Margo's Got Money Troubles - Rufi Thorpe

Margo Millet's got money troubles. As the child of a Hooter's waitress and an ex-Pro-Wrestler, she's always known she'd have to make it on her own. When she finds herself pregnant by her college professor - who is very keen not to be involved - she realizes she will need cash fast.

At twenty, alone with a baby, what Margo lacks in options she makes up for in ingenuity, and soon she has a plan: she'll start an OnlyFans as an experiment, producing content and writing storylines unlike anything else out there. Help arrives in the form of her live-action role-playing flatmate Suzie, and her father, Jinx - a recovering addict and veteran of the wrestling world, who has experience of making an audience fall in love.

Before she knows it, Margo is an online phenomenon. Could this be the answer to all of Margo's problems, or does internet fame come with too high a price?

 

What did I think?

I don't listen to a lot of audiobooks as I find it hard to concentrate on them but I was completely riveted by Margo's story in Margo's Got Money Troubles.  Elle Fanning's narration is flawless as she brings Margo to life and draws the listener into the story.  Elle is also set to play Margo in the upcoming TV series and I can't wait to watch it.

I really liked Margo; she is intelligent, sharp and caring in spite of her upbringing.  Her mother, Shayanne, is a Hooter's waitress with a gambling addiction and her father, Jinx, is an ex-pro wrestler with a heroin addiction.  It's no surprise that her married college professor, Mark, was able to take advantage of 19-year-old Margo and leave her pregnant, wanting nothing to do with the baby.

Margo has to come up with a plan to provide for her baby and it's actually rather ingenious, although her parents (who aren't together) are divided in their opinion of the suitability of Margo's job.  Then Mark finds out what Margo is doing and sues her for custody of Bodhi...

The story is both hilarious and heartbreaking as Margo is constantly questioned about her suitability as a mother.  Although it takes two to tango, I was so angry with Mark for wiping his hands of Margo in the first place and then deciding that he would be a better parent.  How dare he!!  Margo's parents have a lot to answer for too as she really needs their support but only one of them is prepared to put themselves out to help her.

There are so many funny moments as well as shocks and surprises that had me exclaiming out loud, so you might get some funny looks if you listen to this in public.  I was totally rooting for Margo from the start and I think she is an amazing woman who has more than her fair share of knocks in her young life but is destined for success and happiness.  Ok, I know she's not real but she sure felt real to me.

I absolutely loved listening to Margo's Got Money Troubles and I would highly recommend it.  This book is going to be huge so make sure you grab a copy and listen to it before the TV series comes out.

I received a gifted copy of the audiobook to listen to for the Adventures With Words listen-along and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon

BLOG TOUR: Riverside - Glenda Young, Ian Skillicorn

It's something a little different today on the blog, with a review of an audiobook drama.  Riverside is a soap opera written by one of my favourite authors, Glenda Young and it's published weekly in The People's Friend.  Ian Skillicorn wrote the script to convert it into an audiobook and it's fantastic so make sure you scroll down and enter the giveway to try to win an audio copy for yourself.

The feel-good, life-affirming story of love, friendship, family, and new beginnings!

Changes are coming to the riverside town of Ryemouth, and while some of the community are excited by new beginnings, others are finding it hard to let go of the past.

A new 14-episode audio soap with a cast of loveable characters you'll want to laugh and cry along with.

Susan and her boyfriend Dave can't wait to open their new café and deli, The Old Engine Room. But Susan's dad, George, is not so thrilled. He's never approved of Dave, who used to hang out with the wrong crowd. Can the happy young couple win George round?

Mary and Ruby have been friends since the first day of infant school, even though their lives have turned out very differently. Mary has a contented family life with husband George and daughter Susan. Poor Ruby has never been so lucky in love. Then she meets her teenage crush in surprising circumstances. Mary has her doubts about the charming Paul. Will Ruby finally get her own happy ever after?

