Tag Archives: Book review

Review of Emily Williams’ Rafferty Lincoln Loves

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Rafferty Lincoln Loves by Emily Williams, foreword by Frankie Dettori MBE

The Blurb

Rafferty Lincoln Loves… 

A sensational and compelling, coming of age story for older YA (young adult) readers and adults. Foreword by Frankie Dettori MBE, ambassador for the British Thoroughbred Retraining Centre. 

Rafferty Lincoln doesn’t like horses. Not one bit. But when the popular high school girl of his dreams, Liberty Ashburn pulls him into a world of lead ropes and horse brushes, who is he to say no?

Except this isn’t any old horse. This is the missing racehorse, Profits Red Ridge. The horse Rafferty and three of his friends are hiding from the world. And Liberty Ashburn isn’t just any ordinary high school girl. How far will Rafferty go to win her over?

Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Lutino Publications (13 Feb. 2018)

My review:

An enjoyable coming of age romance with an adventure that puts a group of teenagers to the test. Developed around the children discovering what they believe to be a missing racehorse, the adventure propels the group of unlikely friends on a journey of self-discovery. I tend to read HEA books, but as this is the second book I have read from this author I knew to expect something a little different. I wasn’t wrong. The writing, like the story, is engaging and keeps you turning the pages. The moral, that actions have consequences, is hit home in a thought-provoking manner, that will touch even the hardest heart. The characters are diverse, interesting, well developed and relatable. Another great Emily Williams read and how fab that the proceeds from this book will be donated to the British Thoroughbred Retraining Centre!

Click to buy the book.

About the author:

Emily Williams lives by the seaside in West Sussex with her family and a menagerie of small pets. After graduating from Sussex University with a BA in Psychology, Emily trained as a primary school teacher and teaches in a local school.

Letters to Eloise is her debut novel. Her new novel, the YA fiction Rafferty Lincoln Loves… will be released this year. The proceeds from the book will be donated to the British Thoroughbred Retraining Centre.

Find Emily Williams on Twitter and Facebook.

Thank you for the great read Emily. My reviews are added to Amazon UK and Goodreads x

Guest Review of Berni Stevens’ Immortals of London series

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I am delighted to say that my teenage daughter enjoyed Berni Stevens’ Immortals of London series so much she has written a guest review.

Dance until Dawn by Berni Stevens
#Immortals of London book 1

The Blurb
Do you Believe in Love After Life?
At 25, West-End dancer, Ellie Wakefield should be having the time of her life. The only problem is, ever since waking up in a leaky cellar belonging to three hundred year old vampire, Will Austen, she’s been very much dead. And to make matters worse, she’s since found that an aversion to blood and a fear of the dark aren’t very helpful – especially when you’re a fledgling vampire.

William James Austen has fallen hard. He’s spent the last year loving Ellie from afar and now he’s finally able to be truthful about who and what he is. As the most powerful and revered vampire in London, he’s used to getting what he wants. But this time, Will might just have bitten off more than he can chew.

Genre: Fantasy / Vampires
Publisher: Choc Lit

Review:
I like vampire books and I am just starting to get more into romance reads and so this appealed to me (also I saw it on my mum’s blog and asked her to get it for me!). I found this book really good. I liked Ellie because she was a strong character and not easily lead. The setting was good and the storyline was interesting. I’d recommend it and I’m looking forward to the next in the series.

Click to buy the book.

Revenge is Sweet by Berni Stevens
#Immortals of London book 2

The Blurb:
Hell hath no fury like a vampire seeking revenge …

Life hasn’t been exactly normal for Ellie since she became a vampire. Although joining the legion of the undead was always going to take some getting used to, even if you are the partner of Will Austen, the Elder of London.

But when Daniel, a fifteen-year-old fledgling vampire, unexpectedly turns up at Ellie’s and Will’s Highgate home, things start getting very strange – and more than a little scary.

Events take a devastating turn as a mystery troublemaker leaves behind a trail of carnage – and it soon becomes clear they will stop at nothing to get the Elder’s attention, even if it involves hurting the person he cherishes the most …

But when it comes to Ellie, Will Austen is the wrong vampire to mess with.

Genre: Fantasy / Vampires
Publisher: Choc Lit

Review:
I really enjoyed the second in this series. The characters and their relationships continued to develop well. There were new characters too, who added to the creative ways death was introduced. I especially liked the unexpected ending. I’d love this series to be made into a film!

Click to buy the book.

About the author:

Berni Stevens lives in a 400-year-old cottage with her husband, black cat, four goldfish who think they’re piranha, and occasionally her son when he comes back for some TLC. She trained in graphic design, and has worked as a book cover designer for over twenty years.

Her love of paranormal fiction began at school when she first read Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and she’s been a fan of the fanged ever since. She is on the committee and the book panel of The Dracula Society – a literary society for fans of gothic literature and film.

