GIVEAWAY: Husbands - Mo Fanning

I recently had the pleasure of reading an early copy of Husbands by Mo Fanning and I absolutely loved it - you can read my review by clicking HERE.  

As part of the blog tour, Hannah Hargrave PR has offered me a paperback copy to giveaway to one one lucky reader based in the UK.  You can enter via my posts on Instagram and X (links below), but first find out a little bit more about the book:

In Hollywood, every pavement star tells a story. Not all of them shine.

Wannabe actor Kyle Macdonald is down on his luck. Working as a supply teacher in an inner-city Birmingham school, he's single again at 28, and sleeping in his childhood bedroom beneath a 'Hard Candy' Madonna poster.

He gets a call claiming he drunkenly married top Hollywood director Aaron Biedermeier in Vegas six years ago. Rather than panic, he sees a golden ticket to fame and the life he's always fantasised about.

But the glamorous veneer of Los Angeles - non-stop sunshine, celebrity actors and exclusive hotel suites - starts to crack, revealing a darker, corrupt underbelly to La-La Land. Kyle digs deeper into his so-called husband's past, unearthing disturbing allegations of abuse and underage sex parties.

With the help of Biedermeier's fiancé, actor Noah Winters, he embarks on a cross-country race to unravel the mystery and expose the truth - finding love along the way.

 

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

Now for the giveaway!

Instagram: @the_bookmagnet

X: @thebookmagnet

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: The Shame (Glasgow Southside Crime Series Book 3) - Maureen Myant

Glasgow

The cellar of a suburban bungalow has been hiding a dark secret. During building work, a skeleton is uncovered. DI Alex Scrimgeour and DS Mark Nicholson soon discover the remains have been there for sixty years. The owners of the house from that time, Richard and Doris Cavendish, are dead, but their daughter may still be alive.

Edinburgh

Edith Drummond is pleased to be back at work as a teacher after lockdown. She's a difficult woman with no friends but she's good at her job and the children love her. However, her Head Teacher, Olivia Waring, wants her to retire. Edith is determined to stay put, but their feud soon pales into insignificance when Edith receives a visit from the police.

Mark is sure Edith is hiding something, but he doesn't know what. His suspicion deepens when further remains are found at the bungalow in Glasgow, this time of a newborn baby. Despite dealing with his own personal problems, Mark is determined to get to the bottom of this bizarre case. Is there a link between the two crimes? Is the answer staring him In the face or is there more to the mystery than meets the eye?

 

What did I think?

The Shame is the third book in the Glasgow Southside Crime Series and although you can read it is a standalone and thoroughly enjoy it, it's absolutely brilliant when read as part of the series.  

The character development throughout the series is outstanding and I was as hooked by the continuation of their stories as I was by the actual crime they were investigating.  It's a rather grisly crime when the new owners of a home discover a skeleton in their basement so the police need to trace the previous occupants to identify the body and solve the crime.  

Edith Drummond was so ashamed of her past in Glasgow that she changed her name and moved to Edinburgh.  Edith is a difficult woman to love but she really did grow on me and I completely sympathised with her past family life and her present working life as a teacher.  I was so annoyed that the head teacher can't see what a brilliant teacher Edith is but instead is set on making Edith retire.  I was virtually fist bumping the air when Edith continued to stand up to her.

I am completely hooked by DS Mark Nicholson's story and although I do feel sorry for him, he made his bed so he has to lie in it.  Unfortunately for Mark, that bed is in his boss's flat as his wife threw him out after his affair.  DI Alex Scrimgeour is a bit of a teddy bear now that his own personal mystery has been solved but I really wouldn't be helping myself to his whisky if I was living in his flat!

As impossible to put down as it is to predict, The Shame is a cracking piece of crime fiction that had me on the edge of my seat and reading with my virtual running shoes on.  I already consider this to be one of my favourite crime series and The Shame proves that it is just getting better and better.  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

Follow the tour:

Husbands: Love and Lies in La-La Land - Mo Fanning

In Hollywood, every pavement star tells a story. Not all of them shine.

Wannabe actor Kyle Macdonald is down on his luck. Working as a supply teacher in an inner-city Birmingham school, he's single again at 28, and sleeping in his childhood bedroom beneath a 'Hard Candy' Madonna poster.

