My Review for The Cerberus Affair by Charlotte Valentine

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Cerberus Affair caught me by the arms and swept me away until I was firmly trapped within the government and corporate corruption that Catherine needs to investigate to discover what happened to Adam.

Full of twists and turns, romance and thrills, The Cerberus Affair was the first book I’ve read in 24 hours (only stopping to sleep), in a long while. I honestly couldn’t put it down. The characters were all well-written, and I just wanted to keep reading to find out whether Adam’s death was murder, whether Catherine got her man and whether the corruption was brought to an end.

Charlotte Valentine had a great backstory for all her characters and they all came together brilliantly. Clayton was selfless and only wanted the best for the important people in his life. The politics and genetic research which make up a lot of the story weren’t too in-depth, and I didn’t have any issues with understanding it. The author told us what we needed to know for the story to make sense.

I was given a copy of The Cerberus Affair to review and I was so pleased I read it. It probably isn’t something I would have picked up in a shop, but I will definitely look out for more of Charlotte Valentine’s books.

If you enjoy a psychological thriller, that’s not too deep, with a bit of romance thrown in for good measure, then I think you’ll enjoy this.

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My Review for Throw Me to the Wolves by Lindy Ryan & Christopher Brooks

⭐⭐⭐⭐ I’m always up for a paranormal novel which includes werewolves and witches and any sort of fantasy creatures, so when I had the opportunity to read, Throw Me to the Wolves, I grabbed it with both hands!

Slow-paced to begin, but speeding up as the story progresses, the book focuses on Britta, our female, werewolf protagonist as she recalls the tragic events which befell her family and the curse which was put on her by a witch ten years ago, and now, as that same witch is attempting to regain her power by using Britta.

This was an easy read without too much to think about, apart from losing yourself in a fantasy world of werewolves, witches and the occasional ghost, and how they interact with their human counterparts. Britta is a prominent character, but in my opinion there wasn’t a strong male lead. Aaron, and Alec in particular were egotistical, however one of them redeems himself in the end!

I’ve noticed that Throw Me to the Wolves has been classed with horror as a genre. Now I didn’t think I particularly enjoyed horror but maybe I’ve been missing out on some great stories and I just need to redefine my understanding of the genre because I thought this was a great story and I am looking forward to reading the next in the series.

Thank you to the authors for the opportunity to read and review Throw Me to the Wolves.

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My Review for Reverie: A Poetry Collection by Vera Atieno

⭐⭐⭐⭐ I used to love poetry when I was at school, so when Vera asked me whether I'd like to read her debut poetry collection, I thought it was the ideal opportunity to revisit this old love.

Reverie is split into four chapters: Cosmos, Musing, Misgivings and Soft Spot. Cosmos was probably my favourite with lots of references to nature which were just delightful. No, one particular poem stood out and so many of them were beautifully written.

Vera Atieno writes in a way that opens up your senses, she draws you into her poems and the subjects she is writing about at the time. I loved the illustrations too, each one adding an individual perspective to complement each poem.

Thank you to Vera Atieno for the ARC of Reverie: A Poetry Collection and for inspiring me to open my collection of poetry books once again.

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My Review for The Orphans of Amsterdam by Elle Van Rijn

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Another World War II story that needed to be told. Based on true events, The Orphans of Amsterdam by Elle van Rijn was first published in the Netherlands and has now been translated into English.

Betty is our protagonist and comes across as such an inspiring young girl. She put her own life at risk, countless times, in order to try to save children from being deported to the dreaded concentration camps as the war progressed. 

Most of us are aware of the concentration camps and what happened within, but I’m pretty sure few of us are aware of all the differing struggles going on elsewhere. The Orphans of Amsterdam is a heartbreaking story which once again shows the cruelty that happened around eighty years ago and once again I found it difficult to believe that human beings could be so callous. That thousands of children were taken from their mothers and simply put on trains to die is unfathomable. 

If you are interested in learning about what happened during the war, then I would definitely recommend The Orphans of Amsterdam.

I am lucky enough to be a part of Books on Tour for this book, so thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of The Orphans of Amsterdam by Elle Van Rijn.

Book Description

Amsterdam, 1941. My hands are so shaky I’m fumbling. Where to hide? I pull open the dresser, throw aside the blankets, put the baby in and push the drawer shut, just as the nursery door swings open. The German officer marches into the room, yelling over the crying downstairs: ‘You! Grab all the children – now!’

Based on the heart-wrenching true story of an ordinary young woman who risked everything to save countless children from the Nazis.

My name is Betty. Until a few months ago, I was just like every other nursery teacher in the city… then the Nazis came and began to take our children away. Now, the nursery is part of a German deportation centre. Little ones and their families are being forced across the border, to a place called Auschwitz. No one comes back.

So when I hear there’s an underground network to save the children, I know I have to help. Sometimes the parents won’t be parted from them, and sometimes we can’t get to them in time – there are spies everywhere. But each time I smuggle the warm, innocent bundle of a sleeping baby past the Nazi guards and into the arms of the resistance, I know it’s worth the risk.

Tonight, in the pitch black, we are readying five little ones to escape ahead of a transport tomorrow. We don’t know where they’re going, and they may never see their parents again. As I button their coats and smooth their hair, my hands trembling, I hear the nightmare sound of heavy army boots on the stairs. My breath catches and my blood runs cold…

A heartbreaking and gripping read that will have you reaching for the tissues. Perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, We Were the Lucky Ones and The Nightingale.

Author Bio

Elle van Rijn is a Dutch actress, screenwriter of series and films, and author of columns, although her greatest passion lies with writing novels.

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My Review for The Party at No. 12 by Kerry Wilkinson

⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Party at No. 12 by Kerry Wilkinson was well narrated by Tamsin Kennard and Andrew Kingston, as my Audiobook of choice whilst pottering with household chores.

Who wants a dead body to be discovered at their going-away party?! Not Hannah, that’s for sure. She was supposed to be embarking on a long trip at the end of the week, but who knows whether that will happen now?

The thing that I don’t get with a lot of crime fiction/thrillers is how the random person in the street thinks it’s acceptable to try to solve a crime themselves rather than involve the police! Do they really think it’s going to work out for the best for all involved?

Anyway, regardless of this, The Party at No. 12 was a great listen. I didn’t see the ending coming at all and I was kept guessing throughout. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the chance to listen to and review an ARC of The Party at No. 12 by Kerry Wilkinson.

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My Review for The Start of Something by Miranda Dickinson, Read by Claire Morgan and Simon Pothecary

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Do people ever really get together by writing notes to each other in windows? I’m not sure they do, but I wish they would. The Start of Something is just a lovely, happy story for those incurable romantics out there. There are lots of times when I wanted to slap the two main characters, Lachlan and Bethan, just for being so pig-headed and not talking to each other! Come on, you’re adults, stop behaving like kids!

Bethan doesn’t want Lachie to know she is a single mum and Lachie doesn’t want Bethan to know he’s suffering from a severe leg injury, each have their own reasons for keeping things to themselves - for now.  

Lachie is currently on leave from the army, recovering from a car accident. He has a dog and a cat called Bert and Ernie. The names made me smile and the antics of the two were entertaining throughout the story. Bethan has a three-year-old son called Noah, works in a garden centre and is trying to rebuild her life following a difficult break-up. 

I enjoyed The Start of Something as an Audiobook, read by Claire Morgan and Simon Pothecary. They were brilliant and made each character seem real and believable. Particularly Claire, with her Welsh accent was fantastic, bringing the character of Bethan to life. 

I would recommend The Start of Something for anyone who loves a cheesy romance. It’s an easy read or listen, and ideal for whiling away a few hours on the beach. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Audio for the opportunity to listen to and review an ARC of The Start of Something by Miranda Dickinson.

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My Review for The Boy in Makeup: TikTok made me buy it by Anthony Connors-Roberts

⭐⭐⭐⭐ I wanted to get this review out before the end of Pride month and June 20022. A great read, and ideal for younger people who are perhaps coming to terms with their sexuality. The Boy in Makeup is fun, entertaining and in parts heartbreaking as we follow Cory as he deals with the people who can often be narrow-minded, uneducated and prejudiced as well as his close friends who accept him for who he is. He is an inspirational young lad who knows what he wants and goes all out to make it happen despite the obstacles that appear in his way.

I really enjoyed the story and the characters and the author was adept at drawing me into Cory’s life. I was invested in how he was going to deal with bullies and teachers who perhaps weren’t quite as understanding as his friends.

As The Boy in Makeup is a short story, a lot happened in a short space of time, this would be great as a prequel to lots more full-length novels about Cory and I hope Anthony Connors-Roberts continues to write and I’d love to read more about Cory and the challenges he faces as he becomes a young man and leaves school. 

My only comment and the reason for 4 stars and not 5 is that this perhaps needed a final edit as there were a few spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. However, this in no way detracted from the story and I’d recommend The Boy in Makeup, to everyone, young or old, that may be interested in the difficulties faced by members of the LGBTQ+ community.

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