Category Archives: Book Reviews

The Prospect of This City by Eamonn Martin Griffin – Review

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Title – The Prospect of This City: Being a novel of the Great Fire
Author – Eamonn Martin Griffin
Genre – Historical Fiction
Length – 309 Pages
Publication – July 2015
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

London, 1666. Agent provocateur Rufus Challis is given a secret mission by the Dutch government; an attack on England’s capital in reprisal for wartime losses suffered that summer. He has a single weekend to put his plan into motion.

When Tom Farriner, second son to the King’s baker, intercepts an aspect of Challis’s plan, he investigates. Already, a friend’s blood stains the cobbles. Is Tom man enough to bring Challis down? And to what lengths is Challis prepared to go to in order to see the city fall?

A novel for fans of CJ Sansom, Hilary Mantel, and Manda (MC) Scott, The Prospect of This City is a dark historical thriller with a blade concealed in its sleeve

Review

The book focuses on Rufus Challis and Tom Farriner. I’m not going to spoil the plot for anyone but Challis is not a nice man and Tom suspects this pretty early on.

I’m going to tell you straight away why I’ve given this book a 4 star..as I bloody loved the book but I wouldn’t have looked twice at the book if I hadn’t been sent a copy for review. The cover just doesn’t do anything for me. I know not everyone is like me but a cover needs to grab me.. otherwise I wouldn’t turn it over to read what the book is about.

This book for me was a diamond in the rough. I could never have imaged how brilliant the story would turn out to be.

Challis was a brilliant character, I could have read a whole series of books with him in.. his skills, his insight was exceptional. Is it wrong that I found myself liking the bad guy in a book?

Anyhoo, the other character Tom..he’s a bit of a nosy kid but has good intentions. He lives with his father, brother and Alice. There’s a complex family relationship going on throughout this book which added to the plot that develops with Challis led to one of the best tales I’ve read.

This book is full to bursting with detail.. sometimes too much. When the fire starts I found myself rereading bits of text to make sure I understood what the author was conveying.. there was so much to take in to try and place yourself in the fire.

Saying that at times the detail was so good it really did help you imagine what walking the streets would have been like, urine and faeces all around, whores offering their services to mention a few.

For me this was a brilliant historical thriller that I can’t help but feel anyone would enjoy. The plot is exceptional and it would be a great shame if you didn’t read it.

To find out more head to Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com or Goodreads.

To Be a Queen by Annie Whitehead – Review

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Title – To Be a Queen
Author – Annie Whitehead
Genre – Historical Fiction
Length – 406 Pages
Publication – Nov 2013
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

This is the true story of Aethelflaed, the ‘Lady of the Mercians’, daughter of Alfred the Great. She was the only female leader of an Anglo-Saxon kingdom. It is the tale of one family, two kingdoms and a common enemy. Born into the royal house of Wessex at the height of the Viking wars, she is sent to her aunt in Mercia as a foster-child, only to return home when the Vikings overrun Mercia. In Wessex, she witnesses another Viking attack and this compounds her fear of the enemy. She falls in love with a Mercian lord but is heartbroken to be given as bride to the ruler of Mercia to seal the alliance between the two Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. She must learn to subjugate her feelings for her first love, overcome her indifference to her husband and win the hearts of the Mercians who despise her as a foreigner, twice making an attempt on her life. When her husband falls ill and is incapacitated, she has to learn to rule and lead an army in his stead and when he subsequently dies, she must fight to save her adopted Mercia from the Vikings and, ultimately, her own brother.

Review

Where to begin..I really enjoyed this book. It’s a powerful coming of age tale of Aethelflaed or Teasel as she’s referred to in the book.

At first I didn’t like her but after she was wed to Ethelred and she starts to warm to him I found myself warming to her. Although I have to admit Ethelred was my favourite character in the book. He oozed power and respect and I loved reading any scene with these two in.

The tale is set over many years and we see Teasel grow from a little girl into a powerful woman who manages to break down her defences and those of the Mercians to win their loyalty and to fight for their lives and their land.

We see Teasel deal with love & death.. and a lot of it. You could imagine yourself in her position having no choice to marry a man for convenience.. whilst being in love with another. As she grows she has to deal with those she cares about dying around her.. ageing.. fighting and you sometimes feel that she is about to crack.

The book is full of detail, add to this an insightful historical note from the author left me in no doubt this is a 5 star book. I couldn’t have enjoyed it more.

Annie Whitehead manged to make the character of Aethelflaed come alive for me.. I felt for her..i didn’t want to put the book down

I’ve used this word before but indeed the word that springs to mind when I think about this book is Powerful! Anyone who enjoys historical fiction will enjoy this and anyone who loves a female heroine will absolutely fall in love with it. The development of the two main characters was superb.

This book is a perfect mix of historical detail, love and death to engross any reader.

I was also left thinking about the frailty of life and how things don’t always go the way we would like but that doesn’t mean you give up.. you fight. Not many books leave me with afterthoughts such as this. Credit to the author.. this book had a lot of depth in my view and I loved it.

To find out more head to Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com or Goodreads.

Everyone Dies at the End by Riley Westbrook – Review

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Title – Everyone Dies at the End
Author – Riley Westbrook
Genre – Horror
Length – 87 Pages
Publication – March 2015
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

Who knew the zombie apocalypse would be caused by something we all know is deadly…but that is also all around us? Two stories intersect as the world delves into chaos – Earl, a drugged out heroin addict constantly in search of his next fix, and a family struggling with the dramas of everyday life, get no reprieve during this zombie outbreak. Can any of them survive the deadliest game of all – survival against undead, each other, and the world around them?

Review

Okay.. I’m a big fan of zombies I won’t lie.. and I’ve always enjoyed books that centre around an apocalypse. The idea of humans needing to survive without things we class as essential today is fascinating to me.

This book was good.. if a little strange. The idea of mushrooms growing out of people’s heads was weird but interesting and the idea of how this apocalypse was quite good.

Two things didn’t work so well for me, one was how quick it was decided it was a zombie apocalypse… since this is only a short work I guess you can let that one slide a bit plus everything ties up at the end of the story.

Next was the use of drugs in the tale.. it was just too much for me.

I’ve given it a four star rating… I think that proves the things I wasn’t so keen on didn’t stop my enjoying the tale and its well worth the quick read

The book itself was well written so I’d definitely like to see what else the author comes up with

To read more reviews head to Goodreads.

Song at Dawn by Jean Gill – Review

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Title – Song at Dawn
Author – Jean Gill
Genre – Historical Fiction
Length – 364 Pages
Publication – November 30th 2015 by The 13th Sign (first published October 12th 2011)
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

1150: Provence
On the run from abuse, Estela wakes in a ditch with only her lute, her amazing voice, and a dagger hidden in her underskirt. Her talent finds a patron in Aliénor of Aquitaine and more than a music tutor in the Queen’s finest troubadour and Commander of the Guard, Dragonetz los Pros.

Weary of war, Dragonetz uses Jewish money and Moorish expertise to build that most modern of inventions, a papermill, arousing the wrath of the Church. Their enemies gather, ready to light the political and religious powder-keg of medieval Narbonne.

Set in the period following the Second Crusade, Jean Gill’s spellbinding romantic thrillers evoke medieval France with breathtaking accuracy. The characters leap off the page and include amazing women like Eleanor of Aquitaine and Ermengarda
of Narbonne, who shaped history in battles and in bedchambers.

Review

This story follows Estela, who is thrust into the retinue of the Queen of France after she is found on the road side and proves she may have some worth.

From the start you know there is going to be a back story for Estela but you have no idea what.. and her story slowly comes out as you read the book, this made it a very compelling read as I just needed to find out what her story was.

I won’t lie.. from the cover of the book and the synopsis I was a little worried this book would be to “romance” for my tastes but Jean proved to be a brilliant writer, she gave just the right amount of romance for me to enjoy it.. and want more.

I really enjoyed the character of Dragonetz, a man of many talents not only can he charm women and have an abundance of musical talent he can also wield a sword… A perfect mix when it comes to historical fiction for me. I like blood, guts, laughter, music and love and this book gives it all

The storyline itself was very interesting, the plot that plays out was well thought out and kept me on my toes. I felt like Estela must have… I never quite knew who was behind things.. or who the real target was…. It was frustratingly brilliant.

At points in the book we were introduced to new characters and I did feel a little lost sometimes as at one point they came thick and fast but I soon managed to get me head around who everyone was and where there allegiances lie.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, it has a good mix of romance, violence and mystery to keep the reader interested and its full of rich detail for those who like a good amount of character development like myself.

I’ve already downloaded book 2 ready to read.

This book is currently free so you have no excuse not to get it! And book 2 is at the absolutely ridiculous price of 99p

To find out more head to Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com or Goodreads.

Birth of Hope By Andy Trevors – Review

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Title – Birth of Hope: The Gaia Chronicles (Hope Chronicles Book 1)
Author – Andy Trevors
Genre –  Fantasy
Length –  273 Pages
Publication – 1st Feb 2016
My Rating – 3/5 Stars

Synopsis

Joy. Peace. Fear. Death. Hope. To many, these are just emotions, facial expressions or words that are evoked in the face of numerous situations. However, there are a select few in the galaxy that have the power to wield them into something more. Into a weapon. Into a personification of their inner being.

They are called Spectres

Damien is one such person. With the Spectre Hope, he will shoulder the hopes of the galaxy as he strikes out on an epic adventure that will bring readers to all four corners of the planet, Gaia. From the peaks of Mount Cygnus to the sand-blasted plains of the Tahiba Dessert, Damien and his group of friends will try to find a way to end the war with the merciless Vangarians and unlock the secrets hidden within the depths of their hearts.

Review

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

So this book follows Damien as he is thrust into a war against the Vangarian horde, with the hopes of many on his shoulders. Will he be the one to end the war?

It’s a very interesting tale indeed, the whole idea of both armies having normal soldiers and also their enhanced solders with Spectres was a good idea and I liked  that the lead character had to develop throughout the tale and come to terms with the power he could wield.

The most interesting character for me was the Fallen Celestial, and I’m very much looking forward to reading the next book just find out more about him. He clearly likes to play games but whose side is he really on… what is his ultimate plan?

So you’ll want to know why I gave it a 3 star rating.. well for me there was an overuse of people names. My kindle kindly told me the name “Damien” is mentioned over 500 times. Sometimes it just wasn’t needed. For example “Simple, Damien”, she said. “The bad guys never win, Damien”. It was a little distracting during the first few chapters.

There were also a couple of inaccuracies I noted. When Damien is at the Core we are told his first class is history on the second ring, but straight away it’s contradicted as we are told he is headed to the history classroom on the seventh ring.

I always try and think of one word to summarise a book I’ve read and the word Birth of Hope brings to my mind is potential!

I have no doubt that the writer’s next book could easily be a 4* book, if not a 5*. The plot is good and I loved how the book ended setting the scene for more books in the series

In conclusion, this book is full on fantasy with a decent plot that will nicely lead to more adventures. The potential is there for this to be a very good series and I’ll definitely look forward to the next book to see what happens.

To find out more head to Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com or Goodreads.

Revolution Day by T. E. Taylor – Review

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Title – Revolution Day
Author – T.E.Taylor
Genre – Political Fiction
Length – 187 Pages
Publication – June 2015
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

Carlos Almanzor has been the ruler of his country for 37 years. Now in his seventies, he is feeling his age and seeing enemies around every corner. And with good reason: his Vice-President, Manuel Jimenez, though outwardly loyal, is burning with frustration at his subordinate position.

Meanwhile, Carlos’ estranged and imprisoned wife Juanita recalls the revolution that brought him to power and how, once a liberal idealist, he changed over time into an autocrat and embraced repression as the means of sustaining his position.

