When Saphira opens her cafe welcoming pet baby dragons, she isn’t expecting it to be quite so hard to keep the fires burning. But her young dragon patrons keep incinerating her furniture, which means selling coffee isn’t covering all her costs.
Local heart-throb Aiden is a gardener, though his disobedient baby dragon is a major distraction from his beloved plants. However, Saphira’s café gives him an idea – he’ll ask Saphira to train his dragon, and pay her enough to keep the cafe afloat.
They know they’re the answer to each other’s problems, but happy-go-lucky Saphira and gorgeous-but-grumpy Aiden couldn’t be more different. Can they find a way to work together – and maybe even ignite some fire of their own?
My Review:
Absorbing, fun and featuring lots of very cute baby dragons this is the perfect book to escape the horrible January weather.
The story is told from the point of view of Saphira the owner of The Baby Dragon Café and Theo who meet when Theo needs help with his grumpy baby dragon. The description of The Baby Dragon Café made it seem so cosy and I loved the idea of each table having a bed for the baby dragons to sleep in. As well as serving a lot of yummy drinks and food, the café also boast a fantastic selection of books for the customers to enjoy which I always like to see.
I really liked the two main characters and enjoyed following them throughout the book. They are two very different people from different walks of life so it was fun to watch them grow closer and learn to appreciate the others opinion. I loved their interactions with each other which were often quite funny and had me laughing out loud as I read.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a cosy fantasy read. I though it had a great pace to it and there always seemed to be something happening to ensure that I kept reading. The world that the author has created was very interesting to explore and I loved how she fit the dragons into a world that otherwise seemed quite normal. I did guess the twist in the story but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the book as I was quite happy just hanging out with the characters. This is the first book in a promising new series and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Huge thanks to Indie Thinking and Avon for sending me a proof copy.
About The Author:
A. T. Qureshi is a Pakistani, Muslim American who adores words. She is the award-winning author of YA fantasy novel, The Lady or the Lion and its sequel. Aamna grew up on Long Island, New York, in a very loud household, surrounded by English (for school), Urdu (for conversation), and Punjabi (for emotion). Much of her childhood was spent being grounded for reading past her bed-time, writing stories in the backs of her notebooks, and being scolded by teachers for passing chapters under the tables. Through her writing, she wishes to inspire a love for the beautiful country and rich culture that informed much of her identity. When she’s not writing, she loves to travel to new places where she can explore different cultures or to Pakistan where she can revitalize her roots. She also loves baking complicated desserts, drinking fancy teas and coffees, watching sappy rom-coms, and going for walks about the estate (her backyard). She currently lives in New York.
Good morning everyone and happy Monday. I thought I’d do a little reading update today.
Last – The Favourites by Layne Fargo & Hope Street by Mike Gayle
I’ve just finished The Favourites and I have mixed feelings about it. I thought it was interesting to learn more about competitive ice dancing but it was a little slow in places, particularly the end, so I found myself skipping pages to get to the end.
I’m on the blog tour for Hope Street tomorrow so I’ll be sharing my full review then but I really loved this one.
Currently Reading – The Romantic Tragedies Of A Drama King by Harry Trevaldwyn & The Queen Of Fives by Alex Hayes
I’m on the read-along for The Romantic Tragedies Of A Drama King and I’m really enjoying it so far. Patch is a hilarious main character who seems to have an interesting approach to life. I’m also starting The Queen Of Fives today which I’ve been hearing lots of great things about.
Next- The Artist by Lucy Steeds & The Sirens by Emilia Hart
I’m then hoping to read these two books which I’m really looking forward to. I’ve been hearing lots of amazing things about The Artist and I was a huge fan of Emilia Hart’s previous book so I’m very intrigued to read this new one from her.
Good morning everyone and happy Sunday. Here are some of the books I’m hoping to read this February. There’s no way I’m going to read all of these (unless I finally get super reading power) but as a huge mood reader I like to keep my options open.
I might be cheating slightly as I’m already reading Hope Street and Romantic Tragedies but as I’m still reading them in February so included them. I realised after I took the picture that I had forgotten a few books but I didn’t want to get all the other books out again.
I’m hoping to get back to walking more so I’ll hopefully listen to a few more audiobooks this month too.
I’m working today which is always fun and then I’m looking forward to a quiet evening reading after a hectic few days.
Good morning everyone and happy Saturday. I was lucky enough to work at the Alice Feeney event at Rossiter Books last night.
Alice is one of my favourite thriller writers so I was incredibly excited to meet her. They say don’t meet your heroes but I’m so glad I did as she was so sweet and incredibly funny telling us lots of stories about her publishing journey so far. Her favourite book is Daisy Darker, same as me, which I loved finding out. I’d actually chosen Daisy Darker as our book club read this month and it was lovely to see so many of our bookclub there too.
As you can see the Indie Edition of Beautiful Ugly is really beautiful. I love the foiling and the beautiful spredges. I was lucky enough to get a proof of it and I absolutely loved it. You can read my review via the link below but it’s highly recommended by me! Huge thanks to the our lovely events organiser Carol and Kate from Pan Macmillan for organising and the lovely Alice Feeney for coming!
Good morning everyone and happy Thursday. I’m a huge thriller fan and here are six thrillers I’m going to be reading soon!
❤️10 Marchfield Square by Nicola Whyte * 🧡The Surf House by Lucy Clarke 💛The Secret Room by Jane Casey 💚The Break In by Katherine Faulkner 💙The Troubled Deep by Rob Parker * 💜An Ethical Guide To Murder by Jenny Morris *
I’ve been hearing great things about the books with stars next to them from my book friends so I’m excited to read them soon. The rest of the books are some of my favourite thriller writers so I’m really looking forward to them. As my life is a bit hectic at the moment it’s good to have a gripping book that I can’t put down.
Find out more about these books below!
Are any of these on your radar?
10 Marchfield Square by Nicola Whyte (Out 27th March 2025)
The Maid meets Only Murders in the Building in this twist-packed cosy mystery set in the smallest residential square in London.
Marchfield Square was meant to be a haven from the outside world. A place for those who need somewhere safe from their pasts, or who could otherwise not afford to stay in the city they call home. That was Celeste Van Duren’s plan. One of her tenants being murdered in his own kitchen, and the police trying to pin it on his long-suffering wife, was not.
So Celeste does what anyone with a lot of money, a strong sense of justice and a bad hip would do: she recruits some help to track down the real murderer. Her cleaner, Audrey, knows everyone in the square and is liked by all, while failed crime writer, Lewis, is known by no one. He hates his job, hates his life, and he’s not that fond of Audrey either, but Celeste is persuasive. In theory his knowledge of police procedure and her way with people should help them find the killer – if they don’t kill each other first…
Despite their differences the two soon discover the victim’s dodgy art deals may hold the key to the mystery – but have they missed something closer to home? After all, how well do you really know your neighbours? The perfect summer read for fans of Tom Hindle, Janice Hallett and Kristen Perrin.
The Surf House by Lucy Clarke (Out 27th February 2025)
Welcome to The Surf House
Where everyone’s escaping something…
High on the cliffs of Morocco, far from the city lights and the souks, stands The Surf House: a sanctuary for travellers chasing sunshine and waves.
But the idyll hides a dark mystery.
And when Bea washes in, seeking refuge after a dangerous encounter in Marrakesh, she soon gets caught in the current.
A woman her age – who stayed in the same area, walked the same beaches, met the same guests – disappeared one year earlier, vanishing without trace.
Somewhere inside The Surf House lies the truth – but there’ll be a price for uncovering it…
The Secret Room by Jane Casey (Out 24th April 2025)
The latest gripping new thriller featuring DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent from the Top Ten Sunday Times bestselling author
A closed door.
An impossible murder.
2:32 p.m. Wealthy, privileged Ilaria Cavendish checks into a luxury London hotel and orders a bottle of champagne. Within the hour, her lover discovers her submerged in a bath of scalding water, dead.
At first glance it looks like an accident. No one went in with her. No one came out. But all the signs point to murder.
For DS Maeve Kerrigan, the case is a welcome distraction. But when shock news hits close to home, affecting her partner, DI Josh Derwent, she faces the toughest challenge of her career. And if she fails her world will never be the same again…
The Break In by Katherine Faulkner (Out 26th August 2025)
After killing an intruder in self-defense, a wealthy London mother must unravel a terrifying mystery filled with twists and turns, from the author of the “deliciously twisted thriller” (People) The Other Mothers.
Alice, a professional mother of one, is hosting a playdate with friends at her upscale London home when a disturbed man breaks in. With her child in the next room, Alice panics and kills him–an act later ruled to have been in self-defense.
Everyone tries to encourage Alice to move on with her life–but with strange comments appearing online, a mysterious phone call telling her all is not as it seems, and her husband, nanny, and friends behaving strangely, Alice finds herself drawn to the mystery of who her intruder really was. As she digs deeper, she discovers a trail of dark secrets that spiral closer to home than she ever could have imagined.
