Tag: ARC

Dragonfly Girl – Marti Leimbach

~ Eden Haslam ~ 1 Comment

In this spellbinding thriller and YA debut from bestselling author Marti Leimbach, Kira Adams has discovered a cure for death—and it may just cost her life.

Things aren’t going well for Kira. At home, she cares for her mother and fends off debt collectors. At school, she’s awkward and shy. Plus, she may flunk out if she doesn’t stop obsessing about science, her passion and the one thing she’s good at . . . very good at.

When she wins a prestigious science contest she draws the attention of the celebrated professor Dr. Gregory Munn (as well as his handsome assistant), leading to a part-time job in a top-secret laboratory.

The job is mostly cleaning floors and equipment, but one night, while running her own experiment, she revives a lab rat that has died in her care.

One minute it is dead, the next it is not.

Suddenly she’s the remarkable wunderkind, the girl who can bring back the dead. Everything is going her way. But it turns out that science can be a dangerous business, and Kira is swept up into a world of international rivalry with dark forces that threaten her life.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Review: I really loved this book. So much happens but it doesn’t feel rushed, instead each of the three sections are well-considered and allow for the introduction of a range of locations and characters. Whilst some may find the three sections of the book too disconnected, I felt that they allowed the plot to move forward in a way that makes this story feel very unique.

Continue reading “Dragonfly Girl – Marti Leimbach” →

Little Bones – N.V. Peacock

~ Eden Haslam ~ Leave a comment

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Synopsis: Cherrie, daughter of notorious serial killer Mr Bones, is a mother and has moved on with her life, leaving the name Leigh-Ann Hendy far in the past. That is until a podcast reveals her true identity, suggesting she has something to do with recent disappearances of young boys. One of which is her own son Robin.

As Cherrie’s past catches up with her, she desperately tries to find her son whilst facing judgement and disapproval from those she loves. The only question is, is she the victim in this story or not?

Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this gripping, addictive thriller. Yes, some of the characters were quite unlikable but I felt that it added to the story. A protagonist that you can fully support and root for is boring as no one is perfect. Considering the pressure that Cherrie is under, it is no surprise that she acts irrationally and loses her temper.

Continue reading “Little Bones – N.V. Peacock” →

The Word Trove – Elias Vorphal

~ Eden Haslam ~ Leave a comment

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Synopsis: This book follows the story of a word that has lost its meaning after being spoken by a human. As goes on its journey, the word meets other words who teach it about stories and language.

Review: I cannot put into words how much I adored this book. I only wished I had the same incredible grasp on language that the author has! The Word Trove is so magical and yet so hard to explain. There is a reason that the book blurb is so concise. I know the premise sounds weird, but the uniqueness of this book is what makes it truly special.

I loved the meta element of this story – a book filled with words, telling a story about a word, and giving the message about the importance of words and how words are wasted by the humans that speak them. It sounds confusing, but this whimsical story is so smart in what it does.

Continue reading “The Word Trove – Elias Vorphal” →

The Island – C.L. Taylor

~ Eden Haslam ~ Leave a comment

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Synopsis: Whilst on a group holiday with their parents to Thailand, six teenagers – Jessie, Danny, Honor, Milo, Meg, and Jeffers – get stranded on an island after their guide has a stroke and dies. Over the next 6 days tensions rise as the phobias of each of the characters come true and the group turns on each other to try and figure out what is going on and who is to blame.

Review: This story helped remind me why I enjoy YA books so much. It was easy to read, fast-paced and completely gripping – I read the entire thing in one sitting because I was so desperate to see what was going to happen.

Continue reading “The Island – C.L. Taylor” →

Silver Linings – Jess Impiazzi

~ Eden Haslam ~ Leave a comment

Jess’s acting dreams were derailed as a teenager when her mum became blind and Jess stepped in as her primary carer leaving her education behind. Silver Linings follows the actress, model and reality TV star on a journey of self-discovery, harsh lessons and heart-break since childhood. From supporting her alcoholic father to losing her baby nephew, betrayal by her ex-husband, and her own mental health issues. Silver Linings is an inspiring, authentic, powerful, raw book about following your dreams, smashing down challenges, and celebrating kindness.

Review: First of all, I should probably say that I have never read a memoir before, and I had no idea who Jess Impiazzi was. For these reasons, I was somewhat dubious about reading this book as I was unsure whether it would be my style. However, I had no reason to be concerned. I found my lack of knowledge about who Jess was as a celebrity beneficial as it meant I had no preconceptions about what she was like which enabled me to fully embrace the brave, strong woman that is presented in this book. And getting to read her memoir was so interesting as it offered an ‘unfiltered’ glimpse into her life.

Continue reading “Silver Linings – Jess Impiazzi” →

Flight Path – E.J. Pepper

~ Eden Haslam ~ Leave a comment

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Synopsis: Miles and Sophie’s married life gets turned upside down we he is accused of sexually assaulting a pupil at the school where he has been a teacher for many years. Faced with uncertainty, Miles and Sophie must leave their home on the school grounds, and with it, the comfortable life that they have grown accustomed to.

The allegation Miles faces begins to take its toll on his marriage as Sophie starts to question whether he is capable of such actions. As Miles’ trial gets closer, the suspicion surrounding his innocent grows and Sophie has to ask herself whether he is the person that she thought he was.

Review: It is rare that I get so hooked in to reading a novel with such subtlety. However, it is the nuance with which Pepper details the effects of Miles’ sexual assault allegation that is one of the things that makes this story so compelling. The subject matter is handled with great sensitivity, resulting in a story that feels highly realistic.

Continue reading “Flight Path – E.J. Pepper” →

The Stairwell – Dean Bryant

~ Eden Haslam ~ 1 Comment

Frightful visions. An unknown manipulator. A force from beyond reason.

Brandon Chapman arrives home to a horrific scene. His wife, Stephanie, is exhibiting behaviour that he can only describe as that of someone possessed – yet he doesn’t even believe in the supernatural. He soon realises that it was nothing other than a frightful, haunting vision.

After discovering a dark secret about Stephanie, Brandon meets a strange figure with knowledge about his own life that no one could possibly know. As his visions become more frequent and terrifying, he begins to question his sanity.

Brandon must either side with this figure or his wife before his daughter comes to harm.

Alice Hamilton, a shy and quiet university student, meets handsome Niel Curtis whilst on a night out with friends. They very quickly fall for one another, but their happiness is short-lived when Niel ends up in a coma after a traffic accident.

Alice fears he may never wake up again and, unaware of the consequences, strikes a deal with a strange voice. When Niel awakes, his behaviour changes drastically, and Alice – like Brandon – becomes subject to nightmarish, violent visions.

Are Brandon and Alice caught in a never-ending nightmare?

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Review: This book is so fantastically creepy. It manages to be disturbing and uncomfortable and yet so difficult to put down. I raced through it determined to delve deeper into the unsettling world that Bryant has created. I will admit I don’t read too many horror stories but the mix of manipulation, paranoia and the paranormal within this book felt exciting and unique.

Continue reading “The Stairwell – Dean Bryant” →

The Book Club – C.J. Cooper

~ Eden Haslam ~ Leave a comment

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Synopsis: Lucy moves to an idyllic village in the Cotswolds to escape a failed affair with her boss back in London. She’s hoping to leave her old life behind her and start anew somewhere peaceful, far away from prying eyes. And then her new neighbour Alice moves in. Lucy decides straight away that there is something wrong with Alice, that this woman cannot be trusted. But, when a book club is suggested, all Lucy can do is sit and watch as her friends are manipulated and secrets are exposed. It turns out that things in the village are not as quiet as they seem.

This story alternates between the perspectives of Lucy, Alice, and the other members of the book club – Rebecca, Maggie, and Tom. Using flashbacks, it follows the game of cat-and-mouse between Lucy and Alice, culminating in a show-down as Alice attempts to get her perfectly planned revenge.

Review: This book perfectly captures the uneasy, shivers-up-your-spine, constantly-looking-over-your-shoulder feeling of having your every move watched. It even managed to put me on edge when I know I have no creepy neighbour watching me so have nothing to fear! Alice is the perfect antagonist, so cold and calculating that throughout the book you are poised, waiting for her to finally reveal her true nature, and praying that the characters will realise the type of person she really is before it is too late.

Continue reading “The Book Club – C.J. Cooper” →