Title - The Misadventures of a Playground Mother.
Author - Christie Barlow Format - ebook Source - Review copy via Netgalley Rating 5/5 After a year of country living, Rachel Young is finally getting into the swing of things. Her four kids are happy and content at the village school, and she’s managed to navigate the choppy (shark-infested) waters of the playground mafia. Or… so she thought. When playground mum Penelope Kensington moves herself and her kids into Rachel’s home, after discovering husband Rupert has been having an affair, Rachel knows she must ask them politely to leave. The problem is, Penelope never takes no for an answer. As Rachel tries to deal with Penelope, she also meets new school mum Melanie. Melanie is a breath of fresh air, but her arrival sends ripples of gossip through the playground. Melanie has a few secrets in her closet, and it seems she’s not the only one…
Oh wow what a brilliantly funny read this was. I stood in the playground waiting on my little one coming out of class, while reading this on my kindle. I stood laughing imagining what all those other parents must think of me. lol. Lucky for me, I really don't care, and try to keep myself to myself in the playground.
This was one of those books, you just can't help smile at while you are reading, a very easy read, and great a great fun read. It has laugh out moments, and a few, OH NO WAY moments. This Is the first book I have read from this author and will certainly be looking out for more. It really gave me an uplift, and brightened up my day while reading this. Anyone feeling a little down in the dumps should read this book. I liked the character Rachel and thought she has a whole lot of patience, certainly a lot more that I have that's for sure. Penelope was a character that I kind of liked and disliked at the same time. There is so much i want to say about the story line, but I can't give it all away and spoil it for those of you that have not read it yet. Because believe me.. You do want to read it, I can just tell by your face. It's just one of those books you can relate to, a real life kind of book. The Characters as you read through the book, you will probably know someone just like each one of them. lol. A great fun believable read. I just wish I had read the previous book before this one. Then I could have read them back to back.
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Title - The Wild Child.
Author - Casey Watson Format - ebook Source - Review copy via Netgalley Rating 4/5 Casey tells the harrowing story of Connor, an eight year old boy from a broken home who comes to stay with her family. It’s a Saturday morning when Casey and Mike are asked to take in eight year old Connor – an emergency placement, just for a couple of days, following a violent incident at his now former care home. And Casey’s instinct, as ever, is to say yes. With long term foster son Tyler off to football, and no particular plans for the weekend, even the fact that Connor arrives in what looks like a prison van doesn’t phase her – after all, challenging children are what she and Mike have trained for. And how much trouble can he really be? He’s eight. A lot, as it turns out. Connor is as streetwise as they come, and, hurt and angry, seems determined to cause trouble from the off. But despite the attitude, there’s something strangely endearing about their little visitor that makes Casey want to tease out the frightened child behind the swagger. So much so that, with Connor and Tyler getting on so well, she wonders – should they say they’ll keep him longer? It seems like the easiest decision in the world …
As this is a short story, I find it hard to say what I think of the book, without giving away too much.
It was a really interesting read. I really did enjoy it. I think foster carers do an amazing job. And often don't get the praise they so deserve. I considered fostering once upon a time myself. Its something I think I would have enjoyed. My husband was dead against it. He couldn't cope with the thought of looking after a child, and growing attached and then giving it back so to speak. I think If a foster carer, cares for a child even just a short time, knowing you have helped or done something for that child even if its just putting a roof over their head over night, it must be so rewarding. I think it really does take a special kind of person. Casey, and her husband Mike have Conner come to stay, its an emergency placement just for the weekend. Connor for want of a better phrase is a little shit. A very mixed up little boy. Very street wise for his age, at only 8 it seems Connor know's more about life that some teenagers do. As I said with this only being a short story I really don't want to give too much away, the fact that it is a true story makes even more heart breaking. This book really is worth a read. I don't think you would be disappointed.
Title - Unexpected
Author - Rosie Lewis Format - ebook Source - Review copy via Netgalley Rating 4/5 A dramatic and heartwarming story from foster carer, Rosie Lewis. Ellen, a 28-year-old office worker is so shocked by the sudden birth of her baby that she abandons the newborn in hospital. Foster carer Rosie Lewis begins visiting baby Hope in hospital, then a week later she is released into her care. At first Rosie struggles to understand how any mother could abandon a small baby, but when Ellen begins daily visits with Hope, Rosie sees a young woman traumatised by a dark secret. Rosie wants to help the young woman and the baby in her care and must fight to bring them together.
It's difficult not to say too much in a review when the book you have just read was a short story.
