BLOG TOUR: Got What Was Coming - Hilly Barmby

 

Got What Was Coming alternates between past and present.

Three young women, Mali, Star and Abeba, receive an email from the school they’d attended as kids. It is an invitation to the tenth anniversary of the inauguration of ‘The Second Chance Cafe’, which they’d set up to help disenfranchised kids.

It is an exciting but ultimately tragic story that covers the complex lives and inter-relationships of four teenage girls and their mothers. The book reaches its climax with the death of another girl and the realisation of the role the others all played in her death and the impact on their lives through to adulthood.

What did I think?

Since I first discovered Hilly Barmby's book, I just can't get enough of them so I was delighted to received an early copy of her new self-published novel, Got What Was Coming and it's no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It's a very intriguing story with three main characters who are are all very different.  Mali, Star and Abeba may not have started off as friends at school but they are linked by a tragic event.  Via a dual timeline we find out exactly what happened in the past to make them into the women they are today.

With bullying at the heart of the story, it's often difficult to read as events play out and the tragedy is fully revealed.  It's very thought-provoking to see that although a particular person may not have been an active bully they are most definitely complicit by either standing by and doing nothing or pushing another person into the bully's sights to draw attention away from themselves.  

Incredibly poignant and compelling, Got What Was Coming is an eye-opening and thought-provoking story about human nature and the regrets that shape who we are today.  Never has that well-known phrase 'survival of the fittest' held so much meaning and chilled me to the core.  A highly recommended read and one that will stay with me for a long time.

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

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Her Deadly Friend (The Gloucestershire Crime Series Book 1) - Rachel Sargeant

A random sequence of murders rocks West Gloucestershire. First one, then another. From calculated and clinical, to opportunist and frenzied. As the body count tops five, Detective Inspector Steph Lewis’s investigations point to Amy Ashby as chief suspect for the rampage.

Steph and Amy were arch enemies at school.

Amy, still seething with fury about what Steph did back then, refuses to let the detective stand in the way of her current hunt for a new man and a fresh start. This time, it is for keeps.

As the evidence mounts, Steph is convinced of Amy’s guilt. But is Steph obsessed with a schoolgirl vendetta that could wreck her career and destroy her family? Or is she closing in on a deadly killer?

Her Deadly Friend is the first book in the Gloucestershire Crime Series, featuring DI Steph Lewis, a spirited, no-nonsense detective with secrets of her own.

What did I think?

Wow!  This book is absolutely fantastic!  Even better, it's the start of an exciting new crime series and I'm already chomping at the bit to visit the fictional town of Gleveham again.

The story begins with a bullying incident at school.  Steph and her friend appear to be bullying Amy, but you get the feeling that you're not quite seeing the whole picture...and indeed you're not.  Rachel Sargeant cleverly puts an element of doubt in your mind, making you wonder what really happened and who is telling the truth.  Almost 30 years later Steph and Amy are about to cross paths again and sparks are sure to fly.

There is so much going on in this book; it has more hooks than a fisherman's tackle box and I was hooked from page one.  There's more to the bullying story from the past than meets the eye, both Steph and Amy are unknowingly being stalked and Steph is investigating a series of murders.  Murders that lead Steph to Amy's door and old wounds are reopened.  Is Steph targeting Amy once again?

I just couldn't read Her Deadly Friend fast enough.  I tore through it at a rate of knots and enjoyed every minute of it.  The writing is flawless and the plot is so twisty and original that I didn't see any of it coming.

Unpredictable and unputdownable, Her Deadly Friend is a fantastic police procedural and an outstanding start to an exciting new series.  Very highly recommended.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

Hobeck Books

Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: Squire's Hazard (The Meonbridge Chronicles Book 5) - Carolyn Hughes

How do you overcome the loathing, lust and bitterness threatening you and your family’s honour?

It’s 1363, and in Steyning Castle, Sussex, Dickon de Bohun is enjoying life as a squire in the household of Earl Raoul de Fougère. Or he would be, if it weren’t for Edwin de Courtenay, who’s making his life a misery with his bullying, threatening to expose the truth about Dickon’s birth.