He gets a call claiming he drunkenly married top Hollywood director Aaron Biedermeier in Vegas six years ago. Rather than panic, he sees a golden ticket to fame and the life he's always fantasised about.

But the glamorous veneer of Los Angeles - non-stop sunshine, celebrity actors and exclusive hotel suites - starts to crack, revealing a darker, corrupt underbelly to La-La Land. Kyle digs deeper into his so-called husband's past, unearthing disturbing allegations of abuse and underage sex parties.

With the help of Biedermeier's fiancé, actor Noah Winters, he embarks on a cross-country race to unravel the mystery and expose the truth - finding love along the way.

 

What did I think?

I am so pleased that I picked up Husbands by Mo Fanning as I absolutely loved it.  Once I picked it up I couldn't put it down and wished I'd started it earlier in the day as I was furious that I had to put it down to go to sleep.  

Husbands touches on some serious subjects that completely broke my heart as these things really happened to lots of young actors but Mo Fanning writes respectfully and sensitively whilst still highlighting these issues.  The story itself is very entertaining and it's filled with dark humour that made me laugh out loud.

Most of my laughs came from the main character Kyle, or 'Kyle, man!' as I referred to him in my head every time he did something stupid (so pretty much all the time).  Only Kyle could drunk marry a Hollywood director in Las Vegas, go home to Birmingham (England) and completely forget about it.  Kyle, man!  Your acting dreams could have come true!   

So telling his parents he's off to Manchester (Kyle, man!), Kyle jumps on a plane and dives into the shark infested waters of LA LA Land.  Thank goodness he told his friend Milly where he was going - she deserves a medal for trying to keep him out of trouble.  What follows is an adventure-filled road trip with Kyle's husband's new fiancé to discover the truth about what actually happened in Vegas.

Hugely entertaining, dark and addictive, Husbands is as bingeworthy as a Netflix series and is surely destined to make it on to our screens in the future.  I loved the beginning, the middle and the end - very highly recommended.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

BLOG TOUR: Always By Your Side - Julie Haworth

When school teacher Rose loses her dream job at a London primary school, her self-confidence takes a knock. Worse still, her stockbroker fiancé, Ollie, sees it as the perfect opportunity for her to join his firm, which only adds to the feelings Rose has that their relationship might be coming to an end.

 

An unexpected phone call, and an elderly aunt who’s taken a fall, means Rose must drop everything – including Ollie - and return to Blossom Heath, the Sussex village she grew up in.

 

With no job to rush home to, Rose decides to stay in Blossom Heath for the Summer, trading London for the idyllic countryside. Here Rose finds herself reconnecting to the village life of her childhood in more ways than one, including falling head-over-heels for local farmer, Jake.

 

So when her London life comes calling, Rose is faced with an impossible choice… to return to the high-pressure life of her past, or embrace the joy of a new life in the country.

 

What did I think?

Oh I really enjoyed this!  It's an absolutely gorgeous heartwarming read that left me with a huge smile on my face.

I adored everything about the main character of Rose.  Rose is a marvellous teacher and it's no surprise that she has lost confidence in her ability with a demonic headmaster and a selfish fiancé constantly pecking away at her dream career.  Getting the call to look after her elderly Great Aunt Jean in an idyllic country village gives Rose the perspective she needs to find out what is really important to her.

Rose's fiancé Ollie is my idea of a nightmare partner.  He doesn't support Rose and thinks she's wasting her time teaching when she could be working in his firm, doing a meaningless job that she would hate.  Farmer Jake, on the other hand, shows Rose that the right man will be supportive and loving, without having to make huge gestures or buying expensive gifts.

Of course, the star of the show has to be Scout, the dog that Rose rescues.  Scout has a huge impact on Rose's life and helps her to make some difficult decisions.  I was on the edge of my seat when Rose and Scout's perfect relationship was threatened and I loved this tense addition to the story.

Julie Haworth very cleverly shows the stark contrast between town and country throughout the book; it's not just the pace of life, it's people, schools, jobs, homes and communities that are completely different.  As much as I would hate everyone knowing my business, I would much prefer to live in Blossom Heath than London.

Beautifully written, incredibly uplifting and completely heartwarming, Always By Your Side is a delightful debut novel and a worthy winner of the Romantic Novelists' Association Katie Fforde Debut Novel Of The Year 2023.

