Poppy and Amelia didn’t set out to be witches. That happened quite by accident, and it’s a secret they must keep from their family and friends.
Then there is Mia, the new girl in class. Pale, strange and deadly serious, she’s in need of a couple of equally weird friends.
Poppy and Amelia are happy to oblige.
Together, the three of them must thwart the plans of the sinister Miss Mortimer and her evil companions.
This is the start of the awesome adventures of Poppy and Amelia!
Maddy Harrisis, author
Misha Herwin, author
All profits from sales of “The Awesome Adventures of Poppy and Amelia” will go to Leukaemia Research and here is why…. Posy Miller, Misha’s daughter and Maddy’s aunt, died of the disease aged 31. Treatment has come a long…
‘Hugely confident … harrowing, visceral … recommended’ Ian Rankin
‘Kept me hooked’ Angela Marsons
‘An excellent read’ Martina Cole
‘Gritty, dark and chilling’ Mel Sherratt
A murdered woman…
When the body of a young woman is found in a local park, DC Maggie Jamieson knows she’s dealing with no ordinary killer. The murder victim has been disfigured; her outfit changed to resemble someone else. Someone Maggie knows all too well…her close friend Dr Kate Moloney.
A determined detective…
Maggie is determined to keep her friend safe, but with Kate already struggling with a threatening stalker, Maggie now fears Kate’s life is in real danger. Who else would want to harm Kate and why else would the killer be turning his victims into exact replicas – his living dolls?
Can Maggie find the depraved killer? Or will Kate become his next living doll?
My review
Dead Perfect
(Maggie Jamieson, Book 3)
Noelle Holten
(Review written on 26th October 2020)
WOW!
I am SO glad I was able to read Dead Perfect as soon as I’d finished book 2, Dead Wrong, as it ended on such a cliff-hanger!
What a way to start a new book!!
I have absolutely loved the third instalment in this excellent series. The story is tense and fast moving from the very first page. It certainly starts as it means to go on. I love how Noelle Holten’s writing draws me in. Each chapter is written in a way that makes it nigh on impossible to put down without reading just one more, or two, or three, or ten!
In Dead Perfect Maggie, and the team, are faced with a frantic race against time to ensure the safety of a close friend and colleague. There is a killer on the loose who has an extremely unhealthy obsession with her. However, there are no obvious suspects and time is running out.
I love how unique and mysterious the perpetrator is in this book. I have to admit that I did figure out quite early on who it was, but I had absolutely no idea what his motives would turn out to be. Very clever writing! Creepy would be an understatement. It’s quite scary how some people’s minds work.
I thoroughly enjoyed being swept along for the ride as Maggie and the team battled on tirelessly in the hope of solving this case before it was too late. I was holding my breath on more than one occasion I can tell you!
‘He spreads out his hands. They glow yellow, then orange. Threads emerge from underneath his nails, shining out of the skin. They weave themselves together, the fingers knitting their light-made lace until the threads form a fabric heading out of the glass panes and towards the fields. They cross the glass without so much as a shudder. Seo crafts his land.’ Seo Kuroaku has it all. Adopted as a boy by the formidable Sir Neil, he’s the youth champion of Twine, the high-pressured national sport. Played in arenas where thousands come to watch, weavers craft creatures from their fingertips to wage battle against fearsome opponents. But this is a Britain of much darker times – and Seo is harbouring a secret. When he is outed, Twine can’t help him. With the help of his little brother Minjun and Jack, the man he can’t decide if he loves or not, Seo has to find a way to get his life back on track, whilst facing the biggest match of his life. In The Game Weavers, Rebecca Zahabi has created a fantastical yet hauntingly contemporary narrative which is both love story and fable – The Game Weavers is a coming of age story about the importance of intimacy, family and self-acceptance.
My review
The Game Weavers
Rebecca Zahabi
(Review written on 5th October 2020)
The Game Weavers is quite different to the books I generally read, but it’s always good to try something completely out of my comfort zone every now and again. The Game Weavers was pitched to me as a “fantasy/magical realism YA novel with LGBTQ themes exploring love, identity and coming-of-age.” I have enjoyed the escapism this book has provided. It’s an interesting concept and puts a unique spin on gaming.
Weaving is a game where the weavers literally weave twine directly from their fingertips and compete against each other in massive arenas. It sounds terrifying and painful to me, and sometimes is. However, it’s also extremely creative. I could easily visualise some of the scenes created during the matches. Some of the creatures and scenes sound amazing! There is some beautifully descriptive language used throughout this story.
There are some lovely characters in this book (and some not so lovely!). Seo is a well-known, competition level, teenage weaver. He has a lot of fans, and he lives for his sport, but he has a secret he feels he needs to keep so as not to offend anyone, especially Sir Neil, his adoptive father. He is gay, but the society he lives in makes him feel he is unable to be open about this, which I find extremely sad.
