#BookReview Woman of the Hour by Jane Lythell @janelythell @HoZ_Books

Woman of the Hour by Jane Lythell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Meet Liz Lyon: respected TV producer, stressed-out executive, guilty single mother... woman of the hour.

StoryWorld is the nation's favourite morning show, and producer Liz Lyon wants to keep it that way. Her job is to turn real-life stories into thrilling TV – and keep a lid on the scandals and backbiting that happen off-stage.

But then simmering tensions erupt at the station, trapping Liz in a game of one-upmanship where she doesn't know the rules. As the power struggle intensifies, can Liz keep her cool and keep her job? Does she even want to?

In this gripping novel of power, rivalry and betrayal, Jane Lythell draws on her experiences of working in the glamorous, pressurised world of live TV.

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Women of the Hour is something completely different from what I usually read. Not a crime novel, nor a thriller or a historical novel. This is a contemporary novel set in the world of television. A story about a Liz Lyon TV producer and single mother and her struggle to combine both worlds. I quickly found myself caught up in her world. As a TV producer, Liz basically spent a lot of time trying to smooth things over, from cranky bosses to the divas on air. At the same time, she tries to make her relationship with her new boyfriend work and raise her daughter. And, she also has to try to not be stabbed in the back, not literary, but figuratively (this is as I said before not a murder mystery book LOL). The TV business is a vicious place and new arrives doesn't always play nice, but appearances can be deceiving and threats can come from other directions.

Women of the Hour brings up so many issues, how to combine motherhood with a career. Trying to keep peace in the workplace. Also, dealing with new employees and not to mention how to handle sexual harassment at work. Liz herself has some bad experience when it comes to that. She ponders during the books progress over the fact, where do you draw the line? Is she just overreacting? I can honestly say I thought she overreacted a bit while I read the book. But, on the other hand, I also know how terrible it is to feel doubt and angst over situations. Even years later. Anyhow, this is an interesting part of the book that fits very well into today's #metoo era. 

I found this book to be a great respite from all the usual thriller & crime novels to read and I recommend this book warmly.

Women of the Hour is the first book in the StoryWorld series and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel Behind Her Back. 

I want to thank the author for sending both this book and Behind the Back to me for an honest review!

#BookReview When We Left Cuba by Chanel Cleeton @ChanelCleeton @BerkleyPub @FreshFiction

When We Left Cuba by Chanel Cleeton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In 1960s Florida, a young Cuban exile will risk her life--and heart--to take back her country in this exhilarating historical novel from the author of Next Year in Havana, a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick.

Beautiful. Daring. Deadly.

The Cuban Revolution took everything from sugar heiress Beatriz Perez--her family, her people, her country. Recruited by the CIA to infiltrate Fidel Castro's inner circle and pulled into the dangerous world of espionage, Beatriz is consumed by her quest for revenge and her desire to reclaim the life she lost.

As the Cold War swells like a hurricane over the shores of the Florida Strait, Beatriz is caught between the clash of Cuban American politics and the perils of a forbidden affair with a powerful man driven by ambitions of his own. When the ever-changing tides of history threaten everything she has fought for, she must make a choice between her past and future--but the wrong move could cost Beatriz everything--not just the island she loves, but also the man who has stolen her heart...

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WHEN WE LEFT CUBA is the fabulous sequel to NEXT YEAR IN HAVANA. The first book told the tale of Elisa Perez and her granddaughter Marisol. In this book, we follow Beatriz Perez as she dreams about going back to Cuba to kill Fidel Castro. Beatriz even gets recruited by the CIA to infiltrate Castro's inner circle. Her thirst for revenge is all she can think of, until one fateful evening when she meets a US senator that will steal her heart. This is a forbidden romance, and Beatriz is torn between her love for her home country and the love for a man who can never be hers.

READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!

#BlogTour Fallen Angel by Chris Brookmyre @cbrookmyre

Fallen Angel by Chris Brookmyre
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

To new nanny Amanda, the Temple family seem to have it all: the former actress; the famous professor; their three successful grown-up children. But like any family, beneath the smiles and hugs there lurks far darker emotions.

Sixteen years earlier, little Niamh Temple died while they were on holiday in Portugal. Now, as Amanda joins the family for a reunion at their seaside villa, she begins to suspect one of them might be hiding something terrible...

And suspicion is a dangerous thing.

