Good evening everyone I hope you’ve had a good Monday. I recently finished two very different books.
The Strawberry Patch Pancake House by Laurie Gillmore which is the fourth book in the fantastic Dream Harbour series and The Hypocrite by Jo Hamya which has been shortlisted for the Dylan Prize! I enjoyed both of these and I’ll be posting my reviews later this week.
I’m now starting Tea You At The Altar by Rebecca Thorne which is the next installment in the fabulous Tomes And Tea series. I’m a few pages in but I’m loving being back in this world again. I’m on the blog tour on Friday so do come back to check out my review.
Huge thanks to @wnbooks and @midascampaigns for sending me a copy of The Hypocrite and @torbooksuk and @bookbreakuk for the copy of Tea You At The Altar it’s really appreciated.
Good morning everyone and happy Monday. Spring is one of my favourite seasons and I’ve been loving the sunny days we’ve started to get this month so I had to do a stack to celebrate!
🤍The House With Nine Locks by Philip Gray 💛The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley 🩵Story Of My Life by Lucy Score 🤍There Are Rivers In The Sky by Elif Shafak 💛 Believe by S. M Govett 💙 Cleopatra by Natasha Solomon 💛The Stranger In Room Six by Jane Corry 🤍Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors 🩵 Human Remains by Jo Callaghan
All of these are tbr apart from Blue Sisters but I’m hoping to read Human Remains and Story Of My Life soon as I’ve been hearing lots of great things.
I’m off today and after doing a bit of housework I’m hoping to do some reading. I have a bar of my favourite chocolate ready so I’m looking forward to snuggling up after the school run. I finished a book yesterday and started a new one last night. It’s taken me a little bit to get into it but I’m enjoying it now. I’m planning on posting a reading update later so check back to see what I’m reading.
I’ve tagged a few people on Instagram who might want to take part and share a spring weather stack but, as always, no pressure.
Did you have a good weekend? What was your favourite part?
When Lena overhears a conversation between her next-door neighbours, she thinks she must have misheard.
After all, the Morgans are a kind, retired couple who have moved to a suburban street in Bristol where nothing ever happens.
But it sounded like they were planning a crime.
Her family and friends tell her she’s made a mistake. Yet the more Lena looks into the Morgans, the darker things seem. And the more she fears it might be linked to a secret from her own past.
Because, if her suspicions are true, then someone is in real danger.
And it might just be her…
My Review:
The New Neighbours is another gripping, twisty read from one of my favourite thriller writers. It’s going to be a difficult book to review as I don’t want to give anything away.
The Story is told from the point of view of several different characters and from multiple timelines. As we follow them the reader is slowly drawn into the mystery of what is happening next door but also how it might connect with events from years ago. I really enjoyed following the different timeline and trying to work out how everything fit together. There were lot of twist that kept me guessing and I kept changing my mind as to what was going on. Just when I thought I had figured everything out, something would happen to send the story in another direction which I thought was very clever.
I thought most of the characters in this book were quite unlikeable as most had done some questionable things. I did have a huge soft spot for the main character Lena though, probably because as she’s my age I can really relate to her and her worries for the future. As someone whose life mostly revolves around her kids as well the prospect of a future where they won’t need me as much scares me. Her ‘mother bear’ instincts also made me smile as I’ve been known to do that too with my children.
Overall as you can probably guess I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more from this author in the future. I was quickly drawn into the story and into the mystery of what the neighbours were up to. The book was very fast paced and there always seemed to be something happening to keep me reading, often long into the night which hasn’t happened for a while. The ending was brilliant, especially that surprising twist at the end and I especially loved that the author includes a bit after everything is resolved so that the reader can see what happens next. It is definitely a book that will make you think twice about spying on your neighbours.
Huge thanks to Michael Joseph publishers for sending me a copy of this book.
About The Author:
Claire Douglas is the Sunday Times number one bestselling author of eight stand alone novels: The Sisters (2015), Local Girl Missing (2016), Last Seen Alive (2017), Do Not Disturb (2018), Then She Vanishes (2019) and Just Like The Other Girls (2020). Her seventh, The Couple At No 9 (2021) was an Amazon number one bestseller, a number three Sunday Times bestseller and most recently hit number one on Germany’s Der Spiegel paperback bestsellers chart. The Girls Who Disappeared was a Richard and Judy book club pick for Autumn 2022 and was an instant number one Sunday Times bestseller. Her books have sold over a million copies in the UK and have been published worldwide.
Her most recent, THE WOMAN WHO LIED will be published on July 6th 2023.
You can find Claire on Twitter at @DougieClaire, Instagram as clairedouglasauthor, or visit her Facebook page clairedouglasauthor.
Celebrated writer and historian Maria Graham must make the treacherous voyage from Brazil to London to deliver her latest book to her publisher. Having come to terms with the loss of her beloved husband, Maria is now determined to live her life as she pleases, free from the smothering constraints of Georgian society.
For a woman travelling alone it’s a journey fraught with danger, and as civil war rages around her, the only ship prepared to take Maria belongs to roguish smuggler Captain James Henderson. Onboard, all is well until Maria makes two shocking discoveries – the first a deadly secret, the second an irresistible attraction to the enigmatic captain.
With Henderson on a journey of his own and determined to finally put his life of crime behind him, he and Maria grow ever closer. But can Henderson escape his illicit past or will the scandalous secret he’s hiding ruin them both?
My Review:
On Starlit Seas is another absorbing, atmospheric read from Sara Sheridan.
Firstly I absolutely loved the main character Maria and enjoyed following her throughout the book. She’s an actual historical character who I’d not heard of before so it was fascinating to find out more about her, chocolate smuggling and Brazil’s war for independence. It’s always a joy to read about independent, strong ladies especially in past times when the odds were more stacked against them and I loved how Maria stands up for herself against the norms of society. She doesn’t let anyone get in the way of her dreams which is very admirable both in the book and her achievements in real life.
I though the book had a great pace to it and there always seemed to be something happening to keep me reading. The author has done a great job of setting the scene and I often felt like I was really there experiencing the heat of the jungle at one moment and the rigidness of English society in the next. The story has a bit of everything in it war, adventure, ship voyages and romance which worked really well in the story. I loved learning more about the period as I didn’t know much about the beginnings of the chocolate trade or the gangs that existed purely for smuggling. The book is based around real events and I liked that the author has been able to fit her story inside of what actually transpired which I thought was very clever. I always love being able to google real life historical figures whilst reading so I can find out more about them but in this case I suggest not doing this until after you’ve read the book as it does cause some spoilers.
The ending was really well done and I found myself cheering for how everything turned out. I do wish one aspect of the ending was slightly different but unfortunately real life events means that it wouldn’t have been possible to end any other way.
If you are a fan of vivid, exciting historical fiction then I highly recommend this book.
About The Author:
Sara Sheridan works in a wide range of media and genres but mostly historical and especially the stories of women. She loves exploring where our culture comes from. In 2018 she remapped Scotland according to women’s history. Tipped in Company and GQ magazines, she was nominated for a Young Achiever Award. She has received a Scottish Library Award and has been shortlisted for the Saltire Book Prize and the Wilbur Smith Prize. Her work was included in the David Hume Institute’s Summer Reading list 2019. She has sat on the committee for the Society of Authors in Scotland (where she lives) and on the board of ’26’ the campaign for the importance of words. She took part in 3 ’26 Treasures’ exhibitions at the V&A, London, The National Museum of Scotland and the Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green. She occasionally blogs for the Guardian about her writing life, the Huffington Post about her activism as a writer and a feminist and puts her hand up to being a ‘twitter evangelist’. From time to time she appears on radio, and has reported for BBC Radio 4’s From Our Own Correspondent from both Tallin and Sharjah. Sara is a member of the Society of Authors and the Historical Writers Association. A self-confessed ‘word nerd’ her favourite book is ‘Water Music’ by TC Boyle. In 2016 she cofounded feminist perfume brand, REEK: artefacts from the project are now held at the National Museums of Scotland and the Glasgow Women’s Library.