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:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: The Devil's Bridge Affair - Rob Gittins

Lightning splits the sky, night somersaulting into day

And in that moment, a life is lost…

The name of the Devil’s Bridge derives from a local legend, telling the story behind a bridge that was built centuries before for the town, built by the devil himself. But there was a price. The devil vowed to return at different times and in different guises with dark consequences for those who live in the bridge’s shadow.

Most in the town believe it to be just a colourful local story; a flight of fancy. Dark deeds can happen anywhere – and there’s no such thing as the devil.

Then a massive scandal, involving a schoolboy and his English teacher, hits the community, and even the most die-hard of sceptics begin to wonder if a devil-like figure is walking in their midst.

 

What did I think?

I was completely blown away by this outstanding novel from Rob Gittins; it's absolutely brilliant.  It's a thriller with a tiny element of the supernatural about it; it's really left up to the reader's imagination whether you think there's something otherworldly about it or not.

'I couldn't put it down' is a phrase I often use when reviewing books but it has never fitted a book more than The Devil's Bridge Affair.  I read it in two sittings and the world could have ended on my second sitting and I wouldn't have noticed.  I couldn't move my eyes fast enough to reach the jawdropping conclusion; the light was fading so I was holding the book up to the window rather than stopping to close the blinds and put the light on - I didn't have time for that!

I loved the story about the legend of Devil's Bridge - it would make small children have nightmares but naturally becomes a favourite hangout place for teens.  It's a focal point of the town that is about to be rocked by scandal as a teenage boy makes allegations about his teacher.  In a case of he said/she said, who is telling the truth?  The respected wife, mother and teacher or the hormone-addled teenager?

Absolutely fantastic and completely original, Rob Gittins has written an absolute blockbuster of a novel in The Devil's Bridge Affair.  It's one of the best books I've read this year and I don't just recommend it, I urge you to read it.  A well-deserved five stars and more!

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: Yellow is for Sunflowers - Kathryn Freeman

Dean Baxter was everything a sensible thirty-two-year-old teacher should avoid. Five years younger, cocky, with a playboy reputation. Oh and guardian to Tom, one of her most promising students. But Lia was a rebel at heart.

Lia Stapleton was everything that was out of reach for an uneducated garage mechanic who’d made too many mistakes. Cambridge-educated, gorgeous and from a well-heeled background, she was his brother’s teacher. But Dean couldn’t resist her.

As Dean and Lia’s tentative relationship begins, can it survive Tom’s disapproval, her parents’ interference. And the dangerous return of his past.

What did I think?

Kathryn Freeman is one of my favourite authors; her books never fail to leave me with a smile on my face and Yellow is for Sunflowers is no exception.  Just like a sunflower, this book is all bright and sunny on the outside but it has a darkness at its core with a surprising page-turning thriller element added to the heart-stopping romance story.

I love the main character of Lia; she is a teacher who really cares about her students, encouraging and guiding them to get the best out of them.  Lia clearly loves her job but she disappointed her family when she didn't follow in their footsteps and practise law.  Just as well Lia has a twin sister who did exactly what was expected of her so her parents could feel proud.  I loved the relationship between Lia and Grace with all the resentment and envy that has built up over the years, it virtually fizzes off the page.

From fizzle to sizzle - I almost burnt my fingers on my kindle when mechanic Dean Baxter entered the scene.  Dean is Lia's love interest but he's younger than her, has the reputation of a gigolo, has a dark and dangerous past that is coming back to haunt him and he's the guardian of one her students.  All good reasons not to date him, but Lia is drawn to Dean like a moth to a flame - let's just hope she doesn't get burnt.

I absolutely raced through this fabulous book; I couldn't wait to see how Lia and Dean's relationship would unfold and whether it would survive both Lia's family's disapproval and Dean's past mistake.  I loved the dark and dangerous storyline - it added a whole new dimension to an already riveting story.

Yellow is for Sunflowers is thrilling, exciting, page-turning and simply fabulous.  I loved it and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

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:

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to write a book. It may have had something to do with my obsession with reading romance. Real life interfered and I headed off in a different direction – into the world of science, becoming a pharmacist before joining the pharmaceutical industry. I did end up writing, but it was about disease and medicines. Decades later, I’m finally doing what I always wanted to do. 