Dave wants to put his past behind him. His dream is to make a success of the business, and one day be a good husband and father, like his own dad, Mike. Yet, he's forced to keep a secret from everyone he loves. Who should he turn to for help out of a tricky situation?

When the community comes under threat from developers, can everyone put their differences to one side to defend the town they love?

Riverside is full of romance, heartbreak and secrets, as well as gentle wit and humour.

The Riverside audiobook drama is based on the popular weekly magazine serial written and created by Glenda Young.

 

What did I think?

I love Glenda Young's books so when I heard that Ian Skillicorn had written a script for an audiobook drama based on Glenda's weekly soap opera that's published in The People's Friend I couldn't wait to listen to it.  I don't listen to a lot of audiobooks as I find it hard to maintain my concentration levels if I'm doing something else at the same time, but I didn't have that problem with Riverside as I was completely riveted from start to finish.

I've never listened to anything like it; Riverside is absolutely brilliant.  It's an audiobook drama with a full cast of characters and wonderful sound effects that bring the whole book to life.  Each chapter has its own little story as well as there being a thread running through all of them as we follow the characters' lives.  Running time is just under four hours with 14 chapters that average around 16 minutes each, so it's very easy to fit a couple of chapters in here and there.  I was so addicted that I could have easily listened to it in one sitting, if I hadn't had other books to read too.

The setting is the fictional town of Ryemouth (a nod to Glenda's hometown of Ryhope, where her fabulous historical sagas are set), and its undergoing a lot of change and regeneration following the closure of the shipyards.  The riverside, with its penthouse flats and artisinal vendors, is barely recognisable from its industrial past and, although it's sad that a lot of people lost the only job they'd ever known, most people think the change is for the better. 

The characters become instantly recognisable because of the amazing actors who play them and apart from one (who shall remain nameless) I loved each and every one of them.  There's a lot of drama, laughter and warmth in the stories to keep you entertained and they often finish on little mini cliffhangers so you always want to listen to more.  I could have kept on listening way beyond the 14 chapters as I am now totally invested in the characters' lives and I want to find out what else Glenda has in store for them.

Heartwarming, humourous and completely addictive, Riverside is so fantastic that I really can't recommend it highly enough.  I do hope there is more to come in audiobook as I absolutely loved it and I'm missing the characters so much that I am already considering listening to it again.  Without doubt, it's an outstanding audiobook drama that's not to be missed.  A definite five stars and I'd give it more if I could.

I chose to listen to an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon

Audible

About the authors:

Ian Skillicorn is a publisher, producer and writer. He has written the script for the Riverside audiobook drama based on Glenda’s stories and characters. He also directed and produced the audiobook. Ian’s publishing imprint, Wyndham Books, publishes best-selling fiction by some of the best-loved novelists in the UK and Australia. He was a podcasting trailblazer, producing streaming audio programmes in the early 2000s well before the podcast revolution. 

Glenda Young is a best-selling author and award-winning writer. She’s written Riverside, a weekly soap opera published in The People’s Friend magazine since 2016. Meanwhile, she is the author of two successful book series – gritty sagas set in a northeast mining village in 1919, and cosy crimes set in modern-day Scarborough. She has also written official TV tie-in books for ITV’s Coronation Street. 

Social Medial Links:

www.riversidethesoap.com

Twitter: @ian_skillicorn / @flaming_nora

GIVEAWAY!!

Giveaway to Win 5 x Audio copies of Riverside (Open to UK/US)

*Terms and Conditions – UK/US entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter 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.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: The Girls - Bella Osborne

In the 1970s, the girls were best friends sharing a house and good times: Zara, the famous diva actor; Val, the uptight solicitor; Jackie, the wild child and Pauline, the quirky introvert. Now they're in their twilight years, and Zara suggests that they live with her to support each other through old age. 

Initially, being housemates again is just as much fun as in their heyday. But then Zara reveals the real reason she asked them to move in with her, and suddenly things take a sinister turn. 

