Woman Down - Colleen Hoover

In this twisty thriller from New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a frustrated author looks for her muse in a remote hideaway, but what she finds defies all expectations…and reality.

Her words used to set the page on fire. But a viral backlash over her latest film adaptation forced Petra Rose to take a hiatus, resulting in missed deadlines and an overdue mortgage. Branded a fraud and fame-hungry opportunist, she learned the hard way what happens when the internet turns on you. And she’s been uninspired to write ever since.

Now, with her next suspense novel outlined and savings nearly gone, she retreats to a secluded lakeside cabin, hoping to find inspiration. It’s Petra’s last-ditch attempt to save her career―and herself.

Then he shows up.

Detective Nathaniel Saint arrives with disturbing news, his presence igniting a creativity in her she thought long since burned out. Petra’s words return in a rush, and her fictional cop character begins to mirror the very real cop who’s becoming her muse.

Their “research” sessions blur the lines between fantasy and reality. Each glance, every touch pulls Petra deeper into a world she thought she’d never lose herself in again. She’s never felt more alive. But inspiration this powerful comes at a cost.

When Saint starts taking his role in her career a little too seriously, Petra’s forced to confront the chaos she created. But doing so could cost her more than the reputation she’s been trying to salvage. The reputation the world wrote for her―the reputation only she can reclaim.

 

What did I think?

Woman Down is my first Colleen Hoover book and whilst I wasn't blown away I still quite enjoyed it.  I would say it's more of a romantic suspense than a thriller but it is very gripping.

Petra Rose was at the top of her game when her book was made into a film but, as we all know, the book is usually always better than the movie and her fans were not happy with the adaptation.  Being the chief income earner in her household adds an extra strain when Petra has writers block so she books a lakeside retreat to concentrate on her writing.  Inspiration is about to hit Petra right in the solar plexus and this bestseller could cost her more than it makes.

I really didn't know who Petra could trust in this riveting storyline.  It felt like she was a mouse in a trap being played with by several cats and I wasn't even sure if some of it was her own vivid imagination.  It gets very dark and disturbing as the story goes on and whilst I couldn't understand Petra's actions, I did feel for her.  I think she has lost so much of her confidence and it's a downward spiral that is difficult to escape from.

Dark, gripping and a bit steamy, Woman Down is an interesting glimpse into the life of an author and a sobering reminder of how much words can often hurt.  

I received a gifted paperback for the Tandem Collective readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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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:

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Lord of the Fly Fest - Goldy Moldavsky

One of Us Is Lying meets Lord of the Flies meets Fyre Fest in this wickedly addictive and funny YA thriller.

Rafi Francisco needs something really special to put her true crime podcast on the map. She sets her sights on River Stone, the hearthrob musician who rose to stardom after the mysterious disappearance of his girlfriend. Rafi lands herself a ticket to the exclusive Fly Fest, where River will be the headliner.

But when Rafi arrives on the Caribbean island location of Fly Fest with hundreds of other influencers and (very minor) celebrities, they quickly discover that the dream trip is more of a nightmare. And it’s not just confronting beauty gurus-gone-wild and spotty WiFi. Soon, Rafi goes from fighting for an interview to fighting for her life. And, as she gets closer to River, she discovers that he might be hiding even darker secrets than she suspected . . .

 

What did I think?

Lord of the Fly Fest appears to be a modern-day retelling of Lord of the Flies; I say ‘appears to be’ as, to my shame, I’ve never read Lord of the Flies but I did recognise some nods to the classic novel.  It’s a YA novel but can of course be enjoyed by adults too.

The book cover is stunning and that’s what drew me to the book in the first place; the colours are so eye-catching and I was intrigued about the smears on the girl’s lips and eyes (and then wish I’d never found out).

The story revolves around a group of social media influencers who attend a music festival on a remote island.  They can’t wait to start uploading photos and videos as partying with rock stars and models is going to get them so many likes…but there is no internet.  No internet?!?! What kind of hell is this?  Not only is there no internet, there’s no Fly Fest.

