[BLOG TOUR: BOOK REVIEW] Overdrawn by N.J. Crosskey @NJCROSSKEY @legend_press #Overdrawn

I’m a bit late with the blog tour but better late than never! I believe it was Laura Pearson raving about Overdrawn that attracted my attention towards it so I googled it and requested a copy from the publisher. Luckily I’ve been sent a copy to read! Ahh what a story!

Overdrawn is set in a society where when you reach a certain age (which puts you into the old category) there’s a program called Moving On where you can go die peacefully and leave your children with a better future. The system works by using EPs (earning potential) which is determined by your education, health etc. In this society lives Henry Morris whose wife shows signs of advanced dementia which can be controlled with medication but the medication costs and Henry does everything he can to secure that she has her medication but he’s running out of options. Kaitlyn is a young woman who works as a waitress in order to keep her brother, who’s in a coma, plugged on life support for as long as he needs until he wakes up. The chances of him waking up are very slim but Kaitlyn is determined to do whatever to keep him in hospital because there’s still a chance he’ll wake up. One day Henry and Kaitlyn meet in a very awkward kind of way and from then on their lives become linked.

What to say!? Overdrawn is such a touching book. The whole idea of the book is something I’ve thought about myself but not to this sort of extreme where the government has the power to force you to move on. The society in which our characters live in is scary and cruel – a place where in order for your children to have a better future you are praised if you decide to literally sacrifice your own. Both Henry and Kaitlyn are such real and raw characters and their stories resonate with the reader. I loved Henry and Kaitlyn’s first encounter especially the part where he left her the tip and sort of woke up something in her. The whole friendship between these two characters was something I loved reading about as well as finding out more about them as a dynamic. I was initially into the idea both Henry and Kaitlyn had but as the story progressed and Kaitlyn got to meet Chloe (Henry’s wife) I got scared about how they’d do what they planned. I loved Chloe as a character so much – such a wonderful intelligent woman who has so much love in her heart. I loved reading parts with Chloe and laughing with her. The couple of chapters towards the end were a bit rushed to me but they were so emotional! I felt such sadness towards the end but also joy [people who’ve read the book will understand]. Crosskey is a wonderful storyteller!

Overdrawn is for readers who enjoy reading stories that have a heart to them, stories that leave you thinking.

I would like to thank the publisher Legend Press for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own and weren’t influenced by anything.

My rating:

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**I am in no way compensated by these sites. I am simply sharing it so people can find this book easier.

N.J. Crosskey is the author of Poster Boy (coming April 2019) and Overdrawn  (September 2019)

A mother of two crazy children, N.J has worked in the care sector for almost twenty years and is now fulfilling her life-long dream of becoming a novelist.

Both titles will be published in 2019 by Legend Press.

N. J. Crosskey is represented by Emily Sweet Associates

Find her on: Website and Twitter.

[BOOK REVIEW] The Furies by Katie Lowe #TheFuries

Ever since I first saw the buzz about The Furies on Twitter I became obsessed with it! It has such a mesmerizing and spooky cover that immediately attracts your attention. I won a giveaway hosted by lovely Laura from SnazzyBooks and you can guess what my pick was! Regarding the look of the book: all I can say is that the UK hardback looks absolutely fantastic!

I’ve finished reading this book over a month ago and just now got around to writing a review for it so if I make some mistakes, apologies! The Furies is Katie Lowe’s debut novel and it’s centered around four girls living in a small town where a strange thing has happened: a girl has been found dead on Elm Hollow Academy’s grounds. Immediately after the prologue we’re introduced to Violet, a new girl who joins Elm Hollow where she meets three other girls who invite her to become part of their group. Robin, Grace and Alex are a very intriguing bunch of girls who Violet finds interesting. As she joins the Academy she becomes enrolled into Art class which is led by Annabel. (As far as I remember) Violet likes drawing things and unrelated to this she gets invited to Annabel’s secret classes on ancient rites and rituals. There she finds the same three girls in her group and learns many things about the dead girl (how she looks like her and how she was Robin’s best friend). The girls begin practicing witchcraft and soon everything they knew changes.

The synopsis other than the cover made me very intrigued because it reminded me of The Craft which is a fantastic movie revolving around four witches and the dark side of magic. Before reading this book I’ve come upon mixed reviews but I did my best to read it with fresh eyes. I really liked the beginning of the book where the reader got introduced to the Academy and the girls. I liked the writing in the book because it gave life to the book. The characters weren’t what I was expecting them to be and at some points in the book I found them to be annoying. I would also mention that judging by the synopsis I was expecting a lot more from the book but it didn’t fully live up to my expectations because I was craving something more – more action, more story, just more. I feel like the synopsis made me expect more from the book in a way and it sadly didn’t fully live up to it. I have to mention that the issue of rape is something I didn’t expect being mentioned in the book and that is great but I wish it was better executed that the character’s psyche was better explored and that the character dealt with it in a better way. In the end, yes, I did find certain things that bothered me but I wouldn’t scare people away from reading The Furies because it was such an interesting read and while reading I found myself reading on and on because I wanted to know more.

Again, my wish to read this book was granted by Laura, so thank you!

My rating:

Add ‘The Furies‘ to your TBR: 

*Purchase ‘The Furies‘ here:

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**I am in no way compensated by these sites. I am simply sharing it so people can find this book easier.

Katie Lowe is a writer living in Worcester, UK.

A graduate of the University of Birmingham, Katie has a BA(Hons) in English and an MPhil in Literature & Modernity, and is returning to Birmingham in 2019 to commence her PhD in female rage in literary modernism and contemporary women’s writing.

The Furies is her first novel.

Find her on: Website, Goodreads and Twitter.