Annihilation (The Spread #6) by Iain Rob Wright

 

Description:

"The end of the end has begun...

Aaron Cartwright and his friends have walked through hell and come out of the other end changed in ways they could never have imagined. But they are still human. They are still prepared to fight.

And fight they must as mankind's deadly enemy unleashes a new weapon designed to end humanity once and for all.

In order to stop the extinction of all life on Earth, Aaron must do something next to impossible. Return home and face the enemy one last time. He will just have to hope that home still exists."

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Well, we have come to the end of the series and I have to admit, I am a little sad.  What a series this has been!  You might have thought it would get a little stale by book 6 but let me tell you, this is definitely not the case.  

Book 6 continues to follow Aaron and his friends fighting against an alien invader to prevent the destruction of the earth however, aliens are not the only dangers they encounter so be warned!  Not everyone or everything is as it seems and, as is usual with Mr Wright's work, no one is safe.

I have become totally and utterly invested in the characters in this series; I have seen them grow and develop, at their best and their worst and I am sad to come to the end but what a perfect ending it is.

This is a gripping series and one I would highly recommend you read from the start.  I suppose you could just drop in with this book but why on earth would you?!?! You would be missing out on so, so much.

Once again, my thanks must go to Iain for accepting me into his "street team" and for providing me with an advance copy in return for comments and an honest, unbiased and unedited review.  

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Other books by Iain Rob Wright I have read and reviewed:

The Hill (The Spread #1)

The Village (The Spread #2)

The Stand (The Spread #3)

The Road (The Spread #4)

Turning Point (The Spread #5)

Witch: A Horror Novel (The Cursed Manuscripts)

Zombie: A Horror Novel (The Cursed Manuscripts)

End Play (Sarah Stone / Major Crimes Unit #3)

Terminal (Sarah Stone / Major Crimes Unit #4)

2389: A Space Horror Novel

The Room Upstairs

Sam (Damienverse #1)

The Housemates (Damienverse #4)

Sea Sick (Damienverse #5 / Ravaged World Trilogy #1)

Ravage (Damienverse #6 / Ravaged World Trilogy #2)

Savage (Damienverse #7 / Ravaged World Trilogy #3)

Dark Ride

Escape

Liar Liar by L.G. Davis [Audiobook]

 

Narrated by Tanya Eby

Description from Goodreads:

"He swore he would always protect me, that he would take my darkest secret to the grave. But I’m starting to think he hasn’t told me his…

My husband and I are the dream couple: deeply in love, the envy of all our friends and neighbours. He surprises me with flowers, I make him his favourite meals and prepare picnics to enjoy with our son. It’s little gestures like this that keep our romance alive.

But nobody knows how frightened I am at night. Oliver promises he’ll keep me safe, but I can’t stop feeling like someone from my past is watching me. Coming for me. I could have sworn I saw someone watching me through the window, lurking in the shadows across the street. As I triple check that the doors are locked, and kiss my son goodnight, I’m terrified that someone knows my unspeakable secret, and that soon everything I love will be taken away…

And when my husband comes home with blood on his hands on the same night our neighbour goes missing, I realise I am not the only one hiding a terrible secret.

We are both lying. But when the truth finally comes to light, who will survive?"

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I really quite enjoyed listening to this audiobook and as I was in my car a lot over a couple of days, was able to finish it in pretty quick time.

The plot is captivating and although it is a tad unbelievable, it's like one of those cheesy chat shows that you can't stop watching and you find yourself shouting at the tv!  Well, all I can say is that it's a good job I was in my car and not on a train whilst listening to this otherwise I would have got some very strange looks!

The characters are well developed - I actually didn't like any of them very much apart from Mason, however, for this book, I'm not sure it mattered to me.  The pace was quick and it's full of tension from start to finish and the gradual reveal of the "unspeakable secret" added to this. 

The narrator was good however, there were times when her voice became a little stilted and robotic which was a little annoying and disappointing.

Overall, I think this works really well as an audiobook and if you like delving into the secrets and lies of a very dysfunctional family, I would definitely recommend it.

Thank you to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to Liar Liar and to share my thoughts.

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The Collective by Alison Gaylin

 

Description from Goodreads:

"Just how far will a grieving mother go to right a tragic wrong?

Camille Gardner is a grieving—and angry—mother who, five years after her daughter’s death, is still obsessed with the privileged young man she believes to be responsible.

When her rash actions attract the attention of a secret group of women—the collective—Camille is drawn into a dark web where these mothers share their wildly different stories of loss as well as their desire for justice in a world where privilege denies accountability and perpetrators emerge unscathed. Fueled by mutual rage, these women orchestrate their own brand of justice through precise, anonymous, complexly plotted and perfectly executed revenge killings, with individual members completing a specific and integral task in each plan.

As Camille struggles to comprehend whether this is a role-playing exercise or terrifying reality, she must decide if these women are truly avenging angels or monsters. Becoming more deeply enmeshed in the group, Camille learns truths about the collective—and about herself—that she may not be able to survive."

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A very satisfying tale of revenge that I raced through in quick time.

Unfortunately, we have all heard of cases where a child is abused or found dead, murdered or killed by someone else and the person thought to have committed that atrocity walks free.  We all feel for the parents but what would you do if that parent was you?  Would you want revenge and how far would you go?

Camille is that parent; her only child is gone and her marriage has ended. 

Grief has no time scale and after five years, the pain is still as raw, if not more so as the person she believed murdered her beautiful daughter is walking free and getting on with their lives.  She has to do something but what?  

Enter the collective ... a secret online group of mainly mothers who will help you get the justice you feel you deserve by working together.

Camille now has purpose but how far will she go?

With a great plot and interesting characters written at a pace that was quite slow at first but increased as the story developed, this book is a great thriller and certainly had me gripped from the start waiting to see how it all turned out.

Thank you must go to The Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for enabling me to read The Collective and share my views.

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Journeyman (Raven Series #2) [Audiobook] by Heather Atkinson

 

Narrated by Annie Cartwright

Description from Goodreads:

"Bad things stalk the wanderer who's lost his way.

Raven's adopted father One Eye has disappeared while wandering through Scotland. She and her brother Damon hit the road, intent on tracking him down.

One Eye has been attacked by his nemesis, who he thought was dead. Forced to hide out in a small village on the Isle of Skye and unable to escape thanks to an injured ankle, he fakes amnesia to avoid the police's awkward questions. When one of the locals is murdered he becomes prime suspect. In order to clear his name, One Eye needs to track down the real killer. He just hopes he can stay alive long enough to find them.

For protection, he calls in a couple of friends who owe him but will their presence only make a dangerous situation even more deadly?"

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Having listened to and thoroughly enjoyed the first in the series, Raven, I was intrigued to see what further escapades the assassin/bounty hunter was going to get mixed up in.

Now Raven was good but Journeyman is better!

Damien, Raven's brother, receives a coded message from their father One-Eye (aka Nik) that means he is in trouble.  Unable to contact him and with only a vague idea of where he was going, they set out to try and track him down somewhere in Scotland.

One-Eye is being tracked by a killer from his past who he thought was dead.  He is injured and has to 'hide out' in a small Scottish village on the Isle of Skye.  Whilst recovering, One-Eye is getting to know the eclectic residents of the village when one of them is found murdered but who did it and why?

With good, strong characters, loads of action, a great and unexpected twist and quite a few laugh-out-loud moments, this was a really enjoyable listen and I look forward to the next in the series.

The narrator does a great job with all the different characters; she really had her work cut out with this one and did it well.

Thank you to W.F. Howes Ltd and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to Journeyman and share my thoughts.

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Other books by Heather Atkinson I have read and reviewed:

Raven (Raven Series #1) [Audiobook]

The Apartment Upstairs by Lesley Kara

 

Description from Goodreads:

"Scarlett's aunt lived - and was brutally murdered - in the apartment upstairs. But Scarlett is determined that life should return to some kind of normal, even if that means living with just a ceiling between her and the scene of such a devastating crime. After all, this is her home. She's safe here. Isn't she?

Dee is busy balancing her job as a funeral director with organizing an event to mark the disappearance of her best friend, ten years ago. So she's got enough on her plate without worrying about the threatening messages that are appearing on her company's Facebook page.

When Scarlett approaches Dee about planning her aunt's funeral, an unexpected link between them emerges. Together, the two women could uncover secrets that have long been buried. Even while someone wants to stop them digging . . ."

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Let me give you a piece of advice; if you have never read one of Lesley Kara's books, get yourself to your usual book supplier or library and put it right by picking yourself one (or more!)  You will not regret it because each and every one is unique and enthralling and The Apartment Upstairs is no different.

This is yet another cracker by Lesley Kara.

Would you want to live in a house where a beloved family member was brutally murdered?  I don't think I could but Scarlett is clearly stronger than I am.  Not only has she moved back into her flat beneath where her Aunt Rebecca was murdered by her partner who then committed suicide, but she is having to organise the funeral and manage the debilitating condition, ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis).

Dee is the owner of the 'alternative' funeral directors Scarlett contacts to make arrangements for her aunt's funeral.  Dee has struggles of her own; as well as her own personal circumstances, her best friend went missing almost 10 years ago and she is organising an event to keep her in the public consciousness.  

Little do Scarlett and Dee realise but their lives are going to become intertwined in the most unexpected and shattering way.

There is creeping sense of tension and unease from the very beginning which continues throughout and which had me gripped desperate to know what was going to happen but I definitely didn't see that ending coming ... and what a great ending it is!

