-
Her Daughter’s Lies (Bailey Family #3)
Book Tour
Author: Mikayla Davids
Publisher: Indie
Date Published: August 27, 2024I was so glad to see Mikayla Davids come out with another book in The Bailey Family series, because I was sad when the first two books ended. I want to send another shout-out to Love Books Tours for introducing me to this new-to-me author last year!
This fast-paced book continues the saga of the Bailey family and the secrets they keep for a double surprise birthday celebration at their chalet in the mountains. Although this is book 3 in the series, the author revisits enough of the story that you can read it as a standalone. However, this book seemed more like a cozy mystery, while still having all the suspense, twists, and reveals as much as the first two books. I was happy to see some loose ends tied up, and I wouldn’t be mad if there was a fourth book in the works!
Thanks to Love Books Tour and the author for an advance reader’s copy.Blogs Featured
-
The House on Devil’s Lane
Book Tour
Author: S. L. Ireland
Publisher: Red Fern Press
Date Published: September 24, 2024Kat Riley has a horrible home life. So when the taxi driver who drove her to the hospital while she was in labor asks her to move in with him, she barely hesitates before accepting. She doesn’t love him, but maybe she could grow to, and he’s good to baby Matthew.
But when they arrive at 11 Derville Lane, Kat is horrified by the condition of the house. It’s filthy and needs a lot of renovation. But the worst part is the creepy stuff that starts to happen. Kat makes the mistake of chronicling her sunroom renovation on social media, with glimpses of baby Matthew in the background. Trollers are quick to reveal the unsavory history of the house, and Kat is on a quest to get to the bottom of why they call her road Devil’s Lane.
This was an interesting read and I was very happy with the direction it took. It combined elements of a good ghost story with gaslighting, legend, and secrets.
Thanks to Love Books Tours for an advance reader’s copy. -
No One Will Know
Author: Rose Carlyle
Publisher: William Morrow
Date Published: October 1, 2024I thought I knew where this book was going but it turns out…I did not!
Poor Eve is left grieving and pregnant, and I I felt her pain. Then someone makes her an offer that is too good to be true…and you know what they say….
Eve has a choice…take the Hygate’s offer and give her baby a life she could not…or reject the offer and struggle with childcare and a job. But once she’s ferried by private boat to a remote island with no means of escape, she realizes there is a lot more to this job offer. Why is there so much secrecy? Why does she have to stay hidden? Why can’t she turn the lights on, or visit the Hygates at their house?
I love a locked room mystery and the intricate plot of No One Will Know kept me on tenterhooks!
Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for an advance reader’s copy! -
The Childminder
BOOKS ON TOUR
Author: Hayley Smith
Publisher: Bookouture
Date Published: September 18, 2024A school has set up a unique solution to the lack of quality and affordable daycare: a Childcare Circle consisting of parents rotating days of the week to mind their own and four other children. Because there have been some new additions to the group, and as a little reward and motivational activity, the group has decided to go together with their kids, on a weekend away.
The vacation house is kept as a surprise until the last minute and when the group arrives…it’s definitely not what they expected. But they have plenty of food and games, and decide to make the best of the beautiful location. But there is a lingering question – who sent the letters and text accusing each of them of having a secret? And should they really be trusting each other to watch their children?
The characters each had their own personality, secrets, and motivations and this is a book you will be totally absorbed in, racing to the final twist!
Thanks to NetGalley and to Bookouture for taking me along on Books on Tour.
Author Bio
Hayley Smith is married with three children and lives in a north Derbyshire village. She has worked as a graphic designer, youth worker and musician, and has been involved for many years in organising music festivals and gigs. She studied English Language and Creative Writing with the Open University and is an avid reader of psychological fiction. Having a penchant for all things alternative, she often dips into the counter-culture scene for writing inspiration, producing quirky rough-edged characters and dark, unpredictable twists, turns and moral dilemmas.
Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Hayley Smith here: https://www.bookouture.com/subscribe/hayley-smith/
Buy Link:
Amazon: https://geni.us/B0D8JJWW44social
You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you’ll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo
See more reviews from these great bloggers:
-
I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me
Author: Jamison Shea
Publisher: Square Fish
Date Published: August 27, 2024There will be blood.
