Author: Hannah

Hi I am Hannah and I am a book blogger, I like to read most genres apart from sci-fi and dystopian novels. I post my reviews on Amazon, Goodreads and twitter where I can be found @bookbloghannah I currently am reading and reviewing for Avon, Harper Collins and Lovereading aswell as being part of a few blog tours for various publishers. If you would like me to read and review your book or you are a publisher, please don't hesitate to contact me on echoesinanemptyroom@yahoo.co.uk. I look forward to hearing from you. I am currently only reading print copies. Happy reading
When Life Gives You Lemons By Fiona Gibson

When Life Gives You Lemons By Fiona Gibson

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lemons

Sometimes life can be bittersweet . . .

Between tending to the whims of her seven-year-old and the demands of her boss, Viv barely gets a moment to herself. It’s not quite the life she wanted, but she hasn’t run screaming for the hills yet.

But then Viv’s husband Andy makes his mid-life crisis her problem. He’s having an affair with his (infuriatingly age-appropriate) colleague, a woman who – unlike Viv – doesn’t put on weight when she so much as glances at a cream cake.

Viv suddenly finds herself single, with zero desire to mingle. Should she be mourning the end of life as she knows it, or could this be the perfect chance to put herself first?

When life gives you lemons, lemonade just won’t cut it. Bring on the gin!

My Thoughts:

Another amusing read from Fiona Gibson, this time the story is about Viv, who is a character that I am sure many women can relate to, not enough hours in the day plus a boss that is very demanding and a husband who is having an affair, it makes for some very funny moments but also brings back that you have to make time for yourself no matter what. I loved the ending made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

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

Get your copy here:

kindle edition

https://www.amazon.co.uk/When-Life-Gives-You-Lemons-ebook/

paperback

https://www.amazon.co.uk/When-Life-Gives-You-Lemons/

A Village Affair By Julie Houston

A Village Affair By Julie Houston

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julie

Cassie Beresford has recently landed her dream job as deputy head at her local, idyllic village primary school, Little Acorns. So, the last thing she needs is her husband of twenty years being ‘outed’ at a village charity auction – he has been having an affair with one of her closest friends.

As if that weren’t enough to cope with, Cassie suddenly finds herself catapulted into the head teacher position, and at the forefront of a fight to ward off developers determined to concrete over the beautiful landscape.

But through it all, the irresistible joy of her pupils, the reality of keeping her teenage children on the straight and narrow, her irrepressible family and friends, and the possibility of new love, mean what could have been the worst year ever, actually might be the best yet…

My Thoughts:

I haven’t read any of Julie Houston’s books before so was looking forward to delving into a new author. I knew I would like it as it is a warm hearted read with comedy through out too. I found the main character Cassie as courageous, I felt as though she was going through relatable subjects and the author dealt with it really well. The story is about finding inner strength when you don’t feel as though you have it and want to give it up but persevering and getting what you want.

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

Get your copy here:

kindle edition

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Village-Affair-Perfect-Fforde-Gervaise-ebook

paperback

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Village-Affair-Julie-Houston

My One True North By Milly Johnson

My One True North By Milly Johnson

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my one

Laurie and Pete should never have met.
But fate has pushed them together for a reason.

Six months ago, on the same night, Laurie and Pete both lost their partners.
Struggling to manage the grief, they join the same counselling group – and meet each other.

From their sadness, Pete and Laurie find happiness growing and they sense a fresh new beginning.
Except, the more they talk, the more Laurie begins to spot the strange parallels in their stories.
Then Pete discovers a truth that changes everything.

But, as surely as a compass points north, some people cannot be kept apart.

My Thoughts:

I couldn’t wait to read the latest book by Milly, I am a big fan of hers. This story centres around Laurie and Pete they have both lost their partners and are both find it hard to cope. They meet at a support group and a bond between them grows,  as their bond becomes more,never in a million years would you guess what they discover about their previous lives. This is a story about grief, friendships, love and finding out all about secrets. One that you wont want to miss.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review. Thank you lovereading for sending me the book.

https://www.lovereading.co.uk/

Get your copy here:

kindle edition

https://www.amazon.co.uk/One-True-North-Milly-Johnson-ebook

hardcover

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Untitled-Milly-Johnson-2-Ha/

Away with the Penguins By Hazel Prior

Away with the Penguins By Hazel Prior

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penguins

Veronica McCreedy is about to have the journey of a lifetime . . .

Veronica McCreedy lives in a mansion by the sea. She loves a nice cup of Darjeeling tea whilst watching a good wildlife documentary. And she’s never seen without her ruby-red lipstick.

Although these days Veronica is rarely seen by anyone because, at 85, her days are spent mostly at home, alone.

