BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR: The Lost Soldier / Arnie Eats an Ice Cream - Elizabeth Heapy

One man. Two lives. No clean escape.

A wry, haunting, mental and physical descent into a fractured heart, soul, and mind.

Presented in an unconventional tête‑bêche (head-to-tail; tail-to-head) format, The Lost Soldier / Arnie Eats an Ice Cream serves as more than just a novel; it introduces a unique reader experience: you do not simply read this book; you listen to it; you wrestle with it; you embrace it; you navigate it; physically turning the pages and then the entire volume to uncover the mirrored halves of a single, devastating truth.

Part I: The Lost Soldier

Narrated by renowned psychiatrist Dr Elizabeth Heapy, FRCPsych, this dispassionate account tracks Stephen's clinical descent. Born into the shadowed prestige of the British Special Forces, he faces a life that was expected but never arrives. The deaths of his father, mother, and best friend in quick succession anchor him in an unmanageable internal conflict. Burdened by grief, and despite mounting mental and physical challenges, Stephen becomes an unlikely, deeply unsettled vigilante. The Fatman rises.

Part II: Arnie Eats an Ice Cream

Written by Anonymous voice, the narrative pivots 180 degrees. The narrative shifts focus from the reasons behind Stephen's fall to the inevitable 'what', which represents the true purpose his life was always moving towards. Set against the volatile backdrop of 1970s-90s sectarianism, crime, and politics, Stephen's internal history propels him toward a real-world, high-profile, historical event that altered the course of history forever. The Fatman falls.

Why this book is different:

• The unique Tête‑Bêche Structure: A physical metaphor for a fractured heart and soul. The reader must flip the book itself to confront the next side of his life story
• Fractured Consciousness: Inspired by 'show your working out' in maths exams: Stylistic strike-throughs expose alternative thinking and suppressed truths Stephen cannot admit to, even to himself
• A Cinematic Experience: A curated pre-1996 soundtrack underscores mood and tension, borrowing the emotional language of film to deepen every chapter

But who is Claire? But who is Alyson?

Darkly humane and emotionally resonant, with humour and irony woven throughout, The Lost Soldier / Arnie Eats an Ice Cream examines how an ordinary life veers into extraordinary consequences. It asks not only how to read the book, but also how to judge the man at its centre and determine where his fiction ends, where his reality begins, and where it ends again.

 

What did I think?

I didn't know what a Tête‑Bêche book was before reading The Lost Soldier / Arnie Eats an Ice Cream and what an amazing experience this was.  I have to say it's a physically challenging book as it is large and heavy but well worth 'picking up', albeit in a metaphorical way rather than literal.

It is very unusual, not just the flip book style but the writing style with some words crossed out, but still visible to read, and other words redacted for security reasons.  This is Stephen Cooper's story and it's both heartbreaking and harrowing.

The Lost Soldier is the story of Stephen's life from childhood to a certain point in time that changed the course of his life.  In this part he meets Claire and it's very much a 'what might have been' had events not conspired against him. 

Arnie Eats an Ice Cream sounds like perhaps a fun story but wow it is dark.  Stephen's story interweaves with some real events that I actually found difficult to read about because it brought it all back into my mind.  Not that it's something I had forgotten, but seeing it written about from Stephen's point of view was quite upsetting, such is the power of the writing.  I don't want to say what the events were as it will spoil it for others but, as disturbing as it was, it really kept me turning the pages rapidly.

The chapters are quite long but once you get into the story, it's difficult to put down.  I felt totally invested in Stephen's life and there are many shocks and surprises along the way as his life isn't exactly smooth sailing.  The book also has a playlist with songs stated to accompany the events that have just taken place and they matched perfectly.

Perhaps one of the most unusual books I have ever read, The Lost Soldier / Arnie Eats an Ice Cream is certainly one of the most unforgettable too.  A highly recommended read.

I received a gifted hardback for the Love Books Tours readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Doghouse Press

Amazon

BLOG TOUR: Circle of Shadows - Marisa Linton

It's 1904, and being a detective - let alone an occult detective - is no profession for a woman. But that won't stop Evie Winstanley.

