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Review|Her Daughter’s Cry By M.M. Chouinard

     Yvonne      3 Comments

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

her daughters cry by m m chouinard - Review|Her Daughter's Cry By M.M. ChouinardHer Daughter's Cry by M.M. Chouinard
Published by Bookouture on January 23, 2020
ISBN: 9781786818270
Genres: Fiction, Mystery & Detective, Police Procedural, Thrillers, Suspense, Crime, Psychological, International Mystery & Crime
Pages: 350
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four stars - Review|Her Daughter's Cry By M.M. Chouinard

Someone wants her dead, and she can’t remember why.

Zoe is a wife and a mother. Or so she’s been told. Ask her for more than that and she couldn’t tell you. The blow to her head wiped her memory clean.

Zoe knows the blood on her shirt isn’t just her own. After she was found stumbling out of the woods, the police ran tests. They say it belongs to her missing daughter.

Zoe is trying to piece together what her daughter’s face looks like, but all she can conjure up is a white-hot panic. A fear that her child is in desperate need of her help.

When a man claiming to be her husband turns up looking for her, she knows she can’t trust him. Until she gets her memories back, she can’t trust anyone. Not the stranger, not the police investigating, not even herself…

A completely addictive thriller that will keep you guessing into the early hours of the morning. Perfect for fans of The Silent Patient, Lisa Regan and Gregg Olsen.

Read what everyone is saying about Her Daughter’s Cry:

“Just WOW!! The twists I just didn’t see coming… The story was crazy SO CRAZY!!! If you think you can guess what is going to happen, you will be sadly mistaken!! The characters in this one were great… I loved every second of it.” Crossroad Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Omg, this book had me completely gripped, with twists and turns. I honestly thought it was someone else who had done it. Amazingly written. This is a first time read for me with this author, but I will be certainly reading more… Crime thriller at its best.” NetGalley Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“A perfect thriller.” Shalini’s Books & Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I could not put this book down!! What a thriller this book is!! I love stories that involve memory loss! You are hooked… What a great book!! Highly recommended!” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Chouinard really upped her game… I was pulled in right from the start… I could not figure anything out no matter how many scenarios I came up with… Wow, the ending I just never saw coming… I devoured it within a matter of hours. Talk about an intense and crazy storyline!... Another five-star read.” Sinfully Wicked Book Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Had me hooked from the first page to the last with a heart-wrenching story and explosive conclusion… I felt as if I won the jackpot with this one. The writing is excellent, the pacing fast and the characters are beautifully drawn. Off to buy the others!” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“GREAT story… a must-read… A ‘stay up and finish book’. M.M. Chouinard has created another fantastic thriller!… Looking forward to the next.” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I was captivated by this story… The cat-and-mouse way this book was written made it impossible to put down… This is a hit.” Robin Loves Reading ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“The author did it again… A captivating story that kept me interested from page one!… It was such an amazing story. Just Like Zoe did not know who she could trust, I did not know either… Long story short: an awesome book… Keep them coming, please. 🙂 5 stars.” B for Bookreview ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I absolutely enjoyed this thrilling ride of a book… Well-written, fast paced, thrilling… kept me flipping pages fast… Lots of twists & turns, thrills, and chills are found in this book! Highly recommend!” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I absolutely loved it! 5 stars! Excellent writing and storyline…” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I loved The Dancing Girls so I was really looking forward to reading this and it delivered on all levels… Zoe has no idea who she can trust and to be honest neither did I. Fast-paced and kept me guessing all the way through. Another brilliant read!!” NetGalley Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I’m such a massive fan of the titles that Bookouture have been putting out and Her Daughter’s Cry did not disappoint.

You know that you are on to a winner when you can’t stop thinking about a book and are looking for excuses to ditch your housework and just read, read, read.  Within a few pages I felt hypnotised by M.M. Chouinard’s skill at reeling you in – she had me by the jugular and wouldn’t let go until I had inhaled her twisty narrative.  I immediately added her back catalogue to my TBR – the book hangover she afforded me was all consuming!

Her Daughter’s Cry was elusive.  After reading the synopsis I knew this book would sink me, but I still felt in the dark.  My kindle was fully charged and raring to go but I felt a palpating sense of anxiety course through me – my hands shook with the possibility of the plot but the author opened the doors to her wickedly compulsive world none the less. 

simon berger rydQVdwcgUQ unsplash 820x1024 - Review|Her Daughter's Cry By M.M. Chouinard

This book is proverbial crack to a book lover.  Is it at all possible that I will do this book justice?  Probably not, hence why the most powerful statement that I can make is TO BUY THE BOOK.  You need to meet Marissa and witness first-hand her journey from no memory to the shocking realisation of what a simple camping trip has turned into.  Our detectives, Jo Fournier and team are racing against the clock to piece together…everything really, the mysterious woman with no memory and what really happened in the woods.  The stakes had never been higher – a serious case of amnesia, someone that needs to stop Zoe and shut her up for good and the relentless impact of consequences.  

