Month: July 2020

Book Review · Books

The Hidden Beach by Karen Swan [BOOK REVIEW]

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The Hidden Beach by Karen Swan Book Review readalong books blog blogging pan macmillan tandem tandemcollective romance thriller

★★★★★

I had the most amazing opportunity this month! Thanks to the team at Tandem Collective UK, I participated in a #Readalong on Instagram for The Hidden Beach by Karen Swan. The book is published by the amazing team at Pan Macmillan.

And I can immediately say – this experience was, so far, the highlight of my reading year! 

Together with a number of amazing bookstagrammers, we read this book in 5 days, chatting about the plot twists and the ending. By the end of the second day, we were all in love with Karen Swan’s writing and decided to do another readalong for August. I also had the chance to participate in a Live Q&A session with Karen Swan herself and win a prize for being a runner-up to the quiz. And on top of everything, I visited my mum on the weekend, and we talked about books we’re reading. And to my surprise, she owns FOUR books of Karen Swan already! So we decided to swap some books, and I came home with four more books I want to read!

We will be reading The Greek Escape by Karen Swan in August – so please shout if you have this book and want to join us! 

I shared my readalong journey on my Instagram, and the highlights are still up, in case you want to have a look at my journey! I always share posts and stories of the books I am currently reading – so don’t forget to follow for more updates. 

Synopsis:

In the oldest part of Stockholm, Bell Everhurst is working as a nanny for an affluent family. Hanna and Max Von Greyerz are parents to 7 year-old Linus, and 5-year old twins Ellinor and Tilde, and Bell has been with the family for over two years.

One early Spring morning, as she’s rushing out to take the children to school, she answers the phone – and everything changes. A woman from a clinic she’s never heard of asks her to pass on the message that Hanna’s husband is awake.Bell is confused. She clearly just saw Max walking out of the house a few minutes earlier, but the woman mentioned Hanna by name…

When she gets hold of her employer, the truth is revealed: Hanna’s first husband fell into a coma seven years earlier, following a terrible accident. He has been in a Persistent Minimally Conscious State since and there was very little hope of further improvement. But now he’s awake. And life is going to change for them all.

My Thoughts:

I absolutely adored this book! I loved it so much, that I am unsure how to contain all my impressions in a well-written review. 

Let’s start with the setting.

It is set in Stockholm, on the coast, during summer. The descriptions about the place and the season really fit the mood. There is also a midsummer festival in the book which made me feel as if I was transported there, dancing with people from the town and enjoying the sunshine. 

The characters have that aura about them, that makes you want to know them. Or they happen to remind you of someone you know, but you can’t just recall where you know them from. They are so familiar, but distant at the same time. Each of them carrying their weight on their shoulders and each of them having their separate story. 

We meet Bell – the nanny, who has her own reasons of why she decides to become a nanny and stay in Stockholm longer than she needed to. Her love for the children, especially for Linus is so adorable, and I can understand why she is so protective of him. 

I felt for Linus.

The trauma he is going through in this book is heartbreaking, he’s introduced to his real father, but he doesn’t remember him. The way some situations are handled also doesn’t do him any favours and just contributes to his confusion and anger, and I completely understand him. It is a very difficult situation to be in. 

The most intriguing character in this book is definitely the husband that was in coma. Losing seven years of your life is devastating. One day – you have everything, and then you wake up to find out that your wife is with another person, happy, and has more children of her own with another man. And all you want to do is bring them back. Just like it was. Like time never passed. But time did pass. And people continued living… 

Very emotional read.

I had all emotions flowing in me at certain moments. Sometimes I had conflicted opinions about some decisions the characters made. I had suspicions, hopes and anticipated a lot. And I loved it. It ended on a very (for me) satisfying ending, and I got the result I was hoping to get. 

I definitely recommend you pick up this book straight ahead – it’s simply amazing! The perfect summer read with thriller elements, plot twists like you’ve never seen before and a subtle touch of romance.

