The Eyes Are The Best Part was quite an intriguing read. It only took me a few days to finish it, and I strangely enjoyed it.
We meet the two sisters, Ji-Won and Ji-Hyun, as well as their mother, Umma. Their father just left them for another woman, and Umma is struggling emotionally. Ji-Won and Ji-Hyun, although they have different personalities, get along very well. Their Umma is having a hard time after her husband left, and the sisters, especially Ji-Won, are trying to be supportive and look after her, despite them both also losing their dad. Their Umma wants things to change for the better, which explains her eating fish eyes every day, as they are supposed to bring good luck.
Then Umma meets a man and everything changes. She’s happier, and when the girls finally meet him, it turns out he’s a walking and talking red flag. The way he treats Umma and talks to the girls, his fixation with Asian culture, him refusing to pronounce their names and calling the girls JW and JH, because it’s easier, and a few other things I will leave out here.
My Thoughts:
Ji-Won starts to have a fixation with his blue eyes and this is where the book starts to get interesting. Every chapter from now on was intriguing and fast-paced, and I was eager to see what unusual thing Ji-Won will do next to soothe her hunger and fixation.
I also liked the moments during her life at school, her meeting the new friends and also us learning about her previous friend group. Ji-Won’s behaviour with her old friends is sinister. She doesn’t like being left out, and will do bad things to break the group apart. She also doesn’t feel emotion or remorse and accountability. It all adds depth to her character. I have to say, interestingly enough, I feel Geoffrey shares some similar personality traits. The problematic ones. It was interesting to see their dynamic and to see Ji-Won not like these things about him, when she is sometimes doing the same thing, but maybe without realising.
I didn’t quite enjoy the ending, and it is probably the reason why the review ends with only 3 stars. I won’t reveal anything, because anything I say will spoil it for people that haven’t read the book, but I think the book should not have gone in that direction in the end, even if temporary. ling like this book could have been so much more, but just was not it for me. A shame, but on to the next… ...more
“I Wish You Would” was the perfect teenage love angst romance with a friends to lovers trope, that I didn’t know I needed.
“Fame is proof that the people are gullible.”
My Thoughts:
Firstly, I have to admit, the cover was what made me start the book. I had other books I started reading and I immediately dropped them to make room for this one. And I am glad I did, because I devoured it in days! There is so much tension from the very start from both sides. I loved the double POV, so we knew how both Ethan and Natalia felt. But there were so many times where I shouted at the book: “Will you two just bloody talk to each other!” ...more
Another Karen Swan novel, and another book that entirely gripped me. The Last Summer is the first book in the Wild Isle Series, with the Stolen Hours being published this year (2024). Set in the remote Scottish island of St. Kilda, it was the perfect blend of wilderness and romance.
About The Book:
Summer on St Kilda – a wild, remote Scottish island. Two strangers from drastically different worlds meet . . .
Wild-spirited Effie Gillies has lived all her life on the small island of St Kilda but when Lord Sholto, heir to the Earl of Dumfries, visits, the attraction between them is instant. For one glorious week she guides the handsome young visitor around the isle, falling in love for the first time – until a storm hits and her world falls apart.
Three months later, St Kilda falls silent as the islanders are evacuated for a better life on the mainland. With her friends and family scattered, Effie is surprised to be offered a position working on the Earl’s estate. Sholto is back in her life but their differences now seem insurmountable, even as the simmering tension between them grows. And when a shocking discovery is made back on St Kilda, all her dreams for this bright new life are threatened by the dark secrets Effie and her friends thought they had left behind.
My Thoughts:
Life at St. Kilda is very remote, and we get to find out more through Effie’s adventures. When the island has some new guests, one in particular is about to catch Effie’s eye. After a few days of adventure, and what seems to be, the start of a love story, the islands receive the news that they are to be evacuated for a better life on the mainland.
“I don’t know what you’re so worried about. A girl’s perfectly safe flirting with a man she knows can never marry her, especially the son of an earl. It’s the men who can marry you that you should be wary of.”
The book is split into two parts, before and after the evacuation and the change of tone and atmosphere is evident.
“But I’m not poor, sir.”, she replied, with sudden defiance. “That’s just it. I have everything I need here. A poor man needs what he does not have, but I want nothing more.”
People find it hard to adjust and I couldn’t help but feel for them. I know it doesn’t compare, but it reminded me of me coming to the UK for the very first time. Thinking I know English, and yet, not quite capturing the accent and asking people to talk slowly to me. Not fully understanding the culture and humour, and not quite fitting in.
“I know it’s hard. Hardest of all on the two of you. In a couple of months, our lives are going to change forever. We’ll leave here and everything we know will be different. Every single thing. Some will be better, some will be worse. But I also know a day will come when we’ll look back on this moment – on the three of us sitting on the grass, with feathers in our hair and dead birds by our feet – and there’ll be something of it that still remains.”
This book was a bundle of emotions, but I enjoyed every moment of it. It made me really want to visit Scotland, and especially St. Kilda. I am now quite intrigued and excited to continue this journey and also read The Stolen Hours.
“Their gazes locked again and she had it again – that sensation of falling, far scarier than anything she’d ever known on a rope; a tension seemed to exist between them that paid no need to barriers the factor had warned must keep them apart.”...more
The Divorcées was a very unique read, and although I enjoyed it whilst I was reading it, the ending completely underwhelmed me.
