Tropical Girl Reads

Murder Among Friends – Book Review

MURDER AMONG FRIENDS a totally gripping crime thriller full of twists by [JANICE FROST]

DISCOVER A BRAND-NEW SERIES FROM BESTSELLING AUTHOR JANICE FROST.

Meet Jane Bell. After her husband dies she leaves her job as a teacher to volunteer as a special constable with the police.

On her very first shift Jane is called to the scene of a murder. A young man has dragged himself to the top of Greestone Stairs to die. Following her instincts, Jane finds herself becoming very involved in the case . . .

For Detective Steph Warwick, specials have no place in a murder investigation — and this upstart rookie is meddling where she doesn’t belong.

The victim ran a group at the university teaching men how to pick up women. Jane and Steph must venture into a dark and dangerous world of online misogyny.

Steph knows about abusive men. But can she work with Jane to put this killer behind bars?

No. of pages:- 245 pages

Date published:- will be published on 5th November 2020

Genre:- Thriller

Thank You Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book! This review is based on my complete honest opinion

Jane after her husband’s death leaves behind her teaching job and joins the police force. And while working on a shift, she discovers a body of a man name Mark Ripley who was being attacked and is dead. Detectives Warwick and her partner Elias are investigating this case and finds that Mark along with Adam and Phil are involved in some sort of a group where they train men on how to lure women. And while working on the case, Stephanie Warwick and Jane doesn’t seem to get along well…

The story was engaging and a bit fast paced though it was slow at first. I really like the character of Jane as she seems to be nice and friendly, getting along with everyone. However, to me, there was not much twists and turns you would expect in a thriller but otherwise, the story was OK and the ending was also OK. Not a bad thriller but a good one.

Overall, I would rate this book as four stars!

I am the author of five crime/mystery books featuring Detectives Jim Neal and Ava Merry. My novels are set in the fictitious East Midlands cathedral city of Stromford.

Dead Secret sees Jim and Ava pairing up to investigate the murder of a teenage girl. It is their first major case together and the two soon discover that they have very different personalities. Neal is intellectual and considered, Ava clever and occasionally reckless. Both are passionate about the job they do but have to work hard at being an effective team.

Dead Secret reached #13 in the Amazon Kindle Store, and the first sequel, Dark Secret reached #10. Both books spent several weeks in the Top 100. Her Husband’s Secret was published in November 2016, and the fourth book in the series, Their Fatal Secrets, in November 2017. The fifth book was launched in June 2018 and reached #55 on the day of its release.

I am originally from West Lothian in Scotland but moved to London in my early twenties. I lived and worked in the East End for ten years before moving to Lincolnshire where I currently live with my husband and two grown-up sons. When not reading or writing, I enjoy walking in the hills absorbing the scenery.

I am delighted to be published by the wonderful Joffe Books.

Hijab and Red Lipstick – Book Review

“You cannot do anything in this country without my permission.”

Being a teenager isn’t easy. And it doesn’t help when you have a mega strict Egyptian dad who tells you that everything is “haram” a.k.a. forbidden. All Sara wants to do is experiment with makeup, listen to the latest Destiny’s Child single and read fashion magazines, but her dad’s conservative interpretation of Islam makes it impossible. Things get even harder when her dad lands himself a job in the Arabian Gulf and moves Sara and her family to a country where the patriarchy rules supreme. In a country where you have to have your father’s permission for everything, every door feels like it is being closed on Sara’s future. In a desperate bid for freedom, Sara makes a judgement call that threatens to ruin their dysfunctional father-daughter relationship forever.

Hijab & Red Lipstick is told from the perspective of a young British Muslim woman growing up between London and the Middle East. It is a tale of a young woman’s difficult quest to find herself, offering an unusual and unique insight into life in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, where people’s personal lives, relationships and coming of age experiences are rarely spoken about

No. of pages:- 272 pages

Date published:- will be published on 5th November 2020

Genre:- Arab Culture

Thank You Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the ARC! This review is strictly based on my opinion.

This story is about a girl named Sara, who is half-British, half Egyptian, who was born and raised in Britain, but moves to the Gulf when her father gets a job there. Sara also has a strict father. Like every teenager, Sara wants to apply lipstick and be like a normal teenager listening to Destiny’s child but for her father, everything she likes is “haram” meaning forbidden.

