Death in Bacton Wood (DS Ashley Knight #3) by Ross Greenwood

Summary

When a mud-splattered man staggers from Bacton Wood with a terrifying tale about being buried alive, DS Ashley Knight and her team are called in to investigate. Soon, another victim is found, and more men are missing – all with connections to the well-known Vialli family.

The Major Investigation Team find themselves attempting to untangle a case that stretches from Eastern Europe through to North Norfolk. Along with rookie detective, the whip-smart Hector Fade, Ashley is in a race against time trying to help a family who seem determined to take matters into their own hands. And when Ashley suspects there is a department rat, the stakes get even higher.

As the evidence continues to point in different directions, and as new victims are uncovered thick and fast, Ashley and Hector begin to fear they have finally met their match in a killer too ruthless and clever to be caught.

My Review

Death in Bacton Wood was a gripping read. It starts off when Ashley is called to see to a man who stumbled out of the woods and was hit by a car. The man is convinced he is buried alive but no one knows who he is. This crime thriller will have you on the edge of your seat.

The plot was so intriguing and I couldn’t tell what was going to happen. Some people in the book were suspicious and I loved finding out their backgrounds and how they are related to the case. I love the police team, and their banter between each other. I also like the consistency of reading about the same team as I know they are an excellent team. Their personalities drew me in and it is nice to have the familiar characters.

I was hooked on this instalment and I loved how unique the plot was. The writing style is always so gripping and I liked the past chapters within the present day. I was curious about how the past chapters linked with the present day. The book was definitely a page turner and made me think constantly. I highly recommend this book and the series. It was be read as a standalone but it is nice to read them together to get to know the police team. Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources and Boldwood Books for sending me a copy of this book. Check it out on Amazon and Goodreads.

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The Lodge by Chris Coppel

Summary

Ever wondered what it would be like if hunted animals were able to fight back?

The Lodge unveils the mystery of a hunting lodge in the remote hills of the Scottish Highlands during the Christmas holidays. After the report of an accidental death at the lodge, Andrew, a young constable from the nearest town, drives up through a growing blizzard.

Snowbound, Andrew and the guests take cover at the lodge as the terrifying ordeal unfolds. These animals have souls. Souls that won’t rest until they’ve had revenge…

But will the hunters become the hunted?

My Review

The Lodge is a story which takes place in the Scottish highlands during winter. Andrew, a young constable, is called to the scene of an accidental death in the lodge. The weather takes a turn for the worst leaving Andrew stranded at the lodge which he discovers is a hunting lodge. Strange things start happening in the lodge and everyone starts to question what is really happening.

This book is not for the squeamish, it was an imaginative horror book with a lot of suspense. I really enjoyed learning about the characters with snippets of their past and how it led them into the people they are now. I found Andrew an interesting character and by the end, he was definitely intriguing. I also loved the epilogue!!

The writing in this book was so creative and the topic was modern. The atmosphere created felt so real and I could feel for the characters while reading. I liked how the horror aspect didn’t hit until these strange things started happening and I couldn’t guess what was causing these things to happen. This book definitely kept me on the edge of my seat and I’m glad I didn’t read it at night time! Thank you to Black Tide Book Tours for sending me a copy of this book. Check it out on Amazon and Goodreads.

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Summer at the Santorini Bookshop by Rebecca Raisin

Summary

After losing her job as a book scout, hopeless romantic Evie needs a fresh start. So when she hears that her eccentric grandmother has just taken on a small bookshop in Santorini, Evie jumps at the chance to visit her.

But life on the island is not as idyllic as it first seems. Gran has a tempestuous relationship with her landlord and he’s threatening to take the bookshop away from her. So when Gran asks Evie to fake date her landlord’s Greek God of a grandson, Georgios, to keep the family on side, she reluctantly agrees.

As the sun sets on Evie’s Greek holiday, can she save the bookshop – and fake date her way to love?

My Review

Summer at the Santorini Bookshop was such a cute romance read. It includes a fake dating troupe and the main character saving her grandmothers book shop, what more could we need in a romance book. This book was so wholesome and the characters were so loveable.

Evie needs a fresh start after being made redundant from her job as a book scout. Evie’s mum sends her to Santorini to help her grandmother with her bookshop. Evie meets Georgios, her grandmothers landlords grandson, and her grandmother wants Evie to fake date him while she gets the overdue rent money.

This book was so entertaining, I loved the contrast between Evie and her grandmother. Evie is sensible and stifles to the rules whereas her grandmother is carefree and a free spirit. I also liked the romance, it was well paced and I could see it developing. Of course the bookshop was an amazing setting and I loved reading about the rescue mission. It was the perfect setting for these characters.

I highly recommend this book, with its loveable characters and perfect setting, it is a great summer book for romance lovers. Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources’s and NetGalley for sending me a copy of this book. Check out on Amazon and Goodreads.

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The Mistress by Valerie Keogh

Summary

She wants what you have…

Hannah Parker is a woman who always gets what she wants.

When her current husband discovers she has been lying to him – again – she knows it’s time to move on and find someone who can give her the life she desires… The life she knows she deserves…

But who will be the lucky man?

When her eye catches a glimpse of an old flame in a photograph, she’s sure it’s a sign. Mark Shepherd has always been in her thoughts – they’d been happy once, he’d adored her, but she’d made a mistake and let him get away. She won’t make the same mistake again….

Hannah is older now and wiser. She knows what men want and she knows how to keep them happy.

So what if Mark is happily married with a family of his own?

All good things must come to an end…

My Review

This Mistress was a gripping read and the topic was interesting. I thought the book had clever elements and it was a slow burn. I enjoyed collecting the information for myself and trying to work out how the book was going to end. I also found the characters were interesting.

I found myself feeling bad for Hannah towards the end as she spoke about her life story and how she struggled with her attachments to male figures in her life. Susan was a character who I didn’t initially like but she grew on me and she developed as a strong character and proved everyone wrong.

The book was written in a way which went on a different path to the other cheating husband troupe. It was refreshing to read something so unique in a genre that is overpopulated. At times, the chapters would end on a cliffhanger but I realised they were a thought the character had rather than an actual situation that happened, this kept me hooked and wanting to read on. It also made me think of intrusive thoughts and how people could act on them easily.

At the start, I wasn’t sure how much I would enjoy this book due to the cheating husband group but it was quite reflective and the ending was shocking. Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources and Boldwood Books for sending me a copy of this book. Check it out on Amazon and Goodreads.

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The Stranger in Her House by John Marrs

Summary

A stranger has infiltrated your family…and now he’s taking over.

Paul’s just here to help, or so he claims—sent by a charity for vulnerable people to do odd jobs for elderly widow Gwen. But for Gwen’s daughter Connie, there’s just something about Paul that rings alarm bells from day one. He’s a little too kind, a little too involved…Worse still, Gwen seems to have fallen under his spell.

The last thing Connie wants is a stranger meddling in the safe routine she’s built around Gwen. She loves being the one Gwen turns to for cooking, cleaning and company. But the more Paul visits, the more Gwen is relying on him. By the time he conveniently finds himself between homes and has no choice but to move in, Connie is certain he’s trying to push her out completely.

It’s her word against his, though, and as her attempts to unmask him become ever more desperate she’s not the only one left wondering if she’s lost her grip on reality. But when events start spiralling rapidly out of her control, should Connie wage all-out war on Paul and risk losing Gwen forever—or has that been his plan all along?

My Review

The Stranger in Her House was an addictive read. I was hooked from the start and I couldn’t put it down. The twists in the book were insane and I had no idea what to expect. This was my first John Marrs book and I’m so excited to read more! 

I became suspicious of some characters very quickly. Of course, Paul made me so angry and I’ve never felt more irritated by a character before and it was amazing how the author wrote him to make the reader feel that way. Connie was a strange character and her story was quite something. The twists in the story led me think many different ways about these two characters. 

I love how the chapters are short and it makes the book feel concise. Every piece of information in the book is relevant and I like how even the small thing made a big impact. Also, I love how the book ended, it was so satisfying to read. I thought the book was planned and written incredibly well. I highly recommend this book for all the thriller girlies, you will love this one! Thank you to Tandem Collective and Insta Book Tours for sending me a copy of this book. Check it out on Amazon and Goodreads. 

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When Grumpy Met Sunshine by Charlotte Stein

Summary

Finding love was not the only goal . . .

When grumpy ex-footballer Alfie Harding gets badgered into selling his memoirs, he knows he’s never going to be able to write them. He hates revealing a single thing about himself, is allergic to most emotions, and can’t imagine doing a good job of putting pen to paper.

And so in walks curvy, cheery, cute-as-hell ghostwriter Mabel Willicker, who knows just how to sunshine and sass her way into getting every little detail out of Alfie. They banter and bicker their way to writing his life story, both of them sure they’ll never be anything other than at odds.

But after their business arrangement is mistaken for a budding romance, the pair have to pretend to be an item to satisfy a public ravenous for more of this Cinderella story. And now they have to decide: is their fake relationship all for show or something so real it might just give them their fairy-tale ending?

My Review

When Grumpy Met Sunshine was such a cute read, it was heartwarming and funny book. The characters were to die for and I soon fell in love with them. They were well suited and I loved their dynamic.