With strong characters, a good pace and an engaging and enthralling plot that had me guessing, this is a book that I devoured quickly and one which I have no hesitation in recommending to those who enjoy a character-driven, gripping thriller.

Thanks go to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for enabling me to read The Apartment Upstairs and share my views.

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Other books by Lesley Kara I have read and reviewed:

The Dare

Who Did You Tell?

The Rumour

From The Ashes (DI Eve Hunter #3) by Deborah Masson

 

💥💥💥Due to be published 18-Aug-2022💥💥💥

Description from Goodreads:

"As the house burns, the hunt for a killer begins...

In the dead of night someone starts a fire in a home for underprivileged children in Aberdeen. The flames spread quickly, and one person doesn't make it out alive.

But the victim wasn't found in their bedroom; they were discovered locked inside a secret basement underground. As DI Eve Hunter and her team search the blackened ruins, the case takes them into even darker territory.

Soon Eve unearths a horrific discovery at the heart of the property - one that turns the whole investigation on its head. Everyone in this home has something to hide, but who has a secret worth killing for?"

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I have read the first two books in this series and thoroughly enjoyed them so was itching to get my sticky little fingers on this the latest instalment and I wasn't disappointed.  Please be reassured that you don't have to have read the others in the series , as this can be read as a standalone quite well although I would recommend you do so.

Once again, we are treated to an excellent and gripping story which although deals with a difficult subject, does so without being over-the-top.  An arson attack on a children's home results in the death of a young boy and DI Hunter and her team are quickly mired in the investigation.  What was he doing there and are there further dark secrets to be unearthed?

Meanwhile, whilst on his way to work, DI Hunter's colleague, DC Scott Ferguson, witnesses a car accident where a young man is seriously injured.  Scott promises the young man he will be there for him but this takes him away from the arson investigation and creates tension within the team.  What is it about the young man that has affected him so much?

I raced through this book; I was totally hooked from the start.  I really enjoyed the gradual unveiling of secrets which had me wondering what was going to happen next and definitely kept me guessing as to who the arsonist was.  The chemistry and loyalty DI Hunter and her team have with each other felt believable and natural; the characters are strong and credible and the pace was just right for me.

All in all, a really good book and a great addition to the series and I have to thank Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for enabling me to read From The Ashes and sharing my thoughts.

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Other books by Deborah Masson I have read and reviewed:

Hold Your Tongue (DI Eve Hunter #1)

Out For Blood (DI Eve Hunter #2)

Raven (Raven Series #1) [Audiobook] by Heather Atkinson

 

Narrated by Annie Cartwright

Description from Goodreads:

"Raven, loner and assassin-for-hire, finds her reputation tarnished when a rival steals her contracts out from under her. She goes on the hunt, attempting to track him down before he destroys her good name completely. The vultures of the criminal underworld are circling, waiting until she is at her weakest before finishing her off.

On top of that, she's being pursued not only by a gang of neo-Nazi meth dealers but a psychotic torturer, who is intent on claiming her magnificent raven feather tattoos as his prize.

Most troubling of all, Aidan, her adored husband, has been missing for almost a year. She has no idea whether he is alive or dead.

Uncertain who she can trust as the net closes in, Raven ends up in a desperate bid for survival and long-buried secrets threaten to blow her world apart."

💥💥Contains strong language and scenes of violence and sex.💥💥

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As soon as I started to listen to this book, I was hooked.  I am a sucker for an assassin story and even more so when that assassin is a female and this didn't disappoint.

Raven is a strong woman who can more than hold her own against the male of the species but she is tested to the limit when someone is stealing her jobs and ruining her reputation.  Raven finds herself struggling to trust anyone and when her rival is revealed, the situation becomes increasingly personal and more complicated.

This is a long 'listen' and I had to take an enforced break for a couple of weeks when I was half way through but I was able to get back into the story seamlessly and I was soon engrossed again.

The narrator did an excellent job and despite there being a lot of characters, she was able to use her voice to distinguish between them all. 

With strong characters, a great story, loads of action and violence but with some humorous moments, this is a series that I am looking forward to getting my teeth stuck into and I must thank W.F. Howes Ltd and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to Raven and share my thoughts.

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The Binding Room by Nadine Matheson

 

Description from Goodreads:

"Detective Anjelica Henley confronts a series of ritualistic murders in this heart-pounding thriller about race, power and the corrupt institutions that threaten us, for fans of S.A. Cosby and Tami Hoag.

When Detective Anjelica Henley is called to investigate the murder of a popular preacher in his own church, she discovers a second victim, tortured and tied to a bed in an upstairs room. He is alive, but barely, and his body shows signs of a dark religious ritual.

With a revolving list of suspects and the media spotlight firmly on her, Henley is left with more questions than answers as she attempts to untangle both crimes. But when another body appears, the case takes on a new urgency. Unless she can apprehend the killer, the next victim may just be Henley herself."

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After having read and thoroughly enjoyed the first in this series, The Jigsaw Man, I was itching to get my grubby little eyes on this and I wasn't disappointed.

This can be read as a standalone but you will get more out of this book if you've read The Jigsaw Man but I wouldn't say it was essential.

Once again we are treated to a great story, fantastic characters, twists and tension all told at a great pace.  Warning!  There are some pretty grim scenes and gruesome descriptions so if that's not your thing, I would probably give this a miss.

This is quite a long book and I can usually lose a bit of interest part way through but not with this; I was totally invested from start to finish and I would happily recommend this to others who enjoy dark police procedurals.

I am looking forward to the next instalment to find out what other twisted thoughts Ms Matheson can come up with to intrigue and shock and I must give thanks to HQ and NetGalley for enabling me to read The Binding Room and to share my thoughts.

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Others books by Nadine Matheson I have read and reviewed:

The Jigsaw Man

Fatal Witness (Detective Erika Foster #7) by Robert Bryndza

 

Description from Goodreads:

"How do you find a killer who has destroyed all the evidence?

Detective Erika Foster is on a late-night walk near her new house in Blackheath when she stumbles upon the brutal murder of Vicky Clarke, a true-crime podcaster.

Erika is assigned to the case and discovers that Vicky had been working on a new podcast episode about a sexual predator who preys on young female students around South London, staking out his victims in their halls of residence before breaking in at the dead of night. When Erika discovers that Vicky's notes and sound recordings were stolen from her flat at the time of her murder, it leads her to believe that Vicky was close to unmasking the attacker, and she was killed to guarantee her silence.

The case takes on a disturbing twist when the body of a young Bulgarian student doctor is discovered in the same building, and this makes Erika question everything she thought she knew about Vicky. With very little evidence, the clock is ticking to find the killer before he strikes again."

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An absolute cracker of a book!!!

I haven't read any of the Erika Foster series before so I was a little worried that I would struggle coming in this late but having read the author's Kate Marshall series, I should have known this wouldn't be an issue.  I definitely feel this can be read as a standalone even though I know I will have missed the character development and back story but it really wasn't an issue for me.

With excellent characters, a really good plot and written at a great pace, this is a riveting read and one which I thoroughly enjoyed and couldn't put down.  

Thank you Raven Street Publishing and NetGalley for enabling me to read Fatal Witness and share my thoughts.

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Other books by Robert Bryndza I have read and reviewed:

Nine Elms (Kate Marshall #1)

Shadow Sands (Kate Marshall #2)

Darkness Falls (Kate Marshall #3)

The 13th Girl by Sarah Goodwin

 

Description from Goodreads:

"A little girl in a white nightdress stands out in the snow, watching the large brick house burn before her eyes…

My name is Lucy Townsend.

I was born on Friday the thirteenth, and I was the thirteenth girl living in the big house. Unlucky for some.

But I was the fortunate one. I escaped. The only one who made it out alive.

And now, twenty years after that fateful night, the secrets of the past and what happened in that house are pulling me back.

I might not be so lucky this time…"

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Lucy thought she had escaped her past but little did she know that it was just waiting for her all along ready to come back and bite her with venom.  

Lucy escaped a cult when she was just seven years old.  Many years later and having made a new life for herself, the skeletons start to emerge and Lucy's life is turned upside down.  Having escaped one kind of controlling environment, Lucy swaps it for another - her husband and his parents are, in my opinion, vile creatures who continue to brow beat Lucy and blame her for what happened to her as a child and what her mother and cult did ... what the heck!!!  Who blames a 7 year old???  Like I said, vile creatures.

Anyway, what follows is the story of Lucy trying to remember her time in the cult through flashbacks, memories and dreams/nightmares but what is real and how reliable is she?  And who is doing this to her?  Lucy returns to the place of her nightmares to try and remember just what happened but she is soon in an even more terrifying nightmare which is all to real and how is she going to get out of it.

This is a book that pulls on all your emotions at once and I admit that I  wanted to physically get inside it and give Lucy's husband and parents-in-law a slap and Lucy a shake; oh my word, I was so annoyed at times that I nearly didn't finish the book it irritated me that much however, I persevered and, actually, am glad I did as the reasons she was like she was, became clear and, in the end, I was rooting for her and desperate for there to be a happy ending.  I won't give it away but I will say that it was quite satisfying albeit a little unbelievable in parts.

Overall, a good read with an interesting plot and some unexpected twists but with characters I struggled with and with a pace that started well, got a bit slow in the middle and ramped up again towards the end.

Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for enabling me to read The 13th Girl and share my thoughts.

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