Ten Steps To Us by Attiya Khan - [Blog Tour]

Book Tour: Ten Steps To Us by Attiya Khan 

Synopsis

What if you meet the boy of your dreams but loving him is forbidden?

Aisha Rashid has always felt invisible, so no one is more surprised than her when Darren, the hot new boy in school, takes an interest. But Aisha is a devout Muslim and Darren is firmly off limits. Will she follow her heart even if it means losing her own identity? If only there was a way to keep the boy and her faith. Maybe there is... all it takes is ten steps.

Review

The perfect teen romance that covers religion, romance, and diversity!

I think this is an incredibly well written teen romance that really highlights important topics of religion, diversity, sexuality all whilst intertwined with teenage hormones. This book is very well written, I was engrossed from the beginning and loved finding out more about Aisha's culture and religion. The book really pinpoints how Aisha is bullied for following her religious customs and how people judge her as a terrorist solely based on that she is a Muslim. It is clear that these daily challenges she is faced with frustrates Aisha but she is proud of her religion and tries to stay ahead of the torment. It's also interesting to see how Aisha's parents also worry about Aisha's wellbeing and are concerned that by Aisha wearing the hijab that she is making herself more of a target and so despite what they believe, they try and convince Aisha to go without her hijab. The author Attiya also ensures to include how Aisha's parents views western teenage boys and how they are not a suitable boyfriend for Aisha, I really thought that Attiya did an excellent job highlighting these issues and I thoroughly enjoyed learning about it. 

Initially, Aisha is naïve and often looks to others for guidance, however as the story progresses, she really starts to crack through her shell and start to explore who she really is and what she wants. You can picture the inner turmoil as Aisha explores her sexuality whilst worrying about failing her religion, it really felt like Aisha was torn into two different worlds that were vastly different.  Aisha starts to question people's intentions more often instead of just going along with it and starts to set boundaries with those who betrayed her. By the end of the book Aisha was strong and independent but also wise enough to know that there may still be challenges ahead. 

I thought this book was perfect for a teenager and can hopefully enlighten many teenagers around the world about different cultures and respect. I would have loved to have read this as a teenager as I always put romance on the back burner as I tend to find them all too similar, this really brings romance and education about different cultures in one. 

Thank you to Literally PR for inviting me to take part in this tour!

About The Author

Attiya Khan is a British Indian and grew up in Kent. She is a GP by profession and has three teenage children. She also holds an MA in modern Literature (with merit) from Birkbeck University and was longlisted for Undiscovered Voices 2020. She has had a number of articles published in medical journals and General Practice newspapers.
Attiya works as a GP in East London and is involved in medical education and training junior doctors. Her hobbies involve reading, writing and she is part of the Muslim women's cycling groups Joyriders and Cycle sisters which help keep her fit and happy. Attiya identifies as a moderate Muslim and a feminist and is passionate about having the voices of BAME authors heard.

Essential Information

Title: Ten Steps To Us

Author: Attiya Khan

Genre: YA, Teen Romance, Coming Of Age, Fiction

Publisher: Hashtag Press

Publication Date: 9th September 2021

Availability: Paperback, eBook, International distribution

ISBN: (paperback) 978-1-913835-10-1 (ebook) 978-1-913835-11-8 

Page count: 256

Price: £8.99

Media requests & enquiries: 
info@literallypr.com,
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Last One At The Party by Bethany Clift - [Review]

 Last One At The Party by Bethany Clift
Review

Print length: 368 pages
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Publication date: 4th February 2021
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 Stars)

Synopsis 

THE END OF EVERYTHING WAS HER BEGINNING

It's December 2023 and the world as we know it has ended.

The human race has been wiped out by a virus called 6DM ('Six Days Maximum' - the longest you've got before your body destroys itself).

But somehow, in London, one woman is still alive. A woman who has spent her whole life compromising what she wants, hiding how she feels and desperately trying to fit in. A woman who is entirely unprepared to face a future on her own.

Now, with only an abandoned golden retriever for company, she must travel through burning cities, avoiding rotting corpses and ravenous rats on a final journey to discover if she really is the last surviving person on earth.

And with no one else to live for, who will she become now that she's completely alone?

Review

My first impression of the book was wow, that is one beautiful cover and then I read the synopsis, it felt highly relatable considering our current climate and I just knew I would enjoy. What I didn't know was that this wouldn't be your typical book, I presumed it would be a woman who is all alone in the world, who finds out that she really isn't all that alone and finds the perfect man to fix it all for her, I was wrong and happily so! 

