Back For Good by Jay Jacobs ~Blog Tour

 Publisher: The Book Guild Ltd

Publication Date: 28th July 2025

Genre: Fiction 

Summary:

Sasha Denning doesn’t ask for anything—ever. Feeling unappreciated and stuck in a crumbling marriage with her husband, Mark, she’s suddenly given a dramatic escape: a near-death experience. Returning to life with a mission to help others, Sasha is thrust into a series of challenges that range from comical to heart-wrenching.

Zinnia, her determined but rule-bound trainee spirit guide, wants to help Sasha mend her life and marriage. But with The Spirit Guidance Rule Book restricting her every move, Zinnia faces her own struggles to prove she’s ready to qualify. When disaster looms, Zinnia must decide what matters most—her mission, her career, or Sasha and Mark’s future.

Review:
Firstly thank you to Zooloos Book Tours, The Book Guild and Jay Jacobs for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
Ive been very confused by this book. Its writing style is really good, it flows well and i liked the use of different fonts to differentiate between Zinnia and Sasha talking. But i got to 196 pages into the book and i still wasnt sure if i liked it, which i know sounds strange to be so far into a book and not know if i like it.I think my problem is that this book has alot going on and it almost feels like too much, we not only have Zinnia and Sasha as out main two voices but we've also had at least half a dozen others being given a chapter at least from their point of view and it feels much like Sashas life, Busy. 
Ive really enjoyed Jay Jacobs writing style though i think she has a really good way with writing people that you can connect with, anyone with children thats trying to keep a house running can easily see themselves in Sasha, even to the point of getting annoyed with their husband over not helping even though youve not asked them to. Their all very relatable characters who i have enjoyed getting to know, i just think theres a little too much happening to Sasha all at once. Its a well written book and ive found it very easy to read, if a slight bit chaotic for my mind.

Krystina xx

The Launch Date by Annabelle Slator ~ Blog Tour

 Publisher: Penguin

Publication Date: 13th February 2025

Genre: Romance

Summary:

To get her dream job, she’ll have to date her worst nightmare . . .

Grace Hastings is in a rut. Her career is stagnating, her boss is a leech, and she feels like a fraud working for Fate, a dating app whose ethos she no longer believes in. And don’t even get her started on the state of her love life.

So when the company’s CEO offers her an opportunity for a big promotion and the chance to work on the launch of a dating app that she actually cares about, Grace can’t believe her luck.

That is, until she discovers that she must test drive a series of ‘first dates’ with her competition for the job: notorious socialite playboy and Grace’s biggest work rival, Eric Bancroft.

But Grace refuses to give up her dream job because of a man. And besides, how romantic can a handful of fake dates with your biggest rival really be?

There’s absolutely no way it’s an office romance waiting to happen.

Review:
Firstly thank you to Zoo Loos Book Tours, Penguin and Annabelle Slator for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
So I absolutely adored this book! It was the perfect read for valentines week and I devoured it. I think I read the first 19 chapters in one sitting because I was so engrossed and drawn into the story I just didn't want to put it down. I loved the banter between Eric and Grace and how we watched their relationship unfold and grow. And I have to say I really liked the we had the flashbacks of a sort showing us bits of their friendship and bits of Graces relationship with William. But by god was William a complete arse, I did an out loud "you go girl" at Grace with that last interaction with him, he defiantly deserved that! 
I really enjoyed the writing style of Annabelle Slator, it was easy flowing that I found stepping into the story a dream. Nothing broke my emersion (aside from family members interrupting me) and I felt like a fly on the wall watching Grace but I loved it and I really cant wait to read more by her. Its defiantly a strong debut, the tension between Grace and Eric was rolling off the pages and even though, because it a romance, you know where its going it just had you gunning for them the whole time.
If romance is your thing, this is a book you need to pick up.

Krystina xx

A Soul for a Soul by Carol Wyer ~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Publication Date: 30th January 2024

Genre:Crime/Thriller

Summary:

The syndicate have taken everything from her. It’s time to take them down―or die trying.

DCI Kate Young never meant to shoot Superintendent John Dickson at the reservoir that night―even if, as a scheming corrupt cop and head of the shady syndicate, he probably had it coming. But now Kate has photographic evidence that someone else knows her terrible secret…

Tormented by guilt and the voices of the dead, Kate is desperate to unmask the rest of the corrupt officers before her own sins catch up with her. When DI Harriet Khatri, awaiting trial for the murder of Kate’s mentor, claims she was framed by Dickson’s syndicate, Kate reluctantly agrees to help in the hope of finding answers.

Meanwhile, DI Emma Donaldson finds herself on the hunt for a double murderer―a man who incapacitates his victims with a powerful narcotic called Devil’s Breath. Desperate to measure up to her role-model boss, Emma finds herself hurled into the deep end in more ways than one…

While Kate’s grip on reality wavers and the syndicate closes in, and with the mystery killer taking a special interest in Emma, could this be the case that defeats both detectives?

Review:
Firstly thank you to Zooloos Book Tours, Thomas & Mercer and Carol Wyer for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.

