Category Archives: Erin kelly

He Said She Said by Erin Kelly #BookReview

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Book description

Who do you believe?

In the hushed aftermath of a total eclipse, Laura witnesses a brutal attack.

She and her boyfriend Kit call the police, and in that moment, it is not only the victim’s life that is changed forever.

Fifteen years on, Laura and Kit live in fear.

And while Laura knows she was right to speak out, the events that follow have taught her that you can never see the whole picture: something – and someone – is always in the dark

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When I first started reading He Said She Said by Erin Kelly I was surprised that this book had so many five stars and rave reviews , I found it to be a slow starter and the constant changing between narrator and time lines took a while to get used to, but around the 120 page mark everything clicked into place and this turned from a mediocre read into a book that actually made for an intriguing read.

At the centre of the plot are four characters whose live’s become entangled after a chance meeting during an eclipse, the story is told from two perspectives, Kit and Laura’s. After witnessing a brutal attack during an eclipse, the couple do what anyone would do if they found themselves in a similar predicament and call the police, but little do they realise life will never quite be quite the same for them again. As events unfold it soon becomes apparent that nothing is quite as it seems, the characters credibility plays a major factor in this tale, and the reader is led a merry dance to get to the truth.

I’m sure at this point I’m going to get some shocked gasps but here we go, although I enjoyed He Said She Said I did have some issues with this book. At times the plot felt drawn out and there were chapters that didn’t necessarily add anything to the read, but actually distracted from the story, if I’m honest I actually found the whole eclipse thing a bit tedious after a while, although in the authors defence I can see why it was included in relation to the plot, it just didn’t work for me.

On the positive side come the last half of He Said She Said I was pleasantly surprised at how crafty Erin Kelly had been, I don’t want to give anything away that might spoil the read for others, but suffice to say the conclusion to this book absolutely threw me, as did the surprises along the way. If I were to sum this book up I would say it’s got a great premise, a brilliant second half, but I’m afraid this one struggled to keep my attention. I definitely think I’m in the minority with my thoughts on this book as it’s received so many fabulous reviews and in this case it maybe one you need to read for yourself.

Amazon UK 🇬🇧          Amazon US 🇺🇸
Hardcover: 416 pages

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton  (20 April 2017)

 

**Weekly Wrap Up**

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Well another week over and done with,  and I’m thrilled to report I’ve read two books this week (yes you’ve read that right!) and I’ve actually started on my third. I would like to thank fellow blogger Dee over at http://www.noveldeelights.com who has shown great sympathy for my plight, NOT! For some reason my reading slump has caused her a great deal of merriment, I wonder if that’s because I was about to rename my blog “the one book review café” 😂😂

Just in case anyone thinks I’m worried about the amount of books I’m reading I’m not. It doesn’t matter if I read one book or ten in a week, it’s still a book read. I must admit cutting back on blog tours has given me a sense of freedom, it’s liberating to pick up a book I want to read rather than having to read. I’ve actually turned down 15 blog tours this week for May,  June and July but I’m determined to give myself a break from them.

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I’ve also lost my fellow guest reviewer Jo who has finally decided to set up her own blog over at http://overtherainbowbookblog.wordpress.com, please check out her blog and give her a follow. I wish Jo all the best with her blog and would like to take this opportunity to thank her for the reviews she’s allowed me to share, the lovely Dee has offered to help out on the weeks I can only manage to read one book a week 😂😂

Books I’ve read this week

I just started reading Exquisite by Sarah Stovell and I’m already hooked. I also read He Said She Said and The Night Visitor, I loved one of these two books,  and the other one I struggled with on so many levels. To find out which one it was you can check out my reviews for both books next week.

ARC’s I received this week

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Book description

A happy child.

Every parent knows the world can be scary. Lawyer Jen Sutton knows it better than most. And she’ll go to any length to protect her son from what – and who – lies outside their front door.

A loving mother.

Some might say she’s being over-protective. But isn’t it a mother’s duty to protect her child from harm?

