Month: February 2023
My review:⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Naughty or Nice Clause by Kate Callaghan is a fun Christmas romance, with a bit of fantasy thrown in.
I really enjoyed this and found it to be a fun story. It has enemies to lovers, misunderstandings, misdirection and altogether a great Christmas read!
I was given this in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and CallaghanWriter.
My review:🌟🌟🌟🌟
An offer of money and a stay on one of the Canary Islands seems like a good deal to those who join the trial, and although there’s all the usual medical waivers you’d expect, what’s the worst that can go wrong?
This is a tense thriller where you think you know what is going on, but your expectations are often messed with.
I liked the idea of some of the characters going but having faked the results in order to be chosen.
I enjoyed seeing where the story took me, and the twists and turns of the book!
The Trial was published on 8th July 2022, and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.
You can follow S. R Masters on Twitter and on his website.
I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to One More Chapter.
My review:⭐⭐⭐⭐
Weyward by Emilia Hart has three storyline (and time lines) weaved together, to tell the truth about three different women. One is set in present day, one is set in 1600s, and one is set 1942, and they each show women struggling with the roles they’re in.
This feels like a book that’s getting a lot of attention at the moment. There is a lot of female empowerment and the characters aren’t shown to be perfect, but are human.
I enjoyed the story unveiling itself through the use of the three timelines, and I was enthralled by what was going to happen next!
I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to HarperCollins UK!
My review:⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Library by Bella Osborne is about 2 people who don’t have much in common. 1 is a teenage boy, and the other is a pensioner. They discover they both love books, and when the library which has helped them so much is threatened with closure, they need to work out how to stop it!
This is a feel good story, with interactions between the characters that warm the soul. I enjoyed the storyline, and was cheering them on!
I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Aria and Aries.
My review:⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Book of Azrael by Amber Nicole has shape changing vampires, witches and gods, this is a fantastical story that also looks at the dangers of making deals.
I enjoyed the story and agreed with what Dianna’s sister said to her about making deals with powerful men – that it’s not always a good idea!
I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Rose and Star Publishing.
My review:⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recent Reads: James Patterson: The Stories of My Life by James Patterson is exactly what it says it is. Stories from James Patterson’s life, but not an autobiography. It also gives an insight into James Patterson’s writing process.
It’s a very readable book, written in a very conversational way. You get stories sprinkled throughout his life, from when he was young, when he was in marketing (I feel this explains some of his huge success), and with lots of stories about his famous friends and collaborators, like Bill Clinton!
It’s very interesting and you go along at a fair clip when reading it!
I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Random House.
My review:
The Atlas Paradox by Olivie Blake (book 2 in the Atlas series) continues the story from the last book (Atlas Six), this is a fantasy with magic that covers some different ideas such as telepathy, empaths, people who can move matter and move through time. This is a book series that you do need to read the first book in order to understand the second book!
I enjoyed this series – I went and re-read the Atlas Six so I could remember everything! This felt a bit slow as it explored actions, hiding consequences and the aftermath of book 1, but I felt that this slowness was deliberate.
It feels like there will be a third book in the series at least, so I’ll be looking forwarding to seeing where this goes!
I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Pan McMillan.
My review:⭐⭐⭐
Thrown by Sara Cox is a contemporary story about finding yourself. This book does need a trigger warning as there is a domestic abuse storyline.
This book did feel unfinished on that I was expecting a little more closure, but the storylines are on the verge of the next step, and we’re just not being shown that.
It’s a story of female friendships, wanting some more out of life and reaching for change.
It’s a light read but felt lacking, such as the end as I’ve mentioned.
I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Hodder & Stoughton.
My review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Confidence by Denise Mina is the second book in the series with Anna and Fin. I could tell there was some information I was missing, but I didn’t find it made a huge difference, and didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the book.
You know true crime podcasting has become very popular when it starts appearing in other media. We’ve had Only Murders in the building, and now we have lead characters in this book having a podcast of their own.
There was hints of Dan Brown in this book, both for the travel and the secrets in the book.
I found this to be an enjoyable adventure story.
I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Random House UK.
My review:⭐⭐⭐⭐
Dear Little Corpses by Nicola Upson is set in World War II, and is book 10 in the Josephine Tey series. I didn’t find that I was missing a lot even though I haven’t read the previous books in the series.
This is a cosy crime book, and I found this to be very evocative of the time. It also has main characters who are LGBTQ+ and living together in a village and hiding their relationship.
I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Faber and Faber.