I don’t want to mention any more of the plot but it’s a very twisted tale.  Seeing how different people react to adversity always intrigues me but these people are something else entirely; they live and breathe social media.  These are the monsters that social media has created and it was actually pretty eye-opening and sobering to be reminded that a lot of what you see online is fake.  It’s all filters and poses yet somehow people become influencers; influencing fakery more like.

Highly imaginative and thought-provoking, Lord of the Fly Fest is perhaps the weirdest book I have read all year but I really enjoyed it.  A solid four stars and a recommended read.

My rating:

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Beast (Six Stories #4) - Matt Wesolowski

Continuing the unique, explosive Six Stories series, based around six podcasts comes a compulsive, taut and terrifying thriller, and a bleak and distressing look at modern society’s desperation for attention. Beast will unveil a darkness from which you may never return…

In the wake of the ‘Beast from the East’ cold snap that ravaged the UK in 2018, a grisly discovery was made in a ruin on the Northumbrian coast. Twenty-four-year-old vlogger, Elizabeth Barton, had been barricaded inside what locals refer to as ‘The Vampire Tower’, where she was later found frozen to death.  

Three young men, part of an alleged cult, were convicted of this terrible crime, which they described as a ‘prank gone wrong’. However, in the small town of Ergarth, questions have been raised about the nature of Elizabeth Barton’s death and whether the three convicted youths were even responsible. 

Elusive online journalist Scott King speaks to six witnesses – people who knew both the victim and the three killers – to peer beneath the surface of the case. He uncovers whispers of a shocking online craze that held the young of Ergarth in its thrall and drove them to escalate a series of pranks in the name of internet fame. He hears of an abattoir on the edge of town, which held more than simple slaughter behind its walls, and the tragic and chilling legend of the Ergarth Vampire… 

What did I think?

Oh my word, I LOVED THIS BOOK!  Yes, I'm shouting; I'd shout it from the rooftops if I wasn't afraid of ladders.  I have bought the previous books in the Six Stories series but prior to reading Beast, book 4, I had only read Six Stories, book 1.  You can definitely read Beast as a standalone but I know if this is your first introduction to Six Stories, you will definitely want more!  Unlike Oliver Twist, you can have more as you can pick up the previous books in the series: Six Stories, Hydra and Changeling.

Who will ever forget the 'Beast from the East'?  That horrific cold snap in 2018 that saw much of Britain buried in heavy snow.  Well, the village of Ergarth in Northumberland had already heard of the 'Beast from the East' but in another format: that of legendary vampire Vladlena who was brought from Siberia during the Crimean War and imprisoned in the Tankerville Tower in Ergarth.  The people of Ergarth don't talk about this legend and give the ruined tower a wide berth.

Local social media star, Elizabeth Barton, jumps at the chance to increase her followers by taking part in the Dead in Six Days challenge during the snowy winter of 2018.  Unfortunately for Elizabeth, the challenge culminates in her death in Ergarth's Vampire Tower and three local young men are tried and convicted of her murder.  Scott King chooses Elizabeth's story for his latest podcast when some graffiti in the town causes him to question what exactly happened to Elizabeth.  Six people are interviewed over six podcast episodes as Scott delves into the events leading up to Elizabeth's death.

Social media plays a huge part in Beast.  It just shows how much smoke and mirrors goes on in order to get the most 'likes' and 'follows'.  For some people, being popular is the only aspiration they have but it must be so tiresome to always put on a show.  As the interviews go on we see a completely different side to Elizabeth than the one painted on her social media.  I wondered who the real Elizabeth was and questioned whether she would even know the answer to that herself.  Her family certainly see different versions of her and it shows how often we only see what we want to see.

Beast is a total page-turner; I couldn't read it fast enough.  I'm actually glad I still have books 2 and 3 left to read so I can get another Scott King podcast hit as I really can't get enough of this awesome series.  Told via a series of podcasts, Beast is a mystery with a hint of the supernatural; it's spine-chilling, compelling and completely impossible to put down.  Keep 'em coming, Matt!

