Author: bookafterbook

Publication: 9th June 2020 – Inkyard Press

Half-angel Trinity and her bonded gargoyle protector, Zayne, have been working with demons to stop the apocalypse while avoiding falling in love. The Harbinger is coming…but who or what is it? All of humankind may fall if Trinity and Zayne can’t win the race against time as dark forces gather.

As tensions rise, they must stay close together and patrol the DC streets at night, seeking signs of the Harbinger, an entity that is killing Wardens and demons with no seeming rhyme or reason. Forbidden to be with each other, Zayne and Trinity fight their feelings and turn to unusual sources for help—the demon Roth and his cohorts. But as deaths pile up and they uncover a sinister plot involving the local high school and endangering someone dear to Zayne, Trin realizes she is being led…herded…played for some unknown end. As anger builds and feelings spiral out of control, it becomes clear that rage may be the ruin of them all.

Amazon.com: https://amzn.to/3dfpSCq

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The very first thing I did after finishing reading Rage and Ruin was going on Amazon and see when the third book is coming out (sadly, the date and title are still unknown) because what an ending!!! And what a story!!! It completely captured me for two entire days (plus the day I spent reading the first book) and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Trinity is not a normal eighteen years old girl. She is a Trueborn (half human, half angel). Her father is a powerful angel who rarely makes an appearance in her life. Her best friend betrayed her in the worst possible way. She has strong feelings for her Protector, Zayne, but they can’t be together. And she has to find and stop the Harbinger, the dark and dangerous entity who is killing Wardens and demons around Washington DC.

I really like the character of Trinity. She is badass, funny, strong, and smart. Her witty exchanges with Zayne made me laugh out loud and, in this second novel, she really grows up and develops well.

Rage and Ruin and the first book Storm and Fury are my first novels by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I really like her clear and flawless writing style, the witty and engaging characters, and the fun, gripping, and suspenseful plot, so I am definitely going to read her other novels. If you are looking for magical creatures, fantastic characters, forbidden love, and cruel villains then this is the perfect read for you. If you are looking for mystery, romance, and laughter, then this is the perfect read for you.

Rage and Ruin is out today and I’d like to thank the publisher Inkyard Press and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of the novel.

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Jennifer L. Armentrout is the #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of young adult contemporary and paranormals, YA thrillers, new adult and contemporary romance who has also written as J. Lynn. Jennifer has received numerous awards for her work, including being nominated for Goodreads Best Author. The first book in her bestselling YA paranormal Lux series, Obsidian, has been optioned for film by Sierra Pictures. Television rights to her YA paranormal Covenant series have been optioned to Herrick Entertainment. She currently lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia, with her husband and Jack Russell, Loki.

Publication: 25th May 2020 (ebook); 25th June 2020 (paperback) – Transworld

1957: Iris Bailey is bored to death of working in the typing pool and living with her parents in Hemel Hempstead. A gifted portraitist with a talent for sketching party guests, she dreams of becoming an artist. So she can’t believe her luck when socialite Nell Hardman invites her to Havana to draw at the wedding of her Hollywood director father.

Far from home, she quickly realizes the cocktails, tropical scents and azure skies mask a darker reality. As Cuba teeters on the edge of revolution and Iris’s heart melts for troubled photographer Joe, she discovers someone in the charismatic Hardman family is hiding a terrible secret. Can she uncover the ugly truth behind the glamour and the dazzle before all their lives are torn apart?

Amazon.co.uk: https://amzn.to/2zMjlkc

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Generally, I am not a huge fan of historical novels, but I can’t never resist Rachel Rhys’s novels (pen-name of suspense author Tammy Cohen) and her new book, Island of Secrets, was the perfect pick for me to spend a relaxing Sunday afternoon reading. Thanks to the author beautiful writing, I was instantly drawn to this wonderful and riveting story of glamour and secrets set in late 1950s Havana.

