Wednesday, May 29, 2024

My Review for The Hospital by Leslie Wolfe, read by Tanya Eby


This was such a brilliantly written book. I loved it from start to finish, and what a whirlwind of a story it was. There were so many times that I thought I’d worked out what was what, only to be flummoxed yet again. I couldn’t decide who were the good characters and who were the bad ones, and although I thought I’d worked it all out about three-quarters of the way through, I couldn’t be sure and there were lots more twists to come.

I listened to this one as an audiobook, and the narrator, Tanya Eby, was really good. I’ve listened to books which she has narrated before and always enjoyed them. She played Emma, the female main character, well, and as with any good narrator, I could well believe that she actually was Emma, lying in that hospital bed.

One of the best thrillers I’ve listened to (or read) for a long time, and although this was my first by Leslie Wolfe, it definitely won’t be my last. There were so many moments when I thought ‘no way’, that can’t be how it happened and I loved that I was kept guessing the whole way through.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to listen to The Hospital by Leslie Wolfe.



About the Book

When I wake up, I know three things. My name is Emma. Someone tried to kill me. And I can’t remember who. When I blink, my eyelashes brush against scratchy cloth. My fingers twitch, numb and distant. In the distance, sirens wail. I’m in the hospital. I should be safe here, but I know I’m not. The last thing I remember is running, seeing an arm raised to strike… Why would anyone want to kill me? Desperately, I piece together my scattered memories. I’m standing with my husband on sugar-white sand, our rings glinting in the sunlight. I’ll get better, and I’ll go home to him, and he will protect me. But when he visits, his new girlfriend is on his arm. He tells me we got divorced three years ago, and my world falls apart. What else have I forgotten?The only way I can keep myself safe is to uncover the answers buried deep in my mind. But as I talk to my visitors—listening to the gentle tones of the doctors and nurses, grateful for the care of my friends and family—I start to see the lies that contradict what I remember of my life. They say it’s just my broken memory. But I know the shocking I can’t trust a word anyone says…


About Leslie

Meet Leslie Wolfe, bestselling author and mastermind behind gripping thrillers that have won the hearts of over a million readers worldwide. She brings a fresh and invigorating touch to the thriller genre, crafting compelling narratives around unforgettable, powerhouse women. Her books are not only an adrenaline-packed ride, but they're also sprinkled with psychological insights, offering readers an immersive, authentic experience that goes beyond conventional suspense.

You might know her from the Detective Kay Sharp series or have been hooked by Tess Winnett's relentless pursuit of justice. Maybe you've followed the dynamic duo Baxter & Holt through the gritty streets of Las Vegas or plunged into political intrigue with Alex Hoffmann.

Recently, Leslie published The Girl You Killed, a psychological thriller that's pure, unputdownable suspense. This standalone novel will have fans of The Undoing, The Silent Patient, and Little Fires Everywhere on the edge of their seats.

Whether you're into the mind games of Criminal Minds, love crime thrillers like James Patterson's, or enjoy the heart-pounding tension in Kendra Elliot and Robert Dugoni's mysteries, Leslie's got a thriller series for you. Fans of action-packed writers like Tom Clancy or Lee Child will find plenty to love in her Alex Hoffmann series.





Tuesday, May 28, 2024

My Review for An Invitation to the Cottage by the Loch by Kennedy Kerr


I love a book set in beautiful, scenic countryside, and so when the opportunity arose to read Kennedy Kerr’s recent novel, set in the Highlands of Scotland, I couldn’t turn it down. An Invitation to the Cottage by the Loch is slow to begin with, but as soon as I become familiar with the characters (some of who are loveable and some who grow on you), the story picked up speed and I soon became immersed in Deb’s new challenge at Loch Cameron and invested in her story.

The author deals with several challenging issues alongside the lightheartedness of planning a party and forming new friendships, and I enjoyed the contrast between the two. 

Although this is the fifth book in the Loch Cameron series, it’s the first I’ve read and I don’t think it matters that I haven’t read the others and can definitely be read as a standalone. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review An Invitation to the Cottage by the Loch by Kennedy Kerr.


About the Book

High on the hills above the wide blue loch, Deb pulls the torn, sepia photograph out of her pocket, tracing her thumb over the girl pictured playing happily amongst the heather. Her grandmother hid this secret for decades…

After losing her sense of self recovering from a serious operation, event planner Deb Sutherland is desperate to reconnect with her family and start living again. So, when an email arrives from the Laird of Loch Cameron asking her to plan his annual Spring Fling, Deb packs her life into her car and makes for the rolling hills of the Highlands. This could be her chance to explore the Scottish roots her beloved grandmother refused to speak about. Auditioning bands and designing decorations at the Laird’s grand castle, Deb runs into property developer Kyle Abernethy on the edge of the manicured gardens. Kyle ismaddeningly arrogant, but Deb can’t deny how his icy blue eyes make her stomach flip.And as they share a bottle of wine overlooking the glittering loch, Deb finds herself laughing like she hasn’t in years. But when Deb finds an old map of tumbledown worker’s cottages in the castle archives, her heart stops. She remembers how tearful her grandmother would get when asked about her childhood. Was Loch Cameron her home before her family was tragically torn apart? Has Kyle been hiding this truth from her all along?

As the Spring Fling approaches, should Deb run from Loch Cameron for good? Or will confronting her heart-breaking family history mean she can finally move forward with Kyle by her side?


About Kennedy (in her own words)

Without daydreaming, I don't think I would ever have thought about becoming a writer. One of my most favourite things is staring at the sea or a lake - being by the water is important to me. I find it very calming, and I have a lot of ideas when I walk by the sea or stand overlooking a lake - or a loch. Perhaps that's why I've written about coastal communities so much in my books.

In fact, I really love writing about small communities, mysteries and family secrets. I grew up in a town where it felt like everyone knew your business, and I've ended up writing about those kind of places quite a lot. I live in the UK, and my family is originally from Scotland. I have a real soft spot for the Highlands, but also for the rugged coast of Cornwall in the south west of England too. Anywhere there are beaches, cliffs, legends and mystery - plus a good cake shop, of course! - I'm there.

What else can I tell you? I am the lucky owner of one very cuddly, fat cat who spends her days sleeping. I love cooking and baking all types of food, and I love eating it even more. I really look forward to the day when I can throw caution to the wind and adopt a Homer Simpson type of eating schedule and consume a box of doughnuts a day. It's the dream.

I'm also a classic "roses, chocolates and date nights" romantic. I believe in true love and happy endings. I also believe that most of us go through difficult times in our lives, and we usually need some time to heal through it and come out the other side. Love is part of that, but not just romantic love - the love we have for our children, our families, our friends and our community is so important. As is the love we can have for particular places, and for nature.

I was very proud when The House at Magpie Cove became a USA Today Bestseller - that's all thanks to you, of course, my readers! I'm so happy that you enjoyed Mara's story, and the little village of Magpie Cove that seems to have a way of helping people find their way back to happiness. I've also loved writing the Loch Cameron books and been delighted to see so many of you enjoy the series set in the sleepy (yet active) lochside village, full of local characters and highlighting the stories of ordinary women.





Saturday, May 25, 2024

My Review for A Wonderland Wish on Ever After Street by Jaimie Admans



Jaimie blows it out of the park. Every. Single. Time. I adore her books, I love the ‘Ever After Street’ series, and I am constantly impressed by the ideas she comes up with for her books. Of course, A Wonderland Wish on Ever After Street is no exception, and for this book we see Cleo open The Wonderland Teapot, an Alice in Wonderland-themed teashop, complete with Wonderland-inspired cakes, and its very own Mad Hatter, aka Bram.

Jaime’s latest creation is full of romance, friendship, secrets and baking. The characters are fanciful, delightful and full of creativity. I wish Ever After Street was a real live place because if it were, I’d be there in an instant.

If you’ve read the other books in this series, then you’ll be familiar with the other characters, but you don’t need to read them in order. Each can totally be read as a standalone, but read them all. Go on, why wouldn’t you?

Imagine yourself all cosy and warm, wrapped up in a great big bear hug from the person you love most in the world. Well, that’s how Jaimie’s books make me feel. Put simply, a hug in a book.

Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Resources for the opportunity to read and review A Wonderland Wish on Ever Street by Jaimie Admans.


About the Book

A picture-perfect town, a place where dreams come true. Welcome to Ever After Street...

There's always time for tea... unless you've lost your teapot…

Cleo Jordan has only ever wished for one thing – to open her own teashop in memory of her lovely gran. So when she accidentally fools the interview board into thinking she's a brilliant baker and is offered a prime spot on Ever After Street, she knows her dream is about to come true!

Stepping into The Wonderland Teapot is like falling down the rabbit hole - magical! But there’s a catch: Cleo has completely lost her love of baking! With her little white lie ticking in her ear, it seems her dream is over before it’s begun.