As the women confront their demons, they come under the spotlight of the press, the police and an angry parrot. With their lives spiralling out of control, can they save their friendships and each other?

 

What did I think?

The Girls, written by Bella Osborne and narrated by Julia Franklin, is a fabulous addition to the Isis Audio catalogue.  I was so deeply affected by the story of four old friends that I couldn't prevent tears rolling down my face at the end.  

It's such a refreshing change to have older characters, with this wonderful cast being in their 60s, 70s and 80s.  They have so much history, both together and individually, and I loved all of them, although I particularly wanted to reach out to introvert Pauline to give her a massive hug.  Jackie often made me laugh as she speaks before she thinks and Val is the sensible one who loves spreadsheets (like me).

Pauline, Val and Jackie all receive an invitation to their old friend Zara's surprise 80th birthday party.  Zara is a famous actress so the invitation is met with varied feelings: delight from Jackie so she can rub shoulders with the stars, indifference from Val as she is as cool as a cucumber, and horror from Pauline who doesn't feel like she fits in anywhere.  Also horror from Zara when she turns up as she doesn't want everyone to know her age!  The party, however, is set to change all of their lives.

The story is wonderful and it went in a direction that completely surprised me.  Listening to the characters interacting with each other is like putting on a comfy pair of old slippers as they all get on so well.  It's not all air kisses and compliments though as each character has some deep issues to work through, but a problem shared is a problem halved and there's nothing they won't do for each other...or is there?

The narration is stunning.  Julia Franklin brings each character to life with their own unique voice; I am so impressed as it sounds like each character is actually speaking and each voice is so consistent that I could recognise who was speaking.  Julia Franklin's talent is astonishing, although I have to say that her own voice is so soothing that I couldn't listen to the audiobook in bed as I kept dropping off to sleep before the chapter ended.

Bella Osborne is an author who is new to me but I'll definitely be looking out for more of her books.  There's an exquisite line in The Girls that describes the glinting light on the sea as being like paparazzi flashes and I just thought that was so beautiful and fitting for the story.

The Girls is poignant, heartwarming and surprisingly thought-provoking.  I'm going to miss the girls terribly, now that I have finished listening to the audiobook.

The Girls is narrated by Julia Franklin and is out on 1st May on Audible and other trade download platforms, on the digital library platform ulibrary, and on physical CD and MP3 both in libraries and from the website The Reading House: https://thereadinghouse.co.uk/

I chose to listen to an audiobook received from the publisher; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

The Reading House

Audible

Amazon

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: Shattered Bones (Maya Barton Book 2) - Kate Bendelow

 

How do you catch a killer if you can’t identify the victim? A scene of crime officer collects the evidence piece by piece in this gritty British mystery.

SOCO Maya Barton is called to a canal where a heavily decomposed male body has been discovered. A bank card belonging to Trevor Dawlish is found in the cadaver's pocket, and the name matches that of a missing person. 

All seems straightforward - until Trevor's wife phones the police to say that Trevor has returned home, leaving Maya and the team wondering who the unknown male is. 

When it's revealed that the male was dead before he entered the water, Maya finds herself with a murder on her hands. But when another body is discovered, the case becomes further complicated. The hope is that facial reconstruction of the first victim will help solve the mystery - but it may lead Maya and her team down an even darker path.

What did I think?

Oh I really enjoyed this book.  It's my first experience of a book written by Kate Bendelow and it certainly won't be my last.  It's a gripping police procedural that is brought to life through the skilled narration of Annabelle Indge.  It's another cracker from Isis Audio, who have fast become my favourite audiobook publisher.

Although this is the second book in the Maya Barton series, I didn't feel at a disadvantage, having not read or listened to the first book.  Maya does have an ongoing story that is continued in this book (and is to be continued at the end) but there's enough of her backstory covered so that I wasn't at a loss.  I definitely want to read book one now though!

