Book Synopsis:

Liv keeps a low profile in Sandefjord, Norway: she’s just another tired single mother, trying to make ends meet. She has never told her son about the secrets she carries or the life she lived before he was born. She will do anything to keep him safe.

Anastasia’s life is transformed when she moves from Russia to Milan to work as a model. She’s rich. She’s desired. But there’s a dark side to the high-pressure catwalk shows; the sun-baked Italian palazzos; the drink-fuelled after-parties hosted by powerful men. Soon, she will do anything to escape.

Selma is a journalist in Oslo. She’s investigating scandals in the modelling industry, but can’t get her article published. Then a woman goes missing in Sandefjord. Now Selma is about to uncover the biggest story of her life…

My Review:

This was a dark, gritty and heartbreaking read which is the first book I’ve read by this author.

The story is told from the point of view of four different characters Liv the loving mother of Adrian, Anastasia the model and Selma the journalist. My favourite character by far was the lovely Adrian who I completely fell in love with. He’s got Autism and therefore struggles to make sense of some of the things that are happening in the book. His fear and confusion about what he experiences is almost palpable at times and I dearly wished I could somehow rescue him from everything. His relationship with his mother Liv was truly beautiful and absolutely gorgeous to witness and I had to keep reading to make sure everything turns out ok for them both.

This book is very hard hitting at times and touches on subjects that some people might be uncomfortably with. It was very emotional to read about the darker side of the modelling world and about people’s experience in sex trafficking. There’s some very emotional scenes and some quite graphic violence which I struggled with and meant I had to take a break from the book at times. Despite this I felt the author managed to balance out the book nicely so there were some lighter moments mixed in which stopped the book becoming to much. Tl

I thought this book was very fast paced and drew me in from the first page. I was felt quickly absorbed into the character’s world and found each of their stories equally compelling. The way their stories all came together was very clever and there were lots of dramatic twists right until until the end which kept me guessing.

Huge thanks to Sophie for inviting me onto the blog tour and to the publisher for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Alex Dah is a half-American, half-Norwegian author. Born in Oslo, she studied Russian and German linguistics with international studies, then went on to complete an MA in creative writing at Bath Spa University and an MSc in business management at Bath University. A committed Francophile, Alex loves to travel, and has so far lived in Moscow, Paris, Stuttgart, Sandefjord, Switzerland, Bath and London. She is the author of three other thrillers: Playdate, The Heart Keeper and The Boy at the Door, which was shortlisted for the CWA Debut Dagger. Follow Alex on Twitter (@alexdahlauthor), Instagram (@authoralex) and Facebook (alexdahlauthor).

Book Synopsis:

The Suspect
Bullied by Steph Lewis at school, then betrayed by her lover, Amy Ashby still seethes with fury. Despite the decades-old resentment, she’s on the hunt for a new man and a fresh start. This time for keeps.

The Stalker
When both women are stalked by a figure from their shared past, danger threatens.

The Detective
Now Detective Inspector, Steph follows a tip-off to her old rival. After quarrels exploded beyond the playground and changed lives forever, she vowed never to see Amy again. But that was then.

The Deaths
Murder rocks the city. First one, then another. The body count reaches five, and all Steph’s leads point to Amy. But is Steph obsessed with a schoolgirl vendetta or closing in on a deadly killer?

Her Deadly Friend is public on the 23rd August 2022.

My Review:

Her Deadly Friend is a fast paced, twisty read from one of my favourite authors.

Firstly I really liked the main character Stephanie and enjoyed following her throughout the book. She was a very real, sympathetic character especially as she’s suffering from a migraine for most of the book. As a headache sufferer myself I admire her strength to keep going despite this.

Steph and Amy’s interesting past was fascinating to unpick. I think it’s fair to say the pair have a lot of history between them and it was difficult to tell initially who was telling the truth about what happened. It definitely helped throw some mistrust towards Steph as I began to wonder if she what she was really like and what she was capable of.

This book grabbed me from the start and the action never really let’s up as there was always something happening to keep my interest. I had my suspicions about what was going on but had to keep reading to find out if they were right. There were lots of twists and red herrings, especially towards the end which kept me constantly second guessing myself.

