Do you love trains? Do you love adventure? If so, join Tom Chesshyre on his meandering rail journey across Europe from London to Venice.

Escaping the rat race for a few happy weeks, Chesshyre indulges in the freedom of the tracks. From France (dogged by rail worker strikes), through Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Poland he goes, travelling as far east as Odessa by the Black Sea in Ukraine. With no set plans, simply a desire to let the trains lead the way, his trip takes him onwards via Hungary, the Balkans and Austria. Along the way he enjoys many an encounter, befriending fellow travellers as well as a conductor or two.

This is a love letter to Europe, written from the trackside.

My Thoughts:

I have to say first off this is not my usual read however I am very glad I have read it as it was so captivating. I loved the sound of the blurb, Tom is a travel writer and likes to indulge by going on trains to different places. This time he makes his way through France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany and Poland. He shows that you don’t need to plan every journey, just let nature lead the way. Even though I am not a big train fan, it was the adventure part that really excited me. I loved reading about Tom’s many encounters with other travellers and his sense of adventure and has really inspired me to go out and do something I wouldn’t normally do. If you are after a great travel read and you love a sense of adventure, read this book.

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

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One bookshop in paradise. Two bitter rivals. A whole summer to get through…

Clare thought that by now she would have her life figured out. Instead, she’s living with her parents, working a job she hates and has absolutely no idea what she wants to do with the rest of her life.

When she sees a viral job advert for a three-month bookseller position on a Bali beach, she jumps at the chance. But it’s not until she arrives in Bali that Clare realises she won’t be working in the bookshop alone.

Instead she’s sharing the bookshop – and a flat – with a handsome but infuriating American man. Jack is Clare’s opposite in almost every way, and it’s not long before they’re driving each other crazy. But fighting with Jack is also the most fun Clare’s had in years, and it’s only a matter of time before their relationship turns less than professional…

My Thoughts:

Clare’s life is going nowhere, she doesn’t know what she wants in life and hates the job she has but when she sees an advert to work as a bookseller on a Bali beach, she cannot believe when she gets accepted. When she gets there it is not what she was expecting but she thinks she can turn it around with some hard work but she is not working by herself, she is working with Jack. You can see what is coming a mile away. Anyway I loved the concept of this book, it is a nice easy read that I found very comforting. I think Clare seemed like my kind of person I could see myself working alongside her at the bookshop. Such a lovely idea and a great read.

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

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One ambitious businesswoman.

One irresponsible heir.

A deal that will turn both their lives upside down…

To grow her craft business, Nancy is in desperate need of two things: help and money. So when a potential investor she’s looking to impress recommends an assistant, she jumps at the chance to secure both.

Freddy Astley-Davenport is a notorious playboy with zero work experience. He’s poised to inherit his family’s estate in sunny Seashell Bay – but only if he can hold down a job for six months first. His plan is to take the assistant role in name only, then do the least work he possibly can.

Nancy has other ideas, though, and the pair butt heads from day one. However, as they argue, sparks begin to fly, and they soon discover exactly why opposites attract…

My Thoughts:

If you feel like being whisked away to Seashell Bay then this is the story for you, it is the best form of escapism where you will get caught up in Nancy’s story. She has a craft business that is not doing well unfortunately and she needs help and money big time. So she enlists Freddie who could be her knight in shining armour as he works for an potential investor, but is he more of a hindrance than any help? It was such a heart warming and incredibly amusing story that I fell in love with. Full to the brim with humour, positivity and romance, be sure to add this book to your summer reading pile as it will not disappoint.

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

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We call it the Great Escape. The annual trip where my boss asks us expert travel guides to escort a group of privileged, uber-wealthy clientele on some far-flung expedition, a cut-throat contest for riches and glory.

The stakes have never been higher, nor the challenge harder: I must summit Mount Kilimanjaro before my rival guide to win the ultimate prize.

But this once-in-a-lifetime trip was never about winning to me. I’m here for answers, even if no one is ready to give them up. By the time we reach the top I will have the truth, if it kills me.

THE QUESTION IS, HOW FAR WILL THEY GO TO KEEP ME QUIET?

My Thoughts:

I really liked the sound of the plot which about is all about an annual trip where a group of travel experts take a group of very wealthy clients on some expedition. But there is a twist and that twist is the guides are competing against each other to win the prize. But at what lengths will they go to, to secure their win? It is a cleverly thought out story, one that kept me captivated throughout. A great bunch of characters all different in their own right. The amount of research that must of gone into this book really shows, I felt as though I learnt a great deal reading this book, it is packed with information that some people might not of known. Such a great thriller, you won’t want to put it down.

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

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Escape to paradise.
Scuba diving instructor Cass leads her students out for their first dive off the beautiful coast of Koh Sang, Thailand’s world-famous party island. It’s supposed to be a life-changing experience, but things quickly spiral out of control…

Leave your secrets behind.
By the time she gets back to the shore, one of her students is dead, another badly injured, and she knows that her idyllic life is about to be smashed to pieces on the rocks.

But don’t get lost for ever…
Because someone is making sure that backpackers never leave paradise – one murder at a time. And Cass has a feeling she might be next…

My Thoughts:

The Dive is set on a beautiful paradise island in Thailand. It is a murder mystery where everyone on the island is a suspect and they all have something to say. When Cass takes her class out for their first dive no one was expecting one of them not to come back and one to be injured, but what is going on at that place everyone calls idyllic. I like how the story flowed with a great pace to it, I found everyone suspicious and didn’t know who to trust. I read this book in a day and couldn’t bring myself to put it down. I found all the twists and turns very cleverly done and the ending was full of drama and brilliant.