The plot is fantastic so it would be a brilliant book to read but listening to the audiobook made me feel like I was part of the police team, watching events as they happened.  With different voices and accents, Annabelle Indge's narration really makes the characters leap out of the book.  It sounds like there are several different people reading the story.

Kate Bendelow adds a touch of humour to her writing and I absolutely loved the banter between the police officers.  It made me laugh out loud on numerous occasions and I will never look at Battenberg cake the same way again!  You'll just have to read the book to find out what I mean by that.

Shattered Bones is an outstanding police procedural that had me gripped from start to finish.  The writing and narration are both stunning and I can't wait to read or listen to more in the Maya Barton series.  

Shattered Bones is narrated by Annabelle Indge and is out on 1st April on Audible and other trade download platforms, on the digital library platform ulibrary, and on physical CD and MP3 both in libraries and from website The Reading House. https://thereadinghouse.co.uk/

I received audiofiles gifted from Isis Audio to listen to for the blog tour;  this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: The Curious Dispatch of Daniel Costello (The Stonebridge Mysteries 1) - Chris McDonald

Wedding bells are chiming in the idyllic, coastal town of Stonebridge. For Sam and Emily, it should be the happiest day of their lives. But, on the morning of the ceremony, the best man is found dead. The police quickly write his death off as a tragic accident, but something doesn’t seem right to wedding guest and groomsman, Adam Whyte.

Armed with an encyclopaedic, but ultimately ridiculous knowledge of television detective shows and an unwarranted confidence in his own abilities, Adam and his best friend (and willing Watson) Colin, set out to uncover what actually happened to Daniel Costello.

What did I think?

I'm a huge fan of Chris McDonald's DI Erika Piper series so when I heard that he was writing a cosy crime series I couldn't wait to read it, or in this case listen to it.  The Curious Dispatch of Daniel Costello, narrated by Stephen Armstrong, is the first novella in the Stonebridge Mysteries series and it's a cracker!  It's quite a short audiobook at only 2 hours 56 minutes long so it's very easy to listen to it in one sitting, which is just as well as it's impossible to stop once you start anyway!

There's a wedding in Stonebridge but the groom and best man appear to be at loggerheads on the night before the wedding.  When best man Daniel doesn't turn up for breakfast the next day, groomsman Adam goes looking for him and is shocked to find Daniel dead in his bed.  The police are called and declare that there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding Daniel's premature demise, however, some things don't add up for Adam.  Being a fan of TV detective shows, Adam enlists his friend Colin to help him investigate Daniel's death.

A bit of a couch potato, Adam is such an unlikely amateur sleuth but when he dons his metaphorical deerstalker he proves that he really does know his stuff.  Although some things are different from TV in real life, Adam knows a suspicious death when he sees one.  Adam and Colin relish their roles as a modern day Holmes and Watson and I love how they are so meticulous in their search for evidence.  Having been friends since primary school, Adam and Colin are a great pairing and I love how well they work together.

The narration is fantastic, with Stephen Armstrong's dulcet tones and lyrical Northern Irish accent bringing the book to life.  What I found quite stunning about the narration is that the narrator doesn't attempt to do different voices for each character, it's simply read with such vivacity to entertain and enthrall the listener.  Another thing I loved was the quirky and often humourous chapter names that set the scene for the chapter ahead.  One in particular had me laughing out loud and I found myself looking forward to new chapters to see what ingenious title Chris McDonald would come up with next.

Hugely entertaining, The Curious Dispatch of Daniel Costello is a fun, addictive and riveting whodunnit that captivated me from start to finish.  Chris McDonald's stupendous writing and Stephen Armstrong's wonderfully entertaining narration make this audiobook another winner from Isis Audio.