With a husband who asks every Valentine's Day whether he has to buy a card (yes, he does), all the romance in my life is in my head. Then again, his unstinting support of my career change proves love isn't always about hearts and flowers - and heroes come in many disguises.

Social Media Links – 

Website:  http://kathrynfreeman.co.uk

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

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KathrynFreeman1

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathryn.freeman_author/ 

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: Confetti at the Hummingbird Hotel - Daisy James

Welcome back to the Hummingbird Hotel!

When Abbie Coleman is asked to organise a Dance & Desserts retreat for a group of exhausted schoolteachers, she decides to pull out all the stops. With line dancing, flamenco and the Charleston on the agenda, along with a whole host of delicious themed desserts, it’s her chance to prove to everyone that she has – at last – gained the skills needed to be an accomplished hotelier. This time she’s determined there will be no “unfortunate incidents” that make the Hummingbird Hotel look like Corfu’s Comedy Central.

With her big fat Greek wedding to the gorgeous Nikos Angelopoulos only three weeks away, will she finally be able to deliver a retreat without the habitual chaos and calamity the hotel has become famous for? Can she turn a clunky chicken dance into a classy Charleston and a boogie-woogie into a beautiful ballet? Or will she be boot scootin’ it back to London and life as a floundering florist?

Let Daisy James whisk you away to gorgeous Corfu with a feel-good holiday read filled with sun, sea and a sprinkle of romance. Perfect for fans of Mandy Baggot, Sue Roberts & Sandy Barker

 

What did I think?

Confetti at the Hummingbird Hotel is the sixth and final book in The Hummingbird Hotel series but you can definitely read it as a standalone.  Before jumping in at book six, I had only read the first book in the series so I was already familiar with the main characters, but enough of their background story is covered so that any new readers are not disadvantaged.

It was an absolute delight to escape to the Hummingbird Hotel once again.  This time, Abbie and her team are running a Dance & Desserts retreat for some school teachers.  The dancing and the desserts are described so exquisitely by Daisy James that I wanted to try the moves out for myself (and I always want to try the desserts).  It had my foot tapping and my stomach rumbling, that's for sure!  

There is some tension in the group of teachers and some mysterious goings-on but the very future of the Hummingbird Hotel is at stake unless Abbie can get to the bottom of it.  As if Abbie doesn't have enough on her plate, with her upcoming wedding to vineyard owner Nikos.  Abbie has so much going on and so many things going wrong that it's a wonder she doesn't feel dizzy, but with a little help from her friends I had every confidence that things would turn out alright in the end.  

Guaranteed to put a smile on your face, nothing makes me happier than reading a Daisy James book.  Filled with sunshine, smiles, delicious food and a sprinkling of lighthearted mystery, Confetti at the Hummingbird Hotel is pure escapism.  So, grab your sunglasses and head out into the garden with your kindle; you don't need your passport to escape to Corfu courtesy of Daisy James.

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:

Daisy James loves writing stories with strong heroines and swift-flowing plotlines. She especially likes to create sunshine-filled settings in exotic locations - the Caribbean, Tuscany, Cornwall, Provence - so she can spend her time envisioning her characters enjoying the fabulous scenery and sampling the local food and drink.

When not scribbling away in her peppermint-and-green summerhouse (garden shed), she spends her time sifting flour and sprinkling sugar and edible glitter. She loves gossiping with friends over a glass of something fizzy or indulging in a spot of afternoon tea - china plates and teacups are a must.

Daisy would love to hear from readers via her Facebook page or you can follow her on Twitter @daisyjamesbooks, or on Instagram @daisyjamesstories.

Social Media Links – 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009889775019

Twitter: https://twitter.com/daisyjamesbooks 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daisyjamesstories/ 

Website: https://daisyjames.co.uk/ 

Follow the tour:

The Lake - Louise Sharland

The truth lies just beneath the surface…

Kate's world falls apart when her teenage son drowns in the waters by his school. She’s convinced it wasn’t just a tragic accident, but no one will listen.

Then, six years later, Kate unearths Michael’s lost diary and realises she may finally be able uncover what really happened that night.

