Book Synopsis:

It was only when the bones of the first devoured victims were discovered that the true nature and power of these swarming black creatures with their razor sharp teeth and the taste for human blood began to be realized by a panic-stricken city. For millions of years man and rats had been natural enemies. But now for the first time – suddenly, shockingly, horribly – the balance of power had shifted . . .

My Review:

The Rats is a chilling, gripping and thoroughly scary read that I won’t be forgetting about soon.

Firstly I’ve never been a huge fan of rats and this book really hasn’t improved my opinion of them. I think the thing that hit me most about this book is how plausible the situation described in the book could be. Rats have a history of spreading disease so mutant rats that attack humans doesn’t seem like that much of a stretch.

The author does a great job of describing 1970’s London with all the grime and class differences that were perhaps more apparent at the time. There is a lot of gory descriptions in the book which are quite graphic at times so might not be to everyone’s taste. I felt that these were in keeping with the situation though and weren’t overdone just to get a reaction however.

I thought this book has a great pace to it, though there are some much needed slower moments amongst all the chaos. The characters seemed incredibly real so I really felt for them and all they were experiencing. This made the book quite emotional at times as I wanted to ensure that all the characters were ok. The ending was very dramatic and I’m now very intrigued to read more in this series.

If you like gripping, horror stories which are perfect for spooky season than I highly recommend this book. Be aware though it’s really not for the faint hearted!

About The Author:

James Herbert was born on April 8, 1943 in East End, London, England, UK. He was a writer, known for The Unholy (2021), Deadly Eyes (1982) and The Survivor (1981). He was married to Eileen O’Donnell. He died on March 20, 2013 in Woodmancote, Henfield, West Sussex, England, UK.

Good afternoon everyone I hope you are having a good Saturday. I’m excited to be involved in a special book loop where the same book gets sent around different bloggers to annotate and write how they feel about the book.

This book arrived today having already been annotated by the author and Sally who will be reading the audiobook. I’ve not done much annotation in books so I’m looking forward to trying it with this book.

Huge thanks to Alex Harwood from @quercusbooks for sending this to me.

Out 13th February 2025!

Find out more about the book below ⬇️

Book Synopsis:

Perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and Remarkably Bright Creatures, this is a charming, witty and profoundly moving novel about what it feels like to grow up neurodivergent.

‘Wise and playful and tender and beautiful’ Bobby Palmer

Little Alien lives with her mum and her dad in the South-East of England. Her mum has a ‘how-to’ guide for every situation, and her dad is always kind and always right. And there is her best friend Bobby, who coincidentally has a bob.

But it is only when Little Alien sees a documentary about the Voynich Manuscript – a mediaeval codex written in an unknown language and script – that she begins to suspect that there are other people who feel just like her. Convinced that translating this manuscript will offer the answers she needs, she sets out on a journey that will show her a delicious taste of freedom.

So begins Little Alien’s story, told from the perspective of an older, wiser linguist, whose guidance will help Little Alien navigate a world that makes her feel like she doesn’t belong.

About The Author:

Alice Franklin lives and works in London. She has an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Life Hacks for a Little Alien is her debut novel.

Book Synopsis:

Two adversaries. One deadly alliance. Together, can they unlock the truth? 

Sherlock Holmes and his faithful friend, Dr John Watson, have been hired by actor George Reynolds to help him solve a puzzle. George wants them to find out why the audience who comes to see him perform every night are the same people, only wearing disguises. Is something sinister going on and, if so, what?
 
Meanwhile, Holmes’ archenemy, Professor James Moriarty is having problems of his own. Implicated in the murder of a gang leader, Moriarty and his second, Moran, must go on the run from the police in order to find out who is behind the set-up.
 
But their investigation puts them in the way of Holmes and Watson and it’s not long before all four realise that they are being targeted by the same person. With lives on the line, not just their own, they must form an uneasy alliance in order to unmask the true villain. With clues leading them to a hotel in Switzerland and a conspiracy far greater than any of them expected, who can be trusted – and will anyone of them survive?

My Review:

Holmes and Moriarty is a fun, gripping read that is a must read for any Sherlock Holmes fan.  

Although the story focuses on Holmes and Moriarty it is told from the point of view of their friends Watson and Moran.  Out of the two I much preferred Watson who seemed an altogether much more likable chap to the easily offended Moran.  Watson seemed calm and collected when helping with the case whereas Moran just seemed to want to fight everyone.  Neither of the two men seemed to like or trust each other much which made for some interesting, though often amusing, situations in the story.

I though the book was a bit of a slow burn as it does start out very slowly as we learn more about George’s quite bizarre situation but soon gathers pace to become very gripping indeed.  Moriarty has long been my favourite Sherlock Holmes villain so I loved watching the two of them work together for a change.  It was fascinating to see their minds work together as the try to solve the mystery.  There were lots of surprising twists that kept me guessing along with some quite horrific moments which I will remember for a while.  Without giving much away this is definitely not a book to read if you are scared of Spiders!  

