BLOG TOUR: Too Far - Jason Starr

One night. One date. What have you got to lose?

Jack Harper isn’t a bad man, but he’s stuck in a loveless marriage with a mediocre job just trying to keep sober. The only good thing in his life is his son. When an old college friend introduces him to a new extramarital dating website, he tentatively reaches out to find a distraction from his misery. But when he goes to meet up with his steamy online date, he quickly realises it was a dire choice.

Soon, Jack finds himself desperately trying to prove his innocence for crimes he did not commit, and the life he once had – unhappy as it was – is nothing but a dream. Now, he’s living his worst nightmare. . .

Gripping and packed with shocking twists and turns, this intense psychological thriller plays with a basic anxiety we all harbour: What if one reckless decision could ruin your life forever?

What did I think?

I wasn't sure that I was going to like Too Far from the opening pages, as the world of real estate is not something that interests me, but I'm so pleased that it didn't put me off as there's an absolutely gripping story to discover within the pages of this thrilling book.  I absolutely raced through it and, although I had some suspicions, I loved the way the story played out.  The writing is so visual that I wouldn't be surprised to see this story on our tv screens at some point.

I actually really liked the character of Jack; I felt as if he was just going through the motions of life.  Doing a job in real estate that he hates and with a marriage that is barely holding together, I don't know how he managed to stay sober.  When he meets up with an old friend whose life seems illicit and exciting, Jack doesn't see the harm in logging on to an website for married people to hook up.  He doesn't plan to register but when he gets a message from a woman who seems to be made for him, he can't resist.  The moment he inputs his credit card details, wheels are set in motion that could see him lose everything he ever held dear and there's nothing as dangerous as a man who has nothing left to lose.

I'm sure many of us have dabbled in online dating (for singles though, not married people), there really is nothing as exciting as making that connection with someone who feels just right for you.  Then you hear the horror stories of catfishing, where people pretend to be somebody they're not, and you wonder if the person you are connecting with really is too good to be true.  It's a real minefield, as Jack found out in this book, and I really loved the way the author showed the two sides of the online dating coin.

Too Far is a very current thriller in this day and age of online dating; it's a gripping, fast-paced page-turner that I thoroughly enjoyed.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon



About the author:

Jason Starr is the international bestselling author of many crime novels and thrillers and his books have been published in over a dozen languages. Many of his books are in development for film and TV. Starr's bestselling crime novels include Cold Caller, Nothing Personal, Fake ID, Hard Feelings, Tough Luck and Twisted City, followed by Lights Out, The Follower, Panic Attack, Savage Lane and his latest novel, Too Far. He is one of only a handful of authors who have won the Anthony Award for mystery fiction multiple times. He was born in Brooklyn and lives in Manhattan.

Links:

www.noexit.co.uk

https://twitter.com/noexitpress

https://twitter.com/JasonStarrBooks

http://jasonstarr.com/

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: The Spectacular Vision of Oskar Dunkelblick - Hattie Holden-Edmonds

I am delighted to be taking part in the Red Door Books blog tour for The Spectacular Vision of Oskar Dunkelblick by Hattie Holden Edmonds by releasing my review for the tour.

Oskar is the ultimate teenage loner. He's been living on the streets since he was a kid, he hates being touched and his eyes are always itchy from chronic conjunctivitis. To perk himself up, he paints the misery of mankind. After all, there's so much of that about...

One day during a not-so-routine eye test, Oskar's bleak perspective is blown apart when he tries on a pair of very unusual lenses. The world he glimpses is filled with love, light and wonder and he is furious. But those lenses have opened his inner eye and much against his darker nature, Oskar's perception and behaviour begin to change in ways that he could never, ever have imagined.

What did I think?

This was one of those books that I just had to read as soon as I heard the quirky title.  As much as it is fun and quirky, it is also very dark in places which made me experience a wealth of emotions for Oskar.

Brought up by a single mother, Oskar had a difficult childhood and, being very determined to find his father, this inevitably led to him running away from home.  I really felt for Oskar as he scoured the streets looking for a man he'd never met to fill the hole in his heart.  Oskar is so quirky that he must be on the autistic spectrum and the way that he interacts with people would support this.  He doesn't recognise other people's feelings and uses their misery for his art.  A misery that he causes and manipulates, which made me very uncomfortable at times and I felt my feelings for Oskar change very quickly from empathy to intense dislike.

Although part of the story is Oskar having his eyes opened to beauty that's all around us if you choose to look for it, I just couldn't get past the dislike for Oskar that had grown within me.  I guess I could see that he had changed for the better but it was too late for the people that he had trampled on in his past.  I loved the idea of special lenses that made you see all the love and light in the world but I would also like an eraser to unsee all the darkness that was burned into my retinas.  It isn't a criticism of the book at all; to evoke such intense feelings in a reader means that that book has substance and quality, I just think that readers should be prepared for the dark side of Oskar that came as a bit of a shock to me.

