Savage to Savvy - Kate Rigby

Savage to Savvy

It’s taken me a while to write this review and not due to not liking the story, more because I didn’t know how to word my thoughts.

The story is centred around a girl called Nicki, a young girl who has been taken to a place called The Laurels following being found being reared by dogs.  There are vivid descriptions of the way Nicki behaves where you can imagine watching this child scrabbling around on all fours like a dog, sniffing things including people to see if she recognises them by their scent, and even the way she would shake water off herself was described exactly how you know a dog would do these things.    

We are given an insight as to how treatment is progressing whilst in The Laurels and Nicki is assigned to a young psychologist call Heidi (fresh from qualifying) who after spending various amounts of time with Nicki realises that how she was raised is not quite as it was initial indicated or explained to her.   This in turn makes Heidi want to investigate further and those chapters set around that period had me reading with a passion wanting to know what happened next, wanting her to uncover something but at the same time not to undercover anything, for fear of what the repercussions might be.

I however found myself confused when reading parts of this book due to some of the chapters (to me) jumping from one setting to another and I was unsure as to why.  I found parts of it difficult to understand where it was going.

All in all I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading future books by this author , already having one on my kindle for when I’m ready.    

My thanks go to the author for providing me a copy of her book to read and review.

Nothing But Trouble - Kerry Wilkinson

Nothing But Trouble - Kerry Wilkinson

Due for release 9 February 2017

First of all my thanks go to Kerry Wilkinson for allowing me to read and review an ARC of this book.  My review is my own opinion.
Wow what an opening, had my heart in my mouth within the first few pages, gasping out loud with you can’t do that to me now (getting strange looks from the family as it's a book!) and then wondering how this story was going to pan out.
DI Jessica Daniels is tasked with what turns out to be a normally busy day; first of all two prisoners have escaped custody in an incident which occurred on a busy road leading into Manchester city centre, involving two assailants who smashed into the prison van allowing two prisoners to escape.  Later on one of the escaped prisoners is found hanging from a bridge on the M60 motorway. What is going on?
We also have a lone pensioner fearing for his safety, who keeps reporting strange goings on happening to him which the police will not take seriously.  He lives in a house surrounded by other empty houses and despite being told he needs to move won’t.  Is someone trying to scare him into leaving his home?
Meanwhile Jessica is struggling with the relationship that is developing between her and her colleague Archie whilst her fiancé Adam is still in his coma and the medical professions not advise Jessica if he will ever make a full recovery.  (I am hoping that he does, she needs her fiancé back to keep her feet grounded).
Throughout this book, we see the old Jessica returning, the one who couldn’t give a damn how the cases progress, who will go to all lengths to get the results she wants.  We also see her softer and scared side where she is also the caring and responsible adult with regards to her lodger Bex, the young girl she rescued from the streets and who is now living in Jessica’s house. 
Kerry does an excellent job weaving the stories together, managing to make them flow together but keeping the stories separate at the same time.  The author manages to make me want to turn the pages faster, yet never wanting the book to end. And yes, he did it to me again, leaving me on tenterhooks as to what is next in store for DI Daniels professionally and personally. 

High Force - L J Ross

High Force - L J Ross




This book is due for release on 31st January 2017.  My thanks go to L J Ross for allowing me to read and review a copy of the same.  My view is my own opinion at all times.


Another cracking read by Louise Ross. 


It is ages since I have read a book in a day, but when I started this, I seriously did not want to put it down.  I felt like my kindle was glued to my hands and I couldn't read fast enough, only stopping for food and to make a drink (and some dreaded ironing, however knowing I had a such a great book to get back to made the task easier). 


This book follows on from the ending of Angel and ties up those loose end with such ease.  I was gripped with the dramatic goings on in this book and it had me gasping at various stages throughout.


I am loving the way the characters are developing and I feel at times as though I know them personally.


This author is fast becoming one of my favourite authors and I can't wait to see what is next in store for DCI Maxwell Finlay Ryan. 


A well deserved 5* from me. 

Behind Her Eyes - Sarah Pinborough

Behind Her Eyes - Sarah Pinborough

Behind Her Eyes is due for release on 26 January 2017 and I was lucky enough to be granted a review copy by NetGalley and the publishers Harper Collins.  My thanks first of all goes to them.

The book was a difficult one for me to review, I enjoyed it and wanted to know more, however found parts of it bizarre. The story centres around Adele (a stay at home wife) and David (a psychiatrist) who are married to each other, have a history which stems back years and you are given insights into this. There is also Louise who met David in a bar (after her friend failed to turn up) and then unknown to her when they met was going to end up her new boss. Louise is a single mum recently divorced and now raising her son whilst trying to work part time as David's secretary. Louise also ends up friends with David's wife and in that difficult situation of trying to please everyone!

The story is told in various chapters and you are treated to the Then / Now areas of Adele and chapters around Louise.

I guessed part of the story as I was reading, however was completely unaware of how the book was going to end and boy did that ending surprise me yet confuse me as well.

I have heard the saying that some books are like marmite and I am afraid this one is like that for me, and assume will be the same for a lot of readers.

Fraility

Frailty

Well it's taken me a while to think how should I start this review, not because I didn't enjoy reading the book, but because so many times during reading this book, my heart plummeted and I would gasp out loud.


This book is about a child that goes missing after visiting the shops one day for being good. The child in question is only 8. The parent's worse nightmare begins and you are taken through their every waking moment, how they try to function and carry on as normal for their other daughter. The lengths parents will go to find out the truth and seek justice!


The book is told in different perspectives, mum (Libby), dad (Danny) and Hope, the child who has gone missing. I found it difficult to read those chapters of Hope's and at the end of them, wanted to hug my child even more. I have a daughter and at the time of reading this she was 8 and I had to keep stopping myself from just reading the book and think of how the story was being told!

I was left with feelings of do I really want to read on to, yes I need to know what happens!

Books about child abduction are not always easy to read whether fiction or truth and this one is no exception.


The author came across as certainly doing her research / homework and from some discussions I have seen on social media, it was a difficult book for the author to write as well. I finished this book towards the end of November, however it has taken me until the start of December to write my review.


This isn't because I didn't enjoy the book I did, but because it has affected me more than any other crime, psychological thriller book has recently.


This author is one I will definitely be keeping an eye on and have already bought some of her other books to read.


My thanks go to Bloodhound Books for allowing me to read a copy of this book. This review is my honest opinion