We’re in 1951, in Reno, Nevada, at the Golden Yarrow, the most respectable ranch for divorcees. Women have to spend six weeks in a place like this, so they are able to get divorced. My Thoughts:
It was quite strange reading about these times, even though I read this book right after finishing Anna Karenina. If only she could spend six weeks in Nevada. Oh well, we digress!
I really enjoyed the beginning and middle of the book. Lois coming to the ranch and meeting the other women staying there. Getting into the routine, and learning new things, making new friendships.
“Because of Rita, I can say with certainty that there’s a path for every girl who comes here. You just need one light to turn on to show you the way.”
But then the new lady comes, Greer, and she changes everything. She is wild and free and pushes Lois to her limits. And despite knowing that Greer sped up the pace of the book and added action and tension, she is also the reason I ended up with a sour taste in my mouth after finishing the book. I just didn’t like that toxic friendship and it ruined it for me.
“As awful as it is, marriage is the only way for a woman to get any freedom.”
I loved everything else – Lois’s character at first, the ranch, the other ladies and their stories. Honestly, I thought they all had more stories to tell and Greer stole all their thunder and the book’s attention was focused mostly on her. I have a feeling like this book could have been so much more, but just was not it for me. A shame, but on to the next… ...more
Oh, Colleen Hoover! You only went and did it again with “It Ends With Us”. Took my heart, squeezed it gently, and then proceeded to shatter it [image]
Oh, Colleen Hoover! You only went and did it again with “It Ends With Us”. Took my heart, squeezed it gently, and then proceeded to shatter it into a thousand pieces. And I love you for it!
“It Ends With Us” is not a light-hearted romance novel. It’s a dark romance tale, with a domestic abuse theme, but it’s ultimately a story about a woman breaking the cycle and being free.
Lily is a floral designer and a survivor of domestic abuse. During her childhood, her father was abusive and her mother never left. Now, she falls in love with Ryle, and after a few blissful months, discovers that Ryle has a dark side to him. The story follows Lily dealing with everything and reuniting with her old love, Atlas, who will help her get free and break the cycle.
During the first half of the book, we read a few chapters of young Lily and Atlas and understand their story better. He was homeless and Lily helped him during the difficult period. He was also aware of the abuse Lily suffered from her father.
“He pulls back to look down at me and when he sees my tears, he brings his hands up to my cheeks. “In the future… if by some miracle you ever find yourself in the position to fall in love again… fall in love with me.”
The story is raw, emotional and feels very real. We saw a beautiful love story between Lily and Atlas, until time and circumstances, and Lily’s father pulled them apart. We were also part a beautiful love story between Lily and Ryle, before he started showing his true colours and all the reg flags. It’s very well shown how quickly a situation can escalate, and see Lily’s fears, doubts and dilemmas. It’s very easy for her to take the blame and think she caused it all, but the reality is very different!
“Fifteen seconds. That’s all it takes to completely change everything about a person. Fifteen.”
I was always team Atlas, but I was warming up to Ryle in the beginning before everything kicked off. That’s how good Colleen’s writing is. I will need to grab the second book, “It Starts With Us” soon and find out how the story continues. I cannot help but recommend this book, because for all the sadness it brings, it also brings happiness, healing and one woman standing up to abuse and breaking the cycle.
“You can stop swimming now, Lily. We finally reached the shore.”
Side note: Yes, I did see the movie. No, it didn’t do justice to the book. Yes, I will see a sequel if it comes, but I doubt it, with all the drama surrounding it. ...more
If someone told me 10 years ago that an author would continue the Hercule Poirot stories, and I’d love them, I would never have believed them. In fact, all credit to Sophie Hannah, because I would have made a bet that Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night is a mystery written by Agatha Christie herself, if I didn’t know any better.
Synopsis:
It’s 19 December 1931. Hercule Poirot and Inspector Edward Catchpool are called to investigate the murder of a man in the apparent safe haven of a Norfolk hospital ward. Catchpool’s mother, the irrepressible Cynthia, insists that Poirot stays in a crumbling mansion by the coast, so that they can all be together for the festive period while Poirot solves the case. Cynthia’s friend Arnold is soon to be admitted to that same hospital and his wife is convinced he will be the killer’s next victim, though she refuses to explain why.
Poirot has less than a week to solve the crime and prevent more murders, if he is to escape from this nightmare scenario and get home in time for Christmas. Meanwhile, someone else – someone utterly ruthless – also has ideas about what ought to happen to Hercule Poirot…
Thoughts:
The book carries intensity from the very first chapters. Catchpool’s mother, Cynthia, comes to Poirot with a rather urgent request, or dare I say, plea for help. With this also comes a Christmas party invitation, something Catchpool would gladly avoid. But something about the story provokes Poirot’s curiosity, and they’re off to meet Cynthia’s friends and stay at their house.
“Try placing an unmarked page in front of you. Immediately, your mind will produce better ideas.”
I was gripped by the whole atmosphere and the family dynamics.
We find out things as we go, and I try to connect the people we meet and get a feel for their innocence. As is usual with a Poirot mystery, we have a lot of suspects, a lot of possibilities and maybe’s – and the truth kept under wraps (I promise, it’s not a Christmas pun) until the very end. If you are looking for the grand finale of a reveal – Silent Night definitely has it! I had my own theories, and as is the tradition, none of them were even close. But boy, oh boy, did I enjoy this book. Mystery and festivities merged brilliantly, and the perfect length to keep you interested without ever getting boring.
“The thing about dealing with excessively melancholy people, I have noticed – those who carry clouds of gloom with them everywhere they go – is that one loses the will to cheer them up. In their orbit, one is robbed of the notion that one can do anything to improve one’s own situation or theirs.”
The only thing I was unsure of was that a few parts were left in the open. Some mysterious and secret romances were mentioned, but never resolved. And we never got the other side of the story. The house’s situation wasn’t really discussed further, and it seemed like a crucial part of the story. And two sisters re-kindled way too abruptly in my opinion and without a lot of explanation, that I personally didn’t enjoy.
“The worst part of any terrible thing, always, is the dread one feels in advance.”
It’s also worth noting that I loved Edgar Albert Guest’s poem section that randomly made its way into the book. There is something precious when one book leads you to the work of another author.
One thing is for certain – I will definitely be looking into the other Poirot books by Sophie Hannah. And if you need a festive mystery recommendation for the winter, let this be the one. Until the next book! x...more
Every time I read another Agatha Christie book, I fall in love again with her incredible storytelling of a murder mystery, and her ability to keep me guessing until the end. Hallowe’en Party was no different.
Synopsis:
When a Hallowe’en party turns deadly, it falls to Hercule Poirot to unmask a murderer…
During a night of party games, Joyce Reynolds boasts that she once witnessed a murder. No one believes her, but then she is found drowned, face down in an apple-bobbing tub.
Set against a night of trickery and the occult, Hercule Poirot and Ariadne Oliver must race to uncover the real evil responsible for this ghastly murder.
Thoughts:
Hallowe’en Party was the inspiration for the movie “A Haunting in Venice”, although the book and the movie don’t really share much in common, except for the character’s names and the fact the murder happens on Halloween.
The murder in this book happens during a children’s Halloween Party, where a girl drowned in the tub where they bob the apples. It’s obvious that someone has murdered this girl by holding her head underwater. It also sparks a discussion, especially because the girl said something during the party preparations that may have put her in danger.
Due to the large number of people around, it’s almost impossible to tell who the culprit is, and this is where Hercule Poirot joins, agreeing to help his friend and investigate this case as a favour. The book features a lot of scenes with Poirot interviewing people that attended the party, but also the preparations for the party. The people in the town are friendly and tight-knit, but they all have something to hide, and nobody is volunteering information to a person that’s just come to town to investigate a murder.
If you loved “Murder on the Orient Express”, you will probably also enjoy “Halowe’en Party”, due to the interviewing scenes we see very often. In the book, we notice a big accent given to young people. Interestingly enough, children don’t feature a lot in Agatha’s books, but this one is definitely an exception. The adults are very dismissive of the children, their words and opinions, and they make this very known. They all dismissed what the girl said during the party preparations, because she had a reputation of exaggerating stories. This situation reminded me very much of the “boy who cried wolf”, who even Agatha mentions in the book. Poirot, however, as always, takes everything into consideration during his investigation.
“The victim is always important”, said Poirot, “The victim, you see, is so often the cause of the crime.”
People in town are adamant that this is a deed of a young kid with mental health issues. We can notice the book is dated by the way people describe this possible culprit. There is not much hope or trust in the youth with a rough upbringing, or young people that are known to cause troubles.
“It seems to me that crimes are so often associated nowadays with the young. People who don’t really know quite what they are doing, who want silly revenges, who have an instinct for destruction. Even the people who wreck telephone boxes, or who slash the tyres of cars, do all sorts of things just to hurt people, just because they hate – not anyone in particular, but the whole world.”
There is a mention of how important and vital a child’s education is, such as below:
“One has to remember”, said Rowena Drake, “that there are young people at an age when it is vital that they should continue with their studies if they are to have the chance of doing well in life.”
Even though I agree education is extremely important for young people, I don’t think this is the only important thing. I want to say that a happy upbringing, good social circles, good environment and fair and equal opportunities are also very important for a child to find its place in the world without turning to violence. I also believe that young people who have made a mistake in the past deserve a second chance, a hand held out to them, to try and get them on the right path. However, the town and Poirot are not that keen on mercy and second chances:
“He was a man who thought first always of justice. He was suspicious, had always been suspicious, of mercy – too much mercy, that is to say. Too much mercy, as he knew from former experience both in Belgium and this country, often resulted in further crimes which were fatal to innocent victims who need not have been victims if justice had been put first and mercy second.”
The book certainly opens the door for a very good discussion on so many topics, and I always find this intriguing. Not all books make me stop for a bit and ponder, and so I always cherish the ones that do. As for the murder reveal itself, I wasn’t too surprised, but I also couldn’t guess it myself. I guessed two of the people involved in the story, due to some clues they dropped, but I couldn’t have guessed the others nor put the whole story together. I really enjoyed the mystery and I’m quite happy I got to read yet another Christie book! Huge thank you to the teams at Tandem Collective and Harper Collins for sending me the new hardcover book printed for the occasion of the movie release!...more
Nineteen Steps is a beautiful and emotional story about a girl that navigates growing up, finding love and living through tragedy in the midst of World War II.
Synopsis:
It’s 1942, and London remains under constant threat of enemy attack as the second world war rages on. In the Bethnal Green neighborhood, Nellie Morris counts every day lucky that she emerges from the underground shelters unharmed, her loving family still surrounding her.
Three years into the war, she’s grateful to hold onto remnants of normalcy—her job as assisting the mayor and nights spent at the local pub with her best friend. But after a chance encounter with Ray, an American airman stationed nearby, Nellie becomes enchanted with the idea of a broader world.
Just when Nellie begins to embrace an exciting new life with Ray, a terrible incident occurs during an air raid one evening, and the consequences are catastrophic. As the truth about that night is revealed, Nellie’s world is torn apart. When it seems all hope is lost, Nellie finds that, against all odds, love and happiness can triumph.
Thoughts:
The story is inspired by Millie Bobby Brown’s family history and based on true events about the Bethnal Green tragedy. In all honesty, I wasn’t aware of this tragedy, and it was quite insightful, albeit sad, to learn something new about what people went through during the war.
I also want to give credit to the amazing Kathleen McGurl for ghost writing this book and collaborating with Millie. I haven’t read any of her books yet, but I will definitely be checking them out.
Nineteen Steps follows the life of a young girl, Nellie Morris, who lives with her mum, dad, brother and sister. She works at the town hall, assisting the mayor, and dreams of someday travelling the world, once the war is done.
“But she wanted more from life than to marry the boy next door, the boy who’d said he’d never leave the East End. She wanted to travel, to see the world. When the war was over, she intended to do just that.”
She will very soon experience tragedy and try to continue living with a huge sadness and loss in her heart.
One scene in particular, where a running for a bus is involved, made me cry for hours. For personal reasons, I connected to this scene and it really touched and broke my heart. We get to see Nellie living her day-to-day life, in a very uncertain environment, dealing with things a young woman shouldn’t be dealing with. Her support network through this tragedy is incredible – her family, her friend Babs and of course, Billy, are an incredible help when she is at her lowest.
We get to see her fall in love, a beautiful romance starts, promising light at the end of the tunnel. Nellie’s first kiss and her thoughts are written so beautifully!
“It felt as though her whole soul was melting into his, as though time had stopped, the world was no longer turning, the war was a distant memory. If ever she had to pick a moment she’d want to last for eternity, she thought, this would be the one she’d choose.”
And then, when everything seems to be going okay, despite the terrible war, Nellie, her family and friends, and the people of Bethnal Green will experience a tragedy that will change their lives forever. Nineteen steps is an emotional rollercoaster. It’s a story full of emotions, from the beginning to the end. There is romance, but it’s not the main part of the book. There is sadness and grief, but it’s a story about looking forward. A story about coming-of-age and being brave when it seems impossible. A story where in times when you cannot be brave, there will be people ready to be brave for you. As a historical romance, it’s not the best in its genre, but it’s a story that will certainly touch a person’s heart.
Welcome to the McMasters Conservatory for the Applied Arts – a luxurious, clandestine college dedicated to the fine art of murder where earnest students study how best to “delete” their most deserving victim.
Synopsis:
Who hasn’t wondered for a split second what the world would be like if the object of your affliction ceased to exist? But then you’ve probably never heard of The McMasters Conservatory, dedicated to the consummate execution of the homicidal arts. To gain admission, a student must have an ethical reason for erasing someone who deeply deserves a fate no worse (nor better) than death.
The campus of this “Poison Ivy League” college – its location unknown to even those who study there – is where you might find yourself the practice target of a classmate… and where one’s mandatory graduation thesis is getting away with the perfect murder of someone whose death will make the world a much better place to live.
Prepare for an education you’ll never forget. A delightful mix of witty wordplay, breathtaking twists and genuine intrigue, Murder Your Employer will gain you admission into a wholly original world, cocooned within the most entertaining book about well-intentioned would-be murderers you’ll ever read.
Thoughts:
It feels wrong saying I was fascinated and pleasantly surprised by this book, when you only have the title to judge. After all, it is a guide on how to murder your employer. Disclaimer to all my colleagues: I promise it’s fiction!
I loved the start the most. The book is written as if the dean is speaking to the new students at the McMasters Conservatory for the Applied Arts. I love the idea of there being a school, where you’re about to learn how best to “delete” your “target”. It gave me Hogwarts vibes, with a killing twist. Even though the book contains mostly the Dean’s thoughts and advice, we also meet three students in particular, and through them, we get introduced to their lives, their classes and why they want to “delete” a certain person.
Cliff Iverson, Gemma Lindley and Doria Maye all have one thing in common – they’re here to learn how to kill.
Through their diaries, interactions with each other and the dean’s reports, we follow their progress. It was interesting to see what the classes are about and the weekly timetables, including the eating schedules. What I found very intriguing were Cliff’s attempts to escape the school in the beginning.
I will be honest, the book lost me somewhere in the middle. As soon as they were out in the world, preparing to execute their assignment (pun intended), I got a little lost. Mostly because I wasn’t aware of their plans. And the other part is maybe because I prefered the school setting. We knew mostly about Cliff’s plans, but even he went off script. And I know that the surprise and mystery elements have a say in us going in blindly, but I didn’t enjoy it because everyone was scheming at the same time and it was difficult for me to follow all three storylines without a lot of clues. If this was done separately, I would not have faced character and plot exhaustion and would have enjoyed this book so much more.
That being said, the plot twists in the end were incredible. I devoured those last pages intensely! Seeing all plans being changed at the last minute was worth it! And on top of that, we have the dean’s comments on their assignment and the pass / fail moments too. The book blew me away so many times, it’s definitely one of a kind and one I wholeheartedly recommend, despite my “middle-book” experience. I will definitely be on the lookout for the next volumes of the McMasters Guide....more
How could I say no to another Colleen Hoover book, this time written together with Tarryn Fisher? Never Never! Head to my blog if you want to sample the first chapter of the book!
Synopsis
Charlie Wynwood and Silas Nash have been best friends since they could walk. They’ve been in love since the age of fourteen. But as of this morning… they are complete strangers. Their first kiss, their first fight, the moment they fell in love… every memory has vanished. Now Charlie and Silas must work together to uncover the truth about what happened to them and why. But the more they learn about the couple they used to be… the more they question why they were ever together to begin with.
