This Week in Books (April 12th 2017)

This Week In Books is a weekly update on what you’ve been reading hosted by Lipsyy Lost & Found . A similar meme is hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words.

I haven’t done one of these posts in a couple of weeks so it’s gonna be slightly longer than usual!

∧ Then ∧ 

The Defenceless, Kati Hiekkapelto (translated by David Hackston) 

When an old man is found dead on the road—seemingly run over by a Hungarian au pair—police investigator Anna Fekete is certain that there is more to the incident than meets the eye. As she begins to unravel an increasingly complex case, she’s led on a deadly trail where illegal immigration, drugs, and, ultimately, murder threaten not only her beliefs, but her life. Anna’s partner Esko is entrenched in a separate but equally dangerous investigation into the activities of an immigrant gang, where deportation orders and raids cause increasing tension and result in desperate measures by gang members—and the police themselves. Then a bloody knife is found in the snow, and the two cases come together in ways that no one could have predicted. As pressure mounts, it becomes clear that having the law on their side may not be enough for Anna and Esko.

Because of course, I still have lots of Orenda Books reading to do and review! Review on Saturday! Can you guess if I liked it?

Will to Live, Rachel Amphlett

Reputation is everything.

When a packed commuter train runs over a body on a stretch of track known to locals as “Suicide Mile”, it soon transpires that the man was a victim of a calculated murder.

As the investigation evolves and a pattern of murders is uncovered, Detective Sergeant Kay Hunter realises the railway’s recent reputation may be the work of a brutal serial killer.

With a backlog of cold cases to investigate and attempting to uncover who is behind a professional vendetta against her, Kay must keep one step ahead of both the killer and her own adversaries.

When a second murder takes place within a week of the first, she realises the killer’s timetable has changed, and she’s running out of time to stop him…

Loved taking part in the blog tour and you can expect the first book to appear soon on the blog!

Kane, Jillian Quinn

As the captain of the Philadelphia Flyers, Tyler Kane has an ego the size of his hockey stick. He’s hot as puck, outscores all the centers in the league, and can get any girl he wants. Except the girl he wants is off-limits, a constant reminder of the bad decisions he made in the past. Until he meets Kennedy Lockwood, a feisty sports reporter that challenges Tyler and forces him out of his comfort zone.

He should leave her alone and spare her the drama that comes with his life outside the rink. But she insists there’s more to his story, wants to crack the ice around his heart and expose his secrets in the process. When Tyler agrees to an exclusive interview with Kennedy, he had every intention for it to end with smoking hot sex.

But he didn’t realize the sexy blonde who writes about hockey players and their big sticks would be the one to hit him the hardest.

Kane is a standalone hockey romance novel with a HEA and the second book in the Face-Off Series. This book can be read without reading the first book, but it is recommended to read them in order.

A welcome break from the usual reads with yummy abs!

Exquisite, Sarah Stovell

Bo Luxton has it all—a loving family, a beautiful home in the Lake District, and a clutch of bestselling books to her name. Enter Alice Dark, an aspiring writer who is drifting through life, with a series of dead-end jobs and a freeloading boyfriend. When they meet at a writers’ retreat, the chemistry is instant, and a sinister relationship develops. Or does it? Breathlessly pacey, taut and terrifying, Exquisite is a startlingly original and unbalancing psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the very last page.

I’m dying to shout out all the feelings but I have to keep them locked in a bottle for now…

≈ Now ≈ Windcatcher, A.J. Norfield

Far away from home, under the command of his brother, Raylan and his squad must retrieve an ancient relic stolen from their kingdom’s trading partner—the Tiankong Empire.

Traveling deep into unknown enemy territory to complete their mission, Raylan learns that the ancient relic holds unexpected life; a creature buried in legends, one not seen in their world for more than two hundred years.

With their enemies closing in, Raylan and his friends search, desperately, for a safe way home. Danger lurks around every corner: Warriors larger than any man, predators stalking them through the night and soldiers determined to hunt them down. Leaving them all little choice, except to keep moving as they strategically plot—and skillfully fight—their way back to those awaiting their return.

This is me jumping again out of my comfort zone! I was supposed to review it this week but life got in the way.

∨ Next ∨ The Cobra Effect, Christy Esmahan 

Cory Banks, a workaholic researcher, has been focused on one goal his entire life: finding a way to clean up the oceans. Living in India, he genetically engineers a bacterial strain that will degrade plastics. Disaster strikes and the bacteria grow out of control, eating holes in boats, buoys, life jackets, etc. Desperate to stop the bacteria, Cory comes up with a plan to create a virus that will specifically attack them. But to do this he needs the help of a virologist and there’s only one person who is skilled enough to handle this emergency on short notice. Her name is Sarah Spallanzani and she also happens to be his ex-girlfriend. Having recently finished her travails in The Laptev Virus, Sarah agrees to take on the problem. But tension mounts when Sarah discovers a second bacterial strain and suspects Cory of sabotage.

I loved The Laptev Virus so I was very happy when the author informed me there was a second book!

Then I’m hoping to (finally) devour some of the ARCs that have been crying on my shelves!

What’s on your reading list this week? Happy reading!