Three Steps Behind You by Amy Bird

Dan and Adam have always been close. In fact, they’ve been closer than Adam could ever guess. And if Dan’s going to get that close again, it will take time. It will take research. It may even take practice. Fortunately, Dan is a very patient person – and Adam trusts him. With his house key. With his secrets. With his wife…

But as Dan gets closer, someone is watching. Someone who will stop at nothing to uncover the truth… and seek revenge.

It’s only a matter of time before danger steps out of the shadows. Dan has his sight fixed on the future; perhaps he should have kept one eye on what lay behind?

I have recently started really enjoying thrillers so when Amy contacted me to ask if I wanted to review Three Steps Behind You I jumped at the chance. Let me tell you something though, this book is not just a normal thriller it is something much much more! It is like nothing I have ever read before, it has such a different story line and concept that it makes it unputdownable! It keeps you guessing all the way through, there are so many twists and turns but it makes the book so much more interesting! I will warn you though this book is not for the faint hearted!

The great thing about this book is that although you shouldn't like Dan you just can’t help it, this is purely because of the way Amy has written him, Dan is a strange stalker type character, who is in love with his best friend Adam, so it feels wrong to like him, but it isn't in a nice way that you do, it is because he is truly fascinating and you can’t wait to find out what he will do next.

The plot follows Dan and his strange, creepy, obsessional thoughts and actions, which he does because he strongly believes in method acting and applies that concept to writing his book. He creates an alter ego, Luke, to play out his thoughts and fantasies so that he can then incorporate them into his book. In a way I think Dan could be classed as slightly Schizophrenic just because of how easily he seems to change between himself and Luke, and it seems like it is uncontrollable. It is a great book to explain the thoughts and actions of somebody with an unstable mind.

I would definitely recommend this to anybody that likes a dark read. I absolutely loved this book, the whole concept and story was fascinating. There are creepy, fascinating and funny moments in this book, which are all written brilliantly by Amy. I finished it in 2 days because I just couldn't put it down! I am now definitely going to read her first novel ‘Yours Is Mine’.

Book Blogger 'Get To Know Me' Tag

Tell us five random facts about you. 

I'm not very good at things like this as I can never think of anything interesting about myself but here goes...

• I’m from Liverpool in England. It really isn't as bad as people think, we aren't all thieves, we don't have fights at the drop of a hat, we're actually really friendly people who all stick together in times of need. I went through a phase a few years ago of absolutely hating it but now I've realised what an amazing city it is full of history and culture. I grew up in a little village in Liverpool, 5 minutes away from the beach, which was lovely. 

• I am a huge animal lover and have been a vegetarian for 8 years. 
• I have never had an operation, broken a bone or even been in hospital overnight. 
• Audrey Hepburn is my idol! I love everything about her! 
• I have a strange obsession with Disney mugs or just mugs in general really, our cupboard is far too full with so many mugs but I can't bring myself to throw any out. 

When is your birthday?

The 20th of April. I love birthday's! Were I work we get a 'free' holiday when it's our birthday so that's great and I always get excited a few weeks before. This year my birthday was on Easter Sunday so as well as presents I got lots of chocolate! 

What is your favourite colour?

Purple! I love purple!

What is your favourite memory?

I have so many great memories of family holidays each summer when I was younger, but I would have to say that now my favourite memory is the day that my fiance proposed to me, that is something I will never forget and it will never fail to make me smile.

Describe a day in your life.

Well, on an average weekday I get up at aound 7am, get ready, feed myself, my rabbit and my fish and leave the house at about 8.15 to catch my bus to work (I have a full-time job working as a Health & Safety Assistant in a Law firm). It only takes me around 15 minutes to get into the city centre (when the traffic isn't too bad that is) so I will usually read a little bit of a book on my Kindle. My day is usually spend sitting behind a desk sending emails etc, but sometimes I will have to travel around the country to visit different offices. I have lunch consitsting of a sandwich, crisps and usually some chocolate at 1pm, I always make sure I leave the office to get a bit of fresh air at lunchtime. I go back in at 2pm and spend until 5pm working, I then walk to the bus stop and get the bus which usually comes at around 5.10pm, I am then home for around 5.40pm. My fiance sometimes has my dinner ready if he is awake (he works night shifts), if not I wake him up and we cook dinner together. We then spend the rest of the night relaxing watching TV until he has to go to work at 9.30pm. Once he has gone I will catch up on TV or reading then go to bed at around 10.30pm.

Name five of your favourite songs.

I can never choose a favourite song so 5 might be pushing it haha...

Flaws - Bastille

Shine A Light - McFly

Monkey Wrench - Foo Fighters

Go Gentle - Robbie Williams 

Amazed - Lonestar

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I think I would have to say Pizza or Cheese (I love cheese!)

What is something you really dislike?

Spiders!

Summer or winter?

We hardly ever get a warm summer in Britain but when we do I love summer. But I think for this I would have to say winter, I love being all cosy and warm inside by the fire or outside wrapped up in jumpers and scarves. Also my favourite time of year is Christmas so I have to say winter.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where you would live and why?

I would have to say either Australia or the Lake District, because well who wouldn't want to live in Australia and I have been to the Lake District so many times in my life and it never gets boring, it is such a beautiful place.

Name five of your favourite films.

The Notebook, Dear John, Pearl Harbour, The Hunger Games and all of the Harry Potter films (they count as one, right?)

If you won the lottery what would you buy?

I get myself and my fiance a house somewhere that we would love to live (with a huge library for me of course), give my family all some money each. Pay for our wedding! Go on a Disneyland or Caribbean holiday. Then sort out everything that needs paying off etc, and put some money away for later in life.

Favourite day of the week?

Friday because it means it's my last day in work for the week and the start of the weekend!

What three things would you take to a desert island with you?

My fiance, my favourite book and some chocolate! 

Sweet or savoury?

Sweet! I have a huge sweet tooth!

Early bird or night owl?

Early bird, mainly because I can't usually stay up past 10.30! I need my sleep!

Name five of your favourite books. 

One Day - David Nicholls

The Fault In Our Stars - John Green

Looking for Alaska - John Green

Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling (all of them)

PS I Love You - Cecelia Ahern

Favourite drink?

Tea or Milk!

Favourite animal?

Dolphins, but also rabbits because they are so cute and fluffy, but mine is the best! 

See?!

Who do you tag next?

Anybody that is reading this and wants to have a go :)

Book Blogger TMI Tag

How old are you?

22.

What book are you reading?

I've only just finished a book but my next one will be Three Steps Behind You by Amy Bird.

What are you wearing?

Work clothes

OTP?

I always wonder about this and always go back to Emma and Dexter...

Blogger or WordPress?

Blogger. I tried to change to WordPress recently but just couldn't seem to get it to do what I wanted it to.

Going outside being active or staying in and reading a book?

Staying in and reading.

What is the last book you read?

The Warrior Queen by Lavinia Collins, I loved it! You can read my review here

What is the book you’re going to read next?

Three Steps Behind You by Amy Bird.

Ebooks – yes or no?

Yes. Although I like the feel of a paper book better, eBooks are so much more convenient and cheaper to buy when you have no money!

Where do you prefer to read?

On the couch or snuggled up in bed.

What do you do when someone tells you reading is boring?

Tell them that the reason why they probably think reading is boring is because they have never read a book that draws you in and speaks to you in a way that you couldn't imagine. Then I usually recommend a few books that do this.

Who is the last person you texted?

My Mum.

Who is your all-time favorite book character?

I think I will have to say Katniss Everdeen.

UKYA or USYA?

UKYA purely because I read more of it but USYA is also amazing.

What is your preferred drink whilst reading?

Tea or Milk.

If you hated reading, what would you be doing instead?
I’m really not sure, probably watching TV or films.

How many bookshelves / bookcases do you have?

I've recently moved into a house of my own so haven't got round to actually buying a bookshelf yet, although I really should because I have so many books piled up on one tiny shelf.

If you had the choice to meet all of your favorite book bloggers or all of your favorite authors, which would you pick? You can only pick one.

My favorite authors, because I would love to talk to them about their books and how they got the ideas, got published, what they are working on, etc.

Favorite author?

It's a toss up between David Nicholls and John Green

What is the number-one book on your wishlist?

I have about 50 books on my wishlist that I want to read all the same.

Do you prefer books with female or male protagonists?
I like both really but I do like to see female protagonists as you don't often find them and everybody writes them so differently.

Which is your favourite book-to-film adaption?
One Day.

What is the last song you listened to?