But as she delves deeper, she begins to realise that she didn’t really know her son – or the people in his life – at all. And that, sometimes, secrets are better left submerged…

 

What did I think?

When it comes to books filled with secrets and lies, I'm like a moth to a flame so the cover and the blurb of The Lake immediately piqued my interest.  It's so incredibly well written and addictive that I read it over a 24 hour period but it's not quite as chock full of secrets and lies as I'd expected; there's really just one big secret and its revelation didn't really come as a surprise.

It seems like the main character of Kate has been manipulated all of her life; first by her mother and the Brethren community and then by her controlling husband Adam.  Oh I really didn't like him!  Kate's grief over the loss of her son is so heartbreaking to read and she has to deal with it on her own as Adam thinks Kate should just put it behind her and move on.  I wonder if he'd have felt the same if Michael had been his son.  When Kate finds Michael's old diary, it's like she can still hold a piece of him in her hands but rather than providing comfort it gives her more questions than answers.

Collecting pieces of the puzzle, Kate is determined to find out what happened to Michael and when it comes to her cubs, the lioness has sharp teeth and claws.  I have mixed feelings about Kate; obviously I felt for her as she has lost her son but I just wish that she had stood up for Michael when he was alive.  Not that she could have prevented his death, but the pair of them could have had a very different life if circumstances had been different.  My mixed feelings for Kate also gave me mixed emotions about the ending, which I won't spoil for others, but it did make me feel confused as to what kind of person Kate actually is.

Engaging and addictive, The Lake is a well written debut from Louise Sharland.  It's more of a slow-burning drama than a fast-paced thriller but it's still very difficult to put down once you pick it up.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

BLOG TOUR: Nobody's Perfect - Stephanie Butland

 

Does your past define your future?

When her daughter was born with cystic fibrosis, Kate Micklethwaite vowed that Daisy would never be defined by the illness. Kate is determined that her perfect little girl will be known for her love of butterflies and croissants and nothing else. Kate does all she can to be the perfect mother - whatever that means - and yet, somehow, has started seeing herself the way others see her: single parent, source of small-town scandal, drop-out, former mistress. Half a family.

When Daisy starts school, Kate meets her new teacher, the kind and charming Mr Spencer Swanson. Now, with more time on her hands Kate can start thinking about her own future. With her Open University dissertation deadline looming, Kate needs to decide what she wants next. But as she and Spencer get to know each other, Kate notices that people are whispering behind her back once more . . . 

What did I think?

I planned to read Nobody's Perfect over four days but I ended up read it in two sittings as I couldn't put it down.  It just shows that a book doesn't have to be a thriller to be gripping.  In mother and daughter pairing Kate and five-year-old Daisy, Stephanie Butland has created loveable and believable characters whose story I felt emotionally invested in.

Kate is a single parent after an affair with a married man caused tongues to wag in her home town.  Although Kate may be an outcast, the positive result of her affair is adorable Daisy and I absolutely loved her.  Daisy is so vibrant as she flutters to school wearing her butterfly wings, but beneath the surface a deadly illness looms.  Daisy has cystic fibrosis which means that any threat to her respiratory system could see her ending up in hospital.  

Kate is a brilliant mum and I love how she tries to make Daisy's life as normal as possible but has a constant eye out for anything that can be harmful.  It's very thought-provoking to think that something like the common cold might be a bit of a nuisance to you or me but to others it can have serious repercussions.  Daisy is Kate's whole life but a new teacher at the school reignites Kate's passion and she has a chance to be Kate again, rather than 100% mum.  Mr Swanson does seem perfect but as the book title tells us, Nobody's Perfect.

Stephanie Butland's writing is beautiful and her characters are so well-developed that they virtually leap out from the page.  I felt every beat of Kate's heart as her love for Daisy shone through every wonderful word and I had my fingers crossed as her relationship with Spencer blossomed.  With so much to find out about each other, it was interesting to see how they both tackled a new relationship.  Kate is very much all in with all her secrets laid bare but Spencer is clearly keeping something back and you can't help but wonder whether his intentions are honourable.

Beautiful, heartwarming and thought-provoking, Nobody's Perfect is a stunning novel and one I will never forget.  It's a wonderful contemporary romance and very highly recommended.