Well, I dipped my toe into dark fantasy and it didn’t kill me, lol! Was I thirst-trapped by the cover? I’m not gonna lie – it is truly mesmerizing. But beyond that, Jamison Shea understands the beauty of words and the power they have to transport us. They were able to describe the setting so well, that even people like me who understand very little French, and ballet even less, can viscerally feel every pirouette, arabesque, plié, and jete. We can feel the calloused heels, the broken toenails, and the aching in the calves.
Shea also expands on what it is to be “other” – a brown-skinned girl in a sea of pale, blonde, privilege. Where for her, perfection is not enough. They also take us down the road of greed, longing, jealousy, and sacrifice. There is mythology, allusions to the River Styx, to blood sacrifice, and to dark rituals.
Despite the heavy topics, this book flowed effortlessly and beautifully. However, please do note the TWs. If you like books like Black Swan, Ballerinas (Kapelke-Dale), or books by Carlos Castaneda, you will enjoy this.
Huge thanks to Bookish First where I won a paperback version, and to the publisher. -
Don’t Tell a Soul
Author: Jessica Huntley
Publisher: Inkubator Books
Date Published: August 4, 2024This book has it all:
• Twists
• Twins
• Basements (2)
• Cats (there have to be cats)
• Bad parents
• Shady landladies
• Creepy houses
• Twists – did I mention it has twists?
Have I piqued your interest yet? These are all the ingredients needed for a twisty thriller about a teenager who leaves her abusive home to start over in a new town. She is lucky enough to find a job and housing due to the kindness of strangers, but at what price? Just when you think she’s going to be okay…dun dun dun…stuff happens….
I am so glad I got to read this advanced reader’s copy from Booksprouts and Inkubator Books! -
The Fiance
Author: Rona Halsall
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Date Published: August 2, 2024Holy flip-flop! Even though Anna was seeking revenge for the murder by surgical error of her husband Ollie, she was betrayed by her emotions. Her plan to get Theo, his surgeon, to fall in love with her, is turned on its head when she starts to fall in love with him!
Complicating matters are Theo’s two entitled, spoiled, grown children, who disapprove of anyone their father dates. Could they be behind the escalating threats to Anna’s safety? Or is it someone else?
“Revenge is a dish best served cold, or maybe never served at all?” Though you might be tempted to criticize Anna for her Project Theo, in the end you’ll be cheering her on.
Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advance reading copy and another excellent read from Rona Halsall! -
The Perfect Place
Book Tour
Author: Amanda Cassidy
Publisher: Canelo Crime
Date Published: August 1, 2024Elle has found her “perfect place”. At least it will be once the renovations have taken place. Elle is a social media influencer, with a flagging audience, and if she can complete this renovation of a crumbling chateau in the south of France using sponsor gifts, she is sure her loyal followers will rally around her. Especially when she tops it off by filming her wedding to the handsome Will.
What I loved:
1. The gothic feel of the old chateau.
2. The owner lurking about, hiding a secret of his own.
3. A social media follower, sending mysterious messages hinting at Elle’s past
4. Elle’s manager Sue, whose intentions are questionable.
Elle makes some poor decisions along the way, and is taking a big risk buying a house that won’t truly be hers until the owner dies. But her risks aren’t nearly as big as the ones her husband is taking. And neither of them knows what the other is doing.
Read along and ask yourself: would you make the same decisions?
Thanks to Love Books Tours and the author for an advance reader’s copy.
-
Twelve Secrets
Author: Robert Gold
Publisher: Bookouture
Date Published: August 2, 2024Book Description
I should hate you. I should want you dead for what you did to my sweet, blue-eyed boy. But you’re the only person who can give me the answers I need. What really happened the night you killed him?
It’s twenty years since my teenage brother was murdered and my mother took her own life with a broken heart. I buried myself in writing to numb the pain, but when the police knock at my door and tell me my brother’s killer has just been found murdered, my heart stops dead: the killer had letters from my mother written just days before she died.
My mother believed someone else was there that night. As the police search my home, my head races with a million questions. Did my mother really kill herself, or did someone get to her before she could find out the truth?
Under the guise of writing an article, I press old friends and neighbours for answers. But why do they dodge my questions? What are they so afraid of? Is there anybody in this small town I can trust?
I pore over my mother’s letters late into the night until I discover a family secret that turns my blood to ice. Everything I thought I knew about the night my brother was murdered is a lie.
As I get closer to the truth, another body drops. Someone in this close-knit town will stop at nothing to keep their secrets. Can I find them before another innocent life is taken?
