Sam's Fireside - Cosy Book Reviews & Recommendations

'I would let him take me anywhere. Past, present or future. I would give hours of my life to have seconds in his.' OMFG this book was amazing — addictive, awesome, and such a delight to read. I need the next one right now. How am I supposed to cope until next year??!! Within the Space of a Second is Elise’s debut novel and she has absolutely hit the ground running. I love a time-travel story (because it’s real, right? People can actually time travel? I just need to crack the method). I was fully immersed in Mariella’s world from page one, and when she starts realising her dreams are actually a form of time travel, I immediately decided that my own incredibly vivid dreams must mean I’m time travelling too. 😂 It’s a love story packed with fantasy, possibilities, choices, and so much more. It’s beautifully written, brilliantly edited, and one of those rare books I already know I’ll reread. I’ve even grabbed it on LibroFM so I can try the audio! Buy it, add it to your Christmas wi...

“No sensible man ever engages, unprepared, in a fencing match of words with a woman.” Huge thank you to #classiclitbookclub for picking The Woman in White for October, because it has officially become my new favourite book. Rebecca has been my number one forever, but nope—it's been bumped. 😂 Clearly the gothic vibe is my thing… it’s only taken me 52 years to figure that out! I read the gorgeous clothbound copy while also listening to the audiobook, and switching between the two was so much fun. The creepy, psychological tension totally sucked me in. 🙊 Some of the characters are seriously twisted—they start off all lovely and then bam, the masks come off. And honestly? It’s wild (and pretty scary) to think people could just be thrown into an asylum back then with hardly any assessment. It’s told through multiple POVs, and I did get a bit lost now and then, but it didn’t ruin anything for me. The writing is gorgeous and the story is brilliant. Now I’m off to find a pretty copy of T...

'Still infuriatingly gorgeous, and still ridiculously off-limits.' Another winner from Chloe — I adored it. Hattie and Sam as best friends were brilliant, and honestly, they made the book for me. Every year they spend their birthdays together — Sam on New Year’s Eve and Hattie on New Year’s Day — and every year they have so much fun. Told over dual timelines, we travel back to when Hattie and Sam first met as teenagers at a party their parents were attending, as well as follow what they’re getting up to in the present day. Along with Priya and Sara, they make an awesome friendship group, and then, randomly, at a snowed-in cabin, Hattie’s cousin Dylan and Sam’s brother Freddie turn up too. Just what will happen between Hattie and Freddie — her old schoolgirl crush — remains to be seen. I read this while lounging on my balcony on a Mediterranean cruise, so while I was soaking up the sun, I was reading about snow and freezing conditions! 😂 Thank you to Chloe Ford and Aria for the...

'Today has been the draggiest day in the history of draggy days.' I didn’t want to read this book. Not because I thought I wouldn’t like it — I knew I’d adore it — but because it’s the last book in a series I’m not ready to say goodbye to. 😢 Jaimie Admans’ Ever After Street series is one of my most favourite series ever. It’s cute, cosy and funny, and every time I read one of the books, I feel like I’ve been wrapped up in a great big warm hug — no matter which one it is — and Dreams Come True at the Fairytale Museum is no exception. 💜 I love Lissa’s enthusiasm for the museum she’s so lucky to be in charge of. All she wants is for her visitors to experience the passion she feels, as her exhibits bring joy to children and adults alike. But what she wasn’t expecting was the devastating news that it all might be taken away from her. Enter Warren! Unfortunately, I didn’t like him from the beginning because I knew a Warren at school who was a complete idiot with a stupid name (sorr...

“You see? We don’t bite,” Bronwyn added. “Unless you’re a biscuit, then I’m afraid you are in trouble.” Rewitched was our October pick for #ThatIndieBookClub, and I absolutely loved it! From the very first page—well, the first chapter (I listened to the audiobook, so you know what I mean!)—I was completely hooked. 🙃 Belladonna Blackthorn… honestly, what a name for a witch! But despite sounding all dangerous and spiky, Belle’s actually not like that at all. She’s just a mostly normal girl trying to get by, deal with her nightmare boss, and figure out if this is really what adult life is supposed to look like. Spoiler alert: it’s definitely not. There are ups and downs, laughter and tears, a sprinkle of magic, and maybe even a dash of romance. Belle’s mum was adorable. She’s wild, chaotic, and hilarious—half the time I don’t think she even knows which way’s up, but she’s adorable all the same. Between her, Ariadne (Belle’s brilliant bestie), and Rune—the “hot wizard” 🧙🏻‍♂️ as our book...

"You are nothing more than a midge on the backside of a dung beetle." Well, the ending of this was unexpected — but hang on, I’ll get to that! Alongside Indigo and Ignatius, we’ve searched for The Book of Consciousness, The Book of Shadows, and now, in Soulslayers, the third book in the series, we’re hunting the Flaming Celestial Pearl and the secret it holds. These two don’t lead dull lives, that’s for sure. Fancy travelling to the other side of the world — and it taking ten days by air! Personally, I think I’d rather go by luxurious cruise ship. 🛳 I really enjoyed Soulslayers, and having read the previous two books, I now feel I’ve got a firm grip on who the characters are and what their purpose is in the cosmos. The author has a fantastic imagination, and the story moves along at a great pace — there’s never a dull moment! I’d have liked a bit more of a battle at the end, though — violence is always good in a story, in my opinion! 😂 The Charon were definitely put in thei...