The protagonist of Island of Secrets is Iris Bailey, a young talented artist who looks and wishes for adventure and thrill in her life. Instead, she had to give up on art college classes and find a job as a typist in an office full of men who spend their time grading the women working there. Back at home, her parents want her to find a good man, settle down, and spend the rest of her life being a dutiful wife and a mother while her boyfriend enjoys belittling her and controlling her. So, when the daughter of a Hollywood mogul invites her to Cuba to take portraits of the guests invited to his third wedding, Iris jumps to the chance to change her life. However, when Iris arrives to Havana, the appealing lifestyle of the rich and famous is shadowed by complex family relations, secrets, and the mysterious death of the groom’s previous wife.

I really did enjoy Island of Secrets. The plot is captivating, suspenseful, and engaging, full of intrigue and glitz. Everything takes place in the hot, exotic, and beautiful setting of a Cuba about to change politically. Rachel Rhys wrote a fabulous story of corruption, gangsters, and spies, money, mystery, and romance that makes for a fantastic summer read.

A huge thank you to Transworld and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the novel.

 

 

 

Publication: 28th May 2020 – Orion

SHE’S GOT NOWHERE LEFT TO HIDE.

A year ago, in desperation, Felicity Lloyd signed up for a lengthy research trip to the remote island of South Georgia.

It was her only way to escape.

AND NOW HE’S COMING FOR HER.

Freddie Lloyd has served time for murder. Out at last, he’s on her trail.

And this time, he won’t stop until he finds her.

BECAUSE NO MATTER HOW FAR YOU RUN, SOME SECRETS WILL ALWAYS CATCH UP WITH YOU…

Tense, gripping and with a twist you won’t see coming, Sharon Bolton is back in an explosive new thriller about a woman on the run…

Amazon.co.uk: https://amzn.to/2Wbvbwt

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Sharon Bolton is back with a brand new novel and I am so excited to welcome you on my stop for the blog tour of The Split.

The dangerous and cold landscape of South Georgia makes a fantastic setting for this suspenseful new novel by Sharon Bolton. Where is South Georgia? Geography is not my strong suit so that’s the first thing I thought when I first read the blurb of the novel. South Georgia is an island in the South Atlantic, between the Antarctic and the Falkland Islands. As one of the characters explains in the story, it is one of the most remote places on Earth so it’s the perfect place for a woman to hide, or at least try to hide. However, what’s more dangerous? The man who is chasing you or the unpredictable island where nature follows its own rules?

The story starts with researcher Felicity Lloyd dreading the arrival of a boat in South Georgia, a boat that may be carrying her ex-husband Freddie while Bamber, a woman carrying a knife, is ready to do anything to protect Felicity. We then go back in time, nine months earlier, when Felicity was still living in Cambridge, but she was getting ready for her brand new job in South Georgia. Felicity is seeing a therapist, Joe, to help cure the episodes of amnesia she is having. While Joe is worried about Felicity and facing his own demons, his mother Delilah, a police detective, is trying to figure out who is killing homeless people on the streets.

I love Sharon Bolton’s novels. Her stories are so twisty and dark and The Split is twistier and darker than ever. There are so many questions I asked myself while I was reading. Why can’t Felicity remember hours of her life? What did Freddie do to her? What happened to her when she was little? What is she hiding? And who is killing the homeless people? And when everything was explained… WOW, I was completely shocked and taken by surprise and I LOVED it. The plot is gripping with some disturbing storylines and with chasings amidst glaciers that gave me the chills and kept me on the edge of my seat.

The Split is an addictive and suspenseful story that once you start reading you won’t be able to put down until you get to the end, so go and grab a copy, you won’t regret it.

A huge thank you to Alex and Orion for providing me with a copy of the novel and inviting me to take part in the blog tour.

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\Publication: 28th May 2020 – Orion

Escape to Everdene Sands, where the sun is shining – but is the tide about to turn?