But I had a spare hour, while the house was empty so I put my feet up and got stuck into this. It is only around 43 pages long, or should that say short, but It is a good story. A sad story but good if that makes any sense. I think knowing it was true story makes it a little harder to read as it was quite sad, But still it was interest and kept me reading. The only thing stopped me going the whole hog and giving it a full 5 starts was it was too short, I know it's a short story, but this seemed a very short story. Title - Dead Wrong Author - Helen H Durrant Format - ebook Source - Review copy via Netgalley Rating 4/5 A bag of severed fingers is found in the playground by a rough housing estate“An edge of your seat detective thriller which had me completely enthralled. Calladine and Bayliss are fascinating police partners. The end was both surprising and uplifting.” Beth Boyd “A must-read new police procedural that will have you gripped. The characters, setting, and plot are detailed and believable. Can’t wait for the next one.” Sarah Stevens First a shooting, then a grisly discovery on the common . . . Police partners, D.I. Calladine and D.S. Ruth Bayliss race against time to track down a killer before the whole area erupts in violence. Their boss thinks it’s all down to drug lord Ray Fallon, but Calladine’s instincts say something far nastier is happening on the Hobfield housing estate. Can this duo track down the murderer before anyone else dies and before the press publicize the gruesome crimes? Detectives Calladine and Bayliss are led on a trail which gets dangerously close to home. In a thrilling finale they race against time to rescue someone very close to Calladine’s heart. If you like Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott, Mel Sherratt, Ruth Rendell, or Mark Billingham you will be gripped by this exciting new crime fiction writer. DEAD WRONG is the first in a new series of detective thrillers featuring D.S. Ruth Bayliss and D.I. Tom Calladine. Tom Calladine is a single, fifty-one-year-old detective inspector who is devoted to his job. His personal life, however, is not so successful. Having been married and divorced before the age of twenty-one has set a pattern that he finds difficult to escape. Ruth Bayliss is in her mid-thirties, plain-speaking but loyal. She wishes she had more time for the gym and a love life. She uses her demanding workload as an excuse not to try too hard with the men she meets. The series is set in the fictional village of Leesdon on the outskirts of an industrial northern English city. There is little work and a lot of crime. The bane of Calladine’s life is the Hobfield housing estate, breeding ground to all that is wrong with the area that he calls home. I like the look of this book as soon as I saw it, and I was lucky enough to get a review copy. Half way through this book I went and purchased book 2, so i could get it started once this one finished. I did enjoy the book, quite gruesome and grizzly in parts, but that just adds to the great story line of it. I also like it when I start a new series of books, getting to know the characters, And I think Tom Calladine and Ruth Bayliss are going to be very interesting people to get to know in future books. I liked these two, and I find with books like this that form part of a series, it's the lives of the main characters that are just as interesting as the crimes they are trying to solve. I look forward to getting to know these two more, and seeing where life's journey takes them. It was a very good read, and kept me interested throughout. Towards the end I had a few holding my breath moments, and a few funny looks, when I was talking to my kindle saying "NO" and "OMG" A Brilliantly interesting read. This is the first book I have read, so another new author for me, but it certainly will not be the last, as I now have book 2 and book 3 waiting for me, and I really am looking forward to reading them. Title - The Kray Brothers The Image Shattered Author - Craig Cabell Format - ebook Source - Review copy via Netgalley Rating 3.5/5 Legends become distorted over time. People have their own interpretation of the story. This startling account of the Kray Brothers’ activities is one of the most revered and respected ever published. The Krays never received parole and many people still wonder why. In the end it was the System that won. However, the legend still persists and many people wonder why. Revelations include: - Why Reggie Kray never consummated his marriage to Frances. - The real reason why Ronnie Kray killed George Cornell. - A famous transcript of the Kray trial taken from the original documents. To shatter the image of the Kray brothers, one must first strip away the celebrity status attached to them and glimpse inside the sharp suits to expose the true characters of London’s most notorious gangsters. Since 1995 journalist Craig Cabell has been researching the lives of the Kray Twins. After a meeting with their elder brother Charlie shortly after Ronnie Kray’s funeral, Cabell became intrigued by the myths and legends surrounding the lives of the Krays. The resulting book is a fascinating study based on meticulous research at the Public Record Office and on interviews with the Krays’ inner circle. ‘The Kray Brothers: The Image Shattered’ details the criminal life of the Kray Twins up to their incarceration for the murders of Jack ‘the hat’ McVitie and George Cornell. It also takes a closer look at the conspiracies surrounding them and the official line that the Krays never showed any remorse for their crimes, that they were single-minded and made an example of. Cabell delivers a step-by-step account of the murders of these two villains and describes the killing of ‘Mad Axeman’ Frank Mitchell. He also discusses the likelihood of other murders committed by the Krays and finally puts to rest any possibility of the alleged murder of Reggie’s wife Frances by Ronnie Kray. ‘The Image Shattered’ presents the unglamorous truth where inaccuracy and sensationalism have previously been the accepted norm. With detailed interviews with people close to the Krays, ‘The Image Shattered’ represents a milestone in the analysis of London’s most notorious criminals. ‘Groundbreaking’ - Bibliophile Books Craig Cabell was a freelance reporter for 20 years, working most notably for The Independent newspaper. He spent five years as an in-house reporter with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) House journal Focus. Craig is the author of 18 biography and history books (and over 20 chap books). Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent digital publisher. For more information on our titles please sign up to our newsletter at www.endeavourpress.com. Each week you will receive updates on free and discounted ebooks. Follow us on Twitter: @EndeavourPress and on Facebook via http://on.fb.me/1HweQV7. We are always interested in hearing from our readers. Endeavour Press believes that the future is now. I'm still undecided on this. It was Interesting in parts, but a little lacking in others, I didn't feel like oh wow. There is something about the Kray Brothers, that despite what they did and what they were about, they are still a little fascinating. Evil but Fascinating. It was interesting to read some of the background of them, how they grew up, how you can go from being a normal child to a monster. I have read a few books about the Krays and this one is just another one for me. it didn't give me the oh wow this is totally different from all the others. It was well put together, quite a lot of information, and interesting.
Title - Girl Alone
Author - Cathy Glass Format - ebook Source - Review copy via Netgalley Rating 5/5 Aged nine Joss came home from school to discover her father's suicide. She's never gotten over it. This is the true story of Joss, 13 who is angry and out of control. At the age of nine, Joss finds her father’s dead body. He has committed suicide. Then her mother remarries and Joss bitterly resents her step-father who abuses her mentally and physically. Cathy takes Joss under her wing but will she ever be able to get through to the warm-hearted girl she sees glimpses of underneath the vehement outbreaks of anger that dominate the house, and will Cathy be able to build up Joss’s trust so she can learn the full truth of the terrible situation?
It's a few years since I read a book by Cathy Glass, and when I saw this one, I really wanted to give it a read. I enjoy books like this occasionally in between all the crime books I read.
I was lucky enough to get a review copy of this book. And I couldn't wait to start it. I enjoy the writing style of Cathy Glass, and the way the books are told. Honest and down to the point. This is by no doubt another fantastic book. I think the blurb about the book gives enough of what it is about and I don't want to go into the story for fear of giving anything away about how it goes. But it is really interesting how a family copes with such big changes. It was good hearing some more on Cathy's other children. I felt like I was visiting a family I hadn't seen for a while. It really is a good read, if you have read and enjoyed any of Cathy's previous books. Then you will really enjoy this one. If you have read this book, there is now an update available on Cathy's web page. http://www.cathyglass.co.uk/girlalone_update.html but only check it out if you have read the book... About the Author Cathy Glass, who writes under a pseudonym, has been a foster carer for more than twenty-five years. She has three children of her own. Title - THE RIVER IS DARK Author - JOE HART Format - ebook Source - Review copy via Netgalley Rating 3/5 In a small town along the Mississippi River, separate but nearly identical attacks have left two married couples brutally murdered in their homes. A young boy—the lone survivor of the killings—now lies comatose in the hospital. And the police’s only lead is the boy’s terrified description of the assailant: a “monster.” Enter former homicide detective Liam Dempsey, whose estranged brother fell victim to the killer. Dragged into the investigation as a suspect, Dempsey vows to solve the case and clear his name. But two things stand between him and the truth: a web of local politics, and the grim secrets the victims held close. All the while, a murderer with boundless hatred continues to raise the body count. As the troubled ex-cop tries to pull justice from the town’s emotional wreckage, he realizes that his could be the next life lost to the killer’s ruthless, twisted plan for revenge. My Thoughts I had had this book on my kindle for a while, and after reading some great books couldn't decide what to read next, so I checked which I'd had the longest, and started there. I hate it when I realise I've had a good book waiting for me for so long, but then I like it, that I have just discovered something good to read when I just didn't know what to start. Joe Hart is also a new author for me. As this story develops the jigsaw starts piecing together. Liam Dempsey is an ex detective, and has gone to find out why his brother has died. Or more importantly why his brother has been brutally murdered. there is enough going on in this book to keep you guessing, and keep you interested. But for me I felt something was lacking. I just don't know what. It was quite a quick read only being 242 pages. Biography
Joe Hart grew up on a lonely 91 acres of farmland in northern Minnesota and without many playmates or company, began writing when he was 9. His first literary love was Stephen King (and still is) but he has expanded his scope to other influential authors. He published his first poems at age 17 and his first collection of short horror stories at 29. He is currently working on a novel. He lives with his wife and two children in northern Minnesota. Joe loves hearing from readers, feel free to email him at [email protected].
