My favourite reads of 2016 #amreading #greatreads

Posted on December 23, 2016 by Suzanne Rogerson Author

I’ve read more in 2016 than I have in years thanks to taking up the Goodreads reading challenge and joining Rosie’s Book Review Team.

Here are some of the books that have stayed with me long after I finished reading them.

Favourite Children’s book – Fire Bed and Bone by Henrietta Bradford

My review & My Family Review

I loved this book and shared it with my family. It was an interesting experiment to get the different opinions from a 9-year-old and an 11-year-old and my husband (whose age I’m sure he wouldn’t want me to mention!).

Favourite YA book – The Sapphire Legend by E.L. Tenenbaum

My Review

This fantasy book took me by surprise and I have been longing to read the sequel. I definitely will in 2017.

Favourite Indie and fantasy – The Crown of Stones by C.L. Schneider

My Review

I was drawn to the cover of this book from the start and the book didn’t disappoint. A great fantasy, and another trilogy I hope to finish in 2017.

Favourite Thriller – Distress Signals by Catherin Ryan Howard

My review

This book led to some very late nights! A compelling thriller and I bet you won’t see the twist coming!

Favourite Romance – Late Summer in the Vineyards by Jo Thomas

My Review

I loved this book for the atmosphere and the wonderful feel good factor it had.

Favourite Audio book – Look Behind You by Sibel Hodge

My Review

This was a thriller I just couldn’t stop listening to. It had that all important mystery element, and like the main character I didn’t know who to trust. It reminded me of ‘Before I go to Sleep’. Both truly great reads.

In all I read 33 books during 2016. Now I can’t wait to see what books 2017 has in store.

Have you read any of these books, and if not have I inspired you to add them to your TBR lists?

#Audiobook #bookreview See How They Run by Tom Bale #Tuesdaybookblog #thriller

Posted on December 6, 2016 by Suzanne Rogerson Author

See How They Run (Audio version)

By Tom Bale

Narrated by Kris Dyer

Blurb
In the dead of night, new parents Alice and Harry French are plunged into their worst nightmare when they wake to find masked men in their bedroom. Men ruthless enough to threaten their baby daughter, Evie.

This is no burglary gone wrong.
The intruders know who they’re looking for – a man called Edward Renshaw.
And they are prepared to kill to get to him.

When the men leave empty handed, little do Alice and Harry realise that their nightmare is just beginning. Is it a case of mistaken identity? Who is Renshaw? And what is he hiding?

One thing is clear – they already know too much.

As Alice and Harry are separated in the run for their lives, there is no time to breathe in their fight to be reunited. And with their attackers closing in, there is only one choice:

STAY ALIVE. OR DON’T.

Terrifying, unputdownable and full of twists and turns, this stunning thriller will have you on the edge of your seat right to the very last page.

My Review

I bought this book on a whim having seen the audio book on sale with audible. The premise sounded engaging and I was certainly gripped by the beginning sample. The book starts with a bang, putting you straight into the action as a couple are threatened in their own home along with their 2-month-old baby.

There were quite a few viewpoint characters in the book, which is necessary to drive the story along. It was well narrated with all the different voices depicted with skill.

It was an absorbing listen. I enjoyed the mounting tension as the story rattled along at a pace, dragging the main characters, Alice and Harry, into ever increasing danger.

I loved that some of the action happened in Glocestershire, Ross-on-Wye and Symmons Yat, favourite holiday spots for our family.

In all this was a gripping thriller, however after the main action had taken place the end did drag on a bit.

A recommended read or listen for thriller and mystery fans.

My rating 4 stars

#Audio #bookreview The Teacher by Katerina Diamond #thriller #tuedaybookblog

Posted on November 15, 2016 by Suzanne Rogerson Author

The Teacher

Katerina Diamond

Narrator Stevie Lacey

Blurb

You think you know who to trust? You think you know the difference between good and evil? You’re wrong…

The body of the head teacher of an exclusive Devon school is found hanging from the rafters in the assembly hall.

Hours earlier he’d received a package, and only he could understand the silent message it conveyed. It meant the end.

As Exeter suffers a rising count of gruesome deaths, troubled DS Imogen Grey and DS Adrian Miles must solve the case and make their city safe again.