She can be found either collecting litter from the beach (‘people who litter the countryside should be shot’), trying to locate her glasses (‘someone must have moved them’) or shouting
instructions to her assistant, Eileen (‘Eileen, door!’).

Veronica doesn’t have family or friends nearby. Not that she knows about, anyway . . . And she has no idea where she’s going to leave her considerable wealth when she dies.

But today . . . today Veronica is going to make a decision that will change all of this.

My Thoughts:

I loved this book, I did warm to Veronica especially with all she had to go through, we get snippets of Veronica’s life as she was growing up and it reveals that she may have a distant relative, so she goes on the hunt. I love how the penguins come into this story and how Veronica goes to try to help them and little Pip sounded so cute. I  felt as though I learnt something about the penguins with Terry’s blog. It taught me that these are just some of the animals that need to be protected and to help them out to use less plastic.

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

Get your copy here:

kindle edition

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Away-Penguins-Hazel-Prior-ebook

hardcover

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Away-Penguins-Hazel-Prior

If you want to check out other reviews on this book, check out where the blog tour isi going next:

 

Deep State By Chris Hauty

Deep State By Chris Hauty

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deep state

THE DEEP STATE – noun
A covert state hidden within a government;
a secret organisation of high-level operatives;
exerts control through manipulation and a culture of pain and fear.
It is entrenched.
It is hidden.
It is deadly.

Who can you trust?

***
The White House Chief of Staff is dead, discovered collapsed in his home. Paramedics say it was a heart attack, but something’s not right – and only his intern, Hayley Chill, can see it.

After her fears are dismissed by police, Hayley uncovers an organisation buried in the furthest reaches of government. Now she has no way of knowing who she can trust.

Then things get really dangerous.

There is a plot to assassinate the president, one they are ruthless about hiding. They know that someone is on to them, and soon they will know that it’s her. So Hayley must work like the Deep State:
Infiltrate.
Trust no one.
Kill – or be killed.

My Thoughts:

I am all for an addictive thriller, once I got through the first few chapters that were for me a little slow, the story picks up and becomes quite fast paced. I liked the fact that Hayley who is the main characters is a woman as normally it is men who portray this type of character. She is dynamic and feisty and it is an altogether a thrilling read that will make your jaw drop a few times. I couldn’t believe this was a debut novel.

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

Get your copy here:

kindle edition

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Deep-State-Chris-Hauty-ebook

Hardcover

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Deep-State-Chris-Hauty

The Truth about my Mother By Jemma Wallace

The Truth about my Mother By Jemma Wallace

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jemma

All families have secrets, don’t they?

89-year-old Jeannette never meant to keep the truth from her family. But when a near fatal fall sends her to live with her granddaughter Amy, she finds herself revisiting a past that’s been hidden for too many years.

Amy, however, has always been good at keeping secrets. When ex-partner Nick shows up, she’s forced to admit that some things just can’t stay hidden forever.

Judith is starting from scratch – again. The master of reinvention, Amy’s mother has been seeking happiness in all the wrong places. This time though, she might just find it a lot closer to home than she ever believed she would…

As Jeannette’s 90th birthday party approaches, all three women discover they have more in common than they first thought, and the secrets from the past may be the key to unlocking the future.

My Thoughts:

I love how this book is set up into three parts with three women who all share their own stories. The book is centred around 1950’s to the present. What each of these women have been through will surprise and shock you but the author has dealt with the sensitive issues well. I find stories that have relatable issues in them more believable and may help some women who are going through things alone that there are other women out there that are dealing with the same issues. I think any parent that has to raise a child by themselves is incredible.

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

Get your copy here:

kindle edition

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Truth-About-My-Mother-ebook

paperback

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Truth-About-My-Mother

If you fancy reading more reviews from this blog tour, please have a look at the blog tour below:

Perfect Kill By Helen Fields (A DI Callanach Thriller, Book 6)

Perfect Kill By Helen Fields (A DI Callanach Thriller, Book 6)

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perfect kill

Alone, trapped in the darkness and with no way out, Bart Campbell knows that his chances of being found alive are slim.

Drugged and kidnapped, the realisation soon dawns that he’s been locked inside a shipping container far from his Edinburgh home. But what Bart doesn’t yet know is that he’s now heading for France where his unspeakable fate is already sealed…

DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach are working on separate cases that soon collide as it becomes clear that the men and women being shipped to France are being traded for women trafficked into Scotland.