The book is written as diary from the main character's point of view, you never learn her name but somehow that really adds to the mysterious aura of the book. At the beginning of the book you become aware of the sickness that is rampaging the world but unlike the way the governments dealt with Covid-19, they were not going to mess this one up. Everything is shut down, sound familiar? Except this is worse, even the takeaways closed down! (Just Imagine). Britain completely halts any kind of transportation in or out of the country but despite all their efforts, the world knows that they are doomed. . 

When the main character finds out her husband is sick, she knows that ultimately he is going to die. She goes through all the motions of sadness, regrets and grief. It really felt that I was right there with them, I could picture James's attempts at being brave, I could picture a shell shocked woman who has just lost the person she loved, I could picture it all! 

One of the things I absolutely loved about this story was that you experienced a whole host of emotions, parts of the story were heart-wrenching whilst other parts made you feel all warm and gooey. Bethany adds just the right amount of comedy to the grisly darkness of the book that really adds an extra layer to the book. I will say, if you are already scared of seagulls, then beware because you are about to get a hefty dose of nightmare fuel. 

The main character really is a delight, I absolutely loved her because she felt so human, she wasn't perfect, she was undeniably imperfect which made her all the more likeable. You really see a drastic change in her character from the beginning to the end as she grows more as a person and begins to not just to survive but to actually live. The ending was just perfect, it really was the chef's kiss. 

A massive thank you to Bethany for writing this incredible story and I am excited to see what else you release in the future 💓

About The Author

Bethany Clift is a graduate of the Northern Film School, the producer of low-budget British horror film 'Heretic', and the Director of her own production company, Saber Productions. Last One At The Party is Bethany Clift's debut novel.

Read more here.

Bethany Clift's Twitter: @Beth_Clift

Stranded by Sarah Goodwin - [Review]

 Stranded by Sarah Goodwin
Review

Author: Sarah Goodwin
Publisher: Avon 
Pages (Kindle edition): 398 pages
Publication date: 16th September 2021
Amazon purchase link here

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 Stars)

Near Death by Richard Wall - [Review]

 Near Death by Richard Wall
[Review]

Synopsis 

John Henry is a prison chaplain in Sing Sing prison, however, after working for many years giving the worst of the worst their last rites before they are sent to the electric chair, a heinous murder committed by Joseph Hickey makes him rethink his job role. John Henry decides he can no longer deal with hardened murderers and decides on a new life in the country, however, identical murders start to appear and all of the convicted men ask for John Henry by name to give them their last rites. Can John work out why the murders are identical and how to stop them or will they forever haunt his future?

My Review

What I loved

The characters - I absolutely loved John Henry from the start. I was expecting the chaplain to be overly kind to these criminals but he did his job professionally and took no nonsense. He felt very real to me as he wasn't an overly religious or exceptionally kind, he was realistic, he made mistakes and he was funny. It was clear that John had experienced some awful things in his many years, he was an orphan who experienced abuse, he was a war veteran and witnessed so much death which really affected him many years later, but yet, he was determined to be a good person.

Eugene who was John's closest friend was also an extremely likeable character, despite all his demons, I was constantly wishing for him to come out on top. Eugene was very clearly experiencing PTSD from being in the war and this played a massive factor in the story which I cannot really get into without giving away spoilers. 

Sally was another great character with a funny personality but was extraordinarily kind. I wish that she was in the story for a longer time but she plays a fundamental part of the story. 

The Plot - The actual plot was brilliant, it was dark and gory but kept you engrossed till the bitter end. Whilst reading, it felt as though I was really there and the ending was perfect. I enjoyed thinking about the logistics of how it would work in theory and it made the plot very believable.

What I didn't like

It's difficult to say because there really wasn't much not to like. The only thing that I wish we had more of was John's background and how he grew up in the Catholic orphanage, it felt like the background was a little brief and I would have been interested in knowing more.

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐(5/5 stars)

Purchase Near Death here.

About The Author

Richard Wall is a British author who has published Near Death and other books such as Fat Man Blues. He is a freelance technical writer and Managing Director of Black Dog Technical Writing Ltd. Richard joined the Royal Navy and after twenty years in the submarine service, he now lives in rural England and writes novels. To find out more about Richard Wall, click here.

Follow Richard on Twitter for updates at: @writinblues

The Wild Roses by D.B Carter - [Review]

 The Wild Roses by D.B Carter
[Review]

Print Length: 366 pages (kindle edition)

Publisher: Mirador Publishing (31st October 2019)

Publication Date: 31st October 2019

Synopsis

Three friendships brutally severed by one chance meeting. In 1984 Sharon and pip are nearing their final days at school, finally on the precipice of adulthood. Pip and Sharon have been best friend for as long as people can remember and choose to befriend a badly bullied school peer Gavin. Gavin takes refuge in their friendship until one day it all changes. Their bright futures are suddenly darkened by Sharon meeting an older man who she falls in love with him at first sight. Their futures are no longer clear but clouded in drugs, corruption and betrayal but can they all hope to find a sunnier future. 

All three face very different paths but they all lead back to the same place, Sharon.

Follow their journey through love, loss and betrayal.

Review

Honestly, after finishing this book I cannot believe I haven't heard of it before as it really does take you on a heart-breaking but beautiful story where you really truly feel for each character. I didn't think the book would be teaching me such a vital lesson that although one bad decision may shape your future, it doesn't mean it cannot be rectified or that you won't still bloom. The character development in this book is amazing, in particular it shows how much Pip really grows into an independent and strong woman. I really adored the relationship Pip had with her Grandparents, particularly with her Gran. Pip really was a beautiful and gentle character throughout but she was dealt quite a few setbacks but continued to show her strength right up until the end. 

This was set in the 1980's where sexual harassment and substance abuse was extremely common in which D.B Carter magnificently portrayed accurately. This book had me hooked from the beginning, I needed to know if they all had their happy endings and were reunited once and for all. The ending broke my heart but really enforced the lesson that whilst we may not get the outcome we really wanted, it doesn't have to crush your future. 

Thank you to D.B Carter for writing this amazing book, I look forward to reading your other work. 

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5 stars)

Purchase 'The Wild Roses' here

About The Author

(Photo taken from goodreads)

D.B Carter is an author who lives in Devon, England. He was a son of two nomadic artists and grew up in a world filled with creativity. D.B Carter went to university and followed in a career in science and later on went into commerce. His philosophy is "if we look for the good, we will find it". Read more here.

Follow D.B Carter on Twitter: @DBCarterAuthor

Survive The Night by Riley Sager [Review]

 Survive The Night by Riley Sager
[Review]

(Photo from Amazon)

Publisher: Hodder Paperbacks

Print length: 320 pages

Publication date: 23rd December 2021

Synopsis 

November, 1991 and Charlie is in a car with who she suspects is the rumoured Campus Killer. Charlie is a movie-obsessed teen who lives life for the movies. She absolutely loved her degree but when her eccentric best friend Maddy was brutally murdered, Charlie knows she needs to leave College, her boyfriend and her current life behind, and that is why Charlie is a car with a person who is a complete stranger who very may well be a serial killer. Charlie just needs to survive the night and get back to her Nana Norma, however, Charlie is plagued with hallucinations and she can no longer trust herself, which leaves her to trust the only other person she is with, the potential serial killer.

My Review

Sadly for me, this book just didn't live up to the others that Riley Sager has written.

The book is based on a teenage girl Charlie who is movie-obsessed, awkward and an introvert. Charlie's best friend however, is eccentric and outgoing and can always convince Charlie to mix with the crowd and have a good time. Charlie adores Maddy and loves her for her eccentricity and that they share the common love of movies. When Charlies best friend Maddy is brutally murdered, Charlie knows that she has to leave Olyphant University, her boyfriend and her current life behind. She is crushed and devoured by grief and guilt as Charlie believes she is the reason Maddy was murdered. All of this led Charlie to ride share with a complete stranger, although she does express her concern as the Campus Killer is still lurking about and she is determined she will get back to Nana Norma safely. Grief is not a new feeling for Maddy, she lost her parents as a child and was brought up with her Nan - 'Nana Norma'. Following her parents grief, Charlie started to experience hallucinations which confused reality with the movies that she loved, this plays a big part later in the book.

I felt that the idea of jumping in a car with the first stranger you lock eyes on, who just so happens to be going to Ohio whilst her friend had just been brutally murdered was too unbelievable, yes, even for the 90's. Not long after she jumps in the car with this stranger, it becomes clear that 'Josh' isn't who appears to be. Charlie decides to tell 'Josh', who remember, is a complete stranger that she has hallucinations and of course, to no ones surprise, he uses this to his advantage. Regardless of this, the worst part for me was the numerous chances she had to get away from 'Josh' who she wasn't sure if he was the Campus Killer but instead changes her mind, every. single. time.

Once the action all started to happen, Charlie regains her confidence and the absurdity of the events just increase. There is shootings, fire and yes of course, some hero to come and save her. The twists will catch you off guard but mainly because they were just too ridiculous to consider in the first place.

I absolutely love Riley Sager and I will continue to read his books but this one really didn't compare to his previous novels.

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5 stars).

Purchase Survive The Night here

About The Author

Riley Sager is a pseudonym of a former journalist, editor and graphic designer who has previously published thriller novels under his real name. 

Riley Sager's first thriller was Final Girls which became a national and international bestseller. Riley Sager has also published three other books called 'The Last Time I Lied', 'Lock Every Door' and 'Home Before Dark' which are New York Bestsellers. Find more about Riley Sager here.

Follow Riley Sager on Twitter: @riley_sager