Good evening everyone I was excited to receive this book today for the Tandem Collective read-along starting soon! I’ve heard lots about this book so I’m very intrigued to start reading. I especially love the wild seas and bee hive candle that came with it as I absolutely love wild flowers. I look forward to seeing how they fit in with the book.
Huge thanks to Tandem for the invitation and to the publisher for my copy of this book.
Have you read this book?
Book Synopsis:
America, 2049: Summer temperatures are intolerably high, the fossil fuel industry has shut down, and humans are implanted with a ‘Flick’ at birth, which allows them to remain perpetually online. The wealthy live in the newly created Floating City off the coast, while people on the mainland struggle to get by. For Rose, a job as a hostess in the city’s elite club feels like her best hope for a better future.
At a Cold War-era research station, a group of highly trained women with the code name White Alice are engaged in climate surveillance. But the terms of their employment become increasingly uncertain.
And in a former oil town in northern Canada called Dominion Lake, a camp is being built-Camp Zero. A rare source of fresh, clean air and cooler temperatures, it will be the beginning of a new community and a new way of life. Grant believes it will be the perfect place to atone for his family’s dark legacy.
About The Author:
Michelle Min Sterling was born in British Columbia, Canada, and now lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she teaches literature and writing at Berklee College of Music. Camp Zero is her first novel.
Good morning everyone. Today for Two For Tuesday I thought I’d show you the final two books I got for my birthday. These we bought from vouchers given to me by my lovely friend and fellow book lover Fleur. The Bandit Queens is a book I’ve been hearing lots of great things to about so I’m very excited to read it. I hadn’t heard much about POD but it sounds so intriguing I knew I had to read it.
I’m super tired today after my first shift as a Bookseller. It was really fun getting the shop ready to open and see all the books that we’re going to be selling – including some great special editions which I’ll be posting about later. However it’s been a long time since I’ve been on my feet all day and I’m a bit achy today.
What book are you most looking forward to?
The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff
For Geeta, life as a widow is more peaceful than life as a wife…
Until the other women in her village decide they want to be widows, too.
Geeta is believed to have killed her vanished husband – a rumour she hasn’t bothered trying to correct, because a reputation like that can keep a single woman safe in rural India. But when she’s approached for help in ridding another wife of her abusive drunk of a husband, her reluctant agreement sets in motion a chain of events that will change the lives of all the women in the village….
A darkly irreverent and fresh take on a feminist revenge thriller, perfect for readers of My Sister the Serial Killer, How To Kidnap The Rich and the Sharon Horgan series Bad Sisters.
POD by Laline Paull
Bestselling authorLaline Paull returns with an immersive and transformative new novel of an ocean world – its extraordinary creatures, mysteries, and mythologies – that is increasingly haunted by the cruelty and ignorance of the human race.
Ea has always felt like an outsider. She suffers from a type of deafness that means she cannot master the spinning rituals that unite her pod of spinner dolphins. When tragedy strikes her family and Ea feels she is partly to blame, she decides to make the ultimate sacrifice and leave.
As Ea ventures into the vast, she discovers dangers everywhere, from lurking predators to strange objects floating in the water. But just as she is coming to terms with her solitude, a chance encounter with a group of arrogant bottlenoses will irrevocably alter the course of her life.
In her terrifying, propulsive novel, Laline Paull explores the true meaning of family, belonging, sacrifice – the harmony and tragedy of the pod – within an ocean that is no longer the sanctuary it once was, and which reflects a world all too recognisable to our own.
Eek I’m so excited to get a proof of this fabulous sounding book. I’m a huge fan of this author so I can’t wait to read this book. Black Eyed Susans is one of my all time favourite thrillers and one that I always recommend to everyone.
Huge thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book!
What’s your favourite thriller?
Out 22nd June 2023.
Book Synopsis:
Vivvy Bouchet, respected scientist and reluctant psychic, saved a boy’s life after a premonition when she was a child. That boy is now a Texas police officer.
He convinces Vivvy to help him solve a high-profile cold case, working alongside detective Jesse Sharp, a sceptic of anything but fact. Three-year-old Lizzie Solomon disappeared in broad daylight from her home. A body was never found, but the child’s mother, Nicolette, is in prison for the disappearance, loudly proclaiming her innocence.
When a popular podcaster hears of Vivvy’s involvement in the case, his conspiracy theories about the missing child, and Vivvy’s background, have an army of fans hanging on every dangerous word.
But when it becomes clear there may be a kidnapper or killer – still on the loose, Vivvy knows there’s more to lose than her reputation.
Because the difference between the truth and a lie can mean life or death . . .
A sharply observed psychological thriller, Night Will Find You explores the dangerous meeting of conspiracy theories and our need to believe – and the line between fact and what we can’t explain.
About The Author:
Julia Heaberlin is the internationally bestselling writer of six thrillers, including WE ARE ALL THE SAME IN THE DARK, a #1 Audible bestseller and the winner of Best Novel by the Writers’ League of Texas. In her latest thriller, NIGHT WILL FIND YOU, an astrophysicist and reluctant psychic explores the controversial, conspiracy-laden case of a lost girl. Heaberlin first broke out with the psychologically dark BLACK-EYED SUSANS, which examines the Texas death penalty and the use of high-tech DNA to identify old bones. SUSANS was published in more than fifteen countries and a top five Times of London bestseller. Heaberlin followed that with the creepy Texas road trip, PAPER GHOSTS, a finalist for Best Hardcover Novel by the International Thriller Writers Awards that has also been optioned for television. Earlier in her career, Heaberlin was an award-winning editor at newspapers that include the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, The Detroit News, and The Dallas Morning News. She is currently at work on her seventh thriller and lives in Texas, where all her novels are set. She is published by Flatiron Books and represented by Kim Witherspoon at Inkwell Management.
Born into a basket of clean sheets—ruining a perfectly good load of laundry—Emmeline never quite fit in on her family’s rural Nova Scotian farm. After suffering multiple losses in the First World War, her family became so heavy with grief, toxicity, and mental illness that Emmeline felt their weight smothering her. And so, she fled across the Atlantic and built her life in England. Now she is retired and living in a small coastal town with her best friend, Vera, an excellent conversationalist. Vera is also a small white dog, and so Emmeline is making an effort to talk to more humans. When she joins a memoir-writing course at the library, her classmates don’t know what to make of her. Funny, loud, and with a riveting memoir, she charms the lot. As her past unfolds for her audience, friendships form, a bonus in a rather lonely life. She even shares with them her third-biggest secret: she has liberated hundreds of spoons over her lifetime—from the local library, Cary Grant, Winston Churchill. She is a compulsive spoon stealer.
When Emmeline unexpectedly inherits the farm she grew up on, she knows she needs to leave her new friends and go see the farm and what remains of her family one last time. She arrives like a tornado in their lives, an off-kilter Mary Poppins bossing everyone around and getting quite a lot wrong. But with her generosity and hard-earned wisdom, she gets an awful lot right too. A pinball ricocheting between people, offending and inspiring in equal measure, Emmeline, in her final years, believes that a spoonful—perhaps several spoonfuls—of kindness can set to rights the family so broken by loss and secrecy.
The Spoon Stealer is a classic Crewe book: full of humour, family secrets, women’s friendship, lovable animals, and immense heart.
My Review:
The Spoon Stealer is an addictive, absorbing read that will stay with me for a long time.
I absolutely loved Emmeline and Vera who were great fun to follow throughout the book. Emmeline is a truly wonderful lady who has a big heart and it was lovely to see how she liked to help people. Her growing friendship with her memoir group was so nice to see and I enjoyed feeling part of their group, following their often hilarious antics. Her relationship with Vera was great to read about and I loved how the two supported each other.
The book is told in two timelines one following Emmeline in the present and the other flashing back to past events in her life. She’s definitely lead an interesting life and I found it fascinating to follow her on all her amazing experiences. These events spam most of the last century, taking in both world wars so it reminded me in places of Any Human Heart which is one of my favourite books ever.
The story has a great pace to it and there always seemed to be something happening to keep my interest. I often found it hard to put the book down as I really wanted to find out what happens next in Emmeline’s interesting life. It was lovely to follow her as she goes from being isolated and lonely to having lots of friends and rediscovering family. The ending made me cry but was so beautiful. This is one of the best books I’d read and I’ll be recommending this to everyone.
Huge thanks to Tandem Collective for inviting me onto the read-along and to the publisher for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
I love the ordinary moments. I celebrate everyday things.
They are too often lost in the race for something grand. I hold dear our humdrum routines. These accumulating hours make up our lifetimes and when we remember, it is always the simplest of pleasures that make us happy. These are the memories I create in my books.
Hubby and I were raised in Montreal, but have lived in the same house in rural Cape Breton for forty-five years. It remains a sanctuary for our children and pets, both living and remembered. My writing began as an exercise in trying to understand my world and quickly became something that brought me joy. I dearly love my family, baby blueberry Gia, all creatures great and small, children’s books, and breathing in the wild ocean air.
Good morning everyone. I was tagged by @nic_thebookworm to take part in the title challenge and, you know me, I do love a book Challenge 🤣
🔢 A Book With A Number In The Title: Eleven Liars by Robert Gold
📖 A Book With A Name In The Title: Amazing Grace Adams by Fran Littlewood
🇫🇷 A Book With A Setting In The Title: Thirty Days In Paris by Veronica Henry
🐔A Book With An Animal In The Title: Chicken Wars by Adam Leigh
🌈A Book With A Colour In The Title: Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu
🖊️A Book With One Word In The Title: Exiles by Jane Harper
I loved doing this challenge and I have tagged a few people on Instagram who might want to join in but no pressure. I’d love to include Nicki Mags too as I know she loves a book challenge too.
Bristol 1937 The year is 1937 and the country is still reeling from the abdication of King Edward the Eighth the year before. His brother, the Duke of York has become King George the Sixth and will be crowned in May. The country is on a high. Union Jacks are being dusted off and bunting is being made. Thelma, Jenny and residents of Coronation Close are all a buzz with planning the street parties and celebrations for the great day. But behind every door shameful secrets and sins linger on Coronation Close, just bubbling to expose themselves…
My Review:
This was a very absorbing, entertaining read that I really enjoyed.
Firstly it was great to be back with the residents of Coronation Close who have started to feel like old friends. I loved the closeness of the residents and how they all seemed to come together against the odds. The author’s fabulous descriptions really brought the period to life for me and I often felt like I was actually there experiencing everything alongside the characters. I found myself wishing that I lived in Coronation Lane and was a part of their group.
As we are close to the coronation of Charles the Third I loved all the wonderful descriptions of King George’s coronation. It was fascinating to follow the events leading up to it and to experience all the build up to it alongside the characters. The descriptions of the street parties and the characters reaction to the coronation brought a smile to my face. It made me wonder if anyone will celebrate the same way this time round.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this fabulous series. The book was fairly fast paced and there always seemed to be something happening to keep my interest. Despite the many characters, I found it easy to follow all the different stories at once. I found it very interesting to find out more about life in the years prior to world war two, though it was quite poignant to realise how things might end up for some of the characters in future books.
Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for my copy of this book and publisher for my copy of this book via Netgalley.
About The Author:
Lizzie Lane has written over fifty books a number of which have appeared in the top thirty best selling paperbacks and the Heatseekers charts. Her pet interest is WW2, how little people carried on regardless against the biggest upheaval the world had ever known. She mentions at one stage about how it seemed Britain was sinking beneath the weight of weaponry and allied soldiers from all over the world.
Born and raised in Bristol, a number of her family were involved in the tobacco industry which at one time employed 13,000 people in the city. This is the inspiration behind her latest series, The Tobacco Girls which is set against those five years of war and follows their lives and loves, their hope for survival and better times to come.
Good morning everyone and happy weekend! I was lucky enough to get a copy of this beautiful book this week. It’s one of my most anticipated reads and I can’t wait to read it soon. This book also has stunning endpapers and some lovely writing when you take the cover off.
We’ve got some tired kids this weekend so we’re hoping for a quiet one. My youngest has a birthday party this afternoon and the other two are off with their grannie to see the new Mario movie. I’m hoping to read some more of Go As A River too which I’m enjoying so far.
Huge thanks to the publisher for sending me this beautiful finished copy.
What are you reading this weekend?
Book Synopsis:
Roach – bookseller, loner and true crime fanatic- is not interested in making friends. She has all the company she needs in her serial killer books, murder podcasts and her pet snail, Bleep.
That is, until Laura joins the bookshop.
With her cute literary tote bags and sunny smile, she’s everyone’s favourite bookseller. But beneath the shiny veneer, Roach senses a darkness within Laura, the same darkness Roach possesses.
And as curiosity blooms into morbid obsession, Roach becomes determined to be a part of Laura’s story – whether Laura wants her in it or not.
About The Author:
Alice Slater is a writer, podcaster and ex-bookseller from London. She studied creative writing at MMU and UEA. She lives in London with her husband and a lot of books. Death of a Bookseller is her first novel.
From the author of The Coffin Club, a twisty psychological suspense about family secrets.
How well do your family really know you?
Belle can’t wait to finally have her twins all to herself after their first term at university. But when Kit unexpectedly brings back her boyfriend Ivo, Belle has to welcome him into their home. Charming and confident, Ivo soon wins over the family, but Belle can’t shake a strange feeling. And when Ivo reveals he knows a lot more about Belle than he first let on, she realises his intrusion into their lives could destroy everything she has built. How far is Belle willing to go to protect her family and herself?
My Review:
Twin Truths is a fast paced, atmospheric book that I couldn’t put down. It’s going to be a difficult book to review as I really don’t want to give anything away.
Firstly I really liked Belle and enjoyed following her throughout the book. Yes she’s made mistakes (haven’t we all) but I felt sorry for her family reunion being interrupted by an unexpected guest. Belle obviously loves her family and it put me on edge to see the lengths she’d go to protect them. Ivo was an interesting character who I loved to hate. I got bad vibes from him from the start and his actions chilled me as I realised what his plan was.
The story is told from Belle’s point of view with flashbacks to Belle’s past. The secrets and lies are slowly revealed as the tension slowly builds up until it becomes almost palpable. There is some truly nail biting action and some surprising twists that kept me guessing until the end. Just when I thought I’d figured it out, something would happen to send the story off in another direction. The ending was amazing and it was very satisfying to see everything come together.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author but I will definitely be reading more from her soon.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to the publisher for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Jacqueline (Jack) Sutherland worked in corporate PR and marketing for over twenty years. She began her debut thriller, The Coffin Club (Point Blank, 2022) when she signed up for the 2020 Faber Academy Write Your Novel course, which she described as the best thing she’s ever done. Jacqueline lives in Guildford with her husband and their four sons.
Good morning everyone and Happy Friday. I’ve been super lucky to receive some fantastic book post this week.
⭐Death Of A Book Seller by Alice Slater ⭐Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward ⭐Don’t Look Back by Jo Spain ⭐From Now Until Forever by Rowan Coleman ⭐Between Us by Mhairi McFarlane ⭐Vulcana by Rebecca F. John ⭐Chicken Wars by Adam Leigh
Two of these are for blog tours but the rest were surprise bookpost which is the very best type of book post. Even better my husband was back at work this week so I got to sneak it onto my shelves without him noticing hee hee.
I’m really excited to read all of these soon . Huge thanks to all the publishers for my copies it’s really appreciated!
Years ago, Juliet left a little piece of her heart in Paris – and now, separated from her husband and with her children flying the nest, it’s time to get it back!
So she puts on her best red lipstick, books a cosy attic apartment near Notre-Dame and takes the next train out of London.
Arriving at the Gare du Nord, the memories come flooding back: bustling street cafés, cheap wine in candlelit bars and a handsome boy with glittering eyes.
But Juliet has also been keeping a secret for over two decades – and she begins to realise it’s impossible to move forwards without first looking back.
Something tells her that the next thirty days might just change everything…
My Review:
Thirty Days In Paris is a heartwarming, compelling read that was perfect for escaping from the chaos of the Easter Holidays.
Firstly I loved the author’s wonderful descriptions of living in Paris which made me feel like I was actually there walking the streets alongside the characters. It’s always been a bit of a fantasy of mine to live in Paris so I drank in all the little details of Juliet’s life there. I loved following her as she met up with old friends and dined out in Paris, eating some absolutely delicious sounding food.
The story is told in two different timelines; one following Juliet in the present day as she rediscovers her love of Paris and one flashing back to her time as an au pair when she was 20. I loved the way the author does this as it makes it easier to get to know Juliet and find out the reasons behind her return to Paris. I especially liked that Juliet is an older lady as I think her life experiences brought more to the story. The romance that develops is very sweet and I enjoyed watching it unfold. I had quickly grown fond of Juliet and wanted to keep reading to see if she got the happy ending I felt she deserved.
The story unfolds at a gentle pace but I didn’t mind this as I was so absorbed in the story. Unusually for me I didn’t have a preferred timeline and enjoyed following both stories equally. It was lovely to see Paris heal Juliet and to watch her create a new life for herself in the city. The ending was brilliant and, although I did guess how it would end, I thought it was a lovely way to end the book.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to the publisher for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
I’m Veronica – otherwise known as Ronnie – and I’m delighted you’ve found your way here!
I love to take my readers somewhere they might like to be, whether a gorgeous house in the countryside or on a seaside clifftop. There, my characters go through the trials and tribulation of everyday life, embroiled in situations and dilemmas we can all relate to. Love is at the heart of it, but all kinds of love, not just romantic: the love of friends and family, or a place, or a passion for what you enjoy (food, wine and books, in my case . . .)
My next book, Thirty Days in Paris, is set in the place I love best of all. Whenever I step off the train at the Gare du Nord I always feel as if I belong, even though I am not your typical Parisienne! But I love soaking up the food, the fashion, the art – everything! – and I’ll never tire of visiting. My dream is one day to have a little apartment, if only fora month, to live the Parisian dream. But in the meantime, I’ve given that dream to my heroine, Juliet . . . thirty days in a bijoux apartment near the Seine. What will she get up to?
A little bit about me: I live by the sea and head to the beach every day with my dog Zelda. I love cooking and discovering new restaurants on city breaks, with a bit of yoga to offset the calories. My biggest writing influences are HE Bates, Nancy Mitford, Jilly Cooper and any book that has a big rambling house and an eccentric family . . .
Over The Rainbow Blog 