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:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: A Little Christmas Hope - Kathryn Freeman

I am delighted to be taking part in the Rachel's Random Resources blog tour for A Little Christmas Hope by Kathryn Freeman.  I love Kathryn Freeman's books so I wouldn't miss this for the world.  I am releasing my review for my stop on the tour and you can scroll down to find out more about the book.

 

Newly promoted head teacher Anna Dalton needs a Christmas miracle – and fast! After years of sitting through excruciatingly dull Christmas productions, complete with crying children and sleeping parents, she’s determined Riddlescomb Primary School will put on a Nativity to remember. 

Enter bad boy actor Dan Ramsey, recently axed from the lead role in a TV drama and in desperate need of cleaning up his image or he’ll never work again. 

Dan can flash those heart-stopping dimples all he likes, Anna tells herself she isn’t going to fall for them. She knows why he’s decided to volunteer at the school, and it’s for the good of his career…not his soul. 

But as Anna and Dan are forced to work together for the sake of a truly magical Christmas for the children, sparks fly and they can’t help but wonder what will happen once the festive season is over…

What did I think?

What can I say about Kathryn Freeman that I haven't said before?  Her books are like your favourite pair of slippers: so warm, cozy and you never want to part with them.  A Little Christmas Hope is no different, it may be a winter story but it surrounds you in a warm glow and leaves you with a smile on your face.  Job done, Kathryn!

Dan needs to spruce up his image pretty sharpish if he wants another acting job.  After being killed off on a TV soap he went a bit wild and the press had a field day, so he decides to go back to his roots for some positive PR and see if he can help in his old primary school.  Headteacher Anna has just the job for Dan so she enlists him to help with the school nativity play, much to the chagrin of Sid who is usually solely in charge of the school play.  Can Dan turn on the charm and save his career?  

Kathryn Freeman creates such wonderful characters that you really get to know them throughout the story and you can't help but care for them.  I loved every single character in A Little Christmas Hope and as this is part of the Christmas Wishes series, I am hoping we'll catch a brief glimpse of Anna and Dan in next year's Christmas story.

A Little Christmas Hope is a beautiful story of second chances as romance blossoms and bridges are built.  I was a little disappointed that I didn't get much of a festive vibe, although maybe that was just me being a bit of a grinch.  It's so beautifully written that I was completely swept along with Anna and Dan's story and loved every second of it.

Many thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for sending me a digital copy of the book to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the author:

A former pharmacist, I’m now a medical writer who also writes romance. Some days a racing heart is a medical condition, others it’s the reaction to a hunky hero. 

I’ve two sons and a husband who asks every Valentine’s Day whether he has to buy a card (yes, he does), so any romance is all in my head. Then again, his unstinting support of my career change proves love isn't always about hearts and flowers - and heroes come in many disguises.

Social Media Links – 

Website:  http://kathrynfreeman.co.uk

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

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KathrynFreeman1

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: Questions of Perspective - Daniel Maunz

I'm thrilled to be taking part in the Rachel's Random Resources Blog Tour for Questions of Perspective by Daniel Maunz.  This is a very intriguing and completely unique book so scroll down to see what I thought.

No one knew it at the time, but April 19, 2011, was the most important day in the history of the world.

After his only friend and colleague, John Manta, disappears without a word, Dave Randall further entrenches himself in the humdrum life of an unenthusiastic lawyer. But once he begins to understand what happened, he embarks on a journey to uncover the deeper meanings and implications of John's fate.

Accompanied by Peaches the cat, Dave uproots his life and reinvents himself in the midst of his search. Along the way, he is haunted by his piecemeal understanding of John's fate and what it means for his existence. Little does Dave know, his journey of self-discovery will have ramifications that extend far beyond the borders of his own little life.

What did I think?

Once in a while a book comes along that could change your life and Questions of Perspective will certainly do just that.  Everyone who reads it will take something away with them and it will be different for every single person.  Even though it is fiction, and a brilliant story at that, it inadvertently comes with the added benefit of being something of a self-help or self-reflection book.

With aspirations to join the FBI, Dave studied law at university and finds himself working at a law firm in New York.  Whilst training as an attorney (and rather hilariously simultaneously developing into an asshole) he befriends one of his colleagues, John.  John is a bit of a strange character at work; the partners and his peers dislike him but the secretaries and associates get on well with him.  When John doesn't turn up for work, Dave goes to check up on him and comes away with John's cat, Peaches.  Be warned, Peaches will steal your heart as much as he steals the show.  I don't think Peaches even realises he is a cat, I'm sure he thinks he's just a really cool guy.