A family built on a lie.

Jen has kept her secrets safe. Until the postcard arrives, signed by the one person she hoped would never catch up with her… and her new case begins to feel a little too close to home.

One thing is clear: Jen has been found.

Now, she faces a choice. Run, and lose everything? Or fight – and risk her son discovering the truth.

Don’t Say a Word is the electrifying new psychological thriller from AL Bird – perfect for fans of CL Taylor and Sue Fortin.

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Book description

One night three years ago, the Tanner sisters disappeared: fifteen-year-old Cass and seventeen-year-old Emma. Three years later, Cass returns, without her sister Emma. Her story is one of kidnapping and betrayal, of a mysterious island where the two were held. But to forensic psychiatrist Dr. Abby Winter, something doesn’t add up. Looking deep within this dysfunctional family Dr. Winter uncovers a life where boundaries were violated and a narcissistic parent held sway. And where one sister’s return might just be the beginning of the crime.

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Book description

Seven year old Tony has two choices: to live or to die.

Tony Bruno just wants to fit in, but the bullies at his school are cruel and relentless. At home, he leans on his mother Teresa for strength and comfort, but she’s no match for his father, Carmen. His father, a fighter and bully himself, hates Tony. He is embarrassed by the child for not fighting back and wishes that Tony was never born.

Then as a teen, in one act of blind courage, Tony fights back shifting the balance of power with his peers. Even after Tony sets things straight with the neighborhood boys, his father continues to terrorize him.

At school, Tony is now respected by his classmates. One day he stands up for a bullied kid named, Salvatore, and the boys become friends. One night, Salvatore commits a horrific crime and Tony suffers the consequences of his friends’ actions. Tony’s punishment changes the course of his life.

All alone and nowhere to call home, Tony sets out to find the life he longs for, one filled with love and acceptance. But nothing comes easily for him, and he is forced to draw upon strength from deep within to survive.

From the dark world he lives in, Tony does unimaginable things to leave his unwanted life behind.

Mean Little People is a haunting story of one bullied child deprived of love and taunted by corrupt individuals along his journey. Tony’s story will make you question the balance between good and evil.

Book Post I received this week

Twist Of The Knife by Becky Masterman

The Friend by Dorothy Koomson

The Killing Grounds by Jack Ford

Last week on the book review café

**Blog tour** Not Your Average Nurse by Maggie Groff #Bookreview #Guestpost
https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/05/19/blog-tour-not-your-average-nurse-by-maggie-groff-bookreview-guestpost-transworldbooks-rosiemargesson/

#TopFiveThursday with #BookBlogger Jen Lucas aka jenmedsbookreviews
https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/05/18/topfivethursday-with-bookblogger-jen-lucas-aka-jenmedsbookreviews/

Sweet Pea by C J Skuse #Bookreview #Guestreview by @JoannaLouisePar
https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/05/15/sweet-pea-by-c-j-skuse-bookreview-guestreview-by-joannalouisepar-hqstories/

Next week on the book review café

He Said She Said by Erin Kelly #Review

The Night Visitor by Lucy Atkins #Review

#TopFiveThursday with another awesome book blogger

**Blog tour**  Reconciliation For The Dead by Paul E. Hardisty #GuestPost

Other news from the book review café

IMG_1980I’m thrilled to have been nominated for the Best Book Blogger Award in the 2017 ANNUAL BLOGGERS BASH AWARDS, and if you happen to be reading this and nominated me “thank you”😘😘. I can honestly say “hand on heart” I really don’t expect to win, have you seen who I’m up against? Some truly awesome bloggers/blogs, but it’s given me such a huge boost to be nominated.

I also think there are some hugely awesome book bloggers out there who aren’t up for the awards but should be, they put their heart and souls into their blog and probably lots of tears too (if there anything like me), although these awards are great I do feel they can have a negative effect on bloggers who don’t get the recognisation they so deserve and make them question why that are blogging. A word from the wise (it happens once in a blue moon😂)to these bloggers, keep doing what you are doing, share your love of the books you love and most of all carry on with your awesome blogs, awards aren’t everything, when I first started blogging I never got nominated for anything.

