Book Synopsis:

A riveting technological thriller following a woman whose life is upended when her husband and son disappear in a mysterious plane crash and she is left alone with an unnerving home robot, only to get caught up in an AI-related conspiracy. 

In near-future Japan, Susie Sakamoto is mourning the loss of her husband and son to a plane crash. Alone in her big modern house, which feels like more of a prison, Susie spends her days drinking heavily and taking her anger out at the only “sentient” thing left in her life: Sunny, the annoying home robot her husband designed. Susie despises Sunny, and sometimes even gets a sinking feeling that Sunny is out to hurt her.

To escape her paranoia and depression, Susie frequents the seedy, drug-fueled bars of the city, where she hears rumors of The Dark Manual, a set of guidelines that allow you to reprogram your robot for nefarious purposes. In the hopes of finding a way to turn off Sunny for good, Susie begins to search for the manual, only to learn it’s too late: the machines are becoming more sentient and dangerous. Thrust into the center of a dark, corporate war, Susie realizes there’s someone behind the code, pulling the strings. And they want her dead.

With a darkly humorous yet propulsive and lyrical voice, O’Sullivan presents us with an unsettling look at a future that feels all too real. Gripping and thought-provoking, Sunny is a haunting character study of an anxious woman teetering in an anxious time. 

My Review:

Sunny is a dark, gripping book that gives a disturbing look into a possible future.

Firstly I’ve always been slightly fascinated by the idea of AI and what it might be able to do in the future so this book instantly appealed. This book has definitely made me think about the dangers of AI and how it could go wrong. I mean there’s a reason why the guy who invented it quit saying he’s done a bad thing….

The book is told from the point of view of Susie and it was very emotional at times to see her dealing with her grief from losing her husband and son while gradually being more controlled by her AI robot Sunny. I often wished I could go into the book and help her or give her the hug I felt she needed. The book is cleverly written so I felt like I was inside Susie’s head, able to hear all her thoughts and feelings so that it almost felt like everything was happening to me.

I thought this book had a great pace to it and I soon found myself absorbed into the story unable to put the book down. I kept promising myself I’d read just one more chapter and found myself reading far too late at night. The book has a slightly claustrophobic feel to it and it was quite emotional watching everything unfold. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I’d definitely be interested in reading more from him in future.

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

About The Author:

Colin O’Sullivan was born in Killarney, Ireland, in 1974. He is the author of Killarney Blues, Winner of the Prix Mystère de la critique, a prestigious crime fiction award in France.

His other works of fiction include The Starved Lover Sings, which was published in Russian to great acclaim (under the title “Black Sakura”).

His third novel The Dark Manual is to be made into a TV series called “Sunny” by Apple TV.

In 2019 Betimes Books continued his run of provocative novels with the much-lauded 1980s-set novel, My Perfect Cousin.

In 2020 he gave us Marshmallows, a tense noirish tale of crime and revenge set at Christmastime which focuses on the world of the theatre.

And his latest offering is The True Story of Binderella and Other Secret Siblings. A funny take on fairytales for discerning readers of all ages! Available now in both paperback and Kindle formats.

Colin lives and works in Aomori, north Japan.

Betimes Books: https://betimesbooksnow.wordpress.com/

David Hogan interviews Colin O’Sullivan: https://betimesbooksnow.wordpress.com//?s=David+Hogan+interview

And a biblet for The Dark Manual: https://www.book2look.com/book/TypGpIGuvn

Good morning everyone today on Two For Tuesday I’m featuring two of my upcoming bookclub reads.

As some of you know I help run the bookclub for Rossiter books in Malvern where I work. It’s great fun (though a little nerve wracking at times) to pick books that I’ve loved for everyone else to enjoy.

This month our book is Days At The Morisaki Bookshop which I’ve been hearing great things about. Then our February book is going to be Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton. I was looking for a thriller in a cold setting and I remember loving this when I read it a few years ago.

Do you belong to a bookclub? What is your bookclub read this month?

Days At The Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa

The Japanese bestseller: a tale of love, new beginnings, and the comfort that can be found between the pages of a good book.

When twenty-five-year-old Takako’s boyfriend reveals he’s marrying someone else, she reluctantly accepts her eccentric uncle Satoru’s offer to live rent-free in the tiny room above his shop.

Hidden in Jimbocho, Tokyo, the Morisaki Bookshop is a booklover’s paradise. On a quiet corner in an old wooden building, the shop is filled with hundreds of second-hand books. It is Satoru’s pride and joy, and he has devoted his life to the bookshop since his wife left him five years earlier.