I’m looking forward to reading more from this series in the future. Huge thanks to Rachel for inviting me onto the blog tour and to the publisher for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Under the name Rae Sargeant, Rachel writes the Gleveham Killers Suspense series, published by Hobeck Books. The first title is Her Deadly Friend.Her most recent title as Rachel Sargeant, with HarperCollins, is The Roommates, a psychological thriller set in a university during freshers’ week.Her previous novels, also with HarperCollins, are The Good Teacher, a detective mystery, featuring DC Pippa “Agatha” Adams, and The Perfect Neighbours, a psychological thriller set in Germany.Rachel grew up in Lincolnshire, studied at Aberystwyth University in Wales, spent several years living in Germany and now lives in Gloucestershire with her family. Her hobbies are swimming, visiting coffee shops, country houses and the theatre.

Book Synopsis:

This is the story of Isaac and the Egg, a grieving young man and his unforgettable new friend, who meet at exactly the right time.

—

Isaac stands alone on a bridge and screams.

Something screams back.

And that, like everything which follows, is unforgettable.


This is a book about a lot of things – grief, hope, friendship, love. It’s also about what you’d do if you stumbled into the woods at dawn, found something extraordinary there, and decided to take it home.

It’s a tale that might seem familiar. But how it speaks to you will depend on how you’ve lived until now.

Sometimes, to get out of the woods, you have to go into them. Isaac and the Egg is one of the most hopeful, honest and wildly imaginative novels you will ever read.

My Review:

Wow this was such a special story and one that will stay with me for a long, long time. It’s a book that grabbed me from the beginning with its unique opening and just kept me enthralled throughout the entire book. In my opinion it’s a book that it’s best not knowing too much about before you start reading so this is going to be a hard book to review as I don’t want to give anything away.

I loved the two main characters Isaac and Egg. It was wonderful getting to know them better over the course of the book and see their relationship grow. Isaac is a very broken man when we are first introduced to him and it was difficult to see him like that. As the story develops we go through the grief process alongside Isaac and learn more about his life. It was so beautiful to see his relationship with Egg develop and see how much Egg helped him.

The book has a great pace to it and I soon found it very difficult to put the book down as I was so invested in Isaac’s story. There are some incredibly funny moments in this book which had me laughing out loud at times, much to the amusement of my kids. Most of these involved Eggs interactions with the outside world which were hilarious at times. The scene in the therapist’s office especially was a particular highlight.

Overall I absolutely loved this book and will be recommending it to everyone, especially as I’m desperate to talk to someone about it. The ending was absolutely beautiful and I loved reading the last few scenes of this book. They were truly magical and very emotional. I don’t often cry at books but this book had me crying at the ending. I hope there is a sequel as I’d love to read more of Isaac and Egg.

Huge thanks to Headline for my copy of this book via Netgalley.

About The Author:

Bobby Palmer is a freelance journalist who writes for publications including Time Out, GQ, Men’s Health and Cosmopolitan. Isaac and the Egg is his debut novel.

Good Morning everyone today on JoJo Recommends I’m featuring Best Friend by Flying Hippo.

Flying Hippo real name is Jasiek and he’s 28 years old from Warsaw in Poland. He is a partnered streamer on twitch where he streams under the name Bobczak (pronounced Bob-chuck) three times a week Monday & Thursday at 16h30 and Saturday at 14h30. His streams are great fun and as they involve some great music and some interesting discussions which can be very entertaining.

If you would like to follow Flying Hippo on social media or twitch you can do so by clicking on the links below.

How To Listen:

Bob plays guitar and is brilliant at love looping which he does often on his stream. His music has an indie vibe to it and some hard hitting lyrics which really make you think. Best Friend is the last single on his five song EP and is available on all major streaming platforms. I have linked some of my favourites below.

JoJo Recommends on Island Vibing Presents:

Jojo Recommends is also featured on Island Vibing Presents twitch stream every Thursday at 3am BST, 10pm EST & 7pm PST. This week featured a fantastic interview with LG Music and a live performance of his most recent song as well as some great banter.

You can watch the latest episode by clicking on the link below.

JoJo Recommends Playlist:

You can now listen to Flying Hippo and all other previously featured artists by clicking on the link below.

Thanks for reading & happy listening 🎧!

Book Synopsis:

Daisy Darker’s family were as dark as dark can be, when one of them died all of them lied and pretended not to see . . .

Daisy Darker is arriving at her grandmother’s house for her eightieth birthday. It is Halloween, and Seaglass – the crumbling Cornish house perched upon its own tiny private island – is at one with the granite rocks it sits on. The Darker family haven’t all been in the same place for over a decade, and when the tide comes in they’ll be cut off from the rest of the world for eight hours. When the tide goes back out, nothing will ever be the same again, because one of them is a killer . . .

