Search

Search only in certain items:

    iMoodJournal

    iMoodJournal

    Lifestyle and Health & Fitness

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    This beautiful app is an ultimate journal, personal diary and mood charting tool. It can track not...

Manchester Vice
Manchester Vice
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
^^ Imagine you’re able to make contact with a serial killer, and before he dies he passes on his diary, which reveals the secret location of his murderous lair; all set up and ready to go. Then imagine, before you know what to do with this information, you discover your wife is having an affair with your annoying brother of whom you’ve never been close to. Of course, your wife’s not to blame, as lately you’ve not been a very attentive husband, but that could change with your brother out of the way, right? In fact, it’s the perfect solution. What could possibly go wrong with such a rock solid plan?

^^ This is what happens to the main character, Brad Sharpe, in Jack Strange’s Manchester Vice. Brad is often portrayed as a guy who contemplates what’s going on in his life, and seems to discover the answers to his own problems as he is telling us the story, yet, he fails to understand the blantly obvious staring at him in the face. As an example, in one scene he thinks there is a strong possibility his wife is having an affair with someone who lives in the same block of flats as his brother…. (At this point I’m throwing my hands up in the air and going, “Well, doh?”). Yep, see what I mean? So, when he finally cottons on (hallelujah) he’s on to his next get even scheme. I guess, Sharpe’s not as sharp as he likes to think!

^^ And what of the diary? This is a great addition to the story as it acts like a step-by-step manual to extract (or should I say extinguish?) anything he doesn’t like from his life. Yet there’s an even bigger twist in this story of revenge, and that’s how he keeps in close proximity with the police as a journalist reporting on the crime of this elusive serial killer. Himself.

^^ The ending did not disappoint, in fact, I kind of regretted that it ended at all and throughly enjoyed reading about Brad’s escapades, especially his reign of power and journalistic fame.

Overall: Manchester Vice is a story of betrayal, comeuppance, and rash decisions made from a rookie murderer bungling his way through one mistake after another. Jack Strange’s character Brad Sharpe has a fresh voice and his antics are both gruesome and downright comedic. I love the way he maintains a sense of right and wrong throughout, even though his morals are very different to most of ours. A fun, dark and fabulously disturbing, “Brit Grit” read.
  
The Fourth Monkey (4MK Thriller, #1)
The Fourth Monkey (4MK Thriller, #1)
J.D. Barker | 2017 | Thriller
8
8.5 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
<img src="https://bookbumzuky.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/4mk-giveaway-v2.png"; width="430" height="430" alt="win the book!"/>

<a href="https://bookbum.co.uk/2017/06/27/4mk/">WIN A HARDBACK COPY OF THE BOOK HERE!</a> (UK only)

------

I had so many opinions running through my head when I was reading this. At first I was excited and intrigued to find out more, then I was slightly reluctant to read it towards the middle (though I think factors outside of the book were influencing my opinion at that point) and then by the end I was super eager to finish it (in a good way) and see where it went.

This is a fast paced thriller that’s going to keep you rooted to your seat. I, unfortunately, had so much to do while reading this book (work and personal life) that I wasn’t able to sit and read huge chunks of it and I think that’s why I got a little slow to reading it towards the middle. If you’re going to read this book, my advice is to free up some of your time so you can bulk read it, otherwise some of the more shocking revelations and continuous fast paced action won’t have it’s desired effect.

The first thing I loved about this novel is the fact that our protagonist is an older man, not some sprightly new thing coming straight out of police school. It was nice to have that less popular character as our “hero”. The second thing I loved was the Diary entries. I (mainly) love books that jump back and forth between past and present so when these skin crawlingly creepy diary entries started, I was pumped! They never let me down, through the entire thing they were disturbing and really added something to the novel.

My only complaint? Well, this was a buddy read with my pal Annie @ The Misstery, and we knew who 4MK was the moment we met them. Kind of a bummer but at the same time it was quite fun to see if we were actually going to be right or not (we were). It was still good fun to find out how everything came together in the end.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and I’m already excited to see another book in the series will be out next year. The ending lines of the novel are chilling and I can’t wait for them to be followed up!

<i>Thanks to HQ for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!</i>
  
Then. Now. Always.
Then. Now. Always.
Isabelle Broom | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
MoMo’s Book Diary highly recommends this latest release from the wonderfully talented Isabelle Broom.

Isabelle Broom has done it again. I had never heard of the town Mojacar on the south coast of Spain before reading this book yet now I have a strong desire to make time to go and discover this town for myself.

Isabelle Broom has a way of writing that takes you deep inside the story and you almost feel you are there along with the characters. I felt the bond between the characters was true to life and very real. The complex and at times troubles that we face through life are sprinkled here perfectly.

I will rave about this book to friends for a long time – and like I did with Isabelle’s last book – A Year And A Day – I will buy and send copies to good friends who I believe will enjoy the book as much as I did.

Thanks to Netgalley, Isabelle Broom and Penguin UK for the chance to read and review this book prior to publication. I was uncontrollably excited when I received the email asking if I would like to review this book and I just couldn't put it down...
  
LF
Looking for Alex
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
MoMo Book Diary is pleased to recommend this well written intriguing drama as a 4* emotional read.

Marian Dillon’s Looking for Alex grabbed me from the first time I read the synopsis and the plot had me hooked, to the point I sat up until the early hours reading to discover what happened next.

The story is about two friends Beth and Alex, their friendship and the dynamics of their relationship. I felt the flitting between present day and flashbacks to 1970s interrupted the flow of the story but the compelling characters held my interest. The author described the locations vividly and cleverly transports the reader through time and place.

I was gripped more by the present day chapters as the flashbacks were much slower paced.

The author sympathetically captures the turmoil of the teenage years and relationships formed in shaping our adult lives.

Great writing by a great author. When I was asked by Marian Dillon to read and review her book I was not aware of her or her books. I am thankful for the opportunity to read this very talented author and look forward to reading more of Marian Dillon.

Review also published on www.momobookdiary.com and www.amazon.co.uk