Ginny is about to turn 32. It’s a year she’s been thinking about for a long time. Sixteen years ago she crossed paths with a psychic who made some key predictions about her thirty-second year…

Three bad things: A heartbreak, a loss of independence, and a death.

Three good things: A life-changing trip, reconnecting with someone, and meeting her soulmate.

The issue is that Ginny is due to get married in a month… but it’s all nonsense, obviously. But when some of those pesky predictions start coming true she starts to wonder what might happen next…

My Thoughts:

A while back Ginny went to a psychic who told her when she hits 32 years old, there will be some things happening in her life, some good and some bad. Well… Ginny is here right now and what is going to happen? will any of the predictions come true? It was an uplifting and funny read that had me in stitches. I loved the characters and the way the book made you want to cheer for Ginny. It was full of warmth and humour. You can’t really go wrong with this book and I would recommend reading if you need a bit of cheering up.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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The perfect holiday. The perfect crime.

Four friends on the holiday of a lifetime. Until a vicious murder shatters their paradise.

Four friends who’d do anything for each other, until now.

Only one of them committed a crime.

But all four know how to keep a secret.

And they’re all guilty of something…

My Thoughts:

When four friends go on holiday together, they would never imagine the horror that the trip would ensue. As the story flows, we see that each of them have something that they are willing to hide. I liked how each chapter is a different persons point of view, it makes it more interesting for the reader. The story has a steady pace but ramps up half way through and makes you feel on edge wondering what is going to happen. It was full of mystery and intrigue and a big twist. It was a great read again from Phoebe.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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He will come for them, one by one…

Five shocking murders

Twenty-five years ago, DCI Harry Rhimes arrested Andrew Streeter for the brutal murders of five young people. Streeter’s ‘kill list’ of victims was found in his home, and he was convicted of all five crimes.

A legacy under threat

Now, Streeter’s convictions are being overturned, as new evidence implies the original investigation was corrupt. No one is more shocked that DI Henley. Because this case is personal; Rhimes was her old boss, and he’s no longer alive to defend himself. But when the killings start up again, Henley must face the truth: Rhimes got it wrong twenty-five years ago.

A hunt for a killer

Henley and her team reopen the original murder cases, but they must put their personal feelings to one side. Because the real killer is still out there, and he’s working his way through a new kill list …

My Thoughts:

DCI Harry Rhimes many years ago brought down a serial killer and got him convicted. He was sent to jail and that was that. But how can it be that years later this serial killers actions back then might not of been all as it seems and is being questioned now. Can it truly be that DCI Harry Rhimes did something wrong back then? DI Henley is now on the case to reopen it and find out what really went on then and if DCI Harry Rhimes was truthful when he was leading the investigation all that time ago. It is a story that has many layers, I felt as though each chapter you are unpeeling yet another discovery or twist. Nadine the author does a really good job of putting you to work as the reader working alongside DI Henley and feeling involved in the case. There is plenty of drama and intrigue, it put me on edge and the suspense is fantastic. I really enjoyed this story.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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A chance encounter is about to change everything for Thea Wynter.

The moment she arrived on the Isle of Skye, life changed for Thea. Running from a succession of wrong turns, she comes to the island in search of blue sea, endless skies, and mountains that make the heart soar. Here, she feels at peace.

As head gardener at Rothach Hall, life is exactly how she wants it, with her days spent working in the glorious clifftop garden and her evenings in the cosy local village.

But an encounter with a stranger from the mainland brings with it an unexpected turn – and only time will tell if he is friend or foe.

It seems that even on Skye, life can catch up with you, and Thea is soon faced with the past she left behind – and with it, the family she’s never met…

My Thoughts:

This is book one in The Skye Sisters Trilogy, and in this story we focus on Thea. Thea comes to the Isle of Skye to build herself a new life where no one will know her, she is running from a past of hurt and needs to focus on herself now. She has a new job working at the gardens of Rothach Hall and she loves it so much, she is thriving but when newcomer Dev turns up, will he turn her world upside down once again? he has an ulterior motive of being there but when his feelings for Thea escalate he has to do the right thing for her and for himself. It was a great read to follow along to, I liked Thea and thought she was a very strong and courageous woman, The Isle of Skye sounds wonderful and transported me to a beautiful scenery. I liked how the story flowed and we also get to meet Thea’s other sisters in this book to prepare the reader for the next two books in this trilogy. I am looking forward to reading more about these sisters.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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As a child, Katie loved ponies, all things pink and sparkly and dashing event rider Roger Fleming Bowen. Now in her twenties, she’s escaped a desk job in London, packed her collection of pink polo shirts and moved to Northumberland to work for her childhood hero.