Robyn and Jake are planning their dream wedding at the family beach hut in Devon. A picnic by the turquoise waves, endless sparkling rosé and dancing barefoot on the golden sand . . .

But Robyn is more unsettled than excited. She can’t stop thinking about the box she was given on her eighteenth birthday, and the secrets it contains. Will opening it reveal the truth about her history – and break the hearts of the people she loves most?

As the big day arrives, can everyone let go of the past and step into a bright new future?

Amazon.co.uk: https://amzn.to/2ywsUmO

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I am happy to welcome you on my stop on the blog tour for the brand new novel by Veronica Henry, A Wedding at the Beach Hut.

Weddings are happy events and everyone is delighted when Robyn and Jake announce their imminent wedding, just one month away. It will be a small ceremony and it will take place in the family beach hut. And while the preparations are going on, everyone has their own secrets to face. Robyn is busy with the wedding, her job, and finishing the works on her and Jake’s new home, but something else is occupying her mind. She knows that opening the box that was given to her when she turned eighteen years old will not only reveal the truth about her past, but also cause a lot of pain to the people she loves. What will she do? In the meantime, her parents, Sheila and Mick, want to protect Robyn, even if that means keeping a secret from her. Jake’s father, Rocky, is entering the dating world after fifteen years of being single. And lovely Gwen is happy to help Robyn organize her dream wedding, but she gets distracted by her handsome new neighbour.

I am ashamed to admit that this my first novel by Veronica Henry and, as soon as I started reading, I saw that I have been missing out a lot. I loved her writing style from the beginning. The different perspectives and the beautiful descriptions kept me completely captivated and she created a cast of fantastic and likable characters that felt authentic and relatable. I loved the story. It is heartwarming and moving (yes, I may have shed a few tears, especially at the ending) and full of unexpected surprises. Robyn’s struggle between discovering the truth about her past and protecting the people she loves was very-well written and, while I didn’t agree with some of her choices, I felt so involved in the story and I was really happy how it ended.

A Wedding at the Beach Hut is an enjoyable and refreshing story to enjoy and relax with on these warm and sunny days and I’d like to thank Anne Cater for inviting me to join the blog tour and introducing me to the beautiful world of Veronica Henry. I can’t wait to read more from this author, both old and new stories!

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Veronica Henry is the Sunday Times bestselling author of twenty novels. She was a scriptwriter for some of our best-loved dramas such as The Archers, Heartbeat and Holby City before she turned to fiction. She lives in North Devon with three sons who come and go with the tide, and she flips between walking on the beach, swimming in the sea and mixing killer Negronis.

Find out more at www.veronicahenry.co.uk.

 

Publication: 26th May 2020 – Orion

HOW DO YOU FIND A KILLER WHO KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU?

Jack McEvoy is a reporter with a track record in finding killers. But he’s never been accused of being one himself.

Jack went on one date with Tina Portrero. The next thing he knows, the police are at his house telling Jack he’s a suspect in her murder.

Maybe it’s because he doesn’t like being accused of a crime he didn’t commit. Or maybe it’s because the method of her murder is so chilling that he can’t get it out of his head.

But as he uses his journalistic skills to open doors closed to the police, Jack walks a thin line between suspect and detective – between investigation and obsession – on the trail of a killer who knows his victims better than they know themselves…

Amazon.co.uk: https://amzn.to/3ccCN7Phttps://amzn.to/3ccCN7P

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The Jack McEvoy novels introduced me to the world of Michael Connelly. A few years ago, I was at a bookstore and I picked up a copy of The Poet, the first novel featuring Jack McEvoy, a reporter investigating the death of his brother. After I finished reading The Poet, I quickly picked up the sequel, The Scarecrow, in which Jack chases a dangerous killer. Then I read a few of Harry Bosch novels, but I always had a soft spot for Jack McEvoy so I got really excited when I heard that a third novel was on the way.