Forgetting is terrifying but remembering may be worse…
The Number One Sunday Times bestselling author of It Ends with Us joins forces with the New York Times bestselling author of The Wives for a gripping, twisty, romantic mystery unlike any other.
My Thoughts:
I loved reading this book. I had the pleasure to read it alongside some amazing people and we shared our thoughts on Instagram and Discord. Reading it was easy. In fact, not reading more than the daily chapters was the real struggle. The book intrigued me so much and I couldn’t stop flipping the pages.
The initial mystery of Silas and Charlie’s memories turned into a big chase against the clock, with family, friends, tarot ladies and even the police getting involved. The ending was slightly underwhelming – it had its flaws, but I can’t help but admire it because it just kept me on the edge and I couldn’t stop reading it. I have been bored to death from so many books, that I now appreciate the page-turners way too much!
My favourite parts where the little moments when Charlie and Silas would get to know each other again through their letters, their rooms, their tattoos… There was something very intimate about seeing them read their own love letters for “the first time”. It was also an amazing experience to see them realise that they don’t actually like some of the things they pretended they did, and not to be afraid to show it this time around.
“I may not remember anything about her, but I would bet her smile was my favorite part of her”
In terms of the epilogue (and I won’t reveal too much), I actually liked what they showed. It’s almost as saying – this is not just our story, it happens to all soulmates in the world, and I thought that was cute....more
On the lookout for historical romance, one particularly set in the Victorian era? Read “His Runaway Marchioness Returns” by Marguerite Kaye.
I am extremely grateful to have received a signed copy of this book by the author herself. Not only that, but she also included a gift made by her own fair hands and I love keeping all my pens and pencils there. If you’re not familiar with Marguerite Kaye, she has written a lot of historical romances and her most recent book aside this one is her collaboration with Sarah Ferguson for the Buccleuch Family series, with “Her Heart for a Compass” and “A Most Intriguing Lady”, a book I still need to read myself.
Synopsis:
From convenient marriage…
To inconvenient attraction!
Industrialist Oliver—the new Marquess of Rashfield—has become Society’s most eligible bachelor. The problem is he’s already married! Honourable Oliver conveniently wed his best friend’s sister Lily years ago, but since then they’ve built separate, fulfilling lives. Now Lily has returned for a long-overdue divorce, but Oliver needs his Marchioness until he secures his inheritance. They’ve never shared a house… sparks are sure to fly!
Thoughts:
The story of Oliver and Lily is very tranquil and unproblematic. They have their past of already having an arranged marriage and Oliver’s situation regarding his inheritance is proving difficult, so they’ve come under the conclusion to marry again. With the new marriage comes a lot of introductions and parties, something I greatly enjoyed while reading the book. Lily’s life in Paris was an interesting change in scenery. I loved her love for theatre and fighting for the performers’ rights.
It was very well flagged, how taboo it is for a woman to be in such an industry and profession and how ill perceived it was at the time – almost always associated with a bad reputation. I liked that Oliver’s views were modern regarding this topic as well as his views on his farms and how business should be run to benefit the workers. What I fear is that this wasn’t really the case. Usually at this time workers had to protest to get their say and it wasn’t always down to a good Marquess that changed the status quo.
I enjoyed Lily and Oliver’s romance. It was a slow burner at first, and then a case of not letting their true feelings show. Both tropes that I quite enjoy in a romance. It’s certainly one of those books you take with you to escape reality for a moment. My only reason for marking it a bit lower is that it’s not as memorable as other similar books I’ve read and I fear it will soon get lost with the other historical romances....more
I am so excited to be part of this blog tour for “Strange Sally Diamond” by Liz Nugent. From the moment I read and loved “Our Little Cruelties”, I knew Liz Nugent is going to became an author I will often come back to. And Strange Sally Diamond was incredible!
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Synopsis
“Put me out with the bins”, he said, regularly. “When I die, put me out with the bins. I’ll be dead, so I won’t know any different.”
When Sally Diamond’s dad passed away, she did exactly what he hold her to do. She put him out with the bins.
Now Sally is the centre of attention, not only from the hungry media and worried police, but also a sinister voice from a past she has no memory of. As she begins to discover the horrors of her childhood, recluse Sally steps into the world for the first time, making new friends, finding independence, and learning that people don’t always mean what they say.
But when messages start arriving from a stranger who knows far more about her past than she knows herself, Sally’s life will be thrown into chaos once again . . .
My Thoughts:
Now, I wish I could say that putting her dad out with the bins is the strangest thing Sally would do in this book, but it’s called “Strange Sally Diamond” for a reason. After her father’s passing and the letters he leaves her behind, Sally becomes the talk of the town. There are certain things being revealed about her early childhood that could explain why she has always been different. Also, there are some anonymous letters in the mail from someone that may know her. I dived into this book blind, and can only recommend that you do the same.
The book starts slow, with a small twist, and then before you know it, you’re swimming into the deep end of a very poignant, but disturbing story. I won’t reveal anything else in terms of the plot, because I don’t want to spoil anyone’s reading experience. We have Sally’s point of view, from the day her father dies, until the present day. And we also have another person’s point of view, sharing their story from Sally’s early shildhood, also to the present day. Reading both POVs was stressful and gripping.