The attraction between the two of them is instant and Katie’s keen to win more than rosettes and the silver spurs on offer at the Scottish Championship, but Roger has vowed to never again get involved with his staff, having learnt from casual but disastrous relationships in the past. Then, at an international competition near Inverness, catastrophe strikes for Katie, and Roger is forced to question everything he has been so certain of…

My Thoughts:

Katie has been riding all her life and loves anything to do with horses so when a job comes up to work for someone who she admires and has grown up knowing then this is the perfect job. As soon as they meet they are attracted o each other but can Katie and Roger be together or will past experiences for Roger get in the way. Katie wants to win and become bigger and better than she has ever been so is adamant on getting to her goal, this is everything she has ever wanted. I use to go horse riding many years ago and loved it and would love to start up again, this story has made me realise I am missing out on something I used to love doing. It was an all round great story with great characters and a fantastic setting. If you love horses this is the perfect read for you. It was a cracker of a read that will make you laugh and smile.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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March 2020. Annie is alone in her house as the world shuts down, only the ghosts of her memories for company. But then she receives a phone call which plunges her deeper into the past.

1959. Annie and Rita are student nurses at Fairlie Hall mental hospital. Working long, gruelling hours, they soon learn that the only way to appease their terrifying matron is to follow the rules unthinkingly. But what is happening in the hospital’s hidden side wards? And at what point does following the rules turn into complicity – and betrayal?

1983. Annie is reeling from the loss of her husband and struggling to face raising her daughter alone. Following a chance encounter, she offers a sick young man a bed for the night, a good deed that soon leads to another. Before long, she finds herself entering a new life of service – her home a haven for those who are cruelly shunned. But can we ever really atone?

My Thoughts:

This follows the story of Annie and Rita and zips back from the past to the present. It all starts in 1959 where Annie and Rita meet and become friends as they work together as student nurses. Work is tough and being on guard of the matron is soon tougher but something is not right at the mental hospital that they work at, can Annie and Rita work out what is going on in the side wards. Is this the right way of nursing for either of them. Fast forward a few years and Annie has suffered a loss, but when she realises she can still nurse, she decides to go for it. Present day arrives with Annie suffering with her demons and her memories of the past, can she ever get over what she saw back then? I love a unique story and I always find reading about hospitals back in the day fascinating. This one was just as good and very interesting how the story unfolded. I felt as though I learnt a great deal about how mental hospitals were back then and it was an eye opening experience. Jessica has clearly done a great deal of research and you can really tell. It was a good honest and raw story that I would recommend.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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It is May in the tiny hamlet of Glenville, Vermont, bringing with it currents of rejuvenation and rebirth. For 3 families, though, the year ahead will prove to be a roller coaster of life-changing events, promises, and tragedies. Liquid, Fragile, Perishable unspools via a chorus of unforgettable voices: an old-school Christian beekeeping family and newly transplanted New Yorkers; a trio of teenage girls and a deeply rooted family of ne’er-do-wells; and one woman who just wants to live alone in the woods.

The shifting set of relations among the citizens of this community encompasses teenage pregnancy, drug abuse, poverty – and a cavalcade of thwarted dreams, young love in bloom, and poignant missed connections.

My Thoughts:

The story is set in Vermont and we see three completely different families going about their day to day lives, this is what happens to each family within a year. There is a lot going on and lots of emotions as you progress through this book. There are relatable issues which the author Carolyn has done well to write with sensitivity and it was intriguing to read about what happens with each family over the course of a year. I felt as though I needed to concentrate whilst reading this book otherwise I would get confused with the different characters and who was who but on a whole this was a very powerful and emotional read. I look forward to seeing what the author Carolyn writes about next.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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In 1573, Countess Erzsébet Báthory gave birth to an illegitimate child. The infant, a girl, was swiftly bundled up and handed to a local peasant family to be brought up in one of the hamlets surrounding the Castle. Many years later, 15-year-old Boróka reluctantly leaves the safety of the only home she has ever known in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. Trusted members of the countess’s household have been sent out to gather new serving girls, and the kindly old man who has taken care of Boróka for almost all her life knows that it is dangerous to turn them away.