So I didn't realise this was the fifth book in the Detective Kate Young series, I assumed it was the first book of the series and when I realised it wasn't I did worry I might not have the context required to hit the ground running with this book. But I didn't need to worry everything I needed to know about Kate and her situation was brilliantly explained without me feeling like I was getting a full-on "what happened last episode" kind of moment. Now I have to admit I haven't completely finished this book so I can't comment on the end, not that I'd add in any spoilers anyway, but I can see myself easily finishing it this evening because it's just so engaging I really want to know if DI Khatri has been framed and if Kate will bring down the syndicate it's just got me hooked from the first few chapters. I've really enjoyed getting the multiple views so far, While Kate is clearly our MC I really like reading Emma's chapters, she's just such a likeable person and you're really cheering her on to get the outcome she wants from the case.
I've found Carol Wyer's writing style so easy to get caught up in, it's so free-flowing and immersive that the only way I've been jolted out of reading is by a member of my household interrupting me, there's not been a moment where something happens that seems out of place and brings me out of the world she's created.
I really can't wait to read the rest of this series, I know I'll be heading backwards and to some degree, I'll know what's going to happen but the writing is so fantastic that I don't mind that one bit.

Krystina xx

Those Who Dwell In Darkness by Steve McHugh~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Podium Publishing

Publication Date: 4th December 2023

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Summary:

The hunt for a serial killer leads a vampire agent to uncover a terrifying conspiracy in this dark urban fantasy by the author of the Hellequin Chronicles.

Vampires and humans live side by side thanks to an uneasy peace maintained by the Assembly. As an Arbiter for the powerful organization, Miles Watson is authorized to act as judge, jury, and executioner for anyone—living or undead—who breaks the law. But now Miles is up against a threat more sinister than anything he’s seen in his centuries as a vampire.

A criminal network in London is offering wealthy humans the chance to become vampires without the Assembly’s consent. When the process goes disastrously wrong, the Boss wants to eliminate any trace of the fiasco. But a rogue enforcer refuses to play along, and trouble quickly escalates out of anyone’s control.

As Miles sets off searching for the illegal vampires, he finds himself on the trail of a monstrous serial killer. The twisty investigation takes him from London’s deadly underworld to the rural backwaters of the Pacific Northwest—where an even more devious criminal enterprise threatens all of vampire-kind . . .

Review:
Firstly thank you to ZooLoo Book Tour, Podium Publishing and Steve McHugh for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
I've loved this book from start to finish, I've only recently found the Urban Fantasy subgenre and I have to say it's quickly becoming one of my favourites. I instantly loved Miles and Church, there were a few lines that Miles says that made me think of my husband and our dog, mostly it was a comment about someone hurting his dog and his very annoyed reaction to it, I could completely see my husband doing the same so it really made me laugh.
I adored the way Miles and Church communicate and how we had whole sections of him talking to her and her replying in her own special way, it really made them step off the page for me. The whole cast of characters are fantastically written, I could easily picture them in each scene almost as if I were watching it on TV ( side note I think this would be a fab TV show, providing they didn't mess with the brilliant writing) which is always a sign of a good writer for me. 
I really enjoyed following Miles' search for Oliver and all the different situations that started happening that were connected with it, it was fun to follow the threads and see where they connected because I often didn't get there before Miles, one of the big ones I definitely didn't see coming. I found it really easy to get drawn into the book, I think if I'd not been ill when I started it I'd have finished it in a couple of days purely because I found it hard to put down once I was left to get into it (my family don't like letting me read over Christmas it seems lol).
I'm really hoping we have more books to follow on from this because I got to the end wanting more from Miles and Church, they really are a brilliant pair. But I will be going off to read more by Steve McHugh, I've loved his writing style.

Krystina xx

Blood Sisters by Rebecca Frost~Blog Tour

Publisher: Aesthetic Press

Publication Date: 22nd August 2023

Genre:  Thriller

Summary:

For almost a decade now, Brent Wright has been in prison for the killing of seven women - unless the surviving twin sister of one of his victims is right and Brent didn't kill anyone at all.

If the theory is true, a presumed survivor of his is more dangerous than anyone could have imagined. No one will be entirely satisfied or safe until they find out for certain.

Review:

 Firstly thank you to ZooLoos Book Tours, Aesthetic Press and Rebecca Frost for having me on this tour and sending me the book.
I've thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, I love a good thriller and this is definitely a good thriller!
As always I'll do my best to avoid spoilers so you have a reason to pick it up and read it.
I love the dynamic between Nessa and Josh and how you gradually learn about their relationship in a sort of drip-feed manner, getting bits of backstory filled in at just the right moment. It was nice to have bits from Josh's point of view at critical moments but there was no obvious subtitle or heading to let you know you'd changed the narrator it was just an easy flow from one to the other. I enjoyed the writing style a heck of a lot, Normally I don't like the switch without it being clearly mentioned but it just seemed to work so well.
It kept me on my toes, I kept getting left turns I wasn't expecting which made me so engrossed with the book that I didn't want to put it down. If it hadn't been for the school holidays I suspect this one have been a read-it-in-one-sitting kind of book.
The ending had everything tied up, which was really nice and I enjoyed the sort of sum-up created into one conversation between two characters, I also enjoyed their development together and how their relationship altered over the course of the book.
This was a really well-thought-out and written book and I definitely plan to read more by Rebecca Frost in the future.

Hopefully, I've said enough to make you want to pick this one up without giving anything away.

Krystina xx

The Prosecco Pact by Kiltie Jackson~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Neilsen

Publication Date: 5th July 2023

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Summary:

Three Women, Three Promises, One Pact!

Lydia Beaumont married the boy of her dreams but he has since become the man of her nightmares.

She needs to find a new life.

Grace Mitchell has dedicated her life to her career, losing friends along the way to her ambition.

She needs to get a life.

Debbie Stanford has been engaged for a year but is no closer to setting her wedding date.

She just wants to become a wife.

On a cold, blustery January night, they each promise to change their lives and seal the deal over their glasses of Prosecco.

However, the best made pacts of mice and women have been known to go awry…

Review:
Firstly Thank you to ZooLoos Book Tours, Neilsen and Kiltie Jackson for having me on this tour and for sending me a copy of the book.
I've really enjoyed reading this book, after reading horror and crime for the past few weeks this was the perfect lift I needed. I really enjoyed getting to know the three ladies Lydia, Debbie and Grace, I loved their friendship and their weekly get-together. 
It's a really well-written book and I just had to keep reading, i absolutely hated Dave and Davie( that's how well they were written to be gits) and I'm so glad Lydia did away with them.
Watching the ladies follow through with their Pact and how it completely change their lives was brilliant to see.
I defiantly want to read more by Kiltie Jackson, I've enjoyed her writing style and they way shes created characters is just fabulous.

Krystina xx

The Writer's Guide to Obscurity by John Steinberg ~Blog Tour

Publisher: 2QT Limited (Publishing)

Publication Date: 28th February 2023

Genre: humorous fiction

Summary:

Norman was born to write, but doesn't know his destiny is written in his DNA, inherited from generations of earlier Normans who yearned to put pen to paper - once those items had been invented! Yet with nothing to show for all his literary endeavours and struggling to pay the rent, he tells himself there must be easier ways of making a living. It's only when

Norman discovers his descent from a long line of wordsmiths who'd experienced many of the same setbacks as himself yet had found the resolve to keep on going, that he wants to know:

'What was their secret?'

The Writer's Guide to Obscurity is an illustrated record of Norman's research into his vast family tree, sharing with us his predecessors' trials, triumphs and absolute catastrophes through the centuries, before bringing us back to Norman today - and the twist in his own tale.

Review:

 Firstly thank you to Zoo Loos Book Tours and John Steinberg for having me on this tour and for sending me a copy of the book to review.
It's a very short and sweet little book, we follow Norman through the ages and his ancestors to find out the history of writers in his family. It's full of quirky little illustrations that I loved, the family tree at the beginning is brilliant. It's a very cleverly written book, I did enjoy the writing style a lot. The little subheadings between paragraphs to let us know where in the Norman line we are and the little illustration of the correct norman ( personally I really enjoyed Norman Norman) were clever and didn't break the flow of writing.  It's exceptionally funny, I had a lot of moments where I laughed out loud. Like I said a short and sweet book filled with humour, which means its a very short review but a very positive one.

Krystina xx

When You're Dying by M Q Webb~ Book Tour

 

Publisher:  TBR Press

Publication Date: 21 Jan. 2023

Genre: Thriller

Summary:

When there's nothing left to lose...

would you risk everything to find out the truth?

A shock diagnosis forces Verity Casmere to consider how she wants to spend the time she has left.

The one question haunting Verity is what happened to her missing sister, Ashlee. Was she murdered, like the police suspect?

How far will Verity go to learn the truth?

Moved by her situation, Forensic Psychiatrist, Oscar de la Nuit, agrees to help Verity learn what happened, but he quickly finds himself in deeper than he intended, placing himself and the people closest to him in danger.

Can they resurface before a dark secret consumes them both?

Review:

Thank you to ZooLoos Book Tours for having me on this book tour and to  MQ Webb for sending me a copy of her fab book! I have to start by saying I pretty much read this in a day, it had a dramatic start that drew you in and kept you hooked from start to finish. It's really well written; the characters are complex, and I love it.
I really enjoyed the formatting of the book too, it flips between what's currently happening and the events that happened a few days or weeks ago and I liked that as a way for us to know what happened rather than having a character monologue. And I really didn't know who had done it until a few pages before it was revealed and even then I had no idea why so I was still gripped until that was explained.
Oscar was an interesting character and one I can't wait to find out more about hopefully in the next book( and the first one which I plan to go back and read soon), which I hope will be soon because it ended on a little cliffhanger about Oscar's personal life (trying really hard not to write any spoilers).

In short, highly recommend this book and it's definitely something you should add to your tbr if you enjoy a thriller.

Krystina xx