Blog Tour + Giveaway : Under The Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall

I am so very excited to be the blog stop on this awesome URTS Blog Tour! I bring something special for my stop. This book was gut wrenching, beautiful and brings forth the real struggle of a young girl suffering from mental issues. Here is the blurb if you haven’t heard about this book.

Title: Under The Rose-Tainted Skies
Author: Louise Gornall
Publisher: Chicken House
My ratings: 4 out of 5 stars
Released: 7th July, 2016
Agoraphobia confines Norah to the house she shares with her mother.

For her, the outside is sky glimpsed through glass, or a gauntlet to run between home and car. But a chance encounter on the doorstep changes everything: Luke, her new neighbour. Norah is determined to be the girl she thinks Luke deserves: a ‘normal’ girl, her skies unfiltered by the lens of mental illness. Instead, her love and bravery opens a window to unexpected truths …

An important and uplifting debut from a British author, which tackles mental health issues such as agoraphobia and OCD.




If you are not intrigued yet, I have another card up my sleeve. I have managed to score a snippet of Louise and it is from when Norah first meets Luke. Read on.

***

'Can I help?' I can’t look up to see who’s talking to me because anxiety has my chin stapled to my chest, but when I flick my eyes left I can see his reflection in the window. It’s New Boy from next door. He has dimples, and a mop of shaggy dark hair falls casually over his left eye. 

His feet meet, four steps, and my focus is free, running wild like a liberated stallion. 

‘No. No, thank you.’ In context, this might be the dumbest thing I have ever said. ‘I mean . . .’ Deep breath. ‘I mean . . .’ What do I mean? I feel flushed, like I’ve just dipped my face in the centre of the sun. 

Another breath as I stand up, back up, and steady myself against the door frame. I straighten my sweater, pulling it down and trying to cover everything above the soles of my feet. No amount of hugging my torso can hide the two giant teddies. 

I can feel his eyes on me. Probably curious about my attire. Definitely confused as to why I’m fishing for grocery bags on my front porch.” 

*** 

I warned you, you will be left asked for more. Well if you are, I have great news for you. I am giving away a copy of Under the Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall. UK Only. Enter away.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


 Many other blogs participating in this blog tour, so nothing is stopping you visiting them and finding out more about Under The Rose-Tainted Skies.  

Review: Paper Butterflies by Lisa Heathfield

Raw and powerful, this story will stay with you for a long time

Title: Paper Butterflies
Author: Lisa Heathfield
Publisher: Electric Monkey, UK
My ratings: 5 out of 5 stars
Released: 30th June, 2016
R eading Seed by Lisa Hetfield had been an experience and an eye opener for me. Tugging at my heart string the ending had left me wanting more. So I went in to Paper butterflies with a little trepidation and hope that she will blow my socks off with her writing. And I’m pleased to report she successfully does.

Paper Butterflies is the story of June who lives with her step mother and stepsister along with her busy father. On the surface it may look like a happy family, but it’s hiding dark secrets just under its surface. Amongst it all June’s ray of light in her life is Blister, her secret friend who belongs only to her and is untainted by her life.

I adored this book, in a way even more than Seed. It is clear that Lisa Heathfeild is coming into her own with her writing because each book is getting better than the last. I left the premise vague as I believe some of the emotions you feel from the plot is derived from the slow unveiling of June’s life.

Paper Butterflies is not for the faint hearted as it deal of a lot of issues life, racism, abuse, bullying and neglect. At many instances I found myself tearing up and getting angry, balling my fists and ready to exact some revenge on June’s behalf. I’m a person with coloured skin but fortunately I have never experienced racism or bullying yet.

But what is so special about this book you ask as there are a dime a dozen books with address similar themes you ask? Well, it’s the authors writing. She writes with such gentleness for her characters that I feel, she genuinely cares about them. Horrific events may occur to these characters but not once do I feel that the author is using it as a plot device instead she imbibes them with so much innocence despite the cruelty around them that it tears the reader apart. I truly feel that she is an expert in ‘showing’ instead of ‘telling’ and that is what digs a hole in your heart.

Overall, a fabulous, heart wrenching, throat clogging emotional storying which hits you where it hurts. A must read for anyone and everyone.