The Troubled Deep by Rob Parker (Out now)
Nobody ever knew what happened to the Brindleys. One summer they were there – flashy, loud and beautiful – and then they were gone. A mother, father and two children, vanished into the East Anglian night.
Some said the family never made it home from the party; their speeding car thrown off the tracks and the four of them silently buried in the marshes. Others said they had simply moved on. For over thirty years, the case remained as cold as the freezing waterways of the Norfolk broads.
Until Cam Killick found the car.
An ex-marine and ex-SBS officer, Cam Killick’s PTSD has made the return to civilian life a living nightmare. The only place he can find peace is underwater, where the world is muffled to white noise. As a cold case diver it is his job to scour the waterways of the country for the lost, the submerged, the drowned, laying their stories to rest alongside them.
Except when Cam levers open the doors to the Brindley car on the lake bed where he found it, all four bodies are missing. And Cam will soon learn that some secrets, once submerged, are better off staying that way.
A gripping, propulsive and atmospheric crime thriller perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves, Peter James and Elly Griffiths. Your new crime obsession starts here…
An Ethical Guide To Murder by Jenny Morris (Out now)
If you had the power between life and death, what would you do?
Thea has a secret. She can tell how long someone has left to live just by touching them. Not only that, but she can transfer life from one person to another – something she finds out the hard way when her best friend Ruth suffers a fatal head injury on a night out. Desperate to save her, Thea touches the arm of the man responsible when he comes to check if Ruth is all right. As Ruth comes to, the man quietly slumps to the ground, dead.
Thea realises that she has a godlike power: but despite deciding to use her ability for good, she can’t help but sometimes use it for her own benefit. Boss annoying her at work? She can take some life from them and give it as a tip to her masseuse for a great job. Creating an ‘Ethical Guide to Murder’ helps Thea to focus her new-found skills. But as she embarks on her mission to punish the wicked and give the deserving more time, she finds that it isn’t as simple as she first thought.
How can she really know who deserves to die, and can she figure out her own rules before Ruth’s borrowed time runs out?
Eeek I’m so excited to be on the cover reveal for The Wasp Trap by Mark Edwards today. I’m a huge fan of this author and have loved all of his previous books so I’m really looking forward to reading this one.
The Wasp Trap is published on the 31st January 2025 and you can find out more about the book below.
Huge thanks to Ellie from Michael Joseph for the invite.
Is this book on your radar?
Book Synopsis:
Summer 1999. Will joins five other idealistic graduates working for an eccentric psychology professor. They’re going to launch a website to change online dating forever.
No-one expects it to end in tragedy.
Twenty-five years later, Will gets an invitation: a dinner party. A chance to see the old gang again.
But as soon as he arrives, something doesn’t seem right.
There’s an unexpected guest. The hosts are clearly keeping a secret. And on the way in, Will is sure he heard crying.
Everyone has something to hide about what really happened that summer.
But only one of them is willing to kill to find the truth…
About The Author:
Mark Edwards writes psychological thrillers about scary things happening to ordinary people. He has sold more than five million copies of his books and topped the bestseller lists numerous times since his first solo novel was published in 2013.
An intense heatwave. A high-stakes baby shower. Will it all end in tears?
Nicki, Lauren, Charlotte and Steffi have been friends since university. Now in their thirties, life is pulling them in different directions – but when Charlotte organises the baby shower of hell for pregnant Nicki, the girls are reunited.
Under a sweltering hot summer day, tensions rise – and by the end of the day, nothing will ever be the same. Someone started a fire at the house – and everyone’s a suspect…
Is it Steffi, happily child-free but feeling judged by her friends? Is it Charlotte, desperate to conceive and jealous of those who have? Is it Lauren, who is finding motherhood far, far harder than she imagined? Or is it Nicki herself, who never wanted a baby shower anyway?
In the aftermath, the police put together the facts – but the truth will shock everyone. Even you. BIG LITTLE LIES meets EXPECTATION in the incredible new novel from Holly Bourne – it’s the book you’ll want to read three times, then give to every woman in your life.
My Review:
Raw, gripping and very emotional this is a book which I think will resonate with a lot of women. Told from the point of view of four women, nicknamed The Little Women who have known each other since university this is a story mainly about friendship and how life choices can change it over the years. As we follow the women through the story it become obvious that the previously tight knit group are struggling with different aspects of their life as they try to negotiate motherhood, pregnancy, IVF and starting their own business.
The author does a great job of laying bare the emotional and psychological impact on having a new baby in a society that seems to think you should just cope as it was your choice to have that baby. As a mother who struggled I found these parts difficult to read at times as it brough back those difficult times. I was actually lucky enough to have lots of friends and family to help but I really felt for Lauren who doesn’t have anyone to understand. Her constant comparisons between herself and other mothers made me cry at times and I just wished I could reach into the book to give her the hug I felt she needed.
