Month: August 2020

One of the Family By Sadie Pearse

One of the Family By Sadie Pearse

by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO KEEP YOUR CHILD SAFE?

Samantha Jackson has been missing for eighteen years. Then, out of nowhere, she gets back in touch with her sister.

Sam needs Freya – now a grown woman with a family of her own – to take in her son.

But Dino is not a happy child, despite the warmth of Freya’s family he cannot settle. He startles at loud noises and he’s prone to angry, violent outbursts. He’s one of the family, Freya knows he is, but why doesn’t it feel like that?

In order to keep her daughters safe, Freya is forced to go in search of the truth. What is going on with Dino, and what really happened to her sister the night she left?

My Thoughts:

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

When I finish a book now I always look at the cover again and I always find it poignant. You will see once you read this story how the cover comes more alive. This story is set in one of my favourite places Dorset, I love the different places they go to like Lyme Regis and Monkey World is mentioned too. It always feels more special when you know the places that are talked about in a book. The story is about Freya and her sister Sam who has been missing for a long time, Freya now has two girls and has always been looking for her sister every day since she went missing. One day she gets an email for Sam asking to look after her son Dino, when he turns up he is violent and has issues, what is the problem and can Freya help him? Early on in this story I thought I had it all figured out but then throughout the story there is a massive curve ball that is thrown into the mix that I did not see coming. I really felt for Freya as she has it tough looking after a child that obviously has more things on his mind than he is willing to share, she has to give up things she loves. I also really felt for Dino, when he does decide to open up, his story is quite heartbreaking and I did shed a few tears. I didn’t feel anything for Sam as I cant understand people that take drugs and all the other things she does, I didn’t have any time for her at all. I read this book in a day as I just could not put it down.

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Find Me ( Trust Me Find Me Romantic Suspense Series Book 2)

Find Me ( Trust Me Find Me Romantic Suspense Series Book 2)

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What should she have done?
They’d been friends, even kissed once.
The police said he was a murderer. But, they let him go.
Knowing all that, how could she go with him into witness protection?

A few months on, and Claire Williams is still bearing the scars; still chasing the ghost of Sion Edwards, even though he’s dead to her now. Determined to start afresh, and to find the father she’s never known; she takes a big world trip. It’s meant to be the adventure of a lifetime. It will be. But not the way she imagined it.

Is there anywhere safe to hide? Sion Edwards was an undercover agent, a hitman for one of England’s most notorious drugs gangs. And now there’s a price on his head. They’re after his blood and they won’t rest until he’s reeled back in and they have their revenge.

When the big fish slips the hook, it’s time to use live bait.

My Thoughts:

We continue the story here from Nell’s previous novel Trust Me, here the story focuses on Claire, back then something dreadful happened if you want to know what happened read book one first and Claire is still traumatised by it all, she decides to start somewhere new and sets on a mission to find her father, on this adventure she encounters all sorts and I willed for her to be alright. A very dramatic read with a very good ending.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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kindle edition

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Trust Me (Trust Me Find Me Romantic Suspense Series Book 1) By Nell Grey

Trust Me (Trust Me Find Me Romantic Suspense Series Book 1) By Nell Grey

by Hannah ♥ 1 Comment

Glyn Evans’ death is clearly a tragic suicide. An open and shut case. And yet something about it feels off…

In a single day, Annie Evans’ life is blown to bits. It’s a huge mess and she desperately needs to escape from London. Her father’s died and she needs to go home. The place she’s been avoiding for years.

Jac Jones is back home too. Annie’s vowed to ghost him. Whatever possessed her parents to let this ex special forces soldier rent their farm? Is he playing her again?

For Sion Edwards, his old army buddy’s place is the perfect bolt hole. A safe place to hide from the people who want to make him pay for what he’s done.

And they won’t rest until he’s dead.

The detective is right. In this sleepy Welsh valley, not everything is as it seems…

My Thoughts:

If you are after a incredible debut novel then this one is for you, this story is set in Wales, which makes it feel more dramatic The story is about death,lies, trust and love, is Glyn’s death really a suicide? I felt as though it was like three stories jam packed into one story if that makes sense. When I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it, Twists at the end that I didn’t see coming. I look forward to continuing and reading book 2.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

Get your copy here:

kindle edition

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Call Numbers: The Not So Quiet Life Of Librarians By Syntell Smith

Call Numbers: The Not So Quiet Life Of Librarians By Syntell Smith

by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Contemporary literary workplace drama surrounding a divided staff in a New York City library during 1994.

A new hire attempts to fit in without taking sides.

My Thoughts:

This book bought back to life being in a library in the 90’s, I never knew how much drama and plotting could happen in a library, it really opened up my eyes to a whole new world. Lots of well written characters bring this book to life, we see a little of each of their stories within the chapters. I found this story very interesting and one I would recommend.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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kindle edition

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The Darkest Winter Ever By C.J.Clarke

The Darkest Winter Ever By C.J.Clarke

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When all hope is gone…

James Davis is a man on the brink of destruction. After his sixteen-year-old daughter is taken and sold into a life of slavery and human trafficking he has to call on all of skills as a private investigator to find her. After weeks of fruitless searching, he’s finally getting close, but instead of finding his daughter, he rescues someone he never expected.

…when despair threatens all…

Valerie Abbot, a woman who had been trapped and abused for a decade, sold over and over as a sex slave and degraded in the worst way, and still somehow never gave up, never gave in to despair. That fighting spirit is what leads her to follow her unlikely rescuer as she meets James, a broken father looking for his lost daughter.

…can love still conquer?

Together they go on a journey to find his daughter, but end up finding more than they ever expected in each other. But doubt, guilt, and despair threaten everything they might have together, unless they find the strength to forgive, and love again.