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I was hooked right from the start when it came to Fallen Angel. The blurb and the cover had intrigued me and I was really thrilled to feel right from the beginning that this book engrossed me. Fallen Angel is the story about the death of a little girl, Niamh, sixteen years ago. No body was ever found, but everyone assumed she drowned in the sea. Now the family is back in Portugal where it all happened. Across the Temple villa is Amanda working as a nanny for a family. She finds herself drawn to the Temple family and the more she starts to spend time with the Temple family the more she feels that they are hiding something.

Fallen Angel is my kind of thriller with family secrets and untrustworthy people. Honestly, not many in the book are especially sympathetic with the exception of Amanda. It's the kind of book that you just want to read one more chapter and even though some of the twists were perhaps not that unexpected were they interesting and made the story fascinating to read. I liked how the story also showed us flashbacks to the past, events that led to little Niamh death. I found the book to be a great thriller and I can't wait to read more from Chis Brookmyre!

#BookReview The Tilted World by Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly @WmMorrowBooks

The Tilted World by Tom Franklin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Set against the backdrop of the historic 1927 Mississippi Flood, a story of murder and moonshine, sandbagging and saboteurs, dynamite and deluge-and a man and a woman who find unexpected love-from Tom Franklin, author of the bestselling Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter, and his wife, Pushcart Prize-winning poet Beth Ann Fennelly

The year is 1927. As rains swell the Mississippi, the mighty river threatens to burst its banks and engulf all in its path, including federal revenue agent Ted Ingersoll and his partner, Ham Johnson. Arriving in the tiny hamlet of Hobnob, Mississippi, to investigate the disappearance of two fellow agents on the trail of a local bootlegger, they unexpectedly find an abandoned baby boy at a crime scene.

An orphan raised by nuns, Ingersoll is determined to find the infant a home, a search that leads him to Dixie Clay Holliver. A lonely woman married too young to a charming and sometimes violent philanderer, Dixie Clay has lost her only child to illness and is powerless to resist this second chance at motherhood. From the moment they meet, Ingersoll and Dixie Clay are drawn to each other. He has no idea that she's the best bootlegger in the county and may be connected to the missing agents. And while he seems kind and gentle, Dixie Clay knows he is the enemy and must not be trusted.

Then a deadly new peril arises, endangering them all. A saboteur, hired by rich New Orleans bankers eager to protect their city, is planning to dynamite the levee and flood Hobnob, where the river bends precariously. Now, with time running out, Ingersoll, Ham, and Dixie Clay must make desperate choices, choices that will radically transform their lives-if they survive.

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Such a beautiful story, a love story between a revenue agent and a bootlegger. I borrowed the book from the library, but I also had the audio version with the plan of listening at work and read at home. But, I ended up listening to the book since the narrator (Brian D'Arcy James) and the story worked so well together. I just love listening to a great book that becomes even greater with the right narrator.

As for the story. I love reading stories set in the 20s, and in this case, the story takes place in 1927 and the Mississippi is about to flood. Two revenue agents have disappeared in the little town of Hobnob and now federal revenue agent Ted Ingersoll and his partner, Ham Johnson has been sent to find out what happened to them. Meanwhile, Dixie Clay is worried that her husband is involved with the revenue agents disappearance.

The Tilted World is my very first Tom Franklin (and Beth Ann Fennelly) book, but I have Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin at home and I plan to read it. I quite liked The Tilted World, the writing, the story, and the characters were great. And the addition of the baby that Ted Ingersoll found and tried to find a good home to was a wonderful addition to the story.

#BookReview Death of a New American by Mariah Fredericks @mariahfrederick @MinotaurBooks @FreshFiction

Death of a New American by Mariah Fredericks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The atmospheric, compelling follow-up to the stunning debut A Death of No Importance, featuring series character, Jane Prescott.

In 1912, as New York reels from the news of the Titanic disaster, ladies’ maid Jane Prescott travels to Long Island with the Benchley family. Their daughter Louise is to marry William Tyler, at their uncle and aunt’s mansion; the Tylers are a glamorous, storied couple, their past filled with travel and adventure. Now, Charles Tyler is known for putting down New York’s notorious Italian mafia, the Black Hand, and his wife Alva has settled into domestic life.