Purchase Links:
| Amazon UK |Amazon US |

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Blog Tour · Book Review · Books

Sisters by Michelle Frances [BLOG TOUR]

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Sisters by Michelle Frances BLOG TOUR Pan Macmillan book review mystery thriller suspense

★★★★

I am extremely happy and excited to be part of the blog tour for Sisters by Michelle Frances. Thank you to the team at Pan Macmillan – for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. Check out the other book bloggers that are part of the tour as well: 

Sisters by Michelle Frances BLOG TOUR Pan Macmillan book review mystery thriller suspense

Synopsis:

Is blood really thicker than water?

Abby and Ellie were never close as children. Now in their thirties, they each harbour deep-rooted resentment for the other – Abby for her sister’s looks and her status as their mother’s favourite. Ellie meanwhile is envious of Abby’s perfect husband and picturesque home, a villa on the sun-soaked Italian island of Elba.

When Abby invites Ellie to stay, both sisters see the break as a chance to relax and put aside their differences. But with their mother Susanna there too, all the simmering tensions of the past quickly rise to the surface. And Ellie suspects that Abby and their mother are keeping a dangerous secret . . .

But after a shocking act, the sisters have only each other to rely on. Vulnerable and scared, trusting each other will be the biggest risk of all . . .

My Thoughts:

Sisters by Michelle Frances was a very enjoyable and exciting ride for me. Not having read her previous books, I started reading without any expectations, hoping to enjoy the story for what it was. Two sisters – trying to improve their relationship, hopefully without their mother interfering. 

What I got instead, was so much more! The suspense keeps building up from the very first chapter. The tension between the sisters is really awkward. The relationships between the mother and both daughters is very different and very concerning. 

And then everything changes. 

We have a surprising plot twists, and from that moment on, we are on a wild adventure. Old secrets will start coming up, things people thought were forgotten in the past. I did not know, and couldn’t guess who the real villain is until the very end, and that was quite enjoyable for me! Everyone will tell you stories, everyone will say their own point of view. To you, everyone will seem like a villain and a victim at the same time, and this uncertainty will make you keep turning pages until you find out. Until the end. 

I am glad I read Sisters by Michelle Frances. Another amazing suspense now added to my list. I highly recommend it to mystery, thriller and suspense fans, especially the ones that enjoy family drama. 

Purchase Links:
| Amazon UK |Amazon US |

Social Media:
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Blog Tour · Book Review · Books

Eleven Lines to Somewhere by [BLOG TOUR]

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Eleven Lines to Somewhere by Alyson Rudd Blog Tour HQ Stories Book Review The First Time Lauren Pailing Died

★★★★

I am extremely happy and excited to be part of the blog tour for Eleven Lines to Somewhere by Alyson Rudd. Thank you to the team at HQ – for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. Check out the other book bloggers that are part of the tour as well: 

Eleven Lines to Somewhere by Alyson Rudd Blog Tour HQ Stories Book Review The First Time Lauren Pailing Died

Synopsis:

Everyone is searching for love. Sometimes we just take our own route to find it.

Ryan sees a young woman on the tube on his way to work, and he can’t stop looking at her. Attracted and intrigued, he’s set to find out more about this mysterious passenger that shares the tube with him. 

Sylvie keeps travelling the underground, unable to leave for reasons unknown to Ryan. He hasn’t been dating for ten years, when he was at university and the love of his life died.

But for some reason, he feels he needs to help Sylvie. In a world of missed opportunities and what-ifs, a connection has been made.

My Thoughts:

This is the second book I have read by Alyson Rudd, with the first one being The First Time Lauren Pailing Died. That book intrigued me, and when I saw Eleven Lines to Somewhere being published – I had to know and compare them. 