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon




About the author:

Matt Wesolowski is an author from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in the UK. He is an English tutor for young people in care. Matt started his writing career in horror, and his short horror fiction has been published in numerous UK- an US-based anthologies such as Midnight Movie Creature, Selfies from the End of the World, Cold Iron and many more. His novella, The Black Land, a horror set on the Northumberland coast, was published in 2013. Matt was a winner of the Pitch Perfect competition at Bloody Scotland Crime Writing Festival in 2015. His debut thriller, Six Stories, was an Amazon bestseller in the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia, and a WHSmith Fresh Talent pick, and film rights were sold to a major Hollywood studio. A prequel, Hydra, was published in 2018 and became an international bestseller.

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BLOG TOUR: The EX-Girlfriend - Nicola Moriarty

SHE WANTS HIM BACK. SHE WANTS YOU GONE. 

Luke is the one. After everything she's been through, Georgia knows she deserves someone like him, to make her feel loved. Safe. 

The only problem is his ex-girlfriend. Luke says Cadence is having trouble accepting their break-up, but Georgia thinks there's more to the story. She has the feeling someone is watching her. 

So when everything starts to go wrong at work, at home, in her old friendships and her happy new relationship with Luke, Georgia starts to feel afraid. 

It's becoming clear Cadence wants what she has. But how far will she go to get it? 

What did I think?

I've been meaning to read a Nicola Moriarty book for a while and The EX-Girlfriend sounded so good that it jumped right to the top of my Nicola Moriarty queue.  It's fast paced and a really easy read that is impossible to put down so I found that I raced through it in two sittings; it would have been one sitting but, rather disappointingly, I had to put it down so I could go to sleep when I was 75% through.

The prologue is entitled 'The Elevator' and it sent shivers down my spine; there's nothing worse than being in an enclosed box with someone you don't want to be in close contact with.  It could be quite innocuous but there is just something so menacing about it and that's before we even get to know the characters of Georgia and Cadence.

I really liked the character of Georgia; the youngest and only girl in a family of boys.  Although she may have been taunted and teased by her brothers when they were all growing up, I had no doubt that they would look out for her and never more so than when she brings her new man, Luke, to her brother's wedding.  The way she met Luke was rather fortuitous as she had been stood up on a Tinder date.  Georgia was just about to leave the bar when she got hassled by some beefy blokes and Luke rode in on his white horse to come to her rescue.  Fate does seem to work in mysterious ways and Georgia happily exchanged numbers with Luke.  She later finds out that Luke comes with a lot of baggage, namely his ex-girlfriend Cadence.

By the end of Chapter Two my bullshit-o-meter was going absolutely haywire.  Maybe I'm just old and sceptical but, apart from his ex-girlfriend issue, Luke seemed too good to be true.  Meanwhile, Cadence sets out on a campaign to get Luke back by stalking Georgia.  This really was very frightening and it just shows how easy it actually is to stalk people these days thanks to Social Media.  I always cringe when people 'check in' to places, sharing every minutiae of their life and not realising that they're leaving themselves wide open and vulnerable.  Georgia didn't seem to be able to go anywhere without Cadence's eyes on her and I really started to worry about how far this would go when it seemed like Cadence not only wanted Luke back, but she wanted to ruin Georgia's life in the process.

Gripping, chilling and scarily believable, The EX-Girlfriend is a firecracker of a read; I couldn't put it down.  Even if I had worked some of it out (and I'm not saying whether I had or not), it didn't spoil my enjoyment one bit and I was immensely satisfied at the girl-power ending.  Nicola Moriarty has definitely earned the full five stars for this The EX-Girlfriend and I'm even more excited to read her other books now.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon




About the author:

Nicola Moriarty is a novelist, copywriter and mum to two small (but remarkably strong-willed) daughters. In between various career changes, becoming a mum and studying at university, she began to write. Now, she can't seem to stop. The Fifth Letter was her UK debut novel, followed by Those Other Women. 