Alfie and Mabel were such an adorable pair and I loved their troupes! Alfie was such a grump character but I loved how he warmed up to Mabel. While reading about Alfie, I could see how he was misunderstood in his past and I liked how Mabel could look past it. Mabel was so cute and I loved reading her babbling, it made her character feel realistic. They are definitely up there with my favourite book couples.

I loved how this book was written, in between each chapter there was different social media extracts which I found was unique. The plot was kept at a fast pace and everything was relevant to the story. Reading the relationship felt natural as it wasn’t rushed and the characters had time to get to know each other.

Overall I thought this was a great book and I really enjoyed reading it. The main characters are so loveable and it is definitely a must read for romance lovers! Thank you to Chloe from Pan Macmillian for sending me a copy. Check it out on Amazon and Goodreads.

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The Girl Who Heard Maggots by Abby Davies

Summary

Some secrets are best left under lock and key.

Ivy hopes for a fresh start when she takes a nannying job at the bleak and isolated Fairwood House. Determined to play by the rules, she looks past her employer’s eccentricities and quickly bonds with six-year-old Wren.

But when Ivy discovers that the previous nanny left under mysterious circumstances, she digs deeper, and the terrifying truth unravels.

Against her employer’s orders, Ivy enters the woods and sees something she can never unsee. She knows she must act quickly if she and Wren are to survive, but her traumatic past messes with her mind and the odds are stacked against her.

My Review

The Girl Who Heard Maggots was such a rollercoaster of a book. I was hooked from the first page and there was so many twists in the book. The pace was fast and it was written so well. I really enjoyed the way the author described the house and it’s surrounding areas. It made the atmosphere feel so creepy and scary, it’s definitely I wouldn’t like to visit. I like how this author takes storylines and makes them so unique, with this book the main character, Ivy, hears maggots in her head.

Ivy was definitely holding her own secrets while trying to uncover the secrets held by her strange employer. She appeared to be vulnerable and made even more so by the maggots she could hear in her head. Ivy was quickly determined to help the child was she looking after, despite the strict rules. I found her employer very creepy and every time I read about her it made me scared. Her staff were also quite mysterious as well, they all knew something but wouldn’t reveal anything.

There were a lot of twists in this book and things begin to unravel when Ivy digs deeper into the past. I was so intrigued to find out what happened, I couldn’t stop reading it. I really enjoyed the direction of the book and the ending was unpredictable. The author writes such unique and entertaining thrillers. I will always recommend this author. Thank you to Insta Book Tours and Abby for sending me a copy of this book. Check it out on amazon and goodreads.

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Only This Beautiful Moment by Abdi Nazemian

Summary

2019 – Moud is an out gay teen living in Los Angeles with his distant father, Saeed. When Moud gets the news that his grandfather in Iran is dying, he accompanies his dad to Tehran, where the revelation of family secrets will force Moud into a new understanding of his history, his culture, and himself.
1978 – Saeed is an engineering student with a promising future ahead of him in Tehran. But when his parents discover his involvement in the country’s burgeoning revolution, they send him to safety in America, a country Saeed despises. And even worse – he’s forced to live with the American grandmother he never knew existed.
1939 – Bobby, the son of a calculating Hollywood stage mother, lands a coveted MGM studio contract. But the fairy-tale world of glamour he’s thrust into has a dark side…

Set against the backdrop of Tehran and Los Angeles, this tale of intergenerational trauma and love is an ode to the fragile bonds of family, the hidden secrets of history and all the beautiful moments that make us who we are today.

My Review

Only This Beautiful Moment was such an incredible book and I think it might be my favourite books I’ve read this year. It was beautiful and heartbreaking, I don’t even have the words to describe how I felt while reading it. It is written in the perspective of 3 generations of boys from an Iranian family, across different timelines. The book is set in both Los Angeles and Tehran as all three boys discover secrets about their family and learn about themselves.

Moud is a teenager from 2019, he is gay and living in Los Angeles with his father, Saeed. They travel to Tehran to visit their family as Moud’s grandfather is dying. Moud discovers a lot about his family and culture during his time in Iran. He worries about being openly gay in Iran due to the country’s politics. Saeed (Moud’s father) is a teenager in 1978, he is a student from Iran. He attends protests with his friends but when his parents find out, he is sent to Los Angeles to live with his grandmother, who he didn’t know existed. Finally we have Bobby (Moud’s grandfather) a teenager in 1939, living in Los Angeles with his Hollywood obsessed mother. He must learn how to navigate this adult world while still learning about himself.

The story was written in a phenomenal way and I was so eager to discover links between the three boys stories. The author had a way of transporting the reader to Iran with his amazing descriptions. I loved the character development of all three main characters and how their stories were written about. It felt very personal to the author and it made me feel like I could connect to the author through this book.

This is a coming of age book about queer teens and intergenerational trauma. It highlights the importance of queer history and finding love regardless of what society has to say. Also, the conversations the characters had about their home country, Iran, was educational. It was so important for Moud to learn about his culture and family history. I am so grateful to have learnt a bit about it as well! I was truly move by the narrative and I highly recommend this book. Thank you to Pride Book Tours and Little Tiger for sending me a copy of this book. Check it out on amazon and goodreads.

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Be in my Bubble by Maya Mason

Summary

London. 2020. Lockdown.

Emily has had a terrible year when it comes to love. And now she’s stuck in her apartment, alone. 

Things change when—one fateful night—she trudges to the rubbish chute and bumps into Robbie. Robbie—tall, hot, Australian Robbie. Robbie—her brother’s friend from school Robbie.

Why on earth did I choose to wear my twerking corgi T-shirt tonight of all nights? 

And that’s when her bubble of one becomes a bubble of two. Cue glorious meals, dancing the night away, and cuddling on the couch. 

Can this love bubble stand the test of time, or is it set to burst? Read now to find out.

This is the coronavirus-era rom-com you didn’t know you needed.

My Review

Be in my Bubble was such a sweet read. Although it was written about a time which is usually associated with negative emotions, it was nice to read about a positive experience during lockdown. I loved Emily, the main character, she had a traumatic couple of months when she had a messy break up and then lockdown happened. She feels vulnerable and lonely in this time which are feelings I know was common during this time, this makes her a relatable character. She meets Robbie while taking her rubbish to the chute and they hit it off.

Emily and Robbie were such a sweet couple and I enjoyed reading about their relationship. At times it got steamy as they created a ‘lockdown bubble’ to keep each other company. I like how they both developed throughout the book and their relationship helped them both grow and mature. I was intrigued to see how their relationship would work out as the lockdown continued.

I thought this book was written well and it was an entertaining rom-com. It was an easy read and I like the dual pov between Emily and Robbie. It gave the reader a good insight into both of the characters and what they were thinking and how that felt about certain situations. I recommend this book to those who enjoy reading romance books, however, I will say to be cautious of it regarding the lockdown theme as I know many people suffered. Although, I did enjoy reading it and I found it to be a lighthearted romance book. I’m excited to see what the future holds for this author! Thank you to Insta Book Tours and Maya for sending me a copy of this book. Check it out on amazon and goodreads.

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Christmas by Candlelight by Karen Swan

Summary

Snowed in for the holidays…

It’s three days before Christmas and just starting to snow… Against her better judgement, Libby Pugh has been persuaded by her best friend to stop in on their university reunion on her way back from a wedding in North Yorkshire with her boyfriend, Max.

The host is Archie Templeton, the playboy of their group, who has finally inherited his father’s title and estate – even if the latter is more stately heap than palace. Libby is surprised at how good it feels to catch up with old. The night is a great success but when they come to leave, the road is now impassable and she and Max are given a bed for the night.

At first being snowed in with old friends is rather lovely – they spend he next day is spent in high spirits as they wait for the local farmer to clear the snow. But as the hours pass and he doesn’t come, everyone grows restless. Christmas is two days away and everyone has plans, other places to be. Then the power goes out . . .

By the fireside and by candlelight, the old friends must hunker down together as they await help. They reminisce about times past, good and bad. But as the cracks in their relationships, old and new, start to show, Libby is confronted with a truth she has long tried to deny . . .

My Review

Christmas by Candlelight was such an entertaining read. The chapters alternate between the past and present day. In the past chapters, we read about Libby, the main character, and her housemates at university in 2014. She seems like a character who didn’t really fit in with her housemates although they were all good friends. In the present day (2023), Libby is attending a Christmas get together at her housemates mansion. She hasn’t seen them for a long time so there are some tensions between them. As Libby and her partner are wanting to leave, a massive snow storm occurs and leaves them all snowed in. This then leads to a power outage making them stuck for longer.

Initially, the book was focusing on a romance theme, although, when certain events happened, I could sense a slight thriller theme which was exciting. It got to about halfway through the book when secrets begin to be revealed and the truth was unravelled. It had me feeling all sort of emotions but the ending was amazing. I felt so sad to be leaving these characters at the end. I thought the characters were well developed and I could feel their personalities through the pages.

The book was written really well and I loved the setting. It was perfect for this friendship group, especially for Libby, to be stuck together to reminisce about the old times. The past and present chapters were integrated perfectly and the cliffhangers between the two were making me eager to read more. This is my first book that I’ve read from this author but I definitely want to read more. This is the perfect winter/Christmas read and I highly recommend this book. I absolutely adored it and Libby was a great main character. Thank you to Chloe from Pan Macmillan for sending me a copy of this book. Check it out on amazon and Goodreads.

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