Today we kick off blog tour for Open Your Eyes by Heather J. Fitt.
I’ve been very lucky to be involved with some of the blog tours Heather herself has organised so I couldn’t miss this one!
Here’s the blurb
A Scottish journalist enters a dark online world in this unsettling novel of men, women, resentment, and rage…
Edinburgh reporter Frankie has finally been assigned a high-profile crime story about a series of sexual assaults, and relishes her big break. Her article focuses on the issue of women’s safety, which doesn’t seem to have improved much since the era of the Yorkshire Ripper.
When she faces a torrent of abuse online, it leads her to discover the phenomenon of incels— and puts her in the sights of those trying to stop her covering the story. But she refuses to back down. What she doesn’t realise is that in this murky online world, one man is being goaded into a spectacular and shocking attack with Frankie as his main target…
Review
Open Your Eyes follows Frankie, a reporter who is hot on the heels of a developing story.
There have been a series of assaults on women lately, but are they linked, if so how? And what are the police going to do the protect women’s safety.
Frankie’s had to work hard for this story and she’s keen for it to come across as balanced rather than anti-men, at first the response to her story is positive but then she suffers a series of threats and abuse online.
These threats don’t deter Frankie and she learns of a seedy underground, a network of individuals keen to see those they feel have wronged them humiliated.
Frankie won’t back down to the trolls but little does she know how real things will become.
I really thought the author balanced the tale well, so much so you kind of understood the motivations of the main perpetrator in the story, although his actions are undefendable..
Open Your Eyes gives you cracking plot, as seen from two perspectives, it’s gripping and dark and you feel for each character.. there’s a realness to them, the depth and development of each character just utterly marvellous.
While the plot was vivid and exciting, I also felt a nagging tingle as I read the story, how as kids we don’t see things as bullying, we don’t see the harm we can do, we don’t realise how important education is, feminism, equality, victim shaming, online hate, manipulation… it’s all covered in this story and really makes you think.
For a debut novel I must say this is fantastic, Heather J. Fitt has ticked all the boxes for a dark phycological thriller, and I’d highly recommend you grab a copy.
To find out more or to purchase head to Goodreads or Amazon. Or ask your local bookseller if they can get a copy of the paperback for you 😊.
I received an ARC copy of the book to aid with my review but it’s certainly one I’m going to buy, I reckon the wife will love this one! My thanks to the author 🙂
5/5 Stars.
Why not follow the tour?
Author Bio
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 will be published by Bloodhound in Summer 2021.
For regular bookish updates, you can follow Heather on Twitter: @LifeBookish
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