But as they’re drawn into a network of corruption, lies and exploitation, every step brings them closer to grim secrets hidden at the heart of their community.

And once they learn what’s motivating this killer, will they truly want to stop him?

SMART. GRIPPING. GRUESOME.

This is a psychological crime thriller in a class of its own.

WARNING: Most definitely not for the faint-hearted!

My review

I found this book slow to start. There were quite a few characters introduced in the first few chapters and I was a little underwhelmed and lost.

But several chapters in, I really started to get taken in by the unfolding story. I enjoyed the flashbacks and the slow revealing of each characters’ story. It’s unusual for a detective story to have so many other characters VP’s rather than just the detective and the murderer. I found this refreshing and it helped keep my interest through the book.

The horrific murders really made me cringe, but I wouldn’t say it wasn’t for the faint-hearted as the blurb suggests.

In all, it was a good listen and an enjoyable story. I recommend to those who enjoy thrillers and detective stories.

Rating – 3.5 stars

#Tuesdaybookblog #Bookreview #DistressSignals Catherine Ryan Howard #Thriller

Posted on November 1, 2016 by Suzanne Rogerson Author

Distress Signals

Catherine Ryan Howard

Thriller, mystery

Blurb

Did she leave, or was she taken?

The day Adam Dunne’s girlfriend, Sarah, fails to return from a Barcelona business trip, his perfect life begins to fall apart. Days later, the arrival of her passport and a note that reads ‘I’m sorry – S’ sets off real alarm bells. He vows to do whatever it takes to find her.

Adam is puzzled when he connects Sarah to a cruise ship called the Celebrate – and to a woman, Estelle, who disappeared from the same ship in eerily similar circumstances almost exactly a year before. To get the answers, Adam must confront some difficult truths about his relationship with Sarah. He must do things of which he never thought himself capable. And he must try to outwit a predator who seems to have found the perfect hunting ground…

First thoughts

From the very first line, I was drawn in. It was a breath-taking start, literally. I felt myself struggling to breathe as I read it.

Writing style

The book had the unconventional style of having no chapter numbers. Each section/ chapter was from a particular viewpoint character’s perspective and either from their past or present. There was never any confusion of where I was in the story, and this style made for a page-turning thriller.

Issues

It’s hard to find faults with this book. Some of the scenes were quite an uncomfortable read, I sort of knew where they were going but was dreading the outcome. That is in no way a criticism, but a compliment to the writer’s skill.

Final thoughts

I read this book in a matter of days, unable to think of anything else. There were shocks and twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting. I loved how the breath-taking beginning formed part of the climactic scenes towards the end. This book has everything I want from a thriller, and more.

It is a definite candidate for that book hangover feeling. I haven’t managed to pick up another fiction book since finishing it.

Recommend to

I recommend to thriller lovers and those who love a mystery to unravel.

My rating

A very worthy 5 stars.

***

I’ve been wanting to read Distress Signals ever since Catherine agreed to do a guest post on my blog during the book’s release. Check out her post here on why she chose traditional publishing over self-publishing.

Distress Signals has been shortlisted for Crime Novel of the Year in the Bord Gais Energy Irish Book Awards! Vote for your favourite reads of 2016 here.

It’s currently only 98p on Amazon UK. Well worth reading.

#fridaybookshare #DistressSignals by Catherine Ryan Howard #thriller @ShelleyWilson72

Posted on October 28, 2016 by Suzanne Rogerson Author

Happy Friday everyone. I’m joining in the #Fridaybookshare created by Shelley Wilson. Check out Shelly’s blog.

Anyone can join in. Just answer the following F.R.I.D.A.Y. questions based on the book you’re either currently reading or have just finished reading. Use the hashtag #FridayBookShare and remember to tag Shelley (@ShelleyWilson72)

First line of the book.

I jump before I decide I’m going to.

Recruit fans by adding the book blurb.

Did she leave, or was she taken?

Introduce the main character using only three words.

Adam – Desperate, single-minded, deceived.

Delightful design (add the cover of the book.)

Audience appeal (who would enjoy reading this book?)

Anyone who loves a mystery and a thrilling read.