As the city visitors adjust to the rhythms of the household and plan Louise’s upcoming wedding, Jane quickly befriends the Tyler children’s nanny, Sofia—a young Italian-American woman. However, one unusually sultry spring night, Jane is woken by a scream from the nursery—and rushes in to find Sofia murdered, and the carefully locked window flung open.

The Tylers believe that this is an attempted kidnapping of their baby gone wrong—a warning from the criminal underworld to Charles Tyler. But Jane is asked to help with the investigation by her friend journalist Michael Behan, who knows that she is uniquely placed to see what other tensions may simmer just below the surface in this wealthy, secretive household. Was Sofia’s murder fall-out from the social tensions rife in New York, or could it be a much more personal crime?

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The year is 1912 and ladies maid Jane Prescott is preparing to travel to Long Island with the Benchley family for Louise's upcoming wedding. Louise is marrying William Tyler, whose uncle, Charles Tyler, is New York's Deputy Commissioner. Their wedding will take place at his grand home. Alas, everything goes haywire when the Tyler family's nanny is found murdered. Was it a kidnapping gone wrong, or a lovers' tiff? Charles Tyler has made enemies among the Italian mafia - could they have tried to kidnap the baby and the nanny got it the way? And what will happen to the wedding now?

READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!

#BookReview City of Flickering Light by Juliette Fay @GalleryBooks @FreshFiction

City of Flickering Light by Juliette Fay
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Juliette Fay—“one of the best authors of women’s fiction” (Library Journal)—transports us back to the Golden Age of Hollywood and the raucous Roaring Twenties, as three friends struggle to earn their places among the stars of the silent screen—perfect for fans of La La Land and Rules of Civility.

It’s July 1921, “flickers” are all the rage, and Irene Van Beck has just declared her own independence by jumping off a moving train to escape her fate in a traveling burlesque show. When her friends, fellow dancer Millie Martin and comedian Henry Weiss, leap after her, the trio finds their way to the bright lights of Hollywood with hopes of making it big in the burgeoning silent film industry.

At first glance, Hollywood in the 1920s is like no other place on earth—iridescent, scandalous, and utterly exhilarating—and the three friends yearn for a life they could only have dreamed of before. But despite the glamour and seduction of Tinseltown, success doesn’t come easy, and nothing can prepare Irene, Millie, and Henry for the poverty, temptation, and heartbreak that lie ahead. With their ambitions challenged by both the men above them and the prejudice surrounding them, their friendship is the only constant through desperate times, as each struggles to find their true calling in an uncertain world. What begins as a quest for fame and fortune soon becomes a collective search for love, acceptance, and fulfillment as they navigate the backlots and stage sets where the illusions of the silver screen are brought to life.

With her “trademark wit and grace” (Randy Susan Meyers, author of The Murderer’s Daughters), Juliette Fay crafts another radiant and fascinating historical novel as thrilling as the bygone era of Hollywood itself.

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Irene Van Beck has had enough of working for a traveling burlesque show. She has a plan, and together with fellow dancer Millie Martin, she is ready to start a new life. Tagging along with them is comedian Henry Weiss, and soon they are off to Hollywood on the next train. However, there it is one thing to dream about finding fame in Hollywood; it's a different thing in real life. Just finding a paying job is hard enough, but Irene, Millie, and Henry won't give up, and they have each other to rely on.

READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!

#BookReview Who Slays the Wicked by C.S. Harris @csharris2 @BerkleyPub @BerkleyMystery @FreshFiction

Who Slays the Wicked by C.S. Harris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The death of a fiendish nobleman strikes close to home as Sebastian St. Cyr is tasked with finding the killer to save his young cousin from persecution in this riveting new historical mystery from the USA Today bestselling author of Why Kill the Innocent....

When the handsome but dissolute young gentleman Lord Ashworth is found brutally murdered, Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, is called in by Bow Street magistrate Sir Henry Lovejoy to help catch the killer. Just seven months before, Sebastian had suspected Ashworth of aiding one of his longtime friends and companions in the kidnapping and murder of a string of vulnerable street children. But Sebastian was never able to prove Ashworth's complicity. Nor was he able to prevent his troubled, headstrong young niece Stephanie from entering into a disastrous marriage with the dangerous nobleman.