When Dave finally finds out what happened to John, it changes his whole life.  Dave resigns from his job, leaves New York with Peaches in tow and retrains as a teacher in a little town near Woodstock.  John's new existence leaves Dave with many questions but also with a new way to look at the world.  I've always been aware of the difference between looking and seeing, but find I'm often guilty of walking or driving on autopilot when going to familiar places.  It's certainly reminded me to make the effort to see my surroundings rather than take them for granted.

The beauty of this book is that you can take as much or as little from it as you wish.  Although it does centre around the existence of god, it's not religious so it won't offend anyone with particular beliefs.  It's naturally very thought-provoking and worthy of further discussion.  I think I'll be bringing Questions of Perspective into conversation for quite some time.

Questions of Perspective is a highly original, unique and thought-provoking book; I can't even begin to describe how awesome it is.  It's a book filled with so many messages that each individual reader will find something that resonates with them.  Questions of Perspective is a completely unforgettable, stunning and captivating debut and one I'll be recommending for a very long time.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:
Amazon UK
Amazon US




About the author:

When he is not writing, Daniel Maunz works as an attorney as in-house counsel for a major insurance company. He currently lives in Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, with his wife Lynne, their son Patrick, and their two cats: Admiral Meowy McWhiskers and Captain Cutie (or "Admiral" and "Captain" for short). Questions of Perspective is his first novel.

Social Media Links –

www.facebook.com/maunzdaniel/

twitter.com/MaunzDaniel

instagram.com/danielmaunz

Follow the tour:

Q - Christina Dalcher

IN THIS WORLD, PERFECTION IS EVERYTHING.

Elena Fairchild is a teacher at one of the state’s new elite schools. Her daughters are exactly like her: beautiful, ambitious, and perfect. A good thing, since the recent mandate that’s swept the country is all about perfection.

Now everyone must undergo routine tests for their quotient, Q, and any children who don’t measure up are placed into new government schools. Instead, teachers can focus on the gifted.

Elena tells herself it’s not about eugenics, not really, but when one of her daughters scores lower than expected and is taken away, she intentionally fails her own test to go with her.

But what Elena discovers is far more terrifying than she ever imagined…

What did I think?

I enjoyed Christina Dalcher's debut, Vox, but WOW she has completely outdone herself with her second dystopian thriller, Q.  Q is so addictive that I found it impossible to put down and only ended up reading it in two sittings because I had to sleep in between.  If I'd timed it right, I definitely would have read it in one sitting.

I started reading Q and thought it was going to be a story about motherhood and Elena's fight to keep her daughters safe, which it is to a degree but oh my word it is so much more than that.  Everyone in this dystopian future is continually tested and given a Q rating; the pressure to perform has never been more intense, especially when under-performance has such drastic consequences.  

Elena has two daughters: Anne who seems to glide through school effortlessly and wears her Q number with pride and Freddie who struggles with the pressure of tests and sees her Q number dropping like a stone.  Elena loves both her daughters but her husband Malcolm doesn't have any time for Freddie and is only interested in his perfect daughter Anne.  Malcolm is an absolutely vile character; it's like he's a robot with no feelings for his family unless they are performing to the perfect standards that he was instrumental in implementing.  Elena deserves extra points just for putting up with him!

Q completely floored me; it's shocking, horrifying, disturbing and completely believable, especially as the novel is inspired by real historical events.  Events that we don't learn in history class as they are far too horrific and disturbing.  Although I'd never heard of the American Eugenics Movement, I was aware of the Nazi eugenics program where Hitler planned to produce a pure Aryan race.  Never has a book been more thought-provoking and actively demanding of further research; you simply can't read Q and be unaffected by the subject matter.  I just hope I haven't set off an alarm in MI5 with all of my googling of eugenics.

Q is absolutely brilliant; it's a novel that has remained in my thoughts long after I finished reading.  It's a shocking, stunning and compelling book that I want to read again and I can't recommend it highly enough.  

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon




#JoinTheQ and check out the Q Blogger Takeover: