Day: February 27, 2019

Posted in Book Review, International Thriller, Political Thriller

To The Lions- Holly Watt – 3*#Review @BloomsburyRaven @Holly_Watt

Posted on by jolliffe01

A journalist must follow the clues, no matter how far that takes her.

Casey Benedict, star reporter at the Post, has infiltrated the lives and exposed the lies of countless politicians and power players. Using her network of contacts, Casey is always on the search for the next big story, no matter how much danger this might place her in, no matter what cost emotionally. 

Tipped off by an overheard conversation at an exclusive London nightclub, she begins to investigate the apparent suicide of a wealthy young British man, whose death has left his fiancée and family devastated. 

Casey’s hunt for the truth will take her from the glitz of St Tropez to the deserts of Libya and on to the very darkest corners of the human mind

Amazon UK

I received a copy of this book from Bloomsbury Publishing -Raven Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

My Thoughts…

A young investigative journalist follows a lead that suggests some unscrupulous rich people are hunting the forgotten humans – refugees, for kicks. The trail leads Casey and her fellow journalist Miranda to North Africa, to discover the truth.

This is a high octane, political thriller full of action and violence. The investigative journalist aspect of the story is realistic. The events Casey uncovers are disturbing.

The writing style is factual. The first part of the book is hard to read, but the second half is more dynamic and faster paced.

This story authentically explores the human cost of this tragedy and poses the journalist with believable moral dilemmas.

Posted in Book Review, Family Drama, Literary Humour

The Age of Misadventure – 3* #Review – Judy Leigh @AvonBooksUK @JudyLeighWriter

Posted on by jolliffe01

55-year-old Georgie Turner doesn’t need a new man. Her daughter, aunt and sister are the most important people in her life (and the most infuriating). But it seems the older they get, the further apart they drift.

Georgie’s never been a fan of her sister Bonnie’s husband, so when she learns her brother-in-law has been up to no good, Georgie sees an opportunity to bring the women of her family back together. Along with her 21-year-old daughter and 80-year-old aunt, she packs Bonnie into the back of her car and they leave Liverpool to hide out on the coast of Sussex. With the help of some sun, sea and bottle or two of prosecco, this will be an adventure they’ll never forget.

But could the right man find Georgie while she’s stopping the wrong man finding her sister?

Amazon UK

I received a copy of this book from Avon Books UK via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

My Thoughts…

After reading ‘A Grand Old Time‘, I was looking forward to reading ‘The Age of Misadventure’. but whilst the story follows a multi-generational family’s adventures, it lacks the laugh out loud and charm of the first book.

Georgie at fifty-five is divorced, running her own business. She doesn’t have the time nor the inclination for a man in her life trying to keep her family on track. Consisting of a petulant daughter in her early twenties, Jade, her aunt, known by the family as Nan, and her sister Bonnie whose feckless husband, Georgie has never liked, she finds they are drifting apart. When her brother-in-law’s actions threaten the family’s safety, Georgie takes them away from home to hide on the south coast.

I like Georgie, she is relatable, as are her family problems. The other characters are harder to empathise, Jade’s behaviour is immature and reminiscent of a teenager. Nan seems a little stereotypical for a woman in her eighties. She’s portrayed as absent-minded, stroppy and always complaining and this seems at odds with the story’s ethos of having fun and age being unimportant. Bonnie, should be the most complex of the characters, but she lacks authenticity.

There are laughable moments and lots of action, but the pace is slow in parts.

Overall, a lighthearted read, for those who enjoy satirical humour.