I have now come to learn that a book written by Chouinard will set the synapses firing in your brain at one thousand miles per hour.  You will constantly ask questions, but the answers will be given to you in drips and drabs with an earth-shattering twist to make you forget your own damn name.  This book was consumed faster than a kid eats sweets. 

ahmed zayan 6h0xlEZoYZY unsplash 683x1024 - Review|Her Daughter's Cry By M.M. Chouinard

Jo’s character was mesmerising.  She was used to the looks and glances when people realised, she was the one in charge of an investigation.  Her strength was admirable and stubborn to boot.  When someone tells her, she can’t do something then she will go out her way to prove that not only can she do it but ten times better than anyone was expecting.  Elements within this narrative brought a softer side to her character and you were witness to something changing – I look forward to this development in further books. 

Her Daughter’s Cry is a tightly wound and absorbing thriller that will have you instantly talking about it.  Its smart and intense and a twist that will have you gasping with shock.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

5998529 - Review|Her Daughter's Cry By M.M. Chouinard

M.M. Chouinard writes crime fiction (including suspense, procedurals, and cozies), and women’s fiction. M.M. Chouinard’s first fiction story was published in her local paper when she was eight, and she fell in love with Agatha Christie novels not long after. While pursuing a Ph.D in psychology and helping to found the first U.S. research university of the new millenium, the stories kept rattling around inside her skull, demanding to come out. For sanity’s sake, she released them.

M.M. Chouinard Website

four stars - Review|Her Daughter's Cry By M.M. Chouinard

Review: The Argument by Victoria Jenkins

     Yvonne      1 Comment

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

the argument by victoria jenkins - Review: The Argument by Victoria JenkinsThe Argument by Victoria Jenkins
Published by Bookouture on December 10, 2019
ISBN: 9781838880897
Genres: Fiction, Thrillers, Suspense, Psychological, General
Pages: 247
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four stars - Review: The Argument by Victoria Jenkins

‘OMG!!!!! This book is in my top 10 for 2019.’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I raced through it, often with my heart in my throat!’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Wow! So not what I was expecting. But in the best way possible!’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

It happens to every mother. One day, the daughter whose whole world you once were, becomes someone you barely know. And you don’t know the secrets she’s hiding…

One night, 15-year-old Olivia comes home late from a party she was strictly forbidden from going to, and she and her mother, Hannah, start arguing. Soon Olivia speaks the words that every parent has heard from their teenage child:

‘I hate you. You’ve ruined my life. And I’m never speaking to you again.’

Olivia has never been an easy child, a sharp contrast to her easy-going, happy-go-lucky little sister. But Hannah thinks Olivia’s outburst is the end of a normal family argument. In fact, it’s only the beginning of a nightmare…

After one day of silence, Hannah thinks Olivia is taking a teenage sulk too far. After two days, she starts to feel anxious that something more serious could be going on. After a week, when her daughter still hasn’t spoken, Hannah knows that Olivia is hiding a bigger darkness – something that could threaten to tear their precious family apart…

The Argument is an unputdownable psychological thriller that asks how far we can push our families before they finally break. Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn, The Woman in the Window, and The Silent Patient.

Readers are loving The Argument

‘It got me from page one and I couldn't stop reading ‘til I found out how it would end.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars

‘I got so totally engrossed… I read it in under a day... A brilliant psychological thriller.’ NetGalley Reviewer

‘The TWIST (and I write that in caps that incredible of a twist it was) made my jaw hit the floor when it happened... I couldn't put it down...’ Goodreads Reviewer

‘Fantastic… so well written and emotional... I would highly, highly recommend this book.’ NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars

‘From the first page, I was swept right in… I read late into the night. So many twists that I never saw coming… highly recommend.’ NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars

‘Am still in shock after reading this… brilliant… a must read.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars

‘Usually I can see twists coming… But this book. Oh man. I had no idea this was going to happen, I did not see it coming.’ Goodreads Reviewer

‘Never saw that twist coming.’ Goodreads Reviewer

‘A devastatingly good book… if this doesn’t leave you shuddering nothing will. Brilliantly well done.’ NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars

I absolutely adore stories focussed on relationships between teenage children and their parents.  I love the nature of how both in the real world and in fiction they can turn into big sticky messes.  There is no guidebook on how to navigate the murky waters of parenthood, but I would live in hope that we would all fare better than the events that take place in The Argument.  The mother/daughter relationship is one that often falls foul to the trappings of clashing personalities and this story is no different.  Be prepared to hear the painful ticking of the clock in the silence of everything that is left unsaid. 

