Good morning everyone I was tagged by the lovely @mrs_hs_favourite_books to take part in the Dear Reader Challenge!
Did You Complete Your 2023 Reading Challenge?
I did though I was really bad at updating it on Goodreads so it looks like I failed there …😂
What Is Your 2024 Reading Goal?
I’ve put 52 books but I’m hoping to read a few more than that tbh. I’m hoping I can sneak a few more in by listening to audiobooks too.
What Books Do You Want To Read This Year ?
I have a few reading challenges this year that I’m hoping to complete. I’m hoping to read a few books set in different countries for the #24countriesin2024 challenge which I’m really enjoying as it means I’m reading different books than normal. I’m also hoping to catch up on a few books I wanted to read last year.
Any 5 Star predictions?
I’m hoping Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner and The Woman by Kristen Hannah are 5 Star reads. I also have high hopes for Bobby Palmer’s second book Small Hours as I loved his first book.
New Year Resolutions?
I’m hoping to take on less blog tours this year as I’m enjoying just reading what I like. I’m also hoping to listen to more audiobooks as I want to start walking more to help my high blood pressure.
My picture is some of my favourite books from last year. I’ve tagged a few people who might want to take part but, as always, no pressure!
Cole is the perfect husband: a romantic, supportive of his wife, Mel’s career, keen to be a hands-on dad, not a big drinker. A good guy.
So when Mel leaves him, he’s floored. She was lucky to be with a man like him.
Craving solitude, he accepts a job on the coast and quickly settles into his new life where he meets reclusive artist Lennie.
Lennie has made the same move for similar reasons. She is living in a crumbling cottage on the edge of a nearby cliff. It’s an undeniably scary location, but sometimes you have to face your fears to get past them.
As their relationship develops, two young women go missing while on a walk protesting gendered violence, right by where Cole and Lennie live. Finding themselves at the heart of a police investigation and media frenzy, it soon becomes clear that they don’t know each other very well at all.
This is what happens when women have had enough.
My Review:
One Of The Good Guys is a dark, twisty and thought provoking read that I’ve continued to think about long after reading.
The story is told from the point of view of three people Cole, his estranged wife Mel and Lennie. This is very cleverly done as it helps to slowly build the story, and the tension, as we hear from each character individually. I don’t think any of them were particularly likeable, though I did feel sorry for Cole and Mel at times. It definitely made me think about how there are two sides to every story and not to take one person’s version at face value.
I thought the book was a bit of a slow burn but soon got very intriguing, especially when the narrator changes over. There are lots of surprising twists and reveals that seem very real, adding to the feeling that this story could actually happen. I don’t want to given anything away but the issue of female safety was very thought provoking and I enjoyed exploring it more alongside the characters. It’s a very timely issue and one that definitely needs to be discussed more publicly.
The ending was very surprising and while I thought it was very clever I think it will divide opinions, as it did to the characters in the book. I felt surprising sympathy to all the characters involved when I wasn’t sure that I was meant to. I think this book would make a great book club read as there would be lots to discuss and dissect. I might even choose it as one of the books for the book club I run as I think it would lead to some interesting discussions.
Huge thanks to Laura from Pan Macmillian for the bookseller proof for Rossiter books in Malvern.
About The Author:
Hello, I’m a writer of thrillers and a lover of stories.
My latest book, ONE OF THE GOOD GUYS, was inspired by a groundswell of anger I’ve been feeling myself and amongst the women I know. Because if we don’t feel safe in the world, then it’s still a very unequal world. This is my answer to what happens when women have had enough of being scared.
I hope you enjoy this tense story set in a remote seaside location. I’d love to know if you guess the twist – I’m on instagram and X @aramintahall
And, if you do enjoy this one, I’ve published five other novels, EVERYTHING & NOTHING (2011), DOT (2013), OUR KIND OF CRUELTY (2017), IMPERFECT WOMEN/PERFECT STRANGERS (2019) & HIDDEN DEPTHS (2021)
Good afternoon everyone I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this intriguing looking book today. It sounds fantastic and has a bit of a cult vibe to it which I always love!
Huge thanks Jen from Michael Joseph for sending me a copy of this book.
Out 21st March 2024
Book Synopsis:
Sixteen year old Cass Sawyer wakes up in the woods with a head injury. She has no recollection of what happened.
But she recognises where she is. The Haven. The idyllic, off-grid retreat her parents claimed would heal their broken family.
As Cass searches the now deserted buildings, memories begin to trickle through.
Her father’s erratic behaviour. Her mother’s pleas that they go back to town. The Haven’s charismatic, free-spirited leader. The strange girls that hang on his every word.
And a nagging feeling: that Cass has done something terribly wrong.
What happened at The Haven? Where is Cass’s family? And will they ever escape?
About The Author:
Fiona Neill is an author and journalist who has written five Sunday Times best sellers. Her novels have been translated into twenty-six languages and have sold over a million copies worldwide. Her last novel, The Betrayals, spent six weeks in TheSunday Times Top Ten bestseller list and was a Richard and Judy Book Club selection.
Fiona grew up on a farm in an isolated village in North Norfolk, where she still spends as much time as possible. She graduated with a first class degree in Spanish and Latin American Studies at The University of Bristol in 1989 and went on to do an MA in politics at the Institute of Latin American Studies in London.
After university she went to live in Central America for a year and ended up staying for six. The first two years she worked for an international refugee organisation travelling in Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua writing reports on refugees who had fled their homes because of civil war. From 1993 she worked for three years as the correspondent for the news agency Reuters based in Guatemala before returning to the United Kingdom to become features editor at Marie Claire magazine. She then joined The Times Magazine as assistant editor for three years before returning to life as a freelance feature writer.
The Good Girl was optioned for development by Duchess Productions and The Betrayals by Snowed-In Production. Fiona’s first novel The Secret Life of a Slummy Mummy, based on her fictional column for The Times, was an international bestseller that was extracted in American Vogue.
Fiona Neill lives in London with her husband and three children.
Good morning everyone today on Two For Tuesday I’m featuring two books from the Emily Wilde’s series.
I’m a few chapters into The Encyclopedia Of Faeries and really enjoying it so far. It’s one of the books I’ve been wanting to catch up on this year as I’ve been hearing lots of great things about it. When I saw the second book come into shop I couldn’t resist grabbing it and i’m very excited to be able to continue the series soon.
Find out more about the books below!
If anyone has any recommendations of similar books do let me know!
Do you believe in Faeries?
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia Of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
Enter the world of the hidden folk – and discover the most whimsical, enchanting and heart-warming tale you’ll read this year, featuring the intrepid Emily Wilde. . .
Emily Wilde is good at many things: she is the foremost expert on the study of faeries; she is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world’s first encylopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people
So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby
But as Emily gets closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones – the most elusive of all faeries – she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she’ll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all – her own heart.
Emily Wilde’sMap Of The Otherlands by Heather Fawcett
An intrepid professor must uncover faerie secrets in the delightful and heart-warming second instalment of the Sunday Times bestselling Emily Wilde series.
Emily Wilde is a genius scholar of faerie folklore, and has catalogued many secrets of the Hidden Folk in her encyclopaedia with her infuriatingly charming fellow scholar, Wendell Bambleby, by her side.
But Bambleby is more than just a brilliant and unbearably handsome scholar. He’s an exiled faerie king on the run from his murderous mother, in search of a door back to his realm.
By lucky happenstance, Emily’s new project, a map of the realms of faerie, will take them on an adventure to the picturesque Austrian Alps, where Emily believes they may find the door to Bambleby’s realm, and the key to freeing him from his family’s dark plans.
But with new friendships for the prickly Emily to navigate and dangerous Folk lurking in every forest and hollow, Emily must unravel the mysterious workings of faerie doors, and of her own heart.
About The Author:
Heather Fawcett is the Sunday Times and internationally bestselling Canadian author of books for adults, kids, and teens, including Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries, Even the Darkest Stars, Ember and the Ice Dragons, The Grace of Wild Things, and more. Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages and somehow all include dragons in one form or another. She has a Master’s degree in English Literature and a Bachelor’s in Archaeology. She lives on Vancouver Island.
When Domenec – mountain-dweller, father, poet, dreamer – dies suddenly, struck by lightning, he leaves behind two small children, Mia and Hilari, to grow up wild among the looming summits of the Pyrenees and the ghosts of the Spanish civil war.
But then Hilari dies too, and his sister is forced to face life’s struggles and joys alone. As the years tumble by, the inhabitants of the mountain – human, animal and other – come together in a chorus of voices to bear witness to the sorrows of one family, and to the savage beauty of the landscape. This remarkable English-language debut is lyrical, mythical, elemental, and ferociously imaginative.
My Review:
When I sing, Mountains Dance is a beautiful, lyrical and absorbing read that is unlike anything I’ve read before.
The book tells the story of life on a mountain in Spain told through a huge variety of characters. We hear from everyone who lives on the mountains from living people, animals, plants and even some of the ghosts that haunt the mountainside. I found this very interesting, especially as it was fascinating to see how everyone fits together and how one event can have such an affect on everyone on the mountain.
I enjoyed learning more about the characters and what it was like living in such a remote location. It was lovely to see how close knit the community was with everyone seeming to know and care for each other. I especially like finding out how they had adapted to life on the mountain and how the few shops that existed there sold everything they could possibly want in one place.
Overall I did enjoy this book and felt sad to leave the wonderful mountain community behind. It’s not a fast paced book but instead is one to savour and enjoy the subtle nuances of the story. It has definitely made me think more about nature and how human activity can affect it. The inclusion of ghosts or folk lore was very intriguing and helped give the book a magical feel to it. It’s a book that will stay with me and I’m very glad that one of my colleagues at the bookshop recommended it to me.
About The Author:
Irene Solà is a Catalan writer and artist, winner of the European Union Prize for Literature, the Documenta Prize for first novels, the Llibres Anagrama Prize, and the Amadeu Oller Poetry Prize. Her artwork has been exhibited in the Whitechapel Gallery.
Good morning everyone I hope you all had a good weekend. I thought I’d do a little reading update today!
❤️Last: One Of The Good Guys by Araminta Hall
I really enjoyed this gripping thriller, though it did initially take me a while to get into it. Review coming later this week.
🧡Now: The Psychology Of Secrets My Adventures With Murderers, Cults And Influencers by Andrew Gold
I picked this proof up from work yesterday and I’m finding it absolutely fascinating. Out 11th April 2024
💛Now: In Memory Of Us by Jacqueline Roy
I’m also reading this for the Random Things Tour. I’m only a few chapters in but enjoying it so far. Review coming on Friday!
💚Next: The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen
I’m a huge fan of Tess Gerritsen so I’m really looking forward to reading this one next. I’m reading this for another blog tour and I’ll post my review for this next Monday.
Today is my day off and I’m planning on going for a walk as part of my new fitness regime. I’m currently listening to Argylle by Elly Conway and I’m hoping to listen to it as I walk. I’m a bit in the fence about it so far so we’ll see how it goes.
Good morning everyone and happy Sunday! It’s been a bit of a bumper week for book post which is very exciting.
Here are some of the fantastic books I’ve received this week:
❤️ Human Acts by Han Kang 🧡Strong Female Characters by Fern Brady 💛The List Of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey 💚Song Of The Huntress by Lucy Holland * 💙The Escape Room by L.D Smithson* 🩵 Where There Was Fire by John Manuel Arias * 💜 Enlightenment by Sarah Perry * 🩷The Fox Wife by Yangsze *
The books with stars next to them have been kindly gifted to me by publisher’s. They all sound really good and I can’t wait to read them soon. The List Of Suspicious Things was lent to me by my lovely neighbour @somethingbyjane and @acottageofbooks kindly shared her giveaway prize of a copy of Enlightenment with me.
The other two are books I’ve bought, Human Act is part of my #24countriesin2024 challenge and was recommended to me by a colleague. It’s based on a real life event but he described it as brutal which makes me slightly nervous. Strong Female Characters is a book I’ve been hearing lots about at work as loads of my colleagues have loved it.
Huge thanks to all the tagged publishers for my copies of these books it’s really appreciated.
Have you bought/ received any new books this week?
Iris arrives in the city of dreams, intent on restarting her culinary career, and leaving her recent heartache behind.
Wandering the streets at a famous food festival, Iris feels like she’s living in a movie. Then she stumbles upon a gelateria that looks strangely familiar. Inside, she meets Gio: a perfect leading man with an irresistible smile – and a crisis of his own.
As fate would have it, Iris is the one person with the answer to his problem. She just can’t tell him that . . .
So, can Iris finally let go of the past – and let herself fall in love?
My Review:
I’m a huge fan of this author so I was very excited to learn that she had a new book out. I thought A Winter In New York was a heartwarming, romantic and emotional read with some amazing characters that I couldn’t help falling in love with.
Firstly I have always loved New York as it’s one of my favourite cities so I naturally also love books that are set there. This book was no exception and I loved being able to explore the city alongside the characters. One of the things I most enjoyed about this book is that it not set in the normal tourist destinations (apart from Katz dinner) but instead is set off the beaten track which I think gives the book a more of an authentic feel to it.
The character’s in this book were absolutely fantastic creations that I warmed too instantly and loved following throughout the book. It was lovely seeing Iris recover from her past experiences to find her place in a new city with the help of her best friend Bobby and the wonderful Belotti family. I found myself wishing that I knew all the characters personally as they all seemed such lovely, fun people to be around. The Belotti family were my favourite characters and I loved the descriptions of all their family gatherings which were so heartwarming. My favourite parts of the books were when they were all hanging out together .
Overall, as you can probably tell, I loved this book and will be recommending it to everyone. The book had a great pace to it and there always seemed to be something happening to keep me reading. The story is told mainly from Iris’s point of view but there are flashbacks to her mother’s story which is central to the plot. I was initially a bit dubious about a book involving ice cream in winter but it totally works and made me crave ice cream for pudding, much to my kids amusement. The ending was brilliant and I closed the book with a happy sigh though sad that I had to leave the character’s behind. I’m really hoping there is a sequel as I would love to know what happens next!
About The Author:
Josie Silver is a writer of love stories.
Her debut novel One Day in December was a Sunday Times & NY Times bestseller and has been translated into more than twenty-five languages.
Josie lives in the midlands with her husband, their sons, and an ever changing cast of animals.
Good morning everyone and happy Saturday. One of my New Year’s Resolutions was to listen to more audiobooks so this challenge instantly appealed.
The challenge is hosted by @caffeinatedreviewer and has multiple levels to choose from. I’ve been brave and gone with Stenographer aiming to read 10-15 audiobooks this year.
I’m currently listening to Argylle by Elly Conway which I’m really enjoying and then I’m thinking of listening to My Friends by Hisham Matar.
Do you listen to audiobooks? Any recommendations?
Argylle by Elly Conway
One Russian magnate’s dream of restoring a nation to greatness has set in motion a chain of events which will take the world to the brink of chaos. Only Frances Coffey, the CIA’s most legendary spymaster, can prevent it. But to do so, she needs someone special.
Enter Argylle. His life came to a crashing halt as a teenager. Since then he has been treading water, building barriers between himself and the world. Until one moment of compassion and brilliance will bring him to the attention of the most powerful woman in the secret world.
Coffey knows all about Argylle’s dark past. She knows it haunts him. But she also knows it may give him the skills to join the team going up against one of the most powerful men in the world. His crash course in espionage will take him from the jungles of Thailand to the boulevards of Monaco, from the monasteries of Mount Athos to a forgotten cavern buried deep in the mountains.
It is a deathly rollercoaster ride that will either make him – or break him…
My Friends by Hisham Matar
An intensely moving novel about three friends living in political exile and the emotional homeland that deep friendships can provide – from the Booker-shortlisted, Pulitzer prize-winning author of THE RETURN
Khaled and Mustafa meet at university in Edinburgh: two Libyan eighteen-year-olds expecting to return home after their studies. In a moment of recklessness and courage, they travel to London to join a demonstration in front of the Libyan embassy. When government officials open fire on protestors in broad daylight, both friends are wounded, and their lives forever changed.
Over the years that follow, Khaled, Mustafa and their friend Hosam, a writer, are bound together by their shared history. If friendship is a space to inhabit, theirs becomes small and inhospitable when a revolution in Libya forces them to choose between the lives they have created in London and the lives they left behind.
Good afternoon everyone I was lucky enough to receive a copy of The Sleeping Beauties by Lucy Ashe today. I absolutely loved Clara & Olivia by this author so I’m very excited to read this one soon as it looks fantastic.
Huge thanks to @oneworldpublications and @randomthingstours for my copy of this book.
Out 15th February 2024 the same day the Random Things Your kicks off!
Book Synopsis:
An unputdownable tale of obsession, jealousy and heartache against the backdrop of WW2
May 1945 and at long last, Rosamund Caradon is feeling optimistic. As she returns the last few evacuees to London from her Devonshire manor, she vows to protect dance-obsessed daughter Jasmine from further peril.
But a chance meeting with a Sadler’s Wells ballet dancer changes everything.
When the beautiful, elusive Briar Woods bursts into Rosamund’s train carriage, it’s clear her sights are set on the immediately captivated Jasmine. And Rosamund cannot shake the eerie feeling this accidental encounter is not what it seems.
For Briar may be far away from the pointe shoes and greasepaint of the Sleeping Beauty ballet that is so much a part of her, but her performance for Rosamund might just be her most successful yet.
This, Briar feels, is a show for a mother and daughter. A dance that could turn deadly…
About The Author:
LUCY ASHE is the author of CLARA & OLIVIA (Magpie, Oneworld publications, UK)/ THE DANCE OF THE DOLLS (Union Square & Co, US)
CLARA & OLIVIA is out now in the UK. It was published as THE DANCE OF THE DOLLS in the US in September 2023.
Lucy trained at The Royal Ballet School for eight years, first as a Junior Associate and then at White Lodge. She has a Diploma in Dance Teaching with the British Ballet Organisation.
She studied English Literature at St Hugh’s College, Oxford, while continuing to dance and perform. After graduation, she obtained a PGCE teaching qualification and became an English teacher.
Her poetry and short stories have been published in a number of literary journals and she was shortlisted for the 2020 Impress Prize for New Writers. She also reviews theatre, in particular ballet, writing for the website Playstosee.com.
Lucy’s second novel, THE SLEEPING BEAUTIES, will be published in 2024.
Over The Rainbow Blog 