Category: Recent Reads

Recent Reads: The Secret Life of the Savoy and the D’Oyly Carte family by Olivia Williams

Posted on by Pam

My review:????

The Secret Life of the Savoy and the D’Oyly Carte family by Olivia Williams is the history of the Savoy hotel and the Savoy theatre, and the family that built this up.  

The D’Oyly family are the family that built both, and employed Gilbert and Sullivan to make shows for the theatre.  This is a well written book, with lots of information, and stories about the ups and downs for the Savoy.

The Secret Life of the Savoy was published on 10th June 2021 and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Olivia Williams on Twitter.

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

Recent Reads: Being Creative: Be inspired. Unlock your originality 20 thought-provoking lessons by Michael Atavar

Posted on by Pam

My review:????

Being Creative: Be inspired. Unlock your originality 20 thought-provoking lessons by Michael Atavar wants to teach you to be creative, and gives you tools and tips for being more creative, and not being overwhelmed.

This is a great book if you feel like you could do more, and just need some help to see how.  There are ideas about how to use a process for creativity, and suggestions for challenges and problems you could face.  This is a bright, stylish book, laid out in a way to make the ideas feel achievable.

Being Creative was published on 9th April 2019 and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Michael Atavar on Twitter, Instagram and his website.

I was given this book in exchange of an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Quarto Publishing.

Recent Reads: Rough Magic; Riding the world’s wildest horse race by Lara Prior-Palmer

Posted on by Pam

My review:?????

Rough Magic; Riding the world’s wildest horse race by Lara Prior-Palmer is the true story of Lara’s experience of riding in the Mongol Derby, which is the world’s toughest horse race.  Every August, riders have to ride wild ponies over a 1,000 km course within 10 days.

This is a fascinating read, and takes you day by day through her adventure!  It is an epic ride, and is very atmospheric. 

I hadn’t heard of this race before, but was hanging on to the book, wanting to know what would happen next.  You’re told the race outcome early on, but not how it happened, and that’s what kept me turning pages!  Literally a wild ride!

Rough Magic was published on 6th June 2019 and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

I’m afraid I couldn’t find a link for you to follow Lara Prior-Palmer.

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

Recent Reads: Only You by Kate Eberlen

Posted on by Pam

My review:????

Only You by Kate Eberlen has Alf and Letty who meet in Rome on a language course.  They both have a background in dance – Letty in ballet and Alf in ballroom.  Whilst they both connect, they both have pasts.

We are taken between the present and the past to see how history has an impact on their current actions, and why they are both in Rome for a language course.  

This is a romance with some odd connections, and situations that are hard.  I enjoyed the reveal, piece by piece of the past and what the implications were. 

This is a well written book, covering some tough subjects, so here’s a trigger warning for rape.

Only You was published on 30th April 2020, and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Kate Eberlen 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 Pan Macmillan.

Recent Reads: Wilder Girls by Rory Power

Posted on by Pam

My review:????

Wilder Girls by Rory Power is set in a girls boarding school in the middle of nowhere, and it’s been 18 months since they were sent into quarantine.  Many of the girls and teachers have died from the Tox, and there is a small amount of both left alive.  

This is a YA novel that is a mix of fantasy and sci-fi, with a bit of horror thrown in, with the government keeping the school under quarantine.  When one of the girls goes missing, Hetty goes hunting for her.

I enjoyed this book, and the story, and wanted to see how things were going to come out for them all.

Wilder Girls was published on 6th February 2020 and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Rory Power on Twitter, Instagram and her website.

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

Recent Reads: Critical Incidents by Lucie Whitehouse

Posted on by Pam

My review:????

Critical Incidents by Lucie Whitehouse has Detective Inspector Robin Lyons going home to her parents having lost her job in London.  She’s going to work for a friend of her mother’s as a private investigator, with her daughter Lennie going to school nearby.

Robin had gone against her boss in the police, and has a troubled relationship with her mother, so there is a lot of drama in this book, but you are taken on a journey as Robin investigates her best friend’s murder.

This is a crime novel, with lots of suspense as you join Robin in trying to work out what happened.  There are family dynamics galore between Robin and her daughter, and her mother.  This was an enjoyable read!

Critical Incidents was published on 18th April 2019 and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Lucie Whitehouse on Twitter and Facebook.

I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to 4th Estate.

Recent Reads: Two Women in Rome by Elizabeth Buchan

Posted on by Pam

My review:????

Two Women in Rome by Elizabeth Buchan has Lottie in the present and Nina in 1978.  We go between the two times as Lottie learns more about Nina and why she died.

This story has secrets, lies and miscommunication, all set in the beautiful city of Rome.  I really enjoyed the story for both Lottie and Nina.  It’s a mystery book, and felt very evocative of Rome.

Two Women in Rome was published on 3rd June 2021 and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Elizabeth Buchan on Twitter, Facebook and her website.

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

Recent Reads: Raising Hell by Bryony Pearce

Posted on by Pam

My review:????

Raising Hell by Bryony Pearce is set in a world where a rift has been opened which allows black magic to happen.  Ivy works as a school security guard in a high school as teenagers are the ones who can work magic.

But Ivy is hiding a secret – she was there when the rift was opened, along with her friends.

This is a YA urban fantasy novel, which is entertaining, and a good introduction to urban fantasy.  I enjoyed the way the story was woven together, and was cheering on Ivy and the others.

Raising Hell was published on 3rd June 2021 and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Bryony Pearce on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and her website.

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

Recent Reads: The Ming Storm by Yan Leisheng

Posted on by Pam

My review:???

The Ming Storm by Yan Leisheng is a book in the Assassin’s Creed universe. 

I’m a fan of the Assassin’s Creed games, and so I was looking forward to this book, but as I haven’t read any of the other books in the series, and I’m not up to date on games, so I felt lost when there were references to what had happened before this book.

There’s lots of action as you would expect from a story in the Assassin’s Creed world!  There’s references to other assassin’s that you will have come across in this world.

The Ming Storm was published on 1st June 2021 and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

I’m afraid I couldn’t find where you could follow Yan Leisheng.

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

Recent Reads: Turn Coat by Jim Butcher (Dresden Files 11)

Posted on by Pam

My review:????

Dresden is back again, and this time, Morgan, the warden who dogged Dresden for years, now comes to him for help.  He’s been set up to look like the killer of someone in the White Council headquarters in Edinburgh, and Dresden is the only person he can think of to go to that wouldn’t be suspected of harbouring Morgan.

Dresden has to investigate who could get into the headquarters without being seen, or was it an inside job?  Harry’s apprentice, Molly is around, and Morgan doesn’t trust her at all, which leads to some situations.  

Seeing Dresden helping someone he would never think he would help is interesting, and learning a little more about the White Council is good.  The Dresden File books never disappoint, and you’ll enjoy the story being unveiled for you.

Turn Coat was published on 7th April 2009, and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Jim Butcher on his website, Twitter and Facebook.

My reviews for previous Dresden Files books are below:

Storm Front (book 1)

Fool Moon (book 2)

Grave Peril (book 3)

Summer Knight (book 4)

Death Masks (book 5)

Blood Rites (book 6)

Dead Beat (book 7)

Proven Guilty (book 8)

White Night (book 9)

Small Favor (book 10)