"Blind Jimmy and the Blind Ballerina" by Eddie Owens

                                                                             

"Blind Jimmy and the Blind Ballerina" now on Amazon: click here!

"I got him outside and there wasn't a taxi in sight. Typical. I leaned him against a lamp post and lit a tab. I might as well smoke while I waited. I rang a taxi and watched as he threw up in the gutter. Oh well, at least he didn't do it in the taxi."......

This story takes place across the pond. Twenty six year old "Fat Jimmy," is a hard drinking, hard living guy by day, and a mouthy comedienne at night. He so wants to be famous that it brings out the desperation in him. His best friend Lenny, also is following the same career path, but with a little less conviction.

The story was a little rough around the edges, but no story about a hard life trying to rise to the top wouldn't be. A fall out with a former friend, costs him some rungs on that ladder to fame and fortune. "Fat Jimmy" really isn't a very nice guy, or a good friend. His view of women is kind of ugly.

The more I read, the more I disliked him. Then it took a turn, and I started to like him a little more. There is some humor throughout that made me laugh. The underlying theme though is the true story. What would you do to move up? Human nature and all its ugly sides.

When "Fat Jimmy" gets a chance at a television show, it will either make or break him. Lots of little back stories concerning his family and where he came from. Maybe he will find someone to put him on the chosen path. How will it end? Will "Fat Jimmy" find his "Blind Ballerina?" Will he find fame and fortune? In the end I actually enjoyed the overall tale.

Thank you Eddie Owens

"The Art of Hiding" by Amanda Prowse

                                                                                                

Buy "The Art of Hiding" now on Amazon: click here!

"She looked out, seeing the building through the eyes of her boys had lived in splendor, in a gracious house, attended a beautiful school and had taken their leisure among the pale Bath stone buildings of an orderly, prosperous city. And all for what? They had ended up back at the beginning, her beginning, and one she had fought to escape.".......

What starts out as a typical day for well to do mom, Nina, ends in tragedy with the death of her husband. She's left to cope with her two sons, as secrets her husband held are revealed soon after the funeral. 

Their entire lives will change, and Nina will have to find a way to create a new life for Connor and Declan. Losing the luxury they're so accustomed too, only to have to return to her roots. The ones she thought she left behind, even the people she thought were her past. 

The story was thoughtful and tragic. Children paying the price for their fathers decisions and secrets. Can Nina accept what was and let it go? Can she find it in herself the strength to create a new life? How will the boys lives change from the only one they ever knew? 

Finns death changes the way Nina and her children relate to each other, and other family members. Will there be a life raft to this family? Will their burdens be theirs to carry alone? It captivated me from the beginning. Where do you go when you lose everything that makes up the fibers of your life?

Thank you Amanda Prowse, Netgalley, and Lake Union Publishing. 

"Blue Monday" by Nicci French

                       

"Blue Monday" on Amazon: click here

"He'll probably be dead by now. I feel sorry for the poor bloody teacher who let him go. She's become a hate figure." Frieda didn't really hear what he was saying. She was scanning the story about Matthew Faraday who had slipped out of his Islington primary school unnoticed on a Friday afternoon and been last seen going towards a sweetshop a hundred yards or so away.....

This is the first book in this series where we meet Frieda Klein. She is a psychotherapist, with her own interesting history and thoughts. She leads a controlled life, one she is giving a try at sharing. The story takes place in London. When a 5 year old disappears, Frieda makes a connection to one of her patients. The man describes a child he sees in his dream that matches the missing child. 

This book is a great set up and introduction into Frieda and her character. There are currently six more books after this one. As a fan of series, with criminal story lines, I look forward to seeing where this series takes us. 

Frieda is reluctant to help the police? DCI Karlsson tries to appeal to her. A past similar crime reminds him of this one. Could Frieda help him unravel the puzzle? Leaving her carefully constructed world isn't easy for her. Is her patient responsible? What will she risk to find the answers? Suspense, and a few shocking surprises will keep you glued to this story. Is Matthew even still alive, or does a monster darken her office? Her personal issues, and her own changes, make Frieda an interesting character.

This first book drew me in so much, that I purchased the next five in the series, and have the seventh one lined up to read through Netgalley! 

Thank you Nicci French, Netgalley and Penguin UK Publishers 

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