Many thanks to Isis Audio for sending me the audiobook to review; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

The Curious Dispatch of Daniel Costello is narrated by Stephen Armstrong and is out on 1st January on Audible and other trade download platforms, on Isis Audio's digital library platform ulibrary, and on physical CD and MP3 both in libraries and from Isis Audio's website The Reading House. https://thereadinghouse.co.uk/

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: The Guesthouse at Lobster Bay - Annie Robertson (author), Eilidh Beaton (narrator)

 

When Emma sees The Guesthouse at Lobster Bay for sale, she knows it's the seaside haven she needs to recover from a recent trauma. But as soon as Emma collects the keys, her dream of owning a successful guesthouse unravels....

Emma has a month to get the house ready before her guests arrive, a task made harder by the discovery that an enormous dog was included in the sale. Then there's the unwelcoming next-door neighbour, Aidan, who Emma must turn to for help. Over the summer, Emma must navigate unforeseen dilemmas and new friendships, and keep her business afloat. But as she falls in love with Lobster Bay, is she also falling for Aidan?

What did I think?

One of the things I love about audiobooks is how the narrator brings the book to life and Eilidh Beaton does that beautifully in her wonderful reading of The Guesthouse at Lobster Bay.  I didn't expect such an emotional story and I found myself laughing and crying as we follow Emma's journey.

Emma suffers a terrible trauma in the opening of the story which forces her to re-evaluate her life.  I had goosebumps on my arms and a lump in my throat as the scene was vividly portrayed and my heart completely went out to Emma.  At first I couldn't understand her bottling it all up inside herself but as interactions with her family were described I don't think they would have listened to her anyway.  A new start where nobody knows anything about her is called for and Emma realises a lifelong dream by buying a guesthouse in Scotland.

Oh my goodness, Lobster Bay sounds so idyllic and I thoroughly enjoyed my virtual visit there, I say virtual but it felt so very real to me.  I loved all of the characters in this fabulous story: Emma, previous owner of the guesthouse Hilda, next-door neighbour Aidan and surprise house fixture Wilbur.  I felt very honoured to tag along with Emma as we see her overcome various hurdles and deal with many misunderstandings.

It always surprises me how many voices are in a narrator's repertoire.  Eilidh Beaton is outstanding as she brings Annie Robertson's colourful characters to life and I wouldn't have been surprised to turn around and find them in the room with me.  Isis Audio seem to have a knack of pairing authors with narrators and they've done it again with the perfect pairing for The Guesthouse at Lobster Bay.

Warm and heartfelt, The Guesthouse at Lobster Bay is an emotional and uplifting story.  With ups and downs it feels so very realistic and I finished listening to it with a sunny smile on my face.  Annie Robertson is a new author for me but I'll definitely be picking up some more of her books.

I received audio files from Isis Audio to review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: Strange Tricks (The Essex Witch Museum Mysteries) - Syd Moore

 

Rosie Strange is back in the latest of the fabulously creepy Essex Witch Museum Mysteries

Secretly Rosie Strange has always thought herself a little bit more interesting than most people – the legacy her family has bequeathed her is definitely so, she’s long believed. But then life takes a peculiar turn when the Strange legacy turns out not just to be the Essex Witch Museum, but perhaps some otherworldly gifts that Rosie finds difficult to fathom. Meanwhile Sam Stone, Rosie’s curator, is oddly distracted as breadcrumb clues into what happened to his missing younger brother and other abducted boys from the past are poised to lead him and Rosie deep into a dark wood where there lurks something far scarier than Hansel and Gretel’s witch…

What did I think?

I'm really getting into the swing of audiobooks now and Strange Tricks from Isis Audio is the latest addition to my audiobook library.  Although I do already own Strange Magic and Strange Sight, Strange Tricks is my first virtual visit to the Essex Witch Museum and I have to say that it works absolutely brilliantly as a standalone, despite being book 6 in the series.  Listening to Strange Tricks has definitely made me want to pick up the earlier books as soon as I possibly can.

