Nicki's book blog

Proof Positive- Lucy V Hay book- Y.A. 5* Lizzie discovers she is pregnant after one fumbled event. How on earth could this happen to her when she is so young? Should she keep it? Abort it? “It” she then realises could be a baby. Not exactly what she wanted when she is about to start university. I don’t normally do books about either teenagers or babies so why did this one get me when it was so far outside of my comfort zone? I won it (thank you!) and the quality of writing is exceptional. Maybe it is one of those stories that you think “there by the grace of whatever you believe in”. You are drawn in from the start- and if I was, based on the above, then I imagine others will be too. I won’t say too much more about the story line as it took me by surprise- other than to say nicely done- very nicely done. Lizzie is a strong character and although inexperienced at life, knows she has her family behind her (5 sisters, a decisive , supportive- sometimes t

Dirty Secrets- Janice Frost- A man is found with a bullet through his head by his wife who has been away looking after her daughter and family. Suicide? She is adamant that it isn’t. The victim was in business with a partner whom he regularly argued with, apparently in a good/’business way so no motive there. When the partners family domestic help also is killed there is more than a tentative link. What is behind the business and families and why all the secrets? DI Jim Neal and DC Ava Merry have a plot with more threads than a little to deal with. Is Hector dealing drugs? Is Ruth’s boyfriend back involved in drugs and if so why?   Neal’s past catches up with him in the form of his sons mother. Will there be a reconciliation? This is one of those reads that you feel comfortable with from the start. Characters that you take to easily and a plot to keep you drawn into the pages. Subplots to keep the action moving and backgrounds to make the characters r

Getting over Gary- Jessica Redland  5** Elise and Gary are childhood sweethearts and have been married since they were 17. Elise would love a family and is thinking that the time is almost right. Gary however has his own ideas and a secret that Elise could never have imagined. I’m not normally in to romance but as with “Searching for Steven” this has so much more. A woman with determination that isn’t going to let a downturn spoil her outlook on life. I took to Elise very quickly and felt for her predicament. It is sometimes easier to roll over and let life put you down rather than get up, smell the coffee and go get what you deserve. I love Jessica’s style of writing. It has that certain something that makes you want to keep turning whilst giving you a relaxing read and the occasional smile. For anyone who has or is facing difficulties in life . Reading this may give you a strength you never knew you had and that little thing called hope. A truly captivating, hig

Murder of a Lover- Faith Martin-Crime. Ex Di Hillary Greene now works for CRT(Crime review team. The cold case unit by another name. The body of a student was found ten years ago, stabbed with a pair of dressmaking scissors and the perpetrator was never apprehended. Hillary has a second to none success rate- or at least did have when she had her official badge. Now as a civilian she has to reply on the forensics done at the time but can try and open new leads. She still has her admirer who is now becoming more of a stalker. Will a pseudo romance put him off? I love Hillary. She comes across as a likeable person whilst at the same time taking no nonsense from those around her- either villains or work colleagues. A girl who calls a spade a shovel. These are always wonderful easy reads that you can curl up with and enjoy the ride without anything too gory along the way. An excellent plot, an interesting sub story and a highly enjoyable read. - For more revie

How Far We Fall- Jane Shemilt- Psychological Beth is in love with Albie. Albie is a researcher working on a virus to try and eliminate a type of fatal  childhood brainstem tumour. He is hoping that his work with his boss Ted will lead to a contract with a pharmaceutical company and a cure, as well as financial security for him and Beth. What he doesn’t know is that years ago Beth had an affair with Ted and has learnt not to believe anything he says and not to trust him as he lets people down at the last minute. When you start reading a book, whatever the subject matter, you get a feeling of the writer, their use of words and a little of how the book will proceed. This one stunned me from the start. There is writing, good quality writing and then that other level , where occasionally you have to re-read the odd sentence as the depth conveys so much more than the individual words. Jane is a wordsmith of the highest order. You can understand what she means and the pic

  Their Last words- Steve Parker A body is found with a word inscribed on it. What has happened to the victim is rather gruesome to say the least. When a very similar one appears a few days later DSI Ray Patterson and his team have their work cut out. Ray is a detective superintendent and has been fast tracked as he has the right markers- a good education, money and connections. What he lacks is experience and although he picks things up incredibly quickly he needs his team to back him up, especially DS Dave Jordan who also has his own methods. Steve draws the reader in from the start on this one and gives the main players characters which you take to easily. I love a book where there is a little more than the main plot and more to the characters than just the story, a little background to keep them “real” as it were. An unusual sub plot, a clever story line and a very engaging read. For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.u

Cover reveal************* Snowflake- Heidy Goody and Iain Grant- out 20th July ********** A 5* read "Lori Belkin has been dumped. By her parents. They moved out while she was away on holiday, and now, at the tender age of twenty-five, she’s been cruelly forced to stand on her own two feet. While she’s getting to grips with basic adulting, Lori magically  brings to life the super-sexy man she created from celebrity photos as a teenager. Lori learns very quickly that having your ideal man is not as satisfying as it ought to be and that being an adult is far harder than it looks. Snowflake is a story about prehistoric pets, delinquent donkeys and becoming the person you want to be,  not  the person everyone else expects you to be"

The Flowerpot Witch- Wendy Steele- Contemporary Women's Fiction When I first read the blurb for this book I thought it would be another light-hearted chick-lit type read. Not at all- the author describes it as "witch lit". This is so very much more (that’s not to put any other books in that category down- far from it). From the beginning the descriptions and feelings put into this are wonderful and evoke your own emotions and maybe even memories perhaps. It starts with the background as to why Lizzie is where she is. She lives with her daughter Rowan and has been left an inheritance but finds herself rather moping around rather than enjoying it as she soon realises that she should- and also help others in the process. I loved the addition of the animals in Lizzie's life- just as you imagine- or maybe even have. A read with excellent descriptions and a different premise as Lizzie is by her own admittance a witch (of t