Lucy Young is only twenty-six, but she’s exhausted. She’s tired of bad dates, being on the bottom rung at work, and living off Rice Krispies.
She’s ready to skip to the good part.
The part where she’s happily married, running the office, and never even thinking about her overdraft.
But you should be careful what you wish for . . .
My Review:
I’m a huge fan of this author so you can imagine my excitement at receiving a copy of her new book and to be invited onto the blog tour. Once again the author has written a heartwarming, hilarious and feel good book that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Firstly I absolutely loved the main character Lucy who was such a fun, relatable person who I quickly warmed to and enjoyed following throughout the book. She often had me laughing out loud as I read, particularly her moments with Felix which were utterly hilarious at times. I think we’ve all been there, wondering where life is going to take us and it was very interesting to follow Lucy as she tries to unpack what she really wants from life.
I thought this book had a great pace to it and I soon found myself drawn into the story. The author has done a great job of blending romantic fiction with fantasy to make a very believable, fun story. There was always something happening to keep my interest and even in the slower moments I found I didn’t mind as I was just happy hanging out with the characters. The message in this book is a lovely one to live your life as it is happening and not to be in a rush for the next stage.
Huge thanks to Alainna from Hodder and Stoughton for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Sophie Cousens started her career in television, where she produced, among other things, The Graham Norton Show, Big Brother, Ant and Dec and Russell Howard’s Good News. Working in TV taught her three things;
1 – Wearing a lanyard makes you look as though you know what you are doing.
2 -The best phrase you can contribute in meetings is “let’s action that!”If you say it often enough, hopefully someone else will do your work for you.
3 – If in doubt, find someone wearing a lanyard – they’ll know what to do.
Sophie currently lives in Jersey where she now writes full time. She lives with her husband Tim and has two small children who keep her occupied with important questions such as ‘but did Cinderella have a toothbrush?’ and ‘do giraffe’s know they have really long necks?’ She yearns for a time when she will be able to add a miniature dachshund to the party.
Ok so anyone who knows me knows that Isaac And The Egg is one of my all time favourite books. I always recommend it at the bookshop and make sure it has a face out spot as much as possible.
Therefore you can imagine my delight when I was offered a copy of his second book Small Hours! I’m not ashamed to admit there was dancing involved 🤣
Huge thanks to Ollie Martin and Headline for sending me a copy. I can’t wait to read it!
Out March 2024.
Book Synopsis:
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…
You’d see a father and son, a fox standing between them.
You wouldn’t know that Jack has returned from the city, still determined to be the opposite of his father. Or that Gerry would rather talk to animals than this angry man back under his roof.
You wouldn’t imagine that neither is quite who the other remembers. That someone irreplaceable is missing. That one conversation might change everything.
If yousaw them in the small hours, you’d begin to piece together their story. It’s about connection and belonging – and how the world comes alive when you stop to take it in.
About The Author:
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…
You’d see a father and son, a fox standing between them.
You wouldn’t know that Jack has returned from the city, still determined to be the opposite of his father. Or that Gerry would rather talk to animals than this angry man back under his roof.
You wouldn’t imagine that neither is quite who the other remembers. That someone irreplaceable is missing. That one conversation might change everything.
If yousaw them in the small hours, you’d begin to piece together their story. It’s about connection and belonging – and how the world comes alive when you stop to take it in.
Good morning everyone I’m taking part in a witchy read-along challenge hosted by @bookasaurusbex this month.
The read-along is divided into six covens, chosen by the type of books you like to read, and I’m part of the green coven. Here are some of the books I’m looking forward to reading this month:
🎃 Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher 🧹The Bear & The Nightingale by Katherine Arden 🎃The Last Witch Of Scotland by Philip Paris 🧹Belladonna by Adalyn Grace 🎃Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson 🧹 Weyward by Emilia Hart 🎃 Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia Of Faeries by Heather Fawcett 🧹Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs
Some of these books are for buddy reads which I’m looking forward to and some I’m planning on fitting in when I can around my other October hopefuls which I’ll post soon.
Good morning everyone today on Two For Tuesday I’m featuring two Hannah Grace books.
I read Icebreaker earlier this year and absolutely loved it so I’ve been very impatient for her next book to come out. It actually came into the shop when I wasn’t working meaning I had to make a special trip up town so I could collect it and then I started it straight away. I’m about 50 pages in but I’m loving it already!
What sequel have you been most excited for?
Icebreaker by Hannah Grace
A TikTok sensation! Sparks fly when a competitive figure skater and hockey team captain are forced to share a rink.
Anastasia Allen has worked her entire life for a shot at Team USA. It looks like everything is going according to plan when she gets a full scholarship to the University of California, Maple Hills and lands a place on their competitive figure skating team.
Nothing will stand in her way, not even the captain of the hockey team, Nate Hawkins.
Nate’s focus as team captain is on keeping his team on the ice. Which is tricky when a facilities mishap means they are forced to share a rink with the figure skating team—including Anastasia, who clearly can’t stand him.
But when Anastasia’s skating partner faces an uncertain future, she may have to look to Nate to take her shot.
Sparks fly, but Anastasia isn’t worried… because she could never like a hockey player, right?
Wildfire by Hannah Grace
The new novel from the bestselling author of Icebreaker….
When Russ and Aurora cross paths at a university party, a drinking game ends with them spending the night together. The next day, Aurora slips away before Russ learns her full name.
This anonymity ends when they both turn up to their first day of work as camp counsellors. A job they had both chosen to escape Maple Hills for the summer.
Given their history, there’s still an obvious tension between the two but the camp has a strict “no staff fraternizing” rule. Russ doesn’t want to risk heading home early but Aurora has never been one for rules.
As things heat up, they’ll have to resist or risk starting something they just can’t stop.
About The Author:
Hannah is an English self-labelled “fluffy comfort book” author, writing predominantly new adult and contemporary romance from her home in Manchester.
When she’s not describing everyone’s eyes ten-thousand times a chapter, accidentally giving multiple characters the same name, or using English sayings in her American book that nobody understands, you can find her hanging out with her husband and two dogs, Pig and Bear.
Good morning everyone I’m back with another Match Your Mug Monday today. I’ll be honest and say I’d actually forgotten I had this cup until one of the kids found it…
All of these books are tbh but I’m hoping to get to a few of them this month as I think they’d fit into the spooky season well!
🧡 Midnight by Amy McCulloch
🧡A Crime In The Land Of 7, 000 Islands by Zephaniah Sole
🧡The Land Of Lost Things by John Connolly
⭐ Empire Of The Vampire by Jay Kristoff
🤍 Amy & Isabelle by Elizabeth Strout
🤍 Conviction by Jack Jordan
I’ve got a rare Monday off today so I’m meeting my mum for coffee this morning and then hopefully finishing my book club read for tomorrow night. We’re reading Stone Blind by Natalie Hayes which I’m really enjoying.
Good morning everyone here are some of the new books I’ve added to my shelves this week:
❤️The Sound Of Gematria by Judith Field * 🧡Every Exquisite Thing by Laura Steven 💛Supper For Six by Fiona Sherlock* 💚The Daughter Of The Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller 💙 Night Train To Marrakech by Dinah Jefferies 💜The Farmer’s Wife by Helen Rebanks 🩷 The Good Part by Sophie Cousens *
The books with stars next to them were kindly gifted to me by the tagged publishers the rest I’ve bought. I’m trying to be good and not buy too many books on the run up to Christmas but we’ll see how that goes 😂 I’m excited to read all of these as I’ve heard great things from my fellow booklovers!
Find out a bit more about each book below!
What was the last book you bought?
The Sound Of Gematria by Judith Field
‘It’s the last months of the nineteenth century and twenty-two year old Euphemia Thorniwork, is out of step with the men’s world she lives in. A mathematical research student at Oxford, looked on with suspicion by her her tutor, Professor Milton, she is forced to collaborate with fellow-student, Leo Lazarus, also under suspicion―for being Jewish.
At home in London, life is under pressure―for months a toxic fog has engulfed the city each evening, bringing illness to many, including Euphemia’s widowed mother. The fog has been accompanied by a wave of body-snatching and the body of Euphemia’s beloved cousin, Pearl, remains missing. Additionally, money is tight and Euphemia and her mother must move in with relatives who disapprove of her lifestyle.
Haunted by dreams of Pearl in which numbers, a red heifer and Biblical purification rites provide insoluble clues, she discovers an article about communicating with the dead using sound waves. Determined to cling to rational explanations, Euphemia returns to Oxford, but when she begins to fall in love with Leo, and learns something of esoteric Judaism, their research takes an unconventional turn and the questions mount.
Can Euphemia and Leo find the body snatchers? What is the origin of the toxic fog and can they find a way to defeat it? Will Leo and Euphemia’s love survive their religious divide? Blending Victorian romance and drama with a compelling supernatural story, The Sound of Gematria is an engaging debut novel not to be missed.’
Every Exquisite Thing by Laura Steven
A feminist YA horror-thriller-romance retelling of The Picture of Dorian Gray by the TikTok sensation and author of The Society for Soulless Girls…
Penny Paxton is the daughter of an icon. Her supermodel mother has legions of adoring fans around the world, and Penny is ready to begin her journey to international adoration, starting with joining the elite Dorian Drama School.
When Penny’s new mentor offers her an opportunity she cannot refuse, to have a portrait painted by a mysterious artist who can grant immortal beauty to all his subjects, Penny happily follows in the footsteps of Dorian’s most glittering alumni, knowing that stardom is sure to soon be hers.
But when her trusted mentor is found murdered, Penny realises she’s made a terrible mistake – a sinister someone is using the uncanny portraits to kill off the subjects one by one. As more perfectly beautiful students start to fall, Penny knows her time is running out . . .
A seductive and searing exploration of beauty, identity, and what the pursuit of perfection can truly cost.
Supper For Six by Fiona Sherlock
From the author of Twelve Motives for Murder comes another brilliant immersive murder mystery.
Supper for Six . . . but murder is on the menu
The mystery of Bruton Square has never been solved. On that infamous night in 1977, six strangers were invited for dinner at Lady Sybil Anderson’s Mayfair apartment. Only five made it out alive.
Welcome to Supper for Six, the true crime podcast. I’m your host, Felix.
Together, we’ll uncover what really happened that night . . . Let’s dig in.
A murderous Abigail’s Party – Fiona Sherlock’s Supper for Six is immersive and incredibly entertaining. Join Elizabeth Chalice and Felix Caerphilly on their quest to get to the bottom of this rather deadly dinner party . . .
Daughter Of A Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
Seventeen-year-old Alosa, daughter of the feared Pirate King, is on a mission. She must retrieve an ancient hidden map, the key to a legendary treasure trove. The catch? Alosa needs to conceal her considerable combat skills and allow herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.
More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate, Riden. But luckily, she has a few tricks up her sleeve – and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.
Night Train To Marrakech by Dinah Jefferies
MARRAKECH 1966
Vicky Baudin steps onto a train winding through Morocco, looking for the grandmother she has never met.
It’s an epic journey that’ll take her to the edge of Atlas Mountains – and closer to the answers she’s been craving all her life.
But dark secrets whisper amongst the dunes. And in unlocking the mystery of Clemence’s past, Vicky will unearth great danger too . . .
The Good Part by Sophie Cousens
Lucy Young is only twenty-six, but she’s exhausted. She’s tired of bad dates, being on the bottom rung at work, and living off Rice Krispies.
She’s ready to skip to the good part.
The part where she’s happily married, running the office, and never even thinking about her overdraft.
Good morning everyone September is World Alzheimer’s Awareness month and I was tagged by the lovely @she_loves_to_read to share a purple stack to raise awareness of this cause.
Other people are also getting involved with the @theromanticbibliotheca pledging to donate $100 dollars plus $1 for every purple book stack or book review for a book with a purple spine or cover.
The books in my stack are:
💜 Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
💟 Business Or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon
💜Cursed Crowns by Catherine Doyle & Katherine Webber
💟Bad Actors by Mick Herron
💜The Gifts by Liz Hyder
💟That Bonesetter Woman by Frances Quinn
💜The List by Yomi Adegoke
💟The Valkyrie by Kate Heartfield
💜The Revels by Stacey Thomas
We lost my dad from heart failure 14 years ago and for the few months before he died he was acting very strangely. He kept repeating himself, sometimes telling us the same story twice in a row and forgetting things like what was for supper. In hindsight we now know he was suffering from vascular dementia but at the time we were just confused as to what was happening to him.
I’ve tagged a few people on Instagram who might want to take part but as it’s the last day of September today, no pressure.
Good morning everyone and happy Friday. I got a copy of The Farmer’s Wife by Helen Rebanks this week and it sounds wonderful. I suppose like most people I have an idyllic view of what it would be like to run a farm so I’m intrigued to find out more about what it’s really like. Helen has included some lovely sounding recipes in her book and I’m excited to try a few!
In other news my son’s back today! I’m so excited to see him again and give him a huge hug. It’s been a rubbish week for many reasons so I’m looking forward to the weekend.
Do you like reading memoirs?
Book Synopsis:
A portrait of life at Helen Rebanks’ Lake District farmhouse that beautifully captures the unsung work of keeping a home and raising a family.
As dawn breaks on the farm, Helen Rebanks makes a mug of tea, relishing the few minutes of quiet before the house stirs. Within the hour the sounds of her husband, James, and their four children will fill the kitchen. There are also six sheepdogs, two ponies, 20 chickens, 50 cattle and 500 sheep to care for. Helen is a farmer’s wife. Hers is a story that is rarely told, despite being one we think we know.
Weaving past and present, Helen shares the days that have shaped her. This is the truth of those days: from steering the family through the Beast from the East and the local authority planning committee, to finding the quiet strength to keep going, when supper is yet to be started, another delivery man has assumed he needs to speak to the ‘man of the house’, and she would rather punch a cushion than plump it.
This beautifully-illustrated memoir, which takes place across one day at the farm, offers a chance to think about where our food comes from and who puts it on the table. Helen’s recipes, lists and gentle wisdom helps us to get through our days, whatever they throw at us.
About The Author:
Helen Rebanks is a farmer, a businesswoman, a teacher, a conservationist and a working mother – and a cook. She lives with her husband and four children in the Lake District and has been cooking and baking for more than 30 years, both professionally and in farmhouse kitchens. Her love and enthusiasm for food and farming is completely infectious, and her cooking is utterly delicious. She and her family work as a tight-knit team that have made their farm globally important with their farming innovations. They advise internationally and host events regularly at the farm to share their expertise and encourage others to farm sustainably.
Good morning everyone I was tagged by the lovely @book_lover_kent to take part in this fun looking challenge! It was great fun looking through my books and trying to find books that I could make a chain with.
❤️ Eleven LIARS 🧡 The Good LIARS 💛 GOOD Bad Girl 💚 The GIRL With The Red Hair 💙 RED, White & Royal Blue 💜 The WHITE Lie
I have tagged a few people on Instagram who might want to take part (apologies if you’ve already been tagged) but as always no pressure!
Paris, 1940: Two sisters separated by the Nazis… After a devastating attack, Justine and Ève Beaufort find themselves on opposite sides of the war, both in their beloved Paris. But can they ever find their way back to each other?
It was the day that changed everything. When the Nazis broke into our home, destroying everything, taking our home and our security. I thought it couldn’t get worse. But then they also took my sister.
After that day nothing was the same. I thought I’d never see her again. I thought she was lost to me forever. I joined the Resistance, vowing to fight against the evil German army with every last spark of fire in my body. Nothing and nobody can stop me.
Until I catch a glimpse of a woman who looks just like my sister. Alive. But this is not the sweet darling girl I once knew. This is a platinum blonde happily conversing with a terrifying Gestapo officer. No longer my sister. But a traitor.
And I know what I must now do…
Could you choose your country – and what is right – over the person you once loved more than anyone in the world?
My Review:
Sister’s At War is a gripping, emotional read that I highly recommend.
Firstly I thought the author did a great job of setting the scene in this story and I felt like I had been transported to war time Berlin watching everything unfold. I felt like I could feel the fear of Nazi occupied Paris and see the devastation of war.
The story is told from the point of view of both sisters which I found very interesting as I liked seeing both sides of the war. It was especially interesting to be given a glimpse behind the scenes of the Nazi operations. I really felt for the sisters and the difficult situation they find themselves in. It must have been hard for many families to be on different sides like that.
Overall I really enjoyed this fast paced story, which I found very hard to put down. The author slowly increases the tension in the book until it is almost palpable and I felt like my heart was in my mouth at times as I watched everything unfold. It’s an incredibly emotional story and I found myself tearing up as I read, wondering how everything was going to turn out. I’m excited to read more from this author in the future.
Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
When I was a little girl, my nose was always in a book, taking me to faraway places. French châteaux, English Gothic mansions. Portraits of ladies in stiff, ivory-colored crinolines and worn satin slippers. I wondered what it was like to walk in those slippers when they were new. I wanted to find out so I traveled far and wide, visiting countless museums, palaces, historical landmarks, soaking up the past so I could create that world of long ago but make it fresh and new, as if you were there now.
I write historicals filled with adventure, glamour, and romance. And most of all, family. My heroines love adventure, but they know there’s nothing more important than to have someone to come home to.
I love writing about strong, powerful women who defy the standard of their time and fight for justice and equality and won’t take ‘no’ for an answer, especially when it comes to saving those they love.
Over The Rainbow Blog 