Good morning everyone and happy Wednesday. I was tagged by the lovely @bookstarreviews_ to take part in the Yahtzee Challenge and show off some of the books I have with four word titles !
🎲My Vampire Plus-One by Jenna Levine 🎲We Shall Be Monsters by Alyssa Wees 🎲 Death And The Penguin by Andrey Kurkov 🎲 Somewhere Beyond The Sea by TJ Klune 🎲We Do Not Part by Han Kang 🎲 Above Us The Sea by Ania Card 🎲By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult 🎲A Language Of Dragons by SF Williamson 🎲The Book Of Fire by Christy Lefteri 🎲The London Bookshop Affair by Louise Fein 🎲The Book Of George by Kate Great head 🎲The Ministry Of Time by Kaliane Bradley 🎲 Nothing To See Here by Susan Lewis 🎲The House Of Barbary by Isabelle Schuler
All of these are tbr but I’m hoping to read some of them soon. I was half way through By Any Other Name but put it down to read for a blog tour so I’m hoping to finish that one too.
I’m off this morning and I’m hoping to do a bit of Christmas shopping as I have a few more things I need to pick up. I’m then hoping to read more of Iron & Embers for the read-along. I’m a little bit behind due to sick children but I’m hoping to catch up today. I’m then working this afternoon which is always fun before catching up with The Great British Bake Off Final even though I know who won.
I’ve tagged a few people on Instagram (as I still can’t work out how to do it on here) who might want to join in and share some books with 5 word titles but, as always, no pressure.
From bestselling author Ruth Kelly, The Ice Retreat is a spine-tingling thriller set in the world of controversial wellness treatments. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and Sarah Pearse.
HEALER?
Meet Hollie Jenson, presenter of the smash-hit docu-series Bad Medicine, which exposes the perils of extreme therapies. Her next target: a new retreat run by wellness guru Ariel Rose, who claims to have discovered the secret to healing pain through her three-day ice rebirth treatment.
LIAR?
Acting on a mother’s plea to find her son, who vanished soon after his stay, Hollie ventures into the Swiss mountains where the retreat occupies a former observatory. There she will search for the boy, and hopes to expose Ariel as the charlatan she believes her to be.
KILLER?
As the isolation of the valley sets in, Hollie finds herself in an increasingly dangerous situation. There is much more to the retreat than meets the eye, and she must confront explosive secrets from her own past if she is to ever make it out alive . . .
My Review:
I’m a huge fan of this author and always look forward to a new book from her. The Ice Retreat is another gripping, atmospheric and tense read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
The story is told from the point of view of two people, Hollie an ex scientist turned medical negligence investigator and Florence who has woken up to find herself in a very precarious situation but she can’t remember how she got there. It’s impossible to not feel sympathy for Florence who’s rising terror as she realises the situation she’s in is almost palpable at times. I wished I could just rush in and get her out of there as I read with growing horror all that was going on. Hollie was an interesting main character who I struggled to warm to at the beginning. She’s a prickly character who has obviously had a difficult past so finds it difficult to trust or grow close to people. She grew on me as the book went on as she reveals her softer side and we learn more about her pass
This book starts off strongly and soon becomes very gripping indeed. I soon found myself intrigued with the Ice Retreat and wondering what on earth was going on while at the same time not entirely sure I wanted to find out. The tension in the book and some of the situations Hollie finds herself in were quite uncomfortable at times, making me very nervous for the characters safety. There were lots of twists that kept me guessing plus one towards the end that had me gasp out loud. The ending was very interesting and surprising as I hadn’t been able to guess it.
Huge thanks to Chloe from Pan Macmillan for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book. If you’re a fan of twisty thrillers set in a hostile, cold environment then you definitely need to read this book!
About The Author:
Ruth Kelly is an award-winning journalist who has ghosted a string of Sunday Times top ten bestsellers – most recently THE PRISON DOCTOR, which sold over 250,000 copies, and THE GOVERNOR, which went straight in at number one on the Amazon charts and number five in the Sunday Times bestseller list.
Good morning everyone today on Two For Tuesday I’m featuring two books by Adrienne Young.
I’m a huge fan of this author so a new book from her is always very exciting. I actually haven’t read either of these but I’ve been hearing great things about The Unmaking Of June Farrow so I’m hoping to read them both soon.
Huge thanks to Quercus for sending me me a copy of A Sea Of Unspoken Things it’s really appreciated.
The Unmaking Of June Farrow is out now and A Sea Of Unspoken Things is out on the 7th January 2025. Find out more about the books below ⬇️
Who are your auto buy authors?
A Sea Of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young
Two twins. An unbroken bond. A truth unspoken.
The only thing James and Johnny Golden have ever had is each other. For as long as she can remember, James’s deep connection with her twin brother, Johnny, has gone beyond intuition – she can feel what he feels. So, when Johnny is killed in a tragic accident, James knows before her phone even rings that her brother is gone and that she’s alone – truly alone – for the first time in her life.
When James arrives in the rural town of Hawthorne, California to settle her brother’s affairs, she’s forced to rehash the ominous past she and Johnny shared and finally face Micah, the only person who knows about it. He’s also the only man she’s ever loved.
But James soon discovers that the strange connection she had with Johnny isn’t quite gone, and the more she immerses herself into his world, the more questions she has about the brother she thought she knew. Johnny was keeping secrets, and he’s not the only one.
What she uncovers will push her to unravel what happened in the days before Johnny’s death, but in the end, she’ll have to decide which truths should come to light, and which should stay buried forever.
The Unmaking Of June Farrow by Adrienne Young
In the small mountain town of Jasper, North Carolina, June Farrow is waiting for fate to find her. The Farrow women are known for their thriving flower farm – and the mysterious curse that has haunted them for generations.
The madness that led to Susanna Farrow’s disappearance left her daughter, June, to be raised by her grandmother. Everyone in Jasper is certain it’s only a matter of time before she finds the same end, but June has kept secret that her unravelling has already begun.
After her grandmother’s death, June follows a series of clues that link her mother’s disappearance to the town’s dark history, leading finally to a mysterious door.
Behind it may lay the answer to the mysteries that have always lingered like a dark shadow. Upon crossing the threshold, June embarks on a journey that will not only change both the past and the future, but entangle her fate and her heart in a star-crossed love.
With The Unmaking of June Farrow, Adrienne Young delivers a brilliant story with romance, mystery, and a touch of the impossible: a story you will never forget.
About The Author:
Adrienne Young is the New York Times, USA Today, and Indie list bestselling author of the Fable duology and the Sky in the Deep duology. She is a foodie with a deep love of history and travel and a shameless addiction to coffee. When she’s not writing, you can find her on her yoga mat, sipping wine over long dinners or disappearing into her favorite art museums. She lives with her documentary filmmaker husband and their four little wildlings in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.
Good morning everyone and happy Monday. I’m excited to be starting a read-along today for Iron & Embers by Helen Scheuerer.
It sounds fabulous so I’m really looking forward to reading and discussing it this week . This will be my first book by this author but I’ve heard great things about her previous books so I’m very intrigued!
Huge thanks to Book Break and Pan Macmillan for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book plus all the little goodies. I’m slightly nervous to try Wren’s brew but I think it’s only tea so I might be brave later this week.
Iron & Embers is out on the 6th February 2025. Find out more about the book below ⬇️
Book Synopsis:
From the author of the Legends of Thezmarr series, Iron & Embers by Helen Scheuerer is the first book in The Ashes of Thezmarr series. Perfect for fans of The Witcher and The Bridge Kingdom, Iron & Embers is filled with a sizzling enemies-to-lovers romance, dark magic and a world of assassins and warriors.
Alchemist. Poisoner. Storm wielder.
Wren Embervale, alchemist-turned-assassin, finds solace in only one thing: seeking vengeance for the death of her friends from wars past. But when an unknown form of alchemy is used to attack a king of the war-torn midrealms, Wren is charged with finding a cure for the strange new poison. Offered a place at the ancient alchemy academy of Drevenor, she must claim her spot by conquering the Gauntlet – a gruelling series of deadly trials that could cost her sanity, or her life.
