The Choice: Embrace the Possible by Edith Eger

Description from Goodreads:

"It’s 1944 and sixteen-year-old ballerina and gymnast Edith Eger is sent to Auschwitz. Separated from her parents on arrival, she endures unimaginable experiences, including being made to dance for the infamous Josef Mengele. When the camp is finally liberated, she is pulled from a pile of bodies, barely alive.

The horrors of the Holocaust didn’t break Edith. In fact, they helped her learn to live again with a life-affirming strength and a truly remarkable resilience. The Choice is her unforgettable story."

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“Our painful experiences aren’t a liability—they’re a gift. They give us perspective and meaning, an opportunity to find our unique purpose and our strength.”  ― Edith Eger,The Choice

Oh my goodness, I can't even begin to tell you how good this book is.  It's not just another Holocaust survivors life-story, it's so much more than that ... it's extraordinary!

Dr Eger is now 90 years old and what an amazing woman she is ... this book tells the story of being a teenager and her relationship with her parents and sisters, the truly horrific time she spent being a prisoner of the Nazis, her astonishing strength and bravery before, during and after the war and of her life once freedom had been achieved.

Once again, I can't tell you how good this book is.  It's beautifully written and flows exceptionally well.  Highly recommended.

My thanks go to the publisher, Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review.

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Author website:  Dr. Edith Eva Eger

Adrift 3: Rising by K R Griffiths

Description from Goodreads:

“Dan Bellamy has lost everything: his wife, his home, his country; perhaps even his sanity. The only thing he has left is vengeance for the creatures who took his world away, and he intends to visit it upon them, no matter the cost.

As the eyes of the world turn to the destruction in England, Dan believes that his presence in the United States will provoke an immediate response from the vampires.

He thinks he knows what that response will be.

He's wrong...

With the fate of the nation - and perhaps the entire world - hanging in the balance, Dan believes he must understand the visions which torture him, and which might be key to humanity's survival, but he'll have to do it fast. Because darkness is coming.

And the vampires are rising... “

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This is the third and final instalment in this series of books and a thoroughly enjoyable series it has been. I was lucky enough to have received the first two books direct from the author but I enjoyed them so much I actually bought this one!

This final book provides a very satisfying conclusion to the story of the fight against the “vampires” and it has moved from a cruise ship in the first book, to London in the second and finally to the USA. Once again, the author creates a vivid story which grips you from start to finish. The characters are excellent, particularly the main protagonist “Dan” who we have seen develop over the course of the 3 books into a strong and engaging personality. There is a certain amount of blood and gore but it’s not gratuitous or overdone.

This series of books is excellently written, flows well and is a unique spin on the usual vampire stories. To get the most out of them, you really do have to read them in order otherwise you will miss out considerably on what is a great read and somebody needs to snap these up and make them into a film or series; with good actors, it could be as good as Alien or Predator!

I highly recommend you read this author’s work - I haven’t been disappointed yet.

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Author website: KRGriffiths where you can subscribe to his newsletter for new releases and bonus content.

Author twitter: KRGriffiths1 

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Other books I have read and reviewed by K R Griffiths:

Read my review here

Read my review here

Read my review here

Read my review here

Baby Doll by Hollie Overton

"An enjoyable and entertaining read"

What’s it about?

“You've been held captive in one room, mentally and physically abused every day, since you were sixteen years old.

Then, one night, you realize your captor has left the door to your cell unlocked.

For the first time in eight years, you're free.

This is about what happens next ...

Lily knows that she must bring the man who nearly ruined her life - her good-looking high-school teacher - to justice. But she never imagined that reconnecting with her family would be just as difficult. Reclaiming her relationship with her twin sister, her mother, and her high school sweetheart who is in love with her sister may be Lily's greatest challenge. After all they've been through, can Lily and her family find their way back after this life-altering trauma?

Impossible not to read in one sitting, Baby Doll is a taut psychological thriller that focuses on family entanglements and the evil that can hide behind a benign facade.”

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Having read a number of scathing reviews of this book, I have to admit that I was a little worried - I really dislike having to give someone’s hard work a poor rating but, fear not, it was quite good although as many have said, it could have been better which just goes to show that us readers are fickle human beings and what one person dislikes, another will absolutely love … well, if we all liked the same things, it would be a pretty boring world!