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

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They say the camera never lies.
But on this show, you can’t trust anything you see.

Stranded in the Welsh mountains, seven reality show contestants have no idea what they’ve signed up for.

Each of these strangers has a secret. If another player can guess the truth, they won’t just be eliminated – they’ll be exposed live on air. The stakes are higher than they’d ever imagined, and they’re trapped.

The disappearance of a contestant wasn’t supposed to be part of the drama. Detective Ffion Morgan has to put aside what she’s watched on screen, and find out who these people really are – knowing she can’t trust any of them.

And when a murderer strikes, Ffion knows every one of her suspects has an alibi . . . and a secret worth killing for.

My Thoughts:

Another thrilling read by Clare. I love how unique Clare’s ideas are when she writes her books. They are all very different but they just seem to get better and better. This is part of the Dc FFion Morgan Series and I loved it. When reading you never know what surprises are going to be on the next page. It was tense, chilling, engaging, suspenseful and eerie. It is all about a game show that is shown on the TV. The contestants have to battle it out in return for their secret not to go out to the public. But when one of the contestants goes missing, will their secret be exposed or is something more deadly at play? I really enjoyed this story, I couldn’t stop reading, every chapter left me wanting more. The ending was incredible.

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

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Saffy has a secret. A secret that she is deeply ashamed of. It’s not the fact that she’s a serial killer in her free time. In fact, she’s quite proud of that. After all she’s only killing the bad men. She is making the world a better place.

No, her secret is far worse than that. Saffy has a messy, inexplicable, uncontrollable crush. So while she’s busy plotting her next murder, she also has the much harder task of figuring out how to get a boyfriend.

But if there’s one thing Saffy knows, it’s how to get her man . . .

My Thoughts:

If your after a great read look no further, this is going to be a huge hit when it comes out. Saffy is the main character and she is bad ass, I liked her instantly, she is a serial killer and is trying to make the world a better place by eradicating all the bad men out of this world. There is a romance alongside the general fact of her being a serial killer. It is a twisty thriller that will set your pulse racing, it is a capturing read and even though it is a thriller, I found it really funny in parts. Such a great read that everyone will enjoy.

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

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When Callie rents a beach cottage in Whitstable, she doesn’t expect for its owner to be glamorous influencer Vanessa Lowe.

Vanessa has it all. A beautiful home, a loyal husband, three perfect children, and a growing number of adoring online fans.

Callie has long admired her world from afar. But when Vanessa invites her in, the closer Callie looks, the more she suspects that there’s more to Vanessa than meets the eye.

So when Vanessa’s son disappears, Callie must question everything she knows. Is Vanessa a mother in despair? Or is she a woman who’ll do whatever it takes to cover up the cracks…

My Thoughts:

I loved the sound of this one and it certainly did not disappoint. It was every bit as good as I imagined it would be. Callie has come to Whitstable and is renting a beach cottage from a influencer called Vanessa which she had no clue to. Vanessa has the perfect life and Callie has longed to be in the same position Vanessa is in. But when the pair of them get close, Callie reveals that Vanessa is hiding something. Tragedy strikes when Vanessa’s son goes missing but is Vanessa the innocent party in all of this? it was a great nail biting read that had me on the edge of my seat in anticipation. There are a few twists and turns most of them unexpected but they had me gripped. The ending left me shocked. But I cannot wait to read more of Annie’s books.

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

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Fuelled by a zest for life and the desire to explore the world around her, Pip Stewart took on a world-first challenge: following Guyana’s Essequibo River from source to sea. With the help of guides from the Waî Waî indigenous community, Pip and her teammates journeyed through the rainforest, facing peril every day as they kayaked rapids, traversed waterfalls and hacked their way through the mountainous jungle of the Guiana Shield, before finally reaching the Atlantic Ocean.

Survival skills and a flesh-eating parasite weren’t the only things Pip took home from the rainforest. From contending with snakes to learning about the value of community, forgiveness and self-belief, in Life Lessons from the Amazon Pip shares many pearls of wisdom that we can all apply to our own lives. Her hard-won insights invite us to embrace the wildness within ourselves and live more every day.

My Thoughts:

I loved the sound of this book and it was a fantastic and eye opening read. Pip travels around the world to complete a challenge. Her and her team mates have to endure the rainforest and many other wild and treacherous obstacles. It was a interesting and knowledgeable read. I felt I learnt a great deal from Pip and what she has been through to overcome her challenge is very inspiring. I hope when people read this book that they feel inspired to go out and do something that they really want to do. It was such a fascinating story.

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

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Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing.

But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute take a very unscientific view of equality. Forced to resign, she reluctantly signs on as the host of a cooking show, Supper at Six. But her revolutionary approach to cooking, fuelled by scientific and rational commentary, grabs the attention of a nation.

Soon, a legion of overlooked housewives find themselves daring to change the status quo. One molecule at a time.

My Thoughts:

This book is set in the 1960’s and it was in a time where women and a career was frowned upon. It was interesting to read about what happened back then, Bonnie has researched it all very well. It is crazy to learn about how women should behave and that it was frowned upon that women could actually have a career. Women were expected to stay at home and cook dinner for their husbands. It was a very insightful and upsetting story but there were some funny parts to it too. The main character Elizabeth shows women that they can do whatever they want if they put their mind to it. It was an ok read.

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