Review copy provided by Electric Monkey via NetGalley Releases on the 30th June, 2016

Review: The Problem With Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Gut wrenchingly beautiful

Title: The Problem with Forever
Author: Jennifer L . Armentrout
Publisher: Mira Ink, UK
My ratings: 4 out of 5 stars
Released: 1st June, 2016
T
he Problem with Forever is the story of Mallory and Rider. Having been grown up together as foster kids in a house where they were regularly abused and Rider was the one friend Mallory relied on. He saved her time and time again, getting the beatings himself, but saving Mallory each time. However, the two kids are separated and with a stroke of luck, Mallory is snow is a loving family who have adopted her. Now she is ready to finally start school again but fate has other plans and she ends up meeting Rider again on her first day at school. Now that they have reunited, how will Mallory and Rider’s lives pan out from this moment on.

As far as foraying into YA contemporary books goo, it was a good attempt. With a solid plot with characters which grow through the course of the book. The plot never slowed for me and Mallory’s struggle with herself felt genuine and real to me.

While the whole abused foster kids struggling to cope as teenagers premise sounds familiar if not clichéd, the author still managed to keep my attention in the book. It was not simply about what had happened to these children but how they slowly growing up and getting over what was done to them. While some tragic events happened I felt that not only Mallory but Rider did a whole lot of maturing.

Jennifer L Armentrout writes sexual tension like no other and The Problem with Forever was no exception. On a side note, what is the trend with strange character names? Who is called Rider these days? Unless, I’m totally out of it? Also, there is also a prospective romance between Ainsley and Hector which I am curious about.

Over all, it was a solid, heart-warming contemporary romance book, which despite having the neglected foster kids arc, managed to hook me in to the very last minute.

Releases on the 1st of June, 2016 

Review copy provided by Mira Ink via NetGalley

Review: The Taming of the Drew by Stephanie Kate Strohm

A light, fun read, perfect for summer.

Title: The Taming of the Drew
Author: Stephanie Kate Strohm
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
My ratings: 3 out of 5 stars
Released: 5th April, 2016
Ihonestly requested this book because I loved the cover and the premise seemed entertaining. And I'm pleased to say that's exactly what you get. Cass loves acting and performing. When she gets the chance she goes on a summer camp/ stage performance stint on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew.

I adored how the writer was able to recreate the story by Shakespeare and build it within the modern world. With the progression of the stage performance the romance between Cass and Drew develops. They have a bad start. Cass thinks that Drew is a a horrid piece of work,obnoxious and annoying, so to teach him a lesson, she decides
to re-enact the play she is doing in real life and Tame Drew. However, fate has other plans and soon Cass' feelings towards Drew changes.

It was a light, fun and entertaining read. It did not delve into anything deep but that's what I was looking for at that time.It was hilarious at some points and had me chuckling away.

Over all, a sweet read which will make the time fly and make your heart lighter.

Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley

Blog tour Review: Pompidou Posse by Sarah Lotz

Refreshing, nostalgic and captures your imagination from the on set

Title: Pompidou Posse
Author: Sarah Lotz
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton , UK
My ratings: 4 out of 5 stars
Released: 10th September, 2015
A fter writing serious fare like Three, Sarah Lotz splashes the wiring world by venturing in the YA scene. Inspired by her own memories of Paris, the story follows art students, Vicky and Sage who end up living on the street of Paris. Set in the 1980’s, it was nostalgic and edgy with a subject matter which felt intimate, gut wrenching and funny. .

The story is told in dual perspective, where Vicky tells her own experience to her reader while Sage’s life is told in an array of diary extracts. This type of writing rounded off the stories and scenes really well, while it kept the narration from getting boring. Alternating between husking and begging, sleeping on the street, these two young women get closer than ever. .

Sarah’s dark humour and insight into life’s small struggles was dark and that’s how I liked it. .

All in all, the book was not something one can sing laments over but I felt like a voyeur, looking into somebody’s memories. Fondness and rhetoric reflecting in each page, it was atmospheric while telling the reader, a coming of age story where the characters learn life’s lesson’s the hard way. .

If you are looking for something new and edgy and are fed up of those new adult romances, give Pompidou Posse a chance. It was refreshing, nostalgic and it will capture your imagination and your heart form the first page.

Grab your copies now.

Review copy provided by Hodder & Stoughton, UK.

Blog Tour: The Moment of Letting Go by J. A Redmerski

Slow and steady romance which warms your heart

Title: The Moment of Letting Go
Author: J A Redmerski
Publisher: Piatkus Books, UK
My ratings: 4 out of 5 stars
Released: 3rd September, 2015
This is my first book by J. A Redmerski, off whom I had heard nothing but praises for. Her other NA novels have a fan following and I was going into The Moment of Letting Go with the same mind set.

Sienna is a wedding planner and on her holiday she meets Luke who is s a surfing instructor. Attraction blooms and before she knows it Sienna is extending her holiday and shacking up with Luke.