The Spectacular Vision of Oskar Dunkelblick is both quirky and enlightening but also intensely dark and disturbing.  Let Oskar open your eyes to the many colours of the human psyche.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon



Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: The Real McCoy - Claire Cock-Starkey

I absolutely adore Claire Cock-Starkey's books so I am thrilled to take part in the blog tour for her latest book: The Real McCoy.  I have a fascinating extract to share with you as I close the tour and you can also read my review of this brilliant book.

The extract I have for you is 'guillotine' and I'm sure you will find the story as riveting as I did, especially as not everyone is delighted to have their name attached to something for eternity.

The English language is rich with eponyms - words that are named after an individual - some better known than others. 

This book features 150 of the most interesting and enlightening specimens, delving into the origins of the words and describing the fascinating people after whom they were named. Eponyms are derived from numerous sources. Some are named in honour of a style icon, inventor or explorer, such as pompadour, Kalashnikov and Cadillac. Others have their roots in Greek or Roman mythology, such as panic and tantalise. A number of eponyms, however, are far from celebratory and were created to indicate a rather less positive association - into this category can be filed boycott, Molotov cocktail and sadist. 

Encompassing eponyms from medicine, botany, invention, science, fashion, food and literature, this book uncovers the intriguing tales of discovery, mythology, innovation and infamy behind the eponyms we use every day. 

The perfect addition to any wordsmith's bookshelf.

What did I think?

Oh my word, The Real McCoy is such a fascinating book.  If you haven't come across Claire Cock-Starkey's riveting little books then you really are missing out on a treat.  I recommend every single one of them; see my reviews of The Book Lovers' Miscellany and A Library Miscellany.

Have you ever wondered about the origin of some of the everyday words in our English language?  Claire Cock-Starkey has gathered together some of the most amazing stories behind some well-known words in this collection of 150 eponyms.  An eponym is a person after whom something is named and some obviously have a person's name in their title, such as Earl Grey tea, Bunsen burner and Alzheimer's disease but my eyes opened in surprise and delight as I read about the less obvious eponyms; such everyday words as cereal, hygiene and biro.

This is a book to read from cover to cover then to revisit by dipping in and out of in order to regale your family and friends with your favourite linguistic stories.  There are some familiar stories like wellington, cardigan and sandwich but, even though I already knew their origin, they are told in such a perfectly concise way as to jog your memory and help to digest the facts.  It's a book that you won't be able to help yourself sharing with others as I found myself reading some of the stories out loud to my family.  That really is the mark of a good book when you feel the need to share it with others.

I absolutely adored The Real McCoy; it's fascinating, informative and the perfect gift for that awkward to buy for book lover in your life.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon



Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: The Eyes That Look - Julia Grigg

This compelling novel of art and adventure, Julia Grigg’s debut, is set in the feverish creativity of mid-sixteenth century Italy. Francesco Bassano wants to find out how and why an extraordinary painting was made; the story traces his quest to discover the secrets of the portrait’s past. Francesco’s journey, his coming-of-age, takes him and his questions to Venice, Verona, Maser and Florence. Encountering the High Renaissance’s masters Titian, Veronese and Vasari in the very act of creating and recording the era’s stupendous art and architecture, he is witness to astonishing achievements. Enthralled, he learns of the determination needed for innovation and the sacrifices demanded of an artist if cherished ambition is to become reality. Little by little he unravels what lies behind the painting, gaining new understanding of love, truth and beauty, and of loyalty, devotion and the unbreakable bond between a master and his dogs. However, in delving deeper, the past’s dark side reveals itself: cruelty, inhumanity and human frailty ­­– and Francesco cannot avoid the experience of bitter betrayal.

A spirited, entertaining fiction drawing on historical facts, The Eyes that Look is multi-sensual in its storytelling, inviting readers to revel in the unrivalled artistic riches of the Italian Renaissance.

What did I think?

A book with a theme of art is not my kind of thing at all but Julia Grigg has opened my eyes to a whole new world with her beautifully written colourful book set in 16th Century Italy.  The line chosen for the blog tour poster is so perfectly apt in summing up the book: 'Only by looking will you learn to see'.  This is a book that both art lovers and historical fiction fans will never forget.

The beautiful painting of Two Hunting Dogs by Jacopo Bassano is depicted on the inside cover and through the pages that follow we learn the story behind this painting through several different voices, but mainly through Jacopo's son, Francesco.  Francesco's story is an absolutely riveting adventure through the vivid sights and sounds of Italy and I enjoyed it so much more than I expected to.

