Review ~ Twisted by Steve Cavanagh

Book Description:

BEFORE YOU READ THIS BOOK

I WANT YOU TO KNOW THREE THINGS:

1. The police are looking to charge me with murder.

2. No one knows who I am. Or how I did it.

3. If you think you've found me. I'm coming for you next.

After you've read this book, you'll know: the truth is far more twisted...

Buy Links:

Amazon UK Kindle: https://amzn.to/2BkAPlb

Amazon UK Audible: https://adbl.co/2SdDPdC

Amazon US: Not available

Our Review:

Reviewed by Donna ~ 5 stars

I am still on my crime thriller kick and to be honest, I cannot get enough them, and this one ticked all my boxes. Set around the literary world, this one had me hooked from first to last page, and I couldn’t put it down. I tend to listen to my thrillers rather than read them, enjoying the narration as the narrators get into character and give that suspenseful edge, and in this case, the narrator did just that. The author does a fantastic job, and the book certainly lives up to its title, the ending I never saw coming and the overall “winner,” if you can call the person that, left a bitter taste. But alas, conniving is the name of the game.

This was definitely a rollercoaster of a ride with some seriously unhinged characters, but it is this that just made this book. In this case insanity bred creativity, and murder created best selling books. JT LeBeau is a best-selling crime author, and as soon as his books are released they go straight to number one and stay there. Superbly talented, written under a pseudonym and no-one knows his true identity, not even his publisher. Anyone that does find out his true identity ends up dead and the main character in his next book.

Steve Cavanagh gently brings the characters to life in the beginning, but when the story really gets into its own, the hits just keep coming. I had to rewind a few times just to make sure I understood what was said which often left the jaw-dropping at the most inopportune times. My brain was running a mile a minute as I tried to piece together the clues and just when you thought you had it sussed, Steve Cavanagh spins it in another direction.

Twisted was certainly an entertaining read, sick and twisted with plenty of suspense and intrigue and a fast-paced plot that won’t let you get off the ride. My earbuds were permanently cemented into my ears until the last dulcet tone of the narrator had wormed its way into my psyche and the jigsaw pieces that had been missing throughout, finally slotted into place. Trust no-one, trust nothing you read and you’re good to go. I will definitely be reading more from this author, and if this is anything to go by, I am in for a treat.

Review ~ Dying Truth (DI Kim Stone #8) by Angela Marsons

Book Description:

How far would you go to protect your darkest secrets?

When teenager Sadie Winter jumps from the roof of her school, her death is ruled as suicide – a final devastating act from a troubled girl. But then the broken body of a young boy is discovered at the same school and it’s clear to Detective Kim Stone that these deaths are not tragic accidents.

As Kim and her team begin to unravel a dark web of secrets, one of the teachers could hold the key to the truth. Yet just as she is about to break her silence, she is found dead. 

With more children’s lives at risk, Kim has to consider the unthinkable - whether a fellow pupil could be responsible for the murders. Investigating the psychology of children that kill brings the detective into contact with her former adversary, Dr Alex Thorne – the sociopath who has made it her life’s work to destroy Kim. 

Desperate to catch the killer, Kim finds a link between the recent murders and an initiation prank that happened at the school decades earlier. But saving these innocent lives comes at a cost – and one of Kim’s own might pay the ultimate price.

The utterly addictive new crime thriller from the Number One bestselling author – you will be gripped until the final shocking twist.

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2OAi5lz

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2AVEkyX

Audible UK: https://amzn.to/2PhtgVw

Audible US: https://amzn.to/2DwlbFY

Our Review:

Reviewed by Donna ~ 5 stars

Audible Edition

Never before has a crime thriller reduced me to tears, but having listened to five books on the trot of this series, these characters have become my friends and hearing what this team go through in this book, OMG, I was distraught. My heart and head were at war with each other, and my tear ducts had a complete mind of their own, but without a shadow of a doubt, this was by far the best in this series. Angela Marsons outdid herself with Dying Truth.