This book had such an easy going pace. Not all love stories have to have a whirlwind romance. Some take a natural course where people get to know each other slowly and see where their feelings take them.

For some people, it may not be what they expect from a new adult romance as it didn’t have annoying douche male characters or the ’innocent’ female protagonist. Instead we have two people getting to know each, tentatively following their hearts and falling in love.

I think, The Moment of Letting Go is a sweet, coming of age story about two very different people falling in love and making you smile as you are fondly reminded of how you fell in love. It is a perfect beach or a holiday book where the characters explore the beautiful locales in Hawaii and discover themselves at the same time.

ARC received by Piatkus Books, UK 

Below, check out the blogs which are participating in the UK Blog Tour of The Moment of Letting Go 

Review: LOL-Lying Out Loud (The DUFF #2) by Kody Keplinger

Quirky, witty and addictive

Title: LOL: Lying Out Loud
Series: The DUFF
Author: Kody Keplinger
Publisher: Hodder's Childern's Books
My ratings: 5 out of 5 stars
Releasing: 2nd July, 2015
I immensely enjoyed The DUFF and when LOL came out I was like a cat who got the cream. LOL or Lying Out Loud is the story of Sonya who simply can't stop lying. She is a compulsive liar who lies all the time. Her best friend is Amy who is Wesley's sister ( for Duff fans like me). Then she meets Ryan, the new guy in Hamilton High whom she dislikes on first sight. Ryan who has a crush on Amy. One chance encounter online she get to chat with him and before she knows it she is falling in love with him. Only problem is that he thinks he is talking to Amy.

I really enjoyed LOL. It was nappy and a quick read. It was riddled with Kody Keplinger smart writing quips which makes me keep reading. Her characters her almost always flawed yet I find them real. Sonya was no exception. She could not stop lying and even when she knew what she was doing was hurting people around her, she struggled to give up that habit. Almost everyone in the story is flawed with Ryan who only saw in Black and white and Amy, who was too timid and unable to speak for herself.

No matter how stupidly Sonya acted and kept digging herself a bigger hole, I could not hate her. I found myself sympathizing with her. In fact, my heart broke for her when we learn about her past. The romance was so sweet between Ryan and Sonya and their connection was palpable.

Overall, I may have enjoyed The DUFF ( Read my review here) more, I do think LOL was also a solid book which will resonate with it's audience with it's witty MC and bevy of winning side characters. For The DUFF fans. there is plenty of Bianca and Wesley. It seems like Kody Keplinger has got the knack for writing great YA contemporary stories and has become a firm favourite for me.

Review copy provided by Hodder's Children's Books, UK

Review: The Baby by Lisa Drakeford

Sensitive and mature

Title: The Baby
Author: Lisa Drakeford
Publisher:Chicken House Books, UK
My ratings: 4 out of 5 stars
Released: 2nd of July, 2015
It's Olivia's birthday and she is having a great time, until she opens her bathroom door and finds her best friend giving birth. From then on, everything changes. The Baby is the story of five friends told in five perspective of the consequences and changes a baby brings in peoples lives. Especially in these circumstances, it changes lives but also people. .

Going too much into the plot will give the story away as the enjoyment of the book rests on how slowly facts are revealed and what you always suspected come true. I relished how subtlety and masterfully the author made me sympathises with a character I found deplorable. It showed what a profound effect children can have on people around them..

The Baby explores the relationship and dynamics between five people, how the arrival of a baby changes them for better or for worse. This is a smart book which explores many avenues including teen age pregnancies, sexuality, friendship and even abuse. .

Sensitive and mature yet The Baby manages to capture an essence of what it is like being a Teen with 'adult' problems. .

Review copy provided by Chicken House Books, UK. 

  Released on the 2nd July, 2015

Review: Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten

Raw, primeval with wild emotions

Title: Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls
Author: Lynn Weingarten
Publisher:Electric Monkey, UK
My ratings: 4 out of 5 stars
Released: 2nd of July, 2015
C alling this book a mixture of gone Girl and 13 Reasons why piqued my interest enough that I had to pick this book up and give it a go.I am being repeated surprised with contemporary books lately and suicide notes from Beautiful girls is no exception.

It starts of with June getting the news that her ex best friend had killed herself. Over the last few months Delia and June had grown apart. June is filled with regret and anguish about her sudden death but soon Delia Boy friend tells her how Delia couldn't have done it herself That she was murdered. June is convinced that Jeremiah is right and is determined to find the truth. the story is told from various POV with flash backs of the past. Through June's eyes we get to see Delia and love her as much as June did.