In a quiet cul-de-sac a mother and daughter are engaged in the battle of hormones.  The daughter thinking, she knows best and the mother enforcing her will with drastic consequences.  Olivia sneaks out to a party that she has been emphatically banned from.  Her parents, Hannah and Michael do not want her there under any circumstances.  Olivia is fifteen and looking through an objective microscope, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out what could happen…a teenager going missing.  Rape.  Drug misuse.  Alcohol abuse.  The list is endless.  Olivia finally arrives home and an argument ensues.  Hannah is angry, and Olivia professes that she has ruined her life and refuses to speak to her again.  Seems very like teenage behaviour, right?  However, it is at this point my eyes and my brain cant compute.  Something doesn’t add up with Hannah, my senses are on red alert. 

Olivia sticks to her guns.  She indeed doesn’t speak to her parents for several days.  You know there isn’t something quite right about the dynamics between Olivia and her parents and conversely between Rosie, her sister and her parents.  It’s clear as day that she gets treated differently and a knot forms in the pit of my stomach.  The untold narrative between Hannah and Michael, the silent looks passed between them.  What aren’t they saying?  Why are they so quick to pass the blame to their eldest daughter when things start to go disastrously wrong? 

My tongue was itching to scream the answers into Olivia’s ear.  She was on the right track she just had to hunt harder and take decisive action before it was too late.  Could a diary give her all the answers she has ever needed?  Could it explain why she has always felt different…never quite fitting in.  As a mother of three (boys I might add) this was a narrative that was difficult to both digest and understand.  Being a mother of teenagers is a difficult road to travel but ultimately, we have to give them the freedom to make their own mistakes.  We need to be their beacon of trust and love.  The one constant that will have them returning to you.  I count myself lucky that I seem to have found a workable balance. 

Just when you think you have the story worked out in The Argument, along comes a bomb to blow your thoughts into space.  So many details unravelled to turn my brain into soup.  I was confused by the actions of certain characters.  I revelled in the confusion, I was completely here for it.  Trust in the author she will deliver you safely to the final page but not without a rollercoaster ride of emotions.  We are engulfed in a fog of toxicity, but it will clear and bring us the light once more.  Everything we learn leads in multiple different directions but it all has a purpose.  Victoria Jenkins is the spider spinning her web and the reader is the unwitting fly tempted by the thread. 

The Argument is a book that the term edge of your seat was invented for.  The edge of my seat is worn out – I spent most of the novel on it!  Victoria Jenkins grabbed me by the throat and refused to let go until the final page had been put to rest.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

1053000 - Review: The Argument by Victoria Jenkins

Victoria Jenkins is a Welsh author who has made a name for herself writing the highly popular Detective King and Lane series of novels. The first novel in the series was “The Girls In The Water” that Jenkins first published in 2017, to much critical acclaim and popularity among crime fiction fans.
The series of novels features Detective Constable Chloe Lane and Detective Inspector Alex King, who are the lead investigative characters that solve some mysterious murders in their hometown.

Jenkins lives with her husband and daughter in South Wales, where her series of crime novels featuring Detectives King and Lane is based.

Victoria Jenkins

four stars - Review: The Argument by Victoria Jenkins

Review: The Girls in the Lake (Beth Adams #2) by Helen Phifer

     Yvonne      Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

the girls in the lake by helen phifer - Review: The Girls in the Lake (Beth Adams #2) by Helen PhiferThe Girls in the Lake by Helen Phifer
Published by Bookouture on December 9, 2019
ISBN: 9781786819253
Genres: Fiction, Mystery & Detective, Police Procedural, General, Thrillers, Medical, Crime, Suspense, Traditional, Women Sleuths, Romance, Psychological, Small Town & Rural, Private Investigators, Hard-Boiled, Noir, Amateur Sleuth
Pages: 291
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three stars - Review: The Girls in the Lake (Beth Adams #2) by Helen Phifer

Peering over the side of the boat, the glare of early morning sun catches on something pale in the inky water. The boy’s curious fingertips break the surface, pulling up a tangle of long blonde hair from the reeds below…

The discovery of a girl floating face down in Lake Windermere, her naked skin almost translucent in the freezing water, looks like yet another tragic teen suicide. But the victim’s lack of clothes make Forensic Pathologist Beth Adams want to investigate further. Anything to distract her from the arrival of her abusive ex-boyfriend’s body on the mortuary table that morning.

With witnesses keeping tight-lipped and any clues washed away by the tides, it’s up to Beth to find the evidence her team needs. But then another girl is found in the lake, this time still clinging to life. She tells them she was at a party on a boat, and that she was pushed…

As more bodies surface, tiny traces of boat paint lead Beth to a tragic accident involving a group of school children years ago, and the feeling that the killer might be closer than anyone could ever have imaged. But with her personal life spinning out of control, can she persuade her team before another life is lost?