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If you would like to vote for your favourite blogger I’ve included the links, there are numerous different categories to choose from and if I could I would vote for everyone of them.

http://sachablack.co.uk/2017/05/18/2017-annual-bloggers-bash-awards-voting-open-bloggersbash-bloggersbash/

**Weekly Wrap Up**

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Well here we are again another Sunday Weekly Wrap Up Post, and here’s where I share how many books I’ve read this week, yet again it’s been a dismal week, so let’s get it over with……once again I have only managed to read one book. I can’t even blame social media this week, if I’m honest after spending 8.5 hours staring at a computer screen by the time I get home my eyes are to tired to read (oh woe is me🙈).

I’m really not sure what the answer is, but it’s going to be a pretty darn boring week on my blog as all the reviews I have are for blog tours. Hopefully I will get back on track once I’m reading some of the books on my TBR pile, and if not I might have to change this blog to something completely different, perhaps a blog about books,  but without the reviews 😂😂

I must say a huge thank you to guest reviewer Jo for sending me her fabulous review of Sweetpea, which I will be posting this week. It actually means with Jo’s post and a blog tour review I may just manage to keep my blog ticking over!

The one Book I read this week!

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This is the first book I’ve read by Conrad Jones, but it certainly won’t be my last. I absolutely loved this gritty read, but  unfortunately I can’t share my review until the blog tour on Monday 29th May 

What I’m reading now

He Said She Said by Erin Kelly

The Night Visitor by Lucy Atkins

ARC’s I received this week

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Book description

How far would you go to protect your family?

Single dad Ben is doing his best to raise his children alone, with the help of his devoted mother Judi. Life isn’t easy, but Judi’s family means everything to her and together, they manage.

Then Ben meets Amber. Everyone thinks this is a perfect match for Ben but Judi isn’t sure … there’s just something about Amber that doesn’t add up.

Ben can’t see why his mother dislikes his new girlfriend. And Amber doesn’t want Judi anywhere near her new family. Amber just wants Ben and the children.

The further Judi delves into Amber’s personal life, the closer she gets to shocking secrets that could change everything. And Judi must make a decision that could lead to the most disastrous consequences.

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Book description

PI Varg Veum fights for his reputation, his freedom and his life, when child pornography is found on his computer and he is arrested and jailed. Worse still, his memory is a blank…

Reeling from the death of his great love, Karin, Varg Veum’s life has descended into a self-destructive spiral of alcohol, lust, grief and blackouts.

When traces of child pornography are found on his computer, he’s accused of being part of a paedophile ring and thrown into a prison cell. There, he struggles to sift through his past to work out who is responsible for planting the material… and who is seeking the ultimate revenge.

When a chance to escape presents itself, Varg finds himself on the run in his hometown of Bergen. With the clock ticking and the police on his tail, Varg takes on his hardest – and most personal – case yet

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Book description

When the body of a Bushman is discovered near the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, the death is written off as an accident. But all is not as it seems. An autopsy reveals that, although he’s clearly very old, his internal organs are puzzlingly young. What’s more, an old bullet is lodged in one of his muscles … but where is the entry wound? When the body is stolen from the morgue and a local witch doctor is reported missing, Detective ‘Kubu’ Bengu gets involved. But did the witch doctor take the body to use as part of a ritual? Or was it the American anthropologist who’d befriended the old Bushman?

As Kubu and his brilliant young colleague, Detective Samantha Khama, follow the twisting trail through a confusion of rhino-horn smugglers, foreign gangsters and drugs manufacturers, the wider and more dangerous the case seems to grow. A fresh, new slice of ‘Sunshine Noir’, Dying to Live is a classic tale of greed, corruption and ruthless thuggery, set in one of the world’s most beautiful landscapes, and featuring one of crime fiction’s most endearing and humane heroes.