Wild, and uncontrollable Delia was everything June was not and both had a strange unbreakable bond which slowly withers away. I enjoyed this book immensely. I thought it was gripping and June's pain for her loss was palpable. We get flash backs of their childhood together and how they were each other's soul mates. Until the 'twist' happens. I think this is where the story loses it's steam. I can't go into it as it will be spoilery but the marketing tag lines gives it away. I suppose the author was trying to leave events to the reader's imagination but some times it I felt it required a little more explaining.

Besides the crazy plotlines towards the end, I really enjoyed the writing style. The choice of words and the descriptions for the emotions churning , were raw and primeval, making my palms clammy with fear.It invoked a sense was wildness in the story which was gripping, imaginative and gruesome. I ate it up.

I enjoyed the first half of the book but found the second half lacking with many plot threads left hanging without proper explanation. I'd definitely recommended it to YA fans, who like dark, thrilling contemporaries.

Releases 2nd of July, 2015 

Review copy provided by the publisher, Electric Monkey UK

Review: Forget You by Jennifer Echols

Sweet, romantic and organically developed

Title: Forget Me
Author: Jennifer Echols
Publisher: Simon and Schuster, UK
My ratings: 5 out of 5 stars
Released: 30th June, 2010
After reading the fantastic Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols, I had high expectation from Forget Me. Thankfully it does not disappoint. Zoey is struggling coping with her family breaking apart, her mom turning suicidal and her dad getting his 24 year assistant pregnant. Then one day she has an accident and the next morning her memory is hazy. She remembers tiny bits of her memories which unsettles her but the next day her old time nemesis Doug turns up at her house and behaving in all intents and purpose her boyfriend.

With a premise like that how could I not be intrigued. Zoey was a sad person. With her family in shambles her own state of mind is further from normal. She is struggling to cope and goes and loses her virginity to her long time friend who doesn't even fancy her. to be honest while I liked Zoey I didn't love her. I understood her reasons and personality but I think she came across slightly snobbish. While Doug was pretty presumptuous and manipulating. While he may or may not have understood her reasons for acting strange, he withholds information which may be for Zoey's benefit or perhaps for his own.

What I did like about this book is how it makes two people closer organically. The small glances and conversations make all the difference and you can feel the 'connection' palpable in the air. Jennifer Echols have never shied from laying the smexy on and I applaud her for taking that stance and portraying the real lives of Teens.

Once more Forget You was fun. breezy and alive with the tension between Zoey and Doug. the moment between them in the bus and the car were so poignant and thick with tension that I was ready to scream, "Just do it already!" If you like sweet and romantic contemporary book, Forget You not is for you.

Review: Painted Faces by L. H. Cosway

Unique, sexy, unconventional with shiver inducing romance

Title: Painted Faces
Author: L. H. Cosway
Publisher: Self Published
My ratings: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Releases: 16th December, 2012
P ainted Faces has been on my TBR for a long time when it took over Goodreads by storm. Finally I gave in and immersed my self in the engrossing and encompassing story the L. H. Cosway built.

Freda lives in Dublin, works at a charity shop and bakes cupcakes for am living. She is completely happy in her life until one day Nicholas moves into the apartment next door. Handsome, charming, and debonair, she is intrigued by him. But Nicholas has another side. He cross dresses as a girl and performs on a stage. Before Freda knows it, she is swept in Nicholas life full of high heels, glittery dresses and wigs.

Painted Faces was a beautiful love story in which love grows out of a friendship and acceptance. I think that is the most important message that can be taken from this book. The moment Nicholas literally bumps with Freda in the stairway, we know that nothing is going to be the same again. The attraction between them is instant but it simmers and intensifies before both do anything about it. The sexual tension is thick and I loved how both of them were struggling to keep away from each other but failed.

The most unique thing about this book is that Nicholas is a cross dressing guy. Hunky, muscular alpha males are a staple as romance novel heroes but not Nicholas. He likes his dresses and his trousers alike. Cosway wrote him beautifully that even if the side characters and even Freda at that start have difficulty assessing his sexuality, there is not doubt in the readers and (later Freda) that he is all male. Even in his get up as Viv, he still felt male and his sexual appeal never diminishes. Now that is what I call good writing!

This book tells the readers to accept different kinds of people in the world. Be it slightly chubby (not skinny) Freda or the cross dressing hero that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I adored the banter between Freda and Nicholas which was intense, fun and sexy. However the last bit dragged a little and felt unnecessary. Also there was a scene where a disliked character has a threesome which is criticised by the whole party of people. It felt out of character to look down on someone who had a threesome when they themselves were dating someone unusual.