Good morning everyone and happy Sunday. As most of you know it was International Women’s Day yesterday and cos I’m daft I forgot to post this yesterday so I’m doing a belated post!
Here are some of my favourite women authors:
❤️Laura Wood 🧡BK Borison 💛Coco Mellors * 💚 Claire Douglas * 💙 Hannah Grace * 🩵Dinah Jeffries 💜Tess Gerritsen 💟Clare Leslie Hall * 🩷Jo Callaghan 💕 Alice Feeney * 🤍 Jane Casey 🩶C.L Taylor
I highly recommend all of these fabulous authors as I’ve loved all of their books. I’ve actually read a few of the books in this stack already but I’m looking forward to reading the rest really soon. The star next to their name shows the books I’ve already read.
Thanks to all the lovely ladies on here who make blogging so fun and offer so much support. My lovely book club ladies for all the laughs and good conversations. Special shout out to my mum, sister, school mum friends and work colleagues I’m so grateful to you all.
Which female authors alive or dead would you invite to your dream dinner party?
Eeek! I was lucky enough to grab this fab book post when it arrived at the book store this week. I’ve loved previous book by this author so I’m very excited to read this one soon. A lovely story set in space? Sounds amazing!
Huge thanks to Hutchinson and All About The Indies for sending this to our Malvern shop it’s much appreciated.
Out June 2025 and find out more about the book below ⬇️
Is this one on your radar?
Book Synopsis:
AN EPIC NOVEL SET AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF THE 1980S SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAM ABOUT THE EXTRAORDINARY LENGTHS WE GO TO LIVE AND LOVE BEYOND OUR LIMITS.
In the summer of 1980, astrophysics professor Joan Goodwin begins training to be an astronaut at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, alongside an exceptional group of fellow candidates: Top Gun pilot Hank Redmond; mission specialists John Griffin and Lydia Danes; warmhearted Donna Fitzgerald; and Vanessa Ford, the magnetic and mysterious aeronautical engineer. As the new astronauts prepare for their first flights, Joan finds a passion and a love she never imagined and begins to question everything she believes about her place in the observable universe.
Then, in December of 1984, on mission STS-LR9, everything changes in an instant.
Atmosphere is Taylor Jenkins Reid at her best: transporting readers to iconic times and places, creating complex protagonists, and telling a passionate and soaring story about the transformative power of love – this time among the stars.
About The Author:
Taylor Jenkins Reid is the New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones & The Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, as well as One True Loves, Maybe in Another Life, After I Do, and Forever, Interrupted. Her newest novel, Malibu Rising, is out now. She lives in Los Angeles.
Good morning everyone and happy Thursday. As you probably know The Woman’s Prize For Fiction Long List was announced this week.
❤️Good Girl by Aria Aber ❣️The Ministry Of Time by Kaliane Bradley 🧡 Somewhere Else by Jenni Daiches 💛Amma by Saraid de Silva 💚 Crooked Seeds by Karen Jennings 💙All Fours by Miranda July 🩵The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami 💜 Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 💟 Nesting by Roisin O’Donnell 🩷A Little Trickerie by Rosanna Pike 💕Birding by Rose Ruane 🤍The Artist by Lucy Steeds 🤎Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Stoud 🖤The Safekeep by Yael Van Der Wouden 🩶 Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis
Much to my delight I already have copies of 7 of the books which I’m excited about. I’m sure I’ve got a copy of A Little Trickerie as I went to an event with her last year and Birding but I sadly can’t find them at the moment.