Yet the biggest threat of all might come from the man assigned to protect her – Torj Elderbrock, the silver-haired war hero who has hated her since she assassinated his last charge. Their shared history ignites a simmering tension that threatens to consume them both. With peace between the kingdoms as fragile as ever, and enemies lurking around every corner, Wren will discover whether love can truly heal all wounds – or if it is in fact the most lethal poison of all . . .
Set five years after the events of the Legends of Thezmarr series, Iron & Embers by Helen Scheuerer is the breathtaking first instalment in an epic new fantasy romance trilogy.
About The Author:
Helen Scheuerer is the fantasy author of the bestselling series, The Oremere Chronicles, the Curse of the Cyren Queen quartet and The Legends of Thezmarr. Her work has been highly praised for its strong, flawed female characters and its action-packed plots.
Helen’s love of writing and books led her to pursue a creative writing degree and a Masters of Publishing. She has been a full-time author since 2018 and now lives amidst the mountains in New Zealand where she is constantly dreaming up new stories.
An island full of secrets. A truth that could change everything . . . 1940s: Young and romantic, Veronica cannot help falling in love, even with unattainable men like handsome film star Jack Bannock. Her other passion is St Elfwy, the windswept jewel of an island off the coast of Pembrokeshire. It becomes her retreat, a refuge from war and a place to recover from lost love. But even peaceful St Elfwy cannot prevent tragedy and heartbreak. . .
Present Day: When Romy arrives on St Elfwy, now a bird sanctuary and retreat, she only has the enigmatic warden for company. As she devotes herself to understanding the lure of this beautiful, haunting place, she is drawn into the past and the tale of Veronica Mindenhall. The island hides stories of betrayal and loss, as well as redemption – but it is a perilous path to discover its secrets. . .
My Review:
The Last Song Of Winter is an absorbing, gripping dual timeline book that I thoroughly enjoyed.
The story follows Veronica as she negotiates growing up during world war 2 and Romy in the present day who has travelled to the island Veronica lived on to escape from recent events while finding out more about the Island’s history. Out of the two timelines I did slightly prefer Veronica’s story as I’ve always loved stories set in the Second World War but I did find Romy’s story fascinating as it was interesting to learn more about Veronica through her discoveries. I quickly warmed to both the girls and found I really enjoyed learning more about their stories. Veronica was a tad irritating at the beginning as she seemed very immature but I think this was a reflection of her age and sheltered upbringing as she soon grew on me.
I thought the book had a great pace to it and there always seemed to be something happening to keep me reading. With the benefit of hindsight I could guess at what might happen to some of the characters, especially in Veronica’s storyline, but that just helped add to the gradual increase in tension about what might have had on the island. There were lots of surprising twists and revelations that helped keep me glued to the page. I loved following the two storylines as the slowly joined together and all the secrets where revealed.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author but I’ll definitely be reading more in the future. Huge thanks to Maya from Pan Macmillan for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book. If you are a fan of dual timeline mysteries then I highly recommend this book!
About The Author:
Lulu was brought up in Oxfordshire. She has lived and travelled all over the world but now lives in the Dorset countryside with her husband. Visit her Facebook page, website at http://www.lulutaylor.co.uk or follow her on Twitter @misslulutaylor
Good morning everyone and happy Saturday! As you may have heard the Wicked movie came out yesterday so I thought I’d do a little stack to celebrate!
🖤 Running Close To The Wind by Alexandria Rowland 💚Death In The Arctic by Tom Hindle 🩷Freakslaw by Jane Fleet 🖤A Poisoner’s Tale by Cathryn Kemp 💚 Green Dot by Madeleine Gray 🩷 Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano 🖤The Road Of Bones by Demi Winters 🩷Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson 💚The Examiner by Janice Hallet
I’m a huge fan of musicals and have always wanted to see Wicked on stage but sadly haven’t been able to. I’m therefore very excited to see the film when it comes to our local cinema next month. I might even take the kids though I might ask people how scary it is first as my youngest is only 6. Out of these books I’ve only read Hello Beautiful which I highly recommend.