When her father, a collector of occult books, dies in strange circumstances, Evie is determined to investigate. Her only lead: a cryptic mention of the 'Circle of Shadows.' From a chilling séance on the lonely Yorkshire moors to the sinister, hedonistic halls of Oxford's elite, Evie hunts for answers, stalked by whispers of an ancient monster and an ever-shifting, ominous symbol.

But when a young woman's body surfaces in the Cherwell, bearing that same mark, Evie uncovers a truth far more terrifying than a single murder. Now, Evie isn't just seeking justice; she's fighting to save her sister, in a dark and twisted adventure where gilded boys unleash hell and defiant women must pick up the pieces. Nothing will stop her investigation, not outraging Edwardian notions of female propriety, and certainly not offers of romance.

Blending historical fantasy with Golden Age classic crime, Circle of Shadows is a dark and twisty adventure through an occult Edwardian England where wealthy boys toy with powers they don't understand, and a lone woman takes a stand against them. Perfect for fans of Sherlock Holmes, The Frozen People and Rivers of London.

 

What did I think?

Circle of Shadows is Marisa Linton's debut adult fiction novel and it is a cracker.  I loved every single page of it and didn't want to end...it does actually end like it's the start of a series and I hope it isn't the last we've seen of Evie Winstanley.

It does have hints of Sherlock Holmes about it but with a very strong and tenacious female main character who I absolutely loved.  It's Edwardian England where women should be seen and not heard but Evie Winstanley is determined to break that mould.

Marisa Linton takes the reader on an atmospheric journey from the rugged landscape of the Yorkshire moors to the historic streets of Oxford.  The séance that Evie attends is one of the most vivid scenes I have ever read and I almost jumped out of my seat when I was reading.  I love how sceptical Evie is though and she is determined to investigate to find out the truth.

It's a fabulous mystery as well as a haunting historical fiction novel and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.  I read it in two sittings and would have easily read it in one if I didn't have to sleep!

Circle of Shadows is an evocative and compelling historical mystery that surprised and delighted me.  I really enjoyed it and hope to read more of Evie's adventures in the future.

I received a gifted hardback to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR: Shotley Bridge Revenge (Shotley Bridge Thrillers Book 2) - Bobby Cussens

Justice is slow. Revenge won't wait.

Built on ironstone and hemmed in by the swollen Derwent River, Shotley Bridge wears calm like a disguise. When Reya's body is discovered on Front Street, DC Heather Hudson is called to investigate a case that carves up the village and puts her children in the killer's path. She isn't just hunting someone determined to settle every score. She's also the prey. Through brutal retribution beneath the relentless rain, the closer Heather gets to the truth, the harder it becomes to know who deserves justice. Or revenge.

Get ready for a gritty British crime thriller with a complex female detective fighting for respect in a male-dominated force. Set in the atmospheric North East England, this book is perfect for fans of Val McDermid and Ann Cleeves. With multiple twists and a chilling epilogue that changes everything, this is a must-read for those who crave atmospheric detective fiction.

If you enjoyed books like LJ Ross's "Holy Island," you'll love this second instalment in the Shotley Bridge Thriller Series.

SHOTLEY BRIDGE REVENGE is Book 2 in the Shotley Bridge Thriller Series—continuing with a sleuth you'll want to follow through every dark twist.

 

What did I think?

Having absolutely LOVED Shotley Bridge Murders, I couldn't wait for the series to continue and not only was I not disappointed, it has somehow got even better!  I think you could read this second book as a standalone but it is sheer perfection when read as part of the series.

The village of Shotley Bridge is once again left reeling after a murder in their midst.  There's still a killer on the loose from the first book and it certainly looks like he's struck again.  It's another case for DC Heather Hudson to solve, if only that misogynist DS Roberts would leave her alone.

Whilst the murder is the main plotline, the ongoing battle between Hudson and Roberts adds another level to the story.  To say I was furious at Roberts is an understatement, if he would only get on with his job instead of trying to get Heather sacked they might catch the killer a lot quicker.  Roberts would be a great pantomime villain and Bobby Cussens has certainly created a character that all readers will love to hate.