My little tripe aside, I loved this book. It was fast paced, intense and sexy. The banter was a thing of beauty and the tension in the air was gave me shivers. Highly recommended for contemporary romance readers.

Review: The Boys Next Door (The Boys Next Door #1) by Jennifer Echols

Light-hearted, breezy and fun

Title: The Boys Next Door
Series: The Boys Next Door
Author: Jennifer Echols
Publisher: Simon and Schuter, UK
My ratings: 4 out of 5 stars
Releases: 26th June, 2007
L ately I have been on a Jennifer Echols binge and reading up on all her back titles. After being impressed by Going Too Far, I was looking forward to reading The Boys Next Door.

Lori lives next door to her life long crush Sean. This year she has decided to girlify herself and finally get Sean attention but instead it is Adam who keeps butting in. Slowly as the summer progresses Lori is determined in her quest to finally make Sean her boyfriend but his younger brother Adam may have different plans.

The Boys Next Door was meant was an younger audience than Going Too Far and it shows. The protagonist is younger with a voice of a 15 year old which Jennifer managed to capture effortlessly. Lori was naive, impulse and stubborn. She had her mind set on something she was determined to get it. This may annoy some people but I enjoyed reading about a strong willed girl.

Sean was definitely hot but I think he wasn't able to hold a candle in front of Adam who was protective,broody and yet funny. He had liked Lori for a long time but Lori is completely oblivious to it.

The slice of life at the Lakeside was fun and I really enjoyed the summery feel it gave to the story.

Light-hearted, fun and sweet, The Boys Next Door felt breezy and short. Recommended to contemporary YA romance readers.

Review + Blog Tour: Bite by Nick Louth

Title: Bite
Author: Nick Louth
Publisher: Sphere
My ratings: 3 out of 5 stars
Releases: 7th May, 2015
W ith a tag line like ‘The most gripping thriller you’ll ever read’ I was rather curious as to what this book had in store for me. Unfortunately, it did not live up to the hype. .

Premise goes like this: Max is a former coast guard who is in Amsterdam to watch his new girlfriend present her research which will save millions of lives. However before she could do so, she disappears and soon Max is sucked into a plot bigger than he could have anticipated. .

When I read the blurb I immediately likened this book to Dan Brown’s thrillers. I don’t know why I did so but that is where it all went a little downhill. .

It had a solid start but slowly it lost its grip on me. The plot seems slow and confusing. It was missing the essential ‘it’ factor which would have had me turning the pages. While a lot of research had been done for this book, it was the execution which let it down. .

Overall, Bite was a promising book, with a good start and everything going for it, but along the way it loses its grip on its reader. It will appeal to crime fiction and lovers of Thrillers. .

Review copy received by Sphere  

Releases on the 7th May, 2015 

Check out the other blogs on this blog tour below. 

Review: Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

Subtle, evocative and putting me in a haze of fulfillment

Title: Going Too Far
Author: Jennifer Echols
Publisher: Simon and Schuster, UK
My ratings: 5 out of 5 stars
Released: 17th March , 2009
Before I start singing accolades for Going Too Far, let me start by apologising that I've never read anything by Jennifer Echols before. I certainly has seen her books floating around but I never really managed to pick it up. Recovering from a reading slump I decided to ask my followers which book would be the ideal book to introduce me to her and the unanimous answer was Going too Far.While the blurb did not excite me I thought it so many people can't be wrong.

Lo and behold 24 hours later, I'm sitting and looking around me blurry eyed as to what happened to my day? I spent the whole day immersed in John and Meg's story. It was beautiful, evocative ad deeply satisfying. So the story goes like this. Meg is somewhat of a troubled child. With her dyed blue hair and a penchant to mix with the wrong kind of people, she keeps looking for trouble. Then one day with a bunch of drunk friends she decided to go drinking on the bridge over the railway lines which had been rumoured to have killed two people before. However they get caught by the police and before she realises what is happening she and her friends have to spend a week with one of the emergency departments to reflect on their mistake. Worst of all Meg is assigned to spend the graveyard shift with the officer who caught her in the first place.

At first I did not like Meg. I disliked that she started trouble on purpose and was not nice to the people around her. But slowly as the story progressed I realised that I really warmed up to her. She genuinely cared about the people around her and what I loved about her was her stark honesty. She had a crush on John soon after her 'punishment' began and she was okay to admit it. I could really see how the events of that week made her realise the consequence of her actions. She was naughty and I loved how she would rile John just to get a little reaction from him. She had a painful past which never left her mind making her all that more vulnerable inside the tough exterior she portrayed.