An absolutely unputdownable serial killer thriller that will have you sleeping with the lights on. Fans of Patricia Gibney, LJ Ross and Angela Marsons will have to hold on tight for this nail-biting rollercoaster ride!

Readers love The Girls in the Lake:
‘Brilliant… keeps you on the edge of your seat right until the last chapter...loving this series and the characters in it.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Plenty of twists… I didn’t want to put it down… suspenseful and riveting, you will want time to read it in one sitting.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Hooked from the beginning and it kept me engaged until the very last page.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Full of twists… full of tension… several times I caught myself holding my breath.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Another thrilling, tightly plotted addition to this already fabulous series...I loved this book…fast paced, realistic… plenty of action, mystery and suspects. Definitely comes highly recommended and deserves all of 5 stars.’ Netgalley reviewer, 5 stars

‘I thoroughly enjoyed… an engrossing tale… I don’t know where the time went, one minute I started to read and a few hours later I was finishing.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘A humdinger of a crime thriller that grabs you and draws you in from the brilliantly written and powerful opening scene to the nail-biting, butt-clenching finale.’ Netgalley reviewer, 5 stars

The water is beautiful.  The water will also pull you under into its murky depths without a care or a thought about race, gender or social standing.  If you don’t grant it the respect it so deserves it will unleash its power and it isn’t a battle you are going to win.  The Girls in the Lake is a steady paced police procedural which picks up a few weeks after book 1.  I felt that the first half of the novel was slower paced but it took off like a rocket in the second half. 

The story is centred around the main character, Dr Beth Adams, a forensic pathologist.  She has had an extremely tough life, having been subjected to a traumatic abusive relationship for the past seven years.  Fast forward and she has marginally moved forward happy in the knowledge that her ex is in prison but still frozen in the past and being haunted by the effects that relationship has instilled in her.  She is now living with DS Josh Walker.  Life is good but usually when its that good something comes along and has a habit of turning it on its end.  Cue, two dead bodies turning up in lake Windemere and the onslaught of the impending investigation. 

Things get even more personal with a third girl being pushed into the water from a troublesome party boat…are the three women connected or was its mere accidents? 

I really liked the character of Beth.  Although she often participated in the sport of self-depreciation, she was an extremely strong character.  She knew her worth and knew what she needed to do to move forward and boy did she go out and do it.  She is one hell of a woman!  I think to a certain extent she is struggling with the possibility of suffering from PTSD and seeks solace in the bottle more than she should but again we all have our crutches to bear.  She navigates the murky waters of following her gut instinct and at points I thought that she was more on the ball as a detective than the actual police were. 

The girls in the lake was a haven for geeks like me.  I really enjoyed reading about the science behind the pathology of Beth’s work and the other forensic anomalies that popped in her freelance investigating.  Call me a weirdo but I love what killed someone and the science that backs it all up even more. 

I was mildly frustrated with the avoidable spat that occurred between Beth and Josh.  In any relationship, trust and communication is paramount and their issue just seemed like a non-issue.  Beth seemed to go a little off the deep end without having any proof and it did feel a little at odds with the character that I had been becoming acquainted to previously.  But, overall, The Girls in the Lake was an enjoyable reading experience and I would like to give the first book a go. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

download - Review: The Girls in the Lake (Beth Adams #2) by Helen Phifer

Helen Phifer is the #1 Bestselling crime and horror novelist of the Annie Graham and Lucy Harwin series. Helen lives in a small town called Barrow-in-Furness with her husband and five children. She has lived in the same town since she was born. Surrounded by miles of coastline and not too far away from the beautiful Lake District. She has always loved writing and reading since the days she learnt how to in infant school. loves reading books that make the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and make her afraid to go to the toilet, alone in the middle of the night. is eternally grateful to Stephen King, Dean Koontz, James Herbert and Graham Masterton for scaring her senseless in her teenage years. Unable to find enough of the scary stories she loves to read, she decided to write her own.

Her debut novel The Ghost House was released October 2013 and introduced readers to police officer Annie Graham. It went on to be an Amazon #1 bestseller in Canada. It reached #1 on the Amazon Contemporary Horror Charts in both the UK and the US, pushing her idol Stephen King off his #1 spot many times.

She was thrilled when the second book in the series The Secrets of the Shadows managed to push The Ghost House off its #1 spot even if it was a little surreal. This was followed by The Forgotten Cottage, The Lake House, The Girls in the Woods and The Face Behind the Mask.

The Good Sisters is a standalone old, fashioned horror story which Helen admits scared her so much when she was writing it that she couldn’t write once it got dark. Set in an abandoned convent it will definitely give you the chills.