In Fair Warning, Jack is no longer a crime reporter, but he works on consumer protection stories, which is not as much exciting as chasing killers so Michel Connelly brings a murder investigation right at Jack’s door. One evening, Jack arrives home to find two LAPD detectives waiting for him. A woman Jack had met a year earlier has been murdered and his name came up during the investigation. Of course, Jack finds himself deep in the investigation chasing a serial killer that he is more dangerous than he can imagine.

Michael Connelly is one of the best at writing a crime story, with intricate plots and full of twists. In Fair Warning, he addresses themes of DNA testing, genetics, and the lack of government control over them that makes for an interesting, but also scary read. I really like the character of Jack McEvoy (although sometimes I don’t agree with his choices) and I was really happy to see the return of a former character.

Fair Warning is a terrific, suspenseful and unputdownable crime story that can be easily read as a standalone, although I highly recommend reading The Poet and The Scarecrow, not only because they are gripping reads, but to better understand the protagonist of the series. Fair Warning is out today so go and buy a copy. In the meantime, I am hoping for a fourth Jack McEvoy novel in the future…

A huge thank you to Orion and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of the novel.

Publication: 28th May 2020 – HQ

If there are two sides to every story, someone is always lying…

Jack: Three words to describe my wife: Beautiful. Ambitious. Unforgiving.
Anna: I only need one word to describe my husband: Liar.

When a woman is murdered in Blackdown village, newsreader Anna Andrews is reluctant to cover the case. Anna’s ex-husband, DCI Jack Harper, is suspicious of her involvement, until he becomes a suspect in his own murder investigation.

Someone is lying, and some secrets are worth killing to keep.

Amazon.co.uk: https://amzn.to/2xIZhOL

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I do LOVE a good suspenseful psychological thriller that captures you from the beginning and makes you wonder and question what you are reading. A story that makes you wish the story never finishes and yet you want to see how it ends. And His & Hers did just that for me. I really enjoyed Alice Feeney’s previous novels, but this new one, so far, is my absolute favourite.

Set in a small town in Surrey with a claustrophobic atmosphere that gave me goosebumps, the story is told from two different points of views: one is Jack, a detective trying to solve the murder of a woman while, at the same time, trying to hide the fact that he had spent the previous evening with the victim and Anna, the journalist determined to prove that she is really good at her job so she conducts her own investigation of the murder, but she has her own secrets to hide. Who can you trust? What are they hiding? And are they involved in the crime?

For one who reads many, way too many, thrillers I am surprised when a story manages to still keep me guessing and surprises me over and over again. This book has everything I love in psychological thrillers:

• unreliable characters full of secrets: ✅
• high tension that keeps me on the edge of my seat: ✅
• twists that I never see coming: ✅
• a surprising and shocking ending that makes me love the story even more: ✅

Would I recommend this novel? Of course, 100%. It is suspenseful, unpredictable and gripping. The only problem that I had with His & Hers is that I was so immersed in the story that I found myself reading through the night which wasn’t a very good idea. This is such a chilling read that every time I heard a noise from outside I would jump out of my skin, but I couldn’t stop reading!

A huge thank you to HQ and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the novel.

Publication: 16th April 2020 – Quercus

Leena is too young to feel stuck.
Eileen is too old to start over.
Maybe it’s time for The Switch…

Ordered to take a two-month sabbatical after blowing a big presentation at work, Leena escapes to her grandmother Eileen’s house for some overdue rest. Newly single and about to turn eighty, Eileen would like a second chance at love. But her tiny Yorkshire village doesn’t offer many eligible gentlemen… So Leena proposes a solution: a two-month swap. Eileen can live in London and look for love, and L Leena will look after everything in rural Yorkshire.

But with a rabble of unruly OAPs to contend with, as well as the annoyingly perfect – and distractingly handsome – local schoolteacher, Leena learns that switching lives isn’t straightforward. Back in London, Eileen is a huge hit with her new neighbours, and with the online dating scene. But is her perfect match nearer to home than she first thought?