John After on the other hand was utterly swoon worthy. I have to give to Jennifer how she managed to transform him (in Meg's mind) from a grumpy old cop to a 19 year old hunky teenager who was just as troubled as her. The interactions between John and Meg were subtly done and I could feel how they slowly found each other attractive and how their relationship evolved. The sexual tension between them was palpable and every time John blushed, I giggled.

After reading a few books by Jennifer Echols ( at the point of writing this review) I have to say I commend her on writing real teens who are not afraid to speak about sex and have sex as a matter. I think sometimes authors don't want to go their as it seems we all want to protect our kinds but let's be honest here. We were all 17 once and not everyone was innocent and doe eyed. While the theme was serious I never felt that it was too heavy and bore down the story line. This book is aimed at a slightly older YA audience and deals with some series issues like drugs, lose and emotional scars.

In the end, Going Too Far was an excellent read. It was subtle, evocative, sweet and wonderful. I sat down and devoured this book. John and Meg were adorable together and I wished there were more pages to this book. My foray into contemporary YA was a success and if all books are like Going Too Far, I never want to come out of this haze of fulfillment Going Too Far cast on me.

Review + Blog Tour: The Liar by Nora Roberts

Nora Roberts dazzles us again

Title: The Liar
Author: Nora Roberts
Publisher: Piatkus Books, UK
My ratings: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Released:16th April, 2015
The Liar is my first book by Nora Roberts. While I've read her earlier book written as J.D Robb, The Liar felt different being in a completely different genre.

The premise goes like this; after the death of her husband Shelby is left in a load of debt and a web of lies built by her husband. After selling off as much she could she decides to have a fresh start and move to s small town Rendezvous Ridge. There she starts her new life on a clean slate but soon enough her past catches up with her and her life start going out of control.

I enjoyed The Liar which was quick to hook me in. The small town setting was sweet and the side characters added such flavour to the story. Griff who lands in Shelby’s life was adorable and the romance was slow and well built. I liked Shelby who was strong willed and determined. Her world had turned upside down but that didn't stop her from just getting on with life. She is not weak that is what I admired her the most for.

The plot dragged a little in the middle but the fast paced ending more than made up for it. The Lair was a strange mix of romance and thriller which I haven't read before. The mish-mash of genre was a refreshing change for me.

It is easy to see why Nora Roberts is a huge phenomenon. She has a finesse and confidence in her writing which comes across in her stories. The story sweeps you and before you knew it you are invested in the characters and want to know more about them who are so real that they can be a person you already know.

Overall, The Liar is another solid addition to the already shinning repertoire in Nora Roberts' writing career.

Released on the 16th April, 2015

Review copy provided by Piatkus Books, UK

Check out the other blogs participating in this blog tour.

The Author

Nora Roberts is the number one New York Times bestseller of more than 200 novels. With over 450 million copies of her books in print, she is indisputably one of the most celebrated and popular writers in the world. Her last three hardback novels were all top ten bestsellers in the UK and in 2013 alone Little, Brown Book Group sold over 1.2 million net copies of Nora Roberts’ books.

Review: Under My Skin by James Dawson

James Dawson proves again why is a heavy weight in UKYA

Title: Under My Skin
Author: James Dawson
Publisher: Hot Key books, UK
My ratings: 4 out of 5 stars
Released: 5th March, 2015
While I have heard a lot about James Dawson, I haven’t read any fiction he has written before. Hence when given a chance to read Under My Skin about a haunted tattoo, I pounced on it.

Before I get down to the review, let me tell how beautiful the actual book was. With sprayed bright pick edges and filled with various tattoo inside and outside, it had a running theme throughout the book and it gave a clear picture what Molly Sue looked like.

The story is about Sally Feather, a shy, introverted girl who is bullied at school. With old fashioned parents and only a few friends she somehow gets tricked into getting a tattoo of Molly Sue. The tattoo make her feel rebellious and powerful but then it starts talking. That’s right. Her tattoo starts talking and moving around.

Sally Feather was a well written protagonist whom readers will be able to relate to instantly. Sally’s parents are conservative and Sally feels they don’t understand her. Her only life-line are her childhood friends. I loved how getting Molly Sue, Sally grows as a character. At the beginning when she is awkward, shy and a pushover by the end of this book she gains confidence and a personality.