My Thoughts:

This story starts off with James, his sixteen year old daughter is taken and is being used in the slave and human trafficking industry. James calls on a private investigator to help find his daughter before it is too late, he gets close and then things happen that puts him a step back. Instead of finding his daughter he finds Valerie who has been in a similar situation to his daughter, the story then unfolds and they go in search of his daughter together but find out more than they thought they would ever know. This story is engaging, emotional, and compelling and deals with real issues. I needed to find out if he was ever going to get his daughter back.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

Get your copy here:

kindle edition

Enter: Into Poetry By Mahesh Mali and Anshika Sharma

Enter: Into Poetry By Mahesh Mali and Anshika Sharma

by Hannah ♥ 1 Comment

This is a collection of poems parodying the trend of turning a single sentence into five lines by simply pressing ‘enter’ and calling it a poem.

My Thoughts:

This poem book is a little different to the previous one, the poems are shorter, but also included are pictures which makes them visually more interesting. But they are still good poems that I would happily read again. Very cleverly done.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

Get your copy here:

kindle edition

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Reflections of my Youth: A Poetry Collection By Mahesh Mali

Reflections of my Youth: A Poetry Collection By Mahesh Mali

by Hannah ♥ 2 Comments

Reflections of my Youth is a collection of poetry about
Love & Romance,
Heartbreak & Pain,
And the world.

It is split into three parts, each dealing with a different feeling. Reflections of My youth takes the readers on a journey to the different moments and revisits the various thoughts and emotions that one has in his/her youth.

My Thoughts:

I have not ever had to read and review a poetry book before so was not sure what to expect, however I would consider reading one again. Reading through these poems doesn’t have to be rushed, sit and think about the words being written. One of my favourite poems is called When I first saw her, the first thing I thought of when I read it was it made me think of my husband, so lovely. There are a few racy poems too but it signifies love and I understand it. I also enjoyed Dwelling on the past and we are one. I found reading these poems a bit like a story that goes on between each of the poems. Mahesh really expresses himself well. We are the One was a brilliant poem to end with. I look forward to reading his next poem book.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

Get your copy here:

kindle edition

Summer of Reckoning By Marion Brunet

Summer of Reckoning By Marion Brunet

by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

A psychological thriller set in the Luberon, a French region that evokes holidays in magnificent pool-adorned villas. For those who live there year-round, it often means stifling poverty and boredom. Sixteen-year-old Céline and her sister Jo, fifteen, dream of escaping to somewhere far from their daily routine, far from their surly, alcoholic father and uncaring mother, both struggling to make ends meet.

That summer Celine falls pregnant, devastating news that reopens deep family wounds. Those of the mother Severine whose adolescence was destroyed by her early pregnancy and subsequent marriage with Manuel.

Those of the father Manuel, grandson of Spanish immigrants, who takes refuge in alcoholism to escape the open disdain of his in-laws. Faced with Celine’s refusal to name the father of her child, Manuel needs a guilty party and Saïd, a friend of the girls from an Arab family, fits Manuel’s bigoted racial stereotype. In the suffocating heat of summer he embarks on a drunken mission of revenge.

My Thoughts:

The story is set in France,and is about Celine and her family, the story is about envy, discontent and racism. When Celine finds herself pregnant at 16, she won’t tell anyone who the father is. Her father Manuel thinks it is a close friend of theirs called Said, as Manuel is struggles to come to terms and because of his racist behaviour he sets out to destroy Said once and for all but can anyone stop him? The story also centres around Celine and her sister and how they are complete opposites to each other, Jo wants to escape the family life. I read this book in a day and it certainly packs a punch, it is a relatively short story but the descriptions and writing are done well.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review. Thank you to Bitter Lemon Press for sending me a review copy.

Get your copy here:

kindle edition

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Christmas at Carly’s Cupcakes By Jessica Redland

Christmas at Carly’s Cupcakes By Jessica Redland

by Hannah ♥ 7 Comments

It’s Christmas in Whitsborough Bay. With fairy lights connecting the shops and cafés on either side of the cobbles, Castle Street seems magical. And in such a magical place, surely Christmas wishes can come true.

Carly Travis, owner of Carly’s Cupcakes, has two Christmas wishes this year. Her first is for her younger sister, Bethany, to focus on the positives in her life, including her Christmas wedding, instead of writing herself off as a failure. Bethany’s attempts at cake-decorating aren’t going to win any awards, but she’s certainly great with customers. Carly’s second wish is for her best friend, Liam, to come home for Christmas.

When Liam calls to say he’s been granted leave from the army, Carly makes a third Christmas wish. It’s the one she’s made every year since she was a teenager and, if she’s really brave, could this be the year when it finally comes true?

With Liam coming home, the shop having its best year yet, and a wedding to look forward to, it’s shaping up to be the best Christmas ever for Carly. But for Bethany, things are starting to unravel …

My Thoughts:

This was a lovely short story that I devoured in an afternoon. It is the heart warming story of Carly and her little Cake shop in Whitsborough Bay. I loved the sound of the cake shop and could certainly see myself in there alot. I really like Carly as she is kind and caring, always puts others before herself a bit like me. The story line was engaging and I wished for Carly to have her happy ending. An all round perfect Christmas read. My first Christmas book of this year and it will be hard to beat.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

Get your copy here:

kindle edition

Hey Everyone…..

Hey Everyone…..

by Hannah ♥ 2 Comments

Hey Everyone I am now on Instagram if you want to follow me please do, echoes_in_an_emptyroom. I will follow you back too.

Thought it was about time to get on there.

Look forward to seeing you all there.

what content would you like to see on my blog and also any tips on improving my blog would be gladly appreciated. please comment down below. Thank you for your time.

Hannah