My month in books – September

What’s happened in September?

I met other bloggers IN REAL LIFE! Because that wasn’t intimidating at all…..

On September 12th I went to the Book Blogger Bonanza hosted by Waterstones in Birmingham. This was a bit of a blogger get-together but there was also a panel of book bloggers and vloggers which included Chelley Toy from Tales of Yesterday, Mariam from Hello I am Mariam, author Lauren James and chaired by vlogger Lee Farnell. It was an interesting discussion on blogging, techniques, schedules, allsorts really.

There were loads of book giveaways; seriously they were just giving away box after box of books, a raffle and an opportunity to mingle if you wished. It was great to meet and chat with Holly from Bookaholic Confessions and Dominique from Playing Parent.

It was predominantly YA focused and had I known I probably wouldn’t have gone but it was still a very enjoyable evening nonetheless. It would be great if Waterstones would host a similar event but with a variety of genres.

My bookish swag

Books read: 6

 

 

 

Books added to the TBR:

Currently reading: The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

Favourite book for September: The Slaughter Man by Tony Parsons

What’s coming up in October?

• My birthday and blog birthday
• Cheltenham Literary Festival – seeing Carrie Hope Fletcher, Katharine Woodfine with Robin Stevens, Jojo Moyes & Sue Perkins

How was your September and what are you looking forward to in October?

Book Review: The Slaughter Man by Tony Parsons

What’s it about?

On New Year’s Day, a wealthy family is found slaughtered inside their exclusive gated community in north London, their youngest child stolen away.

The murder weapon – a gun for stunning cattle before they are butchered – leads Detective Max Wolfe to a dusty corner of Scotland Yard’s Black Museum devoted to a killer who thirty years ago was known as the Slaughter Man.

But the Slaughter Man has done his time, and is now old and dying. Can he really be back in the game?

And was the murder of a happy family a mindless killing spree, a grotesque homage by a copycat killer – or a contract hit designed to frame a dying man?

All Max knows is that he needs to find the missing child and stop the killer before he destroys another innocent family – or finds his way to his own front door …

My thoughts

Having enjoyed the first in the Max Wolfe series, The Murder Bag, I was pleased to be offered the second installment ARC via Netgalley; but being a bit behind on my review books I just got to this recently. Bad book blogger! So was good for me that I recently had the opportunity to read this book in a day – a combination of not much on, a train journey and a good story, not done this in a very long time; if ever!

I liked this time around that we get more of a developing relationship between Max and his daughter Scout and see his vulnerability as a single parent and having to deal with the out of school care etc along with managing a full time career with less than sociable hours. I do really like Max’s character, he comes across as a nice guy, trying to do his best by all but for one reason or another just not quite reaching 100%.

That said, Wolfe makes some very questionable decisions in terms of his own personal safety and that of the team. He clearly wasn’t thinking of the consequences when he leads a team into a property where several dangerous suspects are expected to be without any kind of backup; that was never going to end well. I question would that actually happen? And…who is actually in charge of the investigation because detectives of a higher rank and everyone else seem to defer to Wolfe and his theories.

You’ll find quite a lot of police terminology throughout which Wolfe explains to the reader as if reminding himself. I don’t mind this so much but it does detract your reading slightly from the story but I appreciate its relevance. There’s also quite a few visits again to the Black Museum but this does come across as fascinating archive and resource so I don’t mind hearing about that.

There’s plenty of twists and turns to keep you turning the pages but do bear in mind this book has themes of child abduction and child abuse with some quite vicious and violent scenes which some readers might not like.

Overall, a good crime drama and I will be interested to read the third book. I would advise you to read the first in the series although this can be read as a standalone.

Links: Goodreads | Amazon

Connect with the author Tony Parsons

Website | Twitter

WWW Wednesday (September 16th)

This weekly meme is hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. It’s open to all to participate. Why not join in and let us know what’s on your reading list this week…

To join in, just answer the following three questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

I’m currently reading…

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald

Lots of mentions of other literary works in here which I like. So far, a good natured feel good book.

The blurb

Sara is 28 and has never been outside Sweden – except in the (many) books she reads. When her elderly penfriend Amy invites her to come and visit her in Broken Wheel, Iowa, Sara decides it’s time. But when she arrives, there’s a twist waiting for her – Amy has died. Finding herself utterly alone in a dead woman’s house in the middle of nowhere was not the holiday Sara had in mind.

But Sara discovers she is not exactly alone. For here in this town so broken it’s almost beyond repair are all the people she’s come to know through Amy’s letters: poor George, fierce Grace, buttoned-up Caroline and Amy’s guarded nephew Tom.

Sara quickly realises that Broken Wheel is in desperate need of some adventure, a dose of self-help and perhaps a little romance, too. In short, this is a town in need of a bookshop.

I recently finished reading 2 books

The Slaughter Man by Tony Parsons

I read this in one day over the weekend, a combination of a good storyline and time on my hands. It’s quite brutal from the opening scenes so not one for the faint-hearted.

The blurb

A murdered family. A dying serial killer. A missing child. DC Max Wolfe hunts a pitiless killer through the streets of London. By the Sunday Times number one bestselling author of The Murder Bag.

 

and….

Christmas at Lilac Cottage by Holly Martin

Ok, so was a little strange reading a Christmas novel in September but this was a light-hearted fun novel and was well needed after reading a dark serial killer novel.

I hate seeing all the Christmas stuff in the shops so early

The blurb

Penny Meadows loves her home – a cosy cottage decorated with pretty twinkling fairy lights and stunning views over the town of White Cliff Bay. She also loves her job as an ice-carver, creating breathtaking sculptures. Yet her personal life seems frozen.

When Henry and daughter Daisy arrive at the cottage to rent the annex, Penny is determined to make them feel welcome. But while Daisy is friendly, Henry seems guarded.

As Penny gets to know Henry, she realises there is more to him than meets the eye. And the connection between them is too strong to ignore…

While the spirit of the season sprinkles its magic over the seaside town and preparations for the ice sculpting competition and Christmas eve ball are in full swing, can Penny melt the ice and allow love in her heart? And will this finally be the perfect Christmas she’s been dreaming of?

What’s up next?

The Versions Of Us by Laura Barnett

Am progressing really well with the Netgalley Challenge and this will be book 5. After speaking with a fellow blogger about this book at the Book Blogger Bonanza last weekend I decided to go for this one next.

The blurb

What if you had said yes . . . ?

Eva and Jim are nineteen, and students at Cambridge, when their paths first cross in 1958. Jim is walking along a lane when a woman approaching him on a bicycle swerves to avoid a dog.

What happens next will determine the rest of their lives.

We follow three different versions of their future – together, and apart – as their love story takes on different incarnations and twists and turns to the conclusion in the present day.

The Versions of Us is an outstanding debut novel about the choices we make and the different paths that our lives might follow.

What if one small decision could change the rest of your life?

Do share what you’re reading this week in the comments below