Sam's Fireside - Cosy Book Reviews & Recommendations

I loved this. It is a book written about people who love books, huge bookshelves, publishers, authors and best of all, a book that mentions us, reviewers and how much we love the acknowledgement we get when someone wants us to read a copy of their book first! Stevie is brilliant. She’s independent, knows what she wants and is pretty determined she isn’t going to take any shit from anyone, particularly not a man who walked away from her five years ago! I loved her so much. She has amazing friends, an addiction to Starbucks coffee, a cute flat and supportive parents.  Other than knowing the genre, I rarely read a book description because I’d rather go in blind than risk even a hint of a spoiler. The Plot Twist was no different, so it wasn’t until the blurb at the back that I realised the book I’d read in February (The Love Interest) was sort of the first in this series/duology and The Plot Twist focused on one of the other characters!  I cannot recommend this book enough. Romanc...

Tangled Power is the second book in the Compass Points series, and we return to Compass Lake. This time around we meet Juliette who is the Osten Point and Carter, the Vesten Point. Along with Luc and Rose who we got to know in the first book (Suden Point and Norden Point respectively). Together they are on a mission to find and defeat one of the Gods and they must pool their power and weapons in order to do this. Can they all put aside their differences to achieve the ultimate goal? Get yourself a copy of Tangled Power right now, and find out! Thank you to Jillian Witt and Literary Media Tours for the opportunity to listen to and review Tangled Power. About the Book “Technically, the continent is doomed if you can’t figure out how to work together…the good news is there’s no way for the Compass Points to trust each other less than they currently do.” -- Arie Before the Compass Points can confront a god, Rose will unite them the only way she knows how: through their magic. To forge her...

I finished this book yesterday afternoon, and I’m still unsure what to make of it - in a good way. Was it a romance, cosy mystery, thriller? I think I’ll plump for all three, probably in equal measure! Whatever it is, I enjoyed it immensely. Character-wise, I found it slow to begin with, whereas the plot moved forward pretty quickly.  Once I realised that Ivo had ADHD, everything about him made a lot more sense, and I found him quirky and loveable. Our female protagonist, Cressida, was slightly slower on the uptake, but she got there in the end! The author explained Ivo’s ADHD in great detail, and I love understanding how brains are wired differently to give them the diagnosis they receive. I find any book containing an element of neurodivergence fascinating and educational.  If you want a summer read, then go and grab yourself a copy of this book. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Oh, and Fred is the best character of all - I think perhaps he’s wired a little differently ...

I loved Beth’s latest book, It Had to Be You. You can tell right from the beginning that the subject matter is very close to the author’s heart and firsthand experience. I laughed a lot while reading, but I also cringed at some of the squeamish parts. I’m not sure I’d be very good at delivering a baby - too much mess for me! As well as some fun and romance, Beth included many difficult topics in the book, such as teenage pregnancies, parental abuse and single mums and dads. It was particularly interesting to read how a single teenage dad coped with being thrust into fatherhood, with no support from his partner.  The book is a dual timeline story, flipping between present day and when our female protagonist, Libby, is sixteen and just about to sit her GCSEs. I enjoyed reading about her and her sister’s life growing up amongst the many foster kids who came through their home and how there were rules set in place to keep everyone comfortable and safe within the home. Thank you to NetG...

If you’ve seen The Holiday with Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet (my most favourite movie ever btw), then you’ll be familiar with what a house swap entails. It does exactly what it says on the tin - two people swap houses - anywhere in the world - for an agreed amount of time. This is exactly what The Riviera House Swap is.  I read most of this in one day, when it was pouring with rain outside, on the east coast of England, when it’s supposed to be summer. Gillian whisked me away to the south of France and even though it was November there, I still imagined glorious summer days, eating buttery croissants and drinking rich sweet coffee in pavement cafes.  The Riviera House Swap is set across two timelines, the present day and brief interludes when our protagonist, Nina, is seventeen and on a French exchange with her school. Nina is currently fed-up and forty and starts to wonder just what might have been..... No spoilers here, but I really, really would like to know what happens ...

I seem to be on a roll for books that I’m loving. Second Chances at the Board Game Cafe was so lovely and cute, from beginning to end. All the characters were brilliant and the author highlights how even the most unusual and let’s face it, what a lot of people would consider boring, hobbies, can be fun and engaging if you find like-minded people to enjoy them with. Harry is brilliant, he loves trains and board games and dull coloured clothes, but when he meets the right people, he is far from boring. Taylor has had some difficult times in her life but always has the best interests of her son at heart and picks herself up, time after time. Her son loves trains and board games too, so when the three of them find each other, it’s a proper little meet-cute. I love the idea of a cafe where you can go and meet other people who enjoy the same things as you, and while away a few hours. As I was writing this review I googled whether board game cafes were an actual thing, and guess what? They ...

Bring Me Sunshine is my kind of book, made even more so because the protagonist is round about my age. When you’ve experienced peri-menopause and all the delights that go with it, who doesn’t want to read all about it with the humour that Alex brings to it? A book filled with fun and laughter, sunshine and tears. Bring Me Sunshine is just a delight to read. So often, when I’m reading, I can imagine myself escaping dreary England and living in the sunshine. Greece has always been a favourite place to visit and I’m trying to persuade my husband we need to go back next year. The characters are funny and full of life and just goes to show that your life doesn’t need to slow down and become boring as you get older. As long as you have your friends around you, you’ll never be alone. Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to read and review Bring me Sunshine by Alex Brown. About the Book Mamma Mia meets Shirley Valentine in the brand-new holid...

I really enjoyed Under a Summer Skye, the first in a new series by Sue Moorcroft. As Sue introduces us to a host of new characters, including Thea, Dev and Essie, I couldn’t wait to read more about them. I love the outdoors and gardening, so any book with these themes included is always a win for me.  I live in England, and Scotland and Skye are definitely on the list of places I would like to visit. Sue has just reinforced that, and made me want to go as soon as possible. Maybe we could include it on a road trip around Scotland.  If you love nature, the outdoors, dogs, romance and Scotland, then I think you’ll enjoy Sue Moorcroft’s latest book. I can’t wait to see what she has in store for Thea’s sisters in the next instalments. Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to read and review Under a Summer Skye by Sue Moorcroft. About the Book A chance encounter is about to change everything for Thea Wynter. The moment she arrived o...

OMG, this was amazing! I loved Descended, which was the first book in this series and I loved Transcended even more. I love how when you begin to read the book; it seems as though it is all about normal people, living normal, everyday lives. Then you realise that many of the characters have some sort of power, whether telepathy, empath or healing powers. Then, of course, there are the covens and the warlocks! I cannot begin to explain how invested I am in Cordelia, Indigo, and Robbie’s lives.  Transcended is set in the 90s, on the northern beaches of Australia, and despite some devastating events, the sun always seems to be shining and the whole book is full of positivity and vibrance. I am so happy that Ingrid reached out to me over a year ago to read her debut novel. She has fast become one of my favourite authors.  If you enjoy a fantasy novel that isn’t too ‘out there’, then I urge you to read Descended and then Transcended. They are both amazing and I am so glad I spent ...