Amazon.co.uk: https://amzn.to/3alvdpz

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Last year, I read The Flatshare and I fell in love with the protagonists Leon and Tiffy, their story, and Beth O’Leary’s brilliant writing. And now, one year later, Beth O’Leary is back with another beautiful and addictive story.

One afternoon, a few days ago, I sat down on the couch, I picked up The Switch, I am not sure, but I think at some point I had dinner, and suddenly it was 2am and I had finished reading the entire novel.

The Switch is a fantastic story of family and friendship with a bit of romance in it. The protagonists are Eileen and her granddaughter Leena who, following a rough year, decide to switch their lives, The Holiday-style. Leena, on a sabbatical from work, moves to her grandmother’s house in Yorkshire and takes on her many many projects. On the other hand, Eileen moves to Shoreditch to live with her granddaughter’s roommates and give a try to online dating.

Both protagonists get involved in many hilarious situations that brought tears to my eyes from laughing. Eileen and Leena are funny, strong, and generous and I simply adored them. All the characters are well-crafted and witty. From Leena’s roommates and friends to the members of the Neighbourhood Watch, I liked them all and they made me laugh out loud.

The Switch is a terrific and engrossing novel that everyone needs to read, especially right now. With the right amount of comedy and a few emotional moments, it will keep you entertained and establishes Beth O’Leary as an amazing storyteller that knows how to grip the reader’s attention. I am definitely a huge fan of this author and I can’t wait to see what she has planned next…

A huge thank you to Quercus and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel.

Publication: 28th April 2020 – Hodder & Stoughton

An epic tale of love and revenge set in a world inspired by Inquisition-era Spain pits the magical Moria against a terrifying royal authority bent on their destruction.

When the royal family of Selvina sets out to destroy magic through a grand and terrible inquisition, magic warrior-thief Renata – trained in the art of stealing memories-seeks to kill the prince, leader of the King’s Justice, only to learn through powerful memories that he may be the greatest illusion of them all … and that the fate of all magic now lies in her hands.

With the ferocity of series like Ember in the Ashes and Throne of Glass and loosely based on 15th century Spain, INCENDIARY explores the double-edged sword of memory and the triumph of hope in the midst of fear and oppression.

Amazon.co.uk: https://amzn.to/2Kg52G9

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And here it is: the new fantasy series I just got addicted to. Set in a world that reminds of the Spanish Inquisition, there is a cruel king who wants to rid the country of those with magic, his son who does the dirty work for him, a group of rebels who fights against the kingdom and protect those who possess magic, a secret weapon, and a heroine who can erase memories from one’s mind and is still looking for a place in the world.

Incendiary is a fantastic read. The heroine, Ren, doesn’t know where she belongs. She is part of an army of rebels who doesn’t trust her, she goes back to the place she escaped when she was a child where everyone is now suspicious of her, she can see and erase people’s memories, but her own memories of her past are not really clear. Ren is looking for answers and she is looking for revenge and she won’t stop until she gets them.

With a incredible world-building that captured me from the beginning, terrific characters, beautiful writing that makes you fly through the story, and a brilliant ending full of surprises and revelations that I didn’t see coming, Incendiary is a novel full of romance, magic, and revenge that enchanted me from the first to the very last word and I really can’t wait to see how it progresses. Highly recommended to all fantasy lovers and non!!!

A huge thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the novel.

 

 

Publication: 16th April 2020 – Wildfire

Eight guests. One killer. No escape.

A year ago today, we gathered for Lucas and Nina’s wedding at their glorious Cornish home overlooking the sea.

But no one was married that day.

Last year there were nine of us. Now there are eight. And Lucas has invited us back for a macabre anniversary.

Tonight, he’s planned a game for us: we each have a costume and a role to play. The game, he tells us, is about to begin.

What does Lucas want? What are we not being told? And how will this terrifying game end?

