My Review for A Thousand Gates of Prayer by Michael Weiss

I was instantly transported to a small Japanese mountain village.I went into A Thousand Gates of Prayer, completely blind. I'd read the synopsis a while ago when Michael asked if I'd read it, but I haven't read it since, and seeing as I can't remember what I did half an hour ago, I had no idea what it was about! So I dove straight in, and immediately I knew this going to be a story I loved. It's a beautifully written love story about a young Japanese...

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My Review for Shaedes of Power by Jenny Grimes

I NEED BOOK TWO - NOW PLEASE!I don't even know where to begin this review. Shaedes of Power is easily the best book I have read so far this year - and yes - I read Onyx Storm! All of it, from the world-building, to the sassy friends that are Opal, Dru and Leyanna. The magic, Farris, Edmyn and even the Shadowlands just blew me away. It picked me up, threw me across The Gaylenswood and brought me down somewhere back in the human realm, and I'm still...

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My Review for Belladonna by Adalyn Grace

Death is hot - and I don't mean the temperature of hell!Wow - I didn't see any of that coming! Fantasy, romance, and mystery, and a whole host of other stuff all rolled into one book. I honestly didn't know what to expect when Belladonna was chosen as October's read for #bookstabritsbookclub (yes, I know I'm behind with my reviews)!!! I loved it. The mystery and suspense of finding out who the killer was, was addictive, and Signa and Death's relationship...

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My Review for The Cinnamon Bun Book Store by Laurie Gilmore

I'm so pleased I discovered the Dream Harbor series - if you haven't read it - make this the year you do!OMG this was so cute and so gorgeous and all the things that I'd love a man to do for me - I've been married for 23 years, so that isn't going to happen now! But never mind, it's so sweet, I'll just have to be content living through Hazel and throwing myself into the bookish treasure hunt with her. I'm not sure about the defacing of books,...

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My Review for Summer Secrets at Duck Pond Cottage by Della Galton

A rescue centre, jam-packed with animals - what's not to love?!Mr Spock the parrot is back! I first remember him from one of Della's previous books, and he's still as naughty and hilarious as he was then, but now he's moved into the rescue centre and there are lots of people available to teach him new words!Summer Secrets at Duck Pond Cottage is the second in the series about Jade's rescue centre and all the animals that she loves, cares for and...

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My Review for Happy Place by Emily Henry, read by Julia Whelan

How have I not read an Emily Henry book before?! This is my first venture into Emily's stories, and it won't be my last. I especially loved listening to the audiobook and was drawn into the friends lives, hook, line and sinker. The story flits between when the friends all first met, the following years, and the present day. It was great to hear how they all got together, and of course what they're all doing now. Emily writes about the importance...

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My Review for Love & Misdirection by Mari Jane Law

Loved it! I've enjoyed all Mari Jane's books, but this one has just become my favourite. If you like a good rom-com then you need to read this series!Harmony and James are an incredible couple - well, not a couple at the beginning, but you'll soon work out where it's going! There wasn't a thing I didn't enjoy about this book. Tim was adorable, Saskia was hilarious, James was a sweetie and Harmony just didn't want to upset anyone. There was heartbreak...

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My Review for Love in the Cupboard by Mari Jane Law

Hope sleeps in a hearse - but this is a romantic comedy though, so don't be alarmed! The storyline of a Catholic priest, (who doesn't want to be a Catholic priest any more), and his new life, as a sacramental photographer is hilarious, as he tries to wend his way through life 'on the outside'. His naivety, and the sheltered life he's led, away from the real world, make for an unconventional read. But who wouldn't want to meet the future love...

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My Review for The Color Purple by Alice Walker, read by Alice Walker

The Color Purple is one of the most amazing, heart-breaking, and powerful novels I have ever listened to.Chosen as February's book for our #classiclitbookclub, I did start to read the physical book, but the language was difficult, and I soon opted for the audiobook version, read by the author. This is the way I would 100% recommend anyone who isn't au fait with the African American vernacular English, broach the novel, as it will make a lot more...

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My Review for Love & Pollination by Mari Jane Law (February 2025)

It isn't very often that I re-read a book, however when the opportunity arose for me to read the next two books which Mari Jane Law has written, I just had to go back and re-read her first book which I remembered absolutely loving!Love & Pollination is brilliant. The story is funny, the characters are hilarious, Perdita is quirky and adorable, and in her own, neurodivergent way she creates a whole new set of words for human reproduction, including...

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My Review for The Cul-de-Sac by Christopher Null

I'm so pleased I agreed to read and review a copy of Christopher Null's latest book, The Cul-de-Sac. It only took me a couple of days to read and was a complete page-turner. The story was told from multiple points of view, I think it was primarily six, with the odd contribution from a few others. I know some people find these complicated, but I love them, once I get to know who people are and how they fit into the story. The majority of the...

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