Sam's Fireside - Cosy Book Reviews & Recommendations

The Silence was a real slow-burner for me. After the first attack, nothing seemed to happen for ages and then bam! It got darker and more twisted, as only a well-written thriller can. Gail was one of the main characters and a victim and I really didn’t warm to her at all. Yes, she had it tough and rough, but an evil streak ran close to the surface. DS Shona White was more likeable, all she wants to do is help the victims of crimes, without being hindered by her superiors.  I worked out who the perpetrator was about three-quarters of the way in and from then on; I was just getting frustrated that no one else was getting it! I reckon I must have some sort of screw loose, as these days, the more messed up the thriller, the more I enjoy it! There are loads of trigger warnings for The Silence, so make sure you read the description before you commit. If you’re happy with them all, then dive right into it. I think you’ll enjoy it. Thank you to Avon Books UK for the opportunity to read and...

'My theory is that my brain is like a lazy IT department, and every time there's a problem with the electrics it just panics and pulls the plug out at the wall. Switch her off, switch her back on again: see if that helps'. I loved, loved, loved this! A contender for my favourite book of 2023. There were definitely hints of Sally Diamond and Eleanor Oliphant in this book, and perhaps that is why I enjoyed it so much. Who on earth can lose their boyfriend, their job and their home in the same morning? Cassandra can! Bad luck or self-inflicted? Maybe a bit of both, but when Cassandra realises she can manipulate time to change the past, she sets out to do just that, not necessarily with the outcome she wants, so she tries again and again! Such an amazing character. Cassandra stayed with me for many days after I’d finished the book. She resonated with me a lot, her quirky ways, her routines, just many things about her and I so want to be her best friend - even if she wouldn’t w...

The title for this book grabbed me, simply because I moved to the coast last summer and decided I wanted to see if I could find sea glass (unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be much on the east coast of England but I’ll keep searching)! Lauren has moved to the coast after she lost her fiance. She takes on a new job as a housekeeper in an inn on the Outer Banks in North Carolina and tries to forget about the life she’s left behind. Very quickly, though, she becomes immersed once again in planning a wedding and even begins to enjoy herself. I’m a sucker for these sorts of stories, where the main character runs off to the seaside to get over a failed romance, a death or a career flop. Even better if they make a new life for themselves along the way. Lauren and Brody tugged at my heartstrings from the outset, and Mary was just like everyone’s favourite granny.  Sea glass is there, as a story in the background and how magical it can be. I just hope, in time, I find some too. Thank you ...

I loved this so much! An easy and fun read for summer days (or any day really)! I grew up in Birmingham and the book is set in Kings Heath, a suburb just a few miles from the city centre, so as the author writes about places in and around Birmingham I felt I was back there for a few days, it was warm and comforting. The book is set in two parallel timelines, one where Becca replies to a text from her ex and the other where she blocks and deletes his number. Each takes its own path and we find out just what happens in separate dimensions. I loved all of the characters, but Becca and Carlos were my favourites. The story was funny, warm, romantic and cosy and it made me feel warm inside from beginning to end.  If you want something fun and uplifting to read, then I recommend a copy of Lovestruck to take on your holidays with you. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for the opportunity to read and review Lovestruck by Laura Jane Williams. Amazon UK  |  Fac...

Her Last Promise is the fourth book in the Hanni Winter series and it’s now 1963. Hanni and Freddy are in the middle of a divorce. Renny, Freddy’s wild sister, wants to change the world and Leo - Hanni and Freddy’s son thinks he knows best! Throughout the book, I was rooting for Hanni and I was with her every step of the way as she searched for a way to bring her evil father to justice. She was full of grit and determination and, despite the many obstacles in her way, she kept the end goal in sight. WWII novels are often harrowing, but I found it difficult to read about Hadamar, the Nazi killing facility that the SS operated during the war. How another human being can even have thought about such a facility is beyond me, but as is true of many novels set in this era, it is educational and definitely something we should all be aware of. Her Last Promise is a must-read if you have read the other three books in the series but even if you haven’t and you start with this one, I’ll almost g...

Summary  Thank you if you've managed to read this far and I hope you found at least some of it helpful and interesting. As a quick summary, we booked Hilton hotels (primarily Hampton Inn & Suites) throughout all the time on the actual road, apart from Yellowstone where we chose an independent hotel. We were more than happy with Hilton; choosing the same hotel means you know what you're getting. We had a budget of £150 per night (apart from Yellowstone) so that should give you some idea of what we were getting for our money. Food has always been expensive in Vegas but it seems to have increased, even in the last twelve months. To put this into perspective, we had a Subway in Vegas and for two, foot-long subs it was $46. We had the same in Rexburg and it was $19.  That was just one example, it's easy to spend $50-$70 on breakfast/lunch in a restaurant and upwards of $100 for dinner. We went to Prime at Bellagio on our last night and there wasn't much change from $400....

Day 22 Today is the day we fly back home and a four-hour trip to Denver International Airport. The only benefit to living out of a suitcase for three weeks is not having to pack it all up when you’re ready to come home! We left fairly early (that’s what having eleven hours of sleep does for you)! We stopped off for a spot of breakfast in Cheyenne but didn’t stay too long, as we wanted to be sure we didn’t get stuck in traffic closer to Denver. However, we still made a good time, so we had an hour’s stop in Boulder, about 45 minutes from the airport. We went to Pearl Street Mall, which is the downtown district and full of little boutique shops and restaurants. I would definitely like to spend longer here if we are ever passing in the future. We dropped our car back at the Avis rental park and checked in for our flight around 3.30 pm. Flying Club World has its benefits, and we spent some time in the Admiral’s Club Lounge before our flight. The flight was uneventful, and we landed sa...