There are four books I haven’t heard of before in the list so I’m looking forward to discovering more about them.
Out of the books I’ve got I’m hoping to read The Artist, Nesting and The Safekeep soon as I keep hearing great things.
Will you be reading any books from the list? Which book would you read first?
Lucy is running from what she’s done – and what someone did to her.
There’s only one person who might understand: her sister Jess. But when Lucy arrives at her sister’s desolate cliff-top house, Jess is gone.
Lucy is now alone, in a strange town steeped in rumour. Stories of men disappearing without a trace. A foundling discovered in a sea-swept cave. And women’s voices murmuring on the waves…
As Lucy searches for her sister, those voices get ever louder. They tell of two sisters, two centuries ago, bound and transported across the world. A world where men always get their way. A world that is at once distant, and achingly familiar.
Are these voices luring Lucy closer to her sister? Or will the secrets of the past pull them both under?
My Review:
The Sirens is a gripping and magical read perfect for anyone who likes dual timeline mysteries with a supernatural element to it.
The story is told in three timelines following two pairs of sisters’ centuries apart. One timeline follows Lucy, a university student who flees after landing herself in some trouble due to some very realistic dreams she had been having. The later timeline set in 1800 follows twin sisters Eliza and Mary as they are being deported on a convict ship to Australia. The timelines are interspersed in the second half of the book with extracts from the diary of Lucy’s sister Jess. I enjoyed all the timelines equally finding it fascinating to discover more about how harsh life was on a convict ship and the shocking treatment of those on boards as well as following lucy as she tries to discover the connection between her dreams of the two Irish sisters and the mysterious disappearances of local men.
I thought the book had a great pace to it and I was soon found it very difficult to put the book down as there always seemed to be some new discovery to keep me reading. The mystery element of the story was well done, and I loved following Lucy as everything is slowly revealed. The discoveries Lucy makes seemed natural not forced with some of the twists taking me completely by surprise which I always love. It was great fun seeing how the two stories were linked and learning all about the legends that haunt the seaside town. The ending was brilliant, and I loved how all the different stories were tied up in the end.
If you are a fan of magical, dual time mysteries then I highly recommend this book.
Huge thanks to @indie_thinking and @boroughpress for sending me a copy of this fabulous book.
About The Author:
Emilia Hart is a British-Australian writer. She was born in Sydney and studied English Literature and Law at the University of New South Wales before working as a lawyer in Sydney and London. Emilia is a graduate of Curtis Brown Creative’s Three Month Online Novel Writing Course and was Highly Commended in the 2021 Caledonia Novel Award. Her short fiction has been published in Australia and the UK. She lives in London. You can follow Emilia on Twitter at @EmiliaHartBooks.
Good morning everyone and happy Tuesday. Today on Three For Tuesday I’m featuring three books by Rachel Gillig.
💙One Dark Window 💜Two Twisted Crowns 🩷The Knight And The Moth
I’m currently doing a read along for One Dark Window organised by the lovely @rachel_loves_to_read and I’m really enjoying it so far even though I’m a bit behind already. I’ve been hearing great things about her books so much so I bought both books in her previous series at once as I was so confident I would like it.
I’m very excited to receive a copy of her new book The Knight And The Moth and I can’t wait to read it soon, especially as it’s the first book in a new series by her!
Huge thanks to Maddy from @orbitbooks_uk for sending this to me it’s really appreciated!
The Knight And The Moth is out on the 20th May 2025.
Have you got a favourite romantasy series?
The Knight And The Moth
From the New York Times million-copy bestselling author Rachel Gillig comes the next big romantasy phenomenon: a gothic, mist-cloaked tale of a prophetess who is forced on an impossible quest with the one devilishly handsome knight whose future is beyond her sight.
Sybil Delling has spent nine years dreaming of having no dreams at all. Like the other foundling girls who traded a decade of service for a home in the great cathedral, Sybil is a Diviner. In her dreams she receives visions from six unearthly figures known as Omens. From them, she can predict terrible things before they occur, and lords and common folk alike travel across the kingdom of Traum’s windswept moors to learn their futures by her dreams.
Just as she and her sister Diviners near the end of their service, a mysterious knight arrives at the cathedral. Rude, heretical, and devilishly handsome, the knight Rodrick has no respect for Sybil’s visions. But when Sybil’s fellow Diviners begin to vanish one by one, she has no choice but to seek his help in finding them. For the world outside the cathedral’s cloister is wrought with peril. Only the gods have the answers she is seeking, and as much as she’d rather avoid Rodrick’s dark eyes and sharp tongue, only a heretic can defeat a god.
One Dark Window
ELSPETH NEEDS A MONSTER. THE MONSTER MIGHT BE HER.
An ancient, mercurial spirit is trapped inside Elspeth Spindle’s head – she calls him the Nightmare. He protects her. He keeps her secrets. But nothing comes for free, especially magic.
When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, she is thrust into a world of shadow and deception. Together, they embark on a dangerous quest to cure the town of Blunder from the dark magic infecting it. As the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly, darkly, taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.
For fans of Uprooted and For the Wolf comes a gothic fantasy romance about a maiden who must unleash the monster within to save her kingdom.
Two Twisted Towers
In the luscious, dark conclusion to the series that began with One Dark Window, Elspeth must face the consequences of what she’s wrought – perfect for readers of Hannah Whitten’s For the Wolf and A Court of Thorns and Roses.
Elspeth and Ravyn have gathered most of the twelve Providence Cards, but the last, and most important one remains to be found: The Twin Alders.
If they are going to find it before the Solstice and cure the kingdom of the dark magic infecting it, they will need to journey beyond the dangerous mist-cloaked forest that surrounds their kingdom.
And the only one who can lead them there is the monster that shares Elspeth’s head. The Nightmare. And he’s not eager to share any longer.
Good evening everyone I hope you’ve had a good day. I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Cleopatra by Natasha Solomon recently.
I was a huge fan of Fair Rosaline and actually chose it as a book club read for the book club I run. I also have a fascination with anything to do with ancient Egypt so this book really appeals to me.
Huge thanks to @manilla_press for sending me a copy of this book. It sounds absolutely fantastic and I can’t wait to read it.
Find out more about the book below.
Out 8th May 2025.
Book Synopsis:
From the international bestselling author comes an unmissable new untelling of the life of one of the most captivating and misrepresented female figures in history.
Cleopatra, Egyptian Princess, grows up the favoured daughter of the Pharoah, hiding amongst the scrolls in the great library of Alexandria with her beloved slave Charmian, longing for the chance one day to write her own story.
Then when her father dies, willing that Cleopatra rule with her selfish brother Ptolemy, danger stirs. As the young Egyptian Queen sails the Nile to greet her people, he plots to destroy her and take the throne for himself.
But while Ptolemy has the power of Egypt behind him, Cleopatra has her wits. And when the great Caesar arrives from Rome, she realises he could be the key to her salvation – though courting this powerful man could cost her everything.
Can Cleopatra save her life, her throne, her beloved Egypt and finally command her own history?
A powerful, unmissable new retelling, this is a captivating story of female power and vulnerability, of love and loss, fierce friendship and terrible betrayal. It’s time to meet the real Cleopatra.
About The Author:
Natasha Solomons is the author of five internationally bestselling novels, including Mr Rosenblum’s List, The Novel in the Viola, which was chosen for the Richard & Judy Book Club, and The Gallery of Vanished Husbands. Natasha lives in Dorset with her son, daughter and her husband, the children’s author, David Solomons with whom she also writes screenplays. Her novels have been translated into 17 languages. When not writing in the studio, Natasha can usually be found in her garden.
Over The Rainbow Blog 