Daisy Darker is published on the 18th August 2022.

My Review:

I’ve heard a lot of great things about this author, so when I heard she had a new one coming out I was very intrigued. Daisy Darker is a dark, creepy and tense read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Firstly I think it’s fair to say that the Darker family is highly dysfunctional and I’m very glad they aren’t mine. I don’t think there was a single member I liked, though I did feel very sorry for Daisy and the sad, lonely childhood she endured. Her family’s treatment of her was awful, especially the bullying she experienced from her sister’s that no-one seemed to care about. I found myself not feeling a lot of sympathy for them and was almost glad that they were getting their just deserts.

The setting of the Island based Seaglass house was an interesting one. I started off loving the fun, quirky nature of Seaglass and was wishing I could visit in in real life. However this quickly changed as the murders started happening and the very quirkiness of the house helped create a sinister, creepy atmosphere. The island location also helps create a closed room scenario which helped rack up the tension as the family realise they are trapped on the island with a killer.

Overall I loved this book and can’t wait to read more from her in the future. The story is very fast paced and very gripping so I soon found myself hiding away from the kids desperate to read a little bit more. I had lots of theories about who could be behind the murders and though one of them was correct I think it shows the strength of the author’s writing that I wasn’t able to narrow it down more. The ending was brilliant, dramatic and unexpected. As mentioned above I did guess part of the ending but has no idea it would unfold so darkly or dramatically. It’s definitely an ending that has stayed with me long after reading.

Huge thanks to Pan Macmillan for my copy of this book via netgalley. Highly recommended by me!

About The Author:

Alice Feeney is a New York Times million-copy bestselling author. Her books have been translated into over twenty-five languages, and have been optioned for major screen adaptations. Including her novel Rock Paper Scissors, which is being made into a TV series by the producer of The Crown. Alice was a BBC journalist for fifteen years, and now lives in Devon with her family. Daisy Darker is her fifth novel.

Good morning everyone! This week on JoJo Recommends I’m featuring Lonesome by Drawmona.

Mona is a singer songwriter from Germany who is also a twitch streamer. I always love her streams as they are super chill with some absolutely beautiful music. Her community are really friendly and you always get a big hello when you join.

Here are some facts about Drawmona:

– played guitar & harmonica for 20 years

– trying to get better on the piano

– busking for about 5 years, before starting streaming while studying mechanical engineering

If you would like to follow Drawmona on Instagram or Twitch you can do so by clicking on the links below.

How To Listen:

Drawmona plays some truly beautiful music on her streams and I always enjoy joining her streams as they are great to relax with. Her music is mostly acoustic covers but she does have one or two originals too. Her music is only available on YouTube at the moment but she is planning on recording her originals soon for other streaming platforms. I have linked the YouTube video for Lonesome below as well as one of her most recent covers.

JoJo Recommends on Island Vibing Presents:

Jojo Recommends is also featured on Island Vibing Presents twitch stream. It’s always great fun choosing an artist and recording myself for my segment. I think I’m getting a bit better at it too now, I just need to try and not say umm so much…

If you would like to see my Island Vibing Presents feature you can do so by clicking on the link below.

JoJo Recommends Playlist:

As mentioned above Drawmona’s music isn’t available on Spotify yet but I’ll definitely add it to the playlist when it is. You can listen to a previously featured artists using the link below.

Thanks for reading and happy listening!

Book Synopsis:

Two decades on from a passionate courtship and marriage, Lucas and Esther are getting divorced.  

For Esther, it’s proving hard not to feel bitter watching Lucas enjoying his successful career, not to mention the attentions of his gorgeous, intelligent, and predictably younger lover. She meanwhile is struggling to forge a new life for herself, navigating the pitfalls of modern dating, while trying not to despair at the cost of living as a single woman of a certain age.

Then Lucas faces a shattering accusation at the same time as their children Dylan and Lily, start to implode.  When Dylan runs away, and as his father fights to save his reputation, Lucas and Esther find themselves back in each other’s lives, whether they like it or not. 

Has too much water passed under the bridge, or will long-forgotten loyalties and feelings bring the family back together, just when they need each other the most? 

My Review:

The Split is a fantastically gripping family drama that I flew through in a couple of days. I always love books involving families and the secrets they can hide as it’s very interesting watching everything unfold from the side lines whilst knowing that you’re not involved at all.