Julia Grigg's love for her subject really shines through every page but by creating such colourful characters she has made the story so accessible to those of us without knowledge of art.  It's silly I know, but I have never thought about the story behind paintings; of course there had to be one to inspire the artist in the first place.  This is how Julia Grigg has opened my eyes to a whole new world as I now find myself looking more closely at not only paintings but photographs in order to see the story behind them.

An absolutely stellar debut that both surprised and delighted me from start to finish.  I feel like I have been given a life lesson as I can see the world in so much more colour after reading The Eyes That Look and I intend to keep looking in order to learn to see.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon





Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: The Promise - Katerina Diamond

No one can protect you from your past…

When a young woman is found strangled in her own bedroom, DS Imogen Grey and DS Adrian Miles are plunged into an investigation to find a twisted serial killer who likes to date his victims before he kills them.

Determined to stop the horrific deaths, Imogen is forced to act as bait – but will she get caught in her own trap? As the search for the killer ramps up, attention falls on the strange new boy in town. Why does he watch his neighbours through the windows? And could the truth be closer to home than any of them realise?

What did I think?

I absolutely loved Katarina Diamond's first book in the DS Grey and DS Miles series, The Teacher, but I am guilty of reading The Promise which is book 4 before books 2 and 3.  It definitely reads well as a standalone because there are references to earlier events that made me want to find out more, rather than feel as if I had missed something crucial.

With many of us singletons turning to online dating these days, The Promise is very relevant and a little scary.  It is very well written and clearly well researched as it is always a fear of mine that the person you are talking to online is somebody entirely different in real life...aka a catfish.  This is what is happening to the women in The Promise as they are chosen and groomed into meeting their perfect man who kills them on the first date.  DS Imogen Grey is so determined to catch the killer that she puts herself on a dating site as bait...but will hers or the killer's trap be sprung first?

There's also a dual storyline about a teenage boy, Connor.  Connor is a very troubled teen and he has moved to the UK from America with his Dad who beats him.  Under times of stress, Connor has seizures and you can't help but feel for this young man.  He has been written with a huge heart underneath his cool exterior and I loved how he was drawn to his neighbour, Selina, who isn't one of the popular girls at school.  It was so sad to see how his character has evolved due to his family history and it's scary to think how events in our past can shape us.

Fast-paced, current and gripping, The Promise is another fabulous page turner from Katerina Diamond that has me frantically back peddling to fill in the gaps between The Promise and The Teacher.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon


Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: What Happened to Us? - Faith Hogan

Carrie Nolan is devastated when she is dumped by Kevin Mulvey after more than a decade without even a backwards glance! On reflection, she has sacrificed her own long term happiness establishing their critically acclaimed Dublin restaurant and pandering to his excessive ego.

Meanwhile Kevin can’t believe his luck. Valentina, their new waitress is a stunner, the kind of girl that turns heads when she walks in a room and surprise, surprise she has chosen him! He is living the dream!

Carrie seeks solace from a circle of mismatched friends who need her as much as she needs them. Jane, who struggles to run the pub on the opposite side of the street, Luke, who has stopped drifting while his father settles in a nearby nursing home and Teddy, a dog who asks for nothing more than the chance to stay by Carrie’s side.

With Christmas just around the corner, all is not quite as it seems and a catastrophic sequence of events leads to the unthinkable...

How far do you need to fall before you learn the true value of family and friends? And is it ever too late to start again...

What did I think?

I absolutely adore Faith Hogan's books so I was really eager to read her latest book, What Happened to Us?  With a main character that you will instantly take to your heart, this is a beautiful story of relationships and friendship with a surprising twist of fate.  

Carrie and Kevin seem to have the perfect partnership: a long standing relationship and owners of a prestigious restaurant in Dublin.  When Kevin drops a bombshell that he is dumping Carrie for their sexy Columbian waitress, Valentina, Carrie thinks her world has ended.  With Valentina eager to get her claws into Kevin's business too, Carrie feels more and more pushed out.

Taking a step back from the restaurant, Carrie spends more time with Jane Marchant who owns a pub over the road.  It may seem like an unlikely friendship but fate has played a hand in this one, especially when handsome Luke and cute dog Teddy enter Carrie and Jane's life.  It just shows that some things are meant to be.

I loved the characters in this book, from lovable Carrie to detestable Valentina with spineless Kevin in between.  Carrie has such a huge heart and Kevin clearly didn't deserve it so I was delighted when he gets a taste of his own medicine with Valentina.  I also loved the story around Jane who has kept her pub running after being widowed despite being scared to be on her own.  The growth of her friendship with both Carrie and Luke left a warm fuzzy glow around my heart; something that Faith Hogan always seems to manage to do through her beautifully emotive writing.