At home in Meonbridge for Christmas, Dickon notices how grown-up his childhood playmate, Libby Fletcher, has become since he last saw her and feels the stirrings of desire. Libby, seeing how different he is too, falls instantly in love. But as a servant to Dickon’s grandmother, Lady Margaret de Bohun, she could surely never be his wife.

Margery Tyler, Libby’s aunt, meeting her niece by chance, learns of her passion for young Dickon. Their conversation rekindles Margery’s long-held rancour against the de Bohuns, whom she blames for all the ills that befell her family, including her own servitude. For years she’s hidden her hunger for revenge, but she can no longer keep her hostility in check.

As the future Lord of Meonbridge, Dickon knows he must rise above de Courtenay’s loathing and intimidation, and get the better of him. And, surely, he must master his lust for Libby, so his own mother’s shocking history is not repeated? Of Margery’s bitterness, however, he has yet to learn… 

Beset by the hazards triggered by such powerful and dangerous emotions, can Dickon summon up the courage and resolve to overcome them?

Secrets, hatred and betrayal, but also love and courage –

Squire’s Hazard, the fifth MEONBRIDGE CHRONICLE 

 

What did I think?

The fictional village of Meonbridge is one of my favourite places to virtually visit through Carolyn Hughes' fabulous Meonbridge Chronicles series.  Squire's Hazard is book five and I was as eager to read it as I am eager for more - I just can't get enough of these books!  

Squire's Hazard can most definitely be read as a standalone and for anyone new to the series, or established fans requiring a reminder, there is a handy of cast of characters at the start of the book.  

This book sees young Dickon de Bohun taking centre stage as he learns all the skills required to be the future Lord of Meonbridge.  Dickon has the misfortune to be studying alongside Edwin de Courtenay, who takes an instant dislike to Dickon and begins a campaign of bullying that certainly raised my ire.  I'm not one for violence but I could have boxed that Edwin's ears!

Dickon is growing up fast and so is his childhood friend, Libby.  With hormones raging, the pair become confused and excited by the new feelings they are experiencing but they know that they can never marry due to their very different positions in society.  I loved this part of the story, with Dickon and Libby falling in love but destined to be starcrossed lovers.  They are too young to understand the different forms of love but it's clear that they have deep affection for each other.

Carolyn Hughes' writing is once again exceptional as she takes us on a virtual journey into the 14th century.  The whole story is so immersive and vivid that I felt as if I was actually in Meonbridge watching events as they happened.  I've loved every single instalment in this fantastic series and I've become so invested in the characters' lives that I feel like I'm meeting old friends everytime I pick up one of the books.  

Vivid, immersive and compelling, Squire's Hazard is a stunning piece of historical fiction.  It's not a book you simply read, it's a complete sensory experience as Carolyn Hughes takes us back in time through her incredible writing.  Very highly recommended and not to be missed.

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:

CAROLYN HUGHES has lived most of her life in Hampshire. With a first degree in Classics and English, she started working life as a computer programmer, then a very new profession. But it was technical authoring that later proved her vocation, as she wrote and edited material, some fascinating, some dull, for an array of different clients, including banks, an international hotel group and medical instruments manufacturers.

Having written creatively for most of her adult life, it was not until her children flew the nest several years ago that writing historical fiction took centre stage, alongside gaining a Master’s degree in Creative Writing from Portsmouth University and a PhD from the University of Southampton.

Facebook: CarolynHughesAuthor 

Twitter: @writingcalliope 

Website:  www.carolynhughesauthor.com

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BLOG TOUR: The Reason - Catherine Bennetto

How much is the smile from the person you love worth to you?

 

Brooke’s life has derailed. Her social life and career have evaporated, her daughter is desperately unhappy and being bullied at school, and, for a 43-year-old, she probably spends way too many weekends at her parent’s. But the reason for all this is no mystery. A year and a half ago, Brooke’s husband died.

 

But Brooke does have one secret. Her husband’s death, the worst thing that has ever happened to her, has made her unbelievably rich.

