Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce (Review #21) #20BooksofSummer23 1/20

Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce

Blurb

Alison has it all. A doting husband, adorable daughter, and a career on the rise – she’s just been given her first murder case to defend. But all is never as it seems…

Just one more night. Then I’ll end it.

Alison drinks too much. She’s neglecting her family. And she’s having an affair with a colleague whose taste for pushing boundaries may be more than she can handle.

I did it. I killed him. I should be locked up.

Alison’s client doesn’t deny that she stabbed her husband – she wants to plead guilty. And yet something about her story is deeply amiss. Saving this woman may be the first step to Alison saving herself.

I’m watching you. I know what you’re doing.

But someone knows Alison’s secrets. Someone who wants to make her pay for what she’s done, and who won’t stop until she’s lost everything….

Review

This has been sat on one of my TBR trolleys (I have many) for a very long time. In fact I remember buying it on an Amazon deal during one of the many lockdowns but I never seemed to get around to reading it. Thankfully, along came the amazing 20 Books of Summer Challenge and this was the first book I read off my list. 

The first thing I will say is that once I started this book I could not put it down. I just loved Tyce’s writing and for a debut novel I was pleasantly surprised by how excellently written this book was. However, there was main problem for me and that was that I hated the main character! I just could not get on with the character of Alison and yes I know she was written that way but gosh she drove me mad! Thankfully, I didn’t let this put me off and carried on reading. 

Alison was not the only character I did not like. I really did not like her husband who just felt off from the start. In fact most of the characters in this book I disliked but I loved the storyline and that is what kept me reading and not giving up with this book. 

As we are reading about Alison’s chaotic life we also meet Madeleine who Alison is defending. Madeleine is accused of murder and as we learn more about the case we see many parallels between Alison and Madeleine’s lives and situations. 

This book made me quite uncomfortable at times but it didn’t put me off and gave me a great deal to think about. It’s also a book that I think will stay with me for a long time and that shows just what a great author Tyce is. This book was a difficult book to rate for me because I loved the way it was written and the storyline but I just could not get on with the characters so in the end I decided to give it 3 out of 5 Dragons. I am really looking forward to reading Tyne’s other books soon and hopefully they won’t sit on my TBR pile for quite so long this time. 

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Purchase Link

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About the author

Harriet Tyce (1972) is a Scottish barrister and novelist, the author of Blood Orange, The Lies you Told and It ends at midnight.

Etsy

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Goodreads Monday: 5/06/2023

Goodreads Monday is now hosted by Budget Tales Book Club.  All you have to do is show off a book from your TBR that you’re looking forward to reading.

Hello!

I hope everyone has had a great start to the week. I have been back at school today so less time reading sadly.

My chosen book for this week is another book off my 20 Books of Summer Challenge. This is another book that has been sat on my TBR for way too long.

It was first serialised in the Merry’s Museum magazine between July and August in 1869 and consisted of only six chapters. For the finished product, however, Alcott continued the story from the chapter “Six Years Afterwards” and so it ended up with nineteen chapters in all. The book revolves around Polly Milton, the old-fashioned girl who titles the story. Polly visits her wealthy friend Fanny Shaw in the city and is overwhelmed by the fashionable and urban life they live–but also left out because of her “countrified” manners and outdated clothes.

What are your thoughts on this book if you have read it?

Please drop me a link with your Goodreads Monday and I will head over for a visit. 

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

20 Books of Summer 2023

Hello!

This year I have decided to take part in the 20 Books of Summer challenge which is ran by the wonderful Cathy at her blog 746 Books.

The rules are choose 10, 15, or 20 books to read between the 1st June and 1st September. However you can swap a book on your list during the challenge and you can also reduce your list to a smaller size if you feel overwhelmed. This is one of the reasons I am drawn to this challenge because the rules aren’t too strict and there is plenty of flexibility.

My choices are a combination of books that have been sat on my TBR for years and some recent additions to my TBR. I really hope this challenge will help reduce my TBR pile.

So here are my choices:

  1. The Cicero Trilogy by Robert Harris
  2. The Witcher: Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski
  3. The Royal Game by Anne O’Brien
  4. Lady Catherine and the Real Downton Abbey by The Countess of Carnarvon
  5. Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce
  6. The Catch by T. M. Logan
  7. Meet Me In Hawaii by Georgia Toffolo
  8. Troy by Stephen Fry
  9. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
  10. Babel by R. F. Kuang
  11. Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors
  12. Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
  13. The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher
  14. The Greek Plays
  15. The Persephone Book of Short Stories
  16. The Taxidermist’s Daughter by Kate Mosse
  17. Exit Strategy by Martha Wells
  18. Revelation by C. J. Sansom
  19. A Three Dog Problem by S. J. Bennett
  20. An Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott

I really hope we have some nice weather over the Summer as you just can’t beat reading a good book in the sun.

If you are taking part in the 20 Books of Summer challenge please let me know as I would love to see your lists.

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you