You need to know By Nicola Moriarty

4 June , 20214 June , 2021 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Jill’s three grown-up sons mean everything to her.

She would do anything for her boys – protect them, lie for them, even die for them.

Then one day she receives an email with the subject line: ‘You Need To Know’.

Jill doesn’t want to know. She leaves the warning unread.

But some truths you can’t hide from.

Soon Jill will start to wonder if she knows her sons at all . . .

How long will these secrets stay hidden?
And when they are revealed . . . can Jill’s family survive?

My Thoughts:

I found with this book there was a lot going on and for me it was hard to keep up with everything and everyone. It is a story about family secrets with each person there is a different story, some of the things happening in the past and some in the present. The second half was a little better and I raced through it, this was where we see all the secrets being revealed. I liked how some of the chapters were short which meant you would just have to read another one.

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

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The Startup Wife By Tahmima Anam

3 June , 20213 June , 2021 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Halfway through her PhD and already dreaming of running her own lab, computer scientist Asha has her future all mapped out. Then a chance meeting and whirlwind romance with her old high-school crush, Cyrus, changes everything.

Dreaming big, together with their friend Jules they come up with a revolutionary idea: to build a social networking app that could bring meaning to millions of lives. While Asha creates an ingenious algorithm, Cyrus’ charismatic appeal throws him into the spotlight.

When the app explodes into the next big thing, Asha should be happy, shouldn’t she? But why does she feel invisible in the boardroom of her own company? Why are decisions being made without her?

My Thoughts:

I found this an enjoyable read about romance, work and what really is the meaning of life. It is a smart and engaging read that follows Asha and her life. She is a very smart and clever lady who is a computer scientist, when she meets with an old flame her life changes completely. They decide to build a social networking app that could potentially be massive, will they be able to make their app stand out amongst all the rest? will romance bloom again? the only problem is Asha feels as though she is being pushed out a bit, can she rectify the problems before it is too late? I really liked Asha and feel as though she is a role model to everyone out there, that if you want something so bad, go out there and grab it.

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

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The Cookbook of Common Prayer By Francesca Haig

3 June , 20213 June , 2021 by Hannah ♥ 1 Comment

When Gill and Gabe’s elder son drowns overseas, they decide they must hide the truth from their desperately unwell teenaged daughter. But as Gill begins to send letters from her dead son to his sister, the increasingly elaborate lie threatens to prove more dangerous than the truth.

My Thoughts:

I didn’t know what to expect from the book, but was pleasantly surprised how quick I devoured it. It is all about a family who have a lot of heart ache in their family. They have a very unwell daughter whose life in on the brink, their oldest son has just died and they need to keep it a secret from their daughter. The lie becomes very elaborate through out but can Gill keep up with it or will the secret come out? Also in the picture is their youngest son who is having a hard time trying to work out why his sister is so poorly. I could never imagine what the family must be going through and it is heart breaking to read and see. I don’t know what I would do in their situation, I think this story will stay with me for a while. I liked how the chapters are all split up into the members of the family as it seems more personal and we get to hear how everyone is coping through out the story. I wasn’t sure if this broken family could ever be mended, but I hope it would. A story about loss, love, grief, and family pulling together. I adored it.

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

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Mother Mother By Annie MacManus

1 June , 2021 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

One Saturday morning, TJ McConnell wakes up to find his mother, Mary, gone. He doesn’t know where – or why – but he’s the only one who can help find her.

Mary grew up longing for information about the mother she never knew. Her brother could barely remember her, and their father numbed his pain with drink.

Now aged thirty-seven, Mary has lived in the same house her whole life. She’s never left Belfast. TJ, who’s about to turn eighteen, is itching to see more of the world.

But when his mother disappears, TJ begins to realise what he’s been taking for granted.

My Thoughts:

I couldn’t believe this was a debut novel, it was just so good. A well written and thought provoking read, one that when I wasn’t reading it, it made me think what would I do in Mary’s situation. The story goes from past to present, to really get a good idea of what Mary has been through in her life, I felt as though this really helped me to connect with Mary. In the present Mary is thirty seven with a son who is seventeen, he takes her for granted and when she disappears he has no clue what to do. He discovers that he hasn’t really ever learned to know his mum which I found quite sad and also that fact when she is there he takes her for granted. Whether you are a mother or not I found that you will understand Mary and where she is coming from. It is a sad and tragic story but one that stole my heart and one that I will keep in my heart for ever.

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

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Everyday Magic By Charlie Laidlaw

1 June , 2021 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Carole Gunn leads an unfulfilled life and knows it. She’s married to someone who may, or may not, be in New York on business and, to make things worse, the family’s deaf cat has been run over by an electric car. But something has been changing in Carole’s mind. She’s decided to revisit places that hold special significance for her. She wants to better understand herself, and whether the person she is now is simply an older version of the person she once was. Instead, she’s taken on an unlikely journey to confront her past, present and future.

Everyday magic is an uplifting book filled with humour and poignancy, and reminds us that, while our pasts makes us who we are, we can always change the course of our futures.

My Thoughts:

I could not wait to read this book, I have enjoyed all of Charlie’s previous novels and knew this one would be just as good and it was. Carole finds her life has come to a stop, almost like a dead end, she feels