**Weekly Wrap Up**

The last couple of weeks I’ve struggled to read anything, my dad hasn’t been well so my mind has been else where, but this week I have managed to read two books and start a third

Blood Sister by Dreda Say Mitchell

I loved Blood Sister a really gripping read, unfortunately you won’t be able to read my review until the 19th August when it’s my stop on the blog tour

Nina Is Not Ok by Shappi Khorsandi

Not my usual type of read but this book blew me away I absolutely loved it,despite the subject matter, my review will be live on my blog next week

All Fall Down by Tom Bale

Really excited about reading All Fall Down by Tom Bale, I’m hoping it will be as good or if not better than his previous book See How They Run, I just love the cover I think publishers Bookouture have the most fantastic covers they just shout out “read me”

Book post I received this week

I won a copy of My Husband’s Wife by Jane Corry along with a lovely notebook and some chocolate over at Kate’s blog http://www.bibliophilebookclub.com

They All Fall Down by Cat Hogan

Turning Blue by Benjamin Myers

My Sister’s Bones by Nuala Ellwood

Arc’s I’ve received this week

Oh dear the NetGalley ban has truly gone out the window as you can see 🙈🙈

The Ice Beneath Her by Camilla Grebe

Darktown by Thomas Mullen

Saving Sophie by Sam Carrington

Nina Is Not Ok by Shappi Khorsandi

Surviving The Angel Of Death by Eva Mozes Kor and Lisa Rojany Buccieri

What Remains of Me by A L Gaylin

A Boy Made of Blocks by Keith Stuart

Lie In Wait by GJ Minett

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

All Fall Down by Tom Bale

Books I’ve bought

I have been really good this week and not bought any books, there are a few I’m desperate to read, but I’m trying not to buy them just yet! I have borrowed two from my sister instead

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

The Kept Woman by Karin Slaughter

I had the ARC but my copy was shocking it kept missing out letters so I literally had to guess the words, it got so annoying it was ruining a very good book, so I gave up on it!

Last week on The Book Review Café

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2016/08/01/blog-tourthe-moment-she-left-by-susan-lewis-extract-giveaway/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2016/08/01/blog-tour-hes-gone-by-alex-clare-review-giveaway/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2016/08/02/guest-post-jean-harrod-author-of-deadly-deceit/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2016/08/03/my-book-of-the-month-july-2016/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2016/08/04/topfivethursday-with-bookblogger-sarah-hardy/

The Optician’s Wife by Betsy Reavley #Review | The Book Review Café
https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2016/08/05/the-opticians-wife-by-betsy-reavley/

*Blog Tour** S5 Uncovered by James Durose-Rayner & #GuestPost | The Book Review Café
https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2016/08/06/blog-tour-s5-uncovered-by-james-durose-rayner-guestpost/

Next week on The Book Review Café

**Blog Tour** They All Fall Down by Cat Hogan, Q & A with the author

Review for Nina Is Not Ok by Shappi Khorsandi

Review for The Forgotten Woman by Angela Marsons

#TopFiveThursday

 Blogging news from The Book Review Café

After nearly a year of blogging I’ve finally got around to joining Goodreads, I did have an account but completely forgot my log in details as I never used it! So I’ve rejoined as The Book Review Café (surprise, surprise).

I finally got myself a copy of Between You And Me by Lisa Hall, yes I’ve read it and loved it, but it’s not everyday you get a quote from your review in a book alongside some other fab bloggers.

And I also got a quote from another review featured in my Bloq by Alan Jones, which I’m thrilled to bits about as I loved this book (note the fabulous bloggers I’m sharing the page with, and congratulations to all😘😘)

 

**Blog Tour**The Moment She Left by Susan Lewis #Extract & #Giveaway

Today I’m super excited to be opening the blog tour for The Moment She Left by Susan Lewis,The compelling new novel from the Sunday Times Top Ten bestselling author of Behind Closed Doors, No Child of Mine and Don’t Let Me Go. I’m a huge fan of Susan Lewis and read nearly all her books, so I feel privileged to be part of this tour. Not only do I have a short extract from The Moment She Left, but I also have four paperback copies of Susan Lewis’s previous novel The Girl Who Came Back to giveaway.