My youngest came home from school poorly yesterday so I’m planning a quiet morning just snuggled in with him. I’m then working this afternoon and it’s meant to be the Christmas Lights switch on so our store is opening later than normal. The weather isn’t looking that good so I’m not sure how busy it’s going to be but hopefully a few people will turn out.
I’ve tagged a few people on Instagram who might want to take part but, as always, no pressure.
When opposition Chief Whip Esme Kanha is handed a secret dossier containing evidence of government corruption, she suspects its original owner, a top journalist, was murdered for gathering it. Despite the danger, she feels she must investigate. Meanwhile, lowly backbencher Harry Colbey is working his own leads. A known campaigner against big tech, he is often sent data from anonymous sources and this time round he has something truly alarming.
But both Colbey and Kanha must tread carefully in a world dominated by AI, where ‘what can see watches, what can hear listens, and what can be followed is tracked’.
As Kanha and Colbey again join forces, they are locked into a deadly race against political corruption, no matter what the cost. But when an old enemy returns, it may already be too late…
My Review:
Palisade is a gripping, twisty thriller which is frighteningly as it could become reality. It’s going to be a difficult book to review as I don’t want to give anything away.
Firstly I always love books featuring AI as it’s fascinating to explore other people’s ideas of where AI might take us, therefore this book instantly appealed to me. The world the author has created is a very unsettling one, made more so by how real the world feels. It’s a world where everybody’s every move is monitored and could potentially be used against against them.
It was great to be back with Kanha and Colby again. They make such a great team and it was wonderful following them as they helped solve another case. I always love detective teams that have a great relationship with each other and these two are so supportive that it makes you instantly warm them. I was instantly on their side, wanting to keep reading to ensure they were ok.
I thought this book was incredibly fast paced and I quickly found myself drawn into the story. There were lots of twists that kept me guessing and a few surprises that kept me glued to the page. The team are battling against new technology and an old foe which made for a really fantastic read.
This is the second book in the series but I think it could easily be read as a standalone as everything that you need to know is explained. I’m very much looking forward to reading more in this fabulous series.
Huge thanks to Midas for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book. If you are a fan of clever, crime fiction then you need to read this book!
About The Author:
Based in Oxford, UK, Lou Gilmond is an author of mystery and thriller fiction, screenplays and travel books. http://www.lougilmond.com
Good morning everyone and happy Thursday. It’s suddenly gotten a lot colder here so I thought it was time to share a cold weather stack as I think winter has arrived!
🩵 Goodbye Birdie Greenwing by Ericka Waller 🤍The Unwilding by Marina Kemp 💙Yule Island by Johanna Gustawsson 🩶Babel by R.F Kuang 🩵The Lantern Of Lost Memories by Sanaka Hiiragi 💙The Twelve by Liz Hyder 🩵The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles 🤍 Nephthys by Rachel Louise Driscoll 💙The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins 🩶The Ministry Of Time by Kaliane Bradley 💙 Playground by Richard Powers
I actually don’t mind the winter as long as I’m warm enough as I hate feeling cold. I love wearing cosy jumpers, scarfs and cufflinks up under warm blankets. Our shop isn’t particularly warm so I run home quickly to put my oodie on and have a warm cup of tea. Out of the books above I’ve only read The Blue Hour which I highly recommend.
I ended up having a busy morning yesterday but made a big dent in my Christmas shopping which is a good feeling. I’m working the middle shift this morning so I’m planning on having a few hours reading before I have to go to work.
I’ve tagged a few people on Instagram who might want to take part and share a cold weather stack but, as always, no pressure. Please do let me know if you’d prefer me not to tag you in future too- I won’t be offended!
What’s your favourite way to keep warm this winter?
📚Book Spotlight: A Fate Forged In Fire by Hazel McBride
Good evening everyone I hope you’ve had a good day. I was lucky enough to be sent this beautiful looking proof recently.
I absolutely love books that feature dragons so this book instantly appealed to me. I then found out that the story has some Scottish folklore in it which I’m so excited about as I always love stories that include folklore. I’m also half Scottish so I can’t wait to learn more about my heritage!
Huge thanks to @dialoguepublishing for sending me a copy of this book I can’t wait to read it!
Out 27th May 2025 and you can find out more about the book below ⬇️
What’s your favourite mythological creature?
Book Synopsis:
Born to rule. Blessed by fire. Broken by desire. . .
In A Fate Forged in Fire, a powerfully blessed blacksmith must use her wits and fire magic to become the first queen in centuries and overthrow the corrupt powers ruling the kingdom while also fighting her desire for her dragon-riding adversary. The first book in a sizzling Celtic-inspired fantasy romance duology.
Once a territory built on matriarchal rule, Tìr Teine has been without a female heir for centuries. Through a long line of corrupt kings, an oppressive anti-magic teaching has infected the land – leading to the tragic decline of the dragons.
Aemyra was born to rule, gifted with fire magic from the Goddess Brigid. For years she has hidden in the shadows, waiting for the king to die so she can bond to his dragon, claim her birthright and protect her people.
But when her ambitious plan is foiled, Aemyra is thrust into a vicious game of politics and plots. Her biggest adversary is dragon rider and fire wielder Prince Fiorean. A cold and arrogant member of the royal family, he is everything Aemyra despises.
As chaos engulfs the court, Aemyra and Prince Fiorean are forced to forge an uneasy alliance – one that quickly ignites into something more dangerous than either of them expected.
Behind enemy lines and slowly falling for her so-called nemesis, Aemyra uncovers the true weight of the crown. How much is she willing to sacrifice to claim her throne?
About The Author:
Hazel McBride grew up in Scotland, gaining her BSc in Psychology at the University of Glasgow, before moving to the Dominican Republic. Switching the laid-back Caribbean for the sun-drenched Canary Islands a year later, she then moved to the chic South of France and is now fluent in three languages.
As a former animal trainer, Hazel loves writing about magical and fantastical creatures while exploring their connections with her characters. As a bisexual author with anxiety, she focuses on writing queer characters and exploring topics such as mental illness within her work.
Now settled in the Netherlands with her Dutch husband, most of her work draws heavy inspiration from her Celtic heritage and Scottish folklore. After writing her first novel aged seventeen, she stopped believing it was just a hobby aged twenty seven and began writing freelance for publications like The Independent, What’s On, and lifestyle blogs.
Her fantasy fiction has gained a popular fan base across social media and she is currently working on a high fantasy romance series with Gaelic roots – oh, and dragons.
Good morning everyone and happy Wednesday. I saw this on the lovely @nothing.beats.a.good.book ‘s page and knew I had to join in as I have quite a few hardbacks on my tbr pile.
❤️The City Of Stardust by Georgia Summers 🧡How To Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley 💛 Junction Of Earth And Sky by Susan Buttenwieser 💚The Days I Loved You Most by Amy Neff 💙Tales Of A Monstrous Heart by Jennifer Delaney 🩵 Spoilt Creatures by Amy Twigg 💜Januaries by Olivie Blake 🩷 Mongrel by Hanako Footman 🤍The Briar Club by Kate Quinn 🩶The Hotel Avocado by Bob Mortimer
I bought all of these from recommendations from book friends on here and I’m excited to read them soon. I know it sometimes seems like a slog on here but I want you to know your posts matter and they often encourage me to buy books!
I’m off this morning and I’m hoping to do a bit of Christmas shopping followed by some reading. I’m then working this afternoon and I’m hoping it’s a bit busier than yesterday as the snow put a lot of people off visiting. I’m then looking forward to coming home and watching the rest of Wall-e with my kids before some more reading time hopefully.
I’ve tagged a few people who might want to join in and share a hardback tbr pile but, as always, no pressure.
Over The Rainbow Blog 