Minjun (Seo’s younger brother) is a lovely character. It was interesting to view their lives through his younger eyes.
Sir Neil is a harsh character, but quite believable. He isn’t particularly affectionate with the boys, but he has given them a comfortable life and mentored Seo throughout his career and success. He struggles to accept the idea of Seo having a boyfriend, mostly I think because he feels his fans might turn against him. He makes no secret of this either.
Jack is an adorable character. I was routing for him and Seo the whole time.
I think there will be a lot of readers who will relate to Seo’s story or at least empathise with him. I’m also sure gamers will love the concept of weaving!
Many thanks to Emily Walton and Zuntold Publishing for my review copy.
Mark Tilbury is re-launching two of his outstanding books next month and has revealed the new covers today!
Check these out!
Cover reveal One!
You Belong To Me is going to be re-launched on the 10th November.
Here’s the book description:
Can two wrongs ever make a right? The police never found fifteen-year-old Ellie Hutton. She vanished ten years ago after walking home from school along a disused railway track. But Danny Sheppard knows exactly what happened to her. She is dead and buried in a field near Lassiter’s Brook. Now Cassie Rafferty has gone missing. Same age. Similar circumstances. And Danny also knows what has happened to her. Can Danny fight his demons and tell the truth this time? Or will history repeat itself and leave another innocent girl dead?
And here is it’s FANTASTIC new cover, thanks to Emmy Ellis.
Cover reveal two!
Torment is going to be re-launched on 19th November
Here is the book description:
Who can you really trust? Beth couldn’t be happier. She is eight weeks pregnant and married to the man of her dreams. But after returning home from a celebratory meal, she finds a wreath from her sister’s grave hanging above the bed and a kitchen knife embedded in her pillow. There are no signs of a forced entry. Nothing is stolen. And no one other than the cleaner has a key to the house. Then a campaign of terror begins. Beth becomes increasingly paranoid as it becomes clear that someone close to the family is behind these disturbing events. But who would want Beth dead? Does the past hold the clue? And can Beth find the answer before it’s too late? Torment is a story of misplaced loyalty, revenge and sacrifice. And here is the AMAZING new cover, thanks again to the talented (and very patient,) Emmy Ellis
I am SO glad book 3, Dead Perfect, has published today so I don’t have to wait to find out where the story will lead.
I think I read this book, and finished it, at the perfect time.
Having read, and thoroughly enjoyed, Dead Inside (Maggie Jamieson, book 1) I was very much looking forward to reading Dead Wrong. It has been another excellent read. I have LOVED it!
Maggie Jamieson is a very likeable character. I feel like I got to know her that little bit more in this book. This is partly what I love about a series, the characters almost become like old friends I look forward to catching up with again in each new book. I love that Maggie is supportive of her brother, but there’s something about him I can’t put my finger on. He hasn’t grown on me so far. I’m not convinced there isn’t more to his story, but it might just be me.
Anyway, in this book Maggie, and the team, are forced to re-visit a murder case which they thought was closed years before. Bill Raven, who is serving a life sentence having confessed to the murder of three missing women, is appealing his sentence claiming he was coerced in to confessing. When body parts start turning up it starts to look like they may have convicted an innocent man after all. Maggie is convinced that Bill Raven is still responsible in some way though and she is determined to prove it, even if it means putting her career on the line.
Dead Wrong is a fast-paced police procedural crime thriller which ticks all the boxes for me. Noelle Holten is a natural storyteller and certainly knows her stuff!
I love that many of the characters throughout this story have extremely familiar names.
I love that it is set near to my hometown also.
An easy five stars for me!
If you haven’t read Noelle’s books as yet, then you really are missing out on a brilliant series. Give them a go, you won’t be disappointed.
I’m off to start Dead Perfect now….
About the author….
Noelle Holten (via Amazon Author Page)
Noelle Holten is an award-winning blogger at http://www.crimebookjunkie.co.uk. She is the PR & Social Media Manager for Bookouture, a leading digital publisher in the UK, and worked as a Senior Probation Officer for eighteen years, covering a variety of risk cases as well as working in a multi agency setting. She has three Hons BA’s – Philosophy, Sociology (Crime & Deviance) and Community Justice – and a Masters in Criminology. Noelle’s hobbies include reading, attending as many book festivals as she can afford and sharing the booklove via her blog. Dead Inside – her debut novel with One More Chapter/Harper Collins UK is an international kindle bestseller and the start of a new series featuring DC Maggie Jamieson.
Having read two short stories by Dan Klefstad, The Guardian and The Interview, back in 2017 I have been quite intrigued by Fiona and Daniel, so I was very much looking forward to reading this full novel. Fiona’s Guardians has been well worth waiting for.
Fiona is a powerful character, in many ways. She commands your attention, and I can’t help but be impressed by her. She is feared and respected. Cross her and she wouldn’t think twice about snapping your neck. However, she has her weaknesses and relies on a Guardian to protect her as she sleeps, and to keep her fed. Fiona is a 250-year-old vampire. Being her Guardian is no regular job. Daniel knows this only too well.
Daniel is an excellent character. I love the loyalty he has shown to Fiona. His frankness impresses me too. He’s been in this job too long to take any s**t. He is tired and is training a new Guardian in the hope of finally retiring. I really wished a peaceful retirement for him, but nothing is ever straight forward and being a Guardian has never been more dangerous.
An ancient order of Monks are determined to destroy Fiona and those she has sired. Fearing Fiona’s demise Daniel is forced out of retirement, unable to deny his devotion to her. Will he ever enjoy the peace and quite he craves with the money he has more than earned over the years? Will Fiona survive long enough to need another guardian?
Fiona’s Guardians is a unique story with many fascinating characters on both sides of the battle. Fast-paced and compelling, I think this book will appeal to many readers whether a vampire fan or not.
I can’t quite believe my little blog is 5-years-old already!
Time certainly does fly when you’re having fun!! 🙂
A BIG thank you, as always, to all of you lovely people who continue to support me and my blog. It is massively appreciated! You know who you are!
A special thanks to Mel Sherratt. If I hadn’t met Mel I doubt Chat About Books would have ever existed!
I love to share the book love, but I can’t do it all on my own. Every like, share and comment means the world. It means the books featured will reach an audience as far and wide as possible which is what it’s all about!
Welcome to my stop on Mark Tilbury’s A Prayer For The Broken blog tour! I am over the moon to be sharing my review with you all today, and on Publication Day too!
A Prayer For The Broken
Mark Tilbury
(Review written on 22nd September 2020)
A Prayer For The Broken is another outstanding book by Mark Tilbury. I have read everything he has released, and I haven’t been disappointed once. The word enjoyed doesn’t feel quite right when describing this book, or any Mark Tilbury book, but his writing always draws me in instantly. The array of emotions he evokes with such dark and delicate subject matters is proof of his natural storytelling ability. I find myself completely absorbed in his stories, every single time. He is one of my most favourite authors and I recommend his books often. A Prayer For The Broken is another book I will be recommending, A LOT!
Many thanks to Mark Tilbury for my advance review copy. It is always an honour to be able to read your books ahead of publication.
A Prayer For The Broken may not be for everyone as it’s extremely harrowing and quite difficult to read at times. It deals with child abuse, both psychological and physical, which is naturally very upsetting. What makes it more disturbing is knowing that abuse such as this happens in real life, more often than we probably realise. I know some people won’t even entertain reading books like this one, but honestly, I can’t stress enough how Mark Tilbury manages to make this story so readable despite the subject matter. It is even comical at times, which seems an odd thing to say but it is. The characters are just amazing. They’re so real, and believable, and their stories kept me glued to the pages.
Eleven-year-old John finds himself in foster care following the horrific murder of his mother. He was the one to find her and I can’t even imagine how that must feel for anyone, let alone a child. He feels safe with his foster parents, but a permanent home is found for him with a religious couple who, on the surface, seem to be able to offer him safety and stability. Nothing could be further from the truth and the ordeal he faces, along with his blood brother, Brendan, at the hands of this twisted family are nothing short of horrific!
The fact that this abuser uses religion as his justification for ‘correcting’ these children makes me sick. It’s people like him who give Christianity a bad name. He’s no Christian. No genuine Christian would use this kind of violence against anyone, least of all a child. He made me so angry!
John is such a sweetheart. I just wanted to rescue him and bring him home to safety. I loved the relationship he shared with Brendan and my heart broke for him. He deals with his ordeal far better than I think I would, bless him. It’s not surprising that he feels all hope is lost though. Who is going to believe that this family are capable to such atrocities, even if he had the chance to tell anyone?
I was holding my breath in panic towards the end. There is a glimmer of hope though, and it just goes to show how one person can truly change your life. My emotions were all over the place. This book made my heart ache with sadness, it made me SO cross, but it also made me smile. I absolutely LOVED the ending. It gave me goosebumps! I love the supernatural twist to the story. I can’t recommend it highly enough!
OUT NOW!
About the author….
Mark lives in a small village in the lovely county of Cumbria, although his books are set in Oxfordshire where he was born and raised. After being widowed and raising his two daughters, Mark finally took the plunge and self-published two books on Amazon, The Revelation Room and The Eyes of the Accused. He’s always had a keen interest in writing, and is extremely proud to have had seven novels published by Bloodhound Books. Now self-publishing, Mark has published The Last One To See Her and his most recent book, A Prayer For The Broken. When he’s not writing, Mark can be found playing guitar, reading and walking.
On the first Friday of each month I like to have a little look back at the books I was reading during the same month in previous years, since starting my blog.
Please do join in, I’d love to see your posts!
Here are my reviews from October in 2019, plus a link to previous FBFs….
Chat About Books 