EXTRACT ONE

Jessica Leonard turned from the main road, still listening to music on her ipod, but with her phone switched off to conserve what was left of the battery. The leafy residential streets were quiet, practically deserted. After a couple of turns, taking her deeper into the heart of the area, she entered a narrow, sunbaked alleyway that acted as a service divider between the backs of grand stucco villas on one side and elegant town houses on the other. Here there were only automated garages providing secure and spacious accommodation for rich people’s luxury vehicles. The door Jessica approached, about half way along on the right, had a digital keypad beside it, but even before she could press in the code the door started to rise.
By the time it was fully open and she could see who, and what, was inside, she was clasping her hands to her face.
‘Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God,’ she murmured, unable to believe her eyes. A flicker of fear flashed through her like summer lightning. This wasn’t what she’d expected. Was it going a step too far? Even if it was, how could she not take it?

Book description

Kesterly-on-Sea is full of secrets.

Some are darker than others; many are shameful. One is even deadly.

Andee is an ex-detective whose marriage is breaking up. So when a young female student disappears without trace, she throws herself into the search.

Meanwhile, the town’s beloved Rowzee Cayne has just discovered that she is terminally ill, and doesn’t want to burden her family and friends with the news.

Andee and Rowzee don’t know it yet, but their journeys are going to help them uncover a secret. One that is going to affect them more than they could ever imagine.

Amazon UK

About Susan Lewis

When Susan Lewis was 18 she got a job at HTV in Bristol, and at 22 Imoved to London to work for Thames. Susan began as a secretary in news and current affairs, then trained as a production assistant and moved on to light entertainment and drama. It was a love of drama, combined with a fierce ambition, that got herknocking on the Controller’s door to ask what steps to take to become a producer. “Oh, go away and write something,” came the reply. So she did. Over 30 books later, her only regret is that none of them have yet made it to the screen. Susan Lewis lives on the edge of the Cotswolds in a delightful old barn with her husband James and two dogs Coco and Lulabelle.

Links to Susan Lewis

Website     Facebook     Goodreads

Book description

When Jules Bright hears a knock on the door, the last person she expects to find is a detective bringing her the news she’s feared for the last three years.

Amelia Quentin is being released from prison.

Jules’s life is very different now to the one she’d known before Amelia shattered it completely. Knowing the girl is coming back she needs to decide what to do. Friends and family gather round, fearing for Jules’s safety. They know that justice was never served; every one of them wants to make the Quentin girl pay.

The question is, what will Jules do; and which of them – her or Amelia – has the most to fear?

I have four paperback copies of The Girl Who Came Back up for grabs, giveaway ends at midnight on Friday 5th August, winners will be notified within 48 hours of winning. Please note I will be giving the publishers the winning names and they will be posting out the books (not the book review café)

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/86b4d4055/?

 

 

**Weekly Wrap Up**

Panic over after struggling to read one book last week I have redeemed myself and read FOUR books this week, and I’m giving myself the biggest pat on the back because I exactly managed to read three of the books that were off my TBR pile

The Opticians Wife By Betsy Reavley

Watching Edie By Camilla Way

Unravelled Anna Scallon

Dead To Me by Lesley Pearce

Book post I received this week

The Moment She Left by Susan Lewis.

After Isabella by Rosie Fiore

Blood Wedding by Pierre Lemaitre

Arc’s I’ve received this week

I know I put myself on a NetGalley ban and I did managed a WHOLE WEEK, before I requested any more books!

The Last One by Alexandra Oliva

The book description reminded me of The Hunger Games, which I loved, and thought it would make a change from my usual reads.

I also got sent a widget from author Mark Edwards for his new book, which I can’t wait to read

The Devil’s Work by Mark Edwards

 

Books I bought this week

I bought three books this week

The Paradise Trees by Linda Huber

For The Last Time by Janet Kelly, I bought this book after reading Anne’s review over on
http://randomthingsthroughmyletterbox.blogspot.com/ the book description and Anne’s review intrigued me

The Game You Played by Anni Taylor

Last week on The Book Review Café

**Blog Tour** Outside Looking In by Michael Wood You can see my review here

**Guest Post** by Dane Cobain author of Former.ly The Rise And Fall Of A Social Network

You can read Dane’s Guest Post here

**Blog Tour** Made To Be Broken by Rebecca Bradley You can read my review here

Next week on the book review café

It’s going to be a really busy week with plenty going on

Blog Tour All Is Not Forgotten by Wendy Walker

Blog Tour The Stepmother by Claire Seeber

#TopFiveThursday with #BookBlogger Tracy Shephard

The Opticians Wife by Betsy Reavley, review

Unravelled by Anne Scanlon, review

Guest Post from Linda Huber author of Chosen Child

Blogging news from The Book Review Café

I’ve been trying think of a new feature I could run on my blog, and eventually I came up with #TopFiveThursday featuring bloggers (everyone loves to know more about blogger’s right? Well I do anyway) basically I ask the following questions & bloggers give me their answers simple eh? I’m not sure how often it will run, I’m hoping it will be a weekly post, and run for as long as I have bloggers to feature, so If you would like to take part please answer the following questions and send your answers to……..lorrugs@btinternet.com

Top 5 books this year (so far)?