A twisty, pulse-racing new crime thriller that will keep you turning pages late into the night. Perfect for fans of Lisa Regan, Robert Dugoni and Kendra Elliot.My Thoughts
Ben is an investigative journalist faced with his toughest story yet. Why were his brother and his brother’s friend killed by two young girls their own age? Were they targeted? Was his mom’s suicide related or was it murder? And who has committed the most recent murder, one that he knows must be connected to the death of his brother?
This is a drama that plays out over several points of view. And each character has secrets that overlap with each other.. I thought this was going the way of folie à deux but that was not really the focus at all. This was my first book by Robert Gold and I enjoyed it enough that I will read the other two books on the series!
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for taking me along on this blog tour!
About The Author
Robert Gold is the Sunday Times bestselling author of the Ben Harper series, which includes Twelve Secrets, a Richard and Judy Book Club pick, Eleven Liars and Ten Seconds. Originally from Harrogate in North Yorkshire, Robert Gold began his career as an intern at the American broadcaster CNN, based in Washington DC. He returned to Yorkshire to work for the retailer ASDA, becoming the chain’s nationwide book buyer. He now works in sales for a UK publishing company. Robert now lives in Putney and his new hometown served as the inspiration for the fictional town of Haddley in his thrillers.
-
The Stepdaughter’s Lie
Author: Teri Terry
Publisher: Bookouture
Date Published: July 29, 2024BOOK BLURB
My life should be perfect. But my stepdaughter wants to destroy it all…
Standing in my bathroom, the luxurious marble tiles cool under my feet, I stare at the test in my trembling hand. The second line is unmistakable: I’m pregnant.
This is all my husband Theo and I have ever wanted, but I didn’t think it was possible. I should be excited, but all I can think about is telling my stepdaughter.
Because Ellie’s always hated me, ever since she realised it was no longer just her and Theo. Now she’s seventeen, beautiful and smart – smart enough to see through me. And if Ellie decided to uncover my secrets, it wouldn’t be just my marriage at stake… it would be my life.
But I’ve been so careful burying my past. There’s no way she could learn the truth. I know stress isn’t good for the baby, so I force myself to relax.
Until one day I find a packet of tablets tucked inside Ellie’s bag. My head spins – she’s made it clear she wants me gone but I never imagined she would try to harm my baby. I know I can’t tell Theo. She would only deny it to her beloved daddy, fluttering her lashes like she always does.
My beautiful home has become a prison, my husband feels like a stranger. But all I know is that this precious life inside me is more than I deserve – and there’s nothing I won’t do to protect it…
An absolutely gripping and page-turning psychological thriller that will keep you reading late into the night! Perfect for fans of Daniel Hurst, Shari Lapena and T.M. Logan.MY THOUGHTS
Rowan faces a dilemma when she finds out she’s pregnant. She already has a contentious relationship with her stepdaughter, but now Ellie has even more reason to hate her. Because Ellie knows more than Rowan thinks. And Theo, her husband is no help, because he’s never home, and when he is, Ellie is in his ear about how crazy her stepmom is. And who do you think he believes? Hormonal, sleep-deprived Rowan, or Ellie, the daughter he dotes on since her mother disappeared?
Added into the mix is the overarching technology – a house that can track your every move, lock or unlock doors through facial recognition, find your phone, or control the music. Sounds a little too realistic not to be scary, right?
I went back and forth between liking Rowan and feeling like she was manipulative which I believe was the author’s intent! Ellie was a typical teenager and I loved her sense of humor even when she was misguided. This was a great thriller about blended families, reinvention, and the ways that technology can be used for evil ends.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Books on Tour for an advance reader’s copy.
Author Bio
Teri Terry is an award-winning, internationally bestselling author of thrillers for young adults and adults. She has lived in France, Canada, Australia and England at more addresses than she can count, acquiring four degrees, a selection of passports and an unforgettable name along the way. Before writing full time, Teri has been a scientist, a lawyer, an optometrist, and worked in schools, libraries and for a charity. She now calls a village in Buckinghamshire home, where she lives with her husband and Scooby, a very cute and naughty cockapoo.
https://www.facebook.com/TeriTerryAuthor/
https://www.instagram.com/teriterrywrites/
https://twitter.com/TeriTerryWrites/
Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Teri Terry here: https://bookouture.com/subscribe/Teri-Terry
Buy Link:
Amazon: https://geni.us/B0D5YK4DC6social
You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you’ll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo
Book Cravings 