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October 2020 Books #AmReading

31 Oct 2020 21 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: Arc, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book Blogger, Book Review, Goodreads, Netgalley

The nights are drawing in, we are drifting closer to winter. Will my reading pick up this month?

My Sister’s Husband by Nicola Marsh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ooooh, what a wicked web of secrets and lies Nicola Marsh weaves in her latest suspense-filled book, My Sister’s Husband!
From the off, I was pulled in to the story of two pairs of sisters, with lives and experiences that mirror one another, in an uncanny way.
Brooke arrives home, to celebrate the wedding of her sister, Freya, to Ryker, after a lengthy absence, and finds herself reuniting with family, and finding out way more about her own history than she ever imagined,
Just how twisted can a person can be? I was on the edge of my seat, as I read this book, and though I spent most of the time trying to second guess the outcome, I was so off the mark when all was revealed.
Definitely a recommended read!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Released on 27th October

Christmas for Beginners by Carole Matthew
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Carole Matthews has done it again!
I was so happy to be able to visit the gang at Hope Farm again, having truly enjoyed Happiness For Beginners, and Christmas For Beginners did not disappoint.
Molly is settled into Hope Farm’s new home, complete with a state of the art mobile home for herself, her trusted friends Bev and Alan, a surrogate son, Lucas, living with her, and not forgetting the crazy animals who help to create the education she offers to the children who. come to visit the farm.
All that’s missing is a more regular appearance from Shelby, her partner, who also happens to be Lucas’s father, and a famous soap star.
From the off, I was feeling a sense of ‘things aren’t quite right’ between Molly and Shelby, and I rooted for her to make the right decisions, on several occasions. (Which she does, eventually.)
There is laughter in this. book, thanks to unruly animal, heartache, loss, but also, an overwhelming amount of love, both romantic, and otherwise, and above all, hope.
Such a lovely read.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Released on 29th October, 2020

Forgive Me by Susan Lewis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh, Susan Lewis, I do love your books!
A woman stifled by her overpowering husband finally finds a chance to escape a life of misery, with her daughter, and sets herself up with a new identity and life far away.
New names, new looks, new home, new friends.
But that fear never leaves…
I loved the way this book was written with the chapters of the story interspersed with letters from someone who obviously wronged one of the main characters.
I don’t want to say too much for fear of giving away too much of the plot, but I was totally drawn into the whole plot, and there were twists. Oh, were there twists!
I was left guessing for most of the book, on a lot of points, and all the guessing ensured I continued reading.
Definitely a recommended read!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Released on 12th November, 2020

Finding Henry Applebee by Celia Reynolds
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a delight of a story!
Finding Henry Applebee is a story about several characters, of which Henry is the main one,
An eighty-five-year-old man on a mission heads to Edinburgh to fulfil his heart’s desire, except it was never going to be that simple, was it?
A young woman is also heading to Edinburgh to act out the last of her mother’s wishes.
A twenty-something American Jazz musician is on his way to watch a much longed-for performance.
A chance meeting on a train. changes the lives of all three of these characters in a wonderful way.
I enjoyed reading this story, interspersed with flashbacks from the past featuring each of the main characters, adding layer upon layer to the plot.
I wanted to keep Henry Applebee, and look after him in my own home – what a sweetheart!
The story is filled with romance, of a deeper nature. What people do for love…

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Impulse and Killer Reads for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kate isn’t really looking for love, but her best friend, Laura, seems to think she should be. So strongly, that she coerces Kate into signing up for a course of twelve dates, leading up to Christmas.
Forced into a situation she really didn’t want to be in, Kate embarks upon her dates and ends up with a mixture of disappointment, surprise, passion, fear… but does love make an appearance?
I enjoyed this easy read of a Christmas romance, where love showed up in an unlikely place.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 12th November, 2020

Blue String by Tess Thompson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I adore reading about the character sets that Tess Thompson creates, and I was lucky enough to have won copies of the first three in the Blue Mountain Series, a couple of years ago.
When I heard that the fourth was coming out, I didn’t hesitate to pre-order.
This fourth book follows the Lannigan sister, Teagan, as she settles back into life in her childhood town. The death of her father and one of her brothers, has in some way or another, brought all the siblings back to the family land that holds such memories, and she has her own home build, to house her and Cris, her child.
Teagan is a prickly character. She’s not open to trusting people too easily, but when a certain person walks back into her life, after an intensive fling a while back, she is torn. Does she give her heart to the guy who may just swan off after he gets bored, or does she protect herself and her little boy, who is crying out for a father figure?
Wyatt Black is a country music star with a block. After suffering PTSD when a shooter killed tens of people at one of his concerts, he is stuck in an emotional rut. The only thing that he wants is to anchor himself near the one person he can’t get out of his mind.
Teagan Lannigan.
What follows is the tale of how they come together, once again, but not without plenty of bumps in the road, and even murder!
One thing I love about Tess Thompson’s books is how characters jump from one series to another, so there is already a familiarity to the story because you feel like you already know something,
Wyatt Black features in the Cliffside Bay series, briefly, too.

Only One Woman by [Christina Jones, Jane Risdon]

Only One Woman by Jane Risdon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve had this pon my kindle for a long while now and finally got a chance to read it.
Imagine being a 16-year-old, living your normal, boring life, then finding it turned upside down by a prospective Rock God moving in next door? And falling head over heels with him?
What about being at Death’s door, then being given a second chance at life, and grabbing all opportunities life throws at you, even if it casts you in the light of ‘the Other Woman’?
This book follows the diary entries of two very different girls, Renza, and Stella, and how, in the height of the Swinging Sixties, they fall for the same guy.
And even though he’s stringing along two women, you can’t help but feel for Scott, too…
I enjoyed this story, Kinky Boots, and all!
I always wonder how two authors write a book together, and this novel shows how a good collaboration works!

Sorry I Missed You by Suzy Krause
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’m not quite sure what I was expecting when I started reading this book, but, I have to say that once it got going, I was pretty much hooked.
One man finds himself the owner of a large house, but with conditions attached.
Strange conditions.
Three very different women end up renting apartments in that same quirky, old house.
Three women who have experienced very different losses.
Inexplainable happenings, and a letter partially destroyed, bring them all together, and mysteries get solved in an extremely twisted manner.
It was strange, but I really enjoyed reading it!