Talk about fast-paced!  I had to check my hands for papercuts as I was turning the pages so quickly.  I would have read it in one sitting if I didn't have to sleep and that ending...now that's what I call a doof doof moment; Eastenders has got nothing on Bobby Cussens!  I hope Bobby is a fast writer as I'm on tenterhooks for book three!

Shotley Bridge Revenge is an outstanding sequel that has really raised the crime writing bar.  I think I'm safe to say that it's lining up to be one of my favourite crime/police procedural series of all time and it's only at book two.  WOW!  Don't miss this one, crime fans!

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the Love Books Tours bookstagram tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon

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BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR: Reset - Kevin Charles

Tom and Elena Miller built a beautiful life over nearly three decades of marriage. But as Tom approaches his fiftieth birthday, the crushing weight of his middle-aged responsibilities and a desperate desire for freedom drive a wedge between him and the people he loves most. He doesn't just want a break; he wants a second chance at his twenties.

In a society defined by "The Reset"—a global biological miracle where anyone turning fifty wakes up in their original, twenty-five-year-old body—Tom’s desire becomes a devastating reality. He chooses to undergo his Reset and leaves his forty-eight-year-old wife behind to live in a downtown bachelor pad, assuming he can just return to her when she finally Resets eighteen months later.

But his selfish "intermission" shatters his family. While Elena struggles to rebuild her life and identity without him, his oldest son, Jack, is driven into the arms of a radicalized movement determined to end the "Immortal Class" by any means necessary.

As Tom navigates the lonely, surreal reality of his new youth, he is about to discover that reversing the clock on his body might mean permanently running out of time to save his family.

 

What did I think?

WOW!  Reset by Kevin Charles is absolutely brilliant and I simply couldn't put it down.  It's such a highly original idea and I was completely riveted from beginning to end.

Just imagine if you woke up on your 50th birthday and reverted back to your 25 year old body.  No more aches and pains, grey hairs or tiredness...just the chance to do it all over again.  Would you?  I'm not sure I would actually.  That's the question you keep asking yourself while reading Reset.

Tom is a little older than his wife Elena so he will hit his Reset first and he's made the shocking decision to move into a bachelor pad until Elena catches up with him.  Never mind the family responsibilities he has or the feelings of his children, no Tom is just thinking of himself.  I was absolutely furious with him and my heart went out to Elena who has to try to keep her family together on her own.

When I wasn't reading Reset, I was thinking of Reset and I'm still thinking about it now.  Kevin Charles adds drama and tension to an already absorbing plot by creating a movement that is opposed to the Reset.  I was on the edge of my seat as the movement grows and I was almost afraid to turn the page at certain points but at the same time I couldn't wait to find out what happened next.

With a blisteringly fast-pace and an incredibly provocative plot, Reset is one of the best debut novels I have ever read.  I had to double check that it is a debut as it's THAT GOOD!  It's an easy five stars and a hat-trick of 'un' adjectives from me: unputdownable, unmissable and unforgettable.

I received a gifted paperback for the Love Books Tours bookstagram tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Waterstones

Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: Bob & Shirley's Guide to Murder - Suzy K Quinn

Bob and Shirley run a lovely country pub. They also solve murders ...

A warmly funny, gloriously British cozy crime and murder mystery series that can be read as standalones or part of a series. Set in a village where the pub is the heart of country life and served with warmth, wit and a very good Sunday roast.

“Murder? In our quiet, little English village?

Great Oakley is a place of hanging baskets, tearooms and riverside walks. We’ve won ‘Britain’s safest village’ 10 years running. I keep three pound coins, a box of toffees and a bottle of Pepto-Bismol on my dashboard at all times, and I’ve never needed to lock my car.

Certainly, Bevvy Hogg was disliked. She ran the local Waist Watchers group, yet came to our pub for fish and chips, treacle tart and a bottle of Chardonnay every Friday. But I don’t think she was murdered …”

When Bevvy Hogg is found dead in the Goose and Gander pub garden, with an empty treacle tart plate beside her and several dress sizes slimmer than anyone remembers, Great Oakley’s winning streak as Britain’s safest village comes to an abrupt end.

 

What did I think?

