Sam's Fireside - Cosy Book Reviews & Recommendations

I'm a bit late writing my review for this one, as I listened in October 2024 as a bookclub choice for  #BookstaBritsBookClub.  I always love a time slip novel and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this one. We flip between the 1960s and 2003, with Jennifer a young married woman in the 60s and Ellie, a similar age in 2003.  This was such a beautifully written, nostalgic book and is very poignant when we think that this generation probably won't be writing letters and so there won't be any letters to discover. Texts and emails don't quite have the same mystery! I loved Ellie's investigative streak as she sought to discover the history behind Jennifer's letters and her husband and lover and how Jennifer's story is similar to her own.  The Last Letter From Your Lover is a beautifully written book about missed chances and relationship consequences and I'm thankful it was one of our bookclub choices last year. About the Book When journalist Ellie looks through...

I loved Onyx Storm! There has already been such a lot written about it, and people have differing views, but for me, it was a great continuation of the Empyrean series. In my opinion, it's written differently to Fourth Wing or Iron Flame. There is a lot more world-building in this book. We learn more about the history of what is known as the Continent, as well as the isles and the people who inhabit them, and I was so invested in this and discovering lots of new things. Violet grows massively in Onyx Storm, she's maturing both emotionally and physically and rather than her being a bit whiny and stroppy, she is now centred and assured. She has her head screwed on and makes some really great decisions. The dragons continue to be sassy and sarcastic and honestly, in my opinion, they make the books what they are. Tairn and Andarna are the ones that have me laughing out loud as I spit my coffee out! One of my favourite quotes from this book is this... Violet....talking about carryi...

After a second listen, in anticipation of the release of Onyx Storm, I have finally got around to writing my review for Iron Flame. Violet and her 'classmates' are like old friends now. I know who their dragons are, I know what signets they've manifested, and I know their strengths and weaknesses.   'It is therefore only natural, that the more powerful the dragon, the more powerful the signet its rider manifests'. Some people have said that the first part drags, but I didn't find that. For me, Rebecca Yarros just continued to build the world in which Violet lives, and each and every single chapter was written for a reason. Once again I thoroughly enjoyed Iron Flame, the second in the Empyrean series.  Rebecca Soler, as the narrator, throws herself wholeheartedly into reading this. In particular the battle scenes are hectic, tense and buzzing, I'm exhausted at the end of each one and all I've done is listen! In Iron Flame, we discover a world outside of B...

In September 2023 I listened to Fourth Wing for the first time, mainly because I'm a sheep and I follow the flock, but so began my love of all things dragon, and I was well and truly hooked.  In November 2023 I listened to Iron Flame and in May 2024 I ordered Onyx Storm. As the publication of Onyx Storm approached I felt that re-listens were essential and as I never got around to reviewing the first two books, here are my thoughts now. If you're a fan, then there isn't a lot I can say, so my review is for those who haven't ventured into Navarre and Basgiath War College but feel that they might like too. Fourth Wing is the first in a five part series, primarily with Violet Sorrengail as our female main character. She's a badass twenty-year-old who is going down a path rather different to the one she envisaged for herself. Think a mismatch of Harry Potter and Hunger Games, but way, way better and with a huge dollop of s*x, oh and dragons, lots and lots of dragons. Som...

Warning! The dog dies! This isn't a spoiler because it's in the synopsis - I just never read them! However, it happens early on, and I soon got past that tragic event as the story picked up pace and, despite the murder, death, blood, guts and gore, I absolutely could not get enough, I was eager to find out what happened, and those pages just weren't turning fast enough!  I had no idea how I'd feel about this book, Russell is a new-to-me author and the subject, a little outside my comfort zone. There definitely aren't any cute bookshops and happy-ever-afters in The Hero Virus! Think thriller, crime and suspense with a dystopian undertone, the world looks like it's going to end, and that might just well be due to just one man. I enjoyed it from beginning to end, it's fast-paced, entertaining, has great character development and I didn't know how it was all going to end. At one point I thought there might be a sequel coming. The author wrapped it all up ni...

Paris is once again our destination city for Rebecca's latest novel, The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted, and it was such a cute story. Coco is our protagonist and we journey with her as she weaves her way through relocation to another country, struggles with a teenage daughter, and coming to terms with the a*s*at her ex-partner was, alongside trying to find a job to help her on her way. I adored the bookshop and everything about it, from the 'potions and passages' to the quirky members of the book club. The characters are charming, and we even get a fleeting appearance from Anais, who pops in from one of Rebecca's previous books, so we also get to see what she's been up to! We had a place near where I used to live called Astley Book Farm, in Warwickshire in the UK, and it was an amazing place. Full of second-hand books, shelf upon shelf of every genre you could think of, and something new to discover at every turn, oh and amazing cakes too! The Paris Booksho...

This book is adorable. I fell in love with Poppy and Joel from the beginning, and I wasn't sure how they'd end up together, but I just knew they would. They clicked immediately and it was just so cute. Joel's daughter, Imogen, was a gem. I loved that she clicked with Poppy from the start, and, that isn't always an easy thing to do, but Imogen just knew that she wanted her Dad to be happy and Poppy was going to be the one who made that happen.  Poppy's Dad was suffering with Alzheimer's and I felt that this subject was sensitively dealt with and researched thoroughly. Thankfully, no one I know has had to go through this terrible disease, but I know a lot more about it now than I did previously. Jessica loves to bring her characters, from other books, into her current read and I adore this. It's like saying hello to old friends, finding out what they're up to now, and what's happened since we last met. All like one big happy family! I can't wait fo...