Published 28th November 2015

5/5

When Rita Brassington contacted me via Twitter and asked if I would like to read her book and review it, I was more than happy to oblige. I was also happy to learn that she is a local girl (originally) and I’m always happy to support our local talent. I’m glad to say I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

We meet a lady who seems to have everything most people would wish for. She has success, wealth and is about to marry her handsome, hard-working, reliable fiance, Will. However, she doesn’t want reliable. She doesn’t want a boring life with a boring husband. She craves excitement. So, she leaves him at the alter and hops on a plane to Chicago to start a new life.

She decides that from now on she will say yes to everything, so when she meets good looking and mysterious Joe in a bar and he proposes, she says yes. What’s the worst that can happen? She has her secrets, but who doesn’t? However, Joe’s just might be more than she bargained for.

What follows is a fast paced, roller-coaster of a story where you’re not always quite sure what’s really happening. The twists and turns certainly keep you guessing. I thought I had it sussed a few times, but I was wrong!

The characters are fascinating. Although I’m still not sure if I like the main character or not, I still found myself caring about what happened to her. As for the others, it just goes to show that not everyone you meet is as they seem.

Full of action and suspense (also a little bit comical in places).

I would happily recommend it.

Many thanks again to Rita for my review copy.

Buy your copy here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Kind-Bad-Rita-Brassington-ebook/dp/B017HKURAI/ref=la_B017MRE3WO_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1452080107&sr=1-1

Book description:

Secrets don’t stay secret for long…
She spent her whole life being the perfect daughter, the perfect girlfriend, and was all ready to become the perfect wife.
But after ditching her fiancé at the altar and escaping to Chicago, she marries smouldering stranger Joe Petrozzi three weeks after meeting him in a bar. At least this time, there’s no chance of cold feet.
Married life starts out great: there’s the new job, a gorgeous, enigmatic husband and money’s not an issue.
So what if she’s kept a few secrets from Joe – like where all her money came from. Joe’s been keeping secrets from her, too.
But his might just get her killed.

About the author:

Rita Brassington grew up in Staffordshire, UK, before studying at UCLan, Durham University and the Maastricht Centre for Transatlantic Studies, The Netherlands. She currently lives in Manchester where she enjoys photography and, of course, writing when her cats, and fiance, let her. She also loves cocktails, and cake. Preferably together.

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2015 annual report for this blog.

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 Publisher: Sphere (1st January 2016)

Book description:

Apologies for the general email, but I desperately need your help.

My goddaughter, Coco Jackson, disappeared from her family’s holiday home in Bournemouth on the night of Sunday/Monday August 29/30th, the bank holiday weekend just gone. Coco is three years old.

When identical twin Coco goes missing during a family celebration, there is a media frenzy. Her parents are rich and influential, as are the friends they were with at their holiday home by the sea.

But what really happened to Coco?

Over two intense weekends – the first when Coco goes missing and the second twelve years later at the funeral of her father – the darkest of secrets will gradually be revealed…

Taut, emotive and utterly compelling, an unputdownable ‘ripped from the headlines’ novel that you will want to talk about with everyone you know.

My rating 5/5

Oh My Word!

I didn’t like most of the characters in this book. They are arrogant, self-centred and not nice people at all, but the story had me gripped. I was up quite late last night as I had to finish it.

We start in 2004 with the news that Coco, a three year old twin of Sean’s and Claire’s (the other twin being Ruby), has gone missing and a ‘Find Coco’ campaign is underway. No parent should have to suffer the loss of a child, but to lose a child and never really know what happened must be, well, there are no words really. How would you move on from that?

Prior to Coco’s disappearance, it’s Sean’s 50^th Birthday. He’s a rich man, with rich friends, and he has arranged a lavish party in Bournemouth for himself, Claire, and their few closest friends. Well, his friends anyway. They are without a nanny, so they have the children to look after also. This is not ideal for Sean, or his group of friends, who just want to have a good time getting drunk and high without the inconvenience of children. These are not likeable people. What makes it worse for Sean is that his first wife has sent his first two daughters, Camilla (Milly) and India, along for the party and he’s not impressed. The teenage sisters are well aware that he doesn’t want them there. How awful to not feel welcome at your own fathers birthday.