Stephanie has survived the difficult birth of twin sons. But Sebastian soon discovers that her marriage has quickly degenerated into a sham. Ashworth abandoned his pregnant bride at his father's Park Street mansion and has continued living an essentially bachelor existence. And mounting evidence--ranging from a small bloody handprint to a woman's silk stocking--suggests that Ashworth's killer was a woman. Sebastian is tasked with unraveling the shocking nest of secrets surrounding Ashworth's life to keep Stephanie from being punished for his death.

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Sebastian St. Cyr is not especially sad when Lord Ashworth is found brutally murdered. The man was a menace and Sebastian suspects that he was involved with the kidnapping and murder of Street Children. He just couldn't prove anything. And, he couldn't stop his niece Stephanie from marrying him. Stephanie has given birth to two healthy sons, but the marriage was far from a happy one. Ashworth pretty much just abandoned his wife at his father's mansion and continued to live as he did before he married. A lot of parties and women. And, he amounted a lot of enemies...

READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!

#BookReview The Island by Ragnar Jónasson @ragnarjo @MichaelJBooks

The Island by Ragnar Jónasson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Four friends visit the island.

But only three return . . .

Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir is sent to the isolated island of Elliðaey to investigate and soon finds haunting similarities with a previous case - a young woman found murdered ten years ago in the equally desolate Westfjords.

Is there a patient killer stalking these barren outposts?

As Hulda navigates a sinister game constructed of smoke and mirrors she is convinced that no one is telling the truth, including those closest to her.

But who will crack first? And what secrets is the island hiding?

Haunting, suspenseful and as chilling as an Icelandic winter, The Island follows one woman's journey to find the truth hidden in the darkest shadows, and shine a light on her own dark past.

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The Island is my introduction to Ragnar Jónasson books and I will definitely read more books by him. The book isn't especially thick, which was very nice for a change. Also, I felt that the size was perfect for the story. There was no need to fill it out with unnecessary dialogue or descriptions. The pacing is very good and I partly read and partly listened to the audiobook version (which I recommend). Storywise was the book interesting, especially since there aren't that many suspects in the case since there were only three people on the island. It's the connections to the case of the brutal murder of a girl ten years ago that makes this story extra interesting to read. Also, I love reading a book set in Iceland, need to read more books set in Iceland. Especially since I love books set on islands.

Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir is a great character and her family story is very tragic with the death of her husband and daughter years ago. In this book, is she trying to locate her father who she has never met since her mother never wanted to talk about him. I'm looking forward to reading the first book to find out more about Hulda. The island is a great thriller and I recommend the book warmly!

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!

#BookReview The Buried Girl by Richard Montanari @RRMontanari

The Buried Girl by Richard Montanari
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When New York psychologist Will Hardy's wife is killed, he and his teenage daughter Bernadette move into Godwin Hall, a dusty, shut-up mansion in the small town of Abbeville, Ohio.

Meanwhile, Abbeville Chief of Police Ivy Holgrave is investigating the death of a local girl, convinced this may only be the latest in a long line of murders dating back decades - including her own long-missing sister.

But what place does Will's new home have in the story of the missing girls? And what links the killings to the diary of a young woman written over a century earlier?

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My favorite kind of book is those that make me discover new authors. Like this one, The Buried Girl by Richard Montanari took me by surprise. I partly read and partly listened to the audio version and I had a blast. When I read did I forget to check how many percents I had read (The good and bad thing about ebooks). When I listened to the book did the job go so much better since I was so caught up in this story that I breezed through my job.

This is the kind of crime novel I love to read. I'm a big fan of cold cases and trust me these cases go back in time, a long way. And, they don't stop. Now it seems like Will and his daughter Detta, who has left NY for a brighter future, have gone from a bad situation to a worse one. The loss of Will's wife and Detta's mother weights heavily on their shoulders. A new start seems like a great idea. And Abbeville seems to be such a lovely place. Meanwhile, Ivy, third generation Ivy, is linking a new murder to old ones. For a long time has girls gone missing, and she is starting to see a pattern...

I loved Will, Detta, and Ivy so much that I hope that this is not a stand-alone. And, when you think about how it all ended does it feel like at least one more book could be written about Abbeville. The Buried Girl was so good that I went straight from this book to listening to The Echo Man by the author. Now I want to read everything he has written!

#BookReview Sleep by C.L. Taylor @callytaylor @AvonBooksUK

Sleep by C.L. Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

All Anna wants is to be able to sleep. But crushing insomnia, terrifying night terrors and memories of that terrible night are making it impossible. If only she didn’t feel so guilty…

To escape her past, Anna takes a job at a hotel on the remote Scottish island of Rum, but when seven guests join her, what started as a retreat from the world turns into a deadly nightmare.