Amazon.co.uk: https://amzn.to/3akhGib

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And So It Begins is the first novel by Rachel Abbott I read and it is also the first novel featuring detective Stephanie King. I really liked And So It Begins and I am so happy they are both back. I said I liked the first novel… well, I LOVED The Murder Game. I devoured it in less than two days and, days later, I am still thinking about it.

First of all, I enjoyed the plot. It is suspenseful, with an Agatha Christie vibe, and you never know what is coming next. A group of friends reunite in a beautiful house on the Cornish coast to celebrate a wedding. Secrets, lies, jealousies, and resentment all risk to come to light and when tragedy strike, there is no wedding and the guests all go back home. One year later, they are all invited back to celebrate the wedding that didn’t take place, but there is a game to play, a dangerous game and everyone has a part to play.

Also, let’s talk about the setting. I LOVED IT! The more books set in Cornwall I read, the more I fall in love with the place and it’s at the top of the places I need to visit one day. The story is set in a grand house with a beautiful view on the ocean, a private cove, and hiding places where one can overhear other people’s secret conversations.

I found the characters often annoying, not very likable, and unreliable with their secrets, but they are so well-done. The story is told from three different points of views, Nina, the bride, Jemma, one of the guest, and detective Stephanie King. I like the character of Stephanie and I am already looking forward to read more about both her professional and personal life. Jemma is the wife of Matt, one of the childhood friends. As an outsider of the group, she knows that everyone is hiding something, including her husband, and she starts her own investigation in what is really going on.

I love Rachel Abbott, her stories and her writing story, and The Murder Game is definitely a must-read for all her fans. Twisty, gripping, and absolutely engrossing, it will keep you guessing until the end.

A huge thank you to Wildfire for providing me with a copy of the novel.

 

Publication: 30th April 2020 – Trapeze

Long-suffering assistant Evie Summers will lose her job unless she can convince her film agency’s biggest and most difficult client, Ezra Chester, to finish the script for a Hollywood romcom. The catch? He hasn’t started writing it.

Suffering from ‘writer’s block,’ he will only put pen to paper if singleton Evie can prove to him that you can fall in love like they do in the movies. Forget internet dating, Evie can only meet a man the way that Sally met Harry, or Hugh Grant meets anyone. Cue her entering into one ridiculous romcom scenario after another. But can life ever be like the movies?

Of course, real life is never that straightforward…

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Good morning everyone and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Would Like To Meet, the hilarious new novel by Rachel Winters, which is out this week.

In need of a book that will make you laugh and cheer you up? Then you need to pick up this amazing novel. I laughed so much and I couldn’t stop reading as the protagonist of the story, Evie Summers, tries recreate the funny and terrible scenarios typical of rom-com movies to help a famous Hollywood screenwriter overcome his writer block. From dubious book clubs to disastrous coffee-spills and catastrophic road trips, Evie’s adventures had me with tears in my eyes from laughing.

What a fantastic cast of characters the author created: the protagonist, Evie, is funny and determined and I found myself relating to her because, like her, I do love rom-com movies (I don’t know how many times I’ve watched The Proposal, Friends With Benefits, and How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days). Then, there is adorable young Anette who swears in French and likes to match make, her dark and serious father Ben, and Evie’s best friends, Jeremy, Sarah, and Maria whose WhatsApp messages with Evie where some of my favourite part of the novel. I also liked annoying-but-also-funny Oscar winning screenwriter Ezra. His email exchange with Evie created many hilarious moments.

I enjoyed how the author opens each chapter with a movie script that sets the scene in a way that lets you imagine the entire scene in the head like if it was a real rom-com movie.

Would Like To Meet is a witty and refreshing story that will keep you entertained for a few hours and will make you laugh page after page with its amazing characters, its engaging plot, and the author’s captivating writing style.

A huge thank you to Alex and Orion for inviting me to join the blog tour and providing me with a copy of this fantastic novel.

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