The story flits between the events of 2004 and the present day. Milly, who now goes by Mila, and India didn’t have much to do with their father after feeling so unwanted at his 50^th Birthday celebrations. They have always felt a twinge of guilt regarding the twin half-sisters they never bothered to get to know though, especially since Coco disappeared. They’d always resented them, even though it wasn’t their fault their father left their mother for Claire.

When Sean dies suddenly (obviously whilst having yet another affair despite being married to his fourth wife by now) Mila is contacted and asked to identify his body. She also gets a surprise phone call from Claire asking her if she will take Ruby (now 15 years old) to the funeral as she can’t face it herself. Mila reluctantly agrees and makes her way to their home in Sussex. I liked the relationship which develops between the girls over the following few days. These are the only two characters I actually liked!

From this point we start to learn what really went on during Sean’s 50^th Birthday celebrations. Claire finds him at it in the pool, with Linda (who later becomes his third wife) and decides enough in enough. She leaves to clear her head and think about her future alone with her girls, but she leaves the twins behind so she can think straight for a little while. This part I didn’t understand, especially being a mother myself. I know generally you should be safe leaving your children with their father, but in this case Claire was well aware of what the adults were getting up to so why she would leave them there I don’t know. Anyway, as the truth unfolds I couldn’t believe what I was reading. Shocking is an understatement!

I highly recommend!

With thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for my advance kindle copy.

You can pre-order here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B010RALUP6?keywords=the%20darkest%20secret&qid=1451399483&ref_=sr_1_1&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

Just a quick thank you to all who have supported my blog/Facebook page, whether it be by liking, sharing, commenting and/or following. I am still very new to this and your support is much appreciated.

I am very thankful for all of the wonderful books I’ve had the pleasure of reading this year and I’m very grateful to the publishers, authors and Netgalley for the advance copies I’ve been lucky enough to read.

I’m looking forward to what the new year might bring!

Wishing you all a magical Christmas & a fabulous 2016!

Kerry

X

 Publisher: Vintage Digital (25th August 2015)

Book description –

This book of dark secrets opens with a blaze. On the morning of her daughter’s wedding, June Reid’s house goes up in flames, destroying her entire family – her present, her past and her future. Fleeing from the carnage, stricken and alone, June finds herself in a motel room by the ocean, hundreds of miles from her Connecticut home, held captive by memories and the mistakes she has made with her only child, Lolly, and her partner, Luke.

In the turbulence of grief and gossip left in June’s wake we slowly make sense of the unimaginable. The novel is a gathering of voices, and each testimony has a new revelation about what led to the catastrophe – Luke’s alienated mother Lydia, the watchful motel owners, their cleaner Cissy, the teenage pothead who lives nearby – everyone touched by the tragedy finds themselves caught in the undertow, as their secret histories finally come to light.

Lit by the clarity of understanding that true sadness brings, Did You Ever Have a Family is an elegant, unforgettable story that reveals humanity at its worst and best, through loss and love, fracture and forgiveness. At the book’s heart is the idea of family – the ones we are born with and the ones we create – and the desire, in the face of everything, to go on living.

My rating 4/5

Did You Ever Have A Family follows the story of those left behind after a house fire/explosion kills four people, Luke, Lolly, Will and Adam. This happens the night before Will and Lolly are due to get married. How do you begin to move on from such tragedy?

Lydia is Luke’s mother. She had him as a result of an affair and she brought him up as a single parent. Luke had an undeserved reputation thanks to a lover Lydia once had, so they hadn’t always been close, but he was all she had. Most people assume the explosion was Luke’s fault, but she knows deep down he can’t have been responsible. She has no proof either way though.

June is Luke’s older lover. He had asked her to marry him several times, but she’d always said no. When she finally decides she will say yes, it’s too late, she’s lost him forever. Not only has June lost Luke, but also her daughter Lolly and Adam, her ex-husband, Lolly’s father. He was only staying at the house because of the Wedding. Lolly had insisted.

Will is also a great loss to many. A bright young man full of potential. Such a waste of life and no-one really knows what happened. Or do they?

This is a great read which highlights how differently people cope with grief and how keeping secrets will only eat away at you. They say life goes on, but some only just manage to exist. Having the support of others, however, and knowing the truth, as well as finally admitting to the truth, can bring some peace. I liked all of the characters in this book and how they were linked in some way to the four who lost their lives. Quite an emotional read, but not depressing. Beautifully written with some lovely descriptive scenes. I would certainly recommend it to others.

With many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for my kindle copy.

You can buy a copy here – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Did-You-Ever-Have-Family-ebook/dp/B00XT9ZJIM/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1450646682&sr=8-1

 Publisher: Acorn Publishing; 1 edition (20th  August 2015)

What happens when you take middle-aged, stay-at-home moms, and throw them back into the workforce and dating?
A modern twist between Sex and the City and Desperate Housewives, Kingston Court follows the love, lies, and friendships of two wealthy Southern California women.
Samantha and Natalie are at a crossroads. Gorgeous, over-the-top Samantha, hangs her status and her happiness on her “perfect” husband. That is until she learns his secret.
But she’s not the only mother on the block struggling. Natalie, nurturing and careful, is thrust back into the workforce after her husband barely survives a horrifying car crash. However, it isn’t just her new job co-hosting a national morning news show that keeps her busy. Alik, the hot young production assistant, does everything in his power to seduce the woman he loves.
Death and misfortune in the span of a single year force these two women to rediscover their inner strength and make life-changing choices. Kingston Court is full of scandal, temptation, and all of life’s juicy little secrets.

I don’t know about you, but I love it when I discover a new author who instantly becomes a firm favourite. This is even more special when the author happens to have been born and raised in my hometown!

Tonight I will be attending a talk by Mel Sherratt at our library in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent and I’m very much looking forward to it. My Mum and friends, Gayle and Stacey, are coming along also. We’re all very excited 🙂

I have been lucky enough to meet Mel twice already. Once at the Stoke-on-Trent Literary Festival 2014 and again for a coffee and cake at Café Nero in Hanley. She is a lovely, lovely lady as well as being a fabulous writer.

Unfortunately, the Stoke-on-Trent Literary Festival of 2015 didn’t see fit to include our local talented authors, which to me was a total let down so I didn’t attend this year. They should be supported and celebrated and I think we should be proud of them all.

  Mel Sherratt

I have read all of the above and reviewed them all with a 5 star rating. I cannot recommend them highly enough.

Check out Mel’s author page on Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mel-Sherratt/e/B006L2BMLC/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1449227724&sr=1-1 and give them a go, if you haven’t already. (I would suggest reading the two series’ in order) I’m sure you won’t be disappointed!

Mel also writes under the pen-name Marcie Steele.

  These two lovely novels are 5 star reads also. Have a look for yourself….

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Marcie-Steele/e/B005WJ5UT0/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1449228423&sr=1-1

Alison Lingwood…..

… is a lovely lady who I first ‘met’ when she joined my Book Club page on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/222135907823649/) and I also had the pleasure of meeting her at the 2014 Stoke-on-Trent Literary Festival. She lives in Newcastle-under-Lyme, as I do, and has currently published four books. She published her first book at the age of 60 once she had retired! I think that is amazing!

 My 5 star review from Amazon back in July 2014:

‘Brilliant! Excellent story, characters and setting! (I am from Newcastle-under-Lyme!) Definitely my kind of read. A good example of how easily the internet can be misused, but also how helpful it can be to a police investigation. Angela is an odd character, but I didn’t see the ending coming! Looking forward to reading Alison’s other two books.’

Alison’s other books are currently on my to-be-read list.

Check out Alison’s author page on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alison-Lingwood/e/B00J951G3M/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1449229404&sr=8-2

John Pye…..

…is another author I was introduced to when he joined my Facebook Book Club. He also lives in Newcastle-under-Lyme and is a retired police officer. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting John in person, but I have had the pleasure of enjoying his books.

‘This grabbed my attention from the very start. It’s very fast paced with lots of twists and turns. Very well written with interesting characters. I look forward to the sequel John!’

‘This is a very interesting story about a case I knew nothing about previously. It did happen before my time though!
As I am from Stoke-on-Trent (well, Newcastle-under-Lyme) I enjoyed learning about this little piece of local history and will be interested in finding out if any of my older relatives remember anything about it.’

The sequel to Cathedral of Lies is currently on my to-be-read list.

I’m sure there are other brilliant authors who are from my hometown. I look forward to discovering their work one day.

Publisher – Bookouture (11th December 2015)

Book description –

Best friends tell each other everything… right?

Sam and Louise have been best friends since they hung their coats side by side on the first day of primary school. Now in their thirties, they’re just as close, but life is a little bit more complicated…

On the outside, thirty-something Sam seems to have it all; the gorgeous husband, the beautiful home and the flourishing business. But things are not quite as rosy as they seem. So when handsome stranger, Dan, walks into her life, Sam finds his attentions hard to resist.

Louise might seem like life and soul of the party, but her outgoing exterior hides her sadness about the heartbreak in her past. She just wants someone to love – but all Louise gets left with is a quick fumble with an ex at the end of the night.

When a glamorous face from the past returns to shake things up, things get even more complicated for Sam and Louise. And just when they need each other the most, they’ve reason to wonder whether they ever really knew each other at all.

An emotional and uplifting tale of love, secrets and the importance of having a best friend.

What readers are saying about Marcie Steele

‘I absolutely, honest and truly LOVED this book.’ Crime Book Junkie
‘Filled with heartache and laugh aloud moments, “Stirred With Love” is well-developed story with endearing characters as well as twists and turns that will charm any reader. Fans of Chick-Lit and simply a good heart-warming story will love this! FIVE stars.’ Novels of the Heart

‘This is a story about hope and friendship with a helping of love stirred in for good measure. Who wouldn’t love a book set in a coffee shop – I could literally taste the coffee and gained pounds virtually eating all of the cake… a feel good book that will make you smile.’ Crooks on Books

‘Wonderfully warm with characters every woman can relate to, reading Marcie Steele’s Stirred with Love will remind you of chatting over coffee with three of your closest girlfriends. A fantastic read about overcoming life’s obstacles with friendship and love.’ Talli Roland

My rating 5/5

Well, what a fabulous book! If you like a love story which is not too mushy, you will love this. It’s full of likeable characters and some you will no doubt be able to relate to.

I make no secret of the fact that I am a massive Mel Sherratt fan. Her Allie Shenton series, The Estate Series and her stand alone novel, Watching Over You, are all excellent, so imagine my excitement when Mel told me she also writes chick lit under a pen-name! Stirred With Love was a fabulous story and That’s What Friends Are For is equally fabulous.

I love how close this bunch of family and friends are. They work together on the market, although not always happily, and always look out for each other even though some have secrets they are reluctant to share.

Louise is a single Mum. Having had her daughter, Charley, at 18 she has never told a soul who the father is. Not even her best friend, Sam. She was married for a short time, but that wasn’t to be. Now she longs to be loved and cherished by someone, even if she won’t admit that to herself. Luckily she can rely on Matt to look after her and Charley. Matt sometimes feels like a glorified babysitter, only seemingly needed at the weekends when Louise wants to go out and get drunk, but he’s always there for her and he loves Charley as if she were his own. Everyone can see that Matt and Louise are crazy about each other, but neither of them seem willing to admit it. Will they ever get it together?

Charley is 15 and is struggling at school due to bullies who are aware of her mother’s active social life. She feels they are tarring her with the same brush and starts to resent her mother for going out and getting drunk all the time. She falls out with her best friend and feels like the only person she can rely on is Alex, a boy she has been chatting to online, but has yet to meet. At least he understands her.

I can totally relate to Louise and Charley’s relationship. I have two teenagers myself, a son and a daughter, and my relationship with my daughter can be challenging, shall we say, at times. As a mother you feel like you can’t do right for doing wrong sometimes, but we do forget what it was like to be 15. This was a good reminder to just be there and listen.

Sam is married to Reece, but is worried her marriage isn’t going to survive for much longer. Will they manage to rekindle what they once shared?

Nicci is all loved up with Jay, but struggles with the fact that he doesn’t seem keen on marrying her when she is so desperate to marry him. She dreams of their big day, but fears it may never happen.

Ryan is married to Sarah, with two beautiful children, but he has cheated before and it doesn’t take him long to fall for Jess’s charms when she returns from London and sets her sights on him. Jess is pregnant, by a married man who now wants nothing to do with her. Maybe if she can get her claws into Ryan, she could pass off the baby as his. Why should everyone else be happy when she’s miserable?

Unfortunately not everyone has a fairytale happy ending.

This book has everything. Love, family, friendship, secrets and lies, happiness and heartbreak. You’ll love it!

A big thank you to Mel for my advance copy.

Proud, as always, to be part of Team Sherratt!

That’s What Friends Are For is available for pre-order: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thats-What-Friends-Are-friends-ebook/dp/B017HWLP4S/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Why not also check out Mel’s other books, if you haven’t already: http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B006L2BMLC/ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_1?ie=UTF8&text=Mel+Sherratt&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Mel+Sherratt&sort=relevancerank

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Marcie-Steele/e/B005WJ5UT0/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1448966160&sr=1-1

Publication date – 1st December 2013

Book description –

The terrifying true story of a family in fear

An innocent family finds itself completely helpless against the sudden onset of paranormal activity in their quiet rural home. A knife embedded in a kitchen cupboard, crockery smashed by invisible hands, and blood-chilling growls emit from thin air. Caroline and her husband Neil search for answers as they try to protect their family from the unseen entity that seems determined to rip them apart.
The biggest question looms over them like a dark cloud who is going to help us? There are emergency services for many things, but not of this nature. It might be easier to believe temporary insanity, if not for the vast amount of witnesses. Police, fire services, mediums, priests and investigators all become embroiled in the mystery. The family struggles to cope, and Caroline grows concerned for her husband’s failing health as he withdraws from the world. However, the entity has only just begun.
Paranormal Intruder is the true story of one family’s brave fight against an invisible entity. Described as one of the best documented cases of paranormal activity, this best selling book will stay with you long after you have finished reading it.

To see more about this remarkable case, including pictures and evidence, visit and subscribe to http://www.caroline-writes.com

My rating 5/5

I decided I needed to read this book after seeing lots of great reviews and recommendations for Caroline Mitchell’s books and as much as it scares me, the paranormal has always fascinated me.

Paranormal Intruder intrigued me as it is a true account of paranormal activity which Caroline, her husband Neil, their family and friends were subjected to. Seemingly random as they wouldn’t have expected their house to be haunted as it was a new build and they were the first and only family to live there.

The occurrences they experienced ranged from seemingly playful games to down right dangerous, such as fire starting and knife throwing! I can only imagine what it must have been like to witness such activity and actually fear for the safety of your family. The disruption they had to deal with because of this ‘entity’ was more than many could have dealt with whilst trying to function normally day-to-day. Having to travel to parents homes, for quite long periods of time as they were too scared to stay in their own home overnight must have been a strain on family life. Having to re-home their beloved dogs must have been heartbreaking. I can’t imagine having to give up my Shih Tzu. I’d be devastated, as Caroline and her family obviously were. To feel like you aren’t welcome in your own home must be horrendous!

This is a fascinating story, but equally terrifying. Not for the faint hearted, but a must read for anyone with even the slightest interest in the paranormal. If you are a sceptic, I challenge you to read this and offer a reasonable alternative explanation for these occurrences. I doubt anyone could!

I’m happy to say I’m now a Caroline Mitchell fan and I will be reading her other books.