The audiobook is narrated by Julia Barrie but it really felt like I was listening to the main character, Rosie Strange herself.  Julia's narration is outstanding with a range of different voices and accents that kept me enthralled from start to finish.  Julia's warm, expressive and soothing voice actually reminded me of sitting down to story time in primary school but there was no subsequent nap time in this case as the storyline completely captivated me and I just had to keep listening to one more chapter.

I really liked the unusual setting of the Essex Witch Museum, owned by Rosie Strange, and the curious characters that Rosie comes into contact with.  I imagine quite a few of the characters have appeared in previous books but I didn't feel as if I was missing out on anything by jumping in mid-series.  It has made me want to find out more though, especially the will they/won't they relationship between Rosie and Sam.

The main plot follows the historical abduction of boys and the museum curator, Sam Stone has a personal interest as his younger brother went missing in unusual circumstances many years ago.  Whilst the majority of the plot is creepy and strange, Syd Moore adds some outstanding humour to create the perfect balance.  I don't think I'd been listening for long when I almost choked with laughter and this happened quite a few times.  Be careful if you listen to this audiobook in public as it is laugh out loud hilarious and gasp out loud creepy in places.

Mysterious, intriguing, humourous and highly entertaining, Strange Tricks is a fantastic audiobook and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.  I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end; both the writing and the narration are exceptional and it's another amazing production from Isis Audio.

I chose to listen to a audiobook ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

About the author:

Before embarking on a career in education, Syd worked extensively in the publishing industry, fronting Channel 4's book programme, Pulp. She was the founding editor of Level 4, an arts and culture magazine, and is co-creator of Super Strumps, the game that reclaims female stereotypes. Syd has also been a go go dancer, backing singer, subbuteo maker, children's entertainer and performance poet, She now works for Metal Culture, an arts organisation, promoting arts and cultural events and developing literature programmes. Syd is an out and proud Essex Girl and is lucky enough to live in that county where she spends her free time excavating old myths and listening out for things that go bump in the night.

About the narrator:

After graduating from Bristol University and joining The Bristol Old Vic Julia Barrie has worked extensively in Theatre; in rep, touring both nationally and internationally, as a member of the RSC, at the Old Vic and Royal Court and in the West End at The Duke of York’s and the Theatre Royal Haymarket. For BBC Radio she recorded Anthony Shaffer’s Widow’s Weeds and her TV and film credits include Prisoners’ Wives, The Commander, Doctors, Close Relations, Our Friends in the North, Out of Bounds, Ghost in the Machine and Five Greedy Bankers.

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: In the Company of Strangers - Awais Khan

In the glittering world of Pakistan's elite, all is not what it seems... 

Mona has almost everything: money, friends, social status... everything except for freedom. Languishing in her golden cage, she craves a sense of belonging... 

Desperate for emotional release, she turns to a friend who introduces her to a world of glitter, glamour, covert affairs and drugs. There she meets Ali, a physically and emotionally wounded man, years younger than her. 

Heady with love, she begins a delicate game of deceit that spirals out of control and threatens to shatter the deceptive facade of conservatism erected by Lahori society, and potentially destroy everything that Mona has ever held dear.

 

What did I think?

I have tried audiobooks over the years with varying results in their attempt to hold my interest but it is not until discovering Isis Audio that I have become hooked.  In the Company of Strangers by Awais Khan is the third Isis Audio audiobook I have listened to and yet again the narration is outstanding.  Set in Pakistan, the book is narrated by Esh Alladi who brings so much authenticity and life to the novel that I half expected to turn around and find one of the characters standing behind me.

The novel literally starts with a bang that didn't just capture my attention, it grabbed it round the throat in a vice-like grip.  I felt as if I had been transported across the miles to Pakistan as the scene was described and voices cried out to be heard.  Esh Alladi must have an infinite number of voices in his repertoire; it continues to amaze me how one narrator can create so many unique character voices.  Absolutely wonderful narration; I take my hat off to you, Esh Alladi.