Until she meets her very own Mad Hatter. Loved by everyone on Ever After Street, magician Bram brings an energy to the teashop that lifts everyone, and slowly, with his encouragement, Cleo is getting back to doing what she loves best.

But with Bram hiding secrets of his own, Cleo isn’t sure she can put all her faith in him. And when things start going wrong at the teashop, Cleo wonders if the culprit sabotaging her dream is someone closer than she thinks?

If Cleo wants her wish to work, she has to learn to trust again before she loses her head and heart completely…although it might already be far too late for that...

About Jaimie

Jaimie is a 38-year-old English-sounding Welsh girl with an awkward-to-spell name. She lives in South Wales and enjoys writing, gardening, watching horror movies, and drinking tea, although she’s seriously considering marrying her coffee machine. 

She loves autumn and winter, and singing songs from musicals despite the fact she’s got the voice of a dying hyena. She hates spiders, hot weather, and cheese & onion crisps. She spends far too much time on Twitter and owns too many pairs of boots.  

She will never have time to read all the books she wants to read.






Tuesday, April 23, 2024

My Review for Compass Points by Jillian Witt read by Kasi Hollowell


Over the last few months, I have been enjoying more and more fantasy books, usually listening to them as an audiobook. When the opportunity arose for me to listen to Compass Points on audio, I leapt at the chance. Slow to begin with as we are immersed into the world in which Rose lives, the story soon picks up as I become familiar with the characters and their purpose in the fae world. 

Compass Lake is the home of the four Compass Points, north, south, east and west. Each worships a different God and each has their own magic. I really enjoyed this one. Rose is one bad-ass-bitch who is determined not to take any shit from anyone. Even when Luc happens upon her in the market, looking for the weapons master, she tries her hardest to remain aloof and independent.

Hats off to Jillian Witt for a great debut novel with loveable characters, fascinating world-building and a truly great story. I loved listening to Kari Hollowell read this. She totally throws herself into each character and I quickly found I knew who was speaking, simply from the voice she was using. Arie, especially, was my favourite. I’m still not sure if he’s a demon, a familiar or simply a shape-shifter, but he has Rose’s back - always - and for that he was the character I was always rooting for. Book 2 in the series is out soon and I can’t wait to see how Rose and Luc’s story progresses.

Thank you to Jillian Witt and Literary Media Tours for the opportunity to listen to and review Compass Points.

About the Book

A magical weapons master might be the key to saving the continent; if only she didn’t have to fake date a dangerous fae leader to do it.

Rose ran from the fae courts to a reclusive life in a northern village. When the encroaching mist hits too close to home and she learns her weapons can help, she can no longer avoid her past.

The striking fae sent to investigate her skills is more dangerous than he appears. Deadly and determined, Luc is on a mission from the courts to stop the plague of mists. Rose must decide if he's her enemy, ally, or more as he threatens to uncover the secrets she's kept long buried.

About Jillian

Jillian Witt reads more romantic fantasy than is strictly necessary and writes books she would love to read. Her stories unleash powerful women into fantasy worlds, usually turn enemies into lovers, and always offer an escape from reality.

When not reading or writing, she’s enjoying all four seasons in Michigan with her partner and their dog, Loki.





Sunday, April 21, 2024

My Review for Retribution for the Fallen by Madeline Vaughn


I’ve been waiting to read this since Madeline announced when the last book in the Emily Fallon series was coming out! It’s definitely been worth the wait and we pick up exactly where we left Emily, Xander, Maverick and Uncle Paul in the second book - in the throes of trying to bring the head of the US Navy to justice. 

Once again, Madeline Vaughn has written a fast-paced story with an intriguing and thrilling plot. It gripped me from the start. There were loads of ‘WTF’ and ‘no-way’ moments and I was totally gobsmacked at how some things played out! No spoilers from me, but I really didn’t see what was going to happen and part of me thought a miracle might occur!

This definitely needs to be read as part of the series, so get out and there and buy all three now!

Once again, thank you to Madeline for including me in her ARC Street Team. I’m looking forward to the next book she writes.

About the Book

Her opposition's reach is unparalleled. Who will be left standing?

In the gripping finale of the Emily Fallon trilogy, we follow Emily as she embarks on her most important mission; taking down her biggest adversary yet. 

With each truth exposed, the danger mounts and Emily must answer her own questions.

Will she bring all the conspiracies and cavernous corridors of secrets to the surface? What is she willing to sacrifice for the retribution that’s owed for the fallen? Will this rival take Emily and her loved ones out before they can drag the dark soul of this enemy into the light? Will they fall victim to their wrath?

About Madeline

Madeline has always been passionate about writing and storytelling. She would describe herself as a curious author who loves exploring different themes and motifs. As part of her writing process, she loves to immerse myself into her projects—dive headfirst into the research, production, and fine-tuning of the stories that she feels are the most worthy of telling.​






Friday, April 19, 2024

My Review for Hard Times for the East End Library Girls by Patricia McBride


The second in the East End Library Girls series and a welcome return to Cordelia, Jane and Mavis. Since Cordelia arrived at the library, the three have become firm friends. This book continues where the first one left off and we follow the lives of the three women and how they are surviving the war. Houses are bombed, children are evacuated and soldiers are injured, but the three are resilient and manage to cope with whatever is thrown at them.

I loved catching up with these three again. Despite the harrowing circumstances of war, the book has a lovely warm feeling. I enjoy reading about life during the war, the difficulties with housing, finding food and not knowing from one day to the next what will happen. It makes us appreciate everything we have today. The library helped bring the community together and for those who were lonely, I can only imagine that this must have been a godsend. 

Although the second in the series, this could be read as a standalone. However, the first one is so good, grab them both and enjoy the adventures of the East End girls. I hope this isn't the last we hear from Cordelia, Jane and Mavis.

Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read and review Hard Times for the East End Library Girls by Patricia McBride.

About the Book

As the war reaches London, they’ll band together… War strikes close to home for chief librarian Cordelia when her flat is bombed, and her beloved Robert is called up and sent abroad. Fortunately, her colleagues Mavis and Jane can help see her through hard times.

The three friends find purpose in making the Silvertown library a friendly sanctuary for their deprived and devastated community. But sinister forces, from callous bureaucrats to crafty criminals, still lurk among the stacks. Worse, Jane’s soldier husband is injured and suffers both physically and mentally.

With so many struggles Cordelia and her friends might need more than books to survive war's shadow. Can they find light in the darkness?


About Patricia

Patricia McBride is the author of the very popular Lily Baker historical saga series. She is now writing a new WW2 series for Boldwood, based in the East End of London during the Blitz, the first title of which, The Library Girls of the East End, will be published in November 2023.















Tuesday, April 16, 2024

My Review for The Fury by Alex Michaelides


Although I have The Silent Patient on my bookshelf, it remains unread, and therefore this is my first venture into Alex Michaelides’ world.

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure about this one at the beginning. I don’t know how to describe the style of writing apart from that it’s narrated from the point of view of one of the characters. However, as I settled into the writing and read on, I understood more about what was happening and why it was being written such as it was, and I began to enjoy it - a lot.

The Fury is full of deception, lies and intrigue from beginning to end. I’m not sure I actually liked any of the characters very much, each having their own secrets and reasons for being who they want others to perceive them. Only an accomplished writer can portray their characters as such and hats off to Alex for achieving this.

I found the story to be full of twists and an ending I didn’t see coming. A Fury is a local Greek term for strong winds and storms and the fury in this case provided storms and an atmosphere in both plot and weather!

If you enjoy a story full of mystery, thrill and suspense, then I’d recommend that you read this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph at Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read and review The Fury by Alex Michaelides.

About the Book

This is a tale of murder.

Or maybe that’s not quite true. At its heart, it’s a love story, isn’t it?

Lana Farrar is a reclusive ex–movie star and one of the most famous women in the world. Every year, she invites her closest friends to escape the English weather and spend Easter on her idyllic private Greek island.

I tell you this because you may think you know this story. You probably read about it at the time ― it caused a real stir in the tabloids, if you remember. It had all the necessary ingredients for a press a celebrity; a private island cut off by the wind…and a murder.

We found ourselves trapped there overnight. Our old friendships concealed hatred and a desire for revenge. What followed was a game of cat and mouse ― a battle of wits, full of twists and turns, building to an unforgettable climax. The night ended in violence and death, as one of us was found murdered.

But who am I?

My name is Elliot Chase, and I’m going to tell you a story unlike any you’ve ever heard.


About Alex

Alex Michaelides was born and raised in Cyprus. He has an M.A. in English Literature from Trinity College, Cambridge University, and an M.A. in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. The Silent Patient was his first novel, debuting at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, and has sold more than 6.5 million copies worldwide. The rights have been sold in a record-breaking 51 countries, and the book has been optioned for film by Plan B. His second novel, The Maidens, was an instant New York Times bestseller and has been optioned for television by Miramax Television and Stone Village.