Bob & Shirley's Guide to Murder is one of the funniest cosy crime books I have ever read; I honestly didn't expect to laugh out loud quite so much.  It's the first book in the Bob and Shirley's Cozy Mystery/Murder Mystery Series and I cannot wait to read more.

Husband and wife Bob and Shirley run the village pub and the chapters alternate between each one's point of view.  You'd think they'd be singing from the same hymn book but they are not even in the same choir.  It is SO funny seeing how wrong they are about each other.  There's a couple of chapters about how Shirley likes her tea and it's just as well I wasn't drinking a cuppa or I'd have spat it out as I could not contain my laughter.

Shirley is a speak now and probably not even think later kind of woman while Bob is a gather all the evidence before coming to a conclusion guy.  What better way to gather evidence than a spreadsheet?  Bob's love of spreadsheets mirrors my own and I never thought I'd see a reference to a pivot table in a book.  Hilarious!

I don't usually read digital books that quickly but the chapters are short and punchy, the mystery is very intriguing and the story is as moreish as John Boy's treacle tart so I positively devoured this cracking book in a couple of sittings.

Anyone with even half a sense of humour will love Bob & Shirley's Guide to Murder; it's incredibly entertaining and completely unmissable.  Without doubt a five star read and I really cannot recommend it highly enough.

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the author:

Suzy K Quinn (hello – it’s me!) is writing this bio in the third person. Which feels duplicitous and also a little egotistical. But here goes ... 

Suzy K Quinn writes book club books and murder mystery series, and has sold over 1 million copies worldwide. She's a bestselling author in the US, UK and Germany and will soon, very possibly, have written more books than she's read.

Suzy lives in Wivenhoe, Essex, with her husband and two daughters. She is a twin, an incompetent parent of two and now fully decaffeinated. Her twin sister, Cate Quinn, is also a bestseller author. When Suzy isn't writing in cafes, she is walking around woods dictating like a lunatic.

Suzy loves her readers and is ALWAYS happy to chat on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suzykquinn 

You can also get a free book at her website: http://www.suzykquinn.com

Social Media Links – 

Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/suzykquinn/

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/suzykquinn

Tiktok @suzykquinn

Instagram @suzykquinn

Twitter @suzykquinn

Threads @suzykquinn

Giveaway:

Giveaway to Win an e-copy of  Bob and Shirley's Killer Cuppa Puzzle (Open INT)

One of Great Oakley’s five open gardens served poisoned tea. Can you work out which one before Bob does?

‘Like Murdle and a cozy mystery rolled into one.’

Murder mystery logic puzzle stories for fans of The Killer Isn’t Alice, Murdle and Can You Solve the Murder?

These are ‘Puzzlories’. Read them like stories, solve them like puzzles. Each one takes about an hour to read and solve.

It’s Open Gardens weekend in Great Oakley. Five gardeners have opened their gardens to the public, and each is offering a unique drink, cake, flower and interesting garden feature to their fellow villagers.

Unfortunately, one garden owner poured poisoned tea. Probably not on purpose. But you never know. There are more murders in Britain’s safest village than you might imagine.

Village pub landlady Shirley Duffy visited all five open gardens before returning to the Goose and Gander for a much-needed beer and a sit down. One of those five gardens was the scene of the crime.

The trouble is, Shirley’s memory is known to be … selective. She can remember every cake she’s eaten since 1987, but not necessarily when and where she ate it. And she can’t remember which garden served tea on Saturday afternoon.

Shirley’s husband, Bob, is frustrated that Shirley can’t remember one garden from another. But he finds many things about his wife frustrating, and loves her anyway.

As Bob presses Shirley for details, the clues pile up. Your job is to note them down and work out who served the tea before Bob does.

Twenty clues, one in every short chapter. Fill in your detective’s grid, cross off your suspects and name the poisoner.

Grab your notebook, put the kettle on (carefully) and see if you can beat Bob to the answer.

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Gleam box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Gleam from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Win an e-copy of Bob and Shirley's Killer Cuppa Puzzle (Open INT)

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BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR: Merkaba - Maridi Jooste

Despite living in a dystopian castle, Luna has always had a rich inner world and believed in magic. When a colourful sunbird arrives to sing outside her window, Luna asks it to join her on the windowsill if it wants to show her that there is another world waiting for her outside the castle. When it does, Luna runs away into a whirlwind wonderland full of quirky surprises, a world where anything is possible.