In time, as Manuel makes his own bid for power, Juanita will find herself an unwitting participant in his plans.

Review

Revolution Day is a fictional story following the events surrounding Carlos Almanzor. A man who comes to power quite by chance and things don’t go the way he would have liked.

The tale is told from different viewpoints and flips between the past and the present. Sometimes when a book does this it can be hard to keep track where you are.. not with this one. Tim’s writing flows so easily. If anything it made this tale even better as you get an insight to not only what the characters are like now but also what they were like in the past and when things changed for them and why.

The way in which this tale is written leaves you wanting more after you finish every chapter. For me this was definitely the case whenever we see things from Juanita point of view, I found her to be very interesting who along with the main character Carlos made this book what it is.

Carlos is a very deep character. At first you don’t like him but as the book went on I found my opinion changing. I came to feel he was just out of his depth.. he couldn’t control everything and that’s when things fall apart for him.

Personally I’ve never read anything like this before and it was addictive and believable reading.

When I read a book I usually highlight text, things I liked.. things I didn’t… this is the first book that I’ve made zero notes on… why you may ask? Simple.. I was too engrossed In the story that I just never thought about it.. I just kept reading, and reading until I’d finished it.

Another top notch book from Tim Taylor!

To find out more information head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com.

Bomber Boy by Ike Pius – Review

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Title – Bomber Boy
Author – Ike Pius
Genre – Contemporary Fiction
Length – 41 Pages
Publication – 2013
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

300 passengers. One plane. One bomb. One switch. One Omar Farouk to set it all aflame!

Welcome to the fast moving world of advanced terrorism where Jihadists in Oman or Afghanistan can blow up buses, trains, and planes in New York, Madrid, or London-without even going there.

This is not the world of the future; it is our world as it is!

A world unpredictable, unforgiving, and deadly!

Review

This isn’t my normal genre I’m willing to admit but after being approached by the author for an honest review and reading reviews already posted I was intrigued and wanted to see for myself what this book was about.

First let me tell you terrorism isn’t something to take lightly.. and I feel the author did well to do the subject justice. The book is from the potential bombers perspective which I thought gave a twist on other tales I’ve read on a similar topic.

The main character is Farouk, as you read the book I felt he’s a man being torn up inside.. not knowing which side is right or wrong.
Overall it was an interesting read and it does make you think about the motives behind events such as this.. things aren’t always as straight forward as they seem

To find out more head to Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com or Goodreads.

Sons of the Wolf by Paula Lofting – Review

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Title – Sons of the Wolf
Author – Paula Lofting
Genre –  Historical Fiction
Length –  396 Pages (Paperback)
Publication – 2012
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

On bloody fields he fights for his life, but sometimes the enemy is closer to home…

1054, pious King Edward sits on the throne, spending his days hunting, sleeping and praying, leaving the security of his kingdom to his more capable brother-in-law Harold Godwinson, the powerful Earl of Wessex.

Against this backdrop we meet Wulfhere, a Sussex thegn who, as the sun sets over the wild forest of Andredesweald, is returning home victoriously from a great battle in the north. Holding his lands directly from the King, his position demands loyalty to Edward himself, but Wulfhere is duty-bound to also serve Harold, a bond forged within Wulfhere’s family heritage and borne of the ancient Teutonic ideology of honour and loyalty.

Wulfhere is a man with the strength and courage of a bear, a warrior whose loyalty to his lord and king is unquestionable. He is also a man who holds his family dear and would do anything to protect them. So when Harold demands that he wed his daughter to the son of Helghi, his sworn enemy, Wulfhere has to find a way to save his daughter from a life of certain misery in the household of the cruel and resentful Helghi, without comprising his honour and loyalty to his lord, Harold.

On the battlefield, Wulfhere fights for his life but elsewhere the enemy is closer to home, sinister and shadowy and far more dangerous than any war.