Amazing Grace by Kim Nash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What’s not to love about this book!
Grace is a single mother, trying her hardest to give the best of everything to her son Archie, with the help of their dog, Becks.
Working in a small estate agent, she bumbles along with her life, still silently grieving the loss of her mother, and harbouring guilt at her failed marriage.
Thankfully, Grace has people in her life who care, like a best friend who wants to get her back on her own two feet, not just as Archie’s mum, but as a woman, too, with makeovers and online dating set up.
And a rather dishy gardener happens to show up on her doorstep one day, and who just keeps on appearing…
Add in an ex-husband who wants the best of both worlds, and you have a recipe for an interesting tale.
But how can I forget one of my favourite parts of the book, the silent letters of support from Grace’s mum from beyond the grave?
I have to admit that my eyes teared up when reading them. It made me feel warm inside, to imagine that those we love and lose, are actually still there, watching what we are doing, cheering us on, sending us signals…
Archie’s a dream of a boy, at that awkward age when it’s far too hard to show your feelings when you are still a little boy, but a the cusp of growing up, needing your mummy but wanting to appear too old for ‘all that’.
I felt for Grace. I wanted to go and slap her ex in the face, myself.
I giggled and cringed through the stories of online dating, and warmed so much to Vinnie, the gardener, that I rooted for romance from the off.
Kim Nash has created a whole cast of characters that are likeable (or not, if you could the ex) and ones you want to get to know yourself.
A feel-good book, with plenty of ups and downs, moments of joy and laughter, and times where you feel truly choked up with emotion. Well, I did.
Fabulous read!

Predator by Zoe Caldwell

It’s a five star, but you’ll have to wait until the 2nd November for my review, as I’ll be posting about it separately, but if you are up for a dark, kinky thriller, then this one is for you!

Networking for writers. by Lizzie Chantree
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In this day and age, networking is key for both traditionally published, as well as self-published authors.
But where to start?
The amount of different social media platforms out there can boggle the best of minds, so it is always to great to have a thorough guide, and who better than a successful author and entrepreneur, to step up and share her tips and ideas?
Lizzie Chantree has put together a wonderful resource, that is a quick read, but filled with so many gems to help you get started, and continue growing your social media presence, and work with other writers, your readers and businesses to benefit not only yourself but the wider community, too.
Definitely worth the read.
Now, I’m off to schedule some posts… everywhere!

No Sex Please, I’m Menopausal! by Stevie Turner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hitting that era of life where menopause may become more of a reality than one of those things that might happen in the distant future, I began to read this book with a little more curiosity than usual.
Lyn is in the throes of the beginning of menopause. She’s all hot flushes and had a No Entry sign firmly placed ‘down there’, much to the frustration of her husband, Neil.
Things come to a head when she discovers he’s found ways to lubricate himself, without her assistance.
Armed with the keys to what was their holiday home, Lyn ups sticks and moves to Cornwall, to start up her new life.
She signs up to a matchmaking site, with ‘companionship only – NO SEX’ firmly ticked on her profile and proceeds to meet some characters, some of which become longstanding friends, and some, she’d rather not see again.
An easy to read book, and I really liked some of the characters, especially gentleman Peter and transexual, Jamie!
But, though the ending was very ‘happily ever after’, part of me wanted her to make a different choice.
Still, an enjoyable read.

The Scavenger's Daughters (Tales of the Scavenger's Daughters #1)

The Scavenger’s Daughters by Kay Bratt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve read some of Kay Bratt’s more recent reads before, and had the Scavenger’s Daughters on my kindle for a while now, so decided to read.
A different type of story, with some heart-wrenching scenes within the tale.
I have no real knowledge of the situation in China, especially during the times of the revolution and after, so this was eye-opening.
I truly hope there were men and women like Benfu and Calla, willing to give love and homes to the thousands of abandoned girls.
A touching story.
I look forward to reading the next one.

Tangled Vines (Tales of the Scavenger's Daughters #2)

Tangled Vines by Kay Bratt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After learning of all the good, Benfu and his wife Calli have done for abandoned daughters of the country, we get to follow the story further this time from Calli’s viewpoint, and the eldest of the adopted girls living with them now, as well as a new character, Li Jin, who is another woman, passed from pillar to post within the system, before suffering beyond what any girl should have to suffer.
All before a secret is unearthed.
Another tumultuous ride in the life of girls in post-revolution China.

Bitter Winds (Tales of the Scavenger's Daughters, #3)

Bitter Winds by Kay Bratt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The third book in the Scavenger’s Daughters series focussed on the twin girls Benfu and Calla look after, Ivy, and her blind sister, Lily, along with a little more about Sami, the girl who Li Jin, the blood daughter of Benfu and Calla, brought with her to live.
They now have a bigger home, but still, it is filled with folk who they want to help and is run by love and the goodness that runs through the veins of its inhabitants.
Until that is, misunderstandings occur, and one of the twins ends up incarcerated, and Sami stirs up her own trouble.
I’m sure that much of what is written has an element of truth in it. Quite possibly, not all this would happen to just one family, in reality, but it makes for interesting reading, and, as I have mentioned in reviews for the previous books, I feel more educated with each book I read.

Red Skies (Tales of the Scavenger's Daughters #4)

Red Skies by Kay Bratt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Red Skies, the fourth in the Tales of the Scavenger’s Daughters, was another heart-rending read.
This time, we concentrated on Mari, one of Benfu and Calla’s eldest ‘daughters’, who lives away from her family, with her husband, near Beijing.
Having been rescued from the streets as a child doesn’t mean that she’s spared any difficulties as she enters adulthood, and these are what Kay Bratt has explored in this book.
Mari is a ‘good wife’. She’s nursing her husband back to health after a serious fall, and juggling trying to work, to cover costs of living, with caring for a man, who is a mere shell of himself, and slowly turning to his medication for support, rather than his wife.
An Ni is a young girl, forced into the begging cycle by a gang who found her as a babe. Her path crosses with Mari’s one day, and little do they know how intertwined their lives will become.
Max is an American in Beijing on work duty, with a very personal mission he’s trying to complete as well.
There are so many layers to this story, from the begging gangs to adoption, to loss, in many forms. But there is always hope.

The Palest Ink (Tales of the Scavenger's Daughters #0)

The Palest Ink by Kay Bratt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This prequel to the Tales of the Scavenger’s Daughters series was truly heart-rending.
In The Palest Ink, we learned much more of Benfu, the Scavenger’s, history, and how he came to be where he ended up, in Wuxi, with his beloved Calli. It also follows the story of his best friend, Pony-Boy, and the ending truly had me in tears…
The horrors that were experienced by some in China during those times, were unknown to me, so it was eye-opening.
Thank you, Kay Bratt, for educating me in an era I had no knowledge of.

Phew! Seventeen books. That’s not a bad run, is it? There are a mix of new releases, as well as older ones, there, that I wanted to read, from my never-decreasing TBR pile. Which ones tickle your fancy?

September 2020 Books #AmReading

01 Oct 2020 7 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Amazon, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book Blogger, Book Review, Goodreads, Netgalley, Reviews

It’s a busy month, my birthday, and starting back at school. I am always shattered every evening, so it’ll be interesting to see how many books I manage to read this month… not many…

Christmas Sisters by Tammy L. Grace
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Christmas Sisters is a wonderful introduction to the characters due to star in a series to be released soon.
A woman filled with grief at losing her husband and child, opens her heart and home to a young girl who has been left with no carer, and as she comes to terms with having a new child in her life, she ends up with not one, but four new foster girls.
No links to one another, but connection that becomes so strong, they become soul sisters. Looking forward to reading the series, now!

