost in the cookery section, somewhere between Auguste Escoffier and Marco Pierre White. Can she find the courage to admit her true feelings?

How to Find Love in a Book Shop is the delightful story of Emilia's fight to keep her book shop alive, the customers whose lives she has touched - and the books they all love."

Review 
I’m a sucker for books about books so I couldn’t resist How to Find Love in a Bookshop by Veronica Henry. This is my first book by the author and it won’t be my last! I loved this charming tale of a family owned bookshop set in a Cotswold town.

Julius Nightingale lives and breathes books, after the death of his young wife he’s a single father bringing up their baby daughter Emilia alone. He opens a bookshop ‘Nightingale Books’ and creates a happy home full of stories for his daughter. Julius’s warmth and passion for books soon draws in the bookish locals looking for some escapism and therapeutic advice from the kindly bookseller.

Thirty years later and Julius’s untimely death leaves a gaping hole in the local community. After inheriting the book shop, Emilia struggles financially to keep it open and running – but books have a special way of leaving a mark on our hearts and those Julius has touched over the years with his recommendations are determined that Nightingale Books isn’t going down with a fight. Can a community of book lovers save their beloved bookshop?

How to Find Love in a Bookshop follows a large cast of characters. As well as Julius’s chapters set in the past and Emilia’s chapters set in the present, we also follow the town’s locals whose lives Nightingale Books has touched in some way. I really enjoyed reading about how books bought these characters together and loved how their individual stories tied in with the main plot. Julius was by far my favourite character, he was such a sweetheart and I felt the impact of his death just as much as the characters in the book. He’s everything you want in both a bookseller and a friend.

Any book lover will enjoy spending time in Nightingale Books, the independent bookshop that is the beating heart of this story. It’s everything you envision a good bookshop to be. I wanted to crawl inside of the book and spend hours exploring this little shop.

How to Find Love in a Bookshop is a wonderful story that shares a special message with its reader about how books have the power to bring people together. It’s a celebration of reading, bookshops and booksellers demonstrating how it only takes one story to change your life forever.

Follow the rest of the blog tour!

Astley Book Farm 

A Playground for the Bookish 

I am lucky enough to live a ten minute drive away from Astley Book Farm – the largest second hand bookshop in the Midlands and home to 75,000 books. Situated in the beautiful Warwickshire countryside it’s the perfect place for book lovers to escape the hustle and bustle of city life in favour of a day amongst books.

The bookshop itself is far bigger than one might expect, you can easily lose an entire day getting lost in a maze of books as you wander the shops corridors. The bookcases are crammed with books new and old, ranging from popular bestsellers to out of print rarities. The décor is homely and rustic with old books propped along the ceiling beams, funny and inspirational decorative quotes hang on the walls and a squishy armchair can be found around every corner to tempt customers to snuggle up and read for a while.

Once you’ve finished perusing the main shop floor, there is a separate Children’s Hayloft where young readers can discover the joys of a good bookshop for the very first time. Back outside there’s the Ten Bob Barn, a treasure trove of mismatched books selling for a mere fifty pence each. It’s the perfect place to get lost for anyone who loves a good rummage around looking for hidden gems.

Every book lover knows that book shopping is hard work and the onsite coffee shop is the perfect place to sit down and read with a nice cup of tea and a doorstop slice of one of their delicious fresh cakes. The coffee shop also extends out into the garden so that customers can enjoy a light lunch in the sunshine during warmer seasons.

With friendly, knowledgeable staff and enough books to last even the most avid reader a lifetime, Astley Book Farm is a truly special bookshop with a huge amount of personality. Whether you’re visiting on a daytrip with friends or just stopping by to find your next great read Astley Book Farm is a playground for the bookish with something to offer every reader.

Check out Astley Book Farm's website here for more information

Follow them on Twitter and Facebook

Blog Tour: Review for The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater and Giveaway

The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic
Release: 26th April 2016
Genre: Paranormal, YA
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis: 

"The fourth and final installment in the spellbinding series from bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater.

All her life, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love's death. She doesn't believe in true love and never thought this would be a problem, but as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure any more."

Review 
The Raven King is a book that I’ve been both anticipating and dreading. I’ve fallen in love with this world where magic is ripe, dreams can be brought to life, curses are destined and death is a promise. For four books I’ve been spellbound by Blue and her Raven boys, a family of psychics and the poetic, dreamlike way their story is told. From start to finish this series has been pure magic.

As with most final books in a beloved series there were things I was both happy and dissatisfied with. There were some things that I’ve been dying to see come about since book one that happened that I was so happy with but there were also other outcomes that I found disappointing and a little anticlimactic after so much build up throughout the series.

For me, the most important thing about a final book is for the characters that I’ve come to know and love to have an ending that I am happy to leave them with. Overall I was really happy with the outcome of the book but there were one or two characters who I felt deserved more of an ending. I loved how Maggie really brought this series full circle but in some situations I’d have liked a little more clarity and closure.

The pacing for this book was pitch perfect, I never once wanted to skip to the end to find out what happened because so much was happening throughout to change the course of the story. The big things that I wanted to happen were delivered perfectly at just the right moment; a certain kiss went way beyond my expectations. Again there were a few plot points that I found somewhat anticlimactic but for the most part my expectations were more than met.

I truly feel like I’ve been on a magical journey with The Raven Cycle and I’m so sad that our time with these characters has come to an end. Each book has read like a haunting dream that I find myself getting lost in; every word has delivered beauty and has held me enchanted. I was so sad to turn the final page and wake up.

Giveaway 

For the chance to win a set of these exclusive Raven Cycle badges enter bellow!

Giveaway Rules 

 To enter you have to fill in the Rafflecopter 

 Open to UK residents only 

 One winner will be drawn and contacted by email with 1 week to reply else another winner will be selected 

 Make sure you complete what the form asks of you - I do check! Any winner who has not completed an option will be disqualified

  a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Make sure you follow the rest of the blog tour!