Sam's Fireside - Cosy Book Reviews & Recommendations

“You only need one ray of light to chase all the shadows away” A Man Called Ove 📖 was my February read for @hook.me.a.book challenge – the #NeglectedFaithfulsReadingChallenge. 📚✨ It's been sitting on my shelf for at least two years, and I'm so pleased I've finally got around to reading it. 🙌 What I didn't realise was that it has already been made into a movie 🎬 – one which I've watched, albeit with a slightly different title, A Man Called Otto. However, I didn't remember a thing about it. 🤦‍♀️😅 I really enjoyed this story. ❤️ Ove is your typical "grumpy old man" 😠 with the patience of a gnat 🦟 and a man who appreciates that rules are in place for a reason 📏 – and woe betide anyone who tries to veer away from said rules! 🚫 There is a sadness to Ove which will tear at your heartstrings, 💔 and as you understand what has happened in his past, you'll maybe appreciate just why he's as grumpy as he is. 🥺 I appreciated that slowly and surel...

"A good cuppa tea can solve most problems, and if it can't, you've probably got bigger issues than a biscuit can fix".  Peter Kay is one of the UK's top comedians 🎤 and he's absolutely hilarious. In my opinion, he's one of the best at observational comedy 😂 in the business. I was lucky enough to see him on tour earlier this year, which was fantastic, and because I adore his Yorkshire accent 😍, I wanted to listen to his new autobiography so I could linger in those dulcet tones. In this one, each chapter focuses on a month of the year 📅 — from January through to December. Peter picks a memory or two for each month and captivates the listener as he shares his humorous take on whatever he's talking about, whether it's summer holidays ☀️, Valentine's Day ❤️, or Christmas 🎄. In his own inimitable way, Peter draws you into his world and makes you feel as though you were right there with him. Never do I laugh so hard as when I'm watching Peter...

"Polly often wondered whether, if someone were to cut through Ward Hunt, they'd find 'greed' running through him like a stick of Blackpool rock." Published in the UK in 2024 as The Happiest Ever After, this book has a brand-new US title—The Accidental Rewrite—and it's out today! I absolutely adored listening to this. It was cute, sad, fun, and absolutely hilarious—I was giggling all the way through. Polly is awesome. She's put up with a lot, and now, finally, it's time for her to put herself first—though, of course, it doesn't quite go to plan. I love books with UK references, like Mrs Bucket (Bouquet), Kew Gardens, and sticks of rock! I even had to explain to a US friend what a stick of rock is (candy found in seaside towns throughout the UK). Pink mint is the best, by the way! Colleen Prendergast was brilliant narrating this one. With her gorgeous northern accent, her voice is still spinning through my head even as I write this review. I'm de...

'The South West is like a Christmas stocking – all the nuts end up at the bottom .' It's thanks to Sarah, @emeraldreader that I reserved myself an audiobook version of this on Libby and dived right in, as soon as it became available. If it weren't for Sarah, I wouldn't have known this book existed! Sue is probably most famously known as the other half of Mel and Sue, from The Great British Bake-Off. But I was interested in listening to how she got to where she did and the obstacles which she overcame on her journey. Sue is a very funny, hugely popular comedian, born in London at the tail-end of the 1960s. I adored this audiobook from beginning to end. Sue We used to go to the Gower on holiday, every, single, year and Sue talks about beaches that I visited all the time. I loved it! Sue is hilarious, with an incredibly witty, yet dry sense of humour which I guarantee will have you laughing out loud. Although there may be a moment (Pickle) when you might shed a tear. ...

'The Wale who was the type of prince who would hand me his own sword to help me slay my dragons'. I adored this one. I have Yinka on my TBR, but I just haven't managed to get around to it yet. This one came up on Libro FM, and so I grabbed it.  Temi and Wale are as cute as. Annoying with their miscommunication, and there were so many times I wanted to grab both of them and shake them until eventually the words would pour out of them. 😂 Temi - just be honest for heaven's sake and Wale - you need to learn to listen, ask questions and not jump to conclusions! I loved that Temi names her glasses and puts on a different pair, depending on how she wants to feel/who she wants to be that day. What an inspiring idea! I appreciated Lizzie writing so openly about sexual harassment, racial discrimination and body image, and how positivity emanated from all the negativity as the book progressed.  Faith Alabi was an inspired choice for the narrator for The Re-Write. With her abilit...

'Nuturing drooping aspidistras and desiccated begonias back to full health'. I've been reading so many more books recently where the protagonist is middle-aged. As a 52 year-old in reality, a 30 year-old in my head, and a 70 year-old in my body, I love that Celia, Amanda, Terri, and Enzo made me feel that there are still hundreds of opportunities, just waiting around the corner.  When I read that Celia ran her very own houseplant hospital, I found myself wondering whether I knew enough about plants to run my own… I definitely don't! 🤣 But Celia did, whether it was a poorly Peace Lily, a sickly spider plant or a finicky Fiddle Leaf Fig, she somehow manages to find a cure and send them on their way. Does she cure Spike? You'll have to read the book to find out! 🌵 I think you'd need to be in the UK, and old, to remember a character called Beryl the Peril in a comic called the Beano. Well, Mathilde is Enzo's nine-year-old daughter and that's who she dresse...

Laugh-out-loud hilarious! This was such a fun book to listen to and I finished it within 24 hours. Who doesn't want to be stuck in the Highlands of Scotland with a work colleague that they absolutely cannot stand, with only tents and the random contents of backpacks to survive on?? First off, I cannot imagine anything worse than a team-building exercise away from the office. In the office is bad enough, but overnight, with people you barely tolerate - absolutely no way, thank you very much! But Fliss and James have no choice, they have been abandoned by their boss in the middle of nowhere and need to find their way back to civilisation. There are injuries, awful weather, and arguments, but there is also laughter, camaraderie, and yes, eventually teamwork, and of course maybe there is a smidgen of romance thrown in for good measure.  Grace Calder narrates Work Trip, and she does an amazing job of nailing the atmosphere, arguments, and romance of what will inevitably be love in the H...

Grace hates a lot of her family - so why not kill them?! Our #BookstaBritsBookClub had mixed reviews for How to Kill Your Family when we discussed it, but I personally loved it. I listened, rather than read this, and perhaps that helped. The dry wit of our female protagonist shone through and Grace Bernard is a complete badass who has done some truly disturbing stuff, but right now she is in jail for a murder that surprisingly she didn't commit.  I enjoyed the back and forth chapters, flipping between when she is in jail and before, and as she kills a million and one members of her family (well maybe not quite that many but enough anyway)! I'm sure I shouldn't like Grace, but I do. There are usually valid reasons why she wants people dead, and let's be honest, we've all felt like that at one time or another. It's just that the majority of us don't go through with it! If you aren't sure about this one, and you like an audiobook, then I would definitely re...

So relatable to women of a certain age! Lisa Darling has lists, and on these lists are things that just get postponed from day, to day, to day. I have lists, and on these lists are things that just get postponed from day, to day, to day! 🤣 I think it's a peri-menopause/menopause thing! We've only recently fallen down the Grey's Anatomy rabbit hole, so I smiled at the McDreamy references in relation to Zach! I loved It's Getting Hot in Here by Jane Costello, it's full of humour, fun and sarcasm and the protagonist is a similar age to me. I didn't relate to some of the stuff Lisa was going through, but a lot of it I did. I laughed out loud every time she moved 'descale the kettle' to the next day! The whole book is a story of growth and self-development, for all the characters to be honest, but especially for Lisa and her eldest son Leo - the stroppy teenager!  Marisa Calin as the narrator did an amazing job, reading the book, throwing her heart into the ...

Wizard waffles and a noodle cult! The Legend of Uh is hilarious! The humour had me laughing out loud and reaching for my phone to add notes, as I listened to this on my long walks through local villages. Often I stopped in the middle of a quiet country road to write something down so I wouldn't forget it in my review.  The narrator is honestly one of the best I've listened to - and I listen to a lot of audiobooks. He brought the characters to life, and his Scottish and Irish accents were incredible. I have no idea whether those were the accents Aaron was thinking about when he wrote the book, but Adriel nailed it! I loved the weird and wonderful characters that DJ and his friends met along the way, in particular, the waffle wizard (who pops up in the most unusual places), had my heart and yes, I want to try one of those waffles please! Aaron hits the mark with the cult of Phillips and Friar Steve. I couldn't help but laugh and enjoy those plain old names that bring such int...

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 rehomes. It's full of cuteness, with puppies, foxes, wedding plans and kids and easily a book that you could devour on a rainy afternoon while you're waiting for the sun to make an appearance (I'm still waiting)! This can be easily read as a standalone book, but I'd recommend reading the first in the series to begin with, just because it's another great read. Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Resources for the opportunity to read and review Summer Secrets at Duck Pond Cotta...

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 and some difficult decisions to be made, but with the love and support from friends (and sometimes family), everything in Love & Misdirection slots nicely into place as the story progresses. Mari Jane Law intertwines several difficult subjects into the storyline, and it works well as we get to know all the new characters, as well as catch up with old friends. I laughed out loud at parts and my heart was breaking in others, but I loved it a lot.  Each of Mari Jane's books can be read as a standalone, b...