Unlike many other reviewers, I haven’t read anything quite like this before so it was unique for me. What I thought was good was that the story started when Lily escaped from her prison rather than go into the disturbing details of what it would have been like for her all these years being a child held prisoner in a cellar being used and abused at her captor’s whim; there were snippets of course but these didn’t dominate as the focus of the book is what life was like for Lily outside her prison.

The story is told from four different perspectives - Lily, her twin sister Abby, her mum Eve and the perpetrator Rick. I was torn as to whether this was a good idea or not; on the one hand it was useful to see the situation from all of the perspectives but on the other, I think this diluted the impact of the story a little and weakened the characters. I would have preferred it to have been written just from Lily and Rick’s perspectives - this would have made it more powerful. However, having said that, the parts devoted to Abby and Eve gave some insight into the terrible impact on the family.

The book is easy to read; the pace is good and there are a few twists and unpredictable moments but there are also some annoying parts which had me almost flicking forward many of which involved Abby … my goodness, she’s one annoying character! Overall though, a classic it may not be but an enjoyable and entertaining read it most certainly was for me and I will look out for future books by Hollie Overton.

Thanks, again, go to the publisher RandomHouse UK, Cornerstone, via NetGalley for my e-copy in return for an honest review.

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Publisher website - click here

Author on twitter - click here 

Author website - click here 

For information about NetGalley - click here

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Baby Doll by Hollie Overton

"An enjoyable and entertaining read"

What’s it about?

“You've been held captive in one room, mentally and physically abused every day, since you were sixteen years old.

Then, one night, you realize your captor has left the door to your cell unlocked.

For the first time in eight years, you're free.

This is about what happens next ...

Lily knows that she must bring the man who nearly ruined her life - her good-looking high-school teacher - to justice. But she never imagined that reconnecting with her family would be just as difficult. Reclaiming her relationship with her twin sister, her mother, and her high school sweetheart who is in love with her sister may be Lily's greatest challenge. After all they've been through, can Lily and her family find their way back after this life-altering trauma?

Impossible not to read in one sitting, Baby Doll is a taut psychological thriller that focuses on family entanglements and the evil that can hide behind a benign facade.”

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Having read a number of scathing reviews of this book, I have to admit that I was a little worried - I really dislike having to give someone’s hard work a poor rating but, fear not, it was quite good although as many have said, it could have been better which just goes to show that us readers are fickle human beings and what one person dislikes, another will absolutely love … well, if we all liked the same things, it would be a pretty boring world!

Unlike many other reviewers, I haven’t read anything quite like this before so it was unique for me. What I thought was good was that the story started when Lily escaped from her prison rather than go into the disturbing details of what it would have been like for her all these years being a child held prisoner in a cellar being used and abused at her captor’s whim; there were snippets of course but these didn’t dominate as the focus of the book is what life was like for Lily outside her prison.

The story is told from four different perspectives - Lily, her twin sister Abby, her mum Eve and the perpetrator Rick. I was torn as to whether this was a good idea or not; on the one hand it was useful to see the situation from all of the perspectives but on the other, I think this diluted the impact of the story a little and weakened the characters. I would have preferred it to have been written just from Lily and Rick’s perspectives - this would have made it more powerful. However, having said that, the parts devoted to Abby and Eve gave some insight into the terrible impact on the family.

The book is easy to read; the pace is good and there are a few twists and unpredictable moments but there are also some annoying parts which had me almost flicking forward many of which involved Abby … my goodness, she’s one annoying character! Overall though, a classic it may not be but an enjoyable and entertaining read it most certainly was for me and I will look out for future books by Hollie Overton.

Thanks, again, go to the publisher RandomHouse UK, Cornerstone, via NetGalley for my e-copy in return for an honest review.

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Publisher website - click here

Author on twitter - click here 

Author website - click here 

For information about NetGalley - click here

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The Last Girl: Book One, The Dominion Trilogy by Joe Hart

"Pleasantly surprised"

Blurb:

“A mysterious worldwide epidemic reduces the birthrate of female infants from 50 percent to less than 1 percent. Medical science and governments around the world scramble in an effort to solve the problem, but twenty-five years later there is no cure, and an entire generation grows up with a population of fewer than a thousand women.

Zoey and some of the surviving young women are housed in a scientific research compound dedicated to determining the cause. For two decades, she’s been isolated from her family, treated as a test subject, and locked away—told only that the virus has wiped out the rest of the world’s population.

Captivity is the only life Zoey has ever known, and escaping her heavily armed captors is no easy task, but she’s determined to leave before she is subjected to the next round of tests…a program that no other woman has ever returned from. Even if she’s successful, Zoey has no idea what she’ll encounter in the strange new world beyond the facility’s walls. Winning her freedom will take brutality she never imagined she possessed, as well as all her strength and cunning—but Zoey is ready for war.”

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First off, I have to say that I am not a huge fan of post-apocalyptic books but I was drawn to this as I have read some of Mr Hart’s work before and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.

The story, as the blurb describes, is set in the not too distant future where female births are as rare as rocking horse poo! The solution, thought to be the best idea by scientists, is to take girls from their families and house them in a highly fortified complex where they are kept until they turn 21 at which point they go through a door to a place where they are told they will be reunited with their family. One girl, Zoey, has her doubts and so begins her plan to escape and to find out just what is through the door and on the other side of the walls.

For me, I felt it took a bit too long to get to the real ‘page-turning’ stage and there were a few plot holes that I struggled to overlook with the major one being why are they treating these girls/women so poorly when they are a rare and important “commodity” that should be pampered and cared for; if they are the only potential future mothers of the world, they need to know how to be a mother.

Despite this, the way the book is written draws you in; the characters are interesting and complex especially Zoey - she is one tough cookie! There is tension and atmosphere aplenty with action and suspense.

Overall, a good read which I think is aimed at young adults and even though I’m far from one of them, I would be interested in seeing where the story goes in the next installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Thomas & Mercer, for providing me with an e-copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.

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Author website: http://www.joehartbooks.com/

Author twitter: @AuthorJoeHart

Other books I have read by Joe Hart:

The River is Dark

The Line Unseen 

Armadillos by P K Lynch

"A good début"

Synopsis:

“Aggie is fifteen, a ‘sub’ from a ‘sub’ family, one of Texas’ downtrodden. Her father and brother enact that ‘sub’-ness on her, week in, week out. She has only the vaguest notion that there is something wrong with the abuse she endures and instead dreams of the outside world.

And then one day, Aggie walks out, and like the armadillos that flourish in Texas’ barren landscape, she is a survivor…

In her escape, she gravitates to those who are just as maltreated as her. They offer Aggie the sense of family, albeit a thoroughly dysfunctional one, that she’s been searching for. But when she gets embroiled in a crisis involving stolen money, Aggie soon realises there are some problems you can’t run away from.”

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Once again, I want to thank the Publisher, Legend Press, for sending me a copy of this book in order to provide an impartial review as part of the Legend 100 Club. It’s not a book I would normally pick up to read and therefore I had no expectations at all but overall, I was pleasantly surprised although it is not a “happy” story rather one that is quite dark and intense.

This is a “coming of age” story about 15 year old Aggie - a strong, young, female character who is brave and wise for her years. The book is told from her perspective both the present and flashbacks.

Aggie is a survivor born into a dysfunctional family which she suddenly decides to escape from one day to undertake a dangerous journey to find a better life. She starts off in the Texan desert going from one truck stop to another using her experiences to survive before arriving in the city where she befriends “Freak” and moves into a squat full of colourful characters. It is during this journey that you realise Aggie is one tough cookie and very intelligent despite her upbringing. Despite her best efforts though, Aggie is not able to leave her past behind and there is an inevitability that she will return home and confront what deep down she already knows but has yet to accept.

I thought the book was extremely well written and flows really well resulting in it being easy to read. The author has an excellent ability to tell a story and to describe locations, situations and characters - she makes them believable and come to life off the page.

On the negative side, the story was interesting enough to keep my attention but I was left feeling something was missing. It’s hard to explain but I was reading with anticipation that something “big” was going to happen, it never really did and I felt even the ending was a bit of a let down and anti-climax. However, as I've said, I didn’t know what I was expecting as it’s not my usual genre - I am used to twists and turns and things being thrown at you in surprise - this isn’t that type of book but what it is, is an exploration of a young woman’s need to live a normal life and her attempts to get there - Aggie is a memorable character and I for one will remember her.

Overall, this is a good début and an author I will look out for in the future.

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Publisher website: Legend Press

Author website: https://lynchpinpauline.wordpress.com/

Author twitter: @lynchpinpauline

Wake by Elizabeth Knox

Description from Goodreads:

"An invisible monster is what you can't see coming. With an invisible monster you never know when you're in danger and when you're safe—if you retreat to your fortress you can't be sure you haven't locked it in with you. The invisible monster is something on which no one is an expert. But everyone has the same relationship to it. It could just as well be peering over your shoulder as mine.

On a sunny spring morning the settlement of Kahukura in Tasman is suddenly overwhelmed by a mysterious mass insanity. A handful of survivors find themselves cut off from the world, and surrounded by the dead. As the group of try to take care of one another, and survive in ever more difficult circumstances, it becomes apparent that this isn't the first time that this has happened, and that they aren't all survivors and victims - two of them are something quite other. And, it seems, they are trapped with something. Something unseen is picking at the loose threads of their characters, corrupting, provoking, and haunting them.

Wake is book that asks: 'What are the last things left when the worst has happened?' It is a book about extreme events, ordinary people, heroic compassion—and invisible monsters."

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Once again, I am in the minority with this book. It has received so many good reviews of 4 and 5 stars that I am beginning to think there’s something wrong with me because I just didn’t get it.

It starts off brilliantly with all kinds of mayhem and unspeakable acts which are excellently described by Elizabeth Knox who really captures the fear and confusion well - this first bit is not for the feint-hearted. I thought this was the start of something that was going to keep me up and make me bleary eyed at work the next day but, alas, this did not last too long as once the initial madness was over, it became quite a monotonous story about the group of people who had survived.

The book is written from the point of view of the survivors and there are quite a few. Each of the survivors are well developed but there are a lot of them and the story changes from one person to the other which I felt was a little confusing and resulted in me not developing a connection or any particular feelings towards any of them and I wasn’t particularly bothered what happened to them either.

The premise of the story is great but it's just written in a way that neither captured nor engaged me but I would like to thank the publisher, Little Brown Book Group UK, via NetGalley for the copy in return for an honest review.

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Swerve by Vicki Pettersson

"A little implausible but certainly entertaining"

Description from Goodreads:

“It’s high summer in the Mojave Desert, and Kristine Rush and her fiancé, Daniel, are en route from Las Vegas to Lake Arrowhead, California, for the July Fourth holiday weekend. But when Daniel is abducted from a desolate rest stop, Kristine is forced to choose: return home unharmed, but never to see her fiancé again, or plunge forward into the searing desert to find him…where a killer lies in wait.”

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What a great thriller this is from start to finish but it most definitely isn’t for the faint hearted. It all starts out so innocently with a happy couple making a road trip for the 4th July celebrations but who knew a spilt coffee could be the start of a nightmare that goes from bad to worse.

The story is told from the point of view of the main character, Kristine. Kristine is a single mum who has had a traumatic and difficult upbringing. Periods of Kristine’s life are dotted throughout the book and these provide an insight into her character and why she is a strong as she is and crikey, is she strong; she’s like an Amazonian! The trials and tribulations she is made to go through to rescue her fiancé, Daniel, within 24 hours are extreme and put her and those around her at great peril. The violence to which she is exposed to is severe and graphic so if you don’t like that sort of thing, I would steer clear.

The book is written with great pace and with tension oozing from the pages, it makes for a gripping read. There are surprising twists which change the whole feel of the story which make it more than your usual ‘cat and mouse’ fare and yes, it may be a little implausible but it certainly is entertaining.

How would I put this book into a genre …. absolutely no idea! It’s loads of genres mixed into one highly engaging and absorbing book which I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers, horrors, suspense and stories about survival in extreme circumstances but, as I said before, it’s not for the faint-hearted so if you don’t like blood and gore, don’t even go there.

Thanks to the publisher, Gallery Books, via NetGalley for introducing me to another new author to look out for and for providing me with a copy in return for an honest review.

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Author website: http://www.vickipettersson.com - to keep up with the latest news, releases, signings and the occasional exclusive giveaways

Author twitter:  VickiPettersson

Publisher:  Gallery Books 

The Body Market by D.V. Berkom

Description from Goodreads:

“A retired assassin is called in when a celebration south of the border turns into a nightmare.

Former assassin Leine Basso is hired by a wealthy Beverly Hills power couple to find their missing daughter, Elise, who was last seen partying with her boyfriend at a club in Tijuana. At first, police believe the two teenagers are the victims of a carjacking. But when Leine finds their missing vehicle with the boyfriend’s mutilated body inside, and the local cartel warns her away, she knows if Elise isn’t already dead, she will be soon, or worse.

In the lethal world of organized crime, there’s always a worse.

As Leine races the clock to uncover the reason behind Elise Bennett's disappearance, she must also battle the powerful interests fighting to keep her from the truth.”

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Oh my goodness, I can’t even begin to explain how much I enjoyed this book from start to finish so before I try, I want to thank the author, publisher (Duct Tape Press) and NetGalley for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest and impartial review.

I have never read anything by D.V. Berkom before and therefore have not read the first 2 books in this series but I really didn’t feel I missed out at all. There is a back story to the main character, Leine Basso, which, although is touched upon in this book, I felt the author gave enough of it to give me a good insight into her motivations and strength. Leine is a very strong character but with a soft and caring side and you see all of these in this story. Now don’t get me wrong, she is not so perfect that she becomes unbelievable rather that she has flaws that make her more plausible.

The other main character in this story, Elise, is not your usual victim. Despite her going through some horrific experiences, she maintains a strength and fighting spirit throughout which was unexpected given where she comes from and although not the most likeable character at the beginning, I did start to warm to her as her plight deepened.

The secondary characters add other dimensions to the story with each one being expertly developed and none feeling superfluous or an afterthought.

The story is a difficult one to cover, that of kidnapping, murder, organ theft and trafficking but D.V. Berkom writes without sensationalising those subjects. The pace of the story is fast and it’s very difficult to stop reading even though you have to get up for work the next morning!

Overall, a great read that I thoroughly enjoyed and now I’m off to get the first 2.

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Author website: http://www.dvberkom.com/

Twitter: @dvberkom

Last Resort: A Novella by K R Griffiths

Description from Goodreads:

“For Shane Clifford, things can't possibly get any worse. What should have been an idyllic vacation - a week of snowboarding at one of Canada's most beautiful ski resorts - becomes toxic when his wife tearfully confesses her infidelity.

Overcome with grief, all Shane wants is to get away, but a freak storm has closed the roads, and it seems there will be no escape from his torment until the weather clears. Yet when Shane snaps and tries to leave the resort against all advice, he soon discovers that there is more on the mountain than just snow and trees.

And things can always get worse…”

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This is a short read (81 pages on my Kindle) but it packs a punch. It has everything you could want in a horror book - atmospheric and sinister, tension and thrills and imaginative “killers”. K R Griffiths is adept at drawing you in quickly by creating and developing characters that you care about which is just as well as this is a quick read. However, unlike many short horror stories I have read, it’s really well written and doesn’t just rely on gratuitous blood and gore - now don’t get me wrong there is blood and gore in there but it’s there for a purpose and not just for the sake of it.

The story grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let go until the last and the only complaint I have is that I didn’t want it to end. I loved the ending but it came too soon for me … I wanted more; I want a full size novel … am I greedy? You bet when it comes to a good read!

I have been a fan of Mr Griffiths since reading Survivor: A Horror Thriller, I then went on to read Adrift, followed by Adrift 2 and every one has been brilliant and I can safely say that I am a fan and would most definitely recommend him to anyone who likes a good scare or that feeling of trepidation when you are alone in the dark!

Thank you Mr Griffiths for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Author website: http://www.krgriffiths.org/ where you can subscribe to the newsletter for new releases and bonus content.

Twitter: KRGriffiths1

Adrift 2: Sundown by K R Griffiths

Description from Goodreads:

"1 night. 1 city. 8 million people. No warning. No safety...

Having survived the massacre aboard the doomed cruise ship Oceanus, all Dan Bellamy wants is peace; a chance to go home and attempt to put his life - and his mind - back together.

He's not going to get it.

Dragged back to the UK by the remaining members of the Rennick family, Dan finds himself once more pitched into a nightmare. Vampires are rising, gathering in force for an assault on London which could blow the secret of their existence wide open, and Dan's captors are convinced that he alone holds the key to defeating them.