Hoping to nurse her broken heart in peace, Takako is surprised to encounter new worlds within the stacks of books lining the shop.

And as summer fades to autumn, Satoru and Takako discover they have more in common than they first thought. The Morisaki bookshop has something to teach them both about life, love, and the healing power of books.

Quirky, beautifully written, and movingly profound, Days at the Morisaki Bookshop will appeal to readers of Before The Coffee Gets Cold, The Cat Who Saved Books, and anyone who has had to recover from a broken heart.

Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton

THREE HOURS TO SAVE THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE

In rural Somerset in the middle of a blizzard, the unthinkable happens: a school is under siege.

Pupils and teachers barricade themselves into classrooms, the library, the theatre. The headmaster lies wounded in the library, unable to help his trapped students and staff. Outside, a police psychiatrist must identify the gunmen, while parents gather desperate for news.

In three intense hours, all must find the courage to stand up to evil and save the people they love.

Book Synopsis:

From bestselling author Ruth Kelly, The Escape is an electrifying thriller of influencers, secrets and lies set in a grand mansion in rural France for fans of Lisa Jewell and Sarah Pearse.

THE PERFECT OFFER

When struggling influencer couple Adele and Jack post a crowdfunding video online, they’re amazed when a mysterious benefactor offers to buy them a crumbling French chateau. It’s the lifeline they need to leave all their troubles behind.

THE PERFECT DREAM

For Adele, it’s a dream come true. She will post videos of the renovation as thousands of online subscribers follow their journey. But the chateau is not all it seems and the local community is far from welcoming.

THE PERFECT NIGHTMARE

Then Adele’s videos suddenly stop. Her sister Erin visits to make sure she’s OK, but the couple have vanished. Between the obsession of Adele’s fans and the claustrophobic secrecy of the nearby town, Erin must unravel the shocking truth behind the couple’s disappearance . . .

‘A deliciously dark look at the world of influencers set against the backdrop of a glamorous French chateau – tense and shocking’ Catherine Cooper

My Review:

The Escape is a twisty, chilling, dark read that I’d rate as one of the best thrillers I’ve read.

Firstly, I absolutely loved the setting in this book. I always love a house with a history and the old, isolated chateau featured in this book was brilliant to read about. There are lots of hidden corners of the house to explore along with the characters and I felt on edge whilst I was reading, wondering what they would find next. I sometimes felt like the house was trying to help with the investigation at times, revealing clues suddenly by making strange noises or through a shift in the light.

The story is told from the point of view of Adele and Erin with news reports from the investigation and comments from Adele’s blog inserted periodically. I actually ended up liking both sisters, though Adele did annoy me a bit at the beginning. Erin really shows what’s she’s made of in the book and it was lovely to see her grow in confidence as the book continues. I ended up feeling a lot of sympathy for Adele as it was tough seeing everything that happens.

I thought this book was incredibly fast paced and I couldn’t put it down once I started it. There was lots going on and I had to keep reading to find out what would happen next. It’s very dark in places which might not be to everyone’s taste but I didn’t feel it was overly graphic more that it helped add to the creepy atmosphere of the house. There were lots of twists that kept me guessing and just when I thought everything had been figured out something else happened to take the story in another direction.

If you are looking for a fantastic thriller in curl up with this Christmas I highly recommend this one. I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future.

Huge thanks to Chloe from Pan Macmillan for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Ruth Kelly is an award-winning journalist who has ghosted a string of Sunday Times top ten bestsellers – most recently THE PRISON DOCTOR, which sold over 250,000 copies, and THE GOVERNOR, which went straight in at number one on the Amazon charts and number five in the Sunday Times bestseller list.

Book Synopsis:

The fairy lights are sparkling on the Sunnybrook village green tree and festive excitement is in the air – and at least one Little Duck Pond Cafe regular is going to have the best Christmas ever!

My Review:

Oh how I love Rosie’s books. They are always so wonderfully heart warming and I always look forward to a new book from her.

I’ve always loved hanging out in Sunnybrook and it was wonderful to be able to follow the lovely residents in the run up to Christmas. This book sees Jaz become the main character and I enjoyed the fly on the wall glimpse into the village festive celebrations through her eyes. I especially loved how the author includes the children’s point of view so that the reader gets to experience the magic of Christmas through their eyes. It made me very nostalgic for my childhood Christmasses at my Grandparents and my belief I could hear jingle bells outside. (My sister says she heard them too so we now believe it was my grandpa standing under our window shaking some bells). There is also a hint of romance as Jaz grows closer to Milo and I found I had to keep reading to see if she’d overcome her fears of getting hurt to take a chance with him.