My copy. (via my Instagram Account)

My favourite thing about this book was Molly sue. My feelings were so conflicted about her. I loved what she did for Sally, helping her gain confidence and standing up for herself. She was the little jolt of energy that Sally needed. Molly Sue helps her navigate the dangerous waters of high school and achieve whatever Sally wanted. However this is where the twist is, that Molly Sue was out of control. She takes things to another level. She was willing to go to any length to get what she wanted. Soon she was taking over Sally’s body and committing crimes which were being blamed on Sally.

I really enjoyed the sassy and mouthy Molly Sue even if she was evil. The whole thing was creepy and edgy. The concept of a haunted tattoo which spoke, moved and took over your body will stay in my psyche for a long time and I don’t think I’m ever getting a tattoo. I loved how diverse this story was and how concepts like feminism and homosexuality were addressed.

Overall, I really enjoyed my first foray into James Dawson’s fiction. Under My skin was beautiful, poignant, creepy and eerie. With a dash of romance, friendship and family, Under My Skin was highly entertaining and has convinced me why James Dawson is such a heavy weight when it comes to UKYA.

Review copy received from Hot Key Books, UK

 

Review: Beauty and The Beast by Ravinnder Randhawa

Hilarious Hijinks and insightful drama

Title: Beauty and The Beast : Enemies. Romance. Fireworks.
Author: Ravinder Randhawa
Publisher: Createspace
My ratings: 3 out of 5 stars
Released: 14th September , 2014
O n the reading the blurb for Beauty and The Beast, I was convinced that this book will be the one for me. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. Harjinder or Hari-jan as she likes to call herself is a young school going Indian Brit and this is her story. It is difficult to write a premise for this book as it more of a slice of life in Harjinder’s day to day hijinks. It was more of her commentary and her perspective as an Indian living in a foreign country and the pressures living a life where you are expected to live and behave a certain way.

I enjoyed Jindi’s narration which had a habit of going tangent. But everything in her life came with an Asian or shall we say Indian twist to it. I enjoyed and related to all her family dramas and her family and lifestyle. With Indian words interspersed in every paragraph it felt like I was with my friends in India and speaking in Hinglish. i.e a mixture of Hindi and English.

However, I had some issues with which it flowed. Sometimes scenes cut so abruptly that it left me scratching my head as to what happened. Sometimes Jindi’s commentary went on in circles and something significant gets missed.

The scene where Jindi has to give measurement for her Sari was reminiscent of my experience with tailors and measurement and the painful process of learning to wear a freaking 4 metre fabric around yourself that the world calls a sari.

Over all, while I liked the concept and do think more books like this should be out, a slightly improved flow and structure to the plot will not go amiss.

Review based on the review copy provided by the publisher

 

Review: Hero by Samantha Young

A new flavour by Samantha Young

Title: Hero
Author: Samantha Young
Publisher: Piatkus Books, UK
My ratings: 4 out of 5 stars
Released: 5th March, 2015
E amantha Young is one of those authors whose books always guarantee a good time. I’ve enjoyed On Dublin Street and her other works immensely, so picking up her latest offering, Hero, was a no brainer.

The main characters Alexa and Caine have some convoluted family history in which Alexa’s father destroyed Caine life as a child. Obviously he keeps a grudge but Alexa when given a opportunity, decides to show him that she is not like her father and that he should not paint everyone with the same brush. Soon they start head butting and I enjoyed reading their back and forth. Alexa had spunk and it was such fun watching them dance around each other.

While the first half of the story had everything that I’ve come to love about Samantha Young’s stories. It was smart, quick, addictive, breezy and full of sexual tension. However the second half felt a little dragged out. Mainly because the above mention convoluted family mix up reared its head again.

Furthermore, I found the main characters hard to like. While I enjoyed Alexa’s sass and spunk my fondness for her was a little touch and go. It felt a little over dramatic that she went to great lengths to prove to Caine that she was different from her father that she was willing to work as his PA even when he warns her that it will be like hell. It reminded of the countless Shoujo mangas I’ve devoured. Caine on the other hand, frustrated me to no end. His hot and cold attitude toward Alexa went on for too long and I was left surprised that even a huge event like that (I won’t spoil it guys) hardly changed his mind.

Even after making the above criticisms, I enjoyed reading Hero. It felt slightly different from the style I have come to associate with Samantha Young but it was entertaining, quick and fun. The romance was slowly built and the smexy scenes were done just right to keep you hooked.

Pick up Hero to find a different flavour of romance by Samantha Young.

Review copy provided by Piatkus Books, UK.

