Tag: NetGalley

#BlogTour #Book Review The Other You by J.S. Monroe @JSThrillers @HoZ_Books

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Today I’m taking a break from my customary diet of historical fiction to bring you my review of the latest  thriller by J. S. Monroe, The Other You, which was published in the UK on 9th January 2020. Thanks to Vicky at Head of Zeus for inviting me to take part in the blog tour and for my review copy via NetGalley.

The Other YouAbout the Book

Kate used to be good at recognising people. So good, she worked for the police, identifying criminals in crowds of thousands. But six months ago, a devastating car accident led to a brain injury. Now the woman who never forgot a face can barely recognise herself in the mirror.

At least she has Rob. Young, rich, handsome and successful, Rob runs a tech company on the idyllic Cornish coast. Kate met him just after her accident, and he nursed her back to health. When she’s with him, in his luxury modernist house, the nightmares of the accident fade, and she feels safe and loved.

Until, one day, she looks at Rob anew. And knows, with absolute certainty, that the man before her has been replaced by an impostor.

Is Rob who he says he is? Or is it all in Kate’s damaged mind?

Format: Hardcover, ebook (496 pages)              Publisher: Head of Zeus
Publication date: 9th January 2020                    Genre: Thriller

Find The Other You on Goodreads

Purchase links*
Amazon.co.uk | Hive (supporting UK bookshops)
*links provided for convenience, not as part of any affiliate programme

My Review

Rossetti They Met ThemselvesIn my Q&Awith J.S. Monroe to mark publication of his previous book, Forget My Name, he revealed “My next thriller is a modern, high-tech take on an old trope: the doppelgänger.” Well, he was as good as his word because The Other You is an incredibly clever blend of the bang up-to-date – drones, facial recognition software, wearable and smart technology – and older superstitions about doppelgängers, doubles and changelings.

Despite being just under five hundred pages long, The Other You zips along at a breathless pace thanks to the short chapters and the fact that events unfold over the course of only a few days. The author is also the master of the punchy final sentence of a chapter or cliff-hanger ending.

The story is told from three points of view, the first of which is Kate herself so the reader witnesses her doubts and uncertainties first hand. I think it’s fair to say the reader may have their suspicions awakened about certain individuals a little earlier than Kate does.

Then there’s Kate’s ex-boyfriend, Jake, a former crime reporter and now not entirely successful author – although he can lay claim to being ‘big in Finland’. I loved the self-deprecating humour as Jake encounters someone who’s read one of his books only to find out they picked it up for 10p in a charity shop. Jake’s never forgotten the happy times he and Kate had together and how one reckless action ended their relationship.

Finally, there’s DI Silas Hart, Kate’s former boss when she worked as a super-recogniser who still feels guilty that his desire to make the unit a success may have pushed Kate beyond her limits and contributed to her accident.

Events unfold in a seemingly never-ending stream of twists and turns including some distinctly dystopian elements before the book reaches its heart-thumping, nail-biting climax.

The Other You is an expertly crafted page-turner that kept this reader guessing right to the end. Touching on issues such as the impact of AI, concerns about infringement of civil liberties and current criminal activity such as county lines gangs and modern slavery, The Other You is a thriller for the modern world. Oh, and by the way, it also proves humankind definitely has no need for a refrigerator that can spontaneously switch itself to ‘diet’ mode.

In three words: Chilling, intense, gripping

Try something similar: The Scapegoat by Daphne du Maurier

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JS MonroeAbout the Author

J.S. Monroe read English at Cambridge, worked as a foreign correspondent in Delhi, and was Weekend editor of the Daily Telegraph in London before becoming a full-time writer.

Monroe is the author of eight novels, including the international bestsellers, Find Me and Forget My Name.

He also writes under the name Jon Stock.

Connect with J.S. Monroe
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

#BookReview The Lady of the Ravens by Joanna Hickson #HistFic

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The Lady of the RavensAbout the Book

“My baptismal name may be Giovanna but here in my mother’s adopted country I have become plain Joan; I am not pink-cheeked and golden-haired like the beauties they admire. I have olive skin and dark features – black brows over ebony eyes and hair the colour of a raven’s wing…”

When Joan Vaux is sent to live in the shadow of the Tower of London, she must learn to navigate the treacherous waters of this new England under the Tudors. Like the ravens, Joan must use her eyes and her senses, if Henry and his new dynasty are to prosper and thrive.

Format: ebook (400 pages)                  Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication date: 9th January 2020  Genre: Historical fiction

Purchase links*
Amazon.co.uk | Hive (supporting UK bookshops)
*links provided for convenience, not as part of any affiliate programme

Find The Lady of the Ravens on Goodreads

My Review

The Lady of the Ravens is a fictionalized account of the life of Joan Vaux, lady-in-waiting to Elizabeth, wife of Henry VII. Through Joan’s privileged access, the reader gets a glimpse into the marriage of the King and Queen and of life at Court.

Opening shortly after the Battle of Bosworth and early in the reign of Henry VII, it’s apt that the collective term for a gathering of ravens is a ‘conspiracy’ for it’s a time of unrest, shifting allegiances, the threat of revolt and pretenders to the throne. It’s no wonder that Joan should set such store by the welfare of the ravens who make the Tower of the London their home given the legend that their presence ensures the nation’s security. Joan is also drawn to the ravens for their cleverness and the beauty of their sleek plumage. With her dark hair and olive skin, that sets her apart from other ladies of the Court, she feels an affinity with them as “fellow misfits”.

The book will appeal to readers who like their historical fiction well populated with historical fact. I confess that, whilst appreciating the depth of research, I found the first half of the book a teeny bit slow. I was also a little distracted by the occasional use of modern phrases such as ‘dress to impress’, ‘super-intelligent’, ‘top-security secrets’ and ‘kept under wraps’. However, once the action moved to Kent and Joan’s life was centre stage, I found myself falling under the book’s spell and eager to find out what lay in store for Joan and those close to her.

The book ends at the point of Prince Arthur’s marriage to Katharine of Aragon and before significant events in Joan’s own life, including her part in what would come to be referred to as Henry VIII’s “great matter”, leaving open the prospect of a follow-up book.

The Lady of the Ravens is a well-crafted historical novel set in an interesting period in England’s history. I received an advance review copy courtesy of Harper Collins via NetGalley.

In three words: Detailed, well-researched, authentic

Try something similar: The White Princess by Philippa Gregory

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About the Author

Joanna Hickson spent twenty five years presenting and producing News and Arts programmes for the BBC. Her first published book was a children’s historical novel Rebellion at Orford Castle but more recently she has turned to adult fiction, concentrating on bringing fifteenth century English history and some of its fascinating principal characters to life.

She is married with a large family and gets inspiration from her Wiltshire farmhouse home, which dates back to her chosen period.

Connect with Joanna

Website | Twitter