The Summer Of Serendipity by Ali McNamara - Review and Giveaway.

I am delighted to help kick off the blog tour for Ali McNamara's latest novel, The Summer Of Serendipity. I also have a copy of the book to giveaway to one lucky reader. Just enter via pinned post on Bleach House Library facebook page. Open INT and closes on Monday, 31st July. Good Luck! Serendipity Parker is a property hunter, who matches her clients with their dream homes. Travelling with her assistant, Kiki, the trip to Ireland proves more problematic that they anticipated. Although they have found the perfect property, in the small village of Ballykiltara, there is more to the house than meets the eye. Local folklore, century-old legends and a protective community all throw a spanner in the works. Serendipity and Kiki get to know the locals a little better and begin to see the magic in the small, touristy village.

 It's that time of the year: Summer is well and truly here and our reading tastes alter accordingly. The need for something light, fun and easy-going is what summer is all about. While we may not all have a holiday booked, or a sunlounger to rest on, the pace certainly eases over the summer months and sometimes all you want is a charming book that does not require too much concentration. This may just be what you are looking for. This is female fiction with a rom-com feel. Serendipity (or Ren, as she is known) is a businesswoman first and foremost and is used to getting what she wants. Her trip to Ireland sees a shift in her mentality, as she begins to see that a house is not just about the location or its prospective buyer. Kiki is a great character, with her tendency to mix-up well-known sayings resulting in some great comedic moments. Along with the hotel staff (especially Finn and Donal) there is a great selection of personalities and they blend well together.

This is a light-hearted read, with some nice nods to Irish History and Archaeology, and gives a glimpse into village life and the craic that can be had. It is not all woolly sheep and Guinness souvenirs; it is the people; the views and the historic atmosphere. There may be lots of cliché in the novel, but the banter makes up for it. A lovely, warm and sweet read.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ali McNamara attributes her over-active and very vivid imagination to one thing – being an only child. Time spent dreaming up adventures when she was young has left her with a head bursting with stories waiting to be told.

When stories she wrote for fun on Ronan Keating’s website became so popular they were sold as a fundraising project for his cancer awareness charity, Ali realised that not only was writing something she enjoyed doing, but something others enjoyed reading too.

www.alimcnamara.co.uk | @AliMcNamara

The Summer Of Serendipity is published by Sphere and is available in PB and ebook format.

Blog Tour - Burned and Broken by Mark Hardie

THE BLURB

The charred body of an enigmatic policeman – currently the subject of an internal investigation – is found in the burnt-out shell of his car on the Southend sea front.

Meanwhile, a vulnerable young woman, fresh out of the care system, is trying to discover the truth behind the sudden death of her best friend.

As DS Frank Pearson and DC Catherine Russell from the Essex Police Major Investigation Team are brought in to solve the mystery of their colleague's death, dark, dangerous secrets begin to surface. Can they solve both cases, before it's too late?


Mark Hardie's stylish and gripping debut introduces a brilliant new detective duo to the world of crime fiction, weaving together two suspenseful stories that end in a breath-taking finale.

'An accomplished debut' The Sunday Times

MY REVIEW

A new police procedural series is always exciting. The reader gets to know the characters from the get-go and follow them on their journey through the world of murder, investigation and discovery. Their individual personalities come alive and the reader can form a bond, book by book.  This is the first in the DS Pearson and DC Russell series, from Mark Hardie, and the protagonists are based in Essex. Investigating the murder of a fellow police officer, who was the victim of an arson attack, it leads them to question their colleagues private life and his work ethic.  Alongside this narrative is the troubled teen, Donna, who is mourning the death of her friend, Alicia. Both girls were just out of the care system and had bonded through their difficult experiences. She does not believe her death was an accident and is searching for answers.  

The novel is broken up in to past and present, with alternating voices. Some of the time frames are blended into the one chapter, which demands a little more concentration than an average crime thriller. The story moves at a steady pace and there are nuggets of personal information relating to the characters dotted throughout. DS Pearson comes to life fairly quickly, with DC Russell taking a bit longer. Their partnership is in the early development stage and the chemistry is a work in progress. The pathology scenes are immaculate and are eerily compelling.  Donna and her side-kick, Malcolm, are two teens that you would recognise from any small town or big city. Both are victims of circumstance and unsure of their futures.

