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The Ugly Truth by L.C. North
The Ugly Truth is a stark examination of the obsessive culture of the British media. A powerhouse combination of compulsive drama and psychological intent. The Ugly Truth isn’t an easy book to read. No, far from it is at its core ugly. It delves into both the media and society’s obsession with the celebrity lifestyle. Only a few pages in I was reminded about the #freebritney movement and the British tabloids treatment of Princess Diana. Britney Spears relationship with the media and her subsequent relationship with her father after her very public breakdown shone through in this story and makes the reader ask all kinds of questions, not all good.…
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The Dead of Winter by Stuart MacBride
The Dead of Winter unfortunately was a massive disappointment for me. This is only my second MacBride novel but again like his last one – No Less the Devil, I’m left wondering if there’s something I’m missing. I’ve been reliably told that his Logan series is very good, so perhaps that’ll be the next one I attempt to pick up. I pushed through the story, but had it not been an advanced reader’s copy I’d have likely DNF’d it. The prologue was intriguing, and I was genuinely interested in seeing where the story would lead me. I am a complete aficionado when it comes to Scottish crime. I really enjoy…
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REVIEW: No Less The Devil by Stuart MacBride
No Less the Devil is most definitely a tale of two parts. The first 80% is a taut, twisty detective novel with wit and sarcasm aplenty…the norm for a Stuart MacBride novel. The last 20% however, had me flummoxed. I uttered the words WTF a lot and found myself physically scratching my head. If this was the plot all along it felt incredibly rushed and didn’t make much sense. I can’t give much more away without big spoilers, trust me, you’ll just have to read it for yourself. No Less the Devil opens with the Bloodsmith still being at large. Seventeen months have passed and the officers conducting Operation Maypole…
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REVIEW – Exit by Belinda Bauer
Exit by Belinda Bauer was a testament to humour and the conflicting need to do the right thing. Felix, a man that has known his share of hardship in the world with the deaths of both his wife and son longs to do some good in the world. He watched his son depart painfully and doesn’t wish to see others in that position, so after much deliberation, he joins the exiteers. A group that believes stringently in euthanasia and the right to choose. Bauer has created a tightly plotted and dark story that shows investigates the complexities of aided suicide. Exit is as complex as it is touching. Aided Euthanasia…
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The End Of Her by Shari Lapena|Blog Tour
A blog tour invitation for a Shari Lapena book is going to be an automatic yes, and The End Of Her was no different. I don’t think I even read the synopsis properly before emailing back. Some might think that was odd but knowing this author, I knew she would deliver and quite frankly I was in safe hands. A sleep deprived mother already feeling on edge. A face from the past. Accusations that could have very serious implications for Stephanie and Patrick. We have a knifes edge amount of tension and the plot has a rubix’s cube level of intricacy that made my brain hurt. A woman from Patricks…
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Book Review: Pine by Francine Toon
Just where do I start? Francine Toon has spun a beautifully unsettling story. Her imagination for novel writing is what Einstein was to science. The book cover is completely apt – it visualises everything the story promises to be. It’s desolate, it’s eerie and it’s intensely unnerving. If you have followed this blog tour and you haven’t added this to your TBR – well, there is something wrong with you! This book and it’s captivating writing has been building in hushed tones upto a deafening crescendo that refuses to quiet. This is a book that just won’t stop. Be prepared to get sucked into its pages and become one with…