This is a bit of a slow burn as the author explains the background and we learn more about the characters but soon picks up to become very gripping. I loved Esther who seemed a very strong, likeable lady who was easy to get behind as she was quite relatable. She was very different to her husband who I didn’t warm to at all as he was very self obsessed. I felt for them both when Dylan runs away though, as a parent I can understand that anxiety and worry that would cause.

Overall I really liked this book and enjoyed getting to know Esther and her family. There were lots of twists and red herrings that kept me guessing as to what was going to happen next. I found myself invested in the story, and the family, so wanted to keep reading to find out if the family reunite or if Dylan gets back safe. This was the first book I’ve read by this author and I look forward to reading more in the future.

Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Boldwood for my copy of this book via netgalley.

About The Author:

Amanda Brookfield is the bestselling author of 16 novels including Good Girls, her first book for Boldwood, Relative Love and Before I Knew You, as well as a memoir, For the Love of a Dog starring her Golden Doodle Mabel. She lives in London and has recently finished a year as Visiting Creative Fellow at University College Oxford.

Book Synopsis:

An unforgettable story about love in all its chaotic glory from the author of Last One At The PartyA book synopsis is fundamentally ridiculous. How can I possibly convey, in only 100 words, the events of the past year and their impact on my perfectly ordered existence?It is insufficient space to accurately detail how I was blackmailed into demonstrating my flawless algorithm to find a soulmate, despite having no desire for one.In my former life I avoided trivial human connections. I was alone, accomplished and brilliant.Unfortunately, that solitary and driven woman no longer exists.My name is Indiana Dylan and this is the extraordinary account of how I fell in love.There: 100 words exactly.

My Review:

I loved this author’s first book so was very excited to learn she had a new one out, especially when I found out it was a completely different genre. I absolutely loved this book and thought it was an original, quirky book that manages to be emotional and funny at times.

Firstly I loved the fantastic characters in this book and I really enjoyed getting to know them. The story is told from the point of view of Indiana, Lina and Jack who are all very different from each other. I liked how real they are and how all of them had flaws. This also meant there were parts of them I liked and other parts that really frustrated me about them. There were also some characters I loved to hate in the form of Lina’s difficult boss Cameron and her colleague Emily who reminded me of an old boss of mine.

The plot unfolds at a good pace and I was soon drawn into the story. There always seemed to be something happening and I found the book very hard to put down as it was very addictive at times. I liked the subtle message the author includes in the story about grief and how it’s important to check on people if they seem to change. It was poignant to see Jack trying to work through his grief but heartwarming to see how others helped him.

Overall I loved this book and actually enjoyed it more then her first book which I didn’t think possible. I’m very excited to read more from her in future and to see what genre she tackles next.

Huge thanks to Stevia Cooper for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Bethany Clift is a graduate of the Northern Film School and the director of her own production company, Saber Productions. Her debut novel, Last One at the Party, was published in 2021 and the television rights have been optioned by Scott Free Films.

Book Synopsis:

Summer on St Kilda – a wild, remote Scottish island.Two strangers from drastically different worlds meet . . .Wild-spirited Effie Gillies has lived all her life on the small island of St Kilda but when Lord Sholto, heir to the Earl of Dumfries, visits, the attraction between them is instant. For one glorious week she guides the handsome young visitor around the isle, falling in love for the first time – until a storm hits and her world falls apart.Three months later, St Kilda falls silent as the islanders are evacuated for a better life on the mainland. With her friends and family scattered, Effie is surprised to be offered a position working on the Earl’s estate. Sholto is back in her life but their differences now seem insurmountable, even as the simmering tension between them grows. And when a shocking discovery is made back on St Kilda, all her dreams for this bright new life are threatened by the dark secrets Effie and her friends thought they had left behind.

My Review:

Oh my goodness I absolutely adored this book. This was the first book I’ve read by this author and I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to read one of her books. I went on such an amazing journey with Effy and just fell in love with all the wonderful characters.

The book is told in two halves. Before describes Effy’s life on St Kilda before the evacuation and After details Effy’s life after the evacuation as the villagers adjust to life on the mainland. I initially felt very sad when the story switched to After as I had really enjoyed the fabulous descriptions of life on St Kilda but I actually ended up loving following life at the house and all the fabulous people Effy meets.

