Good morning everyone and happy Tuesday. Today on Two For Tuesday I’m featuring the two books I’m hoping to read next.

💙The City And It’s Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami

💚 Poor Girls by Clare Whitfield

I’ve been a huge fan of Murakami for ages so I’m very excited to read his new book, especially as it’s set in a library. I’ve had a bit of a fascination with the Forty Elephants gang since reading another book called The Dazzle Of The Light by Georgina Clarke which featured them a few years ago. I’ve been hearing lots of great things about Poor Girls so I can’t wait to read it soon.

i have a few more pages of The Baby Dragon Cafe to read but I’ll then be diving into these.

Poor Girls is out now and The City And It’s Uncertain Walls is out on the 19th November. Find out more about the books below ⬇️.

What are you currently reading?

The City And It’s Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami

STEP INTO THE CITY

When a young man’s girlfriend mysteriously vanishes, he sets his heart on finding the imaginary city where her true self lives. His search will lead him to take a job in a remote library with mysteries of its own.

When he finally makes it to the walled city, a shadowless place of horned beasts and willow trees, he finds his beloved working in a different library – a dream library. But she has no memory of their life together in the other world and, as the lines between reality and fantasy start to blur, he must decide what he’s willing to lose.

A love story, a quest, an ode to books and to the libraries that house them, The City and Its Uncertain Walls is a parable for these strange times.

Poor Girls by Clare Whitfield

Men steal everything. Now we want our share.

1922. Twenty-four-year-old Eleanor Mackridge is horrified by the future mapped out for her – to serve the upper classes or find a husband. During the war, she found freedom in joining the workforce at home, but now women are being put back in their place.

Until Eleanor crosses paths with a member of the notorious female-led gang the Forty Elephants: bold women who wear diamonds and fur, drink champagne and gin, who take what they want without asking. Now, she sees a new future for herself: she can serve, marry – or steal.

After all, men will only let you down. Diamonds are forever.

In Poor Girls, Clare Whitfield exposes the criminal underbelly of 1920s London – but this isn’t a morality tale, it’s an adventure for the willingly wicked.

Book Synopsis:

ONE WAY IN. NO WAY OUT.

‘Deaf teenager goes missing in Esseberg. Mountain rescue are launching a search party but conditions hinder their efforts. The tunnel is being kept open all night as an exception.’

When journalist Tuva Moodyson reads this news alert she knows she must join the search. If this teenager is found, she will be able to communicate with him in a way no one else can.

Esseberg lies on the other side of a mountain tunnel: there is only one way in and one way out. When the tunnel closes at night, the residents are left to fend for themselves. And as more people go missing, it becomes clear that there is a killer among them …

ICE TOWN is an unputdownable new standalone Tuva novel, which will delight existing fans of the series and bring many new readers to it.

My Review:

Ice Town is a tense, atmospheric and gripping read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Firstly the author has done a great job with the setting in this book and I loved the vivid descriptions of the isolated, snowy town which made me feel cold as I read it.  The single entry in or out of Ice Town helps create a bit of a locked room mystery which I found very intriguing and a little bit claustrophobic at times as the number of victims slowly increases.  This is further added to by the weird set up of the town which has no police force and a rector who seems to be in charge aided by some scary looking bikers.  The cold artic conditions also play a factor with limited daylight and visibility due to the snow hampering the investigation.

Having loved all the previous books in this series I was very excited to be following her in another investigation.  As she’s not on her own turf this time it was very interesting to see how she starts an investigation in a new town and what she tries to do in order to gain the residents trust.  This book had lots of surprise twists in it, and I enjoyed the unpredictability of the investigation as I was never sure which direction it would go in next.  I had lots of theories about who was behind the murders, but I was ultimately unable to guess which I always love.  The ending was really fantastic and I really hope there will be more from this series in the future.

Huge thanks to Alainna from Hodder and Stoughton for inviting me onto the blog and for my copy of this book.

If you are a fan of dark, gripping crime fiction then I highly recommend this book.  

About The Author:

Will Dean grew up in the East Midlands, living in nine different villages before the age of eighteen. After studying law at the LSE, and working many varied jobs in London, he settled in rural Sweden with his wife. He built a wooden house in a boggy forest clearing and it’s from this base that he compulsively reads and writes.

Book Synopsis:

WELCOME TO ERIS – A TIDAL ISLAND WITH ONLY ONE HOUSE, ONE INHABITANT, ONE WAY OUT. . .

A place that is unreachable from the Scottish mainland for twelve hours each day.

Once the hideaway of Vanessa, a famous artist whose husband disappeared twenty years ago.