March 2017 saw the publication of Dark House, a gripping psychological thriller which introduced readers to the dangerous world of Detective Inspector Lucy Harwin. Dying Breath and Last Light are books two and three in that series. 

​

The Haunting on West 10th Street is a supernatural thriller set on the streets of New York.

​

The Girl in the Grave featuring Forensic Pathologist Beth Adams is released 16th July 2019. 

Helen Phifer

three stars - Review: The Girls in the Lake (Beth Adams #2) by Helen Phifer

Book Review: Single by K.L. Slater

     Yvonne      2 Comments

single by k l slater - Book Review: Single by K.L. SlaterSingle by K.L. Slater
Published by Bookouture on October 25th 2019
ISBN: 9781786819277
Genres: Fiction, Crime, Thrillers, Suspense, Psychological, General
Pages: 362
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: Publisher, NetGalley
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three stars - Book Review: Single by K.L. Slater

‘I keep feeling like I’m being watched – dropping the boys off at school, choosing wine at the supermarket – but when I turn around there’s nobody there…’

When single mother Darcy’s son falls from a rope bridge at a local playground, life stands still. She clutches his small, limp body, frozen, until a pair of strong hands push her aside, and she watches as George, a local doctor, saves her son’s life.

George is a single parent too, and with his twinkling hazel eyes, easy charm, and lack of wedding band is almost too good to be true, but coffee becomes lunch, lunch becomes dinner, and soon they can’t go an evening without seeing each other. When he invites her to move into his beautiful home with its sprawling garden for her boys, Darcy doesn’t hesitate.

But as Darcy is settling in, she receives a bunch of flowers with a chilling message. George says they’re from an obsessed ex-girlfriend, Opal, and days later Opal turns up at Darcy’s son’s football match. She claims to have shocking information that could threaten George’s custody of his daughter.

Darcy doesn’t know who to trust, but she’s starting to suspect that, whatever the truth, she might have put her beloved boys into terrible danger … 

From the million-copy-bestselling author K.L. Slater this utterly gripping psychological thriller will make you gasp out loud as you race towards the unforgettable twist. If you loved The Girl on the Train and The Wife Between Us this book is for you.

What everyone is saying about Single:

‘I would liken reading 'Single' to being strapped into a car with a broken axle on the Tilt-A-Whirl carnival ride. You're gonna get tossed around until you don't know which way is up. Yet, in the end, you can't deny that it was one helluva ride. All superlatives aside, this book stands out in its cleverness and execution. K.L. Slater knocked it out of the park. 5+ stars.’  Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Another stunning novel from KL Slater. .Loved every twist and turn.  The only negative is what to read next as it won’t live up to KL Slater, fingers crossed her next novel won’t take long!’  Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wow, I LOVED this book!!! 5 stars easy!! This is my first novel by K.L. Slater and most certainly will not be my last. …This is the kind of book you cannot put down or stop thinking about. I often had chills and felt like I experiencing this story as the main character. There is no way you will be able to guess the ending.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘WOW WOW WOW!!! What a fantastic book!! I couldn't put this one down. Just when i thought i knew what was going on , I changed my mind, and yet again. Twists twists and more twists. i love this author but this book blew me away best yet from her!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Well a great big enormous WOW this was such a brilliant read, totally compulsive and everything you want in a psychological thriller !! ‘ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This book kept me awake until the early hours, promising myself time and again that I would only read one more chapter until I was too far into the story to stop. All in all it's a really great read.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘K L Slater is a master of the psychological thriller genre and Single is yet another example of this. I read this book in just a few hours, not ready to put it down and determined to work out how it would end. Every scenario I came up with was wrong, and to me that is a sign of a great story. This one was so twisty and believable - fantastic. If you have not read anything by Slater before what are you waiting for? Seriously, you will not regret it.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What would you do if everything you knew was essentially a lie?  We all have different ways of dealing and coping but it isn’t out of the realms of possibility to believe that some people would sink into depression.  That’s what Darcy’s situation in Single has been like for the past four years.  Her husband is dead, a fight with an illness took him quickly.  But, whilst navigating the heavy, murky waters of grief, she discovers that her husband had been unfaithful.  He hadn’t just had an affair, but he essentially was living a double life.  He spent half the week with another woman.  Her psyche broke and all that while trying to support her two sons who obviously no longer had their dad. 

The story is principally told in the perspectives of Darcy and that of handsome, personable Urology Consultant, George Mortimer.  He is also a single dad to Romy.  Her mum also having passed away.  They have so much in common.  Two lives that seem ready to move forward, together, after having being dealt a really rubbish set of cards in life.  As they become closer you can see that George has more than one skeleton in his closet.  The story develops, and it becomes more twisty. 