 

Despite her despair, Brooke suddenly realises she has the power to make her daughter’s life, and the world a little brighter. 

What did I think?

Oh my goodness, this book is truly gorgeous.  It's an emotional read and I'm not ashamed to say that I cried more than once but I also laughed, smiled and enjoyed every single minute of it.

I adored Brooke, her daughter Hannah and her whole quirky family.  Just thinking of them (and their strange house guests) brings a smile to my face.  It's making me laugh out loud now just thinking of Brooke's mum and her inability to stop interfering in her daughters' lives.  As much as I was sad to leave them all behind when I turned the final page, the ending was simply perfect.

The grief, guilt and despair of losing a loved one is a lot of baggage for one person to carry, but that is what Brooke is trying to do.  As if Brooke doesn't have enough to cope with, Hannah is being bullied at school.  It is heartbreaking to see the effect this has on Hannah but it almost gives Brooke a purpose again: to make Hannah smile.  The way she does it is completely brilliant and just reading about it made me smile.

This is my first Catherine Bennetto book, but it certainly won't be my last.  I loved the warm and colourful writing, the imaginitive plot and the full range of emotions it evoked.  Very highly recommended and one not to be missed, but keep your tissues handy while you're reading.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

Waterstones

Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: Her Deadly Friend - Rae Sargeant

The Suspect

Bullied by Steph Lewis at school, then betrayed by her lover, Amy Ashby still seethes with fury. Despite the decades-old resentment, she’s on the hunt for a new man and a fresh start. This time for keeps.

The Stalker

When both women are stalked by a figure from their shared past, danger threatens.

The Detective

Now Detective Inspector, Steph follows a tip-off to her old rival. After quarrels exploded beyond the playground and changed lives forever, she vowed never to see Amy again. But that was then.

The Deaths

Murder rocks the city. First one, then another. The body count reaches five, and all Steph’s leads point to Amy. But is Steph obsessed with a schoolgirl vendetta or closing in on a deadly killer?

 

Book 1 of Gleveham Killers Suspense series 

What did I think?

Wow!  This book is absolutely fantastic!  Even better, it's the start of an exciting new series and I'm already chomping at the bit to visit the fictional town of Gleveham again.

The story begins with a bullying incident at school.  Steph and her friend appear to be bullying Amy, but you get the feeling that you're not quite seeing the whole picture...and indeed you're not.  Rae Sargeant cleverly puts an element of doubt in your mind, making you wonder what really happened and who is telling the truth.  Almost 30 years later Steph and Amy are about to cross paths again and sparks are sure to fly.

There is so much going on in this book; it has more hooks than a fisherman's tackle box and I was hooked from page one.  There's more to the bullying story from the past than meets the eye, both Steph and Amy are unknowingly being stalked and Steph is investigating a series of murders.  Murders that lead Steph to Amy's door and old wounds are reopened.  Is Steph targeting Amy once again?

I just couldn't read Her Deadly Friend fast enough.  I tore through it at a rate of knots and enjoyed every minute of it.  The writing is flawless and the plot is so twisty and original that I didn't see any of it coming.

Unpredictable and unputdownable, Her Deadly Friend is a fantastic police procedural and an outstanding start to an exciting new series.  Very highly recommended.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: I Dare You - Sam Carrington

AN INNOCENT GAME. A SHOCKING CRIME. A COMMUNITY FULL OF SECRETS.

Mapledon, 1989

Two little girls were out playing a game of dares. Only one returned home.

The ten-year-old told police what she saw: village loner Bill ‘Creepy’ Cawley dragged her friend into his truck and disappeared.

No body was found, but her testimony sent Cawley to prison for murder. An open and shut case, the right man behind bars.

The village could sleep safe once again.

Now…

Anna thought she had left Mapledon and her nightmares behind but a distraught phone call brings her back to face her past.

30 years ago, someone lied. 30 years ago, the man convicted wasn’t the only guilty party.

Now he’s out of prison and looking for revenge. The question is, who will he start with?

What did I think?