Your favourite line/scene.

You could try to protect your own privacy, yes, but you couldn’t really count on those around you to do the same.

***

I am loving this book!

Check it out for yourself on Goodreads.

#Bookreview – The Wrong Kind of Clouds Amanda Fleet #thriller @amanda_fleet1

Posted on September 29, 2016 by Suzanne Rogerson Author

The Wrong Kind of Clouds by Amanda Fleet

Genre – Crime / Thriller

Disclaimer – I won a paperback copy of this book during a twitter promo.

Blurb – “Crippled, he watched his attacker glance around briskly; then he was heaved on to his shoulder like a sack of coal.”

In Amanda Fleet’s debut thriller, The Wrong Kind of Clouds, Patrick Forrester is in trouble. Deep trouble. Someone wants him dead. In fact, lots of people want him dead, but one of them has taken him hostage. As he’s being bundled away, he manages to call his ex-lover, Summer Morris, and begs her for help…

Summer Morris, an award-winning photographer with synaesthesia, hasn’t spoken to Patrick for months. With good reason. In fact, she would have been happy never to hear from him again. But, he begged her for help, so she’s trying to help. Along with an off-duty police officer, Detective Sergeant LB Stewart, she gets swept into Patrick’s world of lies and deceit, in a desperate race against time to find him alive.

Trying to unpick the knot of Patrick’s life takes them from an affair that could help bring down a government, to the dust and heat of Malawi, and a whole heap of trouble in between. If only they knew who wanted him dead, they might find him alive. The trouble is, almost everyone wants Patrick dead.

***

First thoughts – I was really pleased to have won a paperback copy of this book. The blurb intrigued me, and I liked both the book cover and the unusual title. The start of the book takes you straight into the action and draws you in.

Summary – This thriller has plenty of twists and turns. It’s a race against time to find Patrick alive and there are many suspects who could be behind the kidnapping. Patrick really isn’t a good person to be involved with, but he does have some redeeming qualities and I found myself rooting for him to be found in time. This premise and the writing style led to a page turner of a book.

Characters – There were various viewpoint characters in The Wrong Kind of Clouds, but the main characters are Summer and LB. I liked the unusual angle with Summer having synaesthesia (seeing emotions in colour). I didn’t know what this condition was until it was explained in the book, so the first few times Summer saw emotions in colour I was a little confused.

I liked LB the best. He’s a good cop, helping Summer find her ex when he’s on his holidays. I found the budding relationship between Summer and LB sometimes moved a little fast, but it’s always hindered by Patrick and the race against time to find him.

Issues – There was one point where Summer’s actions took me out of the story, it just didn’t seem plausible for anyone to act that way at a crime scene. This was only a small point in the story and as I read on this issue was soon dealt with by LB.

Final thoughts – It was a really good read with all the page turning qualities of a good thriller. I thought I’d guessed who was behind the kidnapping, but after changing my mind several times, I was still proved wrong!

The end did feel a little rushed and there were elements to the story that I would have liked developed or resolved more. But apart from that it was a satisfying conclusion and I’d be interested to read more of Summer and LB’s story.

Recommend to – Thriller readers

Rating – 4 stars

Why not check out the book for yourself on Amazon UK Amazon US or Goodreads.

Rosie’s #Bookreview Team #RBRT THE BLUE RIDGE PROJECT by @NeilRochford #Thriller

Posted on August 25, 2016 by Suzanne Rogerson Author

Today’s team review is from Suzanne, she blogs at Suzanne has been reading The Blue Ridge Project by Neil Rochford Blurb Detective Andrea Nox is investigating a bizarre and violent murder-sui…

Source: Rosie’s #Bookreview Team #RBRT THE BLUE RIDGE PROJECT by @NeilRochford #Thriller

#Audiobook #bookreview – Look Behind You by Sibel Hodge #thriller

Posted on August 21, 2016 by Suzanne Rogerson Author

Look Behind You – Sibel Hodge

Narrated by – Susan Duerden

Blurb

Chloe Benson wakes up kidnapped and bound in an underground tomb with no memory of how she got there.

She manages to escape but no one believes her story—not the police, not the doctors, and especially not her husband, Liam.