Each of the guests have a secret but one of them is lying – about who they are and why they’re on the island. There’s a murderer staying in the Bay View hotel. And they’ve set their sights on Anna.

Seven strangers. Seven secrets. One deadly lie.

Someone’s going to sleep and never wake up…

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The Escape was the very first book I read by C.L. Taylor and I found it OK. This one, however, is really, really good! I'm a big fan of audiobooks, especially thrillers and I decided to listen to this one instead of reading it and oh boy that was a good move! Sleep is the kind of book that draws in the reader's right from the start and then you just can't stop reading (or listening).

Sleep is the kind of thriller with lots of suspects, plenty of red herrings and a great pace! Is someone after Anna? If so who? Being trapped in a remote hotel in Scotland with a bunch of strangers is not that fun when someone seems to be after you. Who can Anna trust when they are all strangers? And, then the first body is found...

Sleep is an excellent thriller by C.L. Taylor and now I can't wait to read (listen) to rest of the author's books! And, I'm in luck she's has written plenty of books!

#BookReview The Road to Grantchester by James Runcie @james_runcie @BloomsburyBooks

The Road to Grantchester by James Runcie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The captivating prequel to the treasured Grantchester series follows the life, loves, and losses of young Sidney Chambers in postwar London.

It is 1938, and eighteen-year-old Sidney Chambers is dancing the quickstep with Amanda Kendall at her brother Robert's birthday party at the Caledonian Club. No one can believe, on this golden evening, that there could ever be another war.

Returning to London seven years later, Sidney has gained a Military Cross and lost his best friend on the battlefields of Italy. The carefree youth that he and his friends were promised has been blown apart, just like the rest of the world--and Sidney, carrying a terrible, secret guilt, must decide what to do with the rest of his life. But he has heard a call: constant, though quiet, and growing ever more persistent. To the incredulity of his family and the derision of his friends--the irrepressible actor Freddie and the beautiful, vivacious Amanda--Sidney must now negotiate his path to God: the course of which, much like true love, never runs smooth.

The Road to Grantchester will delight new and old fans alike and finally tell the touching, engaging, and surprising origin story of the Grantchester Mysteries' beloved archdeacon.

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I thought with Sidney Chambers and the Persistence of Love did the series end, However, James Runcie decided to go back in time and write about Sidney Chambers life before the stories in the first Grantchester book. And, what a treat this book was. To get to know a young Sidney, his experiences in the war, his call to be a priest, how he discovered his love for jazz. And, of course, his friendship with Amanda. I quite enjoyed this part of the story, Amanda being the little sister of his best friend and how she become such an important person in his life.

It's such a fabulous novel. I listened to the audio version of this book and I enjoyed the book immensely. This is not in any way a crime novel, like how Sidney helps Geordie Keating in the rest of the books. There is death in this book, but it's not a mystery novel. It's a novel about how Sidney Chambers become the man we met in the Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death. If you are a fan of this series, or the TV series is this a must read book!

#BookReview Freefall by Jessica Barry @vintagebooks

Freefall by Jessica Barry
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Surviving the plane crash is only the beginning for Allison.

The life that she’s built for herself – her perfect fiancé, their world of luxury – has disappeared in the blink of an eye. Now she must run, not only to escape the dark secrets in her past, but to outwit the man who is stalking her every move.

On the other side of the country, Allison’s mother is desperate for news of her daughter, who is missing, presumed dead. Maggie refuses to accept that she could have lost her only child and sets out to discover the truth.

Mother and daughter must fight – for survival and to find their way through a dark web of lies and back to one another, before it’s too late…

Heart-stopping and addictive, FREEFALL is a stunning thriller that explores the deep and complex bond between mothers and daughters.

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I have an eARC of the book, but I listened to the audio version (mostly at work) since I love listening to thrillers.

As a thriller did I find the book lacking the extra punch to really make me love the story. Then again, I do read (and listen) to A LOT of thrillers so sometimes it feels like most books nowadays are kind of middle ground books for me. In other words, it's hard to surprise me. However, I did find this book enjoyable. I liked how you got to know more about Allison through flashbacks, why she is estranged from her mother and how she ended up on the plan. I also quite enjoyed her mother's hunt for the truth about what happened to her daughter. What I found a bit of a let down was the ending. Was I surprised? Not at all, it felt like a bit of a cliche, to be honest. 