The secondary characters in Single were extremely unlikeable.  I know that was the author’s intention but at times I felt like they should have been genuine and caring and they would have got a lot further in their needs and wants.  Take Darcy’s sister-in-law for example, she professed to being her best friend and having her best interests at heart, but her actions are in complete conflict with that.  Who on earth tells their friend that considering dating again after four years is too soon?  It’s just manipulative and controlling to the highest extremes. 

Darcy had so much on her plate.  When the five of them went to Yorkshire to stay in a lodge at Christmas it really started gaining traction.  Odd occurrences, the feeling of being watched, letters, flowers being delivered, photos obviously being taken.  George talks about a past girlfriend and Darcy wonders if it could be someone from her past?  George’s explanation has the warning bells thumping a deathening beat.  What is he hiding? 

I did struggle to fully be taken in with the twists in Single and I really wanted to be.  I wanted it to be more menacing, more shocking, a complete gasp moment when all was revealed.  One incident happened, and I couldn’t help but think if it happened to me, I probably wouldn’t have given it two thoughts.  I really wanted more tension, a feeling of balancing on a knifes edge that I just didn’t experience with this story.  I enjoyed the story and wouldn’t hesitate on giving K.L. Slaters other books a try. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

kl slater 1024x511 1 - Book Review: Single by K.L. Slater

After years of trying to get published and never getting further than the slush pile, I went back to university at the age of 40 where I gained  a first-class honours degree in English & Creative Writing and an MA in Creative Writing with distinction.

Although I also had a day job during the five years I studied at university, the courses gave me the time and space to try different writing and increased my confidence and belief in my writing. Before I graduated from my MA, I had secured representation at the Darley Anderson Literacy, TV and Film Agency who got me my first book deal. My literary agent is Camilla Bolton.

My first adult psychological thriller for Bookouture, ‘Safe with Me’,  actually started life as my dissertation on my English & Creative Writing degree in 2010.

The creepy voice of Anna came to me strong and insistent . . . she wanted to be written, she wouldn’t go away. I’m so glad I listened!

Please take a look at my ‘Books’ page for the full list of my titles.

I first became published writing Young Adult fiction for Macmillan Children’s Books under the name Kim Slater. My award-winning YA debut, SMART, started life as a short story for my MA in Creative Writing in 2012.

I am now a full-time writer. I have a daughter and two stepsons and live with my husband in Nottingham and Yorkshire.

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three stars - Book Review: Single by K.L. Slater

Arc Review: The Other Daughter by Shalini Boland

     Yvonne      Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

the other daughter by shalini boland - Arc Review: The Other Daughter by Shalini BolandThe Other Daughter by Shalini Boland
Published by Bookouture on November 5, 2019
ISBN: 9781786817211
Genres: Fiction, Thrillers, Suspense, Crime, Psychological
Pages: 350
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five stars - Arc Review: The Other Daughter by Shalini Boland

‘I read this book in a day! I enjoyed it so much I wanted to cancel plans just to read it!… Loved it loved it loved it!!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Nine years ago her daughter was taken. And now she’s back.

Two-and-a-half-year-old Holly is playing happily in a pink plastic playhouse, while her mother Rachel sips coffee and chats with a friend nearby. It should be an ordinary day for all of them. But, in the blink of an eye, it turns into every family’s worst nightmare.

Holly is taken by a stranger and never found.

Nine years later, Rachel is doing her best, living a quiet life in Dorset. She’s tried to forget the traumatic day when she lost her daughter, hide her broken heart and put everything into her new family and loving partner, who know none of the secrets in her painful past.

Until one afternoon when Rachel meets a new school parent and her beautiful teenage daughter. Rachel’s world is instantly turned upside down. She’d recognise that face anywhere – it’s her missing child.

Rachel is overwhelmed with joy – and fear. Has the woman who abducted Holly followed her? How will her partner react when he learns about the trauma she has hidden for so many years? And given how much time has passed, what if no one believes her?

But Rachel knows it’s Holly. And she will stop at nothing to get her back…

From the million-copy-bestselling author of The Secret Mother and The Perfect Family, this utterly gripping psychological thriller will have you up all night reading. If you loved Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train and The Sister this book is for you.

Why readers are completely gripped by The Other Daughter:

‘Wow WOW wow... can't say enough good things about this book!!... unputdownable... read it in one sitting. This author never seems to disappoint!!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Oh my goodness, wow wow wow. I have just finished this 5-star whopper of a book and my brain is still digesting it as I type. I absolutely loved this book… The twists and turns were fantastic and I absolutely did not see any of it coming. Brilliant.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘OMG this book was one of the best I have ever read… amazing… Ten stars once again!’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Just blew me away. From the first chapter I couldn't put it down… her best novel yet. I wish I could give it 6 stars.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Ohh my god this was simply AMAZING!! That ending just completely blew my mind!... a masterpiece… absolutely captivating read!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘BOOM BOOM BOOM the twist happens… didn’t see it coming and actually gasped out loud around 4am this morning as I had to get up early to finish… Loved it, loved it, loved it.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wow, wow, wow…If you haven’t read her books yet you are definitely missing out in life… I will shout to the moon and back on how great this book was.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Superb!... read this book in one day… A MUST READ!!!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Whoa. I stayed up till 6am trying to finish this because it was so good!!! From the first page you will be pulled in!... I was practically yelling at the book in shock and disbelief at the didn’t-see-that-coming ending’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A throat punch right to the jugular!... I was completely blindsided… Bottom line – this read was CRAZY good!... 5+ stars.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Brilliant… I won’t spoil anything but OMG!!! How clever – wow! Wow, wow wow! 5** and 10 if I could’ Nicki’s Book Blog, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Shalini Boland is a new author for me.  This was my first taste of the maniacal web of deceit, heartbreak and the pure brain twisters that she is able write.  I felt honoured to be accepted for this ARC and my was I in for a treat.  After finishing this book, I immediately jumped onto goodreads and added the rest of the thrillers she has penned straight onto my TBR.  I really try to go into each book without any outrageous expectations, but I had a feeling that this was going to deliver and deliver wholeheartedly.  Fortunately, I hit the nail on the head.  This woman has the ability to invoke the fear, to invoke the cold sweats when you’re waiting for the truth to will out.  She knows how to invoke it all!

What would you do if your two-year-old daughter was stolen from a play area in a shopping centre?  Now as a mother of three boys this is the scenario that kills me.  It isn’t the fear of a crazy psychopath on the loose or monsters under the bed.  It’s the fear of losing your child, someone taking them and having thoughts constantly that they could be dead or being used by unsavoury characters.  That they are at harm and as a parent you can’t protect them.  Just how extreme must the guilt be?  How much must that tear you open and leave you bleeding the entire time they are apart from you.  The moment you hold that tiny vulnerable baby in your arms – the maternal instinct kicks in and you vow to never let anyone hurt them.  How must that feel that those vows you made to your tiny person mattered not a jot.  Someone still came into your life and ruined completely by taking the one person you would die for? 

Rachel has lived through such trauma.  Her daughter was abducted in a shopping centre nine years ago.  The guilt and grief could have consumed her, but she still had a baby to care for, so she vowed to try and keep on living for her, baby Jess.  Her marriage broke down, her husband Andrew left to be with his new girlfriend in Spain.  She was all alone until she met now boyfriend, Matt.  Slowly she rebuilds her life in Dorset and has another baby, a boy but she never forgets the pain of never seeing her little girl, Holly again.  Rachel is strong, but pain and grief are never far behind.  The brain is an amazing organ and is capable of incredible deeds to protect the human body from further suffering.  It’s definitely her vulnerability that makes her such a relatable character and she’s immediately likeable.  Life has improved remarkably and she’s doing more than just surviving now, she’s living.  All until the mysterious Kate and her family move into the village.  Nobody unsettles her more than their daughter, Bella. 

Rachel is driven to unnecessary and borderline unhinged behaviour towards Kate and her family.  The daughter reminds her so much of her missing daughter.  The colour of her eyes, the shape of her face, her hair colouring.  She vows to find out everything she can about this family.  She is OBSESSED.  She’s never been surer about anything in her life.  She has to own up to her boyfriend about a secret, will this push them closer together or further apart?  The author pushes the realms of possibility and how far the human psyche can be pushed when trauma is cracked open once again.  When that itch is scratched raw what can be done to stem the bleeding?  I found myself in rapt attention, it was heart-breaking, it was cringey, but I was totally here for it.  My heart ached for Rachels pain and suffering, can we wish for something to just be true if we just believe hard enough?

Some of Rachels decisions at the very least were misjudged.  She was losing her mind.  Every little decision that she kept from her family was tearing them apart.  The strong relationship she had with her boyfriend was dwindling by the day.  She just couldn’t see it.  She couldn’t see anything other than her obsession with this family.  Will the pain and anguish be worth it for everyone? 

