Sophie's Throughway - A Netgalley Review

Sophie's Throughway

by Julie Smith

Sophie's Throughway follows the main character, Sophie, from the day she receives her son's ASD/PDA diagnosis through the ups and downs that follow such an event. Plenty of humour and wit make this book an enjoyable read. It will particularly appeal to those of us with young adults on the spectrum, as we can readily relate to some of the situations and decisions Sophie faces in her life. 
The book seemed somewhat "unfinished" to me. A lot of sidelines opened and were followed for a bit, leaving quite a few scenarios unfinished and almost forgotten. Part chicklit, part romance... I am not entirely sure which genre this book is supposed to fit into. 
The author created likeable characters, started off on interesting plot lines, but then they all seem to lead to dead or open ends. As this is quite a short book, it is hard to give specific examples without disclosing spoilers. 
When I came to the end of the book, I literally checked if there were more pages or I had a faulty download as it is so abrupt. 
Apart from those points though, this is an enjoyable, funny and witty quick read. Thank you to netgalley, the author and Troubador Publishing Ltd for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Missing Hours - A Netgalley Review

The missing hours

by Emma Kavanagh

I would like to  thank Netgalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone and the author for the opportunity to read and review The Missing Hours by Emma Kavanagh.

Selena Cole, a young mother of two and recently widowed woman, vanishes and a successful young lawyer is murdered. Leah and Finn, a brother and sister police duo, are called in to solve these two, seemingly unconnected, cases. 

This was a fascinating read, packed with very well developed characters, detailed locations and gripping insight into the secretive world of Kidnapping for Ransom; the reader is taken on a journey unlike any other. The story is told from different perspectives, in different voices. "Case files" give a glimpse into a world that I previously did not even know existed. The story weaves together, unexpected connections and disconnections keep the reader guessing right through to the end.

In The Missing Hours, Emma Kavanagh has created a crime thriller unlike any others I have read. The K&R background, coupled with the more familiar underworld of drugs and murder, give this book an edge over other new releases. It is rare to find a book that deals with something entirely new, but this book does just that. 

A solid 5* read for The Missing Hours. 

The Alpha Drive - Netgalley Review

The Alpha Drive

by Kristen Martin

The reader is taken to the year 2055, where half the world's population is living in an alternative reality, Dormance. Emery and her friends are experiencing life in Dormance and it is not until Emery leaves for boarding school that Torin, a young hacker on the outside, makes contact with her and both work together to wake up the world.

The concept and idea for the basis of the book are brilliant and novel. However, the author fails to build the characters and the world they live in. The reader is pretty much taken straight to the action and into the (often very intense and strange) friendships and relationships. You are not entirely sure which side is playing which and I am honestly still not 100% certain why or how "dormance" came about. The story touches on several obviously important things and then fails to explain this importance and relevance. I am hoping that the sequel will reveal more, not only about the characters themselves but also about the world they live in and how these items are connected. There is definitely huge potential here to build on this and to expand and get readers drawn in, but more details are needed.

Thank you to netgalley and the author for providing an ARC in exchange for honest feedback.

Ten Days - A Netgalley Review

Ten Days

by Gillian Slovo

In "Ten Days", Gillian Slovo takes the reader on a time-line to chaos. How does one death plunge a nation into violence and disobedience? A London in the not so distant future is the background for this chilling read. From the drudge of a local council estate to the fancy lifestyle of the British Politicians, the reader is taken along on an insightful journey of how a quest for answers from those at the top can lead to civil unrest. 
Anybody who witnessed the 2011 riots on Britain's streets, will recognize the scenes described, in brilliant detail, by the author. The fascinating thing about this book is that the author seems to answer the most burning questions anybody had at the time: How could this happen? Why did this happen? 
At times it was difficult to remember that this was a piece of fiction as Gillian Slovo does such a good job of transporting us back to the news headlines, the constant media loops we were all glued to, the vivid descriptions of the scenes the main characters were facing.
We follow the unfolding of the events from several different aspects, a resident on the council estate of where it all starts, a police officer and the new commissioner of the MET, the home secretary and the prime minister. 
The author manages to address a number of society's problems and ties these firmly into the foundations of the book's objective. 

The Dog, Ray - Netgalley Review

The Dog, Ray

by Linda Coggin

This is a lovely, gentle book for younger readers aged 10+. Even though this is a book for children, I thoroughly enjoyed the story, the character developments and the relationships that evolve. This book is about love, relationships, life... and death and life AFTER death. 

Daisy is killed in a car accident, she finds herself being reborn as a puppy. A mix up at the "job centre" means that her memories remain. Narrated from Daisy's viewpoint as a puppy and dog, this is a heart-warming tale of hope, love and friendship.

The Red Notebook - Netgalley Review

The Red Notebook

by Antoine Lorrain

Antoine Laurain has created a perfect miniature with this book. At 160 pages short, this little book is an amazingly detailed and heart warming piece of literature.
When Laurent finds an abandoned handbag, he is compelled to find it's owner. All he has to go by is the contents of the bag, a red notebook, a set of keys, perfume and all the other delightful little trinkets us women like to carry in our bags. 
Despite this being a very short book, the author manages to set the scenes and backdrops perfectly, all characters you meet are well thought through and the story flows nicely from start to finish. The characters are all likeable and charming, the description of the locations transport you to Paris and the many idyllic little places in this most charming city of all. 
This is a gentle, romantic, Parisienne tale.