Boróka struggles to find her place at Cachtice Castle: she is frightened of the countess’s reputation as an alleged murderer of young girls, and the women who run the castle are terrifyingly cruel. When plague comes into the heart of the castle, a tentative bond begins to form between Boróka and the Countess Báthory. But powerful forces are moving against a woman whose wealth poses such a threat to the king: can the countess really trust the women who are so close to her? And when the show trial begins against the infamous ‘Blood Countess’ where will Boróka’s loyalties lie?

My Thoughts:
This is not my usual type of read but I wanted to give it a go as I want to open my eyes up to different genres I wouldn’t necessarily read. This is the story about Erzebet and how she fought for her survival in 1573 and how she tried to be heard. The things she was accused of were truly horrific and she tried to get her side of the story across and prove to people that she was a legitimate person. Sonia the author must have done tons of research in to this book which makes it more special. I found the story quite fascinating at times but creepy at other times. I didn’t know how the story would end and it is one of those stories I will never forget. I feel as though I learnt a great deal from reading this book.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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In a small seaside town, autumn is edging into winter, gulls ride winds over the waves, and two women pass each other on the promenade, as yet unaware of each other’s existence.

In the nineties Lydia was a teen pop star, posed half naked on billboards everywhere with a lollipop between her lips and no idea how to live, letting the world happen to her. Now, three decades later, Lydia is less and less sure that what happened to her was in the least bit okay. The news cycle runs hot with #MeToo stories, and a famous former lover has emerged with a self-serving apology, asking her to forgive him. Suddenly, the past is full of trapdoors she is desperately trying not to fall through.

Joyce, in middle age, has never left home. She still lives with her mother Betty. With their matching dresses, identical hairdos and makeup, they are the local oddballs. Theirs is a life of unerring routine: the shops, biscuits served on bone china plates, dressing up for a gin and tonic on Saturday. Nice things. One misstep from Joyce can ruin Betty’s day; so Joyce treads carefully. She has never let herself think about a different kind of life. But recently, along with the hot flushes, something like anger is asserting itself, like a caged thing realising it should probably try and escape.

Amid the grey skies, amusement parks and beauty parlours of a gentrifying run-down seaside resort, these two women might never meet. But as they both try to untangle the damaging details of their past in the hope of a better future, their lives are set on an unlikely collision course.

My Thoughts:

I didn’t know what to expect from this book, the cover does not really reveal anything about the story, but when I read the plot I liked the sound of it. The story is all about two women with very different lives that pass each other most days without knowing how their lives could intertwine. It is a thought provoking and emotional read that had me in tears quite a few times. It shows how if you want to put your mind to something then you can, it may be hard but in the long run it will reap the rewards for you. I had to take a moment after reading this book to remind myself what I have and how I am going to live my life.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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HOW FAR WILL WE GO TO BELONG?

On the precipice of Y2K, unpaid intern Lily Chen is attempting to live the American dream in New York City. But her scientist parents imagined so much more for her when they fled Mao’s cultural revolution, hoping for a better life. Despite the glamour of her media job, Lily can barely make rent – until she falls into the arms of Matthew. This young financier can give her a fairy tale life of luxury, and for the first time her dreams appear within reach.

High school student Nick Chen and his best friend Timothy are plotting to break free. College promises escape from an isolated and close-knit island in Washington State, space from his strict and secretive mum Lily, and the chance to finally fit in. But when Nick sets out to find his long-lost father, a world of questions opens, and it is one unexpected member of the Chen family who holds the key to it all.

My Thoughts:

This is a bit of a different read for me, Lily is living in New York as a unpaid intern, it is not really what she expected, the job is good but she doesn’t get paid and when your trying to live in a place that is expensive Lily is finding it tough. Her family thought she could be so much more but this is what Lily wanted. But when she meets Matthew she wonders if her life is about to change for the better. It is a story all about real life consequences and what happens when you let your family down. Finding ways to pick yourself up and ways to move forward. It is a thought provoking read that will stay with you and keeps you wondering. A great read.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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