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BLOG TOUR: I Want You Gone - Miranda Rijks

As with all book bloggers, I have a lot of books in my TBR pile but when an invitation came through from Emma at damppebbles.com to join the blog tour for I Want You Gone, it sounded far too good to miss out on and I'm pleased to say that I was right!  I am posting my review today for the blog tour so scroll down to read my thoughts.

The only obituary you never want to read – is your own.

Laura Swallow is dead. 

A life cut tragically short, says the newspaper obituary.

But that’s a lie. 

Estate agent Laura did not die in a car accident. She is alive and well.

At first, Laura thinks it’s a sick joke. 

But multiple announcements of her death are followed by increasingly sinister real-life events. Already fragile, struggling to recover from a recent divorce, Laura is plunged into a living nightmare. 

Who can she trust? Her new lover? Her clients and work colleagues? What about her ex-husband and his smug fiancée? Can Laura even rely on her best friends? And why is it that Laura’s present troubles are so tied up with her sister’s sudden death all those years ago?

But one thing Laura is sure of – someone out there wants her to suffer. Wants her gone. 

Forever.

What did I think?

Oh this excellent book gave me the heebie jeebies; not only the scary power of social media but the way that efforts are ramped up at such a rapid speed by the person who is out to ruin Laura's life.  It made the book a certain page-turner and I absolutely whizzed through it.

Although a pretty nasty thing to do, it doesn't sound like such a big deal at first when Laura's death is announced on Facebook, as when she logs on to check it the post has already been removed, but this is closely followed by an announcement in the newspaper and an official death certificate.  Whoever is out to get her clearly means business and Laura lists 9 possible suspects as she tries to work out who is out to get her.  I had my own suspicions, and I'm not going to say if I was right or wrong, as I was enjoying the fast pace of the story so much that I was more interested in what was going to happen next rather than trying to guess who was doing it.

This book evokes an awful lot of feelings in the reader: I felt as scared and threatened as Laura but I was also angry at what was happening to her.  Through the vivid and descriptive writing of Miranda Rijks, I effortlessly immersed myself in Laura's story and felt as if I was actually seeing it through her eyes.  It certainly raised my blood pressure and heart rate on more than one occasion, as the story's pace continues to ramp up and the threats become more tangible.

It's finding authors like this that makes book blogging worthwhile; with so many books to choose from you can easily miss such talented authors as Miranda Rijks, so many thanks to Emma at damppebbles for drawing my attention to an author I will definitely be adding to my watch list.  

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon UK
Buy it from Amazon US


About the author:

Miranda Rijks is a writer of suspense novels. I WANT YOU GONE is her first psychological thriller. 

Miranda has an eclectic background ranging from law to running a garden centre. She’s been writing all of her life and has a Masters in writing. A couple of years ago she decided to ditch the business plans and press releases and now she’s living the dream, writing suspense novels full time. She lives in Sussex, England with her Dutch husband, musician daughter and black Labrador.

Up next is FATAL FORTUNE, the first of three books in a mystery romance series that will be published in May 2019. They feature Dr Pippa Durrant, a psychologist and specialist in lie detection, who works alongside Sussex police getting embroiled in some scary stuff!

Miranda loves connecting with her readers, so you can reach out to her at www.mirandarijks.com

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MirandaRijks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MirandaRijksAuthor/

Website: www.mirandarijks.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/mirandarijksauthor/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk

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BLOG TOUR: You Die Next (Starke and Bell) - Stephanie Marland

When a group of urban explorers stumble across a murderer's kill room in a derelict film studio, terror strikes. And when one of the group is found dead, the team realise - they're being hunted.

DI Dominic Bell is investigating the murder, but as the body count rises, time is running out. The only person who can help him is a figure from his past, Clementine Starke - but Clementine is haunted by her own demons. Can the two of them pair up to catch the killer? Or is it already too late?