So, I would say that this book will appeal to those that can really take to the story, who doesn't feel the plot to be a bit predictable. The writing is good and the narrator did a great job. The story was definitely OK. Would I read more from the author? Yes, I would. I found the book held my interested straight through and if the story had just been a bit more twisty would it have been fabulous.

#BookReview Gimme Some Sugar by Molly Harper @mollyharperauth @GalleryBooks @FreshFiction

Gimme Some Sugar by Molly Harper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A young widow returns to Lake Sackett, Georgia to face the ghosts of her past—and decide if she’s ready to take another chance on love—in the third sparkling Southern Eclectic novel that “goes down as easy as honey on a deep-fried Twinkie” (Library Journal, on Sweet Tea and Sympathy).

Lucy Brewer would never have guessed that her best friend, Duffy McCready (of McCready’s Bait Shop & Funeral Home) has been in love with her since they were kids. Fear of rejection and his own romantic complications prevented Duffy from confessing his true feelings in high school, so he stood by and watched her wed Wayne Bowman right after high school. Wayne had always been a cheapskate, so it comes as no surprise when he suffers a fatal accident while fixing his own truck.

Even as her family and friends invade Lucy’s life and insist that the new widow is too fragile to do much beyond weeping, Lucy is ashamed to admit that life without Wayne is easier, less complicated. After all, no one knew what a relentless, soul-grinding trudge marriage to Wayne had been. Only Duffy can tell she’s hiding something.

In need of a fresh start, Lucy asks Duffy to put his cabinet-building skills to use, transforming the town's meat shop into a bake shop. As the bakery takes shape, Lucy and Duffy discover the spark that pulled them together so many years ago. Could this finally be the second chance he’s always hoped for?

Once again Molly Harper “writes characters you can’t help but fall in love with” (RT Book Reviews) in this charming and entertaining love story.

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Lucy Brewer is a young woman who returns home to Lake Sackett, Georgia after the death of her husband. She has decided to raise her young son in her hometown and transform the local meat shop into a bakery. Her best friend since childhood, Duffy McCready, is now divorced from his harpy of a wife. But what Lucy doesn't know if Duffy has been secretly in love with her for years... Could this return mean a second chance for Lucy?

READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!

#BookReview Oracle's War by David Hair & Cath Mayo @DHairauthor @canelo_co

Oracle's War by David Hair
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Gods and mortals collide in the thrilling second instalment in the historical Greek fantasy the Olympus Series.

When Prince Odysseus is sent on a quest to recover his family honour, he’s led to Delos where a mysterious new prophecy has captivated the gods. Caught in a tangled web of intrigue, he discovers that this prophecy is tied to his own destiny and the fate of his patron goddess, Athena.

With the future of his people hanging by a thread, Odysseus, the daemon Bria, the hero Diomedes and a small band of loyal Ithacans, must unveil the truth before it’s too late. But opposing them is Tiresias, the greatest seer of the age, who will do anything to burn his own vision onto the face of history.

Caught between the prophecy, the gods and his mortal enemies, Odysseus must start a war: one that may be impossible to win…

Oracle’s War, second in the epic Olympus Series, is perfect for fans of David Gemmell and Madeline Miller.

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I while ago did I buddy read with Erin over at HISTORICAL FICTIONAL READER the first book in this series, Athena's Champion. So, it was only natural that we buddy read this one as well. You can read Erin's review here!

First I want to say that this book definitely works best if you have read the first book. The story in this book pretty much picks up right after the first book ended. And, one of the reasons I liked this book better than the first, is the fact that the characters have now been introduced and established in the first book. So, new readers may feel a bit lost. Secondly, I just want to say that I love this retelling of Odysseus life. Odysseus has always been a favorite of mine and I adore David Hair & Cath Mayo take on his life.

In Oracle's War is Odysseus younger sister preparing to get married to the man she loves, but a cruel act against her and her fiance change everything. To find out the truth must Odysseus travel to Delos where a new prophecy is causing turmoil. But, Odysseus enemy in this book is the great seer Tiresias who will not let anyone or any prophecy stop his plan.