The book had a lovely pace to it and I soon found myself caught up in the story. It was so nice hanging out in the village again with characters that I’ve grown really fond of over the series. There were a few new residents who I enjoyed meeting and I look forward to learning more about them in future books. If you’re looking for a heartwarming read to help get you into the festive spirit then I highly recommend this book.

Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me onto this blog blast and for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Rosie has been scribbling stories ever since she was little. Back then, they were rip-roaring adventure tales with a young heroine in perilous danger of falling off a cliff or being tied up by ‘the baddies’. Thankfully, Rosie has moved on somewhat, and now much prefers to write romantic comedies that melt your heart and make you smile, with really not much perilous danger involved at all – unless you count the heroine losing her heart in love.

Rosie’s Little Duck Pond Cafe series of novellas is centred around life in a village cafe and each book can be read as a stand-alone story.

Look out for ‘A Cosy Cottage Escape’, out in September 2023, and ‘A Winter Wonderland’ for Christmas 2023.

Book Synopsis:

From the bestselling author of The Jam Factory Girls, Mary Wood’s The Guernsey Girls is the first in a touching new series of friendship found far from home . . .

January 1936. After the hard work of being a maid at Wallington Manor in the lead-up to Christmas, Annie is thrilled at the prospect of going home to Bethnal Green. She has missed her family, but the money she earns keeps them all afloat.

Olivia is from the island of Guernsey and is visiting her aunt at Wallington Manor. When she has to leave for London, Annie is asked to look after her, and on the train journey a friendship blossoms.

A tragic accident sees their friendship become even stronger. A friendship that will see both girls through pain, happiness, marriage and death. A friendship that will see them both united in Guernsey.

And this is just the beginning of their incredible journey . . .

My Review:

I’m a huge fan of Mary’s books so I was very excited to learn she had a new book coming out, especially as it’s the start of a new trilogy!

Firstly, I absolutely loved the two main characters Olivia and Annie so I enjoyed following them throughout the book. They were such great creations and they seemed so real that I instantly warmed to them. Despite coming from very different backgrounds the pair have a lovely friendship which I loved watching develop. Each girl has different strengths and weaknesses that help on their journey which they slowly gained confidence in using as the book continues.

The author does a great job in setting the scene so I felt like I was really there experiencing everything alongside the characters. It was great fun exploring first Olivia’s home town in Guernsey and then Annie’s in London. The author even includes some of the Cockney slang into her dialogue which helped make the story seem even more real.

Overall, I loved this book and can’t wait to read more in the trilogy. The book had a great pace to it and there always seemed to be something happening to keep me reading. The book is set just before the second world war and with the benefit of hindsight the reader can guess where the series might be heading but I’m very excited to see how the might deal with things.

Huge thanks to the lovely Chloe from Pan Macmillan for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Born in Maidstone, Kent, in 1945, the thirteenth child of fifteen children, Mary’s family settled in Leicestershire after the war ended.

Mary married young and now, after 54 years of happy marriage, four children, 12 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren, Mary and her husband live in Blackpool, United Kingdom during the summer and Spain during the winter – a place that Mary calls, ‘her writing retreat’.

After many jobs from cleaning to catering, all chosen to fit in with bringing up her family, and boost the family money-pot, Mary ended her 9 – 5 working days as a Probation Service Officer, a job that showed her another side to life, and which influences her writing, bringing a realism and grittiness to her novels

Mary first put pen to paper, in 1989, but it wasn’t until 2010 that she finally found some success by self-publishing on kindle.

Being spotted by an editor at Pan Macmillan in 2013, finally saw Mary reach her publishing dream.

When not writing, Mary enjoys family time, reading, eating out, and gardening. One of her favourite pastimes is interacting with her readers on her Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/HistoricalNovels

And on her web page: http://www.authormarywood.com

She is also on Twitter: @Authormary

Mary welcomes all contact with her readers and feedback on her work.

Good afternoon everyone and happy Saturday. Here are some of the fantastic looking Christmas books I’m hoping to read over the festive period.

🌲The Christmas Wish by Lindsey Kelk
☃️A December To Remember by Jenny Bayliss
🌟Who Killed Father Christmas by various authors
🦌 Murder On The Christmas Express by Alexandra Benedict
🎅The Christmas Jigsaw Murders by Alexandra Benedict
🔔The 12 Days Of Murder by Andreina Cordani

I’m a few chapters into The Christmas Wish which I’m really enjoying so far and then I’m hoping to read The Christmas Jigsaw Murders as I’ve heard lots of great things.

I’m hoping for a quiet day today as I don’t know why but I’m feeling exhausted ATM. We have our work Christmas do tonight which should be fun and I’m looking forward to talking to some of the people I’ve not met in person yet.

What are your Saturday plans?

Eek! I actually did a happy dance in the shop when this came through the post for me. I’ve been hearing lots of amazing things about this book so I’m bumping it up my tbr and will be reading it next!

Huge thanks to @bantambooksuk for sending me a copy of this book.

Is this book on your radar?

Book Synopsis:

Because some doors should never be opened.

New York bookseller Cassie Andrews is not sure what she’s doing with her life. She lives quietly, sharing an apartment with her best friend, Izzy. Then a favourite customer gives her an old book. Full of strange writing and mysterious drawings, at the very front there is a handwritten message:

This is the Book of Doors. Hold it in your hand, and any door is every door.

Cassie is about to discover that the Book of Doors is a special book – a magic book. A book that bestows extraordinary abilities on whoever possesses it. And she is about to learn that there are other magic books out there that can also do wondrous – or dreadful and terrifying – things.

Because where there is magic there is power and there are those who will stop at nothing to possess it.

Suddenly Cassie and Izzy are confronted by violence and danger, and the only person who can help them is Drummond Fox who has a secret library of magical books hidden in the shadows for safekeeping, a man fleeing his own demons. Because there is a nameless evil out there that is hunting them all . . .

Because this book is worth killing for.

Addictive, brilliantly written and utterly irresistible, The Book of Doors is the spell-binding, mind-bending, heart-pounding new adventure that is perfect for fans of The Binding, The Midnight Library and A Discovery of Witches . . .

About The Author:

Gareth Brown wanted to be a writer from a very young age, and he completed his first novel as a teenager. That novel wasn’t very good and he’s been working on his writing ever since. For the last twenty years he has worked in the UK Civil Service and the NHS while writing in his spare time.

When not working or writing, Gareth loves travelling, especially the whirlwind first few hours in a new city and long road trips through beautiful landscapes. He enjoys barbecues, patisseries, playing pool, and falling asleep in front of the television like an old man.

Gareth lives with his wife and two excitable Skye terriers near Edinburgh in Scotland.

Book Synopsis:

Brixton in the late 1990s. Delroy Brown, a young black man being held in police custody, dies in a confrontation in his cell with a police officer.

The officer claims to have acted in self-defence but fails to give a satisfactory explanation for being in the dead man’s cell.

Chief Inspector Elliott conducts an investigation into Delroy’s death, but his enquiries are obstructed by a lack of co-operation from police officers, the activities of a corrupt private investigator – and the legal system itself.

Alison French, a young journalist, Neeta Patel, Delroy’s family’s solicitor, and Ben Weekes, a black youth worker, join forces to try and find out the truth about Delroy’s death, but find themselves in growing danger, as they are drawn into a murky world of violent criminals and police informants.

My Review:

A Death In Custody is an intriguing, absorbing read that will stay with me.

Firstly I’ll admit to not knowing much about the law so I found all the legal aspects of this book very interesting. The author clearly has some experience of the UK legal system and I enjoyed finding out how the law works. It was especially interesting finding out how limited the law is in some ways and how a crime is judged not just by what happened but also by the impact it makes.

The author does a great job setting the scene and I often felt like I was right there watching everything unfold like I was a fly on the wall. I thought the book had a good pace to it and even in the slower bits I found I didn’t mind as I was enjoying hanging out with the characters. There were a few twists that kept me guessing and I soon found myself invested in the story, having to keep reading to find out how it ends.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to the publisher for my copy of this book. If you want a legal thriller with a difference then I highly recommend this book.

About The Author:

T. S. Clayton is a retired solicitor. In the 1990s he practised criminal law in and around Brixton, South London, working for the Crown Prosecution Service as a Crown Prosecutor, and later Senior Crown Prosecutor, before becoming a freelance defence advocate.

Book Synopsis:

Light and dark – this is the destiny placed upon Natasha and Clara, the birthright bestowed on them by their godfather, the mysterious sorcerer Drosselmeyer. Clara, the favourite, grows into beauty and ease, while Natasha is cursed to live in her sister’s shadow. But one fateful Christmas Eve, Natasha gets her chance at revenge. For Drosselmeyer has returned and brought with him the Nutcracker, an enchanted present which offers entry to a deceptively beautiful world: the Kingdom of Sweets.