Following a woman named Star, who is rumoured to be a witch, Luna seeks the answers to the mysteries of life. Her path takes her burlesque dancing at The Steampunk Saloon, as well as wandering deep into the forest to meet a bearded lady in the Cave of Curiosity, each space offering its own lessons. Through every twist and turn, she continues to seek the utopia she believes to be out there somewhere.

Luna's path to truth is not only filled with adventure, magic and possibility, but also with deep disillusionment for the reality she had known before.

Choosing the truth of her soul over the comfort of safety is Luna's battlefield toward a new reality, and the New World she has created.

 

What did I think?

Merkaba is an unusual book that is part informative and part fantasy.  It's interesting and easy to read whilst also being dreamlike and ethereal at times.

There are seven chapters representing the seven chakras and each chapter starts by explaining what that chakra is and how it relates to our day to day life.  It is then followed by a story with that chakra as its theme.  I'm not really into chakras and body energy so I enjoyed the fantasy story part of the book more than the information sections.

I have to say that Merkaba is incredibly well written; I didn't even realise that English wasn't Maridi Jooste's first language until I read the author's note at the end of the book.  It's also a very personal story for Maridi so I appreciate her sharing it with her readers.

I didn't expect to get anything out of the book so I was surprised to find myself highlighting particular sections.  One that particularly resonated with me was about loving your neighbour and how you need to have love within yourself in order to do this.  I mean technically you can love other people while still hating yourself but for me it's putting value on that love and why should someone accept your love when you don't even value it enough to give it to yourself.  It's certainly food for thought.

Merkaba is a thought-provoking and enlightening book that might just surprise you, even if you're not interested in spiritualism.  For anyone with a keen interest in body energies, then it's a must-read.

I received a gifted ebook for the Love Books Tours bookstagram tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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King of Ravens - Clare Sager

He’ll do anything to keep her. She’ll do anything to escape.

Rhiannon is dying – of what she doesn’t know. Kept protected by her family in their clifftop home, she spends her days searching for a cure.

Her world is torn apart when an unseelie King of the Dead arrives and gives her a simple choice: descend to the underworld as his bride or he’ll take her family instead.

Trapped in a twisted bargain, Rhiannon is thrust into a world of withered gods, scheming courtiers, and ancient magic, but she refuses to be a pawn in a game she never agreed to play. Her new husband is powerful, cold, and infuriating and she is determined to hate him.

But in a court where beauty masks cruelty and every promise has teeth, hatred burns slowly into something else. Something dangerous. Something that could undo them both…

King of Ravens is the first book in a new series featuring a lushly dark fae court, morally grey hero, and an unforgettable enemies-to-lovers romance - perfect for fans of The Serpent and the Wings of Night, Phantasma and Kingdom of the Wicked.

 

What did I think?

The King of Ravens has bewitched me and I NEED to read the next book after that sucker punch of a cliffhanger ending completely floored me.  I should have expected to be left on the edge of my seat as it is the first book in a duology but I didn't expect to have become so addicted to the story that I would be left begging for more.

It is impossible to write a review that will do this book justice as it is just phenomenal from beginning to end.  It's a good book to read if you're new to fantasy as the world building is minimal and the larger than life (or death) characters carry the story forward at a rate of knots.  I was completely torn between wanting to devour the book in one go and stretching it out as I didn't want it to finish.

The chemistry between Rhiannon, a mortal, and Drystan, the King of Death, sizzles off the page.  There are plenty of steamy and swoony moments to get the reader's pulse racing as the enemies to lovers trope plays out.  The writing is so vivid and immersive that I was mesmerised by the breaktaking fae court and gripped by the tension of the labyrinth trials. 

Take a bow, Clare Sager!  The King of Ravens is one of the most magnificent romantasy books I have ever read and I simply cannot wait to read the sequel Queen of Thorns.  Consider me well and truly obsessed - I loved it!

I received a gifted paperback for the Insta Book Tours readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon