Good morning everyone and happy Easter Sunday. I hope you’re having a great weekend so far.
I’ve been seeing a lot of Mini Egg stacks so I thought I’d join in with a Creme Egg stack as I’ve been addicted to this chocolate over the last few weeks! (Especially as Waitrose near my work has had them on special offer 2 for £3).
💜The Trade Off by Sadie Jones 💜The Museum Of Failures by Thrity Umrigar 💜The Hunter by Tana French 💛Big Swiss by Jen Beagin 💛 Butter by Asako Yuzuki ❤️The Beast Of Paris by Stef Penney ❤️The King’s Mother by Annie Garthwaite ❤️ Leave No Trace by Jo Callaghan
All of these are tbr apart from Leave No Trace which I’m currently reading and really enjoying.
Today my husband is taking the kids out for a walk so I can have a bit of a lie in and then we’re going to my mum’s for an Easter Egg hunt. We’re then watching a film together before having a yummy roast.
Good morning everyone! We all have those amazing five Star reads that stay with us and that we wish we could experience for the first time again.
These are mine:
❤️ Isaac And The Egg by Bobby Palmer 🧡In Memoriam by Alice Winn 💛 Godkiller by Hannah Kaner 💚The Last Murder At The End Of The World by Stuart Turton 💙The God Of The Woods by Liz Moore
I absolutely loved all of these books and highly recommend them. They are books I often recommend at the bookshop I work on and I’ve set Isaac and In Memoriam as bookclub reads.
What book do you wish you could read for the first time again?
Isaac And The Egg by Bobby Palmer
Heartbreaking and heart-stealing, this modern-day fable is an unforgettable novel about sorrow, joy, friendship and love.
It is early. A young man stands on a bridge and lets out a heart-wrenching scream. From deep in the woods, something screams back.
It sounds improbable. But this is how Isaac meets the egg.
The two are unlikely companions. But their chance encounter will transform Isaac’s life in ways he cannot yet imagine.
Maybe he will finally understand why he went there that morning. Maybe he will find a way to tell the truth.
Sometimes, to get out of the woods, you have to go into them.
In Memoriam by Alice Winn
It was only because Gaunt knew he might die, that he could be so reckless as to kiss him.
In 1914, war feels far away to Henry Gaunt and Sidney Ellwood. They’re too young to enlist, and anyway, Gaunt is fighting his own private battle – an all-consuming infatuation with the dreamy, poetic Ellwood – not having a clue that his best friend is in love with him, always has been.
When Gaunt’s mother asks him to enlist in the British army to protect the family from anti-German attacks, he signs up immediately, relieved to escape his overwhelming feelings. But Ellwood and their classmates soon follow him into the horrors of trenches. Though Ellwood and Gaunt find fleeting moments of solace in one another, their friends are dying in front of them, and at any moment they could be next.
An epic tale of the devastating tragedies of war and the forbidden romance that blooms in its grip, InMemoriam is a breathtaking debut.
Godkiller by Hannah Kaner
You are not welcome here, godkiller
Kissen’s family were killed by zealots of a fire god. Now, she makes a living killing gods, and enjoys it. That is until she finds a god she cannot kill: Skedi, a god of white lies, has somehow bound himself to a young noble, and they are both on the run from unknown assassins.
Joined by a disillusioned knight on a secret quest, they must travel to the ruined city of Blenraden, where the last of the wild gods reside, to each beg a favour.
Pursued by demons, and in the midst of burgeoning civil war, they will all face a reckoning – something is rotting at the heart of their world, and only they can be the ones to stop it.
The Last Murder At The End Of The World by Stuart Turton
Outside the island there is nothing: the world destroyed by a fog that swept the planet, killing anyone it touched. On the island: it is idyllic. 122 villagers and 3 scientists, living in peaceful harmony. The villagers are content to fish, farm and feast, to obey their nightly curfew, to do what they’re told by the scientists.
Until, to the horror of the islanders, one of their beloved scientists is found brutally stabbed to death. And they learn the murder has triggered a lowering of the security system around the island, the only thing that was keeping the fog at bay.
If the murder isn’t solved within 107 hours, the fog will smother the island – and everyone on it.
But the security system has also wiped everyone’s memories of exactly what happened the night before, which means that someone on the island is a murderer – and they don’t even know it.
The God Of The Woods by Liz Moore
From the author of LONG BRIGHT RIVER, a Barack Obama Pick and a New York Times bestseller, comes a once-in-a-generation story; a novel you’ll never forget.
Some said it was tragic, what happened to the Van Laars.
Some said the Van Laars deserved it. That they never even thanked the searchers who stayed out for five nights in the freezing forest trying to help find their missing son.
Some said there was a reason it took the family so long to call for help. That they knew what happened to the boy.
Now, fifteen years later, the daughter the family had in their grief has gone missing in the same wilderness as her brother. Some say the two disappearances aren’t connected.
Good morning everyone and happy Easter weekend if you celebrate. I was stuck for what to post today until my eldest son suggested spelling out Easter in books and helped choose the books for the stack. I think I have a future bookinstagrammer in the making!
🐥EVERY Move You Make by C. L. Taylor 🐇A Demon’s Guide To Wooing A Witch by Sarah Hawley 🐣 SOME Like It Cold by Elle McNicoll 🐰THE House Of Broken Bricks by Fiona Williams 🐥 EDITH Holler by Edward Carey 🐇 RUNNING Close To The Wind by Alexandra Rowland
All of these are tbr but I’m hoping to read some of them soon.
I’m now off for four days over the Easter weekend and I’m looking forward to spending some time with the family as I haven’t seen them much this week as I’ve been working. I’m looking forward to a few days of watching family films, reading and lots of chocolate!
I’ve tagged a few people on Instagram who might want to join in but, as always, no pressure.
Outside the island there is nothing: the world destroyed by a fog that swept the planet, killing anyone it touched. On the island: it is idyllic. 122 villagers and 3 scientists, living in peaceful harmony. The villagers are content to fish, farm and feast, to obey their nightly curfew, to do what they’re told by the scientists.
Until, to the horror of the islanders, one of their beloved scientists is found brutally stabbed to death. And they learn the murder has triggered a lowering of the security system around the island, the only thing that was keeping the fog at bay.
If the murder isn’t solved within 107 hours, the fog will smother the island – and everyone on it.
But the security system has also wiped everyone’s memories of exactly what happened the night before, which means that someone on the island is a murderer – and they don’t even know it.
My Review:
Every now and again a book comes along that you know is going to stay with you for a long time. For me this was one of those books! I absolutely loved this thrilling, gripping book and read it over two days which is no easy task with three children. It’s going to be a hard book to review as I don’t want to give anything away.
The reader is introduced to a terrifying apocalyptic world where a deadly fog has taken over the world, killing every living thing in it’s path- apart from one special Island which has technology to keep the fog at bay. The island initially seems like an idyllic paradise with a wonderful, close community which seemed to care about each other. However the reader soon becomes aware that not everything is as it seems though and there is something definitely off about life on the island.
The story is told from the point of view of multiple characters and I enjoyed finding out more about life on the Island through them. My favourite characters were Emory and Clara who were two strong, clever ladies who refused to follow the crowd and just accept what they’ve been told. Emory is given the task of solving a murder that has occurred on the island and caused the fog defences to fail so the fog creeps slowly towards the island. Through their investigation the chilling, shocking truth about the island and the apocalypse is gradually revealed.
Overall as you can probably tell I absolutely loved this book and would be recommending it to everyone. The book had a great pace to it, with lots of twists that kept me guessing as to which way the story was going to go next. I basically inhaled this book as I was so absorbed in the story and everything that was going on. I soon found myself hiding away in the kitchen desperately trying to read just one more chapter. The ending was brilliant and I immediately wanted to go back to the beginning to re-read the book all over again.
Huge thanks to Bloomsbury Raven for providing me with a proof copy through Rossiter Books. If you were a fan of Never Let Me Go or Station Eleven then I highly recommend this book.
About The Author:
Stuart Turton is your friendly neighbourhood author, responsible for The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, The Devil and the Dark Water, and The Last Murder at the End of the World – which he describes as the ‘not a trilogy’ trilogy. His books have appeared on the Sunday Times and USA Today bestseller lists, and are known for fusing locked-room mysteries with literary fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. Stuart’s books have been translated into forty languages and have sold over a million copies, which would be impressive if every author wasn’t boasting about exactly the same thing.
Good afternoon everyone and happy Wednesday. I love fresh flowers and Gerbera’s are my favourite so when I saw this bunch of flowers while shopping I had to treat myself.
💮The Amendments by Niamh Mulvey 🌸 Reckless by Elsie Silver 🌿The House Of Broken Bricks by Fiona Williams 🌱 The Library Thief by Kuchenga Shenjé 🪻 Small Hours by Bobby Palmer 🌿In The Lives Of Puppets by TJ Klune 🪻 Nuclear Family by Kate Davies 🌿 Upon A Frosted Star by M. A. Kuzniar
All of these are tbr apart from Small Hours and I’m currently reading Nuclear Family. I’m hoping to read the rest of them soon.
I’m off this morning and hoping to do something with the kids before going to work this afternoon. I’ve got to take the kids to work with me as my mum’s picking them up from the shop today which I’m a little nervous about….
I’ve tagged a few people who might want to join in and share a match your flowers Stack but, as always, no pressure.
Good morning everyone today on Two For Tuesday I’m featuring two books by the fabulous MW Craven. I’ve been a huge fan of the Tilly & Poe series from the start and rate them as one of my favourite crime series.
Not only are they fantastic crime books but the relationship between Tilly and Poe makes them really enjoyable books to read. They are a bit gruesome in places which might not be to everyone’s taste but if you’re a fan of crime fiction then I highly recommend this series.
Huge thanks to @littlebrownbookgroup_uk for sending me a copy of this book.
The Mercy Chair is book 6 of the Tilly & Poe series and is out 6th June 2024. You can find out more about the book below ⬇️
Do you have a favourite crime series?
The Mercy Chair by MW Craven
Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin . . .
Washington Poe has a story to tell.
And he needs you to listen.
You’ll hear how it started with the robber birds. Crows. Dozens of them. Enough for a murder . . .
He’ll tell you about a man who was tied to a tree and stoned to death, a man who had tattooed himself with a code so obscure, even the gifted analyst Tilly Bradshaw struggled to break it. He’ll tell you how the man’s murder was connected to a tragedy that happened fifteen years earlier when a young girl massacred her entire family.
And finally, he’ll tell you about the mercy chair. And why people would rather kill themselves than talk about it . . . Poe hopes you’ve been paying attention. Because in this story, nothing is as it seems . . .
The Botanist by MW Craven
‘I swear I’m one bad mood away from calling it black magic and going home . . .’
Detective Sergeant Washington Poe can count on one hand the number of friends he has. And he’d still have his thumb left. There’s the insanely brilliant, guilelessly innocent civilian analyst, Tilly Bradshaw of course. He’s known his beleaguered boss, Detective Inspector Stephanie Flynn for years as he has his nearest neighbour, full-time shepherd/part-time dog sitter, Victoria.
And then there’s Estelle Doyle. It’s true the caustic pathologist has never walked down the sunny side of the street but this time has she gone too far? Shot twice in the head, her father’s murder appears to be an open and shut case. Estelle has firearms discharge residue on her hands, and, in a house surrounded by fresh snow, hers are the only footprints going in. Since her arrest she’s only said three words: ‘Tell Washington Poe.’
Meanwhile, a poisoner the press have dubbed the Botanist is sending high profile celebrities poems and pressed flowers. The killer seems to be able to walk through walls and, despite the advance notice he gives his victims, and regardless of the security measures the police take, he seems to be able to kill with impunity.
For a man who hates locked room mysteries, this is going to be the longest week of Washington Poe’s life . .
About The Author:
Multi-award winning author M. W. Craven was born in Carlisle but grew up in Newcastle. He joined the army at sixteen, leaving ten years later to complete a degree in social work. Seventeen years after taking up a probation officer role in Cumbria, at the rank of assistant chief officer, he became a full-time author. The Puppet Show, the first book in the critically acclaimed, best-selling Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw series, was published by Little, Brown and went on to win the Crime Writers’ Association Gold Dagger in 2019. Black Summer, the second in the series, was longlisted for the Gold Dagger as was book three, The Curator. Dead Ground won the CWA Steel Dagger in 2022 and book five, The Botanist, won the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year in 2023. Dead Ground and 2022’s The Botanist were both Sunday Times bestsellers. The series has now been translated into twenty-seven languages. Fearless, the first thriller in the new US-set, Ben Koenig series, was published in June 2023 by Flatiron Books in the US and by Little, Brown in the UK. Fearless will soon be a major TV series.
M. W. Craven lives in Carlisle with his wife, Joanne. When he isn’t talking nonsense in the pub, he can usually be found at punk gigs and writing festivals up and down the country.
Good evening everyone. It’s the first day of the Easter holidays for us today and it’s really nice to have all the kids home . We’ve not got firm plans as my husband and I are working but I have four days off over the bank holiday so I’m looking forward to some family time.
My reading takes a bit of a hit with the kids home but I’m hoping to fit a few books in. These are some of the books I might be reading this holiday:
🐣Diva by Daisy Goodwin 🐰How To Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin 🐥Listen For The Lie by Amy Tintera 🐇The Final Hours Of Muriel Hinchcliffe MBE by Claire Parkin 🐣The List Of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey 🐰The Last Murder At The End Of The World by Stuart Turton 🐥Funny Story by Emily Henry 🐇A Curse Of Blood And Wolves by Melissa McTernan 🐣 Nuclear Family by Kate Davies 🐰The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
There’s no way I’m actually going to read all of these but I’m a huge mood reader so I like to give myself options. I’m currently reading The Last Murder At The End Of The World which I’m absolutely loving. It’s such a gripping book and I’ve been unable to put it down. I’m only half way through but I can already tell this will be a book I’ll be shouting about for ages to come.
Good morning everyone and happy Sunday. I got woken up by a very excited little boy who thought it was Easter Sunday today 😭
Here are some of the books I’ve been lucky enough to receive this week:
❤️ Mina’s Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa 🧡Passiontide by Monique Roffey 💛A Beginners Guide To Breaking And Entering by Andrew Hunter Murray 💚The Library Thief by Kuchenga Shenjé 💙Until August by Gabriel Garcia Marquez 🩵The Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable 💜The Mercy Chair by M.W Craven 🩷The Book Forger by Joseph Hone 🤍The Mars House By Natasha Pulley
Huge thanks to all the publishers for sending these to me I’m really excited to read them soon. I actually broke I broke my buying ban to buy The Mars House this week as I read the first chapter and thought it seemed really intriguing.
I’m working today which is always fun, especially as I’ve not been there for a few days so I’m looking forward to seeing what new books we’ve got in. I’m then excited to watch my favourite twitch streamer @joshuawoomusic who’s doing a special stream today with his brother.
The eagerly awaited new novel from Bobby Palmer, author of the critically acclaimed debut Isaac and the Egg.
If you stood before sunrise in this wild old place, looking through the trees into the garden, here’s what you’d see:
A father and son, a fox standing between them.
Jack, home for the first time in years, still determined to be the opposite of his father.
Gerry, who would rather talk to animals than the angry man back under his roof.
Everything that follows is because of the fox, and because Jack’s mother is missing. It spans generations of big dreams and lost time, unexpected connections and things falling apart, great wide worlds and the moments that define us.
If you met them in the small hours, you’d begin to piece together their story.
My Review:
I was a huge fan of this author’s debut novel Isaac And The Egg so I was very excited to be given an early copy of his second book Small Hours which I thought was another beautifully written, thought provoking and heart warming read.
The story is told from the point of view of Jack who’s trying to rebuild his life after a few changes and Gerry who’s struggling with memory lost as well as flashbacks to key moments in the family’s past. The character’s are all given an individual voice and I loved how they are written so that I felt like I was actually the character, experiencing everything alongside them. This was especially true of Gerry’s point of view as it was fascinating to learn what it must be like from someone suffering from Dementia. It must be so frustrating and it made me feel very sorry for Gerry when he obviously wanted to explain something but no one else seemed to believe him. Jack is also a very sympathetic character who, despite his prickliness I wish I could just give a massive hug.
The story has a good pace to it and I enjoyed following all the characters on their journey. It was very interesting to follow the family through their history to better understand their family dynamics and to see them slowly work through all their problems to better understand each other. There were some very poignant moments and it was very emotional to see all the sides of the story. It made me realise how easy it is for things to be misconstrued and to become fractured from your family. The fox was a brilliant edition that I absolutely loved. I don’t want to say too much about him as I don’t want to give anything away but I really wish I had a fox friend too.
Huge thanks to Ollie Martin from Headline for sending me a copy of this book.
About The Author:
BOBBY PALMER is an author and journalist whose writing has appeared in GQ, Esquire, Men’s Health, Cosmopolitan and more. He is co-host of the literary podcast BOOK CHAT with Pandora Sykes.
His debut novel, ISAAC AND THE EGG, was an instant Saturday Times bestseller, selling 50,000 copies in its first year of publication. A Prima and Woman & Home ‘Best Book of 2022’, the novel has appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Open Book, featured as the Guardian ‘Audiobook of the Week’, and was chosen by Dawn O’Porter as part of her ‘Dawn Loves’ book club with WHSmith.
Bobby’s second novel, SMALL HOURS, will publish in March 2024.
Good morning everyone and happy Friday. I wasn’t sure what to do as a flat lay today so decided to try one with animals on the cover. I didn’t find as many as I thought and technically speaking lady bird is an insect but I’m including it anyway!
Today is going to be a busy day as it’s the kids school Easter Service this morning. It’s my eldest kids last service as he’s going to high school in September so he’s actually got to say something in the service which he’s very nervous about. I’m then coming home and hopefully sorting the washing and reading before going back to the school as I’ve volunteered to help the pta with the Easter Egg hunt they’re doing this afternoon. Then the kids have broken up for Easter!! Whoop!
All of the books above are tbr but I look forward to reading them all soon. I’ve tagged a few people who might want to join in but, as always, no pressure.
Over The Rainbow Blog 