Now home to Grace. A solitary creature of the tides, content in her own isolation.

But when a human bone is uncovered in Vanessa’s artwork, far away in London, Grace receives an unexpected visitor.

AND THE SECRETS OF ERIS THREATEN TO EMERGE. . .

My Review:

The Blue Hour is a twisty, gripping read about love, jealousy and obsession. I’ve read all of this author’s books and I think this is her best yet!  

Firstly, I thought there were some really fascinating and complex characters in this book which I enjoyed getting to know throughout the story.  All of them seem normal and likeable when we first meet them but we discover some of the secrets that they are hiding then we start to see a whole different side to their personalities.  I loved this part of the story and it was fascinating to see the different relationships the characters had with each other as well as finding out more about their past.  My favourite character was Becker who I felt was actually a good guy put in a difficult situation and I found I wanted to keep reading to see how things worked out for him.  

This book has a bit of a locked room element to it as most of the action takes place on an isolated island that is cut off from the coast for several hours due to the tides.  Through events on the island we learn how this isolation both helps and hinders the inhabitants at different times though their lives.  Making them feel free of restraints and distractions sometimes while at others making them feel lonely or ignored. At times the island seemed like another character with its rather tempestuous weather, being stormy at times or misty to trap the character’s further on the island.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be recommending it to others.  The book had a great pace to it, and I soon found myself glued to the page as I was so intrigued by the character’s lives.  There were lots of twists that kept me guessing and I loved the slow reveal of what had happened on the island that took me completely by surprise which I always love. I do wish the book had ended slightly differently then it did, but I felt it was appropriate for the story and what had transpired.  

Huge thanks to Alison from Doubleday for my copy of this book.  If you are a fan of thrillers or locked room type mysteries or just want to read a great book, then I highly recommend this one! I think it would make a good book club read as I think there would be lots to discuss.  

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About The Author:

PAULA HAWKINS worked as a journalist for fifteen years before writing her first novel. Born and brought up in Zimbabwe, Paula moved to London in 1989. Her first thriller, The Girl on the Train, has sold more than 23 million copies worldwide. Published in over fifty languages, it has been a Number 1 bestseller around the world and was a box office hit film starring Emily Blunt.

Paula’s thrillers, Into the Water and A Slow Fire Burning, were also instant Number 1 bestsellers.

Good morning everyone and happy Sunday. Here are some of the fantastic books I’ve been lucky enough to receive this week!

🍁The Ice Retreat by Ruth Kelly
🍂The Baby Dragon Cafe by A T Qureshi
🍁A Training School For Elephants by Sophy Roberts
🍂 Burn After Reading by Catherine Ryan Howard
🍁What Will People Think? By Vedashree Khambete-Sharma
🍂 Patriot by Alexei Navalny
🍁The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny

I’m so excited to read these and will be including some of them in my November possible stack tomorrow. Huge thanks to all the lovely publishers for sending.

I’m back at work today after a few days off and I’m looking forward to seeing what new books we have had in store. I’m then getting the kids ready for school tomorrow before hopefully finishing my book. I’m currently reading The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins which I’m really enjoying. My reading has taken a bit of a hit with half term and tiredness but hopefully I’ll get back into it next week with the kids back at school.

What are your Sunday plans?

Find out more about the books below ⬇️

The Ice Retreat by Ruth Kelly

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 . . .

The Baby Dragon Cafe by A. T.Qureshi

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?

The perfect dual POV, grumpy sunshine cozy fantasy, with HEA guaranteed!

Out 16th Jan 2025

A Training School For Elephants by Sophy Roberts

In 1879, King Leopold II of Belgium launched an ambitious plan to plunder Africa’s resources. The key to cracking open the continent, or so he thought, was its elephants ― if only he could train them. And so he commissioned the charismatic Irish adventurer Frederick Carter to ship four tamed Asian elephants from India to the East African coast, where they were marched inland towards Congo. The ultimate aim was to establish a training school for African elephants.

Following in the footsteps of the four elephants, Roberts pieces together the story of this long-forgotten expedition, in travels that take her to Belgium, Iraq, India, Tanzania and Congo. The storytelling brings to life a compelling cast of historic characters and modern voices, from ivory dealers to Catholic nuns, set against rich descriptions of the landscapes travelled. She digs deep into historic records to reckon with our broken relationship with animals, revealing an extraordinary ― and enduring ― story of colonial greed, ineptitude, hypocrisy and folly.

Out 20th Feb 2025.