The story itself has more layers than an onion revolving around the two main characters of Mona and Ali.  Mona is in a loveless marriage and she's not even mistress of her own home, being constantly reminded by her vicious old crone of a mother-in-law that she's living under her roof.  There's an intriguing storyline surrounding Mona and her old friend Meera, who haven't seen each other for many years.  Then there's the beautiful love story between Mona and Ali that just made my heart sing.

I laughed at Meera's disdain for Bilal, I cowered at the grating voice of Mona's mother-in-law and I cried at the devastation caused by terrorism.  Awais Khan's writing creates amazing three dimensional characters and Esh Alladi's narration breathes life into them, evoking such strong emotions in the reader.  What a wonderful collaboration.

Running through the novel is the reminder of the class system, which seems even more prevalent in Pakistan.  I always think it's amazing how a poor person could invite you into their home and give you their last remaining provisions with a smile on their face, whilst a rich person would turn you away at the door.  I know I'm generalising but I was reminded of this in the novel and it does seems to happen the world over.

Engaging, emotional and beautiful, In the Company of Strangers is a wonderful debut from Awais Khan and it's well worth listening to the audiobook version to further enhance and fully experience the authenticity of the novel.

I chose to listen to an audiobook ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

About The Author:

Awais Khan is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario and Durham University. He is also an alum of Faber Academy. He teaches creative writing in Pakistan as part of the Writing Institute and has delivered lectures at Durham University, American University of Dubai, Canadian University of Dubai to name a few. He has appeared on BBC World Service, Dubai Eye, Voice of America, City42, Cambridge Radio, Samaa TV, Indus TV, PTV Home and several other radio and TV channels. His work has appeared in The Aleph Review, The Hindu, The Missing Slate etc.  

He is the author of In the Company of Strangers (published by Simon & Schuster, The Book Guild and Isis Audio) and No Honour (published by Orenda Books in Summer 2021). He is represented by Annette Crossland.

About The Narrator:

Esh Alladi is an actor who trained at LAMDA and has a wide range of stage experience. His theatre credits include: Hobson’s Choice (Royal Exchange), Rutherford and Son (Crucible Theatre), Absolute Hell (National Theatre) and Twelfth Night (Royal Shakespeare Company). Esh is also no stranger to the screen and some of his TV credits include: Anthony (BBC), Unprecedented (BBC), A Confession (ITV), Casualty (BBC), Frankie (BBC) and EastEnders (BBC). He won a UK Theatre Award in 2019 for Best Supporting Performance for his role in Hobson's Choice.

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: The Abduction (Kramer & Carver, Book 2) - A. A. Chaudhuri

The gripping sequel to Amazon bestselling thriller, The Scribe.

Kramer and Carver are back…

Madeline Kramer has finally got her life back on track at top City law firm Sullivan, Blake, Monroe. But when two armed, masked men burst into a conference room one lunchtime, kidnapping a trainee and a partner, Maddy’s life is plunged into disarray once more—particularly when charismatic DCI Jake Carver, who caught a heartless killer when they last met and with whom Maddy shared a mutual chemistry, is called to the scene.

Things become more complicated when a disturbing video reveals two more trainees have been taken. What initially appears as a random kidnapping for mercenary gain soon evolves into something far more complex, the horrifying events of thirty years ago motivating the abductors and having colossal implications for those in the present...

Against a backdrop of sleaze, sex, lies and murder in The Abduction, Maddy and Carver must work together to unravel the truth, and ensure that no crimes—past or present—are left unpunished.

What did I think?

I listened to The Abduction, the second book in the Kramer & Carver series, straight after I'd listened to the first book, The Scribe.  Although you could listen to The Abduction as a standalone, it does contain plot spoilers from The Scribe so I would advise that you listen to them in order.  They are both brilliant, so you will definitely want to listen to them both.

