Good morning everyone and happy Sunday. Here are some of the fantastic books I’ve received this week:
❤️The Longest Goodbye by Mari Hannah 🧡The Sisterhood by Katherine Bradley 💛The Lover Of No Fixed Abode by Carlo Fruttero & Franco Lucentini 💚The Burial Plot by Elizabeth Macneal 💙 Normal Rules Don’t Apply by Kate Atkinson 🩵All The Blood We Share by Camilla Bruce 💜The House Of Mirrors by Erin Kelly 🩷Lost And Never Find by Simon Mason 🤍The Puzzlewood by Rosie Andrews 🩶The Search Party by Hannah Richell
These all sound brilliant and I can’t wait to read them soon! Out of these I’ll probably read The Search Party next as I’ve heard great things about it. Thanks so much to all the publisher and book friends for sending these to me.
We had a busy day yesterday as it was my husband’s birthday. We went for a walk and then took the kids out for their first meal at a proper restaurant. They behaved so well and I was really proud of them.
I’m working today which I’m looking forward to and then I’m looking forward to reading more of my fantastic book. I’m currently reading Hagstone by Sinéad Gleeson as a buddy read with @somethingbyjane which I’m really enjoying so far.
THIS CHRISTMAS, A KILLER TAKES FAMILY GAMES TO A MURDEROUS NEW LEVEL.
On 19th of December, renowned puzzle setter, loner and Christmas sceptic Edie O’Sullivan finds a hand-delivered present on her doorstep. Unwrapping it, she finds a jigsaw box and, inside, six jigsaw pieces. When fitted together, the pieces show part of a crime scene – blood-spattered black and white tiles and part of an outlined body. Included in the parcel is a message: ‘Four, maybe more, people will be dead by midnight on Christmas Eve, unless you can put all the pieces together and stop me.’ It’s signed, Rest In Pieces.
Edie contacts her nephew, DI Sean Brand-O’Sullivan, and together they work to solve the clues. But when a man is found near death with a jigsaw piece in his hand, Sean fears that Edie might be in danger and shuts her out of the investigation. As the body count rises, however, Edie knows that only she has the knowledge to put together the killer’s murderous puzzle.
Only by fitting all the pieces together will Edie be able to stop a killer – and finally lay her past to rest.
My Review:
The Christmas Jigsaw Murders is an intriguing, gripping read that is perfect for curling up with this Christmas.
Firstly I absolutely loved Edie and enjoyed following her throughout the book. She’s such a confident, vivacious lady who doesn’t care about other people’s opinions of her. I loved that she was still so able at eighty and the descriptions of her fabulous clothes made me smile. It was great to see how many people look up to her for setting the crosswords and some of her meetings with her fans made me laugh out loud.
The mystery surrounding the jigsaw murders was very interesting and I enjoyed trying to solve the mystery alongside the characters. The reader is thrown immediately into the story and things soon become very murky indeed as more people are drawn into the mystery as suspects. I think I suspected everyone at some point and it was very interesting to see how they were all connected. It soon becomes obvious that the mystery is connected to things on Edie’s past and I loved trying to figure out what the connection was.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading more books from this author in the future. I thought the book had a great pace to it and there always seemed to be something happening to keep my interest. The story follows both Edie and the police as they try to solve the mystery with both taking different approaches which was very amusing at times. There were lots of twists that kept me guessing, including a big one towards the end which took me completely by surprise.
If you are looking for a festive murder mystery then I highly recommend this one.
About The Author:
Alexandra Benedict has been a composer, singer-songwriter, actor, and lecturer in crime fiction, and is now an award-winning writer of novels, short stories and scripts. As AK Benedict, she writes high-concept novels, speculative short stories and scripts. Her first novel, the critically-acclaimed THE BEAUTY OF MURDER, was nominated for the eDunnit Award; her short stories have featured in many anthologies; and her audio drama has been shortlisted for multiple awards including the BBC Audio Drama Award 2020, and, twice, for the Scribe Award, winning it in 2019. As Alexandra Benedict, she writes contemporary tributes and takes on Golden Age crime fiction. THE CHRISTMAS MURDER GAME was an Amazon Fiction Bestseller and was long-listed for the CWA Gold Dagger Award. Her latest novel, MURDER ON THE CHRISTMAS EXPRESS, arrives on November 10th. She lives on the south coast of England with her fiancé, writer Guy Adams, their daughter, and their dog, Dame Margaret Rutherford.
Good morning everyone and happy Friday. I’m featuring these three fantastic how to draw books by Erin Hunting today.
Book Synopsis:
Unleash your child’s creative side with this super-cool drawing activity book.
Inside you’ll find over 100 pages of step-by-step drawing lessons, perfect for ages 4 years and up, each one featuring a very cool thing. New lines are added at each step, so a child can gradually build up an impressive sketch, and all the drawing is done on separate paper, meaning the book can be kept for years to come. Featuring awesome illustrations and invaluable tips from professional artist Erin Hunting, this book is the perfect starting point for a child’s journey into art.
The child will learn to add up simple shapes and lines to create something recognizable and most importantly, super cool. Children’s love for art will be sparked and their confidence boosted as they realise they can make marks on a page that mean something, and start to imagine their own cool creations. The only tools they will need are pens or pencils, paper, and this book.
My Review:
My two youngest kids (age 6 and 8) received these through school along with everyone in reception to Year 4. This made their day and they were so excited to come out with them. I’m not joking when I say that the books have not left their sides as they have been carrying them everywhere with them.
The books feature simple step by step instructions on how to draw a variety of different things from animals, rainbow and animated burgers. My 6 year old followed them with ease and they have helped provide me with some quiet moments while all three of my kids have been occupied trying out the drawings in the book.
As most people know as well as being lots of fun, drawing can help with pen control which can help with writing. My youngest is struggling to learn to write and I’m pleased to see him being enthusiastic with doing these drawings as they could him with his school work.
My only slight niggle is that I wish there was space in the book for the kids to practice the drawings. We didn’t have any paper so I had to buy some for them but the enjoyment they’ve had from them has made it well worth it.
If you’re looking for a great Christmas present idea for your kids then I highly recommend this book and who knows you might get a few quiet moments on Christmas Day!
Huge thanks to the author for kindly gifting these books to my kids and the other kids at their primary school.
Good evening everyone I’m taking part in the 12 Days Of Christmas Scavenger Hunt today. I saw this on the lovely @sslovesbooks page so do go check out what she found too. The idea is to find book covers featuring things from the famous Christmas song!
🎹12 Drummers Drumming //11 Pipers Playing – a musical instrument
💃10 Lords A Leaping //9 Ladies Dancing – sports or dancing
🫖8 Maids milking – a drink
🦢7 Swans A Swimming// 6 Geese A Laying// 4 Calling Birds // 3 French Hens // 2 Turtle Doves – a bird
🏅5 Gold Rings – a book with gold foiling
🌲A Partridge In A Pear Tree
I’ll be singing this all day now!
I’ve tagged a few people on Instagram who might want to take part but, as always, no pressure.
Good evening everyone I was lucky enough to be sent a copy of this fabulous sounding book.
I love books set in isolated Islands that have an air of mystery about them so this sounds very intriguing. I’m really excited to read it soon.
Huge thanks to Indie Thinking and 4th Estate for my copy of this book.
Out 11th April 2024.
Book Synopsis:
The haunting debut novel from beloved, Irish no. 1 bestselling author, Sinéad Gleeson.
‘Wild, elemental… I adored it’ LOUISE KENNEDY
The sea is steady for now. The land readies itself. What can be done with the woman on the cliff?
On a wild and rugged island cut off and isolated to some, artist Nell feels the island is her home. It is the source of inspiration for her art, rooted in landscape, folklore and the feminine. The mysterious Inions, a commune of women who have travelled there from all over the world, consider it a place of refuge and safety, of solace in nature.
All the islanders live alongside the strange murmurings that seem to emanate from within the depths of the island, a sound that is almost supernatural – a Summoning as the Inions call it. One day, a letter arrives at Nell’s door from the reclusive Inions who invite Nell into the commune for a commission to produce a magnificent art piece to celebrate their long history. In its creation, Nell will discover things about the community and about herself that will challenge everything she thought she knew.
Beautifully written, prescient and eerily haunting, Sinéad Gleeon’s fiction debut takes in the darker side of human nature and the mysteries of faith and the natural world. A novel from one of our most beloved literary voices, this is perfect for fans of Margaret Atwood and Sarah Moss.
About The Author:
Sinéad Gleeson’s essay collection Constellations: Reflections from Life won Non-Fiction Book of the Year at the Irish Book Awards, the Dalkey Literary Award for Emerging Writer and was shortlisted for the Rathbones Folio Prize, the James Tait Black Memorial Prize and the Michel Déon Prize. She is the editor of the award-winning anthologies The Long Gaze Back: An Anthology of Irish Women Writers and The Glass Shore, as well as The Art of The Glimpse: 100 Irish Short Stories. In 2022, she co-edited This Woman’s Work: Essays on Music with Kim Gordon. Sinéad also collaborates with artists and musicians on performance and sound installations. Her work has been translated into several languages and her debut novel Hagstone will be published in 2024 by 4th Estate.
A riveting technological thriller following a woman whose life is upended when her husband and son disappear in a mysterious plane crash and she is left alone with an unnerving home robot, only to get caught up in an AI-related conspiracy.
In near-future Japan, Susie Sakamoto is mourning the loss of her husband and son to a plane crash. Alone in her big modern house, which feels like more of a prison, Susie spends her days drinking heavily and taking her anger out at the only “sentient” thing left in her life: Sunny, the annoying home robot her husband designed. Susie despises Sunny, and sometimes even gets a sinking feeling that Sunny is out to hurt her.
To escape her paranoia and depression, Susie frequents the seedy, drug-fueled bars of the city, where she hears rumors of The Dark Manual, a set of guidelines that allow you to reprogram your robot for nefarious purposes. In the hopes of finding a way to turn off Sunny for good, Susie begins to search for the manual, only to learn it’s too late: the machines are becoming more sentient and dangerous. Thrust into the center of a dark, corporate war, Susie realizes there’s someone behind the code, pulling the strings. And they want her dead.
With a darkly humorous yet propulsive and lyrical voice, O’Sullivan presents us with an unsettling look at a future that feels all too real. Gripping and thought-provoking, Sunny is a haunting character study of an anxious woman teetering in an anxious time.
My Review:
Sunny is a dark, gripping book that gives a disturbing look into a possible future.
Firstly I’ve always been slightly fascinated by the idea of AI and what it might be able to do in the future so this book instantly appealed. This book has definitely made me think about the dangers of AI and how it could go wrong. I mean there’s a reason why the guy who invented it quit saying he’s done a bad thing….
The book is told from the point of view of Susie and it was very emotional at times to see her dealing with her grief from losing her husband and son while gradually being more controlled by her AI robot Sunny. I often wished I could go into the book and help her or give her the hug I felt she needed. The book is cleverly written so I felt like I was inside Susie’s head, able to hear all her thoughts and feelings so that it almost felt like everything was happening to me.
I thought this book had a great pace to it and I soon found myself absorbed into the story unable to put the book down. I kept promising myself I’d read just one more chapter and found myself reading far too late at night. The book has a slightly claustrophobic feel to it and it was quite emotional watching everything unfold. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I’d definitely be interested in reading more from him in future.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Colin O’Sullivan was born in Killarney, Ireland, in 1974. He is the author of Killarney Blues, Winner of the Prix Mystère de la critique, a prestigious crime fiction award in France.
His other works of fiction include The Starved Lover Sings, which was published in Russian to great acclaim (under the title “Black Sakura”).
His third novel The Dark Manual is to be made into a TV series called “Sunny” by Apple TV.
In 2019 Betimes Books continued his run of provocative novels with the much-lauded 1980s-set novel, My Perfect Cousin.
In 2020 he gave us Marshmallows, a tense noirish tale of crime and revenge set at Christmastime which focuses on the world of the theatre.
And his latest offering is The True Story of Binderella and Other Secret Siblings. A funny take on fairytales for discerning readers of all ages! Available now in both paperback and Kindle formats.
Good morning everyone today on Two For Tuesday I’m featuring two of my upcoming bookclub reads.
As some of you know I help run the bookclub for Rossiter books in Malvern where I work. It’s great fun (though a little nerve wracking at times) to pick books that I’ve loved for everyone else to enjoy.
This month our book is Days At The Morisaki Bookshop which I’ve been hearing great things about. Then our February book is going to be Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton. I was looking for a thriller in a cold setting and I remember loving this when I read it a few years ago.
Do you belong to a bookclub? What is your bookclub read this month?
Days At The Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa
The Japanese bestseller: a tale of love, new beginnings, and the comfort that can be found between the pages of a good book.
When twenty-five-year-old Takako’s boyfriend reveals he’s marrying someone else, she reluctantly accepts her eccentric uncle Satoru’s offer to live rent-free in the tiny room above his shop.
Hidden in Jimbocho, Tokyo, the Morisaki Bookshop is a booklover’s paradise. On a quiet corner in an old wooden building, the shop is filled with hundreds of second-hand books. It is Satoru’s pride and joy, and he has devoted his life to the bookshop since his wife left him five years earlier.
Hoping to nurse her broken heart in peace, Takako is surprised to encounter new worlds within the stacks of books lining the shop.
And as summer fades to autumn, Satoru and Takako discover they have more in common than they first thought. The Morisaki bookshop has something to teach them both about life, love, and the healing power of books.
Quirky, beautifully written, and movingly profound, Days at the Morisaki Bookshop will appeal to readers of Before The Coffee Gets Cold, The Cat Who Saved Books, and anyone who has had to recover from a broken heart.
Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton
THREE HOURS TO SAVE THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE
In rural Somerset in the middle of a blizzard, the unthinkable happens: a school is under siege.
Pupils and teachers barricade themselves into classrooms, the library, the theatre. The headmaster lies wounded in the library, unable to help his trapped students and staff. Outside, a police psychiatrist must identify the gunmen, while parents gather desperate for news.
In three intense hours, all must find the courage to stand up to evil and save the people they love.
From bestselling author Ruth Kelly, The Escape is an electrifying thriller of influencers, secrets and lies set in a grand mansion in rural France for fans of Lisa Jewell and Sarah Pearse.
THE PERFECT OFFER
When struggling influencer couple Adele and Jack post a crowdfunding video online, they’re amazed when a mysterious benefactor offers to buy them a crumbling French chateau. It’s the lifeline they need to leave all their troubles behind.
THE PERFECT DREAM
For Adele, it’s a dream come true. She will post videos of the renovation as thousands of online subscribers follow their journey. But the chateau is not all it seems and the local community is far from welcoming.
THE PERFECT NIGHTMARE
Then Adele’s videos suddenly stop. Her sister Erin visits to make sure she’s OK, but the couple have vanished. Between the obsession of Adele’s fans and the claustrophobic secrecy of the nearby town, Erin must unravel the shocking truth behind the couple’s disappearance . . .
‘A deliciously dark look at the world of influencers set against the backdrop of a glamorous French chateau – tense and shocking’ Catherine Cooper
My Review:
The Escape is a twisty, chilling, dark read that I’d rate as one of the best thrillers I’ve read.
Firstly, I absolutely loved the setting in this book. I always love a house with a history and the old, isolated chateau featured in this book was brilliant to read about. There are lots of hidden corners of the house to explore along with the characters and I felt on edge whilst I was reading, wondering what they would find next. I sometimes felt like the house was trying to help with the investigation at times, revealing clues suddenly by making strange noises or through a shift in the light.
The story is told from the point of view of Adele and Erin with news reports from the investigation and comments from Adele’s blog inserted periodically. I actually ended up liking both sisters, though Adele did annoy me a bit at the beginning. Erin really shows what’s she’s made of in the book and it was lovely to see her grow in confidence as the book continues. I ended up feeling a lot of sympathy for Adele as it was tough seeing everything that happens.
I thought this book was incredibly fast paced and I couldn’t put it down once I started it. There was lots going on and I had to keep reading to find out what would happen next. It’s very dark in places which might not be to everyone’s taste but I didn’t feel it was overly graphic more that it helped add to the creepy atmosphere of the house. There were lots of twists that kept me guessing and just when I thought everything had been figured out something else happened to take the story in another direction.
If you are looking for a fantastic thriller in curl up with this Christmas I highly recommend this one. I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future.
Huge thanks to Chloe from Pan Macmillan for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of 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.
The fairy lights are sparkling on the Sunnybrook village green tree and festive excitement is in the air – and at least one Little Duck Pond Cafe regular is going to have the best Christmas ever!
My Review:
Oh how I love Rosie’s books. They are always so wonderfully heart warming and I always look forward to a new book from her.
I’ve always loved hanging out in Sunnybrook and it was wonderful to be able to follow the lovely residents in the run up to Christmas. This book sees Jaz become the main character and I enjoyed the fly on the wall glimpse into the village festive celebrations through her eyes. I especially loved how the author includes the children’s point of view so that the reader gets to experience the magic of Christmas through their eyes. It made me very nostalgic for my childhood Christmasses at my Grandparents and my belief I could hear jingle bells outside. (My sister says she heard them too so we now believe it was my grandpa standing under our window shaking some bells). There is also a hint of romance as Jaz grows closer to Milo and I found I had to keep reading to see if she’d overcome her fears of getting hurt to take a chance with him.
The book had a lovely pace to it and I soon found myself caught up in the story. It was so nice hanging out in the village again with characters that I’ve grown really fond of over the series. There were a few new residents who I enjoyed meeting and I look forward to learning more about them in future books. If you’re looking for a heartwarming read to help get you into the festive spirit then I highly recommend this book.
Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me onto this blog blast and for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Rosie has been scribbling stories ever since she was little. Back then, they were rip-roaring adventure tales with a young heroine in perilous danger of falling off a cliff or being tied up by ‘the baddies’. Thankfully, Rosie has moved on somewhat, and now much prefers to write romantic comedies that melt your heart and make you smile, with really not much perilous danger involved at all – unless you count the heroine losing her heart in love.
Rosie’s Little Duck Pond Cafe series of novellas is centred around life in a village cafe and each book can be read as a stand-alone story.
Look out for ‘A Cosy Cottage Escape’, out in September 2023, and ‘A Winter Wonderland’ for Christmas 2023.
From the bestselling author of The Jam Factory Girls, Mary Wood’s The Guernsey Girls is the first in a touching new series of friendship found far from home . . .
January 1936. After the hard work of being a maid at Wallington Manor in the lead-up to Christmas, Annie is thrilled at the prospect of going home to Bethnal Green. She has missed her family, but the money she earns keeps them all afloat.
Olivia is from the island of Guernsey and is visiting her aunt at Wallington Manor. When she has to leave for London, Annie is asked to look after her, and on the train journey a friendship blossoms.
A tragic accident sees their friendship become even stronger. A friendship that will see both girls through pain, happiness, marriage and death. A friendship that will see them both united in Guernsey.
And this is just the beginning of their incredible journey . . .
My Review:
I’m a huge fan of Mary’s books so I was very excited to learn she had a new book coming out, especially as it’s the start of a new trilogy!
Firstly, I absolutely loved the two main characters Olivia and Annie so I enjoyed following them throughout the book. They were such great creations and they seemed so real that I instantly warmed to them. Despite coming from very different backgrounds the pair have a lovely friendship which I loved watching develop. Each girl has different strengths and weaknesses that help on their journey which they slowly gained confidence in using as the book continues.
The author does a great job in setting the scene so I felt like I was really there experiencing everything alongside the characters. It was great fun exploring first Olivia’s home town in Guernsey and then Annie’s in London. The author even includes some of the Cockney slang into her dialogue which helped make the story seem even more real.
Overall, I loved this book and can’t wait to read more in the trilogy. The book had a great pace to it and there always seemed to be something happening to keep me reading. The book is set just before the second world war and with the benefit of hindsight the reader can guess where the series might be heading but I’m very excited to see how the might deal with things.
Huge thanks to the lovely Chloe from Pan Macmillan for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Born in Maidstone, Kent, in 1945, the thirteenth child of fifteen children, Mary’s family settled in Leicestershire after the war ended.
Mary married young and now, after 54 years of happy marriage, four children, 12 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren, Mary and her husband live in Blackpool, United Kingdom during the summer and Spain during the winter – a place that Mary calls, ‘her writing retreat’.
After many jobs from cleaning to catering, all chosen to fit in with bringing up her family, and boost the family money-pot, Mary ended her 9 – 5 working days as a Probation Service Officer, a job that showed her another side to life, and which influences her writing, bringing a realism and grittiness to her novels
Mary first put pen to paper, in 1989, but it wasn’t until 2010 that she finally found some success by self-publishing on kindle.
Being spotted by an editor at Pan Macmillan in 2013, finally saw Mary reach her publishing dream.
When not writing, Mary enjoys family time, reading, eating out, and gardening. One of her favourite pastimes is interacting with her readers on her Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/HistoricalNovels
Over The Rainbow Blog 