booksandbacon's reviews
322 reviews

Such a Loving Couple by Haley Smith

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.0

I really enjoyed this novel. I'm new to this author, and this is the first book I've read. This is a must-read book, a suspenseful thriller. Becka, the main character, is involved in an accident and suffers from amnesia, unaware of her identity, relationships, and near-drowning experience. Her husband, Freddie, has been at her bedside and is clearly head over heels for her. Following a brief hospital stay, she went back to her home. Although things don't seem perfect, there's a palpable sense of something being wrong. Certain things come back to Becka through memories, pictures, dreams, and a little old lady next door.

There were several things that had me questioning and kept me on the edge of my seat. I had to decipher the truth behind the deception, the hidden secrets, and the ultimate conclusion.

I was hoping for a more satisfying ending and deeper character development. Anyone who enjoys thrillers or wants to explore new authors should definitely give this a try.

 

These Deadly Games by Diana Urban

mysterious tense medium-paced

4.0

 Winning a gaming contest and getting the prize money is what Crystal and her friends are counting on to solve their problems. Crystal is forced to complete a series of tasks to save her sister's life after she is abducted.

Diana Urban is a master at using language. Reading becomes exciting with her clever sentences, Urban's meticulousness ensured no plot point was left unanswered. As someone older than the intended readers of THESE DEADLY GAMES, I found it hard to connect with the online gaming and its portrayal as an esport, although I don't think this would be an issue for teenagers. My understanding of AI is basic, and I failed to comprehend all of the technology.

THESE DEADLY GAMES is both a psychological/thriller, as well as a mystery. Often, books advertised as thrillers are really just mysteries that lack tension. Heart-thumping moments fill the pages.

I find many characters to be sympathetic, but I don't think any of them are truly good or nice. The friendships didn't make sense to me as the teens didn't seem to enjoy each other's company. Almost everyone treated others unkindly.

The theories I had about the kidnapping were incorrect. I didn't correctly guess who was responsible. 

The Gottingen Accident by James F. Mordechai

challenging mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

In another timeline, Germany would have won the Great War. Three well-known scientists with superpowers get together to combat a villain who intends to undermine the fundamental foundation of the universe.

This novella was fantastic! This was my first foray into the world of the strange, and it did not disappoint. It was funny, action-packed, and had a zombie cat!!!

The story's settings were appealing to me. I rarely encounter an alternate history set after WWI in which Germany wins the war. It's a refreshing contrast from all the alternate history set after WWII that I've read over the years.

This was unlike any other narrative I'd ever read. The familiarity of prominent scientists was appealing, as was the twist of them possessing linked superpowers. Though I was occasionally confused about where I was in the plot, this complemented the story. The odd occurrences read like they belong in a comic book.

Hawk at the Crossroads by AJ Aberford

adventurous funny mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

 Many thanks to the author and Hobeck Books for an eARC copy for review.

Oh boy, the series gets better and better, again a read with multiple plots but you are not overwhelmed by it because, in the end, they all come together beautifully. In one of the major plots, our intrepid duo are tasked with the most dangerous mission yet which could potentially destabilise power in the middle east and start WWIII !!!. That should whet your appetite.

In my humble opinion, this latest adventure is the best yet, with nonstop action throughout. Love the character development throughout the series and sad to see a few killed off, major surprise there.

One of my favourite characters is Abdullah's wife Rania, she doesn't have a major role but she's a force to be reckoned with!!.

Can't wait for book 4 to come in March.

To finish off my favourite quote is "Scary shit, don't ya think? And guess what? We've lost one." 

Cooking the Books by Hobeck Team

funny mysterious relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

 Thanks very much to Team Hobeck for an eARC copy for review.

This time around its a very different read from what I'm typically accustomed to, if you follow my reviews you'll know I'm attracted to Horror/Blood & Gore/Crime/Historical Fiction/Time Travel reads, but this time it's about food, yes you heard right, food!!. Not your Jaime Oliver type of recipe book, these are stories written by the Hobecks authors & the publishers themselves.

A delicious fun/quick read to delight your palate. The recipe I have to try is: Chrismas Nut Roast by Lewis Hastings and the detailed preparation is superb!!. Also, the Matese Rabbit Pasta story by AJ Aberford is so good it reminds me of my home with its relaxed Mediterranean attitude to...everything!.

In reality, all the stories are great with all the different recipes, with a touch of crime and murder.

An anthology which deserves a re-read because it's so different there's something for everyone. I highly recommend you to buy it not because it's a cracking read, you're also helping The Trussell Trust and supporting food banks all over the UK. 

