Recent Reads: Agatha Raisin and the Fairies of Fryfam by M.C Beaton (Agatha Raisin 10)

Posted on by Pam

My review:🌟🌟🌟🌟

Agatha Raisin and the Fairies of Fryfam has Agatha moving to Norfolk after a fortune teller in the previous book told her that she would find her true love there.  She rents a cottage in village called Fryfam, and is ready to be welcomed, just as she was in Carsley.  Then odd lights start being seen in gardens, and things disappear from homes.

When there’s a murder locally, Agatha manages to fall under suspicion, and so the investigation begins!

This is another cosy mystery that I enjoyed, with Agatha being abrasive to new people, and in a new situation.

Agatha Raisin and the Fairies of Fryfam was published in June 2000 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)

Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden (book 9)

Recent Reads: Twas The Nightshift Before Christmas by Adam Kay

Posted on by Pam

My review:🌟🌟🌟🌟

Twas The Nightshift Before Christmas by Adam Kay are the experiences that Adam Kay had a Christmas, as by the luck of the draw, he worked most of the Christmas’s he was an NHS doctor!

This is no less shocking, gory, amazing and funny than This is Going to Hurt was.  But, it is shorter.  I enjoyed Adam Kay’s writing again, and was engaged with what happened.  This book did, again, make me cry, and more trigger warnings as there is a graphic chapter, but he does give you a warning in the book.

Twas The Nightshift Before Christmas was published on 17th October 2019 and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Adam Kay on Twitter and on his website.

Recent Reads: The Arctic Curry Club by Dani Redd

Posted on by Pam

My review:🌟🌟🌟🌟

The Arctic Curry Club by Dani Redd is about Maya, who follows her boyfriend to the Arctic, where he is going to count polar bears, and she’s not certain what she’s going to do.

Maya has panic attacks, is scared of the snow, would like to see some daylight sometimes, and her father is starting a new relationship.  Oh, and her boyfriend is acting distant.  All in all, Maya is having a hard time.

When she is given a meal that’s been prepared from her late mother’s recipe book, she has a flashback to her childhood, something that she can’t remember on her own.  And things start changing in her life.

This was an enjoyable read, with the descriptions of the Arctic well done.  It’s a book that makes you want to circle up with a hot drink, and read about Maya’s adventures.

The Arctic Curry Club was published on 9th December 2021, and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Dani Redd on Twitter.

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

Recent Reads: Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie (Hercule Poirot book 20)

Posted on by Pam

My review:🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie is set in a country house at Christmas, with a family gathering together to celebrate.  Simeon Lee has demanded attendance by all of his sons, and their families, and some others, so he can throw barbed insults, and tell them how life is about to change for all of them. Then there’s a murder, and Hercule Poirot is asked to investigate!

This is classic Golden Age cosy crime, set at Christmas, and so is a wonderfully warm and cosy read! I really enjoyed the story!

Hercule Poirot’s Christmas was published on 19th December 1938 and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

Recent Reads: The Untold Story by Genevieve Cogman (The Invisible Library 8)

Posted on by Pam

My review:🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The Untold Story by Genevieve Cogman (The Invisible Library 8) is the end of the series, and does tie things all up.  I really enjoyed the story, and have enjoyed all of the books.  

Irene, Kai, Vale and other characters that we’ve met along the way appear in this book.  This series is about librarians who can travel into different worlds in search of books.  I think you can see why I enjoyed it!

This series has been really consistently good, and a wonderful exploration of different worlds.

The Untold Story was published December 2021, and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Genevieve Cogman on Twitter, Facebook and her website.

My reviews for the other books in the series are below:

The Invisible Library (book 1)

The Masked City (book 2)

The Burning Page (book 3)

The Lost Plot (book 4)

The Mortal World (book 5)

The Secret Chapter (book 6)

The Dark Archive (book 7)

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

Recent Reads: Christmas; A short history from solstice to santa by Andy Thomas

Posted on by Pam

My review:????

Christmas; A short history from solstice to santa by Andy Thomas looks at history through the ages, along with beautiful pictures.  It starts in ancient times and goes up to modern Christmas.  

This is a lovely book to read through at Christmas time, to have a read about how Christmas has been celebrated throughout history.

Christmas was published on 1 October 2019 and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

I’m afraid I couldn’t find a link for you to follow for Andy Thomas.

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

Recent Reads: The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow

Posted on by Pam

My review:🌟🌟🌟🌟

The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow is about Mary Bennet from Pride and Prejudice.  It starts before the events of Pride and Prejudice, goes through them, and then continues afterwards.

I really enjoyed Mary’s story, seeing her as a more sympathetic character, and understanding her more.  It’s not written in the style of Pride and Prejudice, but written in a style that suits Mary.

The Other Bennet Sister was published on 9th January 2020, and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

I’m afraid I couldn’t find any links for where you can follow Janice Hadlow.

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

Recent Reads: This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor by Adam Kay

Posted on by Pam

My review:🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor by Adam Kay is about Adam Kay’s experiences as a junior doctor in the NHS. It’s fascinating, harsh, sad, jubilant and graphic, and made me cry. 

Adam Kay shares his experiences from his notes he wrote at the time, which makes them vivid.  As he worked within a Gynaecological department, there are experiences of loss, and the reality of trying for a baby with IVF, so please let this be a trigger warning for you.

Well written, beautiful and shocking, this is a book to dive into and look at the NHS with new eyes.

This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor was published on 7th September 2017, and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org. 

You can follow Adam Kay on Twitter and on his website.

Recent Reads: The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding by Agatha Christie (Hercule Poirot story 35)

Posted on by Pam

My review:🌟🌟🌟🌟

The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding by Agatha Christie (Hercule Poirot story 35) is a short story set at Christmas, in an English country house, where Hercule Poirot has been sent by the government in order to find a ring that has been stolen from an Eastern prince.

Hercule Poirot likes his comfort, and so being in a draughty English country house at Christmas isn’t his idea of fun, but he is there to work a case. 

This is a lovely cosy, festive story, which I enjoyed, and was especially evocative at Christmas time.  

The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding was published on 12th December 1923, and is available as a short story collection from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

 

Recent Reads: Christmas in 100 words by words&pictures

Posted on by Pam

My review:????

Christmas in 100 words by words&pictures is a picture book with lovely illustrations, which are child friendly, and is a fun way to get into the spirit of Christmas!

It’s available as a board book, a normal book and also as a kindle book.  It’s brightly coloured, and a lovely way to learn new words.

Christmas in 100 words was published on 15th October 2019 and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

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