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Book description

DI Duncan Waddell has big problems. He’s borderline diabetic. The paperwork is piling up faster than the underwear at a porn shoot.

Now his best pal DC Stevie Campbell, who’s in a coma after being attacked by a suspect, has started to talk to him. Trouble is, only Waddell can hear him.

The last thing he needs is the country’s biggest case to land on his lap.

Three women have gone missing in the city he used to love, but is fast coming to despise, victims of the GLASGOW GRABBER, as their assailant has been dubbed by local hack and all round thorn in Waddell’s backside, Catriona Hastie.

Shelley Craig is the latest victim, snatched as she and her boyfriend took a shortcut through Glasgow city centre.

And she’ll do anything to make it home.

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Book description

Lesley Welsh sadly passed away in April but Bookouture are extremely honoured to be publishing The Serial Killer’s Daughter on 14th June.

Charmer, liar, father… Killer.

Suzanne’s life changes forever the day she receives a visit from Rose Anderson, the woman who has been living with her estranged father, Don.

Don is dead, but Rose wants Suzanne to have his possessions – including a series of intimate diaries and a mysterious collection of photographs of women.

To Suzanne’s shock, one of the photos is of her friend Sophie, who died ten years ago in an unexplained and devastating fire.

But Don only met Sophie once, on an unsettling visit he paid Suzanne just days before Sophie’s death… So why did he have a picture of her?

Unable to let Sophie’s memory alone, Suzanne begins to dig into her father’s life. What horrors is she about to unearth in his journals? And who is it that’s out there, watching her every move?

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Book description

Ben Whittle’s father, a private investigator, has been taken captive by a cult whilst investigating the case of a missing girl. When Ben receives a desperate call from his father asking for help he is drawn into a dark underground world.

As Ben retraces the last known steps of the missing girl he discovers his only option left is to join the cult and rescue his father from the inside.

The leader of the cult, Edward Ebb, is a psychopathic egocentric who uses his position to control his small group of followers in The Sons and Daughters of Salvation. When he initiates Ben into the group it soon becomes apparent how sick and twisted Ebb is.

Ben must find his father and the missing girl, but the odds are stacked against him and time is running out.

Can Ben rescue his father and the girl and escape with his life?
And what is the gruesome secret concealed in the Revelation Room?

The Revelation Room is the first in a new series of psychological mystery thrillers.

As everyone who follows my blog by now will know I’m a huge fan of author Robert Bryndza, so you can imagine how excited I was to receive a signed copy of Last Breath and chocolate, and I’m sorry but I just have to share the photos

 Last week on the book review café

#TopFiveThursday with #BookBlogger Danielle @BooksVertigoTea | The Book Review Café
https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/05/11/topfivethursday-with-bookblogger-danielle-booksvertigotea/

**Blog tour** Child Taken by Darren Young #BookReview @DARRENYOUNGBOOK @REDDOORBOOKS | The Book Review Café
https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/05/12/blog-tour-child-taken-by-darren-young-bookreview-darrenyoungbook-reddoorbooks/

**Mystery Blogger Award** | The Book Review Café
https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/05/08/mystery-blogger-award/

Never Let You Go by Chevy Stevens #BookReview | The Book Review Café
https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/05/10/never-let-you-go-by-chevy-stevens-bookreview/

Next week on the book review café

Sweet Pea by C J Skuse #Guest review from Jo

#TopFiveThursday with a super duper awesome blogger

*Blog tour* Not Your Average Nurse by Maggie Groff #Review

and for the rest of the week I will be trying to catch up on some reading, so if you hear so much as a squeak from me on social media please feel free to give me a telling off 😂

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**Weekly Wrap Up**

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I’ve managed to read one book this week, shocking I know (holds head in shame) my usual problem ………

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Need I say anymore!!!

I have two more blog tour books to read and then I’m going to spend the next few months catching up on books from my TBR pile that I’m desperate to get to. I really need to read some books to review for my blog, as all the books I’ve read recently are for blog tours so I can’t share them just yet.