The App by Stuart James

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Internet 101:

NEVER click any links you are sent even if it's from friends, check with them first!!!

That's what Marty Benson did when he received a link from his friend promising £100,000 every Friday if he followed the rules.

That was the worse decision he ever made. 

I honestly believe Stuart's latest work is the best he's ever written and believe me they're all creepy as hell!!.

Who comes up with an app that makes normal law-abiding citizens perform the most hideous acts? A psychopath of course!!. There are two plots to the story, the present from Marty's perspective and the past from the developer's beginnings which merge to make an exciting non-stop creepy/edge-of-the-seat (literally) action-filled read.

Loved the characters and the things they go through are so palpable it's creepy, but special mention goes to Marty's mother-in-law Ethel, she's oblivious to what's happening and the things she says add a touch of humour to the situation.

I can't recommend it enough! you're in for a ride!

Wagon Buddy by Steve Stred

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

"Wagon Buddy" is my second book by Steve and oh boy I really enjoyed it!!

Scott is 6 and bullied at school, fatherless and his mother is hitting the bottle, that's a great way to start life, but he's not alone he has an imaginary friend which offers to be his BFF and play with him, Scott is elated to finally have a friend even if it's a monster, horrible thing from the depth of hell.

The story is told from Scott's perspective, he's been interviewed by the police. He starts explaining his relationship with his 'friend', what follows is a trail of mutilated bodies, quite a few actually, blood and gore.

I love Steve's writing and am slowly but surely going through all his works.

Highly recommended.

A Biased Judgement: The Sherlock Holmes Diaries 1897 by Geri Schear

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

My thanks to Steve at @mxpublishing for a review copy.

Europe is in turmoil, it's heading for total chaos, and heads of state, Monarchs and influential people are been assassinated. Who is capable of orchestrating these terrible deeds, there is (or was) someone more than capable of it, Moriarty, but he's dead Sherlock took care of that. Has someone taken over Moriarty's organisation which has its claws around the world?

That's how the story begins and it's a really fantastic start.

There is another plot in which we find murdered a servant girl from a prestigious family but is she as innocent as her colleagues say?

It's really a fascinating story, I'm certainly no Sherlock expert but I believe Geri has captured Sherlock's essence. What I love about that era is the language, for example:

Blackguard:"A man who behaves in a dishonourable or contemptible way"

Brown Study:"A mood in which you are very involved in your own thoughts and not paying attention to anything else". Sherlock has many of those lol. There are a few modern words or references but I'm fine with it, it's the story that counts.

Love it!!

My favourite character is the lovely Lady Beatrice, a woman ahead of her time thanks to her father who believed women should have education on par with their male counterparts. Very forward thinking for the 1800s.

Geri is a great storyteller and I shall check out her other works.

Highly recommended.

The Minotaur's Son: & other wild tales by Kevin Ansbro

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

Finished this amazing book, and I felt so many different emotions whilst reading it, it's truly an amazing collection of short stories from Sci-Fi to Fantasy to Magical Realism (which I love) to Humor, it has a bit of everything.

Kevin has the gift of writing and what he writes is magic, pure magic, he comes up with stories which are also truly magic, the characters are so diverse it's frightening because you have to love them all, even the evil ones.

I shall not go into every story in detail cos there are other reviews which do and make an excellent job of it.

I would like to finish urging you to read Kevin's works, I guarantee you will not be disappointed. 

All his books are highly recommended.

The Birthday Party by Wendy Dranfield

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

5.0

Thanks to Bookouture, Wendy Drainfield and Netgalley for the ARC
for an honest opinion.

“The Birthday Party” is my first book by Wendy Dranfield, and may I say it was a great start to her books. Kathy Hamilton drops off her daughter (Charlotte) at her cousin’s birthday party. She has arranged for the nanny to collect her later in the day, but when Kathy arrives home, she finds the house empty, thinking they are still at the party she rings her brother-in-law, but Kathy isn’t there she left hours ago and the nanny doesn’t pick up the phone.

It's a parent nightmare’s when their child is missing, the longer they’re missing the chances of finding them alive is slim. That’s why Kathy’s parents are desperate to find her as soon as possible. The police are quickly informed, the case is handled by Detective Chase Cooper (who has a history with Kathy back in high school).

The more Chase investigates, the more he finds out the lies, deception and secrets of Hamilton’s harbour. The story builds gradually with every passing chapter, what I loved was the way the story is structured, for example, when Kathy meets Chase, the author takes you to the time when they were back in high school and explains their relationship at the time which I find adds to the story.
There is a character which I detested, he/she (I’m not telling) is antagonistic and narcissistic, a very toxic person. 

Overall, a great read, highly recommended