What a firecracker of a thriller Sam Carrington his written with her new novel, I Dare You; it's creepy, fast-paced and bursting to the brim with secrets.  The characters are so well developed that I detested some and felt complete empathy for others.  The whole story is so multi-layered it's like peeling an onion with a secret at its core that will bring tears to the eyes of one of the characters.

I got so angry with the characters when I was reading I Dare You because the children of Mapledon are obsessed with playing Knock, Knock, Ginger on the Cawley house.  The children's obsession with the creepy Cawley house reminded me of the spooky Radley Place in To Kill a Mockingbird.  What even makes a house creepy?  Why do children feel drawn to something that scares them so much?  In the case of I Dare You, the children have picked up on the bullying of Bill Cawley by their parents.  There's more than one bad apple in Mapledon and they don't want Bill Cawley in their poisonous village.  The women of the village get together like witches around a cauldron to hatch a plan to get rid of Bill Cawley once and for all.  The lengths they are prepared to go to oust him from their midst is quite shocking and it really ignited my fury at the complete injustice of it all.

The children's game goes badly wrong one day when one little girl doesn't return home and no body is found.  On the 30th anniversary of Jonie Hayes' disappearance, two women return to the village they once called home; Anna returns after a disturbing phone call from her mother that provides the creepy element of the story but journalist Lizzie's return is a little more mysterious as she hides her true identity whilst asking questions about the past, providing an abundance of intrigue and suspense.    I don't want to say anything more about the plot as to do so would spoil the peeling of the onion for other readers.  Suffice to say, Sam Carrington keeps the reader on their toes as each layer unravels to reveal even more deeply buried layers underneath.  

More gripping than a strip of velco, you won't be able to put down I Dare You until all its secrets are revealed.  It's a blistering, suspenseful thriller that got under my skin and made me so furious but I loved every page of it.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon




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BLOG TOUR: Stay Mad, Sweetheart - Heleen Kist

THERE’S A FINE LINE BETWEEN INNOCENCE AND GUILT. AN EVEN FINER LINE BETWEEN JUSTICE AND REVENGE.

Data scientist Laura prefers the company of her books to the real world – let alone that cesspit online. But when her best friend Emily becomes the victim of horrific cyberbullying, she makes it her all-engulfing mission to track down the worst culprits.

Petite corporate financier Suki is about to outshine the stupid boys at her firm: she’s leading the acquisition of Edinburgh’s most exciting start-up. If only she could get its brilliant, but distracted, co-founder Laura to engage.

Event planner Claire is left to salvage the start-up's annual conference after her colleague Emily fails to return to work. She’s determined to get a promotion out of it, but her boss isn’t playing ball.

As the women's paths intertwine, the insidious discrimination they each face comes to light. Emboldened by Emily’s tragic experience, they join forces to plot the downfall of all those who've wronged them.

But with emotions running high, will the punishments fit the crimes?

A pacy suspense fiction with its feet firmly in the #MeToo era. 9 to 5 meets Suits with a dash of Black Mirror.

What did I think?

I haven't read many feminist novels (shame on me) but I was drawn to this book not only by its subject matter but by its comparison to the TV show Suits.  Although the comparison is obvious, there is definitely more drama, skullduggery and ambition in Stay Mad, Sweetheart than there is in a whole series of Suits.  Stay Mad, Sweetheart would make an amazing series and I hope it gets snapped up for TV.

Laura is my favourite character as she most resonated with me.  Laura just wants to do a good job and feel valued without having to compare her worth to her co-workers.  Nothing good ever came out of opening that Pandora's box but I know that such inequality still goes on and it saddens me.  I loved how Laura went on a crusade to identify the cyberbullies who made her friend's life a living hell.  I've always said, it's not so much the person who fires the gun as the one who provides the bullets; the people who launch a virtual hand-grenade and then step back while others do the damage.  If only a real-life Laura existed who could identify these cowardly cretins.