Breathing Two Worlds by Ruchira Khanna
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Neena is an immigrant who has moved from her life and family in India to the hustle and bustle of modern USA.
This story charts a period in her life where the two cultures clash in many ways, when her father is taken ill, back home, and she has to rush back to support her parents.
How do you mesh two cultures together, keeping hold of your roots, as well as embracing the new one you now live in?
An interesting story.
My only sticking point was that some writing was a little clunky in places, possibly due to language differences, meaning there were moments when certain situations cot lost in translation.
However, if you look beyond this, the story has good potential, and makes good points.

One More for Christmas: A Novel by Sarah Morgan
5 star

I’ve always enjoyed Sarah Morgan’s Christmas inspired stories and this one was no different.
One More For Christmas explores the fractured nature of a mother’s relationship with her daughters, where her trying to do the best for them, ends up forcing them apart.
Then an accident brings them together, where secrets are unveiled, and in the midst of it all, a romance begins to blossom.
A great read for Christmas, with some touching moments,

Releasig 22nd October, 2020

To be published 15th October. I can’t actually put my review up yet, until the publication date… but it’ss GOOD!!

Life In Pieces by Dawn O’Porter

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved Dawn O’Porter’s So Lucky, so jumped at the chance to read her take on the Lockdown of 2020, and was not disappointed, whatsoever.
There were many moments I was nodding my head, agreeing with her thoughts, times I was giggling at her antics, and then, especially as she discussed the loss of her good friend, Caroline Flack, there were moments of deep sadness.
Dawn’s experience, regardless of whether she is a celebrity or not, mirrors the emotions of many families, stuck at home, home schooling, dealing with being in a home with the same people for months on end.
A great read!

Releasing on October 1st, 2020

The Christmas Swap by Sandy Barker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’ve got to be honest with you. The last few weeks have seen me read less and less, not for want of trying, but because I am exhausted due to the trials and tribulations of this whole Covid-19 craziness.
Books that I would usually whizz through, are unable to keep me awake and reading,
However, for the first time in around four weeks, I found a book that kept me reading, and I finished it in two sittings.
And that book was The Christmas Swap by Sandy Barker.
OMG, I LOVED it!
It was just the level of lighthearted reading that I needed, with characters that I felt invested in from the beginning.
The May Ladies, or rather Jules, Lucy and Chloe, are a trio who met as youngsters and formed a true bond, despite living in totally different continents, America, Australia and England. Their friendship stays strong over the years, with them meeting up regularly.
This Christmas, however, they end up swapping their lives, with Jules, the Aussie, ending up in a small village in Oxfordshire, Lucy the English rose, in the snowy depths of America, and Chloe, the American, enjoying a warm Aussie Christmas in Melbourne.
A total departure for each of them, and who knew they might just meet some one special in their new Christmas abodes?
I loved how Sandy switched slang for the different characters, so you could tell the origins of each character. The chemistry that simmered between certain individuals as they tested their feelings out, and that hint of something physical, without too much graphic detail.
A really wonderful read, that promises to take you on a journey of discovery, and a whirlwind tour of the world!
Many thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Released 16th October, 202

See, it was a much quieter reading month for me, due to starting back to school. the first few weeks always drain me totally, and having the builders around doesn’t help! Still, I was always reading, whether it was a page a day, or a chapter.

Which book caught your fancy?

What are you reading?

August 2020 Books #AmReading

31 Aug 2020 18 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Amazon, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book Review, Goodreads, Netgalley, review, Waterstones

Aaah, August… my month of rest(ish) as I am off school, and alongside my writing, I am hoping to make another dent in that TBR pile of mine, which shrinks every month, yet grows at the same time!

And I managed eighteen in total… not bad, among all the writing and house clear out.

Holly Banks Full of Angst by Julie Valerie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Took me a little while to get into the flow of this book, but I felt I should read it, seeing as it had been on my Kindle for a while and because I had an arc of the sequel to read too.
The story of Holly, mum to one and housewife to Jack. They lived in aa pretty normal place, living a normal life until Jack’s job forced a move into the village of Primm.
As I was introduced to the place, the residents of the village, it had a true Stepford Wives vibe with the Queen Bee, Mary-Margaret St. John, courting over everything that happened, especially the famed PTA for the local school.
Holly finds it hard to settle in, and even harder to let her daughter Ella go, as she starts kindergarten.
Especially as she has been roped in to help with numerous events with the PTA by the rather domineering Mary-Margaret.
Some interesting twists, and a large topiary peacock (peahen) named Plume feature in this middle of the road tale of an angsty mum, settling into unfamiliar grounds, while solving little problems as she goes.

The Peculiar Fate of Holly Banks (Village of Primm #2)

The Peculiar Fate of Holly Banks by Julie Valerie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Receiving this as an ARC pushed me to read the first in the Village of Primm series, which I already had on my Kindle.
Where I liked book one, this one, I liked even more, as we got to know more about the quirky characters now a full-time part of Holly Banks’ life since she moved to the Village of Primm with her family.
Holly’s wayward dog, Struggle is the star of this one, unearthing local treasures in her digging frenzies when she gets out of the back yard, and this causes consternation for some, and huge excitement for others.
There is still this Stepford Wives quality to the women who live there, but we get to delve deeper into their characters.
An enjoyable read.
Many thanks to NetGalley. and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 24th November, 2020

One Winter's Night (Kelsey Anderson, #2)

Review to come in an exclusive post with author Kiley Dunbar!

Releasing 16th September, 2020

Strictly Come Dating by Kathryn Freeman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you’re a fan of the spangly ballroom dancing fiesta that is Strictly Come Dancing, (or if you’re not, but still love a bit of romance) then you are going to love this!
Thirty-seven-year-old Maggie, single mum, doctor, and Strictly superfan enjoys weekly gatherings with her best friends, twins, Sarah and Alice, andher nanny, Hannah, to watch all the latest episodes of Strictly Come Dancing. Even their kids have caught the bug.
As they settle down for a night of pizza and dance, a new face shows himself, in the name of Seb, the twin’s younger, wayward brother.
Hearts are set aflutter, but who is this twenty-seven-year-old Aussie surf hunk destined to fall for? Hannah, the pretty nanny, or Maggie, the middle-aged mum?
Sprinkled with humour, dance, and annoying ex-husbands, Strictly Come Dating is a fun, easy read.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins, and One More Chapter for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Secrets in the Snow by Emma Heatherington
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Roisin has had a rough ride in life, bouncing from foster carer to foster carer, before entering o=innto an abusive marriage.
Through a welcome tragedy, she finds herself widowed and wants to make a fresh start for her and her son, Ben.
A pin in a map lands her in a tiny village called Ballybray in Ireland, and it couldn’t be more different from her upbringing in the city of Dublin.
Once there, she finds that she has an interfering neighbour, Mabel Murphy, an elderly widow, with a New York twang, who refuses to believe that this young woman would prefer to be alone.
What develops between them, is a friendship stronger than most, more akin to family.
Life is idyllic, almost, until Mabel gets ill and passes away.
But this meddling neighbour isn’t finished with her work to make sure Roisin lives her life to the fullest.
Somehow, from beyond the grave, she’s arranged for some messages, specifically for Roisin, and Aidan, Mabel’s nephew, who has been in the US for the last fourteen years, and only comes back to Ballybray to attend the funeral and sell off her property.
What follows, in the story, is the impact of the messages that Mabel sends, seasonally, for these two lost souls, over the course of a year, and how the words of a soul long gone, can still have a positive effect on the lives of those left behind.
I truly enjoyed this book. Wonderful characters. Everyone needs a Mabel Murphy in their lives.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 15th October, 2020

Timothy Mean and the Time Machine 2 by William A.E. Ford
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A wonderful addition to the Timothy Mean series of books.
Timothy goes on several adventures in his time machine, visiting Ancient Egypt and Rome, to name a few destinations. He finds himself in several pickles, just about escaping with his time machine.
Until faced with the aliens in space.
This is when the power of siblings comes into play.
Beautiful illustrations and a lovely rhyming story make for another book, I’d happily read to my class in school.

Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up by Alexandra Potter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A fun recount of a year in the life of Nell, a forty-something woman who feels like nothing in her life is how she/d imagined it would be, as she reaches her forties.
No man, no job, no home, no children… friends soaring in their own lives. Even her younger brother is getting ahead of her.
Through the year, she begins documenting her thoughts in a little known podcast, meets an old mate who gives her a simple job, that leads to her meeting an octogenarian new BFF and finds a room to rent in a flat, with a rather pernickety landlord.
The year has its ups and downs, but the biggest thing is there is discovery and not just the discovery that her podcast ends up a hit!
A fun-filled, relatable read for all those who think their lives are going nowhere, and need a reminder that all will be well
Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Releasing 31st December, 2020

Collaboration for Authors by Daniel Willcocks

Collaboration for Authors: A complete guide to collaborating, finding a partner, and accelerating your author career. by Daniel Willcocks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Are you a writer, toying with the idea of collaborating with another author?
Do you even know what collaboration is?

I must admit, the first thing that came to mind for me was the co-authored books that I’ve seen, but in this book Dan Willcocks breaks collaboration down into fantastically entertaining bite-size chunks, from the start, explaining the different types of collaboration, to how to approach another writer about forming a partnership of sorts.

Then he goes further into the nitty-gritty of working with another creator.

There’s pretty much everything any self-respecting author needs, to educate themselves on the art of a successful collaboration.

I especially enjoyed the case studies interspersed within the book, giving us a smorgasbord of tidbits and nuggets of advice from established collaborators in various types of partnerships.

Well worth the investment, if you are thinking of collaboration with another author.

Adult Virgins Anonymous by Amber Crewe
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’ve got to be honest. The title totally drew me in.
A group for adult virgins? Bring it on!
A short segment at the beginning introduces two characters who don’t know each other, at uni, in 2011. Kate and Freddie, are both plucking up the courage to approach people they like.
Fast forward to now, and those same characters have never quite managed to pluck up that courage, and now find themselves, almost ten years later, in the same place, romantically, as they were then.
A chance sighting of a card in a pub, advertising a group for Adult Virgins, leads them both back to their old university, where the meetings are held, and the story unfolds.
Low confidence, OCD, overbearing families, friends who really aren’t, interspersed with new opportunities, new friends, and possible new love.
A cut story, which you know is going to have a HEA.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Staughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 21st January, 2021

The Flip Side by James Bailey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Imagine the heartbreak. You’ve planned for what feels like forever, and finally got the girl of your dreams in the place of her dreams, with a ring waiting in your pocket, the privacy of an empty pod on the London Eye, and it’s New Year’s Eve to boot.
Then she says no.
This is precisely what happens to our hero, Josh.
He finds himself jobless, homeless and girlfriendless to boot.
After moving home to his parents, a 27-year-old failure, he decides the flip of a coin will be the best way to make all the choices about his life for a year. After all, making them on his own hasn’t worked out that well.
Will it help him find love? A job? A new home?
What follows is a gigglesome account of what happens when a small disc of metal dictates what you do next.
I enjoyed the story, though possibly a little unrealistic, but it made for an easy read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 26th November, 2020

Before I Saw You: The delightful and emotional love-story of 2021 by Emily Houghton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Reading the blurb for this book truly enticed me to read the story of two people who find themselves side by side in a hospital recovery ward, building a friendship, a relationship, almost, without ever seeing each other.
Alfie is the life of the ward, keeping the spirits of his two longterm roommates up, developing bonds with everyone he encounters, and is coming to terms with his own tragedy, and being a recent addition to the world of the amputee.
Then, one day the spare bed next to him is filled, but the curtains are drawn. The secret roommate intrigues them all.
Alice is a successful career woman, but her world comes tumbling down after a freak accident at her work leaves her injured beyond recognition. She finds herself in a dark place, shutting herself away from the world, refusing to see anyone she knows, and even baulking at the idea of the health professionals coming in to check on her.
What follows is a story filled with ups and downs, as Alfie tries his hardest to break down the barriers between this invisible woman and the rest of the world.
I loved Alfie’s relationship with his fellow patients. He is such a positive character, but with shadows that loom over him.
After reading what happened to Alice, it made me wonder how I would feel, in her situation. Would I end up wanting to become a recluse?
Many deep issues explored in a captivating read.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Random House Uk and Transworld Publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Releasing 4th February, 2021

The Two Lives of Louis & Louise by Julie Cohen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An intriguing concept of a book, where we follow the life of the same person, but explore the differences within their lives, had they been born male or female.
Louis and Louise live the same life, but the way they are treated, and the opportunities they are afforded, show the difference gender can make in life.
There are some tough themes explored within this book, and it made for an interesting read.

Trust No Aunty by Maria Qamar
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Absolutely loved this! I spent most of the time I was reading, nodding and imagining the different aunties that I know, and also, as a mid 40’s woman, myself, trying to work out if I was one yet, or not!

Coconut Unlimited by Nikesh Shukla
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This novel was a real moment of reminiscence for me, taking me back to my youth, and remembering those young Indian lads who thought they were ‘bad’ because they liked rap and hip hop!
Nikesh Shukla’s debut novel was a funny insight into the mind of a 14-year-old Gujju boy, Amit, brought up in Harrow.
A boy sent to private school by parents who scrimped and saved to send him there, with great aspirations for their only boy, whose own hopes and dreams were so different.
Amit never really feels like he fits in, anywhere. He’s singled out by pupils and staff in school as one of a handful of Indians, and out of school, he’s constantly batting off comments from other family and friends, about him thinking he’s too good for them because of going to Private school.
He discovers Hip Hop, and decides that he’s going to embrace the Rap and Hip Hop culture with his two friends, and they form a Hip Hop band, Coconut Unlimited, with varying degrees of success…
A fun read.

The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was my first delve into the world of Alisha Rai’s words, and the fact that I have another of her books already lined up to read, next shows that I was not disappointed with what I read, here.

