Sal

 Read over 2 days.

byMick Kitson

This is a story of something like survival.

Sal planned it for almost a year before they ran. She nicked an Ordnance Survey map from the school library. She bought a compass, a Bear Grylls knife, waterproofs and a first aid kit from Amazon using credit cards she’d robbed. She read the SAS Survival Handbook and watched loads of YouTube videos.

And now Sal knows a lot of stuff. Like how to build a shelter and start a fire. How to estimate distances, snare rabbits and shoot an airgun. And how to protect her sister, Peppa. Because Peppa is ten, which is how old Sal was when Robert started on her.

Told in Sal’s distinctive voice, and filled with the silent, dizzying beauty of rural Scotland, Sal is a disturbing, uplifting story of survival, of the kindness of strangers, and the irrepressible power of sisterly love; a love that can lead us to do extraordinary and unimaginable things

My thoughts:

This was a stunning book. Hard to realise it was a debut novel, and such a beautiful debut it was. The writing is of such a high quality in a book laced with humour and at times tragedy. The novel opens with sisters Sal and Peppa on the run after Sal has killed her Mum’s abusive boyfriend. Through her diligent research and careful planning Sal is convinced she and her sister can survive in the Galloway Forrest. Told through Sal’s eyes it is a story of two sisters; and two very different sisters they are. Sal is a worrier and planner, whilst Peppa sails through life on the seat of her pants. Their characters leap off the page fully formed and drag you into their lives and adventures. You find yourself routing for Sal, even though what she has done is fundamentally wrong. As said previously it is a book filled with well drawn characters, who leap off the page fully formed and into to your mind with their stories to tell. And what fascinating stories they are. Sal and Peppa’s. Ingrid, an old woman who befriends them, has her own fascinating story to tell. Even Maw in Sal’s recollections and later on in the book has a story. A brilliant, fascinating book which is well worth investing in. I don’t think you will be disappointed. Thanks to Mick, Cannongate and Lovereading.co.uk for the ARC. Worthy 4 stars.   GET A COPY Amazon UK Online Stores ▾ WorldCat Hardcover Expected publication: March 1st 2018 by Canongate Books Ltd ISBN13 9781786891877 Edition Language English.

I’ll Keep You Safe

byPeter May

Niamh and Ruairidh Macfarlane co-own the Hebridean company Ranish Tweed. On a business trip to Paris to promote their luxury brand, Niamh learns of Ruairidh’s affair, and then looks on as he and his lover are killed by a car bomb. She returns home to Lewis, bereft.

Niamh begins to look back on her life with Ruairidh, desperate to identify anyone who may have held a grudge against him. The French police, meanwhile, have ruled out terrorism, and ruled in murder – and sent Detective Sylvie Braque to shadow their prime suspect: Niamh.

As one woman works back through her memories, and the other moves forward with her investigation, the two draw ever closer to a deadly enemy with their own, murderous, designs

My Thoughts:

This is a brilliant read! What a great story, you will turn the pages furiously, telling yourself one more page, one more chapter. It’s that good. From the opening chapter and what a chapter it was! In Paris Niamh confronts Ruairidh with the fact she suspects he has a lover. Ruairidh denies this and storms from the room. Niamh later sees him leave with his lover in a Mercedes car which explodes within seconds of them entering it. Niamh is bereft, left with the task of taking her husband’s remains home to the Isle of Lewis and not knowing for certain whether he was being unfaithful or not. She has to get on with the rest of her life, not knowing if she had any life left to lead. Enough of the story for now, read it and you will enjoy it. I want to admit something here; Peter is one of my favourite writers. He could write the back of the a corn flakes packet and I would think it great. His writing is of top quality and he can put pictures in your head and what great pictures they are! His sense of atmosphere and place is prevalent throughout his writing. I urge you to pick up this book and give it a read. In fact read any book written by Peter; you’ll be in for a treat! Peter May BOOKS BY PETER MAY

Life of Crime

 

by Kimberley Chambers

If you could get away with the perfect crime – would you? 

HEAVEN HAS NO RAGE, LIKE LOVE TO HATRED TURNED.
NOR HELL A FURY, LIKE A WOMAN SCORNED.

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• Amazon UK

My thoughts:

This book was something different from Kimberley. And something of the same. The clue is in the title. Who chooses a life of crime? Or who is dragged into it, by birth or making the wrong choices in life.. For those of you have read previous books, namely her series novels, this will be a change. A stand alone novel. It has all the ingredients of her previous books, gangsters and brassy women. Delinquent children all living in a world of their own. Jason Rampling is such a man. A Del Boy character who ducks and dives and fate takes a hand when he meets Melissa and her friend Tracey and that starts Jason of on his life of crime. With all the lies, deceit and two timing that lifestyle entails. I must say I really enjoyed Kimberley’s style of writing. A fast paced story that has the reader gripped rapidly turning the pages, full of OMG , on the edge of your seat and why did you do that,say that moments. Thanks to Harper Collins, Kimberley Chambers and Lovereading for the ARC.    Kimberley Chambers Born London, The United Kingdom  Website http://www.kimberleychambers.com/ Twitter kimbochambers

When She Was Bad

 

by Tammy Cohen

You see the people you work with every day.

But what can’t you see?

Amira, Sarah, Paula, Ewan and Charlie have worked together for years – they know how each one likes their coffee, whose love life is a mess, whose children keep them up at night. But their comfortable routine life is suddenly shattered when an aggressive new boss walks in ….

Now, there’s something chilling in the air.

Who secretly hates everyone?

Who is tortured by their past?

Who is capable of murder?

My Thoughts:

A fantastic read. I kept turning the pages. This was due to the story and also the quality of the writing, which was crisp and of a quality that never dropped throughout the whole narrative. This was a tale of two threads. One set in England and one set in the USA. One was a tale of office politics and reorganisation and one of child abuse. What do they have in common? You will need to read and see. Tammy wont disappoint. A worthy 5 stars from me ABOUT TAMMY COHEN Tammy Cohen (who was previously published under her formal name Tamar Cohen) is a freelance journalist. A late starter to fiction – and to other things besides – she has now written four novels. The Mistress’s Revenge, The War of the Wives, and Someone Else’s Wedding. The Broken was her first pyschological thriller, followed by Dying for Christmas. Her brand new hardback novel, First One Missing is out now. She lives in North London with her partner and three (nearly) grown children, plus one very badly behaved dog.   GET A COPY Amazon UK