Anger is the overriding emotion that I experienced a lot throughout the book, especially at the way Claire and Suki were discriminated against at work.  Suki in particular has to put up with blatant sexism and racism in the corporate finance world and is constantly patronised even though she is a financial whizz.  I'm a little naive sometimes so I was horrified to learn how derogatory Suki's nickname was, as I have heard people being called this in the real world.  

Now it's not all burning bras and misandry as there is a scene where Claire and her friends ogle a hunky plumber in a cafe.  It struck me as very different to how women are treated by men as the women keep their opinions within their group and the man was none the wiser.  If it was the other way round, a group of men would be wolf whistling and making suggestive comments out loud to a beautiful woman, making her feel uncomfortable.  I know this doesn't apply to all men and I'm generalising here but it just shows the difference between the sexes; men really are from Mars.

Mad by name and mad by nature; this exceptional book will incite your fury.  It's a feminist novel for the digital age and I think Margaret Atwood will be kicking herself that she hadn't written it herself; I can see this replacing or maybe accompanying The Handmaid's Tale in the school curriculum in the not too distant future.  A must read thought-provoking book that everyone (no discrimination) should read.  

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon
Buy it from Red Dog Press




About the author:

Heleen Kist has been fondled, patronised and ordered to smile by random men. So she wrote ‘Stay Mad, Sweetheart’, a feminist tale of revenge. Whilst her professional knowledge of technology start-ups fed the novel’s setting, its theme of harassment and workplace discrimination required no research: it is familiar to all women.

Heleen was chosen as an up and coming new author at Bloody Scotland 2018. Her first novel, ‘In Servitude’ won the silver medal for Best European Fiction at the Independent Publishers Book Awards in the USA and was shortlisted for The Selfies awarded at London Book Fair.

A Dutch strategy consultant living in Glasgow and married to a Scotsman, she’s raising their son to be a good man and their daughter to kick ass.

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BLOG TOUR: Revenge Runs Deep - Pat Young

Your boss is a bully. How far would you go to get revenge?

Thomas Smeaton is a powerful man who makes life a living hell for his employees. 

When his bullying drives a woman to suicide, three of her colleagues decide it is time to take action before Smeaton destroys any more good people. 

Six months later, a car is found submerged in a reservoir, with a single body inside. Suicide? Or murder? 

Two people were there the night that car rolled into the depths of Loch Etrin. And one is still missing.

What did I think?

I do enjoy Pat Young books; they are all so varied that I am constantly surprised as to where she gets her ideas from.  I haven't missed one of her books yet and I don't intend to do so in the future.  I do feel that she took a trip to the dark side in Revenge Runs Deep but in doing so touched on some very important topics, mainly bullying in the workplace.  Bullying at work is a whole different beast to bullying at school and can take many forms, many of which aren't physical.  Mental bullying is THE absolute worst in my opinion and I applaud Pat Young for choosing to include this subject in her book.

Thomas Smeaton is a vile man; he seems to take great pleasure in making people feel small and inadequate.  To make it worse, he works for the council and as one of his targets is cost savings, he's not afraid to make cuts to necessary services; services that the community rely on and services that really make a difference to some people's lives.

It was heartwarming to see how much the trips to the bothy meant to the underprivileged young men who were taken there.  It really was changing their lives and keeping them out of trouble.  Its closure would put them back on the streets and turning to drink and drugs out of boredom, but all Smeaton sees is a cost he can cut.  Smeaton doesn't care about the priceless non-monetary value his service gives to the community and it should make him proud to make such a difference, but this is a man who doesn't give a jot about his own mother.

When Smeaton's victims decide to take matters into their own hands and get their own back on him, some of them are willing to go further than others...but just how far will they go?  It made me wonder whether the punishment ever fits the crime when some pain is so deep that forgiving and forgetting is not an option.

Revenge Runs Deep is dark and disturbing but emotionally gripping when the effects of bullying are laid bare and the repercussions can be deadly.  I highly recommend all of Pat Young's books, and Revenge Runs Deep is no exception.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon



About the author:

Pat Young writes psychological thrillers. Her debut Till the Dust Settles won the Constable Stag Trophy and an Amazon number 1 best-seller award. Her recent release, One Perfect Witness, sat for a while at number 2 in the Scottish Crime charts, nestled between Rankin and Cleeves and ahead of the mighty Val McDermid!