Rhiannon is a badass corporate woman with an uber-successful dating app company under her belt.
But, situations from the past have tainted her view of men, relationships and love.
Still, hookups are indulged in rarely, and her last one affected her in a way she never thought.
Imagine then coming face to face with that same hookup in a professional setting, and watching as your life, your beliefs, your thoughts end up being turned upside down.

I loved this story, which was both light-hearted, and deep, at the same time. Focussing on issues that are so current, including the difficulties of being a minority in a place where people don’t expect you to be, and the #MeToo movement, it affected me more emotionally than I would have expected.

Rhi’s hero, Samson Lima, retired sports star, is a pleasure to read about. What a gentle giant of a gentleman!

A good read.

Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I quickly devoured this, the second book inn the Modern Love series by Alisha Rai , invested in the characters from the first book, The Right Swipe.
Imagine going about your life, and after a chance conversation in a coffee shop, finding yourself embroiled in the midst of a Tweet gone viral?
Some would love it, but not a person who has consciously tried to keep herself out of the limelight for the last few years.
The story of Katrina, a young, rich widow, and her own personal traumas, compared to those of Jas, Singh, her bodyguard, were pretty addictive to read. I finished it in one sitting!
Loved the cultural references, and I learned stuff about South Asians and how they settled in The States, as well!
Great read!

The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters by Balli Kaur Jaswal
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Having read Balli Kaur Jaswal’s Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows, a couple of years back, I was keen to read another of her books. The fact that Shergill was in the title was a hook for me, as we know people with that surname. I know that means nothing, but it was just another familiarity that connected me.
Being a writer in a similar genre was another reason I wanted to read.
Three sisters, all very different, are forced back together to take part in a pilgrimage, back in the Motherland, India, planned by their mother on her deathbed.
Rajni, Jezmeen and Shirina all have their personal struggles, and none want to admit them to their own sisters.
This trip shows their internal struggles, as well as a building up of relationships, broken down by years of misunderstandings and secrecy.
I know that India Jaswal described. I felt the emotions of the sisters, being a British Indian, going back ‘home’ yet not quite fitting in.
All in all, a great read that I read in two sittings.

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I began this book with a whole load of expectations, and thankfully they were met.
The story follows two sisters, Ayoola, who ha a tendency to kill her boyfriends, and Korede, the older one who gets summoned to clean up the mess.
Set in Lagos, Nigeria, the story is a dark, comic novel, laying emphasis on these two sisters’ relationship, essentially.
A very quick, fun read.

Anothe eclectic selection of reads, there. I’ve finished all my arcs for now, and am attempting to read the books by the side of my bed, before I have to pack them, for this move, if we ever get to that stage!

Which one tickled your fancy? And tell me, what are you reading now?

July 2020 Books #AmReading

01 Aug 2020 25 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book Review, books, Goodreads, Netgalley, reading, Reviews

Waving goodbye to July…

What book reading pleasure have I managed this month?

Departed: David and Sara (Cliffside Bay…

Departed: David and Sara by Tess Thompson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have managed to work my way through pretty much the whole of the Cliffside Bay series this year, and I was eager to read this last instalment, but at the same time, not so, as it meant that a cast of characters that have become friends, would be wrapping up the story in this book.
I don’t know about anyone else, but with the current COVID-19 climate, I seem to have got a bit addicted to reading books that have endings that aren’t as perfect as I’d usually like, and when I started Tess’s book, I knew there would be ups and downs, then a wonderful, perfect Happily Ever After… and I wasn’t entirely sure I was ready for so much positivity.
But, reading the story of how Sara and David finally fall for each other, I proved myself wrong.
How a will, and a desire to do something good for the world, can make an ‘arrangement’ end up in True Love, was the perfect antidote for the depression that has hit my reading mind.
And I have to admit to a few happy tears at the end, as the story wraps up.
Thank you, Tess, for these wonderful characters, and I do so hope that something may just get resurrected in the future 😉

The Secret of You and Me by Melissa Lenhard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Form the beginning, I was captured into the story of two women, torn apart as young girls, upon discovery of their forbidden love, and how they cope with being thrown together again eighteen years later.
Nora finds herself back in her hometown after eighteen years of exile, sent away by her father, after she was found in a compromising situation with her best friend Sophie.
Sent off to join the military, Nora comes to terms with her feelings, and her attraction to both men and women, as Sophie is left back home, building her own perfect future.
The twists come hard and fast, as her father dies, and she returns for the funeral, to come face to face with her childhood love, Sophie, who is married to Charlie, who used to be Nora’s boyfriend.
Confused?
It will make sense once you read.
This is a beautifully told story of love reclaimed, and two women finally being able to be themselves, after decades of hiding their true selves. Set in a town filled with strict religious beliefs, and a whole new generation to think about, along with the older people, who see same-sex relationships as the ultimate sin, there are so many layers this story peels through.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Mills And Boon for an ARC, in exchange for my honest opinion.

Releasing on 4th August 2020

Emily, Gone by Bette Lee Crosby
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first of Bette Lee Crosby’s books that I have read, and I have heard so much about it I was looking forward to getting stuck in.
A rollercoaster of a read is what I would describe it.
Imagine being pregnant, nearing the end of your pregnancy, when you go into labour, only to have the tragedy of a stillbirth?
Now, imagine, you somehow find yourself in a strangers house, and a tiny infant lays there, looking just like your baby should have?
Then, imagine being the parent who wakes after a deep slumber, caused by three sleepless nights, to find your infant gone?
All these things happen in the book, as we explore the emotions that run through the minds of both women, who have motherhood robbed of them, in two deeply tragic ways.
We experience the fear of a woman on the run, and the faith of a woman ever hopeful… With twists and turns to accompany every step of the story.
A well-written story, with loss at the centre, but ringed with hope all the way through.

Read as an Arc. Full review in post in Augus

The Secret Letters by Taryn Leigh
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Rachel is a woman who has worked hard to get where she is now, in her own clinic as a psychiatrist. In a long-standing relationship with Will, her boyfriend, she thinks things are moving slowly, but in the right direction, but at the back of her mind, there are niggles.
Then she is attacked in her own home, by the same man who attempted to rape her as a teenager.
What follows is the story of how she overcomes her fears, sheds the dead weight in her life and finds some amazing new friends, rekindles relationships with family, and finds her forever love, too.
The Secret Letters is a bittersweet romance, covering some serious issues within, including attempted rape, estranged families and unfaithfulness.
Written in an uncomplex way, The Secret Letters is an easy read that can be devoured in a few hours, by young adults, as well as the more grown kind.
There are some fantastic characters in the book. I almost wish there was even more development of some of them, like Mr Lemon. I loved Mr Lemon. Everyone needs a Mr Lemon in their lives!
In fact, there were some places I almost wished that the scenes took a little longer, to explore some of the issues within, or expand upon details, so it didn’t feel rushed.
I was offered a chance to read this book by the author, for an honest review.

Released 9th August, 2020

Soldier’s Girl : Love Story of a Para Commando by Swapnil Pandey
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I really wanted to like this book but I’m sorry to say I found it so hard to finish.
Poor spelling, sentence structure, going of rails, tense mix ups… I’m not sure where to start.
Poor execution of what could have been an interesting love story.
😢

Soul Waves by Sylvester L Anderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A beautiful set of poems and life lessons written by prolific poet, Sylvester Anderson.
This is a book you can pick up and open, to give yourselves a morsel of wisdom, or positivity, whenever you need it!

Dance in the Rain by Shreya Dutta
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An emotionally packed anthology of poems.

Down The Tubes by Kate Rigby
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve had this on my Kindle for a while, now, but only just got round to reading it.
Gut-wrenching is the word I’d use to describe it.
Drug addiction is an awful thing to experience – not the highs – that’s what gets you addicted – but the lows, the cold turkey, the trying to get back on the road to normality, to ‘clean’.
This story explores addiction in a raw, sometimes difficult to read, way. Realistic. Almost too realistic.
We follow the story of a mother and her son. They’re estranged, but their life routes are parallel in so many ways.
She finds the art of being a mother to a baby addictive, but can’t deal with a baby who doesn’t act like he’s supposed to.
He finds solace in his father’s adoration, which takes a sinister turn, that ends up with him running away.
Abuse, substance misuse, deaths, births favouritism… so much discussed.
It was a hard, but very good read.

One Step Behind by Lauren North
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When I was approached to read this arc, I didn’t hesitate, Having been a reader of Lauren North’s previous book, The Perfect Son, despite it being a book not of my usual genre, and really enjoying it, I was more than happy to read this new one, not least because it comes out on my birthday!
Gripped.
That’s what I was, with this book.
Imagine being a busy, A & E doctor, as well as a wife, and mother to two young children, with the horror of a stalker to add to the mix?
That is the life of fear and exhaustion that the main character Jenna is facing.
Every time she goes anywhere, the feeling that she is being watched.
Each time she opens her emails to find threat filled messages.
Whenever she opens the front door. or goes to the garden, the thought that another ‘gift’ may be left.
At least she can keep her family safe in the house… until she finds out he’s been inside.
Then, as she begins to piece together evidence, and works out who this person might be, she ends up having to treat him after he is brought in with life-threatening injuries.
I really enjoyed the book, and every time I thought I’d pieced together the mystery, something else was thrown into the mix to twist the story further.
Recommended read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 3rd September, 2020

All About Us by Tom Ellen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

How many times have you sat back and wondered ‘what if’?
Ben is having a personal crisis. The world and its aunt seems to have their lives all mapped out, from his wife, Daphne, to his old uni mucker, Herv. Everyone has goals and seems intent on getting there. Ben, however, is wallowing in a pool of self-pity. His dream of being a writer, following in the footsteps of his estranged father, seems increasingly unlikely. In fact, he is just not cut out fo this life. He’s no good for is wife, his friend, himself. Better than he walks away now, right, and steps into a relationship that was the ‘could-have-been’ in his life…
All About Us charts a Christmas Carol style tale of visitations into key points in Ben’s past, Could things really have been better if he’d done something different at these times?
It was an enjoyable read, and I especially felt for Ben, with regards to his mother. All those unspoken words, conversations that you wish you’d had when they were alive…
Oh, and, sometimes that old adage, that the grass is greener? It ain’t always true!
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ Stories for an arc, in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 15th October, 2020

Atomic Love by Jennie Fields
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Atomic Love is a literary thriller, based in the ’50s, about a young woman, Rosalind, a scientist, whose livelihood is left in tatters after the bomb in Hiroshima. Having been involved in the Manhatten project, and the development of the Atomic Bomb, she is scarred with the guilt of all those lost lives, and to top it off, she lost her love , who sold her under the river, and disappeared,
A few years later, she is working a simple job in a department store, when he comes back, to rekindle love, or to wreak havoc again?
Enter an FBI agent scarred from his own battles in the war, who needs her help.
What follows is a story filled with emotion and twists, as Rosalind’s life is turned upside down.
Will she turn to her ex-lover, and help him with his troubles, or will she succumb to the feelings that are developing for a certain FBI agent?
This isn’t my usual genre to read, but I thoroughly enjoyed the story, and found myself willing my eyes to stay awake to finish the book.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for an Arc, in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 3rd September, 2020

Eudora Honeysett is Quite Well, Thank You by Annie Lyons
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Having thoroughly enjoyed books like Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, and seeing that parallels had been drawn, I was intrigued by the blurb, about an octogenarian, Eudora Honeysett, who is contemplating an end of life clinic in Switzerland, to be her final stop on this planet, having no one around to care.
What a fantastic book!
I loved Eudora, the staid eighty-five-year-old, who has her simple days planned out and fancies sorting her end out too, so she doesn’t become a burden upon anyone else, or have to suffer, like her own mother.
But, then along comes Rose, a ten-year-old whirlwind, who enters her life as a new neighbour, and who injects the affection into Eudora’s life. Something she’s been missing.
And I can’t forget Stanley, the fellow octogenarian widower, who craves company but has never quite got the response from Eudora, that he hoped for.
The story flits back to Eudora’s childhood formative years and key points in her past that have shaped her.
It was a heartwarming read, showing that it’s never too late to form meaningful relationships.
I really loved it.
Many thanks to NetGalley. Harper Collins and One More Chapter for an ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 17th September, 2020

Second Chance Lane by Nicola Marsh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Second Chance Lane is my second read by author Nicola Marsh and a very different read to the one I read before.
Tash is living her simple life as a single mother to young Teen Isla, in her small backwater village of a hometown. No one knows the details of the father of her child, Isla included, and she plans on keeping it that way.
Until he rocks up at the house next door. Kody Lansdowne is Australia’s Rock Golden Boy. From humble beginnings, he, and his rich band have conquered the world, these past thirteen years, but nothing can prepare him for the news that he is a father. To a teenager.
Jane is fed up of her reputation as the village homewrecker. After years of putting on aa facade, her resolve crumbles, as. she finds it harder to cope with the way she is viewed by the locals, and her mother doesn’t help matters either. Then up rocks Morgan. Nerd from school who she had no time, for, but he’s not so much of a nerd now.
Second Chance Lane is a wonderfully written story, a Rural Second Chance Romance (or two of them in one book!) I enjoyed reading the story and loved the twists and turns. taken to get two couples so obviously right for each other, to realise, and get it on!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia, HQ & MIRA for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 7th October, 2020

The Chalet by Catherine Cooper
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A captivating read!
Set in the French Alps, at a ski resort, The Chalet focuses on a tragedy that occurred in the past and moves fluidly back and forth between then, and the present, to bring the story to its conclusion.
An impromptu break for two brothers and their girlfriends in the late 90s begins well but ends in chaos as an awful tragedy occurs and the story that follows takes us through the minds of several people supposedly not connected, but in reality, they are, entwined with the death of a man, in the most complex ways.
The Chalet is an excellent psychological thriller and a fantastic debut for Catherine Cooper.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 31st October, 2020

The Boy Toy by Nicola Marsh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thirty-seven-year-old Samira has moved back to Melbourne after years of living her own life in LA, following a painful divorce that left her reeling from the lack of support from her local Indian community.
It didn’t help that she herself was a product of a mixed marriage, with an Indian mother and an American father.
Fast forward over a decade, and she’s back, on the pretext of helping her cousin, Pia, out with her new business.
What she didn’t count on was meeting a young Aussie hunk on pretty much the first night she’s back in town.
It’s not often I come across a novel that leaves me nodding my head in agreement to much of it, but as a British born Indian, I related to a lot of scenarios covered in The Boy Toy.
I wasn’t only nodding my head, but laughing aloud, in parts, as I recalled going through similar events.
The Boy Toy covers some big issues, in an extremely light-hearted way, an easy read, with the chance of being educational to those Westerners who aren’t familiar with the Indian culture, bar eating curry at the local Indian restaurant!
Mixed race relationships and marriage, infertility, pregnancy out of wedlock, and dealing with a verbal disability, a stutter, all feature in this book. Oh, and rather a lot of naughty scenes!
And reading the taster of a Man Ban, and finding out that a certain, rather tasty Doctor from this book is featuring, I am sure I’ll be reading that too!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for an Arc, in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 17th November, 2020

Fifteen books… not bad for the last few weeks of term, and a productive reading month, at that!

Which one tickles your fancy?

June 2020 Books #AmReading

30 Jun 2020 33 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: Amazon, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book Blogger, Book Reviews, Goodreads, My Thoughts, Netgalley, review

We have officially reached the middle of this strange year, 2020!

What book reading pleasure have I managed this month?

The Sin Eater by Megan Campisi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a fantastic book!
I always find Historical fiction to be fascinating, and this was no different.
Orphan Meg Owen is picked up by the guards for stealing a loaf of bread.
Expecting a punishment, but lenient at that, she is stunned to find that she is branded, on the tongue and made into a sin eater.
She is cast into a life of loneliness and silence, finding solace with the other sin eater in her town.
Unable to fathom why, Meg begins to learn more about her new life, taking on the sins of others on their deathbeds, then eating them, expecting to die a lonely woman. filled with the secrets of others.
But she doesn’t expect to stumble upon a secret of epic proportions, involving royalty and treason.
I don’t want to write too much about the story, which is twisted and brilliant in its entirety.
Megan Campisi has created a parallel world, so similar to certain parts of our history, with enough changes to make it fantastical.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan. Macmillan for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing on 23rd July 2020

In Case You Missed It by Lindsey Kelk
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve been a fan of Lindsey Kelk since the first I Heart book, and am always enticed by the thought of another Kelk-masterpiece out.
In Case You Missed It is another great easy, summer read, with a main character, Ros, experiencing the telltale ups and downs synonymous with a Lindsey Kelk book.
Trouble with work, trouble with relationships, trouble with adulting…
Lots of laugh out loud moments, a gaggle of loyal, almost all-knowing friends, a teenage gaming celeb (I Know!) and some cheeky romance, with a couple of dashing heroes to add to the mix.
What fun!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 23rd July 2020

The Wish List by Sophia Money-Coutts
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Yet another brilliant read from Sophia Money-Coutts!
Meet Florence Fairfax, a slightly OCD character, with some interesting anxiety-related behaviours, who works in a small book shop in London. Oh, and a non-existent love life.
Until a concerned stepmother suggests a therapist…
Amidst disbelief that anything will come of it, Flo visits said therapist and comes away with a list of her perfect man.
And apparently, the universe delivers! Or does it?
I loved the characters, and I honestly laughed out loud several times, causing my husband to look at me quizzically. How could I explain that “Cowabunga!” will never sound the same to me ever again? (Confused? Well, you need to read to find out the reason – and it’s well worth the read!)
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Released 6th August, 2020

Beach Read by Emily Henry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The title, Beach Read, intrigued me. The blurb even more so.
Two writers, each very different, and struggling with writer’s block in their own way, end up in the same place, neighbours. And an old ‘rivalry’ becomes tentative support for one another, but love?
January is all about the Happily Ever Afters, in life and her writing.
Gus doesn’t suffer fools gladly, and his literary preferences mirror his thinking.
Their personal challenges, along with the writing one they set for each other, allows their lives to entwine in a way they never thought possible.
It took me a little while to get into the book, but once I started, I couldn’t stop.
I enjoyed the characters and the story, along with the little twists and reveals that are dropped along the way, making you guess which way this story is going to end.
It’s not a typical RomCom, but I could definitely see myself reading it on the beach! (Apart from some of the more intimate scenes… Well written, not too tacky, but erotic enough to make you feel…)
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 20th August, 2020

The Lost Love Song by Minnie Darke
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’m not sure where to start.
But suffice to say this story blew me away. Read in a day.
Some say that with books that have too many characters, it is hard to feel connected or emotional about them, but this one did that and more.
The story surrounding Diana and Arie’s love story is an emotive beginning, and the twists and turns at the beginning left me in tears. Then the way Belinda, Evie, Bene, Felix, Beatrix, and others, were brought into this tale of love was so clever.
I just loved it!
I really don’t want to write too much about the story, for fear of giving something away. Suffice to say, I think you should definitely read it!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing on 6th August, 2020

The Move by Felicity Everett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was looking forward to some sort of domestic thriller, but it wasn’t quite there.
The story of Karen and Nick, moving to the country to escape from her demons, and his cheating, had so many chances for more twists to occur, and some did, but they were left with the ends still loose.
The characters were great, the descriptions fantastic, but the story was lacking.
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for an ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 20th August, 2020

No Place too Far by Kay Bratt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I truly enjoyed the first book in the series, True To Me, so was eager to dive back into the Maui waters, and I was not disappointed,
No Place Too Far continues the stories of a group of characters we met before in True To Me, concentrating a little more on Maggie. Maggie came out to live in Maui after her friend Quinn settled there, once she found out that was where her birth family lived.
Maggie, herself, is trying to settle down after spending a year on the run from a stalker, with her young son.
I was so engrossed with the story, that had I not had work the next day, I’d have been reading far into the wee hours of the morning!
Quinn and Maggie’s stories run side by side, but entwining in places, and with blossoming friendships, tentative romances and shocking returns.
The descriptions of the lush scenes of Maui made me wish I was there.
And knowing there is a third book to come… well, I am super excited!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Released 1st September, 2020

How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A compelling read, with an amalgamation of personal experience and suggestions of how we, as a whole community, can really get behind becoming anti-racists. It gives a good background into the #BlackLivesMatter movement, and why current events may have escalated in the way they have.
Educate to change.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for a copy of this book.

The Hidden Beach by Karen Swan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed Karen Swan’s The Hidden Beach.
Bell is a young British woman, who, through her own personal tragedy, ends up living in Sweden, and nanny to a family with three children she is immensely attached to.
Friends think the parents, Hanna and Max, may be taking advantage of her love for the children, as week after week, she cancels plans to help them out.
But then she gets sucked into a personal tragedy the family suffers, and there is no going back.
The thing is, there is a twist. How can she be an impartial help in their time of need, when she appears to have confusing feelings for the one person they are all scared of?
I loved Bell’s character. She is a damaged soul, who wants to get back to normality, but life is not prepared to let her.
Her relationship with the children she looks after, and especially Linus, the 10-year-old son, is heartwarming to read.
The story shifts in perspective, being told from Bell’s point of view, as well as Emil, and sometimes Hanna and Max. This wasn’t always clear, but with a little rereading, I would work out whose head I was in.
But a good read finished in a day.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an arc, in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 9th July, 2020

The Phantom’s Curse by Shelley Wilson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I popped my YA cherry on the Guardian Series by Shelley Wilson, and enjoyed the Hood Academy too, so was quietly excited for this new book by her to come out.
I enjoyed the story of Marianne, a young, unsuspecting girl, who doesn’t realise the power she holds within.
A kingdom torn apart by the Phantom’s curse, then gently pieced together again, to be at the point of being ripped at the seams again. A strange world for this girl to be in, until she realises what her part in the role of ridding the world of the Phantom.
Marianne, along with her brother, Newt, and various friends, battle dark armies and crooked lords to save their kingdom.
There is magic, the fae, kingdoms, lords, ladies, and a little bit of love!
I enjoyed the book, and read it easily in a couple of hours. I would say it is targeted at the younger end of the YA market.

Flying Solo: The new laugh-out-loud romantic comedy coming this summer from Zoe May!

Flying Solo by Zoe May
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Love. India, finding oneself, romance, strong woman… what’s not to like?
I really enjoyed the story of Rachel, a woman with a plan. Or a list, at least. She’s worked hard to achieve all her goals in life so far, with the exception of one; to get married to her perfect man. But that is all about to change,
just not in the way she expected.
Rachel winds up in an ashram in India, attempting to rescue her boyfriend and perfect life, but ends up on a journey of self-discovery, and realises that the best-laid plans aren’t always the ‘best’.
Rachel is a fabulous character. Don’t we all want to be like Rachel? Someone who knows exactly what she wants, and when.
Oh, I wanted to throttle her no-god boyfriend, Paul, but then we met Seb, and I loved him! What a hottie! And a spiritual one at that.
A really good read, and I loved the ending!
Many thanks to NetGalley for an ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 6th July, 2020

The Last Charm by Ella Allbright
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a charm of a book!
As a young girl, Leila’s mother left her and her father, with only a silver charm bracelet to remember her by. At the same time, Jake and his family move into the area Leila and her father are leaving, into their old home. A fleeting meeting between both young people leaves a lasting bond.
The bracelet gets lost, and the book is a retelling of how each charm that dangles from it was acquired, and a plea to whoever finds it, to return it.
I was taken on a total rollercoaster of emotions, reading the story of Leila, and her charm bracelet, and Jake, her silent support, who floated in and out of her life.
I loved both the main characters and the bittersweet twist at the end left me teary.
Yes, definitely read this book!aa
Many thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing on 21st August, 2020

The Shelf by Helly Acton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The blurb for The Shelf pulled me in immediately, hence the clicking on Request It as soon as I could, and I was quick to download and read it, once I was accepted.
Expecting to be jetting off on an exotic holiday with her hopefully soon-to-be fiance, ends up with our heroine, Amy, finding herself dumped, and on the set of a Big Brother-style reality show, The Shelf.
Cue four weeks of coping with humiliation, forming friendships, and coming to realisations about herself.
It took me a couple of chapters to get into the book, initially. Why was this woman putting up with that narcissistic idiot of a boyfriend, Jamie? And when she got dumped, live on telly, why did she stay?
But then, as the story unfolded, I found myself immersed in the whole situation.
I loved Amy, who, as a woman in her thirties, was feeling the pull for the traditional version of where she should be in life; marriage and 2.4 kids, but went on to find a version of herself that worked for her.
The supporting cast of women on the show with her were an eclectic mix of characters. I’d almost have enjoyed a bit more friction between them at times, but equally, I loved how they stood up for each other too.
Anyone else want to slap the show’s host, Andy? I really did!
Overall a good read, and quite addictive, once you get into it.
I’d like to see ow a bunch of men would handle the show!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Bonnier Books UK for an ARC, in exchange for an honest opinion.

Releasing on 9th July, 2020

Myths of the Mirror (Dragon Soul Quartet #1)

Myths of the Mirror by D. Wallace Peac
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is not my usual genre, but D.Wallace Peach has a certain way with descriptions that took me on a whimsical, dragons filled journey!

The Memory of Us by Camille Di Maio
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Memory Of Us is the first of Camille Di Maio’s books I’ve read, and I really enjoyed it.
I was touched by the wartime story of Julianne Westcott and her forbidden love for religious man, Kyle McCarthy.
Julianne has it all on the face of it. From a wealthy Liverpudlian family, she has all the luxuries a girl desires, including her beauty, and suitors to match, but her heart is insistent in its demand to love only one, deeply unsuitable man.
Kyle is the son of a gardener and is destined to become a Catholic priest.
Julianne’s Protestant background means even a hint of a union between them would cause great grief.
Still, you can’t help who you love…
I was wrapped up in the blossoming love story of the two and wanted to cry at the twists and tragedies that befall a near-perfect couple and their love story.
Oh, and the deep secret hidden away by her parents… Not giving anything away.
A wonderful, heartwrenching read.

Les is More by Jess Carpenter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book I have read from Jess Carpenter and I had a ball reading it.
The story is based around Les, a young woman who is starting college, and has a bit of history that she is trying to work through.
A dear father who passed away, a mother who has extremely high aspirations for her, and an ex-boyfriend who turns up, as a student at her college.
Les meets Candy, a Latino fellow student, who brings colour and a different culture into her love, along with a hot brother, Carter.
The book is written as if Les is treating us, the readers, as her studio audience, so there are comments directed at us, as well as telling us about what’s going on.
I enjoyed the bubbling romances, the love triangle that is set from the beginning, and how it ends up.
The author has also touched upon the huge issue of racism, targeting the Mexican community, and how Les combats her mother’s prejudiced feelings towards her new Latino friends.
And there are the expectations of her mother that. Les has to try her hardest to reach.
I loved Candy, the new best friend, filled with spunk and her own story brewing in the background, so was thrilled to read that there would be more about her in a future book!
I think this will be a book much enjoyed by young adults and college-goers, with romance, culture and a lot of fun.
Thank you Jess, for a copy of your book, in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 13th July, 2020

A Recipe for Disaster: A deliciously feel-good romance by Belinda Missen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed the story of baker Lucy, and her journey to rekindling her relationship with estranged hubby, world famous chef, Oliver.
Lucy was left high and dry a few years earlier, when Oliver’s career took an international turn, and they sacrificed their marriage for their food passions.
When Oliver makes a surprise return to their home town, Lucy is stunned, not least because she is in a relationship with someone else.
A great rom-com filled with food, cakes and other relationship bakes!

And there you have it. Another month of great reads! Seventeen, this time!

Which one tickled your fancy?