Review

So this book follows the life of Wulfhere, a thegn who has a very complicated life. The author has taken the choice the write about a character that little is known about and because of this was able to put a fantastic story together. If you’ve read other tales from the period you will of course have heard of Harold Godwinson and the events that unfolded but because the author decided to focus on a different character for me it brought fresh life into the period and boy what a tale it is!

Love, family, death, war, rivalries and adultery are all packed into this tale.. but it gives you so much more.

Because this story is fiction it meant the author was free to put as much depth into her characters as she liked and it worked. One of the main focuses in the book is a feud with Helghi, Wulfhere’s neighbour. I won’t give the game away but this plays out throughout the book and I sincerely hope the author takes the time to bring us the next part in the series so I can find out what happens next!

For me the book was written well, characters were brilliant and the storyline fitted well. I really couldn’t put my finger on anything I didn’t like. I honestly felt the author must have put a lot of time and energy into the novel and I for one thing it’s great

Wulhere is a very complex character, he has his demons… he’s not perfect… but he clearly wants to be the best he can..he just doesn’t do everything right. Who doesn’t love a flawed man? I know I do.

Paula has a way of writing that managed to capture me instantly. I felt for Wulhere and his family… although I hated the twins! (read the book.. you’ll agree ha ha).

I’m never one for spoilers so I won’t say too much else on the storyline but it worth reading.. Definitely!

This book would be perfect for anyone who likes historical fiction or enjoys reading about the period. It’s fast paced and ticked all the boxes for me.

The book is only currently available on Amazon in paperback format so get a copy if you can. If not may I suggest you contact the author.. let’s get this on Kindle (I think it might have previously been available this way?)

Also if you’ve already read the book please let Paula know.. Without support we won’t get to read book 2!

To find out more head to Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com or Goodreads. You can make contact with the author via twitter here.. let her know what you think of the book!

Praetorian: The Price of Treason by S.J.A Turney – Review

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Title – Praetorian: The Price of Treason
Author – S.J.A. Turney
Genre – Historical Fiction
Length – 342 Pages
Publication – 17th December 2015
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

Two years have passed since the emperor’s loyal Praetorian guardsman Gnaeus Marcius Rustius Rufinus foiled Lucilla’s great assassination plot. Plagued by the ghosts of his past, Rufinus has enacted his own form of justice upon the praetorian cavalrymen who murdered the imperial agent Dis two years earlier.

But the Fates will not let Rufinus rest. Rome is beginning to seethe with rumour and conspiracy as Perennis, the prefect of the Praetorian Guard, and Cleander, the imperial chamberlain, continue to play their ‘great game.’ With the tide of opinion turning against their commander, Rufinus and his friends embark upon a mission to save the Prefect’s family, only to uncover a plot that runs deep… to the very heart of the empire. Armed with rare and dangerous evidence, Rufinus faces insurmountable odds in an attempt to bring the truth to light. To save his prefect. To save Rome. To save everyone he cares about.

Review

So we are back with Rufinus.. I’ve been looking forward to this day since I finished the first book and I wasn’t disappointed. Speaking of which click here to read my review of Praetorian – The Great Game

It’s been two years since Rufinus spoilt plans to usurp the emperor and it’s clearly been a hard two years as we see our hero has fallen from grace a little. Rufinus has one thing on his mind.. Revenge…

The book starts strongly with Rufinus out to get one of the cavalrymen who killed the frumentarius Dis in the previous book. The need for vengeance is strong and I can see this becoming a theme throughout the series.. and I like it.

The main focus of this tale though is based on Perennis and Cleander, I won’t spoil what turns out to be a fascinating read but lines are drawn, trust tested to the limits and not everyone will make it out alive that’s for sure.

So you want to know some good things about the book. Firstly Acheron is back.. I love that hound 🙂

We also see a lot of faces from the previous tale turn again which gave a greater depth to the tale, friendships have clearly grown in the two years.. some more than others. It was great to see the return of such characters as Peteos (the young boy who helped Rufinus in the first book)

We also see new characters introduced like Publis who I initially didn’t like but turned out to be the shining star in the book along with Cestius.. a new frumentarius for us to enjoy.

These new and old characters along with the well-researched and interesting plot lead to what I can only say is one hell of a sequel!
Throughout the story it felt I was reading a similar tale as the first book. Not that anything is the same, more that the undertone of urgency is always there. The book builds up until this final explosion of action. Superb!

So you want to know where the 4* rating comes from.. well one person in this book gets overlooked I felt.. Senova the love interest of Rufinus. It’s been two years and he’s hardly spoke to her. After the first book I just expected her to have a bigger part but if you read the story you can see why she doesn’t get much page time.. she just doesn’t fit in with the action. On a good note the ending of the book leaves me in no doubt she will return in book 3 and hopefully we will see more happen between the two of them.

Another excellent book from S.J.A. Turney!

The book is due for release on the 17th December! Go on Pre-order your copy now! – Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com 

Lokant (The Draykon Series Book 2) by Charlotte E. English – Review

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Title – Lokant (The Draykon Series Book 2)
Author – Charlotte E. English
Genre –  Fantasy
Publication – December 2011
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

The long-vanished draykon race has been restored to the Seven Realms, and the mystery of the istore stone is resolved. But Lady Eva Glostrum returns to Glour City with many questions unanswered. Who are the enigmatic sorcerers who woke the draykon? Their powers are beyond anything she has ever known. With one dead and one vanished – literally – Eva has little to go on save a book taken from a mysterious tower in the Lowers, its cover marked with the strange word “Lokant.”

Llandry Sanfaer is anxious to learn more about the glorious draykoni, whose story is so inexplicably bound up with her own. But when she brings another draykon back from the Long Sleep, she finds she has made a grave mistake. Worse, a white-haired sorcerer with a talent for mind control is stalking her across the Worlds…

As war builds between humankind and draykoni, Eva must uncover the identities of the sinister white-haired practitioners – and come to terms with the truth of her own heritage.

And Llandry must learn why she appears to be their primary target…

Review

This is the second book in the Draykon series and I absolutely loved the first. I’m just ashamed it’s taken me so long to get round to reading this one..

So we are back in the wonderful world of the Seven Realms and the troubles revolving around Llandry Sanfaer who discovered a mysterious stone which has caused so many problems. The Draykoni are an ancient race long thought extinct.. not any more….

Charlotte builds perfectly on from the established characters and events of the first book but so much more is added, more characters to enjoy and we get to know a lot more about the Draykoni history. Things start to piece together in places and you can see the big picture starting to form.

This book was a great chance for the author to work on the character development and it paid off big time.. we see the relationship between Tren and Eva develop. The storyline that unfolds for these two was brilliant.. frustrating and brilliant.. You just want to bang their heads together. What made it so go is you get to see things from each prospective which makes it easier to understand why they act the way they do.

One of the things I like the most about Charlotte’s stories is she isn’t scared of making a reader work, names and places you have to pronounce that make your brain work.. It’s not dumbed down. She also has a great way of making the characters personality come out in her writing, for example whenever you read a passage where Eva is talking you can always detect the slight superiority she has about herself. This makes it great to read as you can actually imagine the conversation happening rather than just reading the words… it makes reading it more fun.

The best addition to the book is Pensould, a Draykon, I won’t spoil him for you but his no nonsense approach has left me hoping he plays a bit part in the next book.

The other character I really enjoyed is named Krays, who gives fresh life to the tale and lots more mystery.. This man has motives we don’t fully understand and I can’t wait to get to grips with book 3 to find out more about him.

It’s very hard to write a review for this book as I don’t want to give anything away but if you like fantasy & mystery this is the series for you. This is exactly what I want from a fantasy book.

Ok.. if you haven’t heard of the Draykon series I urge you to have a look on Amazon.. It’s first book is free so why not give it a go? Links here to Amazon.co.uk & Amazon.com

What I did was read the first book then purchased the box set of 3 books, it offers better value and is definitely worth it.

Charlotte has solidified her place as a favourite author of mine so look out in 2016 for more reviews of her work 🙂

To find out more about Lokant head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com