What did I think?

You're always guaranteed a good read with a Stephanie Marland (aka Steph Broadribb) book so I was really excited to read You Die Next, the second book in the Starke and Bell series.  I think it does read well as a standalone as there are enough references to the story in the first book, My Little Eye, to give any new readers the history of our leading pair.

I have to say that I read this book pretty fast to get my review posted in time for the blog tour, so I don't think I experienced it at its finest.  I didn't really understand the point of urban explorers and what they get out of doing what they do.  Having said that, what drives the story along for me are the strong leading characters of Clementine Starke and Dominic Bell.  They aren't a traditional duo, being very much apart in this book, but I particularly loved how Clementine's character has developed; she's a bit like Darth Vader, being lured to the dark side.

Not only do we have the story of the urban explorers being picked off one by one with increasingly vivid and imaginative demises, but Clementine has a mystery of her own to solve: the death of her father.  The reader is teased quite a lot by Stephanie Marland as Clementine starts to dig into her father's history and I loved how it brought Dom closer to her when he agrees to look into it.  It definitely left me hanging and eager to read the next Starke & Bell book.

Vivid, chilling, ingenious and unique You Die Next is a superb instalment in the Starke & Bell series which I'm sure will become a firm favourite with crime and thriller readers.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon


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The Missing - C.L. Taylor

You love your family. They make you feel safe. You trust them.

But should you…?

When fifteen-year-old Billy Wilkinson goes missing in the middle of the night, his mother, Claire, blames herself. She's not the only one. There isn't a single member of Billy's family that doesn't feel guilty. But the Wilkinsons are so used to keeping secrets from one another that it isn't until six months later, after an appeal for information goes horribly wrong, that the truth begins to surface.

Claire is sure of two things – that Billy is still alive and that her friends and family had nothing to do with his disappearance.

A mother's instinct is never wrong. Or is it?

Sometimes those closest to us are the ones with the most to hide…

What did I think?

Having previously read and enjoyed The Lie, I checked C.L. Taylor's new book out via e-book from my local library.  I didn't find it as gripping as The Lie but each character has secrets that they are desperately trying to keep hidden, which guarantees that you keep wanting to turn the pages as quickly as you can.

Billy Wilkinson has gone missing and somebody must know what happened to him.  The Wilkinson family are so completely flawed that, once you scratch the surface of their family life, you think any one of them could have harmed Billy or caused him to run away.  Claire, Billy's mum, has blackouts and finds herself waking up in strange places seemingly looking for Billy - could she know more about his disappearance than she's letting on?  Billy's Dad, Mark, is secretive and acting suspiciously - could Billy have found out what he's hiding and run away?  Then there's Billy's brother, Jake, and Kira, his live-in girlfriend - they don't seem to have a great relationship for such a young couple.

Interspersed between all the action surrounding Billy's disappearance and the fractured Wilkinson family are intriguing Whatsapp messages.  These messages tied my brain in knots as you have no idea who the people are in the conversation as they have used nicknames to hide their identity.  Surely the sweet, innocent 15 year old Billy Wilkinson couldn't have written such messages?  Is he a more troubled boy than his mother would have us believe?

The Missing proves that once again C.L. Taylor is not afraid to push the boundaries and move the reader out of their comfort zone. Life doesn't always have happy endings and I often feel like we are conditioned to look for unrealistic happy outcomes in our books, but with C.L. Taylor in the driving seat you can be sure to expect the unexpected.  The Missing also reminded me that appearances can be deceptive and, although we may not consider ourselves two-faced, we often put on a front to hide our true feelings.  Much is said, both good and bad, about social media and I wonder if perhaps it is through hiding our many faces behind a screen that we can truly be ourselves.

The Missing, being her third novel, certainly explains why there is so much excitement surrounding a new release from C.L. Taylor - you never know what her dark twisty mind will come up with next.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon