BookClub 8/52 - The Rumour

Next read from me is a Sunday Times best selling Thriller with a twist which several people on my Goodreads up have read and it kept coming up as a recommendation as well so here  are some of the reviews. I will let you know what I think

"In this chilling tale of paranoia, suspicion and accusation, Lesley Kara keeps you guessing until the final page." (Paula Hawkins, No.1 bestselling author of THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN and INTO THE WATER)

"A great debut with a slyly clever premise and a rollercoaster ride to the very last sentence." (Fiona Barton, bestselling author of THE WIDOW and THE CHILD)

Book Club 7/52 - Steel Brothers Saga

So technically this is books 7, 8 and 9 but as they were very quick reads ( i read all 3 of them in 8 days) I am just counting them as one. These books are of an adult nature and perfect if you just want to forget work stress and lose yourself in a simple but quite capitulating story line of Talon and his discovery into his dark and twisted past which he has tried to block out. Not the most comfortable of subject matter as the covers (quite 50 shades) would suggest but contains a child abduction and description of torture scenes so may not be for everyone.

The series continues with the other Steel Brothers stories which I might pick up later in the year.

Book Club 6/52 - Eleanor Oliphant

Another recommendation and as always I am behind the trend as I am aware many of my friends have already devoured this novel. I am about a third of the way though so far and find it so very well written and am chuckling away to myself one moment and holding my hand on my chest the next.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine is the 2017 debut novel of Gail Honeyman, and the winner of the 2017 Costa Debut Novel Award. What a debut!

Here's the book blurb

Eleanor Oliphant has learned how to survive - but not how to live

She leads a simple life. She wears the same clothes to work every day, eats the same meal deal for lunch every day and buys the same two bottles of vodka to drink every weekend. Eleanor Oliphant is happy. Nothing is missing from her carefully timetabled life. Except, sometimes, everything.


One simple act of kindness is about to shatter the walls Eleanor has built around herself.

Book Club 5/52 - change of book - The Cows

I have had to abandon reading the Robin Williams book as I didn't find it well written, just seemed more like as assortment of other peoples work pulled into one book and I just wasn't in to it.  So rather than be miserable for a week I moved on to this gem.

By Dawn O'Porter, the first book I have read by her this was utterly fabulous and I would urge all my friends and blog readers to try this.  Here is the book blurb...

Tara, Cam and Stella are very different women. Yet in a society that sets the agenda, there’s something about being a woman that ties invisible bonds between us.

When one extraordinary event rockets Tara to online infamy, their three worlds collide in ways they could never imagine – and they discover that one woman’s catastrophe might just be another’s inspiration.

Through friendship and conflict, difference and likeness, they’ll learn to find their own voices.

Because sometimes it’s OK not to follow the herd.

2019 Reading Challenge - Book Club 5/52

This week see's book 5 for January so far and I am pleased to say a couple of friends are joining in with this reading challenge, either via their Instagram accounts or the Goodreads App.

My choice for this week was something completely different after the intense crime thriller of last week (which I loved and strongly recommend Joy Ellis books if you have not yet read any). 

I haven't read too far in to the book but I'm not particularly impressed so far. Doesn't really flow and is a little repetitive so I am hoping it improve...

2019 Reading Challenge - Book Club 4/52 - Their Lost Daughters

DI Rowan Jackman and DS Marie Evansof the Fenland police are stretched to the limit as they try to bring the perpetrators of a number of shocking crimes to justice.

Missing girls, found bodies and evidence of an illegal drinking club run by a shadowy group of men and then the  team come across a sinister former hospital called Windrush which seems to house many dark secrets.


Full of twists and turns, this is a crime thriller that will keep you turning the pages until the shocking ending.

I have read a couple of previous books by this author known for her crime thrillers and found them quite compelling and this one so far does not disappoint. Another book where I almost missed by stop on the train as I was too engrossed! Cannot even begin to fathom where the twist is coming from on this one where I am just under half way through!

2019 Reading Challenge - Book Club 3/52 Talk to Me

Book 3 this week was recommended by a friend as a lighthearted romance with a slight paranormal twist. I would describe that paranormal twist as mild if at all really (I fully expected vampires but alas there were none in sight!!) but this was indeed a lighthearted romance, albeit it had me close to tears twice which I think speaks volumes about the strength of story telling on behalf of the author.



Book Blurb says:
Getting what you want isn’t always what you need.

Austin is rebuilding his life after a car accident shattered his leg and his self-confidence. He wants nothing more than to gain his independence. Figuring out why he now hears voices would be an added bonus.

Laura can’t fathom losing yet another loved one. The death of her brother and business partner still has her reeling, although it seems he might not have completely given up the ghost.  When Laura plays the reluctant heroine to Austin’s caffeine emergency, they form a bond neither of them was looking for. 

Worth the read if you want a l

2019 Reading Challenge - Book Club 2/52 - Sweet Little Lies

Week 2 of my 52 week book reading challenge and this one had been on my Kindle for a while and I hadn't got around to reading it last year with other books grabbing my attention more. How I wish now I had read it earlier - what a gem of a book.

SWEET LITTLE LIES follows a policewoman in London whose personal life collides with her work in a dark and dangerous way. Cat Kinsella is called to the scene of a crime: the body of a young woman has been found not far from the pub that her estranged father still runs. This book had me turning pages and frequently experiencing the "just one more chapter then I'll sleep" - sign of a good book. I hoped the book would turn one way, and then it turned another - really, really good read.

New 2019 Reading Challenge - Book Club 1/52

After a successful Book Club challenge last year (started by a friend of mine to read 52 books over the course of the year) I thought I would strive to achieve this again in 2019.

So I have started the year with a nice easy romance by Nicole Snow who I read a couple of books by in 2018. I am just over half way through this and am enjoying it so far. 



Whilst it is a romance book, with a couple of naughty scenes in it, the story line is strong enough that it isn't a "roll your eyes to the back of your head and sigh REALLY" romance book - at least I don't think so. I mean you do kind of know what is going to evolve between the main characters, that bit isn't rocket science, but still worth a read (and free on Kindle Unlimited too).

Here is the book blurb from a fellow reader which I think sums it up better than described on Goodreads.

Olivia (Liv) witnesses a hit right in front of her at her sisters house and runs for her life. Her father places her in the care of Enguard security (more specifically Riker). Riker has a 12 year old daughter Emily who he'd protect with his last breath, family is everything to him. So Liv is placed in his care as his "fiancée". Trying to integrate a woman into his household while protecting her is a major challenge.

Book Club 52/52 - Tagan's Chance by Amelia Ford

The last book in the series (which REALLY needs to be brought to the screen) and my last #BookClub52 post for 2018. I'm not sure if I will do another challenge next year as I recently got some nice headphones in the sale so maybe listening to more music on my commute (and it will save my ageing eyes a little too!) but if I do decide to do another I will of course share it here.



Sophie returns to find that not everything is back to how it should be. She is now faced with her biggest challenge yet—She has six days to try to convince Ahran that he is in love with her, but even though she believes she has destiny on her side, the path to happiness is neither easy nor straightforward and Sophie finds herself being forced to accept a situation that is entirely out of her control.  On the surface, it couldn’t be more perfect, but beneath it all, it couldn’t be more wrong.

This was another great series and I will certainly look for more books by Amelia Ford in 2019. I hope you have enjoyed my book sharing this year. Happy reading :)

Book Club 51/52 - Tagan's Chase by Amelia Ford

Probably my favourite of the series so far and the more I read about these characters the more I wish this were a film and can visualise it so clearly in my mind - I have even picked out a male lead to play Ahran Alexander Skarsgård . If you read the series let me know what you think!

For the past two years, Sophie has managed to forge a happy, if unconventional life with Ahran. But just as she is planning to relocate and settle permanently she is captured by British Intelligence who has an agenda quite different to the one she was expecting. What ensues is a heart-stopping chase, where Sophie, Ahran and Toby are once again faced with further challenges and unknown enemies, putting Sophie’s newly found confidence to the test. 

Book Club 50/52 - Tagan's Change by Amelia Ford

Next in this series which I am thoroughly enjoying and is a great end to my reading challenge year 2018 and it continues on straight after book 1.

Will Ahran, Galius and Elaya rescue Toby? Or has Sophie lost her only family as well as having given up Ahran. Tagan's Change is the second book in the fast-paced, adrenaline fuelled, love story with a twist Tagan series.

Book Club 49/52 - Tagan's Child by Amelia Ford

New Series I stumbled across reading reviews on Goodreads. This one was suggested for those who liked Twilight and whilst that is initially what drew me in this is so different with no vampires or werewolves in sight - but instead a parallel universe with super humans who refer to earth beings as Sapiens. There are four books in all which will take me to the end of the year nicely if I read one a week as planned (with 10 hours commuting time a week this is totally doable)

The day after the first anniversary of her sister’s death, twenty six year old Sophie McAllister is paid an unexpected visit from a handsome stranger who delivers some disturbing news about her eight year old nephew and ward. Just when Sophie thought her life was getting back on track she is forced to put her trust in a man with an extraordinary secret and begins a perilous journey that threatens everything she holds dear as well as challenges her innermost fears.

Book Club 48/52 - Mountain Mercenaries Book 1

Just 4 more books to go after this one to reach my 52 books read in 2018 (ok so I am already at 52 and haven't blogged them all) but I will continue to share one a week as I had planned.



Love is a life-and-death risk for the Mountain Mercenaries in New York Times bestselling author Susan Stoker’s explosive series of alpha heroes, hot action, and hard passion…

Don't really need to add any more to that description do I? I mean who wouldn't want to read it....

Book Club 47/52 - Winning Ace Series finale

Finished book 3 today - great series, a much more serious tone to this book but so, so good! Definitely worth a read (and did I mention free on Kindle Unlimited)

Grand Slam is the captivating finale to the Winning Ace Series.
After Tally’s perfect life implodes, she moves to Greece. There she finds a country overcome with refugees fleeing the crisis in the Middle East. 
She vows to help and, in the process, begins to heal herself.

Shattered by his loss, Cash commits to months of therapy, determined to win back the love of his life. His struggles, though, are far from over.

When a shocking turn of events thrusts Tally back into Cash’s life a moment of joy brings a stranger into their lives.
Who is she? What does she want?
And will her arrival signal the end of Tally and Cash's hard-fought happiness?

Book Club 46/52 - Winning Ace book 2

Continued on with book 2 in the series as I enjoyed the first so much. I was going to post the usual blurb to the book but a fellow Goodreads member left a review which I couldn't agree with more so instead I am sharing that today.

"I just finished the second book in the winning ace series, and could not turn my pages fast enough! The author continues her tale of tennis ace Cash and girlfriend Natalia, a journalist, with a fast-paced story that drags you along quickly as you try to keep up. The characters are wonderful, with incredible scenes that emote so much romance,fear,happiness, and terrible sadness that I was holding my breath while reading." Kathi Defranc.

Book Club 45/52 - Winning Ace

First in a series of three books around the tennis world which I wasn't 100% sure about but given the hectic time of year and the desire to read something that wasn't a Thriller but more easy to digest I thought I would give these a go - even better that they were free to read on Kindle Unlimited.  I must say I was very pleasantly surprised, great characters which you engage with thanks to great story telling.

When the opportunity arises to meet her hero, Tally grabs it with both hands. Especially as he’s the key to advancing her career.  Cash Gallagher is ruthless on and off court. When he finds out what she’s done he won’t show her any mercy.  Except the bad-boy of tennis gets more than he bargained for—a passionate affair with a woman he should detest.

Book Club 44/52 - Mount Mercy

Described as perfect for fans of Greys Anatomy (and I most definitely fall into that category!!) I quickly read this one is just a few days, meaning I could squeeze in another read this week and get ahead even more on my #BookClub52 challenge. I am still blogging my choice of one a week though I am at 47 now not 43 as the blog posts suggests!! 

Doctor Dominic Corrigan. He’s tattooed, cocky and gorgeous, with bullet scars from working in war zones. I’m a geeky surgeon who hides away in the quiet of her operating theatre. We couldn’t be more different but from the second we meet, he pursues me...and when I look into those blue eyes, I’m lost. But I know his reputation and I’m determined not to be his next one-night stand. Then disaster strikes our small town...and the two of us become our patients’ only hope.  Suddenly, I’m thrown into the chaos of an ER stretched to breaking point. We need to work together but the closer we get, the harder it is to resist. We’re one look, one touch away from tearing each other’s clothes off. I start to see the pain he hides behind that cocky exterior. What happened to this man, and can I help him break free of his past? And our problems are only just beginning. 

Book Club 43/52 - Mission Recovery book 2

Well my friend wasn't kidding and I really enjoyed last weeks recommended books so progressed this week onto the next one in the series which I am enjoying in equal amounts. Great story line and whilst a little more romance than the first book still doesn't overshadow the main suspense, page turning elements of this read.



Jess Taylor and Derek Daley were in the throes of first love in a small Vermont town when they were kidnapped by a serial killer. They escaped his clutches—but not the trauma of the unsolved crime. With their lives changed forever and their romance cut short, they went their separate ways to exorcise their fears.

Jess is living on the edge as Hollywood’s hottest stuntwoman. It’s no longer terror thrumming through her veins. It’s adrenaline. Derek is a former Navy SEAL spinning his ordeals into heart-pounding bestselling thrillers. But when Jess is called home on a family emergency, she must face the past—and face the man she left behind, who is just as haunted and, like her, still so much in love.

Now, as an old flame reignites, Jess and Derek are taking advantage of second chances and putting their bad memories behind them. But here, in the quiet town of Taylorville, a killer is getting a second chance as well.

Book Club 43/52 - Mission Recovery book 1

New Author and new series for me recommended by a friend on Goodreads and she described it lastly as a romance but mainly a captivating suspense book you could see becoming a film.

A former Navy SEAL, Cole Makani Hunter has returned home from a disastrous black ops mission without his best friend, his hearing, or the use of his right arm. So when his ex–commanding officer assigns him to an undercover mission at a rehab centre for vets to discover who leaked sensitive military information to an enemy, he’d rather be anywhere but there. Almost immediately, Cole finds himself at odds with Annie Murray—a peace-loving ecotherapist whose dream is to open an animal sanctuary out of her home. While the two seemingly have nothing in common, their spirited arguments soon fuel a passion for each other.  But just as things begin to heat up between therapist and patient, dangerous complications arise. So does the past—and a shocking revelation that puts Cole and everything he now holds dear in the path of a murderous traitor.