When she suspects Liam is lying to her, Chloe is forced to retrace her past, following in her own footsteps to find the truth and stay alive. But who is following Chloe?

Look behind you. You never know who’s out there.

***

My Audio Review

I really loved this book. It reminded me of Before I go to sleep by S J Watson, which I also loved. Chloe is in a similar situation, she can’t remember the last 7 weeks of her life and doesn’t know who to trust or what to believe.

The story gripped me and I couldn’t stop listening. I loved the mystery surrounding the memory loss and how Chloe had to retrace her steps leading up to what happened.

The only problem I found was the narrator. In the beginning I found her style too much. It was all very desperate sounding, but it did fit the situation perfectly. I would be desperate if I woke, tied up in a pitch black room with no memory! Her male voices all sounded samey, but I got used to that and it didn’t detract from the story.

There was one issue that bugged me from the start. Chloe was tied up and broke free, there would surely have been rope marks around her wrists and ankles to prove her story, but everyone insisted on thinking she made it up.

Overall, I loved it and give it 5 stars.

#Audiobook #bookreview – No Longer Safe by A. J. Haines #thriller

Posted on August 16, 2016 by Suzanne Rogerson Author

No Longer Safe by A.J.Haines

Narrated by Emma Powell

Blurb

She was your best friend. Now she’s your deadliest enemy – and there’s nowhere to run…

When Alice receives an invitation from Karen, her charismatic University friend, to stay in a remote cottage in Scotland, she can’t wait to rekindle their lost friendship. But two more former students arrive – never friends of Alice’s – and as the atmosphere chills, Karen isn’t the warm-hearted soulmate Alice remembers. Barely is the reunion underway before someone is dead and the fragile gathering is pushed to breaking point.

As the snow cuts them off from civilisation and accusations fly, Alice finds herself a pawn, sinking deeper into a deadly game she can’t escape.

NO LONGER SAFE is a chilling Psychological Thriller that delivers a delicious sting in the

My review

The book moves along at a slow pace, but I wasn’t bored at any point. The backstory is slowly revealed and as you get to know the four reunited friends, you start to understand that no one is quite as they seem. The story becomes more dramatic and events drag Alice along a path that she will have trouble coming back from.

Your suspicions are raised more during the short chapters from Karen’s perspective. You’re left in no doubt that Alice is being deceived. But it takes a good part of the book to understand just what Karen has planned.

Did I guess the ending? Definitely not. What a shocker!

I’ve already pre-ordered the authors next book which is due out in October.

A recommended read for those who enjoy thrillers at a slightly slower pace, but it still has a dramatic end.

4 star read / listen!

#Audiobook #bookreview – Try not to breathe by Holly Seddon #thriller #suspense

Posted on August 9, 2016 by Suzanne Rogerson Author

Try Not To Breathe by Holly Seddon

Audio book

Blurb

Alex is sinking. Slowly but surely, she’s cut herself off from everything but her one true love – drink. Until she’s forced to write a piece about a coma ward, where she meets Amy.

Amy is lost. When she was fifteen, she was attacked and left for dead in a park. Her attacker was never found. Since then, she has drifted in a lonely, timeless place. She’s as good as dead, but not even her doctors are sure how much she understands.

Alex and Amy grew up in the same suburbs, played the same music, flirted with the same boys. And as Alex begins to investigate the attack, she opens the door to the same danger that has left Amy in a coma…

My review

I really enjoyed this thriller of a book. The format reminded me very much of Girl on a Train, which I have also recently listened to. Each chapter switches between Alex, Jacob/Jake and Amy’s view-point. There are occasional chapters from other VP’s (Jacob’s mum) but it’s these three that are the main focus.

I quickly became sucked in by the story and found myself snatching every moment I could to listen to another chapter. I found the characters believable and really wanted Alex to get justice for Amy.

The narration was great.

This book lives up to the hype around it and left me guessing (wrongly) at Amy’s attacker most of the way through. I certainly wasn’t expecting the big reveal at the end, and I’m usually good at working out the clues before that point.

I recommend Try not to Breathe to those who enjoy a great thriller / suspense novel. I can’t wait to read more of Holly Seddon’s work.

My rating 4 stars.