Tink's Book Reviews

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead St Vladimir's Academy isn't just any boarding school - hidden away, it's a place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them.  Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess.  They've been on the run, but now they're being dragged back to St Vladimir's where the girls must survive a world of forbidden romances, a ruthless social scene and terrifying night time rituals.  But most of all, staying alive. Rose Hathaway is in a bit of trouble after being on the run with best friend Lissa. When found, they're forced back into the world of St Vladimir's but not without a catch.  To become a true guardian to the elite Moroi, Rose must do everything possible if she wants to protect Lissa. She must sacrifice a great  deal in order to serve, including her new tutor Dimitri.  But with everything threatening to get i...

The Girl Before by  JP Delaney Jane stumbles on the rental opportunity of a lifetime: the chance to live in a beautiful ultra-minimalist house designed by an enigmatic architect, on condition she abides by a long list of exacting rules.  After moving in, she discovers that a previous tenant, Emma, met a mysterious death there - and starts to wonder if her own story will be a re-run of the girl before.  Emma's past and Jane's present become inexorably entwined in this tense, page-turning portrayal of psychological obsession. Would you live in a house with pristine walls, works surfaces with state of the art technology and all for a good price?  Would you still stay if you couldn't have no books, music, DVD's, magazines or children for that matter?  Jane is looking for an a place to escape from her past, she wants nothing more than a minimalist life and she thinks she's come to the right place. Though  One Folgate Street has something siniste...

Laurie is pretty sure love at first sight doesn't exist anywhere but the movies. But then, through a misted-up bus window one snowy December day, she sees a man who she knows instantly is the one.  Their eyes meet, there's a moment of pure magic...and then her bus drives away. Laurie has everything planned; the perfect flat, best job and most importantly, Sarah - her best friend. Though what she didn't plan on, was to be falling in love with a complete stranger at a bus stop and spending an entire year searching for him.  Fast forward a year later and he's stood in front Laurie, in the girls flat but as Sarah's new boyfriend. His name is Jack O'Mara and he's the best thing that's ever happened to Laurie  Sarah.  Over the span of ten years, problems arise for all three best friends, wine is shared, laughter is made and tears are shed. Though some secrets run deep and they should never resurface.  As Laurie and Jack try to overcome t...

Lockout by Maya Cross Who is Sebastian Locke?  Sophia had never felt attraction like that before. Raw. Electric. Irresistible. Swept off her feet by the dashing, enigmatic billionaire Sebastian Lock, she was taken on a journey of self-discovery, taken to places she never dreamt she’d go. But things are never as simple as they appear. Sophia’s trust is a fragile thing, and Sebastian seems insistent on testing it. He has his own demons to battle, and nobody has brought them to the fore like she has. Sofia's trust is fragile, Sebastian doesn't seem to care. He loves pushing all her buttons, more so than some and he's testing it at every angle possible.  Though theres something not quite right about Sebastian that Sofia can't grasp, some secret that he's not letting her in on. As Sophia continues to to break his high barriers and try to see who he really is, she's soon asking herself whether she really wants to know.  What does his tattoo mean? Why does ...

The Man Who Didn't Call by Rosie Walsh  Imagine you meet a man, spend six glorious days together, and fall in love. And it’s mutual: you’ve never been so certain of anything.  So when he leaves for a long-booked holiday and promises to call from the airport, you have no cause to doubt him. But he doesn’t call.  Your friends tell you to forget him, but you know they're wrong: something must have happened; there must be a reason for his silence. On the 2nd June, Sarah comes to the same spot, at the same time to remember the tragedy that ruined her life. What she didn't think would happen, was that she'd fall madly in love with a complete stranger, that she's only known for seven days.  Seven wonderful, marvellous, days she'd spent cooped up with Eddie David's. Then out of nowhere, he just vanished without a trace or even a phone call.  Sarah can't shake the feeling that something is wrong; they shared life stor...

Locked by Maya Cross Who is Sebastian Lock? The bar Sophia Pearce is in doesn’t look like much. The wine is bad and the decor worse.  But when a sudden attack of curiosity leads her to sneak past security and into the back room, she discovers something unimaginable.  The most lavish party she’s ever laid eyes on, in the most unlikely of places. When Sophia and the girls are out on the town, anything goes. Secrets are shared, memories are made and bets get promised. Yet, when she sees a dainty, dimly lit room to the back of the bar, Sophia can't help but wonder what lays behind it.  With some liquid confidence and a helping of motivation from her friends, Sophia soon finds herself sneaking through the door. Though when she does, her whole world is turned upside down.  Sebastian on the other hand, is a man of many mysteries. Sworn to secrecy by the alliance, she shared very little about life, and his personality. Though he can't shake the need and desire...

Head Over Heels by Jill Mansell Jessie has kept the identity of her son Oliver's father a secret for years.  One glance at Oliver, and a little mental arithmetic, and Toby has the situation sussed. Meeting the son he never knew he had is the shock of a lifetime.  As the attraction between them flares up again, Jessie just can't see her way to a happy ending. But no one is quite what they seem. Interior designer Jess has lived in Upper Sisley all her life, she's built up a great business, brought up her handsome son Ollie and has the best friendship a woman could ask for with mum of three, Lily.  So when Jess gets the call to decorate the luxurious Sisley house, she jumps at the chance. Though as soon as she hears the voice on the other end of the line, Jess can't quite believe her luck. Toby Gillespie on the other hand is ecstatic to unveil that Jess has been hiding in the village all along. Though water certainly hasn't ran under the br...

A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon At fifty-seven, George is settling down to a comfortable retirement, building a shed in his garden, reading historical novels, listening to a bit of light jazz. Unnoticed in the uproar, George discovers a sinister lesion on his hip, and quietly begins to lose his mind. George is a simple man, he enjoys the simple tasks in life such as; a hot cup of tea in the morning, a new book in the evening and spending time on his studio.  So when he finds a small lesion on his side, his whole world is flipped upside down and everything  isn't that simple anymore. As George battles with his mind, his family are in a current battle of their own and falling apart at the seams. Katie, his argumentative daughter is planning to marry Ray, the "safe" partner, but when they have an argument and he storms out, Katie starts to question is she really marrying him for love, or because of her son Jacob?  Jamie, his uptight son is in love with Tony. It...

Layers Peeled by Lacey Silks New life binds them, Past ghosts haunt her, Fresh secrets distract him, ...and history repeats itself.  After surviving a heroic job, Allie summons the courage to finally tell Tristan the most shocking news of her life, that is until she's got over the announcement of him firing her from the firm.  Allie can't believe it, after everything she's done for him, in and out of work hours, how could he be so nonchalant and fire her? What did she do wrong?  Though Tristan has some surprises up his sleeve that she won't see coming, though none will top her secret.   But soon skeletons that they both thought had disappeared soon start creeping in, much faster than they both anticipated. With new cases to lead and their ever growing romance kick starting into life again. Will Allie ever get the life that she wishes for? and will Tristan finally be able to relax after...

Layers Deep by Lacey Silks He needs her to save a friend. She needs him to plan her revenge. Their pasts scar them Layers Deep. Their passion distracts them... ...and distractions can be fatal. Allie Green isn't your average woman, she's a cop with a need for vengeance, with a dark past and knows how to hold her own in tough situations.  Allie was a witness to a brutal attack when she was younger and has vowed ever since to dedicate her life to help save the public and her family from the most evil people on the planet. Though things aren't so easy when you've used every  possible resource to you.  Tristan  Cross is the head of an elite and bespoke security  agency. Specialising from cheating husbands right down to the scum of the earth and everything in between. Though there's one job that he just can't shake, one mission that will destroy him if he doesn't succeed in finding the one person he let down....

How to be Happy  by  Eva Woods The smallest things can make the biggest difference. Annie has been sad for so long that she's forgotten how to be any other way. Until she meets Polly. Polly is everything that Annie is not. She's colourful, joyful, happy. Because if recent events have taught Polly anything, it's that your time is too short to waste a single day. Annie Hebden is miserable, she's stuck in a job she hates, her husband has left her for her best friend, and she shares a flat with a twenty two year old barista who she hardly knows.  Polly Leonard on the other hand is the happiest woman alive, she has tonnes of friends, a family who love her and she's got rid of her no good ex. The only downside is, she has cancer, and not the curable kind.  Polly is determined to make Annie see that her life isn't as bad as what she thinks, not just because she doesn't have a terminal illness, but because she truly deserves to...

The Girlfriend by Michelle Frances A girl. A boy. His mother. And the lie she'll wish she'd never told. Laura Cavendish has told a lie, not a white one but an unthinkable one, a lie that no mother should ever let cross her mind. Though it has and there's no way that she can reel it back into the depths of her mind.  Daniel Cavendish has a lot going for him at the moment, a good steady job as a doctor at one of the top hospitals, a new already renovated flat and his beautiful new girlfriend, Cherry.  Cherry has had a rough life, or so she thinks. Growing up on the council estate and being an only child has its limits. She feels like she has been cursed and she doesn't know what she's done wrong, but it needs to change and fast.  Though Cherry isn't all what she's cracked up to be, in fact she's quite the opposite to what everyone may think of as the 'perfect girlfriend'. She's far, far from it. She'll do anything to have Danie...

How to Stuff up Christmas by Rosie Blake 'Tis the season to be jolly. Unless you've found an intimate picture of another woman on your fiance's phone...  Eve is heartbroken after discovering her fiance is cheating on her. Being surrounded by the joys of Christmas is more than Eve can bear, so she chooses to avoid the festivities by spending Christmas alone on a houseboat in Pangbourne.  Nothing could go wrong for Eve at the moment, she has a wonderful family, a fantastic set of friends and a handsome boyfriend who as just proposed to her on Christmas day. Until she finds a photo on his phone of a woman's perfect intimate parts.  Fast forward four months and Eve is single and living on her own again, but at least she has their dog Marmite to keep her company, even if she is a bit detached from him. With the help of her friend Daisy, she decides to go on a month long holiday to Pangbourne to do a winter pottery course to try and mend her brok...

A Very Accidental Love Story by Claudia Carroll Eloise Elliot is one of the youngest newspaper editors in the country. Respected and revered by her peers, she’s at the top of her game. But, on the eve of her thirtieth birthday, finding herself surrounded by some pathetic looking balloons and mangy sandwiches in The Daily Post’s conference room, Eloise is hit but a long sharp pang of loneliness. Fast forward three years and she's a loving mother to a beautiful little girl.  Yet it’s when Lily starts asking about  her ‘daddy’ that Eloise really starts to panic. What will she tell her? Eloise Elliot has hit a turning point in her life, she's hit the big 30 and whilst she's stood in her office on her own, surrounded by sandwiches, cake and balloons she realises that she's more lonely than she thought.  Three years later Eloise has a Lily, her beautiful little girl who's ground she worships, but being the only person in her life she barely gets to see her littl...