Category: Recent Reads

Recent Reads: Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden by M.C. Beaton (Agatha Raisin 9)

Posted on by Pam

My review:????

Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden by M.C. Beaton has fled to an English seaside town so she can grow out her hair a little before James Lacey sees her next.  She stays at an old fashioned hotel, where there are a number of permanent guests who play scrabble every night.  Agatha feels out of place, but takes one of the guests advice about going to see the local witch for a hair tonic.

Whilst at the seaside town, she meets a nice man who takes her dancing, which is a boost to her ego.  But, you know that murder is never far from Agatha, no matter where she goes, and that she has to investigate when it happens!

I’m still enjoying these books!  Agatha is so forthright that it’s always a good read to see what she’s gotten up to this time!  They have all been good books, and the characters have remained consistent, which can be a problem with a long series!

Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden was published in December 1999 and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

My review of the previous book in the Agatha Raisin series are below:

Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death (book 1)

Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet (book 2)

Agatha Raisin and the Potted Gardener (book 3)

Agatha Raisin and the Walkers of Dembley (book 4)

Agatha Raisin and the Murderous Marriage (book 5)

Agatha Raisin and the Terrible Tourist (book 6)

Agatha Raisin and the Wellspring of Death (book 7)

Agatha Raisin and the Wizard of Evesham (book 8)

Recent Reads: Shredding the Evidence by Daryl Wood Gerber (A Cookbook Nook Mystery 9)

Posted on by Pam

My review:🌟🌟

Shredding the Evidence by Daryl Wood Gerber (A Cookbook Nook Mystery 9) has a big emphasis on food, recipes, cook books and exercise…..  It’s also a cosy murder mystery.

This was the first book I read in the series, and whilst you could tell a lot had happened in the past, it didn’t stop me from understanding the story.  I did find that there was fat shaming in this book, which I didn’t enjoy.  Also, in a book all about food, there’s an awful lot about exercise, which felt too unnatural.

Shredding the Evidence was published on 21st April 2020, and is available from Amazon.

You can follow Daryl Wood Gerber on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and her website.

I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, and so my thanks to NetGalley and to Beyond the Page.

Recent Reads: The Red Monarch by Bella Ellis (Brontë Sisters Mystery 3)

Posted on by Pam

My review:🌟🌟🌟🌟

The Red Monarch by Bella Ellis (Brontë Sisters Mystery 3) follows the sisters as they go to London to help one of Anne’s former pupils – Lydia Robinson, who is also the daughter of the woman that Branwell is in love with.  Branwell sees this as a way to get her love back, and the sisters see it as their duty to help.

Lydia’s husband has been taken away as he’s lost something that the gang he was working for needs.  Lydia is heavily pregnant, doesn’t know anyone in London, and has a week to find whatever it is in order to get her husband back.  The siblings have their work cut out for them!

This was an enjoyable murder mystery, and seeing the sisters in London was interesting after the previous two books being set in country houses.  I’m looking forward to the next book!

The Red Monarch was published on 18th November 2021, and is available on Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Bella Ellis on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and her website.

You can read my review for book 1 in this series: The Vanished Bride and book 2, The Diabolical Bones.

I was given this book in return for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Hodder & Stoughton.

Recent Reads: Aria’s Travelling Book Shop by Rebecca Raisin

Posted on by Pam

My review:🌟🌟🌟🌟

Aria’s Travelling Book Shop by Rebecca Raisin made me cry quite a few times when I was reading.  Some sad, some happy, but all required tissues, so be warned!

Aria is a young widow, who lives in a camper van, which doubles as her shop.  She is still carrying the grief for her husband, TJ’s, death, but a man keeps appearing in her life.  She made a promise to TJ never to love again, a promise which he didn’t want.  When TJ’s mother sends Aria his journal, Aria finds herself questioning if she could have love again!

This is the second book in the series, but I didn’t notice this when reading it. The first book is about Rosie, who appears in this book as she’s Aria’s best friend.

Aria’s Travelling Book Shop was published on 8 April 2020, and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Rebecca Raisin on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and her website.

I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to HQ.

Recent Reads: The Winter of Second Chances by Jenny Bayliss

Posted on by Pam

My review:🌟🌟🌟🌟

The Winter of Second Chances by Jenny Bayliss has Annie, a chef and restaurant co-owner leave her husband, and move to the seaside, where she becomes the caretaker for Saltwater Nook.

She starts taking part in community events, and starts thinking about opening up the cafe that’s onsite, but the John, the nephew of the owner is unhappy about what she’s doing.  Max, her husband, has decided that he can win her back. 

This is a lovely autumnal book, full of cosy moments, hot drinks, and bracing seaside descriptions!  I enjoyed the story, and the community that Annie is put into!

The Winter of Second Chances was published on 11th November 2021, and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Jenny Bayliss on Twitter and her website.

You can read my review of Jenny Bayliss’s first book, Twelve Dates of Christmas here.

I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Pan MacMillan.

Recent Reads: A Special Cornish Christmas by Phillipa Ashley

Posted on by Pam

My review:🌟🌟🌟🌟

A Special Cornish Christmas by Phillipa Ashley has Bo, the cafe owner in Falford, who dresses in 1950s style dresses, loves the music, and is a member of Falford Flingers, who dance to rock and roll music, as the main character, who along with two friends, gets a predication at a summer fete that she’ll meet the love of her life by Christmas!