I really enjoyed reading the story! Though this book reminds me a little bit of A Woman is No Man by Etaf Rum, though this is a bit different. Both books talk about the Arab culture but in this book, it talks about how Sara’s father, who after moved to the Gulf changed and became strict with his children, particularly if they listen to western music, it is “haram” and going out without wearing a hijab is a “haram”. This book literally talks about how Sara is dealing with the Arab culture. The book was well written, witty and funny and as this book was written on Sara’s perspectives, it was interesting to know about her thoughts.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and worth four stars!

Here’s a bit about me
I’ve been writing ever since the moment I could hold a pen. I was always entering writing and poetry competitions at school – and won a fair few – and I even wrote the script for the end-of-year play when I was in Year 6!

Fast forward ten years later, and at the age of 20 I began to write articles for blogs, websites and glossy magazines while living in Qatar, and another decade later, at the ripe old age of 31, my first novel, Hijab and Red Lipstick, is being published in the UK by Hashtag Press. You can find out more about my writing experience on the Writing Services section of this website.

I am half English, half Egyptian, and was born and brought up in London, before moving to Qatar at the age of fourteen, where I lived until I was 29 years old.

I am now based in West Yorkshire where I live with my husband and work full time in the higher education sector.

Interesting fact: I used to be a personal trainer and fitness instructor and once modelled for Puma. I was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome in 2017 and damage to my joints meant I could no longer carry on coaching and teaching.

I am an avid reader and like to review books on my Instagram account as well as review them on the blog section of this website. My favourite things to do (other than writing and reading) are drinking a good coffee or cup of karak chai, hiking, watching movies, listening to old Arabic music, and exploring new cities.

I identify as a Muslim feminist, and I am passionate about women’s rights, gender justice, disability awareness, mental health and women in Islam.

A Mother Like You – Book Review

Hey all! I am back with a book review! A Mother Like You by Ruby Speechly

A Mother Like You: An unputdownable, twisty psychological thriller by [Ruby Speechley]

All mothers have secrets…some are unforgivable

Kate Marshall lives an enviable life. Married to handsome, charming, James, owner of a successful company, she seems to have it all.

But falling pregnant at 45 was never part of the plan. Especially as Kate’s hiding a devastating secret – one that she’s been running from for twenty years.

So when ex-boyfriend Paul comes back into her life, threatening to expose the truth about what Kate did, the clock is ticking. Can she keep her secrets and finally be the mother she always dreamed of – or will her past lies destroy her perfect life?

An unputdownable, complex and twisty psychological thriller about mothers and daughters – fans of Shalini Boland, Liane Moriarty and Jane Shemilt will love this gripping read.

No, of pages:- 255 pages

Date published:- will be published on 4th November 2020

Genre:- Thriller

Thank You Netgalley and Hera for granting me this book! This review is based on my complete honest opinion.

Kate Marshall seems to be living a life–married to a handsome and charming man James for ten years and running a successful company with her husband. But when ex-boyfriend Paul comes into picture, demanding her to pay some money, her past comes back crumbling as Paul threatened to reveal a secret about her, leaving behind the threatening messages…

The story was interesting. The plot line was good and the author really drew the reader into the story. It was unputdownable as well as the reader wants to know what this secret that Kate was actually hiding and there were some intense climax building up in the chapter. Towards the end, Kate’s secret is revealed which is shocking and unexpected! Overall, it was actually a fast paced thriller. It had made me guessing until the end which was shocking!

Really a good fast paced unputdownable thriller where you will not be able to put down the book! Worth five stars!

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A Frenzy of Sparks – Book Review

Hey guys! I am back with a book review!

A Frenzy of Sparks: A Novel by [Kristin Fields]

It’s 1965, and thirteen-year-old Gia, along with her older brother and cousins, are desperate to escape their sleepy, tree-lined neighborhood where nothing ever happens. The only thing Gia would miss is the surrounding marsh, where she feels at home among sea birds and salt water.

But when one of Gia’s cousins brings drugs into their neighborhood, it sets off a chain of events that quickly turn dangerous. Everyone will be caught in the ripples, and some may be swept away entirely. Gia is determined to keep herself and her family afloat while the world is turned upside down around her. Can she find a way to hold on to the life she was so eager to leave behind, or will she have to watch it all disappear beneath the marsh forever?

At turns heart-wrenching and hopeful, A Frenzy of Sparks explores a world where survival is the attempt to move forward while leaving pieces of your heart behind.

No. of pages:- 252 pages

Date published:- will be published on November 3rd 2020

Genre:- Historical Fiction/Crime

Thank You Netgalley, Lake Union Publishing and the author for providing me the ARC of this book!

A Frenzy of Sparks is a story set in 1965 about a teenage girl named Gia set in the 1960’s and whose life changed when her cousins, Ray and Tommy introduces drugs to them.

This story is very emotional and realistic–the author has done a good job doing research about the life in the 1960’s and how drug overdose became very common during that era. Gia’s brother, Leo, gets addicted to drugs and due to his addiction to drugs, it shows how Gia and her family were destroyed due to consequences of drugs. The story is told from Gia’s perspectives and the way she deals with the life, particularly her anger towards Ray who actually destroyed their lives by introducing drugs. The struggles that Gia’s parents going through, particularly when Leo gets overdosed was emotional.

Overall, this is a heartbreaking, emotional read to be but was well written, keeping the reader hooked into the story–worth five stars!

five-stars | Gioventu Spa | Tratamientos de Belleza

Kristin Fields grew up in Queens, which she likes to think of as a small town next to a big city. Fields studied writing at Hofstra University, where she received the Eugene Schneider Fiction Award. After college, Fields found herself working on a historic farm, teaching high school English, and designing museum education programs. She is currently leading an initiative to bring gardens to New York City public schools, where she lives with her husband.

October Wrap Up

Total Number of Books I have read

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Rachel’s Pudding Pantry – Book Review

Third and final blog post of the day!

Rachel’s Pudding Pantry: The first in a cosy romance series from the ebook bestselling author (Pudding Pantry, Book 1) by [Caroline Roberts]

Step inside Rachel’s Pudding Pantry, a place where love, laughter and scrumptious bakes bring everyone together.

Primrose Farm is Rachel’s very own slice of heaven. Come rain or shine there’s always a pot of tea brewing by the Aga, the delicious aroma of freshly baked puddings, and a chorus of happy memories drifting through the kitchen.

But the farm is in a spot of trouble. As the daffodils spring, Rachel must plant the seeds of change if she wants to keep the farm afloat, and it’s all resting on a crazy plan. She’ll need one family cook book, her Mum Jill’s baking magic – and a reason to avoid her distractingly gorgeous neighbour, Tom . . .

Swapping their wellies for aprons, can Rachel and Jill bake their way into a brighter future? The proof will be in the pudding!

No. of pages:- 417 pages

Date published:- April 18th 2019

Genre:- Holiday ficiton

Rachel at the Primrose farm is facing debts–her father had died and she was left in charge of the farm. In order to pay up for the debts, she and her mother decided to put up a Pudding Pantry in the farm itself, as her mother, Jill is known for making delicious puddings and cakes. And while setting up the pudding pantry tells the adorable relationship between Rachel and her five year old daughter Maisie and the budding romance between Rachel and Tom.

I listened to this through audiobook and the narrator did a good job narrating the story. The story was warm, funny and cozy and I really thought the character of Maisie was cute and adorable! Not only that–the descriptions of the puddings and cakes, like carrot cake, sticky toffee pudding and lemon cup cakes made my mouth water that I wish I can have them as well. The story was well written and the author did a good job drawing the reader into the story. Really a warm and nice romance novel.

Overall, this is a cute cheesy and cozy romance novel and worth four stars!

CCSD Schools Earn High Marks for School Climate - Dean Rusk Middle School

Family, friends, food, a glass of bubbly and, of course, a good book make me smile. I love writing novels about love, loss, betrayal, and family, that explore how complex and yet beautiful love can be. I also like to write romantic comedy, letting the characters have a bit of flirty fun too! I believe in following your dreams and working hard towards them, which led me to Harper Impulse (Harper Collins) and a publishing deal (woop!) after many years of writing. Stunning Northumberland in England is my home – sandy beaches, castles and gorgeous countryside that have inspired my writing.