Pearson and Russell are a new duo on the crime fiction scene, and I look forward to seeing their personalities and partnership develop over the series. This would make a fantastic TV drama, with the Essex Police Major Investigation Team becoming a weekly favourite. Let the casting begin...

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mark Hardie was born in 1960 in Bow, East London. He began writing full time after completely losing his eyesight in 2002. He has completed a creative writing course and an advanced creative writing course at the Open University, both with distinction.

Mark lives with his wife Debbie in Southend-on-Sea.

Burned and Broken is published by Sphere and is available in ebook format, with PB release on 4th May 2017. You can order your copy via amazon link below:

"The First Phone Call From Heaven" by Mitch Albom

When I read the first page of this book, I actually had to stop and take deep breaths.   It was memorizing.   A woman just misses getting to her phone before the answering machine clicks in... 

Too Late.

"Ach, this thing," she mumbled.  She heard the machine click on her kitchen counter as it played her outgoing message.

"Hi, it's Tess.  Leave your name and your number.  I'll get back to you as soon as I can, thanks."

A small beep sounded.  Tess heard static.  And then.

"It's Mom... I need to tell you something."

Tess stopped breathing.  The receiver fell from her fingers.

Her mother died four years ago.

Now, that is  what I call a first page.  I was hooked.  This is Mitch Albom's sixth book, including Tuesdays with Morrie and The Five People You Meet in Heaven.  I had high expectations, based on these previous works but the opening lines were promising.

Coldwater, Lake Michigan is a sleepy town, close to the Canadian border, and like many rural communities, is struggling in these difficult times.  Shops have closed down, unemployment is heavy and the morale is at an all-time low.  Things take a dramatic turn when many of the residents of Coldwater start receiving phone calls from their loved ones who have passed away.  The calls are intimate, heart wrenching and full of spiritual hope.  The town is bustling again as people travel far and wide in the hope of contacting their own lost ones.  Business is booming again and the churches are packed to the rafters.   One man who has mixed feelings about these calls, and their effects, is Sully Harding.  Having lost his wife in a tragic accident, he already carries the weight of the world on his shoulders.  His disbelief in these phone calls from heaven causes friction from some of the locals, especially his own young son.  He is determined to find out, once and for all, if there is a direct line, from the supposed next world, to the one he is living in...

Mitch Albom has a way with words.  Simple, yet unique.  His gentle approach, to a delicate subject, is what makes this novel a success.  The urge to overplay narrative could have been a temptation to a less experienced writer, but as a former journalist, screen writer and playwright, this author seemed to know when to reel it in.  The characters are wonderfully individual, each with their own story to tell. 

Grief can be difficult to address is fiction and often the atmosphere can be oppressive.  Not so with this novel.  It has a nice and steady pace, with the story twisting from Tess and other phone call recipients, to Sully, journalist Amy, Ministers, Priest and local council officials.  While there are many characters dotted through the story, the reader is not confused as they are all interlinked in one way or another.  Another feat that only a good writer can achieve.

There was just a little bit too much predictability for my liking, though.  Sully was the typical widower.  Damaged but distressed, drinking heavily but still a dependable father, dishevelled yet attractive.   I'm not sure, considering what had happened to himself and his wife (no spoilers), he would have been as reliable an employee, son or father that he seems to be in this novel.  Similarly, TV reporter, Amy, is saccharine sweet and comes across as an unlikely character.  That said,  the narrative is clever, the whole idea of a direct link with the deceased being something that enters many minds, and the magical writing of Albom makes it seem less fantasy and more of a tale of inspiration. A clever book, short in length but strong on ideas...

The First Phone Call from Heaven is published by Sphere and is available in paperback and ebook format

   

'I Let You Go' by Clare Mackintosh

I received a review copy of this title from Netgalley.com.

How would you ever forgive yourself, if you thought you responsible for the death of a five year old boy?   Would you seek some sort of penance? Would you confront the truth? Would you run and hide, afraid to face reality?  Jenna chooses the latter option.  

Jacob was just crossing the road, on his way home from school, when he was hit by a car.  A collision that left no chance of life, the driver reversed back down the street and was never seen or heard from again.  Jacob's mother watched all this in horror as she cradled her dead boy in her arms.  She believes that she is to blame, as she let go of his hand as they crossed the familiar road.  

Jenna has fled to Wales, leaving no trace.  She hides out in a tiny run-down cottage and deals with her demons in solitude.  The locals are intrigued but she can't let them get too close.  She keeps up her guard.  Finding an abandoned puppy at the roadside, changes things.  She relaxes a bit and begins to feel again.  One tiny misjudgment brings trouble to her door, though, and she realises the past has caught up with her...

Meanwhile, back in Bristol, a young trainee detective and her supervising DI, are still trying to find out what happened on the day of the hit-and-run.  DI Ray Stevens is a career police officer with family problems.  Kate has the eagerness of youth on her side, and together they refuse to give up on the boy. 

This is a psychological thriller of two stories.  The inner turmoil of Jenna and how she got to be hiding away in Wales, afraid of her own shadow, alongside the day to day investigative work of the police officers trying to get justice for a young boy.  The chapters are alternating and the character development is pitched perfectly.  Ray is a genuinely good guy, just wanting to do his best by everyone, making mistakes on the way.  Jenna is a broken woman, devastated by Jacob's death but knowing by coming forward, she could make things worse.

This debut novel is superb.  The author has worked in the police force and her knowledge adds authenticity to the story.  The writing is perfect for the genre and while the first few chapters seem ti be bringing you into another average crime thriller, the twist that materialises, soon after, takes the book to another level.  I stayed up til 2am to finish this, furiously flicking through the pages to get to the end.  I hope there are more DI Stevens books in the making and Clare Mackintosh doesn't keep us waiting too long for book 2! 

Ideal for fans of SJ Watson and Elizabeth Haynes.

Highly Recommended...

I Let You Go is published by Little Brown Books UK and is available in paperback and ebook format 

"The Disappearance of Emily Marr" by Louise Candish

Thanks to Lisa from Lisareadsbooks.blogpot.ie for this proof copy *****

I had heard good things about this book and was looking forward to getting a hand on a pre-release copy so I could review it. I started after midnight and would have read straight through if it wasn't for the fact I had 

 to mind 5 kids the next day.  However, the next day, the sun shone and plonked myself in my outdoor office ( my sun lounger ) and got stuck in.

This book should come with a health warning : You may not eat/drink/sleep for many hours!! I even got takeaway for dinner as I couldn't bear to put it down for more than a few minutes at a time...

Running from a broken relationship and low on cash, Tabby finds herself in a little village off the Coast of France. While wandering the streets wondering where she can sleep, she overhears an English woman repeating her access code to her apartment.  As the woman appears to be heading off somewhere with a large bag, Tabby seizes the opportunity and lets herself in. 

Meanwhile, the book splits into two stories, Tabby's and the apartment owner's, Emmie.

The two women become unexpected flatmates and unlikely friends.  Emmie obviously has a story to tell but   it is only through snooping and surfing the internet that Tabby can try to discover what is making her so reclusive and withdrawn.

The girl's stories are set in both France and England and while there are some similarities in their lives, the reader starts to wonder if it's a good thing that they met at all?

This is a wonderfully warm novel with a nice easy pace and enough bite to make you want to keep reading. The character of Emily Marr is well described and you genuinely feel like you may know her and why she chooses to disappear.  The descriptions of her life before the disappearance are well thought out and give her some depth which I think is needed for the main storyline.

The character, Nina, is hateful. Angry, bitter and hell bent on revenge she doesn't care who she mows down on the way.  Her anger hops off the pages and becomes quite understandable as the story unfolds.

This is a great Summer read, full of surprises, wonderful writing and would be ideal for bookclub discussions. It also has Reading Group Questions at the end which is a nice bonus. The only fault I would have is the lack of description of the French island.  I would have liked to get a bit more of the sense of the place, the smells, the sounds and the atmosphere. Other than that ,a lovely novel and perfect for holidays!

The Disappearance of Emily Marr was released by Sphere Books on 1 Aug 2013

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Disappearance-Emily-Marr-Louise-Candlish/dp/075154356X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376247307&sr=8-1&keywords=the+disappearance+of+emily+marr