I loved the author’s vivid descriptions of St Hilda which told of a very different life to the one I know. The author writes the book so I felt like I was actually there scaling the cliffs and hunting for birds alongside Effy. I was so intrigued that I spent a lot of time googling the Isle to see how it looked in real life. I doubt I’d have been able to cope with the harsh life there but it was interesting to live it through Effy. The description of the house and the community there amongst the servants was also really wonderful. I loved following Effy as she adjusted to life at the house and made new friends.

Overall, as you can probably tell, I loved this book and can’t wait to read more in the series. I quickly became absorbed into Effy’s world and found the book hard to put down as I was so enjoying it. There was always something happening to keep my interest and I loved following Effy & Shoto as they grew closer. I really wanted there to be a happy ending for them both. The last few chapters were brilliant and I loved the unexpected way the book was going. Fair warning the book does end sudden on a cliff hanger though and I’ll now be impatiently awaiting the next instalment next year.

I highly recommend this book to all historical fiction lovers and anyone who’s looking for an absorbing, intriguing read.

About The Author:

Karen Swan is the Sunday Times top three bestselling author of twenty books and her novels sell all over the world. She writes two books each year – one for the summer period and one for the Christmas season. Previous summer titles include The Spanish Promise, The Hidden Beach and The Secret Path and for winter, Christmas at Tiffany’s, The Christmas Secret and Together by Christmas.Her books are known for their evocative locations and Karen sees travel as vital research for each story. She loves to set deep, complicated love stories within twisting plots.Her five book historical series called The Wild Isle, is based upon the dramatic evacuation of Scottish island St Kilda in the summer of 1930.

Book Synopsis:

Three women. An isolated town. A decades-old mystery.

They hate me down there, in Boldville. I can read it in their eyes, smell it on their noxious breaths. That dreaded little town hates everything about me: not just my personality and form, the clothes I wear, but the way I think.
The things that I know.

1933. Cornelia Stover is headstrong and business-minded – not the kind of woman the men of Boldville, New Mexico, expect her to be. Then she stumbles upon a secret hidden out in the hills . . .

1970. Decades later, Joanna Riley, a former cop, packs up her car in the middle of the night and drives west, fleeing an abusive marriage and a life she can no longer bear. Eventually, she runs out of gas and finds herself in Boldville, a sleepy desert town in the foothills of the Gila Mountains.

Joanna was looking for somewhere to retreat, to hide, but something is off about this place. In a commune on the outskirts a young man has been found dead and Joanna knows a cover up when she sees it. Soon, she and Glitter, a young, disaffected hippie, find themselves caught up in a dark mystery that goes to the very heart of Boldville, where for too long people have kept their eyes shut and turned their heads away. A mystery that leads them all the way back to the unexplained disappearance of Glitter’s grandmother Cornelia forty years before . . .

A captivating, atmospheric new novel from the lauded author of The Long, Long Afternoon, This Wild Wild Country simmers with secrets, lies and terrible betrayal, unravelling the lives of three women at the mercy of their times.

My Review:

This Wild, Wild Country is an intriguing and inspiring read that I really enjoyed.

Firstly I loved the setting in this book which was so vividly described I felt I was actually there able to feel the heat and dust for myself. From the start the reader is aware of the slightly sinister, strange atmosphere surrounding the town. The sheriff was an ominous leader and the fear from the town’s people was almost palpable at times.

The story is told in two timelines one set just after the gold rush and the other during the hippy movement. I hadn’t read much about either period so I really enjoyed learning more about them. It was particularly interesting to learn how the hippy movement impacted women as I hadn’t thought about that before. Did the idea of free love and sharing everything extend to women’s bodies? I hope it didn’t but sadly that doesn’t seem to be the case for some people.

Overall I really enjoyed this book which gripped me from the start. There are some fantastic, strong women characters which I enjoyed watch grow throughout the book. There are some tough subjects mentioned but I found it very inspiring to see how the characters dealt with it. The ending was very satisfying, though I do wish the book had continued a little bit longer so I could find out what happens to the characters afterwards, especially Joanna.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Zaffre for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Inga Vesper is a journalist and editor. She moved to the UK from Germany to work as a carer, before the urge to write and explore brought her to journalism. As a reporter, she covered the coroner’s court and was able to observe how family, neighbours and police react to a suspicious death. Inga has worked in Syria and Tanzania, but now lives in Glasgow, because there’s no better way to find a good story than eavesdropping on the chatter in a Scottish cafe on a rainy day.