Book Review: Saigon Dark by Elka Ray

 

Saigon Dark by Elka Ray
Publisher: Crime Wave Press

Blurb: 
 Good and bad. Life and death. Some choices aren't black and white

A grief-stricken young mother switches her dead baby for an abused child, then spends the next decade living a lie. She remarries and starts to feel safe when she gets a note: 'I know what you did'. Can she save her family from her dark secret?

My Thoughts:
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

On the same night her young daughter dies Lily finds a beaten neglected child, around the same age as her daughter, on her doorstep. Citing ‘fate’ as her motivation she decides to keep the child.
The story follows Lily’s life over the next 11 years as she walks a fine line between right and wrong, good and bad. She is always trying to justify her actions while hiding a terrible secret that leaves a heavy burden on her life.

The story is full of raw emotion and tension. Lily runs from her old life and starts over where no-one knows her but there is always that foreboding feeling that her past will one day catch up with her.

The narration is mainly in short, sharp sentences which perfectly portrays the way Lily’s mind is thinking; fast, sharp and erratic. She is always despairing about life and thinking worse case scenarios.

When the note appears that someone knows what she did there are already a few likely suspects that kept me guessing and changing my mind constantly. I never did actually guess right!

I couldn’t read this book fast enough. I was anxious to see what Lily would do next and if she would ever get out of her dilemma.

A tension filled story of lies, betrayal and blackmail. A real sense of foreboding is felt throughout.
Highly recommended!

I received an ERC from the publisher.

About the Author; (courtesy of Goodreads)

 Born in the UK and raised in Canada and Africa, Elka writes for children and adults. Elka divides her time between Central Vietnam and Canada's Vancouver Island - with both regions featured in her fiction.

When she's not writing, drawing, traveling or reading Elka is in - or near - the ocean.

Book Review:Weave a Murderous Web by Anne Rothman-Hicks

 

Weave a Murderous Web by Anne Rothman-Hicks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jane Larson, an up and coming Lawyer, takes on a domestic, unpaid child support, case on the request of a friend. As she looks further into the finances of the defendant she finds there is more to him than meets the eye. And it’s not all legal! Jane soon finds herself embroiled in a web of drugs, lies and murder.

It does take a few chapters for the writing to settle but from then on the story is absorbing with plenty of twists, turns and witty dialogue.

Jane is a great protagonist, sharp-witted, sarcastic and cynical. She doesn’t take crap from anyone. She zeroes in on the problem at hand and nothing will get in her way until she has answers.

There are plenty of characters introduced and they each have their own distinct personalities. There is lots of suspicious activity, where everyone seems to have something to hide. Add to this a few red herrings and it will keep you guessing until the action packed finale.

The epilogue ties the story up nicely.

I received on ERC to read and review.

Book Review: The Little Girl Who Lost Her Name by David Cadji-Newby

 

The Little Girl Who Lost Her Name by David Cadji-Newby
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First I would have to say I was very impressed with the quality of the book. Printed on high quality thick carded paper these books will take years of page turning by hands both small and large.

My granddaughter received two of these personalised books for her second birthday. I think this was the result of a wide and highly successful marketing campaign as other guests (at her birthday celebration) also remarked that they had looked at buying this particular book.

Both books were exactly the same unfortunately. However, I have noticed on the website that there are options, although very limited, to change some of the characters. Although in this case the buyer would have to pre-empt that the recipient may already have a copy. There are also options for the child’s hair and skin colour.

The story is about a little girl who goes on an adventure to find her lost name. As she meets different characters along the way they each give her the first letter of their name.

I loved that there were some unusual characters, such as a Narwhal, Aardvark and Nabarlek, rather than the typical farm and zoo animals. Each animal tells a little about themselves eg: Aardvark eats ants; Narwhal is called the sea unicorn.

My Granddaughters name has 7 letters and the book had 36 pages which I feel is great value for money. But what if your name is Zoe or Sam? They’ve thought of that too and added in 4 extra pages of story for short names.

Most importantly my Granddaughter absolutely loves this book!