There is a lot of Christmas rock and roll music, and other Christmas songs, mentioned, and it really made me feel like Christmas was soon, and that I needed to listen to all of these songs!

The story is also very Christmas based, and there are characters from the previous book who pop up!   I really enjoyed the music references, and all of the food and drink that was being mentioned!  The characters are enjoyable, and the story was good!

This is the second book sent in Falford, so if you’ve enjoyed this community, then read An Endless Cornish Summer.

A Special Cornish Christmas was published on 11th November 2021, and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Phillipa Ashley on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and her website.

I’ve read some other books by Phillipa Ashley, other than An Endless Cornish Summer above:

A Surprise Christmas Wedding

A Perfect Cornish Christmas

I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Avon Books UK.

 

Recent Reads: 19th Christmas by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Women’s Murder Club 19)

Posted on by Pam

My review:🌟🌟🌟🌟

19th Christmas by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Women’s Murder Club 19) is set at Christmas, as if you couldn’t tell!  Claire is off to San Diego to teach a class for the holiday break, Cindy is looking into the true meaning of Christmas, which leads her into investigating someone who is an illegal immigrant being wrongfully jailed, which means Yuki is going to be dragged into it!

And Lindsay?  She’s looking into a heist that’s meant to happen on Christmas day!

This is another action packed book, with a strong Christmas feel, and was a fast paced read that kept me guessing!  If you’re looking for a thrill ride that will put you in the Christmas mood, then this is a very good option!

19th Christmas was published on 7th October 2019, and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow James Patterson on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and his website.

I’m afraid I couldn’t find any links for Maxine Paetro for you to follow.

Women’s Murder Club books:

1st to Die   – book 1 

2nd Chance – book 2

3rd Degree – book 3

4th of July – book 4

The 5th Horseman – book 5

The 6th Target – book 6

7th Heaven – book 7

The 8th Confession – book 8;

The 9th Judgement – book 9

10th Anniversary – book 10

11th Hour – book 11

12th of Never – book 12

Unlucky 13 – book 13

14th Deadly Sin – book 14

15th Affair – book 15

16th Seduction – book 16

17th Suspect – book 17

18th Abduction – book 18

Recent Reads: Love After Love by Ingrid Persaud

Posted on by Pam

My review:🌟🌟🌟🌟

Love After Love by Ingrid Persaud is set on Trinidad and New York.  We follow Betty, her son Solo, and Mr Chetan, who is their lodger.  

The three of them make a family unit, except Betty and Mr Chetan aren’t together. This all works until secrets start to come out.

This is written in the way that they speak in Trinidad (as the author was born there, I’ll believe that), so there are words that I’ve never come across before, but it does work at transporting you to somewhere completely different.  

I enjoyed this book, but I did find that it took a while to read.  The characters are believable and the setting is well written, with descriptions of food that all sound delicious!

Trigger Warning – this book deals with domestic abuse, homophobia, self harm (cutting), and suicide.

Love After Love was published on 2nd April 2020, and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Ingrid Persaud on Twitter.

I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Faber and Faber.

Recent Reads: The High Lord by Trudi Canavan (The Black Magician Trilogy 3)

Posted on by Pam

My review:🌟🌟🌟🌟

The High Lord by Trudi Canavan (The Black Magician Trilogy 3) continues to follow Sonea, for whom life is very different!  Mid way through the last book, the High Lord took over being her mentor, and she became his favorite, and moved into his home.  This is because Sonea saw Akkarin kill a man, whom he said was a spy.  She’s not meant to talk to Rothen, and is held hostage with the High Lord to guarantee Rothen’s good behaviour.

Sonea beat Regin in the last book during a duel, and so her place at the Guild is a little more secure than it was.  Ceryni, Sonea’s friend from before, has been working hard for the underworld.

This is the end of this story, although there is a prequel which I’ll be reading soon!  Again, there were surprises in this book, and I enjoyed learning more about magic

The High Lord was published on 18th December 2002, and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Trudi Canavan on Facebook, Instagram and her website.

You can read my reviews for other books in the Black Magician series:

The Magicians’ Guild (book 1)

The Novice (book 2)

Recent Reads: Monstrous Heart by Claire McKenna (The Monstrous Heart Trilogy 1)

Posted on by Pam

My review:🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Monstrous Heart by Claire McKenna (The Monstrous Heart Trilogy 1) is a fantasy, set in a world where some people’s blood holds special powers. Arden Beacon’s blood can be set fire to, and so she is a Lightmistress, a lighthouse keeper. 

Arden has just moved to a new lighthouse, in an area that is altogether more of a backwater than the city she is used to, but the people still try to manipulate each other.  She’s told horrible stories about her closest neighbour, Jonah Riven, that he can summon kraken, that he murdered his family when young, that he murdered his wife recently.

This is a fantastic story, with a setting and background that I’ve not encountered before.  It’s a gripping story, that I just wanted to keep reading.

The second book came out this year, and so I will be reading that at some point!

Monstrous Heart was published on 31st March 2020, and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Claire McKenna on Twitter, Instagram and her website.

I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to HarperCollins UK.