At the beginning, I was intrigued, knowing what the synopsis is. We meet Ryan and Sylvie (separately), and we get a small glimpse into their lives. In the beginning, Ryan’s story with his family and friends is more talked about. I liked getting to know Ryan, very slowly throughout the first half of the book. He is a very intriguing character himself, going through a personal time, as well as making very controversial decisions to get to know Sylvie better. 

I liked Sylvie’s story and her connection to the underground. It was very intriguing to me to read and understand how some moments in life can let us become something that we can’t help but be. That a certain experience can cause such a need for Sylvie to action. I loved the psychological aspect of her characterisation, and how the trauma was handled. 

Once Ryan and Sylvie got to know each other, the pace of the book changed, I felt. The pace was very slow, but the scenes moved very quickly in time.

Even though I loved Ryan and Sylvie as separate characters, I couldn’t love them as a couple.

I felt that there was chemistry and romance missing, and somehow their connection to each other was based on the need to help the other one with their own trauma. For me, that being a single reason to love someone makes me think a person is in such a relationship to only feel better about themselves. Look – I helped someone, I am a better person now. But that’s just my humble opinion. 

There were a lot of side characters that had their own storylines – which I really enjoyed. A lot of drama and twists happened with them, which was quite enjoyable to read. Some characters in the end were thrown into the story abruptly, almost as if for convenience to the story line. But it worked well in the end.

I really enjoyed this story. Still a 4 star, but I enjoyed it more than The First Time Lauren Pailing Died. If you love contemporary books with a lot of characters, this will be a very good pick for you!

Purchase Links:
| Amazon UK |Amazon US |

Social Media:
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Blog Tour · Book Review · Books

Precious You by Helen Monks Takhar [BLOG TOUR]

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Precious You by Helen Monks Takhar Blog Tour HQ book review books blog blogging diaryofdifference diary of difference

★★★★

I am extremely happy and excited to be part of the blog tour for Precious You by Helen Monks Takhar. Thank you to the team at HQ – for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. Check out the other book bloggers that are part of the tour as well: 

Precious You by Helen Monks Takhar Blog Tour HQ book review books blog blogging diaryofdifference diary of difference

Synopsis:

When Lily is hired as the new intern at Leadership magazine, where Katherine is editor-in-chief, her arrival threatens the very foundations of the self-serving little world that Katherine has built. But before long, she finds herself obsessively drawn to Lily, who seems to be a cruel reminder of the beauty and potential Katherine once had, things she senses Lily plans to use against her.

Is Katherine simply paranoid, jealous of Lily’s youth as she struggles with encroaching middle age? Is Lily just trying to get ahead in the cutthroat world of publishing? Or is there a more sinister motivation at play, fueled by the dark secrets they’re both hiding? As their rivalry deepens, a disturbing picture emerges of two women pitted against each other across a toxic generational divide–and who are desperate enough to do anything to come out on top.

My Thoughts:

Wow – what an experience this book was. I haven’t read a book this fucked-up (in the best possible way) since I read Anonymous Girl and The Silent Patient. Just wow. 

Okay, now that I have gathered my thoughts, let’s begin this review properly. 

Precious You is a very exciting book, looking from a psychological aspect. We witness the battle between a “Snowflake” and a Generation-X. The battle of two women; one trying to conquer the world, the other one trying to stay relevant. 

Both Katherine and Lily were very realistic characters. Both with opposing opinions on the world. And both with two completely different goals. Both fighting over power in every possible field that they share in common. But what I love the most is that I was able to understand both points of view. I found myself feeling for both of them, even though sometimes I couldn’t in my right mind understand their choices and their actions. 

But they both spoke to me.

Each in their different way, for a different thing. And this is something I haven’t encountered in a long time. To be able to connect with both the victim and the villain. Despite us not knowing which is which until the very end of the book.

The other aspect I loved was the cat and mouse game they were playing. I haven’t seen a book so upsetting and twisted in a very long time. And I really loved it. Some things those women did are properly twisted. Really fucked-up. But I enjoyed reading it. It took me to another world, another reality where dark and twisted was the new normal.  