Burn After Reading by Catherine Ryan Howard

The night Jack Smyth ran into flames in a desperate attempt to save his wife from their burning home, he was, tragically, too late – but hailed a hero. Until it emerged that Kate was dead long before the fire began.

Suspicion has stalked him ever since. After all, there’s no smoke without fire.

A year on, he’s signed a book deal. He wants to tell his side of the story, to prove his own innocence in print. He just needs someone to help him write it.

Emily has never ghostwritten anything before, but she knows what it’s like to live with a guilty secret. And she’s about to learn that there are some stories that should never be told . . .

Out 10th April 2025

What Will People Think by Vedashree Khambete-Sharma

It’s 1976 and in the Vile Parle suburb of Mumbai, bastion of the Maharashtrian middle-class, Ila Bendre’s mother is determined to get her four daughters married off as soon as possible.

Ila has no intention of snaring a proposal from some dull specimen of Marathi manhood so she can pretend to care about cricket for the rest of her life. She wants a career and life of her own, and she’ll do whatever it takes to escape married bliss, no matter what the neighbours might say.

But when Ila’s Bollywood-obsessed younger sister, Latika, takes the matter of marriage into her own hands, it looks as if the Bendre family’s reputation in this close-knit community will be ruined once and for all…

As we follow the Bendre sisters from dinners to parties to weddings, from Vile Parle to Pune, will love eventually conquer all in this ingeniously witty and charming tale of pride, prejudice and puran polis?

Out 7th November 2024

Patriot by Alexei Navalny

Patriot is the exhilarating life story of one of the most fearless and inspiring figures of our time, who became a beacon to millions and the sole political threat to Vladimir Putin.

This is Alexei Navalny’s life in his own words: his Soviet childhood, political awakening, his marriage and beloved family, his total commitment to taking on a corrupt regime and his enduring love of Russia and its people. His 2020 poisoning by the Russian security services was a global news event. In 2024 he died in a brutal Siberian prison. He began writing Patriot whilst recovering from his poisoning; it ends with his prison diaries, seen here for the first time.

We witness the growth of his nationwide support. We see his many arrests and harassment and, in stunning detail, the attempt on his life. We understand why he felt he had to return to Russia. In prison, he shows a spirit and a sense of humour that cannot be crushed.

Patriot is as dramatic as its author’s life – passionate that good and freedom will prevail. It is Alexei Navalny’s final letter to the world, a rousing call to continue his work, an unforgettably positive account of a life that will inspire every reader.

The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny

Relentless phone calls interrupt the peace of a warm August morning in the small village of Three Pines in Quebec. Someone has managed to track down Armand Gamache, head of homicide, as he sits with his wife in their back garden. When he finally answers the call, his rage shatters the calm of their quiet Sunday morning.

That’s only the first in a sequence of strange events that begin THE GREY WOLF. At first they seem small – a missing coat, a note for Gamache reading “this might interest you”, a puzzling scrap of paper with a mysterious list – but then a murder. All propel Chief Inspector Gamache and his team toward a terrible realization. Something much more sinister than any one murder or any one case is fast approaching. A threat unlike anything they’ve seen before.

Book Synopsis:

After three years behind a desk, Inspector John Barton wonders if he’s still got what it takes.

An opportunity arises to return to Major Crimes, so he jumps at it, after all he’s been around the block a few times. When he and his team are called in to investigate an attempted murder which seems to be linked to the case of a missing child, Barton is immediately thrust back into the life of a detective – early mornings, late nights and endless pressure to get to the truth.

Then a man dies.

Something deadly is going on behind the high walls and imposing gates of the mansions in the sleepy village of Castor. The locals are keeping each other’s secrets and if Barton doesn’t find out why soon, the bodies will start mounting up.

The Village Killer knows who’s next, and the clock is ticking…

The book all Ross Greenwood fans have been waiting for – Barton is Back! Ross Greenwood returns to his bestselling series, perfect for fans of Mark Billingham and Ian Rankin.

My Review:

The Village Killer is a gripping, twisty read from one of my favourite crime writers. It’s going to be a hard book to review as I don’t want to give anything away.

Firstly I loved being back with DC (now DCI) Barton following him doing what he does best. It was great to see him back in the action and I loved the traditional police method that he uses, like trusting his gut in certain situations despite there not being any evidence that it is correct. The closeness between his team members was lovely to read about, particularly as they all work so well as a team supporting each other when needed and distracting their team mates with often hilarious banter. It often made me wish that I was a part of their team as it seemed like a lovely close knit team.

I thought the book was very fast paced and there was always something happening to keep my attention. As with the other books in the series there were multiple suspects which made it impossible to guess and kept me on my toes as I tried to work out who the murderer was. Even in the slower moments I was just enjoying hanging out with DCI Barton and his fabulous team. I liked that the descriptions of the investigation showed the slog of police work and the slower moments of a case as it made it seem more realistic. This is actually the seventh book in the series and whilst it could be read as a standalone as everything you need to know is explained, it is probably best to read the series in order. I’m really hoping that there is more to come in this fantastic series.

Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Boldwood for my copy of this book through Netgalley. If you are a fan of crime fiction I highly recommend this fabulous author!

About The Author:

 I was born in 1973 in Peterborough and lived there until I was 20, attending The King’s School in the city. I then began a rather nomadic existence, living and working all over the country and various parts of the world.

I found myself returning to Peterborough many times over the years, usually when things had gone wrong. It was on one of these occasions that I met my partner about 100 metres from my back door whilst walking a dog. Two children swiftly followed. I’m still a little stunned by the pace of it now.

My first book Chancer was written after I decided to do something challenging while my knees permitted. No skydiving for me. I became a prison officer for four years. Ironically it was the four a.m. feed which gave me the opportunity to finish the book as unable to get back to sleep I completed it in the early morning hours.

It’s surprising for me to realise I’ve written sixteen books now. There are three strands, one where the books concern lives affected by prison, and then my detective series starring DI John Barton. The first Barton book, The Snow Killer hit the coveted number one spot on KOBO and AUDIBLE, with the rest of the series not far behind.

I’ve also written four detective books in a Norfolk series now, starting with Death on Cromer Beach. There are two more planned.

My publishers kindly told me I had reached over half a million sales with them in five years in July 2024

I hope you enjoy reading what I’ve written.

Good morning everyone I hope you’re having a great day. I’m excited to be on the cover reveal for The Sleepless by Jen Williams today.

It sounds really good, especially as it looks like it’s going to include dragons! I’m definitely in my dragon era when it comes to books ATM and that cover!! So pretty 😍

The Sleepless, which is the first in an epic new series, is out on the 22nd of May 2025 and you can find out more about the book below.

Do you like books with dragons in them? Any favourites?

Book Synopsis:

Welcome to a world where gods and monsters roam the earth . . .

Elver is the guardian of the wild and dangerous monster forest. Saved from the brink of death by a god, her skin will poison anyone she touches.

Artair is on a mission – one that takes him face-to-face with Elver at her most ruthless. But her defenses are useless when she discovers he’s the only human impervious to her deadly gift. For Artair isn’t human: he’s one of the Sleepless, cursed to share his body with an evil spirit. Lucian inhabits their body while Artair sleeps, and he is hell-bent on manipulating Elver for his dark purposes. But Elver is harbouring secrets too, and she has her own reasons for feigning an alliance with these two souls.

Caught in the crossfire of gods, monsters, and a dangerous magic they can barely understand, it is only a matter of time before the paths the three of them choose to take will set alight the very foundations of their world.

Get ready to fall hopelessly in love with The Sleepless, the first epic YA romantasy from multi-award-winning fantasy author Jen Williams.

About The Author:

About me

Jen Williams is a writer from London currently living in Bristol. A fan of witches and dark folklore from an early age, these days she writes character-driven fantasy novels with plenty of banter and magic as well as horror-tinged crime thrillers with strong female leads. In 2015 she was nominated for Best Newcomer in the British Fantasy Awards. She is represented by Juliet Mushens of Mushens Entertainment.

The Copper Cat trilogy consists of The Copper Promise, The Iron Ghost and The Silver Tide – all published by Headline in the UK – and the first two books in the trilogy are available in the US and Canada, published by Angry Robot. Both The Iron Ghost and The Silver Tide have also been nominated for British Fantasy Awards, and she is partly responsible for founding Super Relaxed Fantasy Club, a social group that meets in London to celebrate a love of fantasy. 

Her second fantasy series, the Winnowing Flame trilogy, kicked off with The Ninth Rain and The Bitter Twins, and ended with The Poison Song in May 2019. The Ninth Rain and The Bitter Twins both went on to win the British Fantasy Award for Best Fantasy Novel in their respective years. The Winnowing Flame trilogy was also published as a special limited edition by The Broken Binding. 

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Her first crime novel, Dog Rose Dirt, was published in July 2021 in the UK by HarperCollins, and in the US by Crooked Lane under the title A Dark and Secret Place. This twisty crime thriller has also sold in Germany, Brazil, Poland and Spain. Jen had two novels out in 2023: Talonsister, a return to fantasy published by Titan which went on to win her a third British Fantasy Award, and Games for Dead Girls, a true crime inspired horror novel, published by HarperVoyager. 2024 will see the publication of The Hungry Dark and Titanchild, and in 2025 FirstInk will publish her first YA romantasy, The Sleepless.

Interests outside of reading and writing include drawing and painting, playing video games, and watching cartoons. She has a particular passion for animation, history, bats, mead, horror films, her very blue sofa and fantasy RPGs where you can get dumped by a sexy elf. 

(bio from author’s website)

Good morning everyone and happy Tuesday. Today on Two For Tuesday I thought I’d show you the two books I’m currently reading.

🤍The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins
💙 Black Woods Blue Sky by Eowyn Ivey

I’m a huge fan of both of these authors so you can imagine my tat receiving these two books. The Blue Hour is a thriller and Black Woods Blue Sky has a bit of magical realism in it which I always love. I’m only a few chapters into both of these and I’m really enjoying them so far. As it’s half term I’m not getting much reading time but I’m trying to sneak in as much time as possible. You can find out more about these books below ⬇️

I’m taking the kids to have their hair cut today which is always a bit stressful, we then need to clean their rooms as they’re looking a bit of a tip and fetch some last minute things for my daughter’s birthday tomorrow. I’m then hoping we can snuggle up and watch a film together or another episode of the Bake Off which we’re all enjoying.

What are you currently reading?

The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins

WELCOME TO ERIS – A TIDAL ISLAND WITH ONLY ONE HOUSE, ONE INHABITANT, ONE WAY OUT. . .

A place that is unreachable from the Scottish mainland for twelve hours each day.

Once the hideaway of Vanessa, a famous artist whose husband disappeared twenty years ago.

Now home to Grace. A solitary creature of the tides, content in her own isolation.

But when a human bone is uncovered in Vanessa’s artwork, far away in London, Grace receives an unexpected visitor.

AND THE SECRETS OF ERIS THREATEN TO EMERGE. . .

Black Woods Blue Sky by Eowyn Ivy

Birdie’s keeping it together, of course she is. So she’s a little hungover on her shifts, and has to bring her daughter to the lodge while she waits tables, but Emaleen never goes hungry. It’s a tough town to be a single mother, and Birdie just needs to get by.
And then Birdie meets Arthur, who is quieter than most men, but makes her want to listen; who is gentle with Emaleen, and understands Birdie’s fascination with the mountains in whose shadow they live. When Arthur asks Birdie and Emaleen to leave the lodge and make a home, just the three of them, in his off-grid cabin, Birdie’s answer, in a heartbeat, is yes.

Out in the wilderness Birdie’s days are harsher and richer than she ever imagined possible. Here she will feel truly at one with nature. Here she, and Emaleen, will learn the whole, fearful truth about Arthur.

Good morning everyone and happy Monday. I saw this on the lovely @mel_lovesbooks page and, as Autumn is my favourite season, I knew I had to join in.

🍁 Favourite Autumn TV/ movies 🍁

I don’t tend to watch a lot of TV though I seem to have been watching more than normal recently. I’m loving The Great British Bake Off which is making me want to try baking more and catching up.woth Celebrity Race Around The World which I’m watching with the kids. I’m also hoping to watch Rivals soon as I loved the book!

Film wise I always have to watch Market & Me in the Autumn as well as Homeward Bound which I loved as a kid and my kids love now too. As it’s Halloween this week I’m also hoping to introduce the kids to Hocus Pocus another Halloween favourite.

🍂Favourite Autumn Drinks 🍂

Nothing beats a cup of tea for me but as I’m attempting to drink less caffeine I’m also liking the Berry tea from Aldi which I think tastes like hot squash. I’m determined to finally try a Pumpkin Spice Latte this Autumn too.

🍁 Favourite Autumn Activities 🍁
Nothing beats an autumn walk in the sunshine for me. I normally walk to work through our local park and I love seeing all the fantastic autumn colours on display as well as the squirrels running around trying to find nuts for the winter. My kids love going conker hunting and pumpkin carving which we’ll hopefully be doing this week. I actually took the picture above in that park this week!

🍂 Favourite Autumn Books🍂

I tend to like spooky or witchy books in the autumn. I’ve particularly loved Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood which I highly recommend if you haven’t read already. The Pumpkin Spice Cafe series is another great autumn read as well as BK Borison’s Love light farm series!

I’ve tagged a few people on Instagram who might want to take part but, as always, no pressure.

What’s your favourite thing to do in Autumn?