Overall I really enjoyed this book and I’m really hoping that there might be a sequel as I’d love to see Moriarty and Holms working together again.  I thought the ending was brilliant and I really enjoyed watching everything come together at the end to a very satisfying conclusion.  More please!  

About The Author:

Gareth Rubin is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Turnglass. His other books include Liberation Square, a thriller set in Soviet occupied London, and The Winter Agent, a thriller set in Paris in 1944. He lives in London and writes about social affairs, travel and the arts for British newspapers.

Good morning everyone and happy Thursday.  I was tagged by the very inventive @nothing.beats.a.good.book to share a fancy dress stack.  The idea is to share book titles which have Halloween costumes in their titles.

🎃 Apprentice To The VILLAIN by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
🧛🏻‍♀️A WEREWOLF’s Guide To Seducing A VAMPIRE by Sarah
  Hawley
🧼The CLEANER by Mary Watson
🧌We Shall Be MONSTERS by Alyssa Wees
👹 DEVIL’s Breath by Jill Johnson
🧸 TEDDY by Emily Dunlay
🧹The COVEN by Harper L Woods
🐈‍⬛The WITCHES Of Moonshyne Manor by Bianca Marais
👰🏻‍♀️BRIDE by Ali Hazelwood
🦂The EXAMINER by Janice Hallet
🔪A SERIAL KILLER’S Guide To Marriage by Asia Mackay
🐝 HONEYBEE by Dawn O’Porter
🧜🏻‍♀️The SIRENS by Emilia Hart

I know some of these might seem cute costume ideas but add demon in front of them and I think they’d be great Halloween costumes! I haven’t read any of these yet but I’m hopeful to get to some of them during spooky season.

I’m working over lunchtime today which is always fun as it means I’m working alongside someone which is good for a catch up. I’m meeting my friend for lunch and then my daughter has gymnastics this evening.  I’m then hoping to finish Beautiful Ugly which is my current read !

I’ve tagged a few people who might want to take part but, as always, no pressure. If I haven’t tagged you and you’d like to join in please do!

What are you dressing up as this Halloween?

Good evening everyone I hope you’ve had a good day. I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this fabulous looking book post today.

I love books set in creepy houses and as it is described as a mix between Then There Was None, Shutter Island and Seven Deaths Of Evelyn Hard castle (three of my favourite books) I’m very intrigued.

Huge thanks to @simonschusteruk for sending this to me I’m very excited to read it.

Out April 2025.

Book Synopsis:

And Then There Were None meets Shutter Island.

Ten strangers.
An old dark house.
A killer picking them off one by one.
And a missing girl who’s running out of time . . .

Ten strangers wake up inside an old, locked house. They have no recollection of how they got there.
In order to escape, they have to solve the disappearance of a young woman.
But a killer also stalks the halls of the house, and soon the body count starts to rise.
Who are these strangers? Why were they chosen? Why would someone want to kill them?
And who – or what – is the Beast in the Cellar?
Forget what you think you know.

Because while you can trust yourself, can you really trust THE OTHER PEOPLE?
 

About The Author:

C.B. Everett is the pen name for author Martyn Waites. He trained at the Birmingham School of Speech and Drama and worked as an actor for many years before becoming a writer. His novels include the critically acclaimed Joe Donovan series, The Old Religion, and The White Room. In 2013, he was chosen to write Angel of Death, the official sequel to Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black, and in 2014 won the Grand Prix Roman Etranger for Born Under Punches. He has been nominated for every major British and French crime fiction award and has also enjoyed international commercial success with eight novels written under the name Tania Carver.

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

💙 Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney
🩷 Some Like It Cold by Elle McNicoll

As you can see they’re very different reads. I’m actually listening to Some Like It Cold on audiobook and I’m enjoying it so far.  I really need to start walking again so I can listen to audiobooks more.  I’m also reading Beautiful Ugly which I’m thoroughly enjoying.  It’s so good and I stayed up way too long last night as I just couldn’t put it down.  Rossiter Books has just announced a new event with Alice Feeney in January too which I’m hugely excited for.

I’m working this morning which is always fun and then I’m hoping to squeeze in some reading before having to go on school pick ups.  We’re celebrating my youngest son getting 3 right on his spelling test with a McDonalds tea tonight which should be fun.  He’s really struggling with them so we focussed on 4 spellings which he got three right.

You can find out more about the books below.

What are you currently reading?

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

Author Grady Green is having the worst best day of his life.

Grady calls his wife as she’s driving home to share some exciting news. He hears Abby slam on the brakes, get out of the car, then nothing. When he eventually finds her car by a cliff edge, the headlights are on, the driver door is open, her phone is still there . . . but his wife has disappeared.

A year later, Grady is still overcome with grief and desperate to know what happened to Abby. He can’t sleep, and he can’t write, so he travels to a tiny Scottish island to try to get his life back on track. Then he sees the impossible: a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife.

Wives think their husbands will change, but they don’t.
Husbands think their wives won’t change, but they do.

Some Like It Cold by Elle McNicoll

A big-hearted small-town romance from bestselling, award-winning author Elle McNicoll. Some Like it Cold is perfect for fans of Alice Oseman, Beth Reekles and Gilmore Girls.

After a long absence, 18-year-old Jasper is finally heading home for the holidays – and she’s keeping secrets.

Arthur, a budding filmmaker, is turning the town of Lake Pristine into a small town story worthy of the big screen. His plans are disrupted by the arrival of the town’s golden girl – the antagonist of his school days; a girl he’s never forgotten.

Jasper Montgomery is back in Lake Pristine for one reason: to say goodbye. But before long small-town tensions start to rise, and a certain brooding film buff starts to look like a very big reason to stay . . .

The perfect story to get lost in, Some Like it Cold centres Jasper as an autistic heroine in a big-hearted small-town romance that will melt your heart, from the bestselling author of A Kind of Spark.

Book Synopsis:

It’s time to rediscover her magic . . .

With found family, a dash of romance and an uplifting message about self-love, Rewitched is a cosy autumnal fantasy that will leave readers spellbound.

Belladonna Blackthorn hasn’t lost her magical spark, but she hasn’t seen it in a while either. Balancing work at her beloved London bookshop, Lunar Books, with handling her toxic boss and concealing her witchcraft from those around her – Belle is burnt out. Perfecting the potential of her magic is the last thing on her mind.

But, when her thirtieth birthday brings a summons from her coven and a trial that tests her worthiness as a witch, Belle risks losing her magic for ever. With the month of October to fix things and signs that dark forces may be working against her, Belle will need all the help she can get – from the women in her life, from an unlikely mentor figure and even from an (infuriating) coven watchman who’s sworn to protect her . . .

My Review:

Rewitched is a wonderful, absorbing cosy fantasy that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Firstly the author has done such a great job in creating the setting in this book that I felt completely transported into Bella’s world. I loved all the wonderful descriptions of all the different places that were so vivid that I felt I could see them all clearly in my mind and found myself wishing they were real as I’d love to visit them myself. The magical headquarter that changed locations every time was a particular favourite of mine and I loved the descriptions of the different rooms inside particularly the entrance hall with its magical ceiling. Lunar books was another favourite location, though as a book seller myself the dialogue about the window displays did make me laugh.

I thought the plot was brilliant and I loved learning more about Bella’s coven as well as the different types of magical jobs that exist. It was great fun to follow Bella through her challenges as she discovers more about her magical capabilities. There are some lovely secondary characters that I quickly grew fond of and it was lovely to see the little group of friends grow closer together as they try to improve Bella’s magic.

Overall, as you can probably tell, I adored this book and have already been recommending it to other people. The book had a lovely pace to it and there always seemed to be something happening to keep me interested. Even in the slightly slower moments I was still enjoying spending time with Bella and her fabulous friends. There were a few twists that kept me guessing and the ending was brilliant- highly unexpected which I always love.

If you are a fan of witchy books, Harry Potter or 90’s TV shows like Charmed then you’ll love this book.

Huge thanks to the lovely Chloe for sending me a copy of this book.

About The Author:

Lucy Jane Wood is an online content creator, avid reader and cosiness-seeker from the Wirral. These days, you’ll find her living in London, giant coffee in hand, and being headbutted at any given time by her cat.

Good morning everyone and happy Sunday. I was lucky enough to attend day 1 of the BBC History Weekend at Homes Lacy yesterday.

The building itself was stunning as you can see and we had a well placed stall next to the dining room. Our first event was Janina Ramirez which I wasn’t involved in but which a lot of our customers said was brilliant to watch with one man saying ‘that’s how you should teach history ‘!

Our second event was with Mary-Ann Ochota which I was very excited about as I know her from her time in Time team which I was a huge fan of. She talked about her new book “Secret Britain ‘ and some of the fascinating archeological finds that have been found in Britain. Her talk was really interesting and she kept my attention with the finds she mentioned as well as the humour she sprinkled into her talk. She was also incredibly friendly, answered my time team questions and gave me a list of places which would be great to take my kids too. Thanks so much for the memorable day Mary-Ann!

Do you like visiting historical places? What’s your favourite?

🙏🏻Thankful Tuesday:
Completion of 100km walking challenge

Distance walked: 100 km
Longest walk: 6km
Average walk: 3 km
Amount raised: £611.28 (£539 + £72.82 gift aid)
Audiobooks : 4

Good morning everyone and happy Tuesday. I completed the 100 km walking challenge I’ve been doing throughout September yesterday.

I decided to do the challenge in memory of my son Christopher who I lost at 24 weeks and 4 days after he came too early and was too poorly to survive sadly. It was also a good opportunity to kick start a fitness campaign to try and lose a bit of weight.

I can honestly say I’ve discovered a new found love of walking as I’ve really enjoyed all the beautiful walks I’ve completed during September. I’m hoping to continue trying to walk daily and I’m going to be doing my favourite walk this morning as I sadly couldn’t do it for my last walk yesterday because of the rain.

Huge thanks to everyone who sponsored me, I’ve been blown away by everyone’s generosity. I didn’t think I’d manage to raise their suggested amount of £150 so to finish at 4 times that is very special.

There’s still time to donate if you’d like to via the link below ⬇️