It was interesting to witness such a vivid battle between two generations. The fear of new young people invading people’s space. The fight to get to the top, because of the people that have been at your workplace longer and have more knowledge. The wicked ways of how HR handled their issues. How your interns and your team can quickly turn on you if you stop delivering. It was interesting to read how the magazine worked as a company. I think the author did a great job at describing how one reality works.

I definitely recommend it – it is fast paced and very dark and twisty. If you love psychological thrillers, this one will be the right book for you!

Purchase Links:
| Amazon UK |Amazon US |

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Blog Tour · Book Review · Books

Mayhem by Estelle Laure [BLOG TOUR & EXCLUSIVE CHAPTER EXCERPT]

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Mayhem by Estelle Laure St Martins Wednesday Books blog tour book review excerpt fantasy california blog blogger blogging diary of difference diary of difference

★★★★

I am so happy to have the opportunity to be part of the blog tour for Mayhem by Estelle Laure. Thank you to the team at Wednesday Books, for sending me an e-copy in exchange for an honest review. 

CLICK HERE for an exclusive chapter extract of Mayhem!

Mayhem by Estelle Laure St Martins Wednesday Books blog tour book review excerpt fantasy california blog blogger blogging diary of difference diary of difference

About The Author:

Twitter | Instagram 

Estelle Laure, the author of This Raging Light and But Then I Came Back believes in love, magic, and the power of facing hard truths. She has a BA in Theatre Arts and an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults, and she lives in Taos, New Mexico, with her family. Her work is translated widely around the world.

Mayhem by Estelle Laure St Martins Wednesday Books blog tour book review excerpt fantasy california blog blogger blogging diary of difference diary of difference

Synopsis:

It’s 1987 and Mayhem Brayburn has always known something’s off about her and her mum, Roxy. Roxy is in constant physical pain, and Mayhem has an irresistible pull to water. She knows they aren’t like the other people. 

When one day, Mayhem’s stepfather goes one step too far, her and Roxy escape to Santa Maria, California, the beach town that holds the answers to all of Mayhem’s questions about who her mother is. There, she meets the kids who live with her aunt, and she opens the door to the magic that runs through the female lineage of the Brayburn family. The very magic Mayhem is next in line to inherit and which will change her life for good. 

But when she is on a mission to search for a man that has been kidnapping girls from the beach, her life takes another dangerous turn and she needs to pay the price of vigilante justice and to ask herself whether revenge is worth the cost.

My Thoughts:

Mayhem by Estelle Laure is one of a kind. Entwined with mystery, magic with family heritage and revenge, this book is full of emotions. 

The beginning of the book, although powerful, is very slow. It took me a little while to get into it, but as soon as I was hooked, it stayed amazing. 

Mayhem is an interesting character. She holds a lot of emotions inside of her, all from past experiences that have shaped her character. Sad to say that most of her experiences were not good, and she holds the burden for it all. I can imagine how hard it must be to write a character as complicated as Mayhem, and I think Estelle Laure did and amazing job doing it. 

I loved the kids as well – each of them different in their own way, battling their own demons and living through their bad experiences in the past. Some of these characters drastically change over the course of the book, which was unbelievable to me.

The magic aspect of this book was interesting, and for me, original. I have seen many reviews mentioning that this might not be true, and it is a very similar story to The Lost Boys. Since I haven’t watched The Lost Boys, I am unable to comment on this part. Personally, I really enjoyed the magic concept with the water, the dependency on it and the family heritage part too. 

If you are searching for a YA fantasy thriller, with rich characters and mysterious adventures, I think you will definitely enjoy this book. 

Trigger warnings: rape, assault, murder, drug addiction, magic addiction. 

Purchase Links:
Wednesday Books | Amazon UK |Amazon US |

Social Media:
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