I honestly can't remember.

Which do you enjoy reading more - negative reviews or positive reviews?
If I really want to read a book I will read positive reviews but if I am trying to decide on whether to read it or not I will read both just to get different opinions.

Who are you going to tag?

Anybody who happens to be reading this, feel free to take part.

The Warrior Queen by Lavinia Collins

A sumptuous romance based around the life of Guinevere and Arthur's Court. 

Never before has the magical world of Queen Guinevere, King Arthur and Lancelot and the knights of the Round Table been so deeply explored than in this warming saga of passion, duty and infidelity. Drawing on a rich seam of historical sources Lavinia Collins has created a fictional masterpiece, and epic romance that will stand the test of time.

Review

When Lavinia asked me to review this book I was delighted, I love re-tellings but this one of a type that I have never read before and found it interesting as it is the retelling of King Arthur and The Knights of the Round Table. What I love about this book is that it hasn't been modernized like most re-tellings, it is just the same but from a different point of view.

The story is written from Queen Guinevere's point of view and brings old characters to life. It is interesting to see a story from this time from a woman's point of view as they were not equal's and their opinion didn't really matter, so it is nice to be able to see the events that unfold and the emotion that comes with them through Guinevere's eyes. It is a beautifully written novel which any fan of King Arthur and his court will love. I found the story so much more enjoyable than the original as it is told from a whole new and unique perspective.

I don't want to ruin the story for anybody that is unfamiliar with King Arthur, but he demands Guinevere as his wife after defeating her people, in a war which resulted in the deaths of her mother, brothers and the man she was supposed to marry. She unwillingly leaves her kingdom and elderly father behind and goes to Camelot to marry Arthur, who although she has never met him, she hates. At first being a Queen is a whole new experience for her and although she was a Princess in her kingdom she never had to act like one, but she eventually learns to enjoy her new role and even fall in love with Arthur.

I would definitely recommend this if you are looking for an old story made even better, or even if you are just looking for a quick fascinating read. This is the first in a 3 part series and I cannot wait to read the next two.

How Not to be Starstuck is an amazing book! I recommend to everybody! Here is my review.

“If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours but she will always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are.Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If you can only give her monotony, and stale hours and half-baked proposals, then you’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date a girl who reads.” —Rosemarie Urquico

Book Tag - My Reading Habits

Do you have a certain place at home for reading?

I will usually read where ever I am sitting, but my favourite places are curled up on the sofa or snuggled up in bed.

Bookmark or random piece of paper?

Bookmarks! I used to have loads of book marks as a child and as I got older (mainly into my teens), I just didn't bother with them anymore so it was usually just a receipt, a train ticket, or anything I could get my hands on at the time of closing the book. However now I couldn't read a book without one, I only have two, one is a metal letter E and one is one that my sister bought me about 3 years ago, it has a lovely little verse on it so that is my favourite!

Can you just stop reading or do you have to stop after a chapter or certain number of pages?

I usually refuse to stop reading until I have reached the end of a chapter, even when I am almost at my stop on the bus I have to try, although I am probably going to regret that one day when I miss my stop!

Do you eat or drink while reading?

I don't eat meals or anything but I do love to eat a nice bit of chocolate or sit with a cup of milk or tea.

Do you watch TV or listen to music while reading?

I usually do have the TV on but I don't pay any attention to it, if I am really into a book I will just sit down without even thinking to switch the TV on. When I am on the bus to/from work I listen to music through my headphones as I like to block out everybody's conversations around me and just get stuck in.

One book at a time or several at once?

I have a really bad habit of starting a book and if I don't have time to read it much due to work or other things, then I see another book I will start reading that, but then I won't go back to the first one until I have finished.

Reading at home or everywhere?

I'd like to say everywhere but with work etc, it is hard so I mainly read at home and on the bus to/ from work.

Reading out loud or silently in your head?

I read in my head.

Do you ever read ahead or skip pages?

I have peeked at the back pages of a book a few times (I have no idea why), and I remember finding out something that I didn't expect, so now I never skip.

Breaking the spine or keeping it like new?

I love books to look like new but that is very hard when it is being carted around in my bag all day every day, so when I can I try to keep them looking nice but if they can't then hey who cares!

Do you write in your books?

No way!


Anybody that would like to do this book tag feel free.. I tag everyone!