Sam's Fireside - Cosy Book Reviews & Recommendations

“When everything went to hell, at least she could always count on scones.” I honestly wasn’t expecting to enjoy Foxglove more than Belladonna, but I did! Why did I wait so long to read this series?! 🤦‍♀️ We created a “sequel shelf” at #thatindiebookclub, and thank goodness we did. This one has been sitting there ever since we read Belladonna last year — such a good idea, because otherwise I know I’d never have picked it back up! I also seem to be on a bit of a run reading about the undead 😁. First this one, and now I’m listening to Good Spirits. Apparently I’m leaning into a theme! I ended up switching between reading and listening to Foxglove because once I’d started, I didn’t want to take a break — but unfortunately real life insisted I get on with things 😅. I still struggle with the whole “human getting it on with Death” situation 😂. Signa continues her very weird relationship with Death, but this time Fate throws himself into the mix — and what an arrogant twonk he is! (Google ...

“but curiosity is a restless and scrupulous passion, and no one girl can endure, with patience, that hers should be baffled by another. ” Carmilla was an additional read/listen for October for #classiclitbookclub, and I loved it! Admittedly, the version I listened to was abridged and performed by a BBC Radio cast, but I think the gist of the story came through really well. Carmilla reminded me of a cross between Dracula (well, it did inspire Bram Stoker) and, for some reason, a mixture of Daphne du Maurier’s novels. I think it was the gothic vibe—the characters wandering through the darkness. I wasn’t sure whether I was going to enjoy it; female vampires just don’t have the same draw as the male ones 😂. But actually, I liked Laura and her dad, even if I really didn’t like Carmilla—she was the essence of evil and manipulation: narcissistic and just plain creepy! I’ll read the full version at some point, but I’m really glad it’s now on my radar. About the Book In an isolated castle deep...

'..If we killed women for their tongues all men would be murderers.' Back in 2024 I listened to My Cousin Rachel for the September read for #classiclitbookclub and as always, Daphne's writing just blew me away. A storyteller like no other, she kept me enthralled for the entire book. Just as with Rebecca and Jamaica Inn, the gothic atmosphere shines through and once again, there are some really, really dark turns of events.  Philip is naive and immature and just doesn't seem to understand why Rachel doesn't want to be with him - she's just lost her husband for goodness’ sake, give the woman some space! I didn't like Philip at all, I'm not sure whether Daphne du Maurier's intention was for us to feel sorry for him or get annoyed with him. He was just a namby-pamby who had been molly-coddled his entire life and hadn't a clue how to live in the real world.  Ambrose, in my opinion, expected far too much of Philip as he asks him to take over the runnin...

I think this will become a favourite... The Haunting of Hill House was one I listened to last October for #classiclitbookclub. I don't usually read or listen to horror, but this sent me down a rabbit hole of defining horror. According to Wikipedia, 'Horror is a genre of speculative fiction that is intended to disturb, frighten, or scare an audience'. According to what I researched, Dracula, Frankenstein and The Picture of Dorian Gray can all be classified as horror. I've read all of these, and I wasn't disturbed, frightened or scared by any of them. I was entertained, immersed and enthralled by them all. The things that I class as horror are that vile doll Chucky (was that his name) and The Exorcist, so maybe I need to be a little less judgmental of the horror genre from now on, and perhaps it isn't reading horror that I don't like, it's watching it! Anyway, back to the review...I liked it, I liked it a lot. The author didn't just create the atmosphe...

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 was awesome - you'll soon forget that he's not a real person, as they begin to work together to solve the mystery. Parts of this reminded me of The Secret Garden, I think because Blythe is ill in bed, and she reminds me of Colin Craven, weak and not wanting to help themselves! It was also reminiscent of another book that I can't recall, with Thaddeus Kipling - the library ghost, who quite frankly was an awesome dude! He should have a book written all about him! Published as a Young Adult novel, I wo...