I liked Sally – the way she accepted she was different and never changed who she was for anyone else. But also her willingness to keep working on herself and be the best version of herself. I loved the group of friends she had around her. They were always supportive and wanted what’s best for her, but never afraid to tell her the truth when it was needed. I also enjoyed the other POV, although it always had a darker, more sinister atmosphere. Despite all the evil, there were emotions of loneliness, sadness, fear and the need to be accepted and to belong that I sometimes felt for them.
With so many twists and turns, Liz Nugent managed to keep me on my toes yet again. And although I had my own theories and suspicions (I’m looking at you, Mark!), I was completely wrong and didn’t see anything coming until it was on my page. “Strange Sally Diamond” is a brilliant thriller with a lot of disturbing excitement. I liked the idea of the grey area between a gullable victim and an accomplice. And this is the kind of book that is about to raise a lot of moral dilemas and start conversations during a book club meeting. I warmly recommend it, with the advice to dive in blind. It will keep you on the edge of your seat and give you chills when you’re expecting them the least....more
I have finally made it! By reading Verity, I joined the club of people who read and enjoyed a Colleen Hoover book!
Synopsis:
Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish.
Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity’s notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn’t expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity’s recollection of what really happened the day her daughter died.
Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen’s feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife’s words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue to love her.
Thoughts:
Just a side note, there isn’t any special reason why I waited this long to read a book by Colleen Hoover. I just didn’t have her books on my physical TBR and read the ones I did. I’m also not the type of person to jump on a bandwagon, so I wasn’t too bothered to pick up popular books if I didn’t already own them. Anyways, here we are, with me having read Verity! My colleague and good friend recommended it to me, and I had to give it a go. What an incredible book Verity ended up being! I finished it in two days and would have finished it in one sitting had I not had work and real life stuff too.
From the first chapter where Lowen’s story starts to the very last chapter that gives more questions than answers. This book was unpredictable. I loved the plot. I went in blind, and was so excited about Lowen’s deal. Then, once she moved into the house, I was excited to read about every little thing that was going on. Jeremy was an interesting character for me. I had a lot of admiration for him, for everything he went through, but then I also felt some sinister vibes off him. And then we have Verity. A woman who has a passive role in this book, but she is the main character. Despite not having a voice, she ends up being the loudest one.
The house has a weird vibe, from Verity’s writing office, to the nurses. Even the child is traumatised, bless him. And rightly so, as he’s been through so much! We then also have the romance that is starting to bloom between Jeremy and Lowen. And it’s so odd, because I was rooting for their love story, but his wife was still in that house. If anything, this shows how amazing Colleen’s writing is, especially when it comes to taboo topics or situations that don’t fit the normal mould of what’s morally acceptable. Sinister, but amazing!
My favourite quote is the one below. As soon as I read it, it rang so true to me. And it reminded me of the first sentence of Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. The same kind of reflection moment hit me, which I know made Verity that more special in my heart:
“Some families are lucky enough to never experience a single tragedy. But then there are those families that seem to have tragedies waiting on the back burner. What can go wrong, goes wrong. And then it gets worse.”
The whole character setup was a paradise for a psychology lover like me. I loved getting inside everyone’s head, trying to figure out what people are thinking and what they’ll do next. I also enjoyed the book within a book part incredibly much – the part where we read Verity’s diary. Verity is a book that will definitely keep you on your toes. A lot of clues and other people’s version of the same events are likely to make you trust no one. In the end, you will have to make your own conclusion on who to believe and who is telling the truth.
It’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed a book this much, and an ending that made me re-evaluate every opinion I had throughout the book. It’s the kind of book you want to talk about, so it’s no wonder it has become the sensation it is now. This is for sure just the start of my Colleen Hoover journey – what book should I be reading next? And for those of you who have read Verity – what do you believe more? The diary or the letter?...more
No Life for a Lady by Hannah Dolby transported me into the 1890’s, and our strong heroine Violet made that journey quite memorable!
Synopsis:
Violet Hamilton is a woman who knows her own mind. Which, in 1896, can make things a little complicated…
At 28, Violet’s father is beginning to worry she will never find a husband. But every suitor he presents, Violet finds a new and inventive means of rebuffing.
Because Violet does not want to marry. She wants to work, and make her own way in the world. But more than anything, she wants to find her mother Lily, who disappeared from Hastings Pier 10 years earlier.
Finding the missing is no job for a lady, but when Violet hires a seaside detective to help, she sets off a chain of events that will put more than just her reputation at risk.
Can Violet solve the mystery of Lily Hamilton’s vanishing before it’s too late?
Thoughts:
I am beyond thankful to Tandem Collective, Head of Zeus and Hannah Dolby, for letting me join this special readalong. I was lucky to receive an exclusive interactive readalong edition copy, full with QR codes, challenges and topics to discuss whilst reading the book. The format of the book was very interactive and although it distracted me a bit, I enjoyed finding out about this period in history. What people wore, what was popular at the time, how the streets and towns used to look like, what were people’s main professions, and most importantly, what were the women’s roles in society at this point in time.
First of all, Violet is an amazing character. She knows exactly what she wants(to find her mum) and also what she doesn’t want (to marry). She hires a detective to search for her mum, and she’s also quite busy rejecting men left, right and centre – much to the annoyance of her father.
The more clues are being discovered, the more unsure Violet is about the investigation and the detective. She starts interacting with Mr. Blackthorn in the hopes that he would be a better detective for this case, but Mr. Blackthorn is set to give up that career path. The book highlights the era so well, the way women are treated in society and the audacity that men have.