Dan knows he has some strange connection with the creatures. Trouble is, as chaos erupts on the streets and the bodies begin to pile up around Dan, it looks like the vampires know it, too…"

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I am fast becoming a fan of Mr Griffiths’ work having read 2 of his previous novels - Survivor and the first in this series, Adrift. I highly recommend you read Adrift as it introduces the main players and background to the story; I wouldn’t say it was essential but you would lose out massively on a highly entertaining read.

As with Adrift, this is excellent from start to finish. The pace is flowing and it is very well written and easy to read. The characters are interesting and believable and the “monsters” are so well described, they could be in the room with you! Be warned however, there is a smattering of blood and gore throughout so if you don’t like that sort of thing, that’s a shame because you will be missing out on what is a fabulous book and I for one can’t wait to read the next installment - hint hint Mr Griffiths ;)

This and Adrift - need to be made into a film or series of films as I definitely feel that with good actors on board, they could be as good as the Alien franchise.

Disclaimer: I received a free eBook copy from the author in return for an unbiased review.

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Author website: http://www.krgriffiths.org/

Click here to join Mr Griffiths free mailing list and be the first to discover new releases, launch-day discounts and bonus content

Twitter: KRGriffiths1

Surviving The Angel of Death: The Story of a Mengele Twin in Auschwitz by Eva Mozes Kor & Lisa Rojany Buccieri

 

Description from Goodreads:

“Eva Mozes Kor was 10 years old when she arrived in Auschwitz. While her parents and two older sisters were taken to the gas chambers, she and her twin, Miriam, were herded into the care of the man known as the Angel of Death, Dr. Josef Mengele. Mengele's twins were granted the privileges of keeping their own clothes and hair, but they were also subjected to sadistic medical experiments and forced to fight daily for their own survival, as most of the twins died as a result of the experiments or from the disease and hunger pervasive in the camp. In a narrative told with emotion and restraint, readers will learn of a child's endurance and survival in the face of truly extraordinary evil.

The book also includes an epilogue on Eva's recovery from this experience and her remarkable decision to publicly forgive the Nazis. Through her museum and her lectures, she has dedicated her life to giving testimony on the Holocaust, providing a message of hope for people who have suffered, and working toward goals of forgiveness, peace, and the elimination of hatred and prejudice in the world.”

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Many of us will have seen the photographs and moving images of those 2 little girls at the head of a line of survivors walking out of Auschwitz and many of us, me included, would have asked ourselves "I wonder who they are, where they came from, how they survived that nightmare and where are they now?"; this book sheds light on all those questions and introduces you to a very brave little girl.

"At Auschwitz dying was so easy. Surviving was a full-time job."

The words that came into my head as I was reading this book was how amazing, brave and inspirational Eva was and still is. For a 10 year old to have that level of insight and an unbelievably strong will to survive is humbling. You can feel the pain, the fear but also the love coming through the words and pages. Her descriptions of the horrors she, her twin sister and the others interred in that godforsaken place were told in a non-sensationalised way and without the usual shocking, graphic details. In some ways, this made it more upsetting - it was told from the eyes of a child and those eyes should never have seen the things that she saw.

Eva was careful to ensure that she make it known that in amongst all that evil, there were people who risked their lives for others - the supervisor who gave food in the infirmary and shared her birthday cake and the barracks full of Jewish women who kept a child hidden during their entire stay - just two instances. These acts of extreme bravery and selflessness provide hope that there is still some humanity.

I don’t know if I could ever forgive anyone who systematically murdered someone in my family let alone everyone in my family but Eva is obviously made of something else and her quote:

"Anger and hate are seeds that germinate war. Forgiveness is a seed for peace. It is the ultimate act of self-healing”

tells you all you need to know about her inner strength and the type of person she is.

Eva is an inspiration and her message of hope should be a mantra for us all:

"The life lessons I have learned through all my pain and everything I have been through and survived:

1. Never ever give up on yourself or your dreams, for everything good in life is possible.

2. Judge people on their actions and the content of their character.

3. Forgive your worst enemy and forgive everyone who has hurt you— it will heal your soul and set you free"

This book is designed for Young Adults but, to be honest, I think anyone of any age could read this and should read this.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher, Tanglewood, for providing me with a copy in return for an honest review.

The Orphan Factory by James and Lance Morcan

Description from Goodreads:

"An epic, atmospheric story that begins with twenty three genetically superior orphans being groomed to become elite spies in Chicago's Pedemont Orphanage and concludes with a political assassination deep in the Amazon jungle.

The Orphan Factory, a coming-of-age spy thriller novel, is book two in The Orphan Trilogy and a prequel to The Ninth Orphan. Go on another frenetic journey with the ninth-born orphan as he busts out of the clandestine orphanage he knew as home and goes on the run across America.

In the late 1970's, in Chicago, Illinois, the secretive Omega Agency initiates the Pedemont Project - a radical experiment utilizing genetic engineering technologies - to create twenty three orphan babies with the plan to turn them into the world's most effective assassins.

One of the prodigies will rebel: meet Number Nine, an orphan with a mind of his own.

In 1998, when Nine reaches adulthood and graduates with honors from the Pedemont Orphanage, he is already an adept of the deadly espionage arts. Ordered by his Omega masters to assassinate a survivor of the Jonestown tragedy in Guyana's Amazon rainforest, Nine is forced to draw upon all of his advanced training just to stay alive."

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This is the second book in the trilogy, the second that has had me thoroughly engrossed and entertained and the second that I have been fortunate to have been sent to me by the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.

I won’t go into the ins and outs of the story as it is covered in the description but what I will say is that, like The Ninth Orphan, it is excellent. The plot is well thought out, well paced, exciting and thrilling as well as being different to anything else I have read before. I really enjoyed getting to know more about the beginnings of “Nine” and his fellow orphans - the authors provided small glimpses in the first book but this one put the flesh on the bones.

The characters are believable and interesting, some more likeable than others, but overall well developed from start to finish.

I would most definitely recommend this to lovers of espionage, conspiracy theorists or just people who enjoy a flippin’ good read and I look forward to reading the third in the series.

Zombies from the Deep by Nick Grey

Description from Goodreads:

"Debut author Nick Grey blends the zombie humor of Shaun of the Dead with the satiric irreverence of Fight Club in his tantalizing and terrifying tale, ZOMBIES FROM THE DEEP.

They packed for the beach…

Mike and Sara Jones never missed their annual beach getaway. Every year, they looked forward to driving down to the Gulf and enjoying the white sandy beaches with those amazing sunsets. This year was no different than the rest. Swimsuits, check. Sunblock, check. Then, the zombies came.

They came from the ocean.

Out of the depths of the ocean, the walking dead arrived. There was blood in the water, but this ain’t no shark attack. When zombies paint the beach red, Mike and Sara’s annual getaway is interrupted. They panic. What would you do?

Survive at any cost.

Covered in blood and short on temper, Mike suggests they cut their vacation short. Sara’s not entirely sure Mike knows what he’s doing. But does anyone? Like most couples in a stressful situation, Mike and Sara soon resort to petty bickering.

Will they crack?

As if on cue, Jim and Theresa Banyon appear. They are smart, charismatic, and best of all rich. It’s easy to follow their lead. But Mike and Sara soon find that following Jim and Teresa risks their safety, their marriage, and even their sanity.

Readers be warned: Zombies From The Deep is a sexually explicit and graphically violent pulp fiction novel detailing the end of the world and survival during a zombie apocalypse."

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Where do I start with this book?

To be honest, I nearly didn’t make it to the end. It started off quite well but then quickly descended into something ridiculous which had me laughing at its absurdity - the nymphomaniac? Don’t even go there!! However, I have been “told off” for reviewing a book I have not finished before so I persevered. I must admit to heaving a sigh of relief when I had finished and thought it was a pile of rubbish and I was going to write a review straight away but I didn’t have time, so have left it a couple of days and I am glad I did because I have had time to digest and reflect on what I have read and have changed my mind.

I think this is a cleverly written book which appears one thing at the start but becomes something completely different by the end and all the bits that seemed preposterous suddenly made sense. I can’t say too much as I don’t want to give the game away but I will say that this book is not as it seems so I advise anyone who reads it to keep going to the end and then let it sink in for a while.

Thank you to the publisher, Hocus Pocus Publishing Inc and Netgalley for providing me with a copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.