Hero by Samantha Young is published by Piatkus in paperback and eBook. You can find of all Samantha Young’s titles in the Kobo website here: https://store.kobobooks.com/List/the-hottest-new-voice-in-romance-samantha-young/J-xrHY0rhcp8fAjSHjnPlQ

About the author

Samantha Young is the author of the runaway bestselling On Dublin Street, which sold over 150,000 copies within five weeks and has now been sold in more than 25 countries. Published by Penguin UK until recently, her first book with Little Brown (Castle Hill) was one of the top 10 Hachette ebooks for 2014. This year she has been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Author and Best Romance. She lives in Stirlingshire, Scotland and is available for publicity purposes, along with corresponding regularly with her 22,000 fans on FB and 15,000 Twitter followers.

You can visit her at www.samanthayoungbooks.com






Also check out the other blogs and what they have to say about Hero below.

Review: There Will Be Lies by Nick Lane

An adventure and a journey in more ways than one

Title: There Will Be Lies
Author: Nick Lane
Publisher: Bloomsbury, UK
My ratings: 3 out of 5 stars
Released: 6th January, 2015
Nick Lane's There Will be Lies is one of those books that left me conflicted in more ways than one. The best way to get into this book is going in with as little knowledge about the book as possible. It can be enjoyed most when you don't know when the next page will hit you like a train.

It starts with Shelby narrating about her life and how she lives with her mother and has been home school. But before she knows it her whole life gets turned around and she finds her self on the road with her mother and before her journey ends her life starts unraveling.

First of all I have to give credit to Nick Lane he managed to keep my interest up until the very end. I enjoyed the way this book was written and there were two stories running simultaneously and were being flipped between each other. This helped chase the occasional monotone of a story stuck in one place. I also enjoyed how Nick Lane wrote pieces of literature which were profound and yet simple. The narration was spot on and everything was kept in wraps and as each lie was brought in and then shattered to reveal a nugget of truth.

Shelby was a great protagonist. I loved her strength, resilience and and sass even when facing situation which would have broken any regular person.

However I would have enjoyed it even more if there was some more romance in the story. It was hinted at towards the beginning but it never took off from there. Lastly, I wish there was an explanation as to what was the Otherworld? It ended with a bang but an explanation would have been cherry on the cake.

There Will Be Lies was not what I expected it to be. It is not a genre that I read often but it kept me entertained and engrossed with Shelby and her various troubles. It was an adventure and a journey in more ways than one and how selfishness can sometimes lead to love and forgiveness.

Published on the 6th of January, 2015 by Bloomsbury, 2015.

Review: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

Witty and clever attempt

Title: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
Author: E. Lockhart
Publisher: Hot Key Books, UK
My ratings: 3 out of 5 stars
Releases: 6th November, 2014
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks was a title I have been waiting for a while. After E. Lockhart wrote the beautiful We Were Lairs, I snagged this book as soon as I could. Unfortunately it was a disappointment for me.

Let me start from the beginning. This book is about Frankie, a fifteen year old private school student who finds herself in a unique situation where she is dating the hottest guy in school, after having a 'growth spurt'. Soon she finds that her boyfriend is hiding things and before she knows it she is deep into an uncontrollable, downward spiral.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau – Banks addresses a variety of topics which I think gives a social message. It touches upon how even in this day an age there exists an elitist group of people responsible for the world as we see today. It also talks about how women still have to cross the glass ceiling which unfortunately still exists. Lockhart manages to beautifully incorporate a high school environment and use it as a stand in for the real world. We have the fresh faced Frankie who was always on the side-lines, suddenly becoming the centre of it. Dating the most popular guy at school but still not being able to become a part of his life. She wants equality, popularity, acceptance and fair treatment. I think this book accentuates these accurately and with a finesse which I belie only a talented author can succeed at.

The writing is clever and intelligent. Saying that the round about ways the point was made was a little frustrating. I found the writing somewhat funny but some reader may not and younger readers may very well get bored by it.

The message this book was trying to give while being important felt boring to me. The real plot didn’t start until the half-way point of the book and by then I had almost lost interest. It started with a great note but started dragging in the middle. While I understood what the story was trying to tell, I simply got bored of it. I was skimming pages in the hopes that something will happen that would excite me.

Overall, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks was a clever attempt at raising concerns and pointing out the faults which still exists in our society. While the writing was appreciated by me, I don’t know if reader of the age group it is aimed at, will be able to grasp the deeper meaning and commentaries being made and the parallels being drawn. This book is for eclectic readers and while some may love it, some may simply lose interest.

Review copy provided by Hot Key Books, UK