Personally I feel I’ve constantly been reading books for blog tours (my own fault for agreeing to so many) over the last couple of months, and it’s slightly spoilt my enjoyment of reading, don’t get me wrong I’ve read some really amazing books, but it would be nice to pick up a book that doesn’t have to be read by a certain date.

What I’m reading next

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I’m really looking forward to reading The Night Visitor by Lucy Atkins. 

ARC I received this week

I have been really good and only requested one book on NetGalley, and it’s one I’m desperate to read so I’m one happy bunny 🐰

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Book description

Se7en meets The Silence of the Lambs in this dark and twisting novel from the author Jeffery Deaver called, “A talented writer with a delightfully devious mind.”

For over five years, the Four Monkey Killer has terrorized the residents of Chicago. When his body is found, the police quickly realize he was on his way to deliver one final message, one which proves he has taken another victim who may still be alive.

As the lead investigator on the 4MK task force, Detective Sam Porter knows even in death, the killer is far from finished. When he discovers a personal diary in the jacket pocket of the body, Porter finds himself caught up in the mind of a psychopath, unraveling a twisted history in hopes of finding one last girl, all while struggling with personal demons of his own.

With only a handful of clues, the elusive killer’s identity remains a mystery. Time is running out and the Four Monkey Killer taunts from beyond the grave in this masterfully written fast-paced thriller.

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Book description

An electrifying novel about the primal and unyielding bond between a mother and her son, and the lengths she’ll go to protect him.

The zoo is nearly empty as Joan and her four-year-old son soak up the last few moments of playtime. They are happy, and the day has been close to perfect. But what Joan sees as she hustles her son toward the exit gate minutes before closing time sends her sprinting back into the zoo, her child in her arms. And for the next three hours–the entire scope of the novel–she keeps on running.

Suddenly, mother and son are as trapped as the animals. Joan’s intimate knowledge of this place that filled early motherhood with happy diversions–the hidden pathways and under-renovation exhibits, the best spots on the carousel and overstocked snack machines–is all that keeps them a step ahead of danger.

Books I bought this week

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Book description

On a remote Highland mountain, the body of Elaine Buxton is burning. All that will be left to identify the respected lawyer are her teeth and a fragment of clothing.

In the concealed back room of a house in Edinburgh, the real Elaine Buxton screams into the darkness

Detective Inspector Luc Callanach has barely set foot in his new office when Elaine’s missing persons case is escalated to a murder investigation. Having left behind a promising career at Interpol, he’s eager to prove himself to his new team. But Edinburgh, he discovers, is a long way from Lyon, and Elaine’s killer has covered his tracks with meticulous care.

It’s not long before another successful woman is abducted from her doorstep, and Callanach finds himself in a race against the clock. Or so he believes The real fate of the women will prove more twisted than he could have ever imagined.

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Book description

From a bold new voice in international crime fiction, a chilling debut in which two detectives must hunt down a vengeful killer–and uncover the secret that ties each of them to the crime

A six-year-old girl is found in the Norwegian countryside, hanging lifeless from a tree with a jump rope around her neck. She is dressed in strange doll’s clothes. Around her neck is an airline tag that says “I’m traveling alone.”

A special homicide unit in Oslo re-opens with veteran police investigator Holger Munch at the helm. Holger’s first step is to persuade the brilliant but haunted investigator Mia Krüger to come back to the squad–she’s been living on an isolated island, overcome by memories of her past. When Mia views a photograph of the crime scene and spots the number “1” carved into the dead girl’s fingernail, she knows this is only the beginning. She’ll soon discover that six years earlier, an infant girl was abducted from a nearby maternity ward. The baby was never found. Could this new killer have something to do with the missing child, or with the reclusive Christian sect hidden in the nearby woods?

Mia returns to duty to track down a revenge-driven and ruthlessly intelligent killer. But when Munch’s own six-year-old granddaughter goes missing, Mia realizes that the killer’s sinister game is personal, and I’m Traveling Alone races to an explosive–and shocking–conclusion.