With so many lives at stake, they face an impossible task – but there’s no option of failure when Bart and so many others will soon be dead…

My Thoughts:

Helen’s books are a must, these can be read as a standalone but I suggest you start reading them from the beginning to understand the characters and their relationships with each other. This story is tense and fraught, you don’t know what is going to happen in the next chapter, or what is around the corner. The storyline is quite intense and chilling to the bone but a story you wont want to stop reading. It will have you hooked.

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

Get your copy here:

kindle edition

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfect-Kill-gripping-thriller-Callanach-ebook/

paperback

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfect-Kill-gripping-thriller-Callanach/

Check out all of Helen’s other books in this series:

Perfect Remains

Perfect Prey

Perfect Death

Perfect Silence

Perfect Crime

Perfect Kill

If you fancy checking out other reviews on this blog tour, have a look down below at the blog tour poster:

Rules of the Road By Ciara Geraghty

Rules of the Road By Ciara Geraghty

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ciara

Tuesday morning starts like any other – until Terry discovers her best friend Iris has gone missing. Finding her takes Terry, Iris and Terry’s confused father Eugene, into an extraordinary journey – one that will change all of their lives. And, along the way, what should be the worst six days of Terry’s life turn into the best.

Because friendship teaches us all to be brave. And, sometimes, the rules are made to be broken.

My Thoughts:

Ciara is a new author to me and I will definitely be reading more of her books, even though this is a emotional read, it is dealt with tenderness and is very moving. I love the fact that Terry cares so much about her best friend Iris and it is heartbreaking to see what she goes through for her dad. I am sure there are people out there that can relate. Terry tries her best to do good for everyone else except herself. I love the warmth between all three characters. Such a feel good read.

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

Get your copy here:

kindle edition

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rules-Road-emotional-uplifting-life-changing-ebook

paperback

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rules-Road-emotional-uplifting-life-changing

I Am Dust By Louise Beech

I Am Dust By Louise Beech

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dust

A haunted theatre
A murdered actress
Three cursed teenagers
A secret that devastates them all…

The Dean Wilson Theatre is believed to be haunted by a long-dead actress, singing her last song, waiting for her final cue, looking for her killer…

Now Dust, the iconic musical, is returning after twenty years. But who will be brave enough to take on the role of ghostly goddess Esme Black, last played by Morgan Miller, who was murdered in her dressing room?

Theatre usher Chloe Dee is caught up in the spectacle. As the new actors arrive, including an unexpected face from her past, everything changes. Are the eerie sounds and sightings backstage real or just her imagination? Is someone playing games?

Is the role of Esme Black cursed? Could witchcraft be at the heart of the tragedy? And are dark deeds from Chloe’s past about to catch up with her?
Not all the drama takes place onstage. Sometimes murder, magic, obsession and the biggest of betrayals are real life. When you’re in the theatre shadows, you see everything.

And Chloe has been watching…

My Thoughts:

A new author to me but one I will most certainly be reading more of. It it set back in 2005 to 2019, where we see the main character Chloe as a teenager back to the present where she is a theatre usher. I liked how the story inter weaves between each other and we see how the past impacts on the future for Chloe and her friends. It is a emotional story that will leave you needing a tissue or two.

Thank you to lovereading for sending me an ARC.

If you want to check out lovereading’s website:

https://www.lovereading.co.uk/

Get your copy here:

kindle edition

https://www.amazon.co.uk/I-Am-Dust-Louise-Beech-ebook

paperback

https://www.amazon.co.uk/I-Am-Dust-Louise-Beech

The Honjin Murders By Seishi Yokomizo

The Honjin Murders By Seishi Yokomizo

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honjin

Japan’s greatest classic murder mystery, translated into English for the first time

In the winter of 1937, the village of Okamura is abuzz with excitement over the forthcoming wedding of a son of the grand Ichiyanagi family. But amid the gossip over the approaching festivities, there is also a worrying rumour – it seems a sinister masked man has been asking questions around the village.

Then, on the night of the wedding, the Ichiyanagi household are woken by a terrible scream, followed by the sound of eerie music. Death has come to Okamura, leaving no trace but a bloody samurai sword, thrust into the pristine snow outside the house.

Soon, amateur detective Kosuke Kindaichi is on the scene to investigate what will become a legendary murder case, but can this scruffy sleuth solve a seemingly impossible crime?

My Thoughts:

I wasn’t too sure what I was expecting from this book, but it was absolutely spell bounding and I couldn’t stop reading. It is a nice short story with only 189 pages. The first few chapters I wondered where the story was going to go but as you get into the story it evolves and is a mystery. If you like a murder mystery then this is the book for you as it is so cleverly written and just a bit different.

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

Get your copy here:

kindle edition

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Honjin-Murders-Pushkin-Vertigo-ebook/

paperback

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Honjin-Murders-Pushkin-Vertigo