What Happened to Us? is a heartwarming story of love, loss, friendship and new beginnings that completely captivated me and effortlessly spirited me away to Dublin for a short while. 

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

My rating:

Buy links

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2Pv3cCJ
iBooks: https://apple.co/2BBjSpp

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2o3aMrV
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2OHDsSO

About the author:

Faith was born in Ireland and currently lives there with her husband, four children and two fussy cats. She gained an Honors Degree in English Literature and Psychology from Dublin City University and a Postgraduate from University College, Galway. She was a winner in the 2014 Irish Writers Centre Novel Fair- an international competition for emerging writers. When she’s not writing, she’s an enthusiastic dog walker and reluctant jogger.

Follow Faith

Twitter: @gerhogan

Facebook: @faithhoganauthor

Follow the tour:

BLOG BLITZ: One Perfect Witness - Pat Young

On a remote Scottish hillside, three paths meet. On each path, a boy, one carrying a gun.

When their paths cross, a shot is fired and a boy dies.

That leaves two - one killer and one perfect witness.

This killer will stop at nothing to make sure the witness says nothing. Difficult for most people, even for someone who's been guarding a secret of his own for five years.

What if the witness decides he's been silent too long? Sometimes even the unspeakable must be spoken, if we can find the words.

What did I think?

Pat Young is such a talented writer and I am pleased to say that I have read all three of her excellent books.  One Perfect Witness is her latest book and I have to say that it completely tugged on my heartstrings, often bringing tears to my eyes, as Charlie struggled to be noticed by his parents.

Charlie totally stole the show as the main character and you can't help but take this young lad to your heart.  Now twelve years old, he stopped talking when he was younger and nobody knows why.  He is tired of going unnoticed by his parents and he makes a rash decision to steal his father's gun that will have explosive consequences.  All of this happens in chapter 1 and with such an amazing jaw dropping ending to an opening chapter, I just had to read on.

Sebastien, meanwhile, is going on an adventure.  Swapping sunny Paris for a summer job in wet and windy Scotland, but his mother has a bad feeling about him leaving.  A mother's instinct is never wrong and my heart was breaking for Catherine as she tried to locate her son.  With someone now assuming Sebastien's identity, Catherine's emotions were put through the wringer as she went from worrying about her son's safety to elation that he was safe but too busy to call her.

Unfortunately, Charlie and Sebastien's paths were destined to cross, albeit briefly, which will change both of their lives forever.  Can Charlie ever speak the words that will take Sebastien home?

With an absolutely killer first chapter, One Perfect Witness hooked me from the start.  I was willing Charlie to find the strength to speak and put an end to the campaign of terror he was being subjected to.  There was a strong sense of family running through the story and I couldn't help but compare Charlie and Sebastien.  The love that Sebastien's family had for him was plain for all to see but Charlie felt like he was invisible and that absolutely broke my heart.

One Perfect Witness is another unforgettable book by Pat Young; it's a book that will simultaneously get your heart racing and breaking with the fast paced dysfunctional family storyline.

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 grew up in the south west of Scotland where she still lives, sometimes. She often goes to the other extreme, the south west of France, in search of sunlight.

Pat never expected to be a writer. Then she found a discarded book with a wad of cash tucked in the flyleaf. ‘What if something awful happened to the person who lost this book?’ she thought, and she was off.

Pat knew nothing of writing, but she knew a thing or two about books, having studied English, French and German at Glasgow University. A passion for languages led to a career she loved and then a successful part-time business that allowed her some free-time, at last.

Pat had plans, none of which included sitting at her desk from daybreak till dusk. But some days she has to. Because there’s a story to be told. And when it’s done, she can go out to play. On zip-wires and abseil ropes, or just the tennis court.

Pat writes psychological thrillers. Her debut novel Till the Dust Settles, has been awarded the Scottish Association of Writers’ Constable Stag trophy. Following publication in July

2017 Pat was delighted to be chosen as an ‘emerging talent’ for Crime in the Spotlight and read from Till the Dust Settles to an audience at Bloody Scotland – another dream come true.

Published by Bloodhound Books, I Know Where You Live is the much-anticipated sequel to Pat’s gripping and unmissable debut thriller, Till the Dust Settles. It too is a psychological thriller with a skilfully told story that makes for an enjoyable stand alone read. It will hook you from the start.

One Perfect Witness, Pat’s third novel to be published, tells a completely new story. If, like Pat, you’re fascinated by what happens when someone disappears, you’ll enjoy this book of secrets, lies and deception.

Links:

Twitter: @py321_young 

Follow the blitz: