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The Offering is a truly in-depth novel focusing on the pain of the narrator, Tariq. But, it's not just about pain; it's about grief, heartbreak, mystery and how much tragedy and tumultuous relationships can befall one man.

If you're not a fan of flashbacks, like me, then be wary of reading this novel.I don't like them in films or books; they're a fast track to confusing me and there are better ways of relaying information to your audience, also. However, if they are used, it's imperative that they are done well to avoid the risk of losing your reader.

That said, I can't take the skill of storytelling completely away from the author. He can weave a complicated plot when required and is able to provoke so many emotions on huge amount of levels. What Tariq feels, you feel, in short. Mind-blowing.

This is my first dip into the fictional worlds of Mark Ellis, and I’m literally blown away by the complexity of the plot. A tip: Don’t lose your way!

The setting of the book, bang (no pun intended) in the middle of World War 2, is perfect. Unsavoury characters take advantage of the chaos of a war to enact their crimes. A murder victim can be buried in amongst the debris of a bomb attack and many crimes go unreported and undiscovered. I mean, where is your crime scene if you are not able to gain all the evidence in one go? Could it have been bombed the following day?

I’m not an historian so I am unable to say if the life in wartime portrayed is accurate but it feels authentic to me. The characters are well developed and it can be hard to keep track of who is doing what and when. This book requires intense reading and in general terms it’s not for me. If I have to keep turning back for clarification, too many times, I can lose interest. So, as to whether the novel is a page turner or gripping is something only you as an individual could say. I am unable to do so.

A highly interesting story just not for the casual reader.

Brilliant Bob is a series of books aimed at children to hopefully teach them how to overcome life’s little challenges. It is a colourful book with excellent illustrations depicting when Brilliant Bob arrived on this earth and his eventual journey throughout his existence.

I initially took the book (and the character) at face value: a simple story to read, beautiful pictures to look at and a feeling of contentment on reaching the end. Time gives you plenty of opportunities to reflect on what the book is trying to accomplish for its market and that’s what happened.

On subsequent reflection, the first two pages really says it all about Bob and the problems that he may experience. His parents perceive him to be ‘special’. Yes, I know, what parent doesn’t think that of their newborn? But, Bob arrived when a blue moon was high in the sky. Rare, beautiful and impossible to reach as is his parents’ expectations. Not only that, but he is also given a name that he undoubtedly will feel he has to live up to. Thus, this poor child has some seriously emotional barriers to overcome before he is even walking.

There is something missing in this book and that is the lessons he must learn to achieve his objective. How does he overcome his fears or dislikes? How can he progress further in life? Maybe that is the author’s objective: to leave it to the reader to come up with the solution. I don’t know. Despite all this, I liked the book but feel that maybe it could be fleshed out more to make it a really special read.

As an ex-author of erotica and a lover of horses, I had to admit feeling a little bit of trepidation on receiving a copy of 50 Bales of Hay. Sex writing and horse fiction has long been established with the success of Jilly Cooper and men finding women in jodhpurs 'sexy'.

Miss McHenoll's knowledge of horses should never be in question, however, and the scenes where horses are included are accurate and believable. The erotic side of the book is hot and steamy but some descriptive words the author has used are more in line with romance such as the mound of Venus. Perhaps then, the genre assigned to this particular book would be better as Romantica. Erotica is brazen and blunt at times and describing women's anatomy in this manner should not be shied away from. Obviously, though, do not offend your reader with more crass words like the 'C' word!

I do wonder a little about the reviewers that mentioned that the book sounds like the story has been narrated in a teenager's voice. Well, the protagonist is 19 and naïve maybe she is, if the author says so. I certainly was when I was 19!

If you're looking for steamy hot liaisons in amongst the hay bales then this book is definitely for you.

The Black Stallion is a heart warming tale that will appeal to all horse-loving teenagers. Julia, a teenage girl, has experienced losses and is finding life difficult. At about the same time, Ace, a beautiful black colt, is born but under tragic circumstances. Perhaps, in time, they can heal one another. But, one day, Ace escapes and what follows is a quest to find him and a filly that disappears alongside him. Can he be found or has Julia lost her friend forever?

Ann Feifel has written a beautiful debut novel, using her own personal experiences with horses and her love of both domestic and wild animals, to delight and inform her readers. The book is an exceptionally easy read so don't be too surprised if you manage to lose an hour or two of your day! Fans of this book will be in for a treat as Ace will surely return in a sequel. Is he also destined to become a classic for many children to cherish in the future? We'll just have to wait and see!

Daydream Believer is a wonderful book. It's full of interesting characters that get up to all sorts of mischief. It's almost hard to keep up sometimes! But, Ms Thomas expertly rounds it all up, in a very comprehensive package of drama, weirdness and suspense, that you just have to enjoy the ride.

Of course, it's just like a dream where nothing makes sense and yet everything does. But, to who? This novel is a minefield of humour and to be honest, there is no way of predicting what is going to happen next or to whom. This is a book, you can truly lose yourself in and whether you really can wake up from it, just like the protagonist, is another question.

Get truly stuck in because you honestly do not need to be doing anything else in your life right now.

Emily Pope is a 13 year old girl with a dream of owning her own pony. She lives near the South Downs, the ideal area to build a stable ready for a new addition to the family.

The whole novel is written in a very upbeat manner which just leaks out of every word throughout the entire story. It would be impossible to be infected with the enthusiasm and joy of the narration as you progress through Emily's journey to her dream.

The book is perfect for the teenage reader market and will be undoubtedly be a prized collection in their personal library. Who can fail to be energised and inspired by and then want to ultimately emulate this awe-inspiring young girl?

If you're a parent and are looking for a series of books that will be well-received, treasured and possibly inspire, then look no further than this author. Very enjoyable read.

Anna Rashbrook has written such a delightful little tale in Book Four of her series, Horses and Souls. All the magic of Christmas comes together with plenty of action and a spattering of intrigue.

The 'lost girls' have planned to put on a Nativity play as a surprise for Mollie and that includes animals, planning, insurance and organisation. So, where does a 'stolen horse' come into things? And what has happened to Ann, the stables' Manager?

This gorgeous story written with humour and love will surely raise a smile or two. Ms Rashbrook has created a warming narrative which will surely become one of your Christmas favourites for many years to come.

If you're a lover of everything serial killers than this book by Mitzi Szereto is the one for you. Some of these killers you may have heard about countless times but you will also find in the Best New True Crime Stories, tales of those you probably haven't. This particular collection moves away from the U.S and focuses on the rest of the world where a lot of murders and heinous crimes go unnoticed or unreported.

Whether you're a reader of true crime or a criminologist looking for valuable insights into the psychopathic mind, Ms Szereto has brought together only the best and truly horrifying stories to satisfy and shock of this genre. Using the valuable experience that only comes with years of writing and editing multi-genres, Mitzi Szereto has done herself and her loyal fans, proud. A definite future classic.

If you didn’t find Shannon O’ Leary’s first book, The Blood on My Hands, heart-wrenching enough then her sequel will certainly have you weeping uncontrollably. How can one person, one family, go through so much?

If you do weep, thankfully it will be with both heartbreak and relief or joy, eventually.

The abuse that this poor girl suffers with at the hands of her father continues well into her adulthood until his death in the later stages of the book. As time progresses, the author fights continuously against the lure of negative-emotional relationships she finds herself attracted to, a pattern of behaviour that comes as a consequence of the abuse. She eventually gains the ultimate prize of her life, however, by bringing into the world a huge family of her own. She shows such strength and courage dealing with the demands of her five children.

This is the ultimate conclusion of this chapter in Shannon O’Leary’s life. It’s brutally honest, poignant and a testament to her bravery in the face of such dreadful adversity. Despite all that she has endured, she emerges from the pits of hell as an exceptional mother and a very strong woman.

This is one sequel you just cannot afford to miss.

On reading a new book, there is always something that sticks in your mind about it. Whether it's the style, plot, believability or something else. In Driftwood's case, it was the descriptions. The first word(s) that came to me to describe it was 'sing-song', but in the end I settled for melodic. T.L. Wright really gives her readers an insight into her vivid imagination. The extent of the descriptions really give this book a unique selling point.

Books come in all shapes and sizes and Driftwood is no exception. Yes, the length of the book is short but it was obviously intended to be that way. The chapters are also short which can make reading it a little confusing. Okay, Ms Wright, where are you going to take me next? TBH, I much prefer my books to be on the shorter side in length. I've never been one for a mammoth reading marathon.

My main concern, however, is the grammatical errors; they are, unfortunately, numerous. I do have to take into consideration whether the copy of the book I have been given is an advance review copy as errors of this nature can be expected to some degree. I would then hope that all would be corrected on publication. Anyway, that is all I'm going to say about them here.

Driftwood, as a whole, is a captivating book with plenty going for it. T.L. Wright as an author is a welcome addition to the literary world with her unique style of writing and creative thinking.

He's lost his wife, Cindy and now he doesn't know how he's going to cope. Depression grips him but his mood soon picks up after he meets Eve, a woman with similarities to his wife. Has Billy's life changed for the better?

But, it's right at this point that the love-story ends.

Deception is truly an easy novel to read as well as follow, which is not necessarily a bad thing despite its plot-line. It has intrigue, erotic sex scenes and an ability to just hook you from the very beginning. T.J. Blake's style of writing is surprisingly evenly paced but don't let that fool you. This novel can certainly give as good as it gets when compared with those from more well-known authors in the same genre.

This is a book that is certainly one of my favourite reads for 2017 and I've read a fair few! I liked the amount of depth that has gone into each characters story. I loved the fact that there was a new surprise every time I turned the page. I loved the simplicity of the style of writing combined with the complexity of its nail-biting plot. A truly brilliant read!

A Curse That Bites Deep is the second in the series, Traces Of Treasure. On reading A Curse That Bites Deep I'm now wanting to read the first book, even if I don't review it! I feel I've truly missed out.

Thomas Fenske kept me interested throughout the book, continually looking forward to the next act, scene or even page. This began when the book did. It takes some skill to hook a reader straight-away and I'm not the easiest reader to take the bait! It just the same with horror films; I've never found one that frightens me.

So much is going on this novel, it was hard to even consider putting it away but I had to. Although I picked it up again as soon as I was able, of course.

Communication between the characters is prolific, thus making sure that you as a reader are keeping up with the action. Descriptions of the scenes and background history are necessary but I much prefer to discover it through the words of the protagonist. It's a great way to truly bring a novel alive.

I would definitely recommend this book but I do think it's a good idea to read the first book in the series beforehand. This isn't because it's hard to understand what exactly is going on in A Curse That Bites Deep; it isn't. It's more due to the fact that I really feel that you could be missing out on another great read from Thomas Fenske.