Top 5 authors you think everyone should read?

Top 5 books you want to read before the end of 2016?

Top 5 blogging tips that you would give to new bloggers?

Top 5 book blogs you follow? (not that you are likely to….. but don’t include me in your 5 top blogs 😂😂, as I want to help promote as many bloggers as possible)

It would be great if you could send a small bio about yourself and a photo, and also a link to your blog and any other social media links you would like me to include.

The Girl Who Came Back by Susan Lewis

 

Book description

When Jules Bright hears a knock on the door, the last person she expects to find is a detective bringing her the news she’s feared for the last three years.

Amelia Quentin is being released from prison.

Jules’s life is very different now to the one she’d known before Amelia shattered it completely. Knowing the girl is coming back she needs to decide what to do. Friends and family gather round, fearing for Jules’s safety. They know that justice was never served; every one of them wants to make the Quentin girl pay.

The question is, what will Jules do; and which of them – her or Amelia – has the most to fear?

I have always been a big fan of Susan Lewis, I know her name doesn’t necessarily spring to mind when you think of a crime author, but The Girl Who Came Back certainly fits into this genre. As the book opens the reader gets the first glimpse of Amelia, and it also hints at the woman she will become. From the opening chapter I had goose pimples every time Amelia’s name was mentioned, as a child she is described as sullen and sly, but as she grows up and ingrains herself in Jules and her daughter Daisy’s life, she becomes much more. Amelia is Inherently evil, manipulative and calculating. This a story of jealousy, revenge, and shattered families, and what happens when you let evil into your life.

Although the story is a slow to start, the lead up to the events that changes Jules life for ever need to be explained, it’s also builds on the characters, making them very believable. Most of the characters are very likeable and you can’t help feeling emotionally attached to them, as they deal with loss and pain in their own individual way. At times I felt overwhelmed with sadness, I felt Jules pain and despair as her perfect family are ripped apart. As the plot progresses and Amelia entrenches herself in Jules’s family life, things take a horrifying turn, and glimpses of Amelia’s true personality begin to show. Throughout the story Amelia shows no remorse for what she has done, and in her own twisted logic blames everyone but herself.

Amelia’s obsession with Jules and her daughter Daisy, doesn’t become apparent until the second half of The Girl Who Came Back, and at that point it felt slightly rushed, and appeared out of no where. So for that reason I’ve dropped a star. Mostly The Girl Who Came Back is a well written story, the plot is believable and deals with the “unthinkable” in a sensitive manner. I felt so many emotions reading this book, and the ending left me in tears, it was that convincing! Well worth a read if you like a crime thriller, which mainly focuses on the family and friends, and the far reaching consequences of a heinous crime.

4 ☕️☕️☕️☕️out of 5
Publisher: Century 25th Feb. 2016

Kindle

Hardcover

 

 

No Place To Hide by Susan Lewis

Book description
Justine Catrell has a terrible secret that she is hiding, she has left her husband, changed her name and moved half way across the world to start a new life with her 4 year old daughter Lula. The circumstances that led her to move from England, and from her husband Matt and two older children Abby and Ben, are shrouded in secrecy. Also running through the book is the story of Justine’s grandmother and the way their lives parallel.

No place to hide flicks between justine’s past life in England to her present life in a small American town. Justine’s appears to have the perfect life in England, a great job, the house of her dreams and a family whom she adores, but things aren’t the way that seem. I found this book very slow to get started, the first third especially, but once you get past that, it’s heartbreaking.

Susan Lewis manages to deliver a very powerful and disturbing story, which unfortunately is very believable. It difficult to review this book without giving away spoilers, due to the nature of the book. I felt the story of Justine’s grandmother, wasn’t really needed even though their life’s led similar paths it didn’t really add to the story. Susan Lewis portrayed her characters very well, and the way they dealt with the fallout after was very believable. I felt emotional drained after finishing this book and some readers may find the content of this book distressing and for that reason I give it 4 stars

4☕️☕️☕️☕️Out of 5 from me

publishers:Century 13th Aug. 2015

Kindle

Hardcover