Category Archives: Book Reviews

BLOG TOUR – Odin’s Betrayal by Donovan Cook.

Today is my stop on the blog tour for Odin’s Betrayal by Donovan Cook.

Here’s the blurb.

Two kingdoms destined for war, one boy caught in the eye of the storm…

Francia AD853

After a failed Viking raid on the Frankish coast over 20-years-ago, Jarl Sven the Boar is forced to leave his only son, Torkel, as a hostage and warned never to raid Francia again or his son will die.

In Hügelburg, a small town in East Francia, Torkel and his 9-year-old son Charles are ambushed at home.

Before dying, Torkel thrusts a package into young Charles’s hands and tells him to flee Francia for Denmark in search of his grandfather Sven the Boar’s protection.

But the man Charles eventually finds is not who he expects, and Charles must put his fate in the hands of a man betrayed by Odin.

Together they must uncover the significance of the package and why the Kings of Francia want Charles dead.

Review

I’ve heard good things about Donovan Cook so I was very eager to jump on this series from the start.

As soon as the first page hits the scene is set, a failed Viking raid.. a young boy taken as hostage to ensure the Vikings behave.

Many years pass and Torkel is now a man with his own child, Charles. He’s still young and hasn’t yet learned how harsh life can be so when his farther is murdered he holds himself to blame… little does he know there’s a lot more history behind this murder and there’s people out there who have yet to rear their ugly heads.

Charles, under his fathers dying request flees in search of his Grandfather. Along the way he makes friends with a slave who aids his escape. There’s a nice bond growing between the two.

We soon meet Sven the Boar..but times have been hard.. he’s not the man he was. Interestingly as the story flows we learn more about his downfall.. and it all stems from the loss of Torkel all those years ago.

The pace of the story flows well and there’s a lot of action as we see Sven warm to Charles and we see the Boar return..and with good reason.. there’s things even Sven didn’t see all those years ago.. hidden secrets.. hidden betrayal. At times you wonder can anyone actually be trusted… those twists are just immense!

Plot wise I can’t fault this, hooked in from the first page. Perfect pace and a great mix of plot versus character development. Sometimes I find not enough time is given to mix the development just right so it doesn’t feel forced but now I know why I’ve been hearing good things about Donovan Cook. It felt like a tapestry, expertly woven.

For fans of historic fiction you’ll love this, action packed with perfect mix of development to suit any type of reader.

Resounding 5*

To find out more head to Amazon or Goodreads.

My thanks go to @rararesources for having me on the tour, as well as the author and publisher for supplying an ARC to aid my review. As usual though… I’ve bought the book too. It’s too good not too!

Why not follow the tour?

Author Bio –

Donovan Cook is the author of the well-received Ormstunga Saga series which combines fast-paced narrative with meticulously researched history of the Viking world, and is inspired by his interest in Norse Mythology.  He lives in Lancashire and his first title in a new series for Boldwood will be published in Spring 2023.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DonovanCookAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DonovanCook20

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/donovan-cook

BLOG TOUR Of Darkness and Fire (Darkness and Fire Series Book 1) by Amber Palmer.

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I’m thrilled to share my review today Of Darkness and Fire. This is the first book in a trilogy by Amber Palmer!

Here’s the blurb

Of Darkness and Fire #1

Publication Date: February 28th, 2022

Genre: Fantasy/ Romantic Fantasy

Over 100 years ago, Aethion was thrown in the middle of what would forever be known as The Great War. Kingdoms were torn apart, countless innocent lives lost because of the greed and lust for power of one man – Lachlan Roarke. His band of misfits called themselves The Horde. Which was fitting, seeing as they tended to overrun and eradicate everything in their path.

He’s the reason I lost my mother. The reason I can’t sleep at night without constant nightmares plaguing my mind. Every time I close my eyes, all I can see is her. Everything I am today is because of her and the night I was forced to stand by and watch as she was murdered.

Now, as the time draws near when I must fulfill my destiny as queen of Helia, we find ourselves on the brink of war once again. The Horde is back, although with someone unknown at their helm as leader.

The time for revenge is now, and I know it’ll be the sweetest thing I’ve ever tasted. It’s my duty to save my kingdom. Not only do I owe it to my people, whom I love and swore to protect, but also to make good on the promise I made myself the night I saw the light fade from my mother’s eyes.

I will destroy all those who seek to destroy me. I only hope it won’t be the last thing I do.

Author Note: This book contains explicit content and darker elements, including mature language, violence, and sexual content. It is not not intended for anyone under 18 years of age.

Review

As soon as I read the synopsis I was intrigued by the author note..I love a bit of fantasy but this would be my first journey into romantic fantasy. Romance just isnt my thing but with that synopsis I just had to give it a go.. and I’m so glad I did.

Something I really enjoyed was the writing style.. it’s emotive. For me with fantasy it’s about setting that scene.. getting the pace just right.. I need to be able to really immerse myself in the authors world and the fast placed plot added to strong emotional scenes really helped me settle into the story.

One of the topics covered that I really liked exploring was the idea of mates, as in there is only one person out there truly for you, it’s not like you can’t care about anyone else but when you find that one.. the power it can produce..

The explicit content within the tale actually helps you understand the characters.. at times powerless to their own actions.. isnt that effect lust/love has on us?

Plot wise the flow was fast but written well and I loved how each character developed. It was almost effortless to read..to find characters you liked, flaws you hated.. traits that made you angry..again it’s all about the emotion..the connection formed with the reader.

The twists and turns really helped give this tale a kick..you can feel the build up coming.. the energy is palpable.

I’m very glad to know there’s the series continues. It’s a great start and I’m looing forward to seeing the character development moving forward. Everything is there is to hook me in so will I be reading more? Definitely.

Overall a lot of promise which I’m looking forward to seeing develop further.

4/5 Stars

To fund out more head to Amazon or Goodreads.

My thanks go to the author and RRBookTours for having me on the tour and for providing an ARC for review. As usual if you follow my blog you’ll know by know.. I’ve bought a copy too.. No free rides at David’s Book Blurg 😊

Interested?

Excerpt

You won’t make it. You’re going to be too late.

The voices in my head continued to torment and taunt me as I raced through the gilded halls of the palace. My home. I slipped around the corner of a corridor, chancing a glance briefly at the sentries standing guard by an archway. They reached out for me, tried to stop me, but their shouts fell on deaf ears; I didn’t have time to stop and explain. I was racing against an invisible clock, counting down the seconds until my life was altered—changed so irrevocably, I didn’t know how I would move on.

Their footsteps echoed off of the stone walls behind me. My heart was racing, aching as I pushed myself further, harder than I ever had before. Decades of training should have prepared me for this type of situation, but I was royally fucked. No amount of killing or training could prepare me for this. The cost of my failure would be far too great if I didn’t make it in time. Dark corridors seemed to stretch on indefinitely, drifting into a never-ending time loop.

The screams of my people rang off the palace walls. Pure, unbridled chaos from the world outside these walls continued to reign around me. Helia was under attack. There wasn’t a damn thing I could do to stop it from happening. They were here, The Horde, and they delighted in the torturing of my people. I was a simple fool to believe we could’ve stopped this from happening. My heart seemed to fracture. One particular scream sounded out above the rest into the chilly night air, the only one that mattered in this moment.

No. No. No.

My head was pounding, aching as my magic coiled underneath the surface of my skin. It begged to be set free, physically hurting me to keep it restrained. But I required every single last drop to do what I needed to do.

The door to the throne room came into view as I rounded the last corner, the golden archway contorting into tight vines above the entry. I kicked open the doors, my breathing erratic as I took in the scene in front of me. My mother was lying in the middle of the room. Her body was broken and battered, but her face remained masked in steely defiance. She was beautiful, even as she laid before me. A masked assailant was the only force holding her body up, one hand solidly gripping her hair. My eyes frantically searched my mother’s, instantly realizing my worst fears were coming to fruition. She had accepted her fate. I was too late. She lifted her neck, meeting my gaze, and I nearly gasped. Her eyes were blazing, two beacons calling to me on the darkest of nights. They held within them a promise Fato guide and haunt me until the end of my days.

“I love you, sweet girl. Never stop fighting,” she whispered to me, right as a blade plunged into her chest and pierced her heart.

About the Author

Amber Palmer is an American fantasy romance author. She was born in Arizona, but raised in Texas. She is the proud parent of three (evil) cats and one puppy dog, and when she isn’t nose deep in a spicy fantasy novel, she’s listening to her bookish Spotify playlists and making notes for her next project! A passionate advocate for mental health, Amber features characters processing various traumas in her work. She is an unapologetic lover of anything spicy, while also making time to game with her husband.

Amber Palmer | Facebook | TikTok | Instagram | Etsy

Book Tour Organized By:

R&R Book Tours

BLOG TOUR – A Magical Moonglow Sleepover by Jocelyn Porter

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Today is my turn on the blog tour for A Magical Moonglow Sleepover by Jocelyn Porter

Here’s the blurb

On the night of the sleepover, Marigold Moonglow revealed a secret that changed Katherine’s life completely. When Katherine found herself flying on a dragon with Charlie Broccoli, she considered that to be the least of her problems. Her friends had turned against her and Katherine was desperate to prove them wrong. “I’m still the same person you’ve always known,” she said. But was she? Only time would tell. . .

Review

I’ve had a little help with reviewing this one from my 8 year old Georgia!

Katherine and her friends decide to have a little sleepover. The excitement is there from the off but even more so for Katherine. Her friends might not believe her but she has a fairy godmother called Marigold!

She’s so excited as Marigold has made a promise to visit during the sleepover!!

True to her word Marigold arrives and the girls are transported on a journey to an enchanted carnival.. oh the sights they see.. no one would believe!

When one of the friends disappears she has to team up to search high and low.. the issue is the boy she teams up with isn’t someone she likes so can she set aside her dislike to find her friend?

Georgia really enjoyed the illustrations and the characters. It made her imagine her own adventure with her friends and it was lovely to see the spark in her imagination ignited.

For me I really enjoyed reading it with her, easy flowing and perfectly aimed made this a fun read. I loved that it showed a child dealing with emotions as sometimes Georgia struggles to feel normal at times but Katherine shows emotions are ok.

We used this book for our weekly reading taking it in turns to read to each other and it made for a wonderful relaxing night-time daddy-daughter time.

Georgia is a big fan of FullMedia Ltd and the books they publish and this is another great addition.. now she’s a fan of Jocelyn Porter too 😊

You’ve earned a 5/5 stars!

I would like to thank Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting us to take part in this tour along with the publisher and author.. a pleasure to read.

To find out more head to FullMeida Ltd or Goodreads!

Author Bio –

Jocelyn’s writing career began when she was asked to write a story for a preschool magazine. That story was the first of many. Jocelyn became the writer/editor of several preschool magazines and continued in that role for 15 years. Writing one new story every month, plus rhymes and activities was a tough gig, but very exhilarating. Time is the big difference between writing for a magazine and writing a book. You see your work on the supermarket shelves within a few weeks of completion. A book takes longer – a lot longer. Jocelyn has to be patient now – not something she’s good at. Before becoming a writer, Jocelyn worked in higher education as International Students Officer. It was a rewarding and interesting job even though she was on call 24/7. Jocelyn also trained as a counsellor and volunteered at drop-in centres. She never knew who would arrive for counselling and had to be prepared for anything. This work gave her insight into some of the darker corners of life. Motor sport was one of Jocelyn’s early loves, she had the spine-tingling thrill of taking part in a 24-hour national rally as navigator – those were the days when rallies were held on public roads! Jocelyn worked as an au pair in Paris in her teens. Having visited the city on a school trip, she fell in love with it, and always wanted to return. Jocelyn’s first book published by Full Media is The King Who Didn’t Like Snow, illustrated by Michael S Kane. Finn and Fred’s Arctic Adventure is her second book under Full Media and is illustrated by Leo Brown.

Social Media Links – https://www.facebook.com/jmpbooks

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BLOG TOUR – Storm of War by Peter Gibbons

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Today is release day for Storm of War by Peter Gibbons, book 2 in The Saxon Warrior Series.

I’m very lucky to be kicking off the blog tour today to celebrate the release!

Here’s the blurb!

The fight for a torn Kingdom rests in the hands of a few brave men…

990AD.

King Aethelred II, who men will one day call The Unready, rules over a land divided by the shadowy spin of his mother Queen Ælfthryth and the sprawling power of the Church.

The Viking Warlord, Olaf Tryggvason smelling the Kingdoms weakness brings the vicious Jomsvikings to the Saxon coastline ravenous for war and plunder.

Together Lord Byrthnoth, Ealdorman of the East Saxons and Beornoth his Saxon Thegn lead a force of oath sworn Viking killers, every bit as brutal and war-skilled as the Norse invaders to protect the Kingdom against enemies both from within, and from the cruel seas. They are pushed to the very limits of their bravery and endurance in a desperate fight for the very existence of the Saxon Kingdom.

In a riveting story of trachery, betrayal, vengeance and war, can Beornoth defeat his enemies and protect the Kingdom from destruction?

Review.

I’m fairly new to the authors work but after reading Warrior and Protector last year I was eagerly awaiting this release and god damn it packs a punch!

King Aethelred is weak, and the Vikings know it. The King’s mother and the bishops have too much say in his rule and even some thought loyal are of Viking blood and wish to see the return to Norse rule.

Lord Byrthnoth and Thegn Beornoth stand in their way! Pillars of Saxon might!

Ah I loved the whole ensemble of characters, but these two just outshine even the brightest star. Byrthnoth is a good and fair lord, strong and wise and leads his men from the front.. he’s not afraid of battle and when the King doesn’t seem to want to stand in the way of the Viking invasion he’s not going to stand by and watch.. he’s a man of action..but his temperament means he’s wise and weighs up his options.. unlike Beornoth.. Beornoth has suffered pain like no one should.. his children murdered by Vikings and his wife left to die, only to survive a broken woman.. He’s fuelled by anger and that anger sees him get into some sticky situations but it’s also what the Saxons need.

The Vikings are brutal.. they have no honour and leave a trail of destruction.. the sight would turn anyone stomach. Beornoth use’s that anger and brings vengeance upon his enemies.

The main issue is the battle is on many fronts, how do they see off this threat with so little men at their disposal?

Without a shadow of doubt this book is one of the best I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading, the plot, character development, the detail setting the scene … wow. I almost felt I was aboard the Viking ship as Beornoth puts a risky plan into action!

Usually when I read a book one aspect stands out as the thing I loved the most.. not this time..everything is just woven perfectly together, you get depth and raw guttural anger and bloodshed.. there’s real hurt and some of the most brutal scenes I’ve read.. every slice jumping from the page.

In one word to sum up – Mesmerising!

5/5 Stars

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon.

My thanks go to @rararesources for having me on the tour, as well as the author and publisher for supplying an ARC to aid my review. As usual though… I’m buying the book too 🙂

Why not follow the tour?

Author Bio –

Peter Gibbons is a financial advisor and author of the highly acclaimed Viking Blood and Blade trilogy. He comes to Boldwood with his new Saxon Warrior series, set around the 900 AD Viking invasion during the reign of King Athelred the Unready. The first title of the new series, Warrior and Protector, will be published in October 2022. He originates from Liverpool and now lives with his family in County Kildare.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: Peter Gibbons Author – Home | Facebook

Twitter: Peter Gibbons Author (@AuthorGibbons) / Twitter

Instagram: Peter Gibbons Author (@petermgibbons) • Instagram photos and videos

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/PeterGibbonsNews

Bookbub profile: Peter Gibbons Books – BookBub

Colony One: A Space Colonization Adventure (The Elderon Chronicles Book 1) by Tarah Benner – REVIEW

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Today I’m reviewing Colony One: A Space Colonization Adventure (The Elderon Chronicles Book 1) by Tarah Benner.

I picked this one up for free on Amazon.. sucked in by one of the daily deal emails I receive. At least I can’t get in trouble from spending too much money on books this month eh? Ha

Here’s the blurb

Colony One is prepared for anything — except the saboteur who’s already on board.
For Jonah Wyatt, the Space Force is his last shot at a military career. After years leading an elite task force, he was discharged from the army and stuck working one menial job after another. Now this disgraced combat specialist is headed to space. He’s tasked with training his own unit aboard Elderon: colony one.
Nobody bothered to tell him it would be a squad of white-hat hackers and intel eggheads who are definitely not Space Force material. One recruit is Maggie Barnes — an undercover reporter who was brought on board as a member of the press corps. Her job is to create fluffy corporate propaganda that paints the colony as a futuristic utopia, but Maggie can’t follow the rules once she gets wind of a story.
When Maggie gets a tip from an unknown source, she realizes Elderon is not at all what it seems. As she gets closer to unraveling the conspiracy, Sergeant Wyatt begins to suspect that there’s a spy on board. The saboteur has been with them all along, and he’s been building an army of his own.

Review

So Colony One follows two main characters, Jonah and Maggie.

Jonah is ex-military, he’s clearly got baggage from his time serving and is definitely not happy with his life at the moment so when offered the chance to join Space Force he jumps at it.. what’s he got to loose.

We also meet Maggie, a reporter who is slowly being side-lined by artificial intelligence.. no one needs real reporters or news any longer.. the only thing they want is trash.,, but Maggie is the real deal.. she’s worth more than this so when she is offered the chance to join an expedition to Elderon, a space colony it doesn’t take long for her to decide.

While on Elderon Maggie can’t but help let her reporter instincts kick in. Something isnt right.. there’s a lot of military personnel…Space Force…. why.. where’s the danger?

Soon she has her way in.. a fake identity.. Maggie ends up under the command of Jonah and tensions grow between them in more way than one… but who is helping her.. it’s not exactly easy to get the documentation in place that they have.. what’s their motivation?

While in training things heat up and I really loved how the author showed each recruits development.. or lack of ha. As time passes and it’s clear the recruits aren’t cut out for this we we learn of a new device that may lead to recruits learning the skills needed faster.. but is it too good to be true.. it’s kind of a freaky piece of technology…abruptly we are forced to forget about this bit of kit as a cyberattack hits.. the bots that people depend on have turned on humans.. but it is an isolated incident and how did the hackers get into such sophisticated systems.. something isnt right here.. but what.

What I enjoyed about the book was the nice mixture of plot and character development. I’ve seen some negative reviews simply because this book doesn’t have an ending.. it’s book 1 in a series and I’ll forgive some as the book as been out since 2018 but to me the book set things up perfectly for a series..that cliff hanger ended was the perfect setup and hooked me.. I’ve already bought the next book in the series to see what happens next.

The pace and development of the plot was good and there’s a clear direction but I would have just loved to have seen a few more scenes between Maggie and Jonah to really build on their development. Saying that I think the author did a great job of the inner monologue.. to help you understand where the characters were at emotionally and knowing there’s more for me to read leaves me in little doubt I’ll see the development I love between characters.

Flow wise this book was super-fast and fun, the style of writing makes it very easy to follow, mix in an intriguing plot and for me it’s a strong 4 star book.

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon!

Legionary: The Emperor’s Shield by Gordon Doherty – REVIEW

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Today is release day for Legionary: The Emperor’s Shield, Book 9 in the Legionary by the awesome Gordon Doherty.

I’m very lucky to have received an ARC to allow me to help celebrate the release but rest assured my bank balance was still hit today with a charge… too right I had the book pre-ordered!!

The release of this instalment is even more important to me than you can imagine. After losing my dad last year I jumped at the chance to donate to charity and have my dads name added to the book, immortalised forever.

Here’s the blurb

Easier to split the sky, than part a soldier from his blade.

386 AD. The Eastern Roman Empire faces a trident of threats. The Gothic truce grows unstable. The standoff with Persia escalates. And the ambitions of the usurper on the Western throne grow dangerously unchecked.

Pavo, a broken veteran of the legions, cares for none of these things. His life is one of pastoral seclusion on his Thracian farm. A life of love, of peace. His wife and young son are his world. Still, every so often, things seen and done in his old life haunt him, like a cold and unwelcome breeze. But that is all they are, echoes of the past…

…until the past rises, like a shade, to rip his world and the Roman Empire apart.

Review

Oh Pavo, it feels like an eternity since we’ve seen you. After Pavo’s last adventure I had worried it was the last we would see of him.. that last battle left him with some serious wounds that mean he’s fought his last… or maybe not?

The Empire is on the brink of war again… the Goths have amassed and the Emperor want’s Pavo’s help.. he was instrumental in the last war with the Goths so hiss knowledge is invaluable.

The issue is he’s a shell of the man he was, weak and unable to help out on his farm for more than an hour or two..

But there’s one man who can help him, Frugilo! This is the first time we’ve met the man but instantly you are alert.. this man holds his cards tight to his chest but he knows what he’s doing and he’s a shining star of this instalment. He manages to give back to Pavo a little of what he thought lost… when you learn the truth about the man.. it’s an battle to control your emotions.

This was probably the most interesting part detail wise for me, Frugilo teaching Pavo to be the man he was again. I really enjoyed the use of a porpax shield to enable Pavo to fight once again for the Empire.. for his family!

Pavo races to the Emperors side and soon notices things aren’t right..there’s a dark force out there.. who wants only to see war… but why?

The issue with the Goths isnt the only trouble..a usurper wishes to see chaos so he may rule the Empire himself.

In these uncertain times the Emperor enlists Pavo to join his small band of elite protectors, he is to be a shield!

I’m never one for spoilers but things move quickly, there’s deception, tension and you really don’t know what will happen next. I’d say the last 30% of the book I demolished in the early hours while the family were fast asleep.. it’s not often I can really say that a book made it impossible for me to put down but The Emperor’s Shield did just that.

It was great to see Pavo back, and it was even sweeter when his old comrades show up including Sura..I love their relationship.. Sura still needs his old friend one last time as he tries to settle into the role previously held by Pavo’s.. big shoes to fill! Pavo need’s these men too.. needs to remember who he was.. what he is still capable of.

The twists in this book really make it special.. I thought I had things worked out.. but no…and it was really lovely to be reminded of those we’ve lost along the way, each have left their mark on Pavo.

A resounding 5 star without a shadow of a doubt.. we may only be in February but I can confidently say I’ve found my book of 2023!

What Doherty managed to do is keep the series fresh and give depth, more life to the characters.. he’s really found the balance between detail and plot to make the book come alive.

I hate to say it.. but I don’t think you’ll find any better storyteller out there! If you disagree, then unfortunately I’m sorry to say you are wrong! Ha

Final thought… this isnt the end.. there’s more to come..I don’t know when or what will happen but I’ll be there ready to immerse myself in Pavo’s next tale..his last journey? Time will tell. Regardless.. Pavo will live with me forever!

My thanks go to the author for allowing me the pleasure of an advance copy of the book.. I’m a lucky boy I know!

Grab a copy today.

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon!

Killer Casting by Simon Maltman – REVIEW

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Today I’m reviewing Killer Casting by Simon Maltman.

I stumbled upon Simon on Instagram actually and like I always say, there’s so much choice out there it’s hard to think of which book to read next so why did I pick Simon you may ask…

If you follow my blog you’ll know that my reviews are actually the books I’m buying with my hard earned money and when I noticed Simon post about a reviewer wanting to be paid to review his work I thought I’d balance that out and show him what a good reviewer is ha. No hate on anyone I just love my own style of support.. it’s not a cheap hobby but it’s mine ha

Here’s the blurb

‘A Docu-drama about a murder. And the killer’s in the cast.’

Jessica, an up-and-coming young director is helming her first full documentary.

It focuses on the story of a young girl, murdered fifteen years before in New York.

The girl’s father was convicted and has been in prison ever since.

But he’s innocent.

Joe killed her.

Joe’s killed a lot of people.

When Joe sees the call for amateur actors to join the cast, he has an idea.

Joe gets lots of ideas. That’s how he’s survived this long.

But this time, has he gone too far?

Review

Jessica has the chance of a lifetime.. she’s directing a documentary around the murder of a young girl.. the father convicted for her murder. Little does she or the small crew know he’s innocent and they are about to come face to face with the real killer.

Joe.. ah Joe..he’s a killer who is slowly escalating.. he used to be able to control the urge but now the thrill wears off too fast and the need to kill comes more and more quickly..

Luckily for Joe his fix comes in the form of auditioning for a role in Jessica’s documentary.. the very murder he actually committed.. to Joe there can be nothing sweeter! Especially when he’s able to come face to face with the man he put in jail.

Joe continues to kill throughout but balancing all these versions of himself slowly starts to take it’s toll..and Jessica can sense something is off.. but she has no real idea what..

That is until everything unravels..If you think I’m going to spoil the ending think again ha. Let’s just say the suspense and the twists had me hooked, I loved the characters, even Joe.

Plot wise I loved it, Riveting! The pace quickly builds, short sharp chapters and those last few are dynamite. Joe thought this would be a fun idea.. how wrong he was.. but he’s got away with everything until now.. so can he find a way out of this one too?

For my first foray into the authors work I was really pleased to say the least, pace is spot on, chapter length perfect. Joe’s development is absolutely on point.. after all this is his tale, you even feel his thrill during the kills.. his excitement.. Jessica too steals the show as her development copies Joe’s as you learn more about them both, their lives, feelings, everything you need to make that person feel real.

Well worth grabbing a copy if you enjoy the genre! Very much enjoyed this one, easy flowing and engaging 5/5 stars!

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon.

BLOG TOUR – King of Kings by MJ Porter

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Today is my stop on the blog tour for King of Kings by MJ Porter!

Here’s the blurb

In the battle for power, there can be only one ruler.

AD925

Athelstan is the king of the English, uniting the petty kingdoms of Wessex, Mercia, the Danish-held Five Boroughs and York following the sudden death of his father, King Edward.

His vision is to unite the realms of the Scots and the Welsh in a peace accord that will protect their borders from the marauding threat of the Norse Vikings.

Whilst seemingly craving peace and demanding loyalty with an imperium over every kingdom, Athelstan could dream of a much bigger prize.

But danger and betrayal surround his best intentions, namely from his overlooked stepbrother, Edwin, who conspires and vies for what he deems is his rightful place as England’s king.

As ever, powerful men who wish to rule do not wish to be ruled, and Constantin of the Scots, Owain of Strathclyde, and Ealdred of Bamburgh plot their revenge against the upstart English king, using any means necessary.

An epic story of kingsmanship that will set in motion the pivotal, bloody Battle of Brunanburh where allies have to be chosen wisely…

Review

King of Kings revolves around the Battle of Brunanburh and the events that lead to this epic battle.

Athelstan is King of the English but not everyone is happy with the uniting of the kingdoms.

The King of the English has designs to grow his kingdom but mostly he’s looking to the future, in the short term he knows peace is the only solution but if we know anything about Kings and Queens of the past is that it’s a treacherous position to hold, not only do you have threats from outside of your kingdom but you have to watch your back too.. family doesn’t mean what it should to some.. and families can be quite complicated at times.

MJ Porter wonderfully weaves the tale with changing perspectives, exploring the motivations and inner thoughts of some of the most powerful and influential people at the time. I found this amazing to read, I know we may not really know someone’s thoughts but the changing perspective really gave life and depth to each of the characters. I particularly loved that I felt the author managed to put some of their own writing style into the tale, little moments when you can tell they had fun writing the scene.. don’t get me wrong.. textbooks are brilliant for facts but sometimes you need a little something extra to bring events and characters to life and a tale such as this gives you that.. it makes me want to learn more and in particularly keen to learn more about the Welsh Kings. I can’t say I now much about the period but King of Kings gives me exactly what I need, historical fiction that excites.. sparks the desire to learn more.

The book has a large ensemble of characters, and the story covers a wide period, so I’d definitely say give yourself the time to really immerse yourself in the book. The short chapters certainly helped me to retain the information and ensured the flow of the tale went well. It’s a pretty perfect book to get lost in for a few hours.

Overall a really enjoyable read, I particularly liked exploring the different characters and their motivations, each wanting to ensure their safety but at the same time ready to attack if the time is right. It’s all about the build up baby..you are just wanting to see who will step over the line first!

4/5 Stars

My thanks go to @rararesources for having me on the tour, as well as the author and publisher for supplying an ARC to aid my review. As usual though… I’m buying the book too

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon.

Why not follow the tour?

Author Bio –

MJ Porter is the author of many historical novels set predominantly in Seventh to Eleventh-Century England, and in Viking Age Denmark. They were raised in the shadow of a building that they believed housed the bones of long-dead Kings of Mercia – so their writing destiny was set. The first novel in their new Anglo-Saxon series for Boldwood Son of Mercia was published in February 2022.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MJPorterauthor/

Twitter https://twitter.com/coloursofunison

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/m_j_porter/

Newsletter Sign Up: https://www.mjporterauthor.com/

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mj-porter

BLOG TOUR – The Flight by Heather J. Fitt

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Today is my turn on the blog tour for The Flight by Heather J. Fitt!

Here’s the blurb

A young mother is trapped with a killer thirty thousand feet up, in this gripping mid-air murder mystery by the author of Open Your Eyes.

On a plane to Barbados, nurse Melissa sits with her young son, Theo. On the same flight, up in first class, are a bride- and groom-to-be, heading for their tropical wedding destination, accompanied by family and friends.

When two members of the wedding party die in mysterious circumstances, it becomes clear that a killer is on board. Trapped in the cabin thousands of feet above the Atlantic, tensions mount as accusations fly—and when little Theo seems to vanish into thin air, this bizarre flight becomes even more turbulent . . .

Will Melissa be able to use her medical knowledge to find her son and bring a cold-blooded killer to justice before it’s too late?

Review

Melissa and her young son Theo have planned a little getaway. You see things haven’t been going well for Melissa she’s a single mother who is trying to relax a little after getting out of a toxic relationship.

Having a little one in tow Melissa is aware the flight might not be an easy ride but little does she know how crazy things will end up.

Once aboard there’s a plea from the cabin crew, a passenger needs assistance. Melissa with her training offers up her help but there’s little she can do. The woman has died!

Going back to her son Melissa tries to put events out of her mind but it’s not going to be easy.. another lady suddenly dies. This time something is off…and by taking a closer look at the first deceased it quickly confirms they aren’t just deceased .. they are both victims!

Now there’s a few twists and turns, misdirection to throw you off the scent of the killer but it has to be one of the wedding party yes? But why, where’s the motive?

When the truth is unveiled the pieces fit together but are we sure that’s the end of it??

I very much enjoyed the plot of The Flight but what I found really good was the depth given to the characters as we learnt more about them personally and their motivations. The author really managed to make you feel for Melissa who constantly feels judged by others as a singe parent and we even see some of the comments and looks she receives as she tries to look after her young son alone.

Going back to the plot I thought It was well planned out and flowed well and I really liked how each chapter was brought to us from a different perspective, it honestly kept you guessing as each time you thought you knew who could be the killer the next chapter sort of blew that theory away with their own thoughts and emotions. Those last few twists were real corkers!

Overall a cracking story, top notch character development with an engaging plot.

4/5 stars

To find out more head to Goodread or Amazon.

My thanks go to Heather J. Fitt for having me on the tour and for the ARC to allow me to have my review prepared. I’ve got myself a kindle copy too. No free rides with David’s Book Blurg ha ha

Why not follow the tour?

Author Bio

Heather J. Fitt

Heather was born in Scotland and after moving around Europe with her parents and sister, settled in Hampshire where she met her husband, Stuart.

After leaving the rat-race in 2018, Heather re-trained as an editor and proof-reader and entered the world of publishing. These days she works as a part-time freelancer and a part-time Commissioning Advisor for Bloodhound.

Heather was inspired to start writing her novel by the authors who have become her closest friends. Now the ideas are flowing she has plans to write several more over the coming years.

When she isn’t reading, Heather enjoys spending her time watching sport – especially her beloved rugby – and exploring the British countryside with Stuart.

Heather’s debut novel was published by Bloodhound in Summer 2021.

For regular bookish updates, you can follow Heather on Twitter: @HeatherJFitt

BLOG TOUR – Blood on the Tyne: Red Snow

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Today we kick off the blog tour for Blood on the Tyne: Red Snow (book 3 in the Rosie Robson series) by Colin Garrow

Here’s the blurb.

A dead body. A hoard of forged banknotes. A gangster out for blood.

Newcastle, December 1955. Returning home after a weekend away, singer and amateur sleuth Rosie Robson discovers a man lying on a baggage trolley with his throat cut. After the police get involved, an attack on Rosie and her boss prompts Inspector Vic Walton to find a safe house for the pair. But the bad guys seem to be one step ahead of them and Rosie is forced to track down a possible witness to the murder in a bid to learn the truth. Can the canny crooner solve the mystery before a Newcastle gang boss catches up with her?

Set on Tyneside, Blood on the Tyne: Red Snow is book #3 in the Rosie Robson Murder Mysteries series.

Review

Rosie and her friend return to Newcastle after a weekend away only to discover a body in a baggage trolley. Inspector Vic Walton is soon on the case. The victim had their throat cut..

There’s not a lot of evidence but with Rosie’s help Vic soon has a suspect.. the issue is someone is following Rosie.. and she’s doesn’t know why.

The case heats up as Rosie is followed, accosted and attacked… Rosie seeks shelter among friends only to drag those very individuals into the danger and even a safe house isn’t safe..

How do these people keep finding Roaie? And why do they want her? She doesn’t know anything… or does she?

I’ll admit I haven’t yet read the other books in the series so was worried I may not understand some of the context but I need not have worried. There’s clearly a backstory to some of the characters but the author nicely gives you titbits of information allowing you to understand their motivations and the events that previously played out.

There’s some really good twists to the tale.. I love and hate to say this but I demolished this in 1 day.. it was just an exciting read from the 1^st page to last.

As a proud northerner myself I really loved the descriptions of my local area and the detail added, it easily allowed me to envisage Rosie’s journey in my mind and that added an extra dimension to the tale!

Blood on the Tyne: Red Snow ticked all of the boxes for me, there’s mystery, suspense, blood and twists to name but a few prime pieces I look for.. but the main thing I loved about the book was the character depth, their induvial personas and traits, each were fun to read and I felt myself reading each character myself in a different voice, they became real.

Very interesting plot with superb writing. I’ve read a couple of the authors other works and I love his writing style.. maybe it’s a northern thing ha ha.

If you asked me why I haven’t read the previous books in the series I’ll be perfectly honest.. there’s too much choice out there and sometimes you don’t know stories exist.. now I do I’ll be making up for lost time.

An effortlessly riveting and engaging 5* read!

My thanks go to @rararesources for having me on the tour, as well as the author and publisher for supplying an ARC to aid my review. As usual though… I’m buying the book too and in addition I’ll be grabbing the first two books in the series 😊

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon

Why not follow the tour?

Author Bio:

True-born Geordie Colin Garrow grew up in a former mining town in Northumberland and has worked in a plethora of professions including taxi driver, antiques dealer, drama facilitator, theatre director and fish processor. He has also occasionally masqueraded as a pirate. Colin’s published books include the Watson Letters series, the Terry Bell Mysteries and the Rosie Robson Murder Mysteries. His short stories have appeared in several literary mags, including: SN Review, Flash Fiction Magazine, The Grind, A3 Review, Inkapture and Scribble Magazine. These days he lives in a humble cottage in Northeast Scotland.

Social Media Links –

Website (Adults) https://colingarrow.org/

Website (Children) https://colingarrowbooks.com/

Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B014Z5DZD4

Twitter https://twitter.com/colingarrow

Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/colingarrow

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/colingarrowthewriter

Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/colin-garrow