Tag Archives: Tony Marturano

Joining Blogging Book Tours – pros and cons

by in #amreading, #amwriting, #RRBookTours, Article, Blog Tour, Book Review, BOTBS Blog Tour, Damp Pebbles Book Tour, net galley, Random Things Tours and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

2019 has proved to be a wonderful year for me from a book blogging perspective. I have read some incredible books (I’ve read 72 according to Good Reads but I know it is a few more than that!).

I have always been a keen and regular reader – escapism at it’s finest!

During 2019 I’ve really embraced taking part in blog tours for books and I’ve hugely enjoyed it, it feels really good to be tiny part of the publicity and promotion for an author and to feel like I might in some small way have contributed to their sales 🙂

At this point, I would like to offer very genuine and heartfelt thanks to those who have welcomed me into their reviewers fold:

Damp Pebbles Blog Tours – got to start with Emma and Damp Pebbles as this was the first blog tour I joined and I have read some fabulous books thanks to Emma and the excellent service she offers to authors and reviewers.

Tony Marturano – next I move to Tony who introduced me to the fascinating and hugely exciting world of being invited to join a readers panel with a view to being an early reader to provide honest feedback intended help shape the editing process prior to publication. I was honoured to be able to this for Tony with his own books and also with Eye for Eye by J K Franko.

Book on the Bright Side Publicity – then there is the lovely Sarah from BOTBS who again I have taken part in some brilliant tours with and is super lovely to deal with too.

R&R Book Tours – now the lovely Shannon from R&R tours… Not only do I get to discover new books with her but she sends me MAGIC content that is all whizzy and HTML codey wizardry!

Random Things Tours – the most recent sign up for me is with the lovely Anne from Random Things Tours. Anne is great to deal with and super organised – thanks again for letting me take part.

Last but by no means least, I have also done a couple of reviews with Mirror Books and have a couple more lined up for the New Year. They are also great to work with and have some really exciting publications.

Also a nod to NetGalley, I absolutely love NetGalley!

So again, huge thanks to you all.

Now to Pros and Cons

I’ll start with cons as then they are out of the way. It can, at times, feel pressured. It can, sometimes, feel as though you are reading to meet a deadline rather than reading for enjoyment. There will be times when you don’t like the book. You will need to be clear and strong with your own opinions – without damaging the tour. You will need to be organised and meet the commitments you have made in terms of reviews – people are relying on you to publish on the right date. Never ever do it for the ‘free’ books, they aren’t free, think about the cost of your time!

Phew, now, on to the pros! So many positive aspects here, you get to read some amazing books – for me personally I’ve read books that I would probably not have ever encountered and a lot of them have been brilliant! You get to make connections with other people who love books 🙂 it’s a beautiful thing giving someone a book recommendation and then getting a tweet in a couple of weeks time to say they loved it. Reading an advance copy of a book for a nerd like me is exquisite! And, for me, the best thing is knowing that I’ve helped an author or made them smile when I can honestly say ‘I loved your book’.

So thank you all once again and I look forward to reading and reviewing many more fabulous books in 2020.

Lisa x

Unspeakable by Tony Marturano

by in #amreading, Book Review and tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Unspeakable4 Stars from me.

Having recently had the pleasure of being part of the ‘reader’s group‘ for upcoming Novel, Psychosis, I knew I had to set about reading the back catalogue of the ever so talented Mr Marturano.

One of the others at the group said to me ‘If you like being scared, you’ll love Unspeakable.’

How could I not read it after that?

I didn’t know what to expect, I’ve taken a slightly odd stance recently of not reading the fly cover or a synopsis before starting a book. I am not yet sure if this is a good idea but it’s what I’m going with for now!

I found Unspeakable to almost be a book of two parts. The beginning was introductory, scene building, drawing me into the lives and minds of the key characters. Characterisation, as I would fully expect, was excellent. Well defined people came to life on pages before me as I read. The descriptive powers of Tony Marturano are really quite excellent – buildings, rooms, people, sensations and feelings are all clear and distinct.

Just when you get comfortable with this world, the tension changes. Stupidly (or maybe not) for me, I read the majority of the second half of the book at night… I know a book or film as got into my mind when I find that I don’t want to switch off the bedroom light and walk 10 feet to bed in darkness!

This is a deliciously dark and malevolent read. If you like a book with twists and surprises, you will like this book. If you like a book to make you feel uneasy, jump when you hear a noise, question whether or not you locked the back door, you will like this book!

Did I like the ending?

 

Because I know, if Tony reads this, he will welcome feedback:

Length – just right!
Characters – vivid and real.
Favourite character – Rupert.
Least favourite character – Elisabeth/Adam.
Favourite place – Heron Heights.
Was I scared – yes.
Buzz words (sadly not in a useful order): Intrigued, interested, scared, safe, envious, uncomfortable, peril, deceit, protection, fear.

Synopsis: “There’s something standing over there, in the shadows, and it’s watching me.”

Kenning Hall was more than a country home, it was a sanctuary away from London, until that day. What happened that day was so horrifying, so devastating, that the place was left to ruin, until now. 

A decade later, thirty-two year old Rupert Harrison, the only surviving heir to the Harrison publishing dynasty, has ordered Kenning Hall restored to its former glory. 

It’s time to go back. 

Now, if you think you’ve heard this story before, think again, for this is just the beginning. 

Something is waiting at Kenning Hall. 
Something vengeful, malevolent, and it will follow them home.