Wow what a ride!  Shalini excelled at writing a story that would be everyone’s relatable nightmare.  The build-up, the character arcs – the fooking twist blew me away!  The dual POV of Now and Then (Rachel and Catherine) was so utterly sublime.  The way you witnessed the decline of mental health was exceptional.  The effect it had on both families, the misunderstandings, the love, the brokenness.  This gave me all the feels!  We often see the news headlines about children being abducted and we immediately develop judgements.  This was a well-constructed, complex tale of both sides.  Are those judgements warranted or is there two sides to every story?

five stars - Arc Review: The Other Daughter by Shalini Boland

Review: Don’t Ever Tell by Lucy Dawson

     Yvonne      4 Comments

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

dont ever tell by lucy dawson - Review: Don't Ever Tell by Lucy DawsonDon't Ever Tell by Lucy Dawson
Published by Bookouture on June 25, 2019
ISBN: 9781786819642
Genres: Fiction, Psychological, Thrillers, Suspense, Mystery & Detective, Women Sleuths, General, Crime, Legal, Women, Family Life
Pages: 278
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five stars - Review: Don't Ever Tell by Lucy Dawson

Never make a promise you can’t afford to keep…
This is a story about Charlotte – a mother and a wife with the perfect job, the perfect life… at least, that’s how it looks from the outside.
But behind closed doors, the marriage is breaking, and Charlotte’s husband Tris doesn’t even know how much. He has no idea what Charlotte has planned for him, who she has found. But he doesn’t have long to wait to find out…
 
Don’t Ever Tell will keep you gripped from the very first page and have you guessing until the very last. From the bestselling author of The Daughter and White Lies comes an unputdownable psychological thriller unlike anything you’ve read before!
 
Readers are obsessed with Lucy Dawson:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, what a book!… grabs you from the very beginning and doesn't let you go until the very last page… An absolutely fabulous, nail-biting thriller!!' Stardust Book Reviews
 
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘WOW.... I LOVED IT, best book this year, if you read one book this decade read this!!’ Goodreads reviewer
 
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I read this in a series of gulps, unable to stop turning the pages… Stunning.’ Cass Green
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Gut-wrenchingly brilliant and addictive.’ Roz Watkins
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Absolutely BRILLIANT. Twisty and compelling, guaranteed to make the reader question who is telling the truth. I devoured it in one sitting.’ Lisa Hall, author of Between You and Me
 
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Omg this book was soooo good. I couldn't put it down… It was such a shocking twist at the end. All the revelations that came to light at the end were fantastic. This book had everything. Great characters, content and a shocking ending. What more do you want from a book?’ Goodreads reviewer
 
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A tense, emotional read with brilliant twists. I absolutely loved it.' Susi Holliday
 
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘There were so many twists and turns that I didn’t see coming at all... just when you thought you had it figured out... you didn’t!!’ Goodreads reviewer
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A scary psychological novel with an exceptionally well-written plot… the end was completely unexpected and left me open-mouthed.’ Goodreads reviewer

My goodness this was scarily real and relatable I just Couldn’t stop reading. If you seriously only read one book the rest of the year, do yourself and favour and make it this one! It really is a story of you don’t know what goes on behind closed doors. Charlotte appears to have the perfect life, a loving husband, two gorgeous children, a job that she loves albeit struggling with the balance of it, the nice house and car. Life couldn’t be better, or could it? Under the surface, Charlotte and Tris’ marriage is struggling , it’s just a rough patch, isn’t it?

Charlotte – under pressure but rational??

Charlotte truly loves working from home. She’s a good writer but struggling juggling family life and her professional life – squeezing in time to write in between cooking teas, school runs and illness. Tris, is often working away from home, could he do more to ease her strain? Does he do more to cause strain? Absolutely.

One day at a book signing in Edinburgh, Charlotte is a approached by a young fan who hauntingly looks like a younger Charlotte. It is so striking that it stops Charlotte in her tracks…Apparently it hasn’t gone unnoticed by her husband either. The young fan called Mia is a struggling actress , struggling to make ends meet and has a disturbed past. She’s vulnerable and haunted.

The two women’s paths cross again when Charlotte’s sister, Flo reveals a secret about her husband, she really didn’t see coming. Charlotte turns up at a performance Mia is starring in and gives her a proposition she really can’t turn down. This reveals Charlotte’s darker side and her tenacity for her end game.

Mia is caught in the crossfire

Mia is the character I felt more empathy for. She had come out the other side after some extremely dark moments in her life. She worked to get herself into a healthy place and yet, the events that transpired in this book could have quite easily unravelled all her hard work. She was definitively a vulnerable character that in the end got played by them both.

Nothing breaks like a heart.

Plot – blown out the park

I haven’t read anything by Lucy Dawson before but by god this won’t be the last book I pick up from her. Outstanding, Psychological thriller at it’s best! This was by far the best take on the revenge thriller that I have come across so far. The plot is dark and twisted and executed oh so amazingly well! The main character was unreliable and darkly motivated herself and although you could surmise the way the plot was developing the ending was a surprise and it blew me away. Bravo Lucy Dawson, Bravo.

five stars - Review: Don't Ever Tell by Lucy Dawson