I thought the book had a great pace to it and I was quickly drawn into the lives of the four women as they meet to attend a baby shower. The tension slowly creeps up as the reader becomes aware of hidden tensions between the members and certain grievances are aired. The atmosphere becomes more and more claustrophobic as the baby shower continues until it becomes almost palpable, matching the horrendously hot weather outside. I soon found the book hard to put down as I followed all the unfolding drama, wondering when everything was going to come to a head and what would happen next.
The ending was brilliant and I liked how the author keeps the book going a bit longer after the end of the baby shower so the reader can see what would happen next. It’s maybe a bit more of a positive ending then I expected but it was still a nice way to end the book.
About The Author:
Holly started her writing career as a news journalist, where she was nominated for Best Print Journalist of the Year. She then spent six years working as an editor, a relationship advisor, and general ‘agony aunt’ for a youth charity – helping young people with their relationships and mental health. Inspired by what she saw, she started writing teen fiction, including the best-selling, award-winning ‘Spinster Club’ series which helps educate teenagers about feminism. When she turned thirty, Holly wrote her first adult novel, examining the intensified pressures on women once they hit that landmark.
Alongside her writing, Holly has a keen interest in women’s rights and is an advocate for reducing the stigma of mental health problems. She’s helped create online apps that teach young people about sexual consent, works with Women’s Aid to spread awareness of abusive relationships, and runs Rethink’s mental health book club.
Good morning everyone and happy Tuesday. Today on Two For Tuesday I thought I’d feature the two books I’m currently reading. I’m still reading The Favourites too so technically it should be Three For Tuesday but I can’t find my copy this morning….
The Cleaner is a thriller that I’ve been looking forward to and Human, Animal is a book I’ve been hearing lots of good things about so I’m very intrigued to start it. It just got chosen for the BBC Radio Two book club so I’m sure it’s going to be good!
I’m working today which is always fun and then I’m hoping for a quiet evening reading. Monday and Tuesday are the only evenings someone doesn’t have a club this week so I’m hoping to make the most of it. I’m getting frustrated with myself as I’ve recently discovered a game I’m addicted to and I’ve been playing that in the evening rather than reading which I need to stop!
What are you currently reading?
The Cleaner by Mary Watson
It’s not dust she’s looking for. It’s dirt.
Esmie is supposed to be invisible. Just a cleaner with a foreign accent that no one quite has time to place. Her uniform of leggings and a duster allows her to explore the homes of the wealthy, unseen; an outsider creeping around the edges of privilege.
But as she sweeps through the exclusive Woodlands gated neighbourhood, cleaning is the last thing on her mind. Treading silently over the polished wooden floorboards and cloud-soft carpets, Esmie gathers up the mess of broken marriages, quiet deceptions and careless failures. She tucks away their fragments, keeping them safe. For now.
Because one of the residents took from her the person she loves most. She’s not here to clean; she’s here for revenge – and she’ll get it using the weapons her employers unwittingly handed her along with the keys to their homes: their own secrets…
This beautifully sinister, propulsive page-turner that explores themes of identity and privilege is perfect for fans of Harriet Tyce and Lisa Jewell.
Human, Animal by Seth Insua
A deeply moving debut about one family’s struggle to find connection in a rapidly changing world, Human, Animal is an ode to the wild, a journey of self-discovery and a hopeful path to common ground.
Since the death of his brother, dairy farmer George Calvert has fought to keep the family business afloat. Worried about the future but resistant to change, he refuses to face the reality of his failing farm, his elderly mother’s declining health and his troubled relationship with his youngest son, Tom.
Newly returned from university, Tom isolates himself in his childhood bedroom, guarding the truth of his burgeoning identity.
When animal rights activists break into the cowshed one morning, Tom appears to side with the protesters. As the Calverts begin to unravel, a decades-old secret surfaces – one that might rip them apart completely, or finally unite them.
Perfect for fans of Pity by Andrew McMillan, Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart, A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson and The Discomfort of Evening by Lucas Rijneveld.
The most exciting debut of 2025 – an incredible fantasy Dark Academia, perfect for fans of Babel, Fourth Wing, and the Scholomance trilogy
EVERY FIRE STARTS WITH A SINGLE SPARK.
Welcome to Bletchley Park… with dragons.
London, 1923. Dragons soar through the skies and protests erupt on the streets, but Vivien Featherswallow isn’t worried. She’s going to follow the rules, get an internship studying dragon languages, and make sure her little sister never has to risk growing up Third Class. By midnight, Viv has started a civil war.