But Pat never intended to be a writer. Then a story got inside her head, demanding to be told. She is fascinated by what happens when someone suddenly disappears and all her books have that theme.

Pat loves meeting readers and has been on the programme at Bloody Scotland and Tidelines. She is really excited about appearing at this year’s Boswell Book Festival at Dumfries House in May where she plans to launch her fourth psychological thriller Revenge Runs Deep.

Links:

Twitter – @py321_young  

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Half The Lies You Tell Are True - C.P. Wilson

In a world where internet rumour becomes real-world fact, do we ever really know anyone?

High school teacher Dougie Black is brutally attacked in school. Stabbed in front of his class by a pupil with no apparent motive, Dougie fights for his life in ICU whilst DS Lewis Gilmour attempts to unravel the events leading up to the attack.

As the doctors struggle to save Dougie’s life, social media is rife with rumours about his private life. Mr Black’s friends and family begin to question everything they thought they knew about him. 

Who is Dougie Black? Why did a child attempt to murder him? How did so many years of lies lead to an horrific moment of violence?

What did I think?

I read this dark and disturbing novel in one day as I just had to find out the whole story behind the terrible events at Cambuscraig High School in Edinburgh.  With news reports and social media postings, it felt very realistic and so true to life that I found myself shocked and horrified at the beginning and quite emotional towards the end.

We are launched straight into the action as Frankie Malone witnesses her fellow teacher and friend, Dougie Black, struggling to restrain one of his pupils.  What Frankie sees next will stay with her forever as 16 year old Harry Jardine thrusts a knife into Mr Black over and over again.  The pupils and teachers who witnessed the attack are interviewed by the police but the public aren't too interested in facts as the rumour mill starts churning and Mr Black's relationships with his students are called into question.  After all, he must have done something to make Harry Jardine attack this popular teacher.

This is such a thought-provoking book as I find it fascinating how quick we are to jump to conclusions and always see the worst in people.  As the rumours start to circulate, even Frankie begins to doubt her friend.  Everyone seems to have an opinion about Harry's motive but some people know more than they're letting on.  When Dougie's private life is put under the microscope, people see what they want to see to add fuel to the fire as Dougie has been spotted spending time with a young woman.  After all, what would a man in his sixties be doing with a woman in her twenties?

Half The Lies You Tell Are True is very cleverly written to entice the reader to believe the rumours and although I thought I was firmly in Dougie's corner, I even doubted his innocence at one time or another.  The book is written in three excellent parts: part 1 being the attack in the school, part 2 takes a step back and shows us Dougie Black and Harry Jardine before the attack and part 3 is the aftermath, which left me struggling to hold back tears.  I didn't realise how emotionally invested I was in the story until I felt the lump in my throat; with the reason behind the attack laid bare I found it so tragic how lives can be irrevocably altered by one thoughtless act.  An act that may have seemed like a harmless spark but once it caught, the flames were fanned by the mob mentality of social media.  It is so scary how easy it is for people to hide behind a screen and throw virtual stones at people.

A compelling read and a brilliant psychological thriller for the digital age that examines how very different the human psyche can be on and offline.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir - Lesley Allen

Biddy Weir is a quirky girl.

Abandoned by her mother as a baby, and with a father who's not quite equipped for the challenges of modern parenting, Biddy lives in her own little world, happy to pass her time painting by the sea and watching the birds go by. That is, until she meets Alison Flemming.

Because there are a few things about Biddy that aren't normal, you see. And Alison isn't afraid to point them out to the world.

All of a sudden, Biddy's quiet life is thrown into turmoil. If only there was someone to convince her that, actually, everyone's a little bit weird . . .

A story of abuse and survival, of falling down and of starting again, and of one woman's battle to learn to love herself for who she is, The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir is Lesley Allen's startlingly honest debut novel.

What did I think?