In this land of snow and sugar, Natasha is presented with a power far greater than Drosselmeyer: the Sugar Plum Fairy, who is also a giver of gifts . . . and a maker of dread-filled bargains. As Natasha uncovers the dark destiny laid before her birth, she must reckon with powers both earthly and magical . . . and decide to which world she truly belongs.

My Review:

The Kingdom of Sweets is a fantastically dark, gripping re-telling of The Nutcracker which I thoroughly enjoyed.

The story is told from the point of view of Natasha and follows two twins who have been given an unusual curse at birth. One, Clara, has been given light which means she gets everything she wants in life and everyone loves her. The other, Natasha, was given dark meaning she is essentially sidelined for her more popular twin. I ended up liking both sisters though initially felt sympathy only for Natasha as I felt she’d been handed an unfair hand. It was interesting to learn most about the sisters and to understand more about how events had effected both of them.

I really liked the setting and enjoyed exploring it alongside the characters. It’s a world that seems familiar with balls, dance cards and a women’s role seemingly only to be to marry well. It was especially interesting to see real life historical events and characters included in the story too with the author touching on the start of The Russian Revolution. I especially loved the fabulous descriptions of the Kingdom Of Sweets when they first visit as I thought it was incredibly clever to see how the author had created things with sweets.

I thought this story had a great pace to it and I was soon absorbed into the story, unable to put the book down as I wanted to find out what an earth happened next. The story does get very dark in the second half and some of the explanation as to why the twins had been separated went over my head but I feel that’s just a small niggle as I still really loved the story.

Huge thanks to Chloe from Transworld for sending me a copy of this book. Highly recommended by me.

About The Author:

ERIKA JOHANSEN grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. She went to Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania before attending the celebrated Iowa Writers Workshop, where she earned a Master of Fine Arts degree. She eventually became an attorney but she never stopped writing. Her debut was the international bestseller, The Queen of the Tearling – the first novel in a remarkable sequence. This was followed by the acclaimed The Invasion of the Tearling, The Fate of the Tearling and a prequel, Beneath the Keep. Erika now lives in England.

Good morning everyone today on Two For Tuesday I’m featuring two re-tellings that are on my tbr list.

Once Upon A Frosted Star is a re-telling of Swan Lake and Fair Rosaline a re-telling of Romeo and Juliet. I started Upon A Frosted Star a while ago but had to put it down for a blog tour so I’m excited to read it soon. Romeo And Juliet is one of my favourite Shakespeare plays so I can’t wait to read Fair Rosaline.

Today I’m working this morning and then I’m going into my kids’school to hear the children read.

Do you like re-tellings? What’s your favourite?

Upon A Frosted Star by M. A Kuzniar

When the snow falls, she will be free…

The invitations always arrive the same way – without warning, appearing around the city on the first snowfall of the year, simply inscribed with ‘Tonight.’

When struggling artist, Forster, finds an invitation, he’s bewitched by the magic of the evening, swept up in the glamour of this notorious annual party and intrigued as to who is behind them.

Determined to find out more about the mysterious host, Forster discovers an abandoned manor house silent with secrets and a cursed woman who is desparate to be free…

From the bestselling author of Midnight in Everwood, comes another spellbinding literary fairy tale that’s The Great Gatsby meets Swan Lake.

Fair Rosaline by Natasha Solomon

One of the most anticipated novels of the year – the captivating and powerful untelling of Romeo & Juliet . . .

The first time Romeo Montague sees young Rosaline Capulet he falls instantly in love. Rosaline, headstrong and independent, is unsure of Romeo’s attentions but with her father determined that she join a convent, this handsome and charming stranger offers her the chance of a different life.

Soon though, Rosaline begins to doubt all that Romeo has told her. She breaks off the match, only for Romeo’s gaze to turn towards her cousin, thirteen-year-old Juliet. Gradually Rosaline realises that it is not only Juliet’s reputation at stake, but her life.

With only hours remaining before she will be banished behind the nunnery walls, will Rosaline save Juliet from her Romeo? Or can this story only ever end one way?

A subversive, powerful untelling of Shakespeare’s best-known tale, narrated by a fierce, forgotten voice: this is Rosaline’s story.

Hamnet meets My Dark Vanessa in this fierce, feminist, intensely gripping novel; captivating and chillingly relevant, FAIR ROSALINE takes everything you thought you knew about Romeo and Juliet and turns it on its head . . .