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Book description

Zoe Whittaker is living a charmed life. She is the beautiful young wife to handsome, charming Wall Street tycoon Henry Whittaker. She is a member of Manhattan’s social elite. She is on the board of one of the city’s most prestigious philanthropic organizations. She has a perfect Tribeca penthouse in the city and a gorgeous lake house in the country. The finest wine, the most up-to-date fashion, and the most luxurious vacations are all at her fingertips.

What no one knows is that five years ago, Zoe’s life was in danger. Back then, Zoe wasn’t Zoe at all. Now her secrets are coming back to haunt her. As the past and present collide, Zoe must decide who she can trust before she—whoever she is—vanishes completely.

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Book description

Following on from the bestselling The Seven Sisters and The Storm Sister, The Shadow Sister is the third book in Lucinda Riley’s spellbinding series, loosely based on the mythology of the Seven Sisters star cluster.

Star D’Aplièse is at a crossroads in her life after the sudden death of her beloved father – the elusive billionaire, named Pa Salt by his six daughters, all adopted by him from the four corners of the world. He has left each of them a clue to their true heritage, but Star – the most enigmatic of the sisters – is hesitant to step out of the safety of the close relationship she shares with her sister CeCe. In desperation, she decides to follow the first clue she has been left, which leads her to an antiquarian bookshop in London, and the start of a whole new world . . .

A hundred years earlier, headstrong and independent Flora MacNichol vows she will never marry. She is happy and secure in her home in the Lake District, living close to her idol, Beatrix Potter, when machinations outside of her control lead her to London, and the home of one of Edwardian society’s most notorious players, Alice Keppel. Flora is pulled between passionate love and duty to her family, but finds herself a pawn in a game – the rules of which are only known to others, until a meeting with a mysterious gentleman unveils the answers that Flora has been searching for her whole life . . .

As Star learns more of Flora’s incredible journey, she too goes on a voyage of discovery, finally stepping out of the shadow of her sister and opening herself up to the possibility of love.

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 Book description

Who do you believe?

In the hushed aftermath of a total eclipse, Laura witnesses a brutal attack.

She and her boyfriend Kit call the police, and in that moment, it is not only the victim’s life that is changed forever.

Fifteen years on, Laura and Kit live in fear.

And while Laura knows she was right to speak out, the events that follow have taught her that you can never see the whole picture: something – and someone – is always in the dark…

Last week on the book review café

My book of the month

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/05/01/my-book-of-the-month-april-2017/

The One Man by Andrew Gross #Review

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/05/02/the-one-man-by-andrew-gross-bookreview/

Cover reveal The Detriment by David Videcette 

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/05/02/coverreveal-the-detriment-by-david-videcette-davidvidecette-thedetriment/

Their Lost Daughters by Joy Ellis

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/05/03/their-lost-daughters-by-joy-ellis-bookreview/

#TopFiveThursday with Sam aka cluesandreviews

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/05/04/topfivethursday-with-bookblogger-sam-cluesandreviews/

Dead To Me by Lesley Pearse #Review 

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/05/04/dead-to-me-by-lesley-pearce-bookreview-lesleypearce-michaeljbooks-lovelesley/

Block 46 by Johana Gustwasson 

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/05/06/blog-tour-block-46-by-johana-gustawasson-bookreview-orendabooks-jogustawasson/

Next week on the book review café

Never Let You Go by Chevy Stevens #Review

**Blog tour** child Taken by Darren Young #Review

#TopFiveThursday with another awesome blogger

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And lastly I hope you don’t mind me sharing this but the book review café has hit 8,000 + followers, that’s across my blog, FB and Twitter  I’m not sure how or why I’ve gained so many followers, but I must admit I’m thrilled to bits as when I started up my blog I never really thought anyone would actually follow me.

So I would like to say a big thank you to followers old and new for following me. To fellow bloggers who constantly share and comment on my posts you guys rock. I shall be hosting a giveaway at some point to celebrate the occasion, so keep your eyes peeled.