Title - Down Among the Dead Men.
Author - Kerry Wilkinson Format - ebook Source - Review copy from Author. Rating 4/5 Available for pre-order. This item will be released on 22 October 2015.
Down Among the Dead Men is a dark underworld thriller from bestselling crime writer, Kerry Wilkinson. 'I'm going to do you a favour: I'm going to tell you my name and then I'm going to give you thirty seconds to turn and run. If any of you are still here after those thirty seconds, then we're going to have a problem'. Jason Green's life is changed for good after he is saved from a mugging by crime boss, Harry Irwell. He is then drawn into Manchester's notorious underworld, where smash and grab is as normal as making a cup of tea. But Jason isn't a casual thug. He has a life plan that doesn't involve blowing his money on the usual trappings. That is until a woman walks into his life offering the one thing that money can't buy - salvation.
This book kick's off with a young Jason Green, and life as it is for him. He is rescued from a good kicking by Crime boss, Harry Irwell.
It then fast forwards to Jason now. and the life he is living. He seem's quite an ordinary guy, doesn't like to stand out, doesn't like attention. Despite seeming quite ordinary he is very much playing at being one of the big boy's. Where robbery just seem's as normal as going to work for the day. We shoot from past to present in this book, which gives you good background on the characters. Despite what they do, I did like a few of the character. And Jason seemed like someone that everyone could know, that guy who doesn't really stand out, the one you think is quiet, the one you think just goes home and chills out of an evening. There seemed to be quite a bit of background and getting to know Jason, which I liked. I just felt that the start of this book was a little slow at taking off. However once it took off it took off I really got into in. The story was interesting and certainly kept me reading, I read this book pretty quick. And did enjoy it. It was a little different to what I have previously read by Kerry, but still a really good, interesting read. It’s difficult to say too much more about the storyline as to do so would ruin it for those people that haven’t read it yet. It also makes you wonder how different life would have been for Jason had he not met Harry on that day. How would things have turned out for him. I have to admit, I kept waiting for Jessica to pop up. (those that have read Kerry's other books will know where I'm coming from). but sadly I have to wait forever for the next Jessica book. A big THANK YOU to Kerry for sending me an early review copy of this book, It's an honour as always to read your work.
Biography
Despite two national newspaper reports to the contrary, Kerry Wilkinson is male. Honestly. His debut, LOCKED IN, the first in the detective Jessica Daniel series, is a UK no.1 Kindle bestseller, with the first three Jessica Daniel books making him Amazon UK's top-selling author for the final quarter of 2011. THINK OF THE CHILDREN outsold Dan Brown to become Amazon UK's no.1 Kindle pre-order. Kerry is the first formerly self-published British author to have an ebook no.1 and reach the top 20 of the UK paperback chart. Since then, the Jessica Daniel series has continued with PLAYING WITH FIRE, THICKER THAN WATER, BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, CROSSING THE LINE and SCARRED FOR LIFE. A spin-off from PLAYING WITH FIRE - the Andrew Hunter series - started with SOMETHING WICKED in 2014. The follow-up, SOMETHING HIDDEN, will be released in 2016. A standalone crime novel, DOWN AMONG THE DEAD MEN, set in the same world as Jessica and Andrew, will be released in October 2015. Pan Macmillan - Griffin in the US - are also publishing Kerry's young adult/fantasy/adventure series - the Silver Blackthorn trilogy. The first book, RECKONING, was released in 2014, with RENEGADE following in 2015 and RESURGENCE in 2016. He is an occasional sports journalist and can frequently be spotted cycling the hills of Lancashire. He was born in Somerset but now lives in the north west. Confirmed upcoming UK releases: Renegade (Silver Blackthorn 2): 7 May 2015 Something Wicked (Andrew Hunter 1): 16 July 2015 (paperback) Down Among The Dead Men (standalone crime): 22 October 2015 (hardback & ebook) For Richer, For Poorer (Jessica Daniel): Jan/Feb 2016 Resurgence (Silver Blackthorn 3): May 2016 Something Hidden (Andrew Hunter 2): 2016 Find out more at: http://kerrywilkinson.com, http://facebook.com/JessicaDanielBooks and http://facebook.com/SilverBlackthorn |
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