Dance Until Dawn, a paranormal romance, was Berni’s UK debut with Choc Lit, published 7th April 2014. Revenge is Sweet, the sequel, was published in eBook format on 12th July 2016. Now the third novel in the trilogy is well under way, with a story that centres on a lovelorn werewolf!

Berni has several short stories published in various anthologies; romantic, gothic and sometimes just plain fantasy!

Find Berni Stevens on Twitter and Facebook.

Thank you for your great reviews Amelia x

Reviews are added to Amazon UK and Goodreads.

Review of Lucy Diamond’s On a Beautiful Day

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On a Beautiful Day by Lucy Diamond

The Blurb

It’s a beautiful day in Manchester and four friends are meeting for a birthday lunch. But then they witness a shocking accident just metres away which acts as a catalyst for each of them.

For Laura, it’s a wake-up call to heed the ticking of her biological clock. Sensible Jo finds herself throwing caution to the wind in a new relationship. Eve, who has been trying to ignore the worrying lump in her breast, feels helpless and out of control. And happy-go-lucky India is drawn to one of the victims of the accident, causing long-buried secrets to rise to the surface.

This is a novel about the startling and unexpected turns life can take. It’s about luck – good and bad – and about finding bravery and resilience when your world is in turmoil. Above all, it’s about friendship, togetherness and hope.

Genre: Women’s Fiction.
Publisher: Macmillan (11 Jan. 2018)

My review:

I always enjoy Lucy Diamond’s books. I love her down to earth characters and relatable storylines. I liked the relationships between the group of friends in this book and finding out about each of their individual stories. I tend to listen to books on my kindle while driving but found this one slightly harder to keep track of due to the number of characters. Once I got straight who was who, I was urging them each to find their happy ending and, as ever with a Lucy Diamond book, finished the book with a contented smile.

Click to buy the book.

About the author:

 

Born in Nottingham, Lucy Diamond has lived in Leeds, London, Oxford and Brighton, but now lives in beautiful Bath. She is married with three children.

Find Lucy Diamond on Twitter and Facebook.

My reviews are added to Amazon UK and Goodreads x

The Purrfect Pet Sitter coming soon!

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If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you will have found it hard to miss the exciting news that my new book, The Purrfect Pet Sitter, published by Ruby Fiction, is now available for pre-order and is due for release on 24th April. You can find it on all ebook retailers. And if you don’t have a Kindle or e-reader, you don’t have to miss out. Simply, download the free Kindle app on to your phone or tablet and order via Amazon!

With the pre-order underway, I have been focusing on promotion. This weekend was spent finishing off my book trailer. This one is extra special as my dog Hubble has a starring role. See if you can spot him (or the back of him!).

I have also created some cards to give out at events which is purrfect timing. Along with fellow Chindi Authors, I will be at the UK Southern Book Show, at the Worthing Pavilion, on 4th March, 9-6pm. It is a new event and should be a real celebration of UK authors. If you are in the area, come along and say hello. It will make a great day out for book lovers of all ages.

Finally, for now – obviously promotion is an ongoing thing – I have been contacting local newspapers. The Purrfect Pet Sitter is set largely in and around Littlehampton, encompassing Arundel, Houghton Forest and parts of Rustington. So if you live in the local area, you are sure to recognise some of the places mentioned.

In other news, I recently celebrated being with my hubby for 27 years. The time has flown by, and despite the curve balls that have come our way (it’s been 27 years after all) we still love each other oooodles! Here’s a couple of photographs from back in the 90s, and a more recent one taken in France when I was researching The Purrfect Pet Sitter.

My Reading – Size Doesn’t Matter (even a short review will do):

The Yorkshire Pudding Club by Milly Johnson: I always enjoy Milly Johnson’s books and this story of three friends and their journey to motherhood did not disappoint. It was touching, witty and laugh out loud funny at times, but also had me crying on more than one occasion. The characters were likeable and I was willing each of them to find their happy ending. A great read.

Step Away From the Sofa by Ellie Kennedy: This is a great little book packed with advice about how to live life to the full by experiencing the world around you. With suggestions that are accessible to most, in one form or another (should you be brave enough to take them on), Ellie Kennedy encourages her readers not to waste a moment. The range of fun activities suggested, will have you wondering why sitting on the sofa in a TV coma ever seemed appealing. With so many diverse suggestions to occupy yourself, some of which are free and all of which have elements of fun, physical activity, social interaction and a sense of achievement, there really is something for everyone. Add to that it is a joy to read as the author’s love for life and the world around her shines through. Also, now I’ve read this, I have realised I was one of the five strangers this author suggests you chat to a day, back when I sat next to her in a café in 2015. We have shared many lovely chats since!

 Have a happy book week 2018 everyone!