Hi and welcome to my Flashback Friday feature!

On the first Friday of each month I like to have a little look back at what I was reading during the same month in previous years, since starting my blog.

Please do join in, if you have the time, I’d love to see your posts. Share your link with us in the comments if you do.

Here are my reviews from April 2019 plus a link to previous FBFs…..

A Keeper by Graham Norton #Audible #BookReview @HodderBooks

#LettersToTheLost by Iona Grey @Iona_Grey Simon & Schuster @simonschuster #Netgalley #BookReview

After The Funeral by Gillian Poucher @GillianPoucher #BlogTour #BookReview @RedDoorBooks

The Lonely Hearts Crime Club by Tanya Bullock @TanyaBullock15 @Blackbird_Bks #BlogTour #BookReview

Amazing Grace by Kim Nash @KimTheBookworm #BlogTour #BookReview @HeraBooks @rararesources

After Jessica by Morgen Bailey @morgenwriteruk #BlogTour #BookReview @BOTBSPublicity

In Her Defence (A Bunch Courtney Investigation) by Jan Edwards @Jancoledwards #BlogTour #BookReview

#FlashbackFriday April 2019 with Susan Hill @HALeuschel @hine_hin @ChristieJBarlow @callytaylor and @MTilburyAuthor

Have you read any of the above?

Welcome to my stop on Stephen Anthony Brotherton’s One Last Shot blog tour with Rachel’s Random Resources!

Having read and enjoyed the previous two books in this series, Another Shot and An Extra Shot, I was very much looking forward to reading this conclusion to Freddie’s and Jo-Jo’s rollercoaster love story.

This book starts pretty much where An Extra Shot left off. We find out how Freddie has coped with Jo-Jo’s bombshell news. He hasn’t coped well and once again I really felt for Freddie. She has turned his life upside down once again. From the very beginning I have found Freddie to be a very likeable, but vulnerable, character. For him, Jo-Jo was his life and not having her in it has been something he has struggled to get over for years. Now Jo-Jo is back, thirty years later, he seems as confused and deflated as ever. Jo-Jo still can’t seem to make her mind up what she wants which did make me wonder why she ever got back in touch with him again at all. I’m not sure she did him any favours telling him her secret either. She obviously thinks he deserves to know, and he probably does, but I don’t think him knowing now really does anyone any good. I feel it was more to ease her own conscience for not telling him at the time, although I don’t doubt for one second how heart-breaking it must have been for her to make such a lifechanging decision and to live with that secret for all these years. My feelings towards Jo-Jo are very conflicted. I still didn’t particularly warm to her, if I’m honest. She doesn’t seem to do Freddie’s mental health much good. He quite blatantly adores her though and she obviously loves him in her own way. She does seem genuinely worried about him, but at the same time she is the one who has caused his trauma. I’m not convinced she could make him happy, but I hope I’m wrong.

Likable, or not, I do feel like I really connected with these characters, throughout all three books. I have been well and truly invested in their story and genuinely enjoyed learning more about them.

I loved Jack. He’s a good friend to Freddie. Amy grew on me more throughout this book also.

This book is another emotional read and one I found equally compelling to the first two books. I think anyone would enjoy Freddie’s and Jo-Jo’s story. I’m going to have a look at some of the other reviews now as I’m interested to see if anyone else felt the same about Jo-Jo as I have, or if it’s just me!

Many thanks to the author and to Rachel @ Rachel’s Random Reads for my review copy of One Last Shot. I will happily recommend.

Blurb

Can first love ever be reignited?

One Last Shot concludes the trilogy of Freddie and Jo-Jo, which has moved through time in a series of flashbacks, showing how the couple fell in love as teenagers, why they drifted apart, what happened in their lives away from each other, and what happens when they meet up again over three decades later.

At the end of the second book, An Extra Shot, Jo-Jo tells Freddie about her dark secret. Confused, vulnerable and in a state of shock, he says he needs time to think about what to do next. Jo-Jo’s right to be worried. Freddie doesn’t react well…

Praise for his previous books in the trilogy:

A story of second chances, fractured relationships, passion, secrets and emotion.
Dash Fan Book Reviews

We’re back with a book that does the will they, won’t they thing so well.
B R Maycock

An emotional, compelling but poignant read. It’s impossible not to get caught up in.
Over the Rainbow

I loved the characters, the flashbacks, the music, the culture and I left captivated, yet again.
Ann S

Buy HERE

ICYMI

#AnotherShot by Stephen Anthony Brotherton @FreddieJoJo1 #MiniBlogBlitz #BookReview @rararesources

#AnExtraShot by Stephen Anthony Brotherton @FreddieJoJo1 #MiniBlogBlitz #BookReview @rararesources

happy reading 🙂

It’s Publication Day for J.F. Burgess! 🙂

Watch this space for my review!

In the meantime…..

Three women. Two bodies. One deadly secret.

Pottery tycoon Charles Lancaster knows who kidnapped his wife.

He’s sure it was the brutally dangerous ex bare-knuckle fighter, Patrick Dunne. Patrick promised to avenge his son who died in a tragic accident in one of Charles’ factories. It’s an open and shut case…

 …until a headless body turns up in a remote Peak District pool, its back tattooed with a cryptic Tarot card. As Detective Inspector Tom Blake and FBI profiler Lucy Stryker dig into the mystery, they unearth long-buried secrets about an historic conspiracy and a clandestine cult. But with a sadistic killer on the loose, and everyone hiding things, it’s not just the victim’s life that hangs in the balance. Will anyone get out alive?

Because when the powerful are pointing the finger, you’d better watch your back…

What readers are saying:

‘Building on the success of his debut novel, The Killer Shadow Thieves, the author now plunges DI Tom Blake into a darkness he could never have imagined.’ Alyson Read, The Word Is Out – Alyson’s Reviews

‘What an amazing storytelling talent J.F.Burgess has!!! A Place of Reckoning is an utterly gripping psychological thriller: a real page-turner.’ Audrey Gibson, Goodreads

‘DI Blake and Lucy Stryker make a fantastic team to solve this dark mysterious case. It’s a crime thriller full of suspense which will grip you until the end… hugely enjoyable!’ Shiva Patel, Goodreads

Out Now!

ICYMI

The Killer Shadow Thieves (DI Tom Blake book 1) by J.F.Burgess @burgess1012 #BookReview

happy reading 🙂

I know I use these words a lot but OH, MY DAYS!

What a chilling yet completely compelling read. A cracking start to a new series!

DS Mark Turpin is called back to work, a little sooner then planned, when a priest is found brutally murdered in his own church. It’s obvious that this killing is very personal, but who could hold such a murderous grudge against a man of the cloth?

When a second priest is murdered, in a similar manner, Mark and his team dig even deeper into the pasts of these men in a frantic effort to find some sort of connection. What they eventually uncover is nothing short of heart-breaking.

As a Church of England, Christian myself I can fully understand the priests keeping the confidence of those whose confessions they have listened to. My heart went out to them as it can’t be easy to hear certain things and not be able to report to the relevant authorities should they feel they ought to. Battling between your duty to your faith and your conscience over the suffering of others must be immensely debilitating. I could also fully understand the frustration of the police as information has been withheld due to confidentiality laws.

I personally think certain rules surrounding confession should be relaxed, where a crime has quite plainly been committed, as I’m pretty sure God would forgive anyone who breaks the ‘rules’ to protect a fellow human being. I also know it’s not as black and white as that and I am sure there are many people who would disagree with me. It’s a difficult one, not to mention controversial.

Anyway, when Mark spots a clue, which has been previously missed, the investigation becomes even more urgent as they believe the murderer isn’t finished. This killer needs to be found, and now.

This is a fast-paced murder mystery which ticks all the boxes for me. Rachel Amphlett’s books always do!

DS Mark Turpin is a very likeable character and an extremely diligent detective sergeant. We also learn a little of his personal life, which I always like, and I love that he currently lives on a boat with a dog who seems to have claimed him as his own.

If you have never read a book by Rachel Amphlett before (why ever not!??) then this a perfect one to start with. I have thoroughly enjoyed it and I’m very much looking forward to catching up with DS Mark Turpin in book 2!

Many thanks to Rachel Amphlett for my mobi review copy. My apologies for taking this long to read and review.

Via Amazon UK

What if some secrets were never meant to stay buried?

When a parish priest is brutally murdered in cold blood, a rural community is left in shock – and fear.

New to the Vale of the White Horse, Detective Sergeant Mark Turpin discovers the murder bears the hallmark of a vicious killer who shows no remorse for his victim, and leaves no trace behind.

After a second priest is killed, his broken body bearing similar ritualistic abuse, the police are confronted by a horrifying truth – there is a serial killer at large with a disturbing vendetta.

As fear grips the once tranquil countryside, Mark and his team race to uncover a tangle of dark secrets and lies before the killer strikes again.

In doing so, Mark finds out that the truth is more twisted than he could ever have imagined…

None the Wiser is the first book in a new murder mystery series from USA Today bestselling author Rachel Amphlett.

“Fast paced with vivid characterisation and clever twists – this is another winner” – Adrian McKinty, The Chain

“A terrific start to a new series” – Jo Spain, With Our Blessing and The Confession

happy reading 🙂

I know it’s a bit late in the day but I just wanted to wish Tilly Tennant a very happy publication day! 🙂

I can’t wait to read this, I know I’m going to love it!

Blurb

What happens when Mr Right goes rogue?

Lara doesn’t have a back-up plan. So when her safe-bet boyfriend Lucien dumps her for her best friend, Lara’s world implodes. Life after the break up stretches bleakly ahead, lonely evenings on the sofa with only a bottle of wine and her grey cat Fluffy for company…

Down the road, Theo loves his job as a jazz musician, giving other people great nights out before coming home in the early hours and unwinding with his loyal cat Satchmo.

What they don’t know is that it’s the same cat.

And when they find out, standing in the streets in their pyjamas, both on the hunt for their lost pet, sparks of the wrong sort fly.

Lara can’t deny that Theo is one of the most gorgeous men she’s ever met, but she can see exactly why he’s still single. They do say opposites attract… but is she ready to move on? And when Lucien comes back into the picture, will she be tempted back to her life before the break up, or risk everything on the chance of something new?

A wonderfully warm will-they-won’t-they romantic read that will have you laughing one minute and crying the next. If you’re a fan of Jill Mansell and Carole Matthews, The Break Up is the love story you’ve been waiting for.

Readers are loving The Break Up:

‘Oh my gosh I loved this book. I think it would make a great movie… Tilly Tennant books always warm my heart and always give me a giggle too’ StefLoz Book Blog, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://steflozbookblog.wordpress.com/ 

‘I loved this book, it is such an enchanting read that I could have happily devoured in one sitting… it has just the right amount of romance and humour and is much more than a boy-meets-girl kind of book… It is a lovely story where we learn not to give up on our dreams and I highly recommend this book!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This is such a magical and heartwarming story, I have absolutely adored this and I’m really sad that I will never be able to experience reading this for the first time again… it should be on everyone’s TBR list. I cannot say anything negative about this one, it has been the perfect book to switch off with at the end of a busy day. This is most definitely a five star read, I only wish I could give this higher. It is truly deserving of all the stars and is magical.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Such a sweet and comforting read, perfect for curling up with on a cold, wet day.’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I love this author and never miss one of her books.’ Stardust Book Reviews, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘What a beautiful book this is! I wasn’t sure what to expect at first but once I started reading I couldn’t stop. Would definitely recommend’ Beanie Bookworm

‘Really enjoyed this, Lara and Theo are great characters and the story line was lovely. Perfect to lose yourself in for a few hours!’ Netgalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a lovely book… There were parts that broke my heart and parts that made me smile.’ B for Book Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Another brilliant book by Tilly Tennant.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This is a lovely easy read romantic story with lots of laughs… I found I just couldn’t stop reading.’ NetGalley Reviewer

‘A cute romantic story filled with some hilarious moments!’ Goodreads Reviewer

‘An enchanting book which captures your heart and you can be swept along with the “loveliness” of it all’ Goodreads Reviewer

Check this out!!!

BLOWBACK

Book Two

This was supposed to be simple. Vengeance was mine. But I should know by now that nothing in life is easy.
My endgame has changed all because I met someone who wishes I was dead. Yet her hatred is the only thing saving her from The Big Bad. My lies protect her, so the harder she hates, the safer she is.
The thing about love and hate—it skates a very thin line. I need to stay away. It’s better for everyone if I do. But fighting this is like fighting nature.
Our paths crossed for a reason, and my Tiger isn’t fooled. Once the smoke clears, she will see every player, including me. I don’t deserve a second chance. But I want one…because I want her. The question is, what happens when the truth is finally revealed?
With the end in sight, I can promise you there will be nothing but violence and mayhem.
Oh yes, blood will be shed.

BLOWBACK: The Monsters Within Duet: Book Two
Genre: Dark Romance
Cover Model: Andrew England @andrewengland88
Photographer: James Rupapara @jamesrupapara
Cover Designer: Sommer Stein—Perfect Pear Creative Covers

Trailer: https://tinyurl.com/tfb7dkf
Release date: May 7th

Pre-order your copy NOW!

Kindle: https://tinyurl.com/talqjd8
Nook: https://tinyurl.com/qlcnjyo
Kobo: https://tinyurl.com/rl3a45o
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/t265jje
Goodreads: https://tinyurl.com/svxekcl
BookBub: https://tinyurl.com/rorujq5

UK
Kindle: https://tinyurl.com/vcle6ll
Australia
Kindle: https://tinyurl.com/vbycgsr
Canada
Kindle: https://tinyurl.com/w99b8k5

Bio

Monica James spent her youth devouring the works of Anne Rice, William Shakespeare, and Emily Dickinson.
When she is not writing, Monica is busy running her own business, but she always finds a balance between the two. She enjoys writing honest, heartfelt, and turbulent stories, hoping to leave an imprint on her readers. She draws her inspiration from life.
She is a bestselling author in the U.S.A., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, and the U.K.
Monica James resides in Melbourne, Australia, with her wonderful family, and menagerie of animals. She is slightly obsessed with cats, chucks, and lip gloss, and secretly wishes she was a ninja on the weekends.

Stalk Me

Facebook: facebook.com/authormonicajames
Twitter: twitter.com/monicajames81
Goodreads: goodreads.com/MonicaJames
Instagram: instagram.com/authormonicajames
Website: authormonicajames.com
Pinterest: .pinterest.com/monicajames81
BookBub: http://bit.ly/2E3eCIw
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2EWZSyS
Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2nUaRyi

happy reading 🙂

I thoroughly enjoyed Ravens Gathering (although some scenes make for very uncomfortable reading).

Despite being at work this morning I did stay up quite late last night to finish this book as my curiosity wouldn’t allow me to leave the last few chapters until this afternoon.

OH, MY DAYS!! I don’t think I’ve read anything quite like this. Having said that, I did find it to be on a par with Stephen King’s and Dean Koontz’s writing.

This is a unique, supernatural thriller which is very intelligently written. I didn’t really know what to expect when I started it. The blurb is quite vague which I think is perfect. I think I enjoyed it more for going in blind, so to speak. I was instantly intrigued by the gathering of the birds, at the beginning of the story, and felt physically unsettled by their presence myself.

Martin intrigued me massively. Does his return to the village have anything to do with a recent tragic accident and why do his family seem to want nothing to do with him? I found his story totally compelling and I really warmed to him in the end.

I was totally unprepared for the direction this story took. Strange (to put it mildly) things start to occur, and all manner of dark secrets are revealed. I can’t really say much else without giving anything away, but this is a completely captivating read, packed full of unnerving suspense. As I said above there are some quite disturbing scenes which truly add to the horror the residents of this village are facing and have had to face in the past.

Intrigued? Course you are! Give it read for yourself and all will become clear. A dark, but highly entertaining supernatural fantasy thriller. I highly recommend!

Via AmazonUK

As she let her gaze drift around her, she saw that there were more birds. Perhaps a dozen or so, perched among the trees that stood on the edge of the clearing. And yet more were arriving, swooping down through the gap overhead and landing on branches that overlooked them. The birds weren’t threatening, yet the sight of them all coming together in this dark and isolated spot was unnerving. Tanya reached a hand out towards Martin, and was relieved to feel him take it. She felt him move in behind her. After the uncertainty she’d experienced with him in a similar position only a few moments ago, she recognised the irony of her reaction. His closeness offered security.
“You know what they are, don’t you?”

A stranger’s arrival in a small village coincides with a tragic accident. For the Gates family in particular it’s more than a coincidence, but unease increases following a brutal attack. As tensions rise, a dark past returns to haunt them and others, while newcomers to the village are drawn into a mystery with terrifying consequences.

And only a select few know why the ravens are gathering.

Buy now!

About the author

Graeme Cumming lives in Robin Hood country. He has wide and varied tastes when it comes to fiction so he’s conscious that his thrillers can cross into territories including horror, fantasy and science fiction as well as more traditional arenas.
When not writing, Graeme is an enthusiastic sailor (and, by default, swimmer), and enjoys off-road cycling and walking. He is currently Education Director at Sheffield Speakers Club. Oh yes, and he reads (a lot) and loves the cinema.

happy reading 🙂

Wow, what an emotional read!

Buried Tears is based on the true story of a family from Goldenhill, Stoke-on-Trent. Vivien Jones’ own family. This is her Father’s story and it is certainly one that I won’t forget for a long time to come.

Vivien tells us of time when the lives of her family changed forever following a devastating turn of events one day in 1941. It is such a beautifully written story, full of raw emotion. My heart went out to her Father, Wilf, who carried such a heavy burden of guilt for most of his life. He was only 11 years old in 1941.

As was typical in working class families at the time, Wilf was responsible for keeping an eye on his younger siblings as he was the oldest child. I know there will be some children with similar responsibilities today, but I don’t think it’s as commonplace now. Children are grown up before their time for very different reasons these days.

Vivien’s Grandparents, Nell and Bill, reminded me so much of my Nana and Grandad Bowen. My Grandad was also called Bill (William, or Willy as Nan often called him) and was a broad shouldered, 6ft tall, man. My Nan was 4ft 9 (and a fag end as she would say!) but very much the matriarch. She could be very hard and seemingly unemotional although the opposite was probably true. She lost two sons in her lifetime, one only 21 years old (my Uncle Alan) before I was born.

I love how Vivien writes the dialogue of these ‘characters’ in proper potteries dialect. This really brought them to life for me. Readers not familiar with potteries dialect might find it a bit odd, but as a local I could hear them clear as anything in my mind and this often brought a smile to my face. Don’t let this put you off if you aren’t familiar with our local dialect. I’m sure you will be as thoroughly fascinated by this story as I was. There is many an amusing moment throughout this book, despite it being such a difficult time for families to have to live through. No-one had much to speak of. Times were hard and money was extremely tight but, if nothing else, families always had each other, and communities stuck together when it mattered the most. I think this is true of a lot of people in Stoke-on-Trent still to this day.

My heart broke for Vivien as we learn of the time her father reveals the truth of his very difficult childhood and how his devastating loss impacted the whole of his life. I’m not surprised he was fiercely protective and thankful for his family and cherished every day he had with them.

There is a strong message to us all in this story. We never know how long we have people for in this life, so we must always cherish the time we have with each other. We also must always allow ourselves to grieve for those we lose and understand that guilt is a debilitating emotion which very few of us deserve to suffer. It is also a natural human reaction to such circumstances and I totally understood Wilf’s perspective.

I am glad he found peace in the end.

This story is so beautifully written. I found it completely captivating.

I am so thankful I met Vivien at the Newcastle-under-Lyme Literary Day otherwise I may never have had the pleasure of reading this heartfelt story.

I urge you all to buy a copy of this unforgettable book…..

About the author

Vivien grew up in a small terraced house in the village of Goldenhill, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England with her three brothers and two sisters. She married in 1971 and has one daughter, a son-in-law and a grandson.

After leaving Summerbank Secondary Modern Girls’ School at fifteen years of age Vivien continued to study part-time and finally graduated as a mature student from Manchester Metropolitan University with a BA (Hons) degree in Professional Studies in Education. She worked for many years as a Lecturer in Medical Administration at Stoke-on-Trent College.

happy reading 🙂

Yesterday we enjoyed another lovely get together between writers and readers at The North Stafford Hotel in Stoke-on-Trent 🙂

Thank you so much to those who attended and made it such a fab event. I can’t believe this was our sixth meet up! A special thanks to my partner in crime, Steph.

Anyway, for those who don’t know me on Facebook, I thought I’d share some photos with you of those in attendance. Check them out, stalk them on social media and maybe buy their books (those who write them!).

It’s all about sharing the book love 🙂

Me & Steph

https://steflozbookblog.wordpress.com/

Caroline England & Steph

Vivien Jones & Margaret Moxom

Hayley Bibbey & Claire Birkin

https://www.facebook.com/Bibliophile-Book-Haven-549626585446981/

Me & Graeme Cumming

Misha Herwin, J.F. Burgess (Jon) & John Pye

John Pye & Mick Williams

Graeme & Jill Doyle

Kiltie Jackson, Barry Lillie, Nic Hale & Malcolm Havard

Jan Edwards & Jon

Roz Watkins, Caroline & Mel Sherratt

Misha

Anna Maria Shenton

James Sumner & Steve Dyster

Alison Lingwood & Sue Eaton

James & Sharon Sant (AKA Tilly Tennant)

Simon Michael

Jon & Esther Chilton

Claire Huston & Sharon

Kiltie, Roz, Jon & John

James, John, Sharon, Mel & Esther

John, Me and Misha

I was very lucky to be gifted these beautiful paperbacks from Roz and Claire! 🙂 Thank you! I look forward to reading them both. xx

A BIG thank you also to Caroline England for these beautiful flowers.

I almost didn’t notice that we were on the events board at the hotel. I’m not sure if we have been every time, but I will make sure to check the board for our future get togethers!

We hope you can join us for our next get together. Here’s the link to the Facebook event page…..

https://www.facebook.com/events/2701746073386880/

ICYMI

Our first #Stoke-on-Trent #bookblogger / #author #meetup – 12th May 2018 😊

#bookblogger / #author #meetup #stokeontrent

#author #bookblogger #meetup #StokeonTrent

#BookBlogger #Author #MeetUp 01/06/19 @StefLozBookBlog

#BookBlogger #Author #MeetUp 05/10/19 #NorthStaffordHotel #StokeOnTrent @StefLozBookBlog

happy reading 🙂

Hi and welcome to my Flashback Friday feature! 🙂

On the first Friday of each month I like to have a little look back at what I was reading during the same month in previous years, since starting my blog.

Feel free to join in! 

Here are my reviews from March 2019 (including a link to previous FBFs)…..

Who’s Sorry Now by Helene Fermont @helenefermont #ShortStories #Review @BOTBSPublicity

Here And Gone by Haylen Beck @HaylenBeck #BookReview

My Sister Is Missing by Julia Barrett @Julia_Barrett_ #BlogTour #BookReview @RedDoorBooks

The Secret Child (A DI Amy Winter Thriller Book 2) by Caroline Mitchell @Caroline_writes #BlogTour #BookReview #ThomasAndMercer

ICYMI

#FlashbackFriday March 2019 with @Caroline_writes & @RachelAmphlett #BookReviews

What were you reading this time last year?