To try to put events from The Scribe behind her, Maddy Kramer has got a new job as an associate in a different London law firm.  It seems like her bad luck has followed her when three trainees and a partner are kidnapped in broad daylight and held to ransom.  Every cloud has a silver lining though and it brings DCI Carver back into her life.  

Kramer and Carver are such a great pairing; Carver is a natural investigator and Maddy is so nosy but she's as sharp as a tack.  I loved seeing how the characters developed and hearing their voices rather than reading about them really made me feel as if I know them.  There was definite chemistry between them last time but, with a seventeen year age gap, neither of them acted upon it.  Now that they are back in touch, we may finally get an answer to the question of will they/won't they?

I was completely intrigued and gripped by the thrilling and razor-sharp plot.  Nothing is as it seems and it contains more backstabbing and deception than an entire season of Dynasty.  Secrets and lies always make for a good story so I was on the edge of my (bicycle) seat and couldn't listen fast enough.  I listen to audiobooks while exercising and the fast pacing sure did make me pedal faster!

Once again, David Thorpe's narration is outstanding.  The narration is so good that the characters don't really need to be announced as I could recognise them by their voices.  David 'multi-voiced' Thorpe really brings not only the characters but the whole book to life and I'm not ashamed to admit that I found myself actually speaking out loud to the characters on more than one occasion.

The partnering of A. A. Chaudhuri's compelling writing and David Thorpe's expressive narration is as perfect as the Kramer and Carver pairing in the book.  Outstanding from beginning to end, The Abduction is thrilling, gripping and filled with deception.  I absolutely loved it and unreservedly recommend it.  5 huge stars!

I chose to listen to an audiobook ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: Because of You - Dawn French

 

THE EAGERLY AWAITED, LIFE-AFFIRMING AND MOVING NEW NOVEL FROM NUMBER-ONE BESTSELLING AUTHOR DAWN FRENCH

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock . . . midnight.

The old millennium turns into the new.

In the same hospital, two very different women give birth to two very similar daughters.

Hope leaves with a beautiful baby girl.

Anna leaves with empty arms.

Seventeen years later, the gods who keep watch over broken-hearted mothers wreak mighty revenge, and the truth starts rolling, terrible and deep, toward them all.

The power of mother-love will be tested to its limits.

Perhaps beyond . . .

Because Of You is Dawn French's stunning new novel, told with her signature humour, warmth and so much love.

What did I think?

Because of You is my first Dawn French book and oh my word it has left me completely broken.  It is such a beautiful, heart-rending story that I struggled to contain my tears from start to finish.  I'm just grateful that my heart isn't made of glass as it would have been completely shattered after listening to chapter 1 and there is still more heartbreak to come.

Read solely by Dawn French, there is something so very special about an author reading their own story; the reading is filled with emotion and the relevant emphasis is placed in all of the correct places.  Dawn French's voice is so familiar but so soothing that I could listen to her for hours, which meant that I was completely enthralled and listened to Because of You at every available opportunity.

I don't want to give away any of the plot other than what is mentioned in the blurb so the story starts as the clock ticks over into the new millennium and two couples are eager to meet their newborn child.  Hope's pregnancy came as a surprise but Hope and her partner, quiet Isaac, are already in love with their baby.  Further along the corridor, politician Julius is already planning the press release for when his wife Anna gives birth.  Neither new mother had planned for what happened next.

As heartbreaking as the story is, there are a lot of laugh out loud moments as you would expect from Dawn French.  Most of my laughs were at the expense of Julius and I'm trying to think of a non-swear word to describe him but 'politician' pretty much covers it!  He's such a self-centred show-off but the way that Dawn French brings him to life meant that rather surprisingly I found him funny rather than annoying.

A heartbreakingly beautiful story, Because of You is a stunning novel that left me so filled with emotion that I struggled to contain it.  Don't be surprised to reach for your tissues when listening to this exquisitely emotional book.

I chose to listen to a gifted audiobook from the publisher and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Follow the tour: