I'm 47, married to Steve (50), Mum to two (24 & 23) and a Shih Tzu called Bella (13). I'm our Church Treasurer (on a voluntary basis) since July 2014. I started my Book Blog in October 2015. I created Bowen's Book Publicity in June 2020. I love to #sharethebooklove 💕
I Know What You’ve Done is the third book I’ve read by Dorothy Koomson. I’d be lying if I said it was my favourite so far, but it did keep me intrigued enough to really want to find out what was going on.
There are a lot of characters to keep track of. All of whom live in close proximity. It did make me wonder who could potentially be watching your every move. None of us knows what goes on with our neighbours behind closed doors.
Some of the character’s behaviour was difficult to understand, although none of us know how we would deal with a situation until you find yourself in said situation. I enjoyed the realistic variation of characters. I wouldn’t want to live in their street though!
I didn’t guess the twist at the end, but I can’t say I found it shocking either.
Overall, an enjoyable read but maybe a little underwhelming for what I expected. I will certainly be reading other books from Dorothy Koomson as I really enjoyed the first two books I read a while ago.
The Long Way Home is a beautifully written book. The first by this author for me but hopefully not the last.
Set in Liverpool in the early 1900s we meet Amy when she is just ten years old and doing a grand job of looking after her mother and her ten siblings whilst her father goes out to work. Her mother is ill, with tuberculosis, and is unable to leave her bed often. Can you even imagine living like that these days. Thirteen people to one bedroom! People seemed to just get on with things in those days, doing whatever they had to do to survive. No such thing as universal credit or such like back then. You worked whenever work was available, made the best of what you had, and older children helped to bring up the younger children. Everyone mucked in. Despite this they quite often came across as happier and closer as a family.
Unfortunately, Pa’s wealthy sister, Aunt Zillah is unable to carry a child to term so she decides she is adopting Amy and plans to bring her up as her own. With his wife now in hospital and him having to work to keep food on the table, Amy’s Pa allows it as Zillah has promised him money to move to better housing and support for the other ten children.
Amy is understandably traumatised by being dragged from the family she loves, to a massive unfamiliar house, by her aunt who blatantly doesn’t have a maternal bone in her body. My heart broke for her, and I prayed she might escape the claws of her aunt one way or another.
I was engrossed in her story as she grows into a beautiful young lady who never gives up hope of finding her family again. I love how her relationship with Joe grows as they grow. However, Zillah has other ideas and what she puts Amy through at only sixteen years old is horrific.
Zillah’s husband, Caleb, is a much more likeable character. I’m so glad Amy has him to help protect her from his heartless wife. Whatever he saw in Zillah I’ll never know, but quite often in those days people of wealth married for money and the hope of suitable heirs rather than for love didn’t they. I can’t even imagine.
Amy’s story is one of true resilience. With her aunt, an abusive husband, and a war to contend with it seems as though happiness is impossible, but true love always wins.
There are so many beautiful characters throughout this book, including some of the staff at the Seymour home (which reminded me of Downton Abbey). It’s such a rollercoaster of emotion and is so full of love. Love for family, love between friends, and fighting for the love of your life. I absolutely loved it!
** I read the paperback edition of The Long Way Home. I have no idea where I bought it from though. It’s been on my bookshelf for years. Published in 2008, I assume I bought it from a book sale some time ago **
Amy Pearson’s family is desperately poor – even by the standards of Edwardian Liverpool – but they have each other. Until Amy is torn from her home by her rich aunt, a woman obsessed by religion and snobbery who wants a girl she can mould as she wishes. Clever and pretty, ten-year-old Amy is perfect for her purposes. It is the beginning of a long journey for Amy, as she desperately searches for the family she lost, and a home where she can be free at last from her aunt’s possessive tyranny. But she will have to endure a forced marriage and a tragic war before she can at last find what she seeks.
The Reckoning is another excellent read in the Secrets of Redemption series. It is the second book centred around Charlie’s story and it answers a lot of questions!
Another book full of suspense and tension. I can’t seem to get enough of this series. I’m already reading book 6! I look forward to picking my kindle back up each evening to see what might happen next.
It’s a long time since I read a series of books one after the other, but I am really invested in these characters and their stories.
Lisbon ’41: Amongst the spies and the intrigue of wartime Lisbon lies a deadly secret. (The Lisbon Novels Book 1)
by Malcolm Havard
Wartime Lisbon. Ex-cop, Dinis Lopes just wants to be left alone. The state has other ideas…
A VIP visitor to Portugal has left behind a deadly secret that can change the course of history. Lopes is tasked with finding it – without knowing what he’s looking for.
” A little bit Gamache. A little bit Frost. A little bit Wallander. And I can’t wait for the sequel.” ARC reviewer.
The Summoning is another excellent book in this brilliant series. This one is a prequel, so I got to learn more about Aunt Charlie and how she ended up in Redemption. Just brilliant!
I’m thoroughly enjoying spending time with these characters!
WOW! I feel quite exhausted after reading this book. Talk about a rollercoaster of emotions!
This was my absolute biggest fear when my children were little. I was hyperventilating on behalf of Sive. How she doesn’t completely fall apart during this ordeal I don’t know, although rationally I know that wouldn’t help anyone. Such a frightening scenario, I can only imagine. I felt tense throughout this book, and as the story progressed I found myself trying to read quicker but at the same time not wanting to discover anything even more traumatic.
I couldn’t warm to Sive’s husband, Aaron, even though she seems to idolise him. I found his friendship group quite bizarre. Almost like they were forcing themselves to still be friends even though they no longer seemed to have anything in common. Kind of like their get togethers were just a habit now. One that no one dared to be the first to break. None of them are particularly likable characters (apart from Sive). I’d like to say I warmed to them a bit more as we get to know them, but no.
So much goes on in such a short time, my head was spinning! This is a fast-paced, suspenseful, and emotional story with many jaw dropping moments. I absolutely loved it!
** I read this book as part of a buddy read with a group of Bookstagram friends. I read the hardcover edition which I purchased from a second-hand book sale **
I finished it this afternoon as part of a buddy read with Bookstagram friends and I’m looking forward to chatting about it with them, although I’m not sure where to start to be honest.
I was completely invested in Pip and Ravi’s story since reading, and thoroughly enjoying, the first two books in this series so I was very much looking forward to reading book three. I think I’d go as far to say as this is even better than the first two books put together. My heart was in my mouth for much of this book. It is so full of jaw dropping twists. I actually felt myself panicking at times.
This book is fast paced, suspenseful, full of wonderful relationships and solid friendships integral to the story line.
The very last page gave me goosebumps!
Pip and Ravi are just the best characters. I’m sad to be saying goodbye to them.
I don’t want to say too much about this book in case I accidentally spoil anything for anyone, especially those who haven’t read the first two books. I have already bought book four though, which I am already half way through, so that gives you some idea of how invested I am in these characters.
If you haven’t read this series yet, I highly recommend you add book one to your list….