I love Kim Stone, her ballsy, no-nonsense, take no prisoners attitude often leads her into the most precarious and life-threatening situations yet she is the type of Detective that puts herself in danger first before any of her team. Loyal to a fault and skating the lines of procedural ethics, Kim Stone always gets the job done. Kim has fought hard for her place in the police force, and although she ruffles feathers, she ruffles them for a reason and with a boss that trusts her implicitly, even though he acts as though he doesn’t, Kim and her team are unstoppable and, in this book, it is no different.

Set inside an affluent private school with secrets hidden within the walls and taken to many graves, a secret society still exists and it seems is getting out of control. This school is where the elite and successful are bred, politicians, lawyers, doctors and the like that are interconnected through “the cards,” a relationship that lasts for a lifetime and a connection that can never be severed. Starting with the apparent suicide of a thirteen-year-old girl it is obvious that something is amiss and when another child dies all is definitely not as it seems. With a couple of murders within days, when the team starts digging it seems there are a few hidden deaths in the past that correlate to the present activities, and the houses of cards come tumbling down.

Angela Marsons really brings this bone-chilling story into its own and once again I was blindsided, never guessing the culprit or culprits in this case. On the edge of my seat throughout I was totally immersed in the story and couldn’t listen quick enough. The last few chapters were a rollercoaster, and my heart was in my mouth so many times. With an ending I never saw coming I am sat here, mouth agape, tears streaming and have actually messaged the author for the first time. Kudos to her for the way she delivered this story, certainly unforgettable as are her characters and as I dive into book nine, I’m not sure my heart can truly recover. What a series and I am glad that Bookouture has optioned this as a sixteen-book series, maybe they can increase that count too, at book nine, this series shows no sign of getting old.

Release Day Blitz, Review, Excerpt & Giveaway ~ Wanderlust by Lauren Blakely

   

One fiery American woman and one hot British guy? The language of love knows no boundaries…

From #1 NYT Bestselling author Lauren Blakely, comes the hot, new romance guaranteed to sweep you away while scorching the sheets, WANDERLUST! A brand new, sinfully sexy romance, WANDERLUST is now available on all retailers! Get your copy delivered now!

   

✮✮✮WANDERLUST is here! Grab your copy today! ✮✮✮

Book Description:

From #1 NYT bestselling author Lauren Blakely comes a sexy new standalone romance!

The first time I met him, his sexy British accent almost talked me into giving him my number on the spot. The second time, he nearly charmed the panties off me with his wit. Then I learned he's the key to success in my new job in Paris. The man who tempts me into fling-worthy dirty daydreams has turned out to be my personal translator, and his accent is the hottest thing I've ever heard.

My mantra is simple -- Don't mix business with pleasure.

I do my best to resist him as he teaches me how to converse with my co-workers, navigate the metro and order the perfect bottle of wine at dinner. But I also figure out how to tell the charming and clever man what I most want to say -- that I want him to take me back to his flat -- tonight.

Except there's a catch...

***

One more assignment before I take off on my big adventure...

And it involves the toughest work ever -- resisting the fetching American woman I spend all my days with. But you know what they say about best intentions. Soon, we're spending our nights tangled together, and I don't want to let her go. The trouble is, my wanderlust is calling to me, and before we know it I'll be traveling the globe to fulfill a promise I made long ago.

What could possibly go wrong with falling in love in Paris? Nothing...unless one of you is leaving.

Buy Links:

ORDER YOUR COPIES HERE!

✦ Amazon UK 

✦ Amazon US  ✦ iBooks ✦ Kobo ✦ Nook ✦ Google Play ✦ Amazon PB

     

✦The audiobook is narrated by Richard Armitage and Grace Grant! 

✦ ✦Audible ➜ http://adbl.co/Wanderlust

✦Amazon Audio UK ➜ http://amzn.to/2ouzamR

✦Amazon Audio US ➜ http://amzn.to/2CIgRyB

       

ADD IT TO YOUR GOODREADS TODAY!

“Wanderlust is the love story to end all! I laughed, cried, dreamed, and hoped. To say I was transfixed by this story is to underrate its power. I am a romantic at heart and this book spoke to me like no other.” -Gloria Herrera for As You Wish Reviews

       

“Packed with flirty banter, a slow-building, yet scorching hot romance, and characters that are enchanting, voracious, and delightfully unreserved, Wanderlust is a hopelessly romantic, heart-meltingly sweet love story from Lauren Blakely.” -Yvette for Nose Stuck in a Book

“Loved this! Wanderlust is a delightful and utterly romantic read.” -ShawnaLovesRomance

     

✮✮✮ Enter to win the ultimate gift for anyone who has a little WANDERLUST! ✮✮✮

This prize pack includes a Kate Spade Travel Bag ($500 value), along with a $50 gift card to Bath and Body Works where you can pick out your favorite scented lotion, bubblebath or candles.

https://laurenblakely.com/wanderlustgiveaway/

Our Review:

Reviewed by Donna ~ 4.5 stars

Lauren Blakely whisked me away to gay Paris in this stunning audible edition of Wanderlust. It is pretty evident that this author has an affinity for the French capital and her love of the city was prevalent throughout this audible. Narrators make or break a book and being British myself I was so glad that our British hero was granted the sultry, dulcet tones of Richard Armitage, I have to say, he made this audible for me.

I was enraptured by this audible and actually listened to it all in one sitting. The allure of Paris and Perfume was too much, and the stunning, evocative writing almost created an interactive read as the descriptive writing had me more than imagining the perfume that was being created.

Joy and Griffin were fantastic characters, their banter, their chemistry, their physical attraction was on point as these two narrators brought these characters to life. Having them “speak” only gave these characters their sense of humour, added depth and the little nuances with voices and comedic moments brought these characters to life.

As I said above, this was a stunning story, not only limited to Paris and perfume. The language, the food, the sites, the customs, really brought their love story together and I was total captivated from the very start. By the end, I wanted to see Paris for myself, refresh my rusty high school French and check out the capital for myself. Absolutely adored it.

Excerpt:

~GRIFFIN~

There’s one word a woman can utter that gets a man’s blood flowing south instantly.

Okay. That’s not true.

There are about twenty thousand that produce that effect, because when you fancy a woman, nearly anything remotely sexy can drive you crazy with desire for her.

Imagine if she says, I’m going to take off a sock.

Boom. Implied nudity. Hard as a rock.

Perhaps she asks, Do you like strawberries?

Obviously that means she wants me to eat them off her breasts. Flagpole raised.

But then there are some that are so direct, so spot on, she might as well be saying, I’d like you to fuck me hard all night long.

Which, for the record, might possibly be my favorite thing a woman could ever say to me. In fact, I might need to make that my own personal addendum to the bucket list.

At the moment, though, the word is proposition.

As I walk to the restaurant Joy has chosen on Rue de Bac, I keep replaying that deliciously inviting message.

I have a proposition for you.

What could it possibly be but some fantastic arrangement where we shag all night and still get along for work? No strings, no pain, no heartbreak. Sign me up right-the-hell now. That would be fantastic. A promise of orgasm-drenched nights, capped off by an uncomplicated good-bye when I take off for Indonesia in a few more months, finally visiting the places around the world Ethan and I marked on a map when we were younger.

As I round the corner, Christian’s words have the temerity to appear in the forefront of my brain.

Don’t you make the same mistake. You can’t mix business and pleasure. We’re lucky to have the jobs we have.

We are lucky to have our jobs. I don’t disagree with his basic premise, but I doubt Joy’s proposition will jeopardize mine. Besides, I really only need to keep my job for the next two and a half months. That’s all she needs me for at her company, and then I’m gone. Who knows where I’ll end up after I take off on my great adventure? We made so many marks on that map. If I found it, it’d be full of pinholes, I’m sure.

Travel everywhere, Ethan wrote.

He can’t. So I must.

There’s simply no way that Joy’s have hot sex with me every single night starting now will interfere with my bigger plans. I can juggle business and pleasure. I can enjoy the woman, the gig, and the checking off of each item on the bucket list.

When I reach the door of Gabriel’s, a restaurant started by a French-Brazilian cook who’s now become a rock star chef in New York City, I’m more certain than ever that I can have my cake and eat it, too. Preferably off Joy’s soft supple belly.

With that enticing image front and center, I smooth a hand down my black shirt, push open the door, and head inside.

About the Author:

   

#1 New York Times Bestselling author, and #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that's hot, sweet and sexy. She lives in California with her family and has plotted entire novels while walking her dogs. With fourteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than 90 times, and she's sold more than 2.5 million books. In March she'll release WANDERLUST, a sexy new standalone romance. 

To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter! laurenblakely.com/newsletter

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Newsletter ** Goodreads

Review ~ Dane's Storm (Audible Original) by Mia Sheridan

Book Description:

Available in audio first, a gripping, exquisitely romantic new stand-alone by New York Times best-selling author Mia Sheridan!

Dane was her first kiss and the only man she ever loved...until their marriage crashed and burned. Now Audra has built a quiet life for herself running a flower shop she's put her whole heart into. But Audra is left reeling when an unexpected circumstance brings Dane back into her world. He's still as breathtaking as he ever was, and he still affects her more than any man she's ever known. Yet learning to trust him again could be a matter of life and death....

When Dane offers to fly his ex-wife from California to Colorado to help correct a wrong, he never imagined the harrowing twist of fate awaiting them. When their plane goes down in the snowy mountain wilderness, Dane and Audra are stranded, with no one to turn to but each other. Will their second crash end their lives - or save their souls?

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2CXRBEF

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2FefpWV

Our Review:

Reviewed by Donna ~ 5 stars

I have been listening to a lot of audibles recently, audible first has certainly made me use existing credits that I leave patiently waiting for the right book to come along. Dane’s Storm was a no brainer for me and anyone that knows me knows that Mia Sheridan has penned my all-time favourite read, Archer’s Voice and now I cannot wait to actually read this one in print. Now, what I am going to say is something I never, ever thought I would say, Dane’s Storm is Archer’s equal. Two very different stories yet both have left a lasting effect. This is a story I will definitely read time and time again, a book that will go on my all-time favourites list and a first in my audible listening experience…it made me cry and not just a few tears either, guttural sobbing in parts.

Mia Sheridan never fails to deliver with her words, words that on their own mean one little thing, yet when she effortlessly weaves them together, they pack one hell of an emotional punch and she definitely doesn’t hold back with Dane’s Storm. This is second chance romance at it’s finest with a lot of emotion, drama I never saw coming and a lesson that you don’t choose love, love chooses you.

Social class is the biggest hurdle that these two childhood sweethearts have to overcome, they married young and divorced soon after, after a tragedy robbed them of happiness. Dane loved Audra with everything he had and vice versa, but sometimes love isn’t enough when you have a meddling family that don’t believe in marrying beneath them. When Dane and Audra’s paths cross years later, no-one could have anticipated what these two would have to go through to get their happy ever after.

These two had never moved on from the other emotionally, although Dane did try, both their hearts yearning for that first love, love that was never forgotten and remembered frequently. Audra’s life has literally been frozen in time for the seven years they have been apart with Dane being her first and only. When Audra’s business comes under threat from Dane’s tyrannical grandmother, Audra has no option than to seek Dane’s help in the vague hope that he can put a stop to the woman that had never accepted her and was determined to destroy her.

I have to say; the narrators did a fantastic job in bringing these characters to life. At first it took a while to gel with Dane’s voice but once I got used to his often-breathy dialogue it didn’t needle me as much as it did to begin with. Audra’s narrator was succinct, with great expression and emotion and I felt that this narrator really delved into Audra’s character and made this her own.

I went into this one totally blind as I always do with a Mia Sheridan book so I was not expecting the plane crash at all, which, had I read the synopsis I would have known about. When these two find themselves helpless on a snowy mountain top, Mia Sheridan really ramps up the drama as this second chance romance takes on a Survivor twist and makes these two realise that they truly cannot live without one and other, but with their precarious situation, that choice may be taken away from them.

This was emotion overload, my tear ducts were working overtime with this one and as I said above, I have never cried with audio before. This one pulled those emotional punches one after the other as your heart hopes that now they have reconnected, it isn’t taken away. With an epilogue to die for, Mia Sheridan wraps up this second chance with a lot of love and a story that I will treasure for a long, long time.

Audible Review ~ You (You #1) by Caroline Kepnes (narrated by Santino Fontana)

Book Description:

How far would you go for the perfect love? A young man's dark obsession with an enigmatic, gorgeous writer leads to murderous consequences in this erotic psychological thriller.

You walk into the bookstore and you keep your hand on the door to make sure it doesn't slam. You smile, embarrassed to be a nice girl, and your nails are bare and your V-neck sweater is beige and it's impossible to know if you're wearing a bra but I don't think that you are. You're so clean that you're dirty and you murmur your first word to me - hello.

When aspiring writer and recent Brown graduate Guinevere Beck strides into the bookstore where Joe works, he's instantly smitten. Beck is everything Joe has ever wanted: she's gorgeous, tough, razor-smart, and sexy beyond his wildest dreams. Joe needs to have her, and he'll stop at nothing to do so. As he begins to insinuate himself into her life - her friendships, her email, her phone - she can't resist her feelings for a guy who seems custom-made for her. So when her boyfriend, Benji, mysteriously disappears, Beck and Joe fall into a tumultuous affair. But there's more to Beck than her oh-so-perfect façade, and their mutual obsession quickly spirals into a whirlwind of deadly consequences.

Dark, masterful, and timely, debut novelist Caroline Kepnes' You is a perversely romantic thriller that's more dangerously clever than any you've heard before. A chilling account of unrelenting passion, this tale of love, sex, and death will stay with you long after the story ends.

Buy Links:

Audible UK: http://adbl.co/2i0ej8d

Audible US: http://adbl.co/2i06pvq

Our Review:

Reviewed by Donna ~ 5 stars

I have listened to many, many audible books but have never felt compelled to write a review for one. Usually my audibles are books I have already physically read, but with You, it was a recommendation that I couldn’t squeeze into my blog reading schedule, so I bought the audible instead.

I have to say, this is THE BEST audible I have ever listened to. Santino Fontana narrated the shit out of this book, his voice was perfect, his perfectly timed intonations brought the character to life, he was one with Joe. Comedic timing was spot on, that dark, creepy timbre was mesmerising as well as alluring and shiver inducing and I actually believed that Caroline Kepnes’s Joe Goldberg was at the other end of the mic when this book was made. This book turned into a reality thanks to Santino Fontana, a twisty, dark, reality of Joe, the seemingly innocuous book store manager.

For those that have not read You, Joe Goldberg works in a little book store and Caroline Kepnes takes no time in letting you know that Joe is a few sandwiches short of a picnic. Joe, for all intents and purposes is a stalker and right from the very beginning we are witness to him finding his next target. From the initial first glance, to the credit card receipt, to stalking on social media, hacking and firmly planting himself in her life. Joe is intense, calculating, extremely clever and a master manipulator but the way in which Caroline Kepnes keeps you in Joe’s head for the entire book actually makes you love him, well I did and with that added voice of Santino Fontana, Joe became real. Nothing and no-one will come between Joe and Becks and god help you if you try. This is beyond infatuation, but the clever and calculating way that this story is delivered only makes you want to know more.

Joe is a character you should hate, heck, I would never want to come across him, but as an outsider being privy to his thoughts and actions I found him fascinating. So many witty one liners that had me laughing out loud even though I should have been cringing. His nonchalance, his inherent belief in himself and what he is doing is normal, the extents to which he goes to beggars belief, yet I still loved him.

As this book progressed, my little snippets of Joe in the car on school runs was never enough and I found myself listening when I should have been reading other books, those last three hours, I was captivated, I just carried on listening till the end. I already have downloaded book two and that is primed and ready to go and I cannot wait to reconnect with Joe. I have questions I want answers to, so what will Joe get up to next? I will keep you abreast.

Stunning audio book and just goes to show what happens when the voice nails the character. This was more than a narration, Santino Fontana did his homework, he voiced his arse off, and it paid off.