Firstly, I just have to say that this book has a simply stunning cover.  It reminds me of the forest that grew around Sleeping Beauty, shielding her from the outside world...which links very nicely to my feelings towards Biddy Weir.  I would have liked to have created a shield of thorns to protect her from spiteful girls with such hurtful words, but unfortunately the world is cruel and apparently what doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

Biddy isn't like the other children at school, she's very comfortable with her own solitude and is happy to spend her time painting birds and examining their poo.  She lives with her father and without a female influence she has to find her own way in the world.  This is something that the other children exploit and Biddy finds herself the cruel butt of jokes at the hands of the ringleader, Alison Flemming. Alison is a spiteful girl who will do anything to be the most popular and pretty girl in the school.  She doesn't realise that when you peel away her outer layer, underneath it all she is an ugly, bitter girl.

All the cruel taunts and name calling have a heartbreaking effect on Biddy and many years later she finds herself living as a recluse. She has been told so often that she is weirdo that she believes it and acts like one.  Of course, there's absolutely nothing wrong with being weird, it's part of the beauty of the human race.  Who is to say what is weird and what is not?  Then one day Biddy is introduced to Terri, who is a little bit weird herself, and Biddy can finally talk about what happened to her as a child.  As she talks, she begins to heal and I hope perhaps finally realises just how special she is.

This was an emotional rollercoaster of a read.  I was furious with Alison Flemming and her team of mean girls, albeit fictional characters but we all know they exist.  Through their cruel jibes they have scarred Biddy for life and no matter how many times you tell yourself that 'sticks and stones may break your bones', unfortunately words do ultimately hurt you.  I wanted to tell young Biddy what my Nanna told me: 'You'll see your day, pet.' but you'll just have to read this fantastic book to find out whether Biddy sees her day.

You will go through a rainbow of emotions on this journey with Biddy Weir: anger, sadness, heartbreak and happiness as the beautiful Biddy-shaped butterfly emerges from her weird chrysalis.  An uplifting, brave and stunning debut from Lesley Allen worthy of every single one of the 5 stars I have awarded.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Lie In Wait - G.J. Minett

A man is dead. A woman is missing. And the police have already found their prime suspect... 

Owen Hall drives into a petrol station to let his passenger use the facilities. She never comes back - and what's more, it seems she never even made it inside.

When Owen raises a fuss, the police are called - and soon identify Owen himself as a possible culprit - not least because they already have him in the frame for another more sinister crime.

Owen's always been a little different, and before long others in the community are baying for his blood. But this is a case where nothing is as it seems - least of all Owen Hall...

A dark, addictive thriller, ingeniously plotted with a twist that will make you gasp, LIE IN WAIT is perfect for readers of Angela Marsons or Rachel Abbott.

What did I think?

This is the first book by G.J. Minett that I have read and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it  - I'll certainly be looking out for more from this author.  It's a very strong thriller that feels like a game of chess with all the pieces on the board, just waiting for someone to make the first move.  At times I didn't know what the devil was going on and why this or that person was in the story but it all comes together in a magnificent a-ha moment at the end.

Owen Hall hasn't had a great life; he doesn't really know how to relate to people.  He suffered a terrible event as a youngster and you wonder how much this affected his ability to deal with people.  At school he was bullied by Callum Green and only Abi ever showed him any kind of friendship.  Now Abi is married to Callum and Owen crosses paths with them once again.

The story starts with Owen stopping at a petrol station so his female passenger can go to the loo.  When she doesn't come back, Owen can't understand what has happened and the petrol station attendant calls the police.  Now that the police have Owen in their sights they realise that he fits the bill perfectly as a suspect in a recent murder.

In a game of cat and mouse, all of the traps are set to catch the murderer and it's an absolutely brilliant game that is played in Lie In Wait.  I was so sure that I knew what had happened but I had completely walked past all of the clues, such is the clever style of G.J. Minett's writing.  Looking back now, I should have been asking questions, but my attention was always drawn on to something else. Well played, sir!

I loved the unravelling and gradual reveal of Owen's history and perhaps only now, a few days after I have read it, do I realise how very good Lie in Wait actually is.

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

My rating:

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