With her parents arrested and her sister missing, all the safety Viv has worked for is collapsing around her. So when a lifeline is offered in the form of a mysterious ‘job’, she grabs it. Arriving at Bletchley Park, Viv discovers that she has been recruited as a codebreaker helping the war effort – if she succeeds, she and her family can all go home again. If she doesn’t, they’ll all die.
At first Viv believes that her challenge, of discovering the secrets of a hidden dragon language, is doable. But the more she learns, the more she realises that the bubble she’s grown up in isn’t as safe as she thought, and eventually Viv must decide: What war is she really fighting?
An epic, sweeping fantasy with an incredible Dark Academia setting, a clandestine, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance, and an unputdownable story, filled with twists and turns, betrayals and secret identities, A Language of Dragons is the unmissable debut of 2025, from an extraordinary new voice.
A Language of Dragons was Children’s #1 bestseller in the TCM chart on 07 January 2025.
My Review:
A Language Of Dragons is a gripping, creative fantasy read and a great start to a new series. It’s going to be a hard book to review as I don’t want to give too much away.
Firstly I loved the fascinating world that the author has created and enjoyed learning more about it throughout the book. It is a world that blends actual historical events with a world where Dragons and humans live side by side which I loved exploring alongside the characters. As the book continues the reader learns more about the history of this world including the much praised peace agreement and the ridged class system that has a huge effect on ordinary citizen’s lives. It was quite horrifying to see how the government treats it’s people, especially as some parts have actually happened in other countries.
The story is very fast paced and soon becomes very gripping as there always seemed to be new information to discover in the world our main protagonist Viv finds herself in. There were many different layers to this story which were really fun to find out more about. I particularly loved learning more about the dragons and how they communicated with each other as I haven’t read anything involving that before.
My only slight issue with this book was that it took me a long time to warm to the main character Viv who I found very unlikeable and annoying throughout most of the book. She seemed so opinionated and against hearing anyone else’s opinion that I found her very frustrating. I honestly couldn’t understand why everyone was being so nice to her as I think I’d have given up on her quite early on. She did improve as the story continued as she discovers the full extent of what has been going on and I actually liked her by end which I wasn’t expecting.
Overall I did enjoy this book and would like to read the next book in the series as I’m intrigued to see what happens next. I thought the book was very action packed and there were lots of twists to the story, some I saw coming but others which took me by surprise which I thought quite cleverly done. The ending was brilliant and I think I inhaled the last 100 pages as there was so much going on! It does end on a bit of a cliff hanger but it sets the story up nicely for the next book which I’m looking forward to reading.
Huge thanks to Indie Thinking and Harper Fire for sending me a copy of this book.
About The Author:
S.F. Williamson is fascinated by the way languages are born and was surrounded by them long before she undertook degrees in French and Italian. She has always known that languages are creatures that live and move and breathe, and as a child she learned that speaking them meant accessing ideas, traditions, and people she would only otherwise know from a distance. A Language of Dragons is inspired by her work as a literary translator and the fact that no matter how intimately a linguist knows their languages, some meaning is almost always lost in translation. A graduate of Bath Spa University’s MA writing for young people program, Steph now lives in France with her husband and son.
Good morning everyone and happy Saturday. It’s Burn’s Night tonight and as I’m proudly half Scottish I thought I’d share some of my favourite books set in Scotland.
💙The Lost Lights Of St Kilda by Elizabeth Gifford 🤍The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke 💙The Last Summer by Karen Swan 🤍The Black Loch by Peter May 💙The Ghost Cat by Alex Howard 🤍 The Last Witch Of Scotland by Philip Paris 💙The Fair Botanists by Sarah Sheridan 🤍The Forgotten Shore by Sarah Maine
I highly recommend all of these fabulous books and anything else these author’s have written as they are some of my favourite authors!
I’m off today and I’m hoping for a quiet day. My youngest two have clubs this morning which my husband takes them to so I’m hoping to get some reading done. We’re then off to my mum’s to celebrate Burns Night with a Scottish Themed meal which I’m really excited about. We have haggis, tablet, whiskey and pies to enjoy. My husband (also Scottish) will be doing the traditional address to the haggis and we’ll be playing some of my dad’s favourite bagpipe music in memory of him. My mum’s sent me a picture of the table she’s done and it’s amazing I’m so looking forward to it!
I’ve tagged a few people on Instagram who might want to join in and share some favourite books set in Scotland but, as always, no pressure.
Over The Rainbow Blog 