I really liked the first book, but I found the story in this book to be even more captivating. Also, I was very happy to finally be introduced to a character that will play a very important role later on in Odysseus life. I will not spoil anything, so you just have to read the book to find out for yourself. It's a great book and I'm looking forward to next!  

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!

#BookReview The Unquiet Heart by Kaite Welsh @kaitewelsh @Pegasus_Books @FreshFiction

The Unquiet Heart: A Sarah Gilchrist Mystery by Kaite Welsh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Edinburgh, 1893.

Sarah Gilchrist has no intention of marrying her dull fiancé Miles, the man her family hope will restore her reputation and put an end to her dreams of becoming a doctor, but when he is arrested for a murder she is sure he didn’t commit, she finds herself his reluctant ally.

Beneath the genteel façade of upper class Edinburgh lurks blackmail, adultery, poison, and madness, and Sarah must return to Edinburgh’s slums, back alleys, and asylums as she discovers the dark past about a family where no one is what they seem, even Miles himself.

It also brings her back into the orbit of her mercurial professor, Gregory Merchiston—he sees Sarah as his protege, but can he stave off his demons long enough to teach her the skills that will save her life?

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We were introduced to Sarah Gilchrist in THE WAGES OF SINS and her plight continues in THE UNQUIET HEART. Sarah has always dreamed of becoming a doctor. However, because it's 1893, it is the general opinion that women should not strive to be something other than wives and mothers. And she has paid dearly for her dreams. Now, she may have to marry a man she doesn't love because her family demands it. But, then a housemaid in her fiance's house is murdered and she wants to know if Miles had anything to do with it.

READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!

#BookReview The Homecoming by Andrew Pyper @SimonBooks @FreshFiction

The Homecoming by Andrew Pyper
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

What if everything you knew about the people you loved was a lie?

After the death of their absentee father, Aaron and Bridge Quinlan travel to a vast rainforest property in the Pacific Northwest to hear the reading of his will. There, they meet up with their mother and troubled sister, Franny, and are shocked to discover the will’s terms: in order to claim their inheritance they must remain at the estate for thirty days without any contact with the outside world. Despite their concerns, they agree.

The Quinlans soon come to learn their family has more secrets than they ever imagined—revelations that at first inspire curiosity, then fear. Why does Bridge have faint memories of the estate? Why did their father want them to be sequestered there together? And what is out there they feel pulling them into the dark heart of the woods?

The Homecoming is at once a gripping mystery, a chilling exploration of how our memories can both define and betray us, and a riveting page-turner that will have you questioning your very existence.

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Aaron and Bridge Quinlan's father has died and they are now traveling to meet their mother and sister Franny at a huge property in the Pacific Northwest to participate in the reading of his will. All of them are confused when they learn that to claim their inheritance, they have to stay on the property for thirty days without any contact with the outside world. They find this strange, but ultimately they agree to this. However, they will soon learn that the family has a lot of secrets...

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#BookReview The Night Visitors by Carol Goodman @C_Goodmania @WmMorrowBooks @FreshFiction

The Night Visitors by Carol Goodman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The latest thriller from the internationally bestselling author of The Lake of Dead Languages and The Other Mother, a story of mistaken identities and missed chances, forgiveness, and vengeance.

ALICE gets off a bus in the middle of a snowstorm in Delphi, NY. She is fleeing an abusive relationship and desperate to protect...

OREN, ten years old, a major Star Wars fan and wise beyond his years. Though Alice is wary, Oren bonds nearly instantly with...

MATTIE, a social worker in her fifties who lives in an enormous run-down house in the middle of the woods. Mattie lives alone and is always available, and so she is the person the hotline always calls when they need a late-night pickup. And although according to protocol Mattie should take Alice and Oren to a local shelter, instead she brings them home for the night. She has plenty of room, she says. What she doesn't say is that Oren reminds her of her little brother, who died thirty years ago at the age of ten.

But Mattie isn't the only one withholding elements of the truth. Alice is keeping her own secrets. And as the snowstorm worsens around them, each woman's past will prove itself unburied, stirring up threats both within and without.

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Alice has taken young Oren and fled an abusive relationship. They arrive in Delphi, NY in the middle of a snowstorm and are taken in by Mattie, a social worker. Mattie breaks all her rules when she brings them home to her instead of a local shelter. But the bad weather makes easier to bring them home. She has the space for them, and Oren reminds Mattie of her brother who died over thirty years ago...

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