Little Bones – Book Review

Here’s the 2nd book review of the day!

Little Bones: The most chilling serial killer thriller you’ll read this year by [N V Peacock]

I have three names: I was born Leigh-Ann. I became Cherrie. When I was a child, they called me Little Bones…

My father was Mr Bones – the notorious serial killer of 25 years ago.
As a child I witnessed his crimes.
Everything is different now. I have a new identity. I’m a mother. I am finally free.
Until that podcast. I should never have listened.
They’re linking a recent disappearance to the crimes of the past.
They know who I am. They’re calling me Little Bones again.
They say I’m a villain but I’m not. I’m a victim.

No. of pages:- 400 pages

Date published:- will be published on 31st October 2020

Genre:- Serial Killer/Thriller

Thank You Netgalley and the publisher for providing me the ARC!

Cherrie Forrester is having a dark secret. Her father was a notorious serial killer who murdered boys and her real name was Leigh Ann and she was nicknamed as Little Bones. She changed her name to Cherrie Forrester to start a new life. When a boy named Thomas Doncaster disappeared, the past comes back haunting her, especially when a podcast was aired talking about her past…

At first, the first few chapters were gripping and intense. The emotional trauma that Cherrie was going through seems realistic. I was hooked into the story that I couldn’t put this book down. However, towards the end, it kind of became lame and the ending to me was a bit confusing. Most characters are not very likable but the writing was OK. The author did a good job making the reader hooked into the story.

Overall, it was a good thriller, though not fast paced. Worth four stars!

Midnight Train to Prague – Book Review

I took a break from blogging for two days so I am back with tons of book reviews today!!! So here’s my first book review

The acclaimed author of Home Schooling returns with Midnight Train to Prague, a timeless tale of friendship, romance, betrayal, and survival that spans the turbulent decades of the twentieth century, through two world wars and between countries and continents.

In 1927, as Natalia Faber travels from Berlin to Prague with her mother, their train is delayed in Saxon Switzerland. In the brief time the train is idle, Natalia learns the truth about her father―who she believed died during her infancy―and meets a remarkable woman named Dr. Magdalena Schaeffer, whose family will become a significant part of her future. Shaken by these events, Natalia arrives at a spa on the shore of Lake Hevíz in Hungary. Here, she meets Count Miklós Andorján, a journalist and adventurer. The following year, they will marry.

Years later, Germany has invaded Russia. When Miklós fails to return from the eastern front, Natalia goes to Prague to wait for him. With a pack of tarot cards, she sets up shop as a fortune teller, and she meets Anna Schaeffer, the daughter of the woman she met decades earlier on that stalled train. The Nazis accuse Natalia of spying, and she is sent to a concentration camp. Though they are separated, her friendship with Anna grows as they fight to survive and to be reunited with their families.

No. of pages :- 352 pages

Date published:- will be published on November 3rd 2020

Genre:- Historical Fiction

Thank You Netgalley and the publisher for granting me an ARC of this book!

To be honest, I was looking forward to read this book. Anything related to WWII and Holocaust history fascinates me and most books I have read on them are amazing and have rated five stars. Unfortunately, this book didn’t meet my expectations. Too many characters for me to keep up with that I get confused with the characters. The story is divided into three parts–Part 1 is when Natalia is a teenager and the world has just finished with WWI and Russia had two revolutions and became a communist country. On the way to Prague from Berlin, Natalia meets Miklos with whom she falls in love and get married. Part 2 is when the world goes to war again with Hitler and Nazis invading Prague and other European countries and Russia. Part 2 was intriguing read and is about a girl named Anna who wanted to save the Jews. Part 3 is the life after the war.

It was interesting to learn so much things about the history and I like how the story shifts from Europe to Argentina to America, learning about different cultures. Would have enjoyed the book if not too many characters are involved. The plotline also was sometimes confusing to me.

Overall, it was an OK book–worth three stars.

Lazy Book Review – An American Christmas

Today I am going with a “Lazy Book Review” – which means I am not going into too much details, just say whether I liked the book or not.

American Christmas: A Multicultural Christmas Romance (Dreamers) by [Adriana Herrera]

Denpo Myint “Yin” Thuta is living the dream. His dream. A good job, higher education, supportive community and, best of all, his live-in boyfriend, Ari. Yin has his happily-ever-after…if only he and Ari could take the time to actually enjoy it. With the holidays fast approaching, Yin’s determined to change all that and surprise Ari with an over-the-top gift that will leave him in no doubt how much he’s loved—even though they agreed to keep things simple this year.

Like Yin, Aristide “Ari” Douniama worked so hard to secure his future that he may have forgotten how to enjoy his present. Despite there being plenty to be thankful for in the moment. With big plans of his own in the works to surprise Yin, Ari may or may not have gone overboard. Or forgotten to check their respective schedules.

’Tis the season of giving, and in their quest to celebrate the “perfect” American Christmas—and failing—Ari and Yin get a much-needed reminder that they already have the greatest gift of all: each other.

No. of pages:- 92 pages

Date published:- will be published on 2nd November 2020

Genre:- LGBT

Thank You Netgalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this book! This book is based on my honest opinion.

I didn’t know that this was a part of the Dreamers series–this is the 5th book of the Dreamers series. I really like the chemistry between Yin and Ari, both have the similar background and I think they are really a cute couple. This was also a quick and short read so it wouldn’t take that long to finish this book. Though there is no specific plot line, the story actually talks about the romance between the two, about love, faith and getting together with the loved ones during the season of Christmas. Only thing was I wish this book was a bit longer!

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and worth three stars!

Adriana Herrera was born and raised in the Caribbean, but for the last 15 years has let her job (and her spouse) take her all over the world. She loves writing stories about people who look and sound like her people, getting unapologetic happy endings. When she’s not dreaming up love stories, planning logistically complex vacations with her family or hunting for discount Broadway tickets, she’s a social worker in New York City, working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

The Sun Down Motel – Book Review

This is the second book I have read from this author. The first book, The Broken Girls, which I did a book review on was good but I would say this book…AMAZING!

The story is divided into two parts–past, told from the perspective of Viv Delaney in 1982, who was on her way to New York to become an actress but ended up in a small town called Fell, New York, working as a night shift in a seedy motel called Sun Down Motel and the present, 2017, told from the perspective of Carly Kirk, who happened to Viv’s niece and who comes to Fell to investigate about her aunt’s sudden disappearance thirty five years ago. Along with the presence of ghosts and supernatural forces around the motel is also a thriller where a man posing as a salesman is murdering girls, back in 1982.

I really enjoyed reading this book–perfect for a great Halloween read. The story itself was spooky, creepy and weird and I was so drawn into the story that I felt like I was in some sort of horror movie! I couldn’t really put the book down as well. A thriller mixed with ghost stories, that’s the type of thriller I would so want to read. The descriptions of the places, particularly the lifestyle during the 1980’s was fascinating to read as well. The story is well written and the author did a good job scaring the reader through the words!

Overall, I truly enjoyed reading this book–a scary thriller with twists and turns that you simply wouldn’t want to put down–worth five stars!

The Sun Down Motel by [Simone St. James]

Something hasn’t been right at the roadside Sun Down Motel for a very long time, and Carly Kirk is about to find out why in this chilling new novel from the New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of The Broken Girls.

Upstate New York, 1982. Viv Delaney wants to move to New York City, and to help pay for it she takes a job as the night clerk at the Sun Down Motel in Fell, New York. But something isnʼt right at the motel, something haunting and scary.

Upstate New York, 2017. Carly Kirk has never been able to let go of the story of her aunt Viv, who mysteriously disappeared from the Sun Down before she was born. She decides to move to Fell and visit the motel, where she quickly learns that nothing has changed since 1982. And she soon finds herself ensnared in the same mysteries that claimed her aunt.

Simone St. James is the award-winning author of The Haunting of Maddy Clare, which won two prestigious RITA® awards from Romance Writers of America and an Arthur Ellis Award from Crime Writers of Canada. She writes gothic historical ghost stories set in 1920s England, books that are known for their mystery, gripping suspense, and romance.

Simone wrote her first ghost story, about a haunted library, when she was in high school. She worked behind the scenes in the television business for twenty years before leaving to write full-time. She lives just outside Toronto, Canada with her husband and a spoiled cat.