And of course there is also “The Little Boy Who Lost His Name”

Book Review: Flames over Norway by Robert Jackson

 

Flames Over Norway by Robert Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Flames of Norway is set during the lead up to WWII and follows the POV of three main characters, Kalinski – a Pole, Armstrong – a Britain and Lehmann – a German.

Jackson tells the facts without prejudice and gives the reader a blow by blow description of the battle for Norway. He knows his subject and the reader is taken right to the heart of the action with vivid imagery.

Although written with great detail of the military planning and reconnaissance missions the story never gets bogged down and it kept me enthralled until the fiery end.

Highly recommended for any readers interested in the planes and the missions of pilots during WWII.

I received an ERC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: Scared to Death by Rachel Amphlett

 

Scared to Death by Rachel Amphlett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Scared to Death is the first book in the Detective Kay Hunter series. The story pulled me in from the very beginning. The suspense is gripping and each scene is vividly described making the events spine-chillingly real.

DS Kay Hunter is dedicated. She doesn’t dwell on the problems in her life and the backstory tells us she has plenty of personal problems she could be dwelling on.
It’s a nice change to have a detective that’s not a divorced alcoholic. The reader is not heaped with Hunter’s personal life. We are just given a few snippets here and there to let you know a bit about her, she was bullied at school, gets annoyed by her mother and sister and has a loving supportive partner. The story focuses mainly on the case at hand.

The pace is fast. The chapters are short and precise which makes this book an easy, quick read but not easy to read as there are quite a few skin crawling adrenaline pumping moments.

The killer has a troubled background but the reader is never urged to feel sorry for him. The victims are kept slightly detached although they are not completely innocent themselves.

If you enjoy adrenaline pumping action and suspense I highly recommend “Scared to Death.”

I was provided with an ERC from the author to read and review.

Book Review: Knife & Fork by Gita V Reddy

 

Knife and Fork by Gita V. Reddy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Bholu, an inquisitive monkey, decides to leave the forest to seek adventure in the city. He sees many wondrous things and, after watching a little girl eating in her garden, he learns to eat with a knife and fork. He returns to the forest and brags about what he has seen and his new manners. He is now arrogant and thinks he is superior to the other monkeys. His friends soon tire of his bragging and he finds eating with a knife and fork in the forest very difficult. Bholu is now very lonely, sad and hungry. A wise old monkey tells him it is better to be as a monkey should be. Don’t try to be what you are not, just be yourself.

Reddy’s short simply written chapter books help encourage the transition from beginner readers to more advanced readers. For reluctant readers the length will make it easier for them to finish a book. Younger readers will also be encouraged to read a page or two with the rest read to them.
The full series has books in different genres to give children a wide taste of stories.

The story was fun and the imagery was vivid. The moral of not being arrogant and just being yourself was easy to understand for small children.

Recommended for: 3 years plus – read to me
5 years plus – read alone

Book Review: Yousuf's Everyday Adventures "Beautifully Different" by Dana Salim

 

Beautifully Different by Dana Salim
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Beautifully Different is the second book in Dana Salim’s Yousuf’s Everyday Adventure series.

The story opens with Yousuf playing with blocks on the floor with his father. He asks his father why people are different. He goes on to say that some children at school are picked on because they are different. His dad suggests they play the imagination game. Yousuf closes his eyes and the game begins. Dad directs the game and his part of the story is in rhyme. He adds in little problems that Yousuf must find solutions to, so it’s not only dad’s imagination but also Yousuf’s that’s directing the story.

Yousuf is in a land of beautiful flowers, all different shapes and colours. The weeds come to scare them away. Yousuf needs to help the flowers unite and chase the weeds away.

I read this story to a 3 and 4 year old. They loved the story and the big bright illustrations and asked straight away for the story again.
Me: How did Yousuf get to the Island?
3yo: The birds took him (she took the story literally)
4yo: In a dream

Me: What was your favourite part of the story?
3yo: The flowers
4yo: chasing the yucky weeds away.

Recommended for 4+ preschool, Kindergarten age when they become more aware of the people around them and better understand the concept of imagination.

Beautifully Different is a book we will definitely be reading again and again.

With my thanks to the author for my copy to read to the children.