No respect towards women (with exceptions), yet all they seem to care about is reputation. The part that hurt and angered me the most is the lack of freedom, and no freedom of choice. To be rejected for books in a library, to be denied education and a career, if you so wish to have… Yet they are able to get away with murder. In an environment like this, where all the odds are stacked against her, Violet was a breath of fresh air. I loved that she would stop at nothing to achieve the things she wants.Her determination, dedication and sense of humour made this book so enjoyable. The pace of the book started slowly at first, but then it picked up, and by the end I couldn’t stop turning the pages....more
As a whole collection of short stories, I quite enjoyed Christmas is Murder. As I do with every book that contains multiple stories, I rate them all individually and my final rating is the average rating of them all.
The collection wasn’t very Christmassy and festive as a whole, but it was very atmospheric, cold, spooky, and with a few stories indeed set during the holidays. This is the type of book you would read next to your fireplace, or Christmas tree, wrapped in a warm blanket with a cup of hot chocolate. It has a lot of twists and will keep you entertained until the very last story.
Huge thanks to the team at LoveReading, for sending me a copy of the collection.
Below is a breakdown of my thoughts and ratings for all the stories, and to end on a beautiful note, special credit to Angela Harding, who illustrated the cover. Her artistic style in “October, October” was so beautiful that as soon as I laid eyes on this cover, I could immediately guess who the creator was.
Happy Holidays - ★★★★
A great introduction to Tony Hill and Carol Jordan, although in retrospective, this is the only short story featuring them. I liked the plot and the immediate mystery. The only reason it’s not a 5 star is because I felt the ending was slightly rushed. However, despite that, I loved the mystery, the part where they profiled the killer and the Christmas spirit.
A Wife in a Million - ★★★★★
What an incredible short story that managed to touch on unemployment and what it can make a person do out of frustration. Very fast pace, with an unexpected twist at the very end.
A Traditional Christmas - ★★★★★
Amberley House is a place full of traditions. And when someone wants to change the status-quo, not everyone in the family will allow it. But where tradition comes into place, not all disputes are resolved in a traditional way. The story was spooky, with a twist at the end, and I really enjoyed it.
The Long Black Veil - ★★★★
“Everybody here in Mariott knows where and when Kenny Sheldon died, and most of them think they know why.”
I loved the small town vibe in this story, the atmosphere was intriguing and exciting. It was beautifully crafted into two different timelines, and with a short story, that can be quite hard to achieve, but Val McDermid did it beautifully!
The Girl who Killed Santa Claus - ★★★★
I found this story quite funny and wholesome. The girl knows Santa doesn’t exist, and when a burglar turns up to her house on Christmas Eve, everything escalates. One thing I didn’t expect from this collection of short stories was to make me laugh out loud, but I am so glad it did!
Holmes for Christmas - ★★★★
I was pleasantly surprised to see Holmes and Watson in action, especially with a nod to my lovely Balkans. It was a story inspired by the First World War assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Gavrillo Princip. It was an interesting read and slightly longer than the rest of the stories.
Ancient and Modern - ★★★★★
Wow, this story was something else! The raw emotion and the vivid descriptions blew me away. The emotional love story between Ellie and Alan. And when Alan is killed in a traffic collision, the unfair justice system strikes and brings Ellie so much pain and not nearly enough justice. Then the ultimate plot twist happens and I am so impressed by how the author manages to piece everything together so neatly. This is my favourite short story in the collection so far, without a shadow of a doubt.
The Devil’s Share - ★★★★★
Waterfalls, a barrel of whiskey and a secret lying dormant for 50 years is a hell of a good plot for a story. I enjoyed this one so much, the present and the past meeting in a very powerful way, with great characters. I quite liked the fact that George Orwell was indirectly involved in the story as well, and our character inadvertently helped him finish “1984”. A lovely story with a slightly sad ending that touched my heart.
Ghost Writer - ★★★★★
Intriguing story with a paranormal element. Gavin wants to be a writer, but for the love of God, cannot think of a plot line. One day, he goes to a writing course and meets Natasha. She can’t write, but she has the best story ideas and they start working as a tandem. I won’t say what happens next to keep the suspense up and avoid any spoilers, but I liked the plot twist and the ending as well. Very spooky and completely unexpected. Also, the author has a weird fascination with people dying on bicycles, it seems. :)
White Nights, Black Magic - ★★★★
Very cold story, like the Russian winter nights, but full of emotion. I was invested in the long distance love story of the two doctors, and how revenge is a syringe best served cold.
Heartburn - ★★★
Short and sweet, and a very evil story. It took me a moment at the end and then I gasped. What a reveal, and how cleverly executed (pun intended). I enjoyed this one, but it was slightly too short, and a bit underwhelming, except for the very end.
Four Calling Birds - ★★★★
Lovely story about the harsh reality miners were facing during the reign of the Iron Lady. A story about four ladies working as Bingo callers and the change of management that creates all sorts of chaos. Despite this chaos, I saw a son, whose love for his parents and justice is so strong, he is willing to do everything to make things right again....more
All aboard a cozy murder mystery on the Christmas Express. Think Agatha Christie meets anagrams, hidden word searches, a recipe and a pub quiz. It’s tAll aboard a cozy murder mystery on the Christmas Express. Think Agatha Christie meets anagrams, hidden word searches, a recipe and a pub quiz. It’s the perfect mysterious festive read.
Synopsis
Eighteen passengers. Seven stops. One killer.
In the early hours of Christmas Eve, the sleeper train to the Highlands is derailed, along with the festive plans of its travellers. With the train stuck in snow in the middle of nowhere, a killer stalks its carriages, picking off passengers one by one. Those who sleep on the sleeper train may never wake again.
Can former Met detective Roz Parker find the killer before they kill again?
My Thoughts:
“That was the magic of trains. The world seemed to pass you by while you were still, yet somehow you got to where you wanted to go. If only life were like that.”
I enjoyed this book so much, and reading it made me feel the Christmas spirit this year. It’s my first read in December and I couldn’t be happier to start my festive year with this title. The synopsis promises a similar plot to the famous “Murder on the Orient Express” by Agatha Christie, but you couldn’t be more wrong. Yes, it was probably inspired by the title, and someone dies on a train so everyone is a suspect, but this is where the similarities end. The plot continues to thicken and no one can be trusted. Even Roz, the former detective, starts to make people question her integrity. I quite liked the open interrogation and the many twists that happened at the very end.
“Make lots of mistakes, Rosalind. Make them frequently. And do not give up who you are to be someone else, or someone you think you should be. It never works. Find your strengths and use them. You have many. No one can figure things out like you can. No one stands up for victims like you do.”
My favourite part was how interactive Murder on the Christmas Express is. I tried so hard to find all the anagrams, but I didn’t have too much luck, without knowing what page or chapter to look for. However, I thoroughly enjoyed finding all of Kate Bush’s songs that were hiding in plain sight. I also enjoyed the Christmas pub quiz and I will definitely be borrowing some questions this year.
When it came to the ending of the book and the killer, I wasn’t surprised.
I had my suspicions on a group of people, and it tied in nicely. A lot of signs and clues were already around, so it didn’t feel like too much of a surprise. I would have loved to get to know some of the characters more, and add a few of their secrets to thicken the plot a bit more. Some of the insight information that Roz received could have added to the suspense. As a cozy murder mystery, Murder on the Christmas Express made me feel exactly how I wanted it to; excited for Christmas, entertained and engrossed in solving a lot of mysteries. If you know a reader, this will be their perfect Christmas gift for them.
“Memories are like a tray full of water. They might seem clear to you, but they’re coloured by your own ink, your schema, made up of your past experiences, the way you view the world, your own sense of time, cultural identity and values, and so many other factors. If you lay a sheet of paper on top of the tray, then it will be one colour, one set of memories. But everyone else’s memories are shaded with their own ink, and if two or more of your memories mix, then they marble together and cannot be separated. If you lay a piece of paper on top, a very different image will emerge from the first. Bartlett’s theory of reconstructive memory. No one will give quite the same version of the same event.”...more
Huge thank you to the team at Head of Zeus, for the opportunity to participate on the blog tours for “The Patient” and “The Politician” by Tim Sullivan. Reading both books has been an absolute pleasure and I would recommend them both.
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Synopsis:
A ransacked room. A dead politician. A burglary gone wrong – or a staged murder?
THE DETECTIVE
DS George Cross loves puzzles – he's good at them – and he immediately spots one when he begins investigating the death of former mayor Peggy Frampton. It looks like a burglary that went horribly wrong to most but George can see what others can't – that this was murder.
THE PUZZLE
After her political career ended, Peggy became a controversial blogger whose forthright opinions attracted a battalion of online trolls. And then there's her family: an unfaithful husband and a gambling-addicted son. With yet more enemies in her past, the potential suspects are unending.
THE SUSPECTS
Cross must unpick the never-ending list of seedy connections to find her killer – but the sheer number of suspects is clouding his usually impeccable logic. He's a relentlessly methodical detective, but no case can last forever. And politics can be a dangerous game – especially for people who don't know the rules...
My Thoughts:
With “The Politician”, I enjoyed the book from the first chapter until the very last. The gathering of the evidence at the beginning was intriguing, making us aware of everything that is found at the scene and creating a certain scenario. I loved the abundance of suspects that this book had. With the suspect being a retired politician and a social media figure with a lot of following, it opened up a can of worms when it came to suspects. I also loved the involvement of other people in this case, and seeing some new faces at the police station.
DS Cross was the star of the book again, unsurprisingly. I just love his method of gathering evidence and eliminating suspects. The case was quite twisted with a lot going on, and he managed to stay on top of it, with Ottey always there to support. I enjoyed Carsons’s downfall too - it was funny how he always does the wrong thing. Maybe he learns something this time around and changes in the next book. Family relationships were a big topic in this book and it was interesting to see different family dynamics. Even DS Cross had his own family mystery to unravel.
“For someone who struggled to make relationships with the living, he had no such problems doing so with the dead.”
The pacing of the book wasn’t always great, but there was new evidence frequently enough to keep me going. I feel that involving a bit of a mafia family from Albania was a bit cliche, but being born in Macedonia and having seen some things in my life, the description wasn’t too far off.
I wasn’t surprised by the reveal - I could spot the signs from the second interaction. However, there wasn’t only one mystery to unravel this time. As we keep reading, and clues are being discovered, there are multiple things that require DS Cross’s attention and I was here for it. “The Politician” kept me entertained, and I never thought I would say that sentence in my life. But it did, I really enjoyed it, and same as “The Patient” I warmly recommend it. It’s not always that you have a DS on the spectrum that warms up to you as a reader as DS Cross did to me. His personality adds a uniqueness to a mystery book, and his methods are so amazing to read. Now I will have to get the first two books of the The DS Cross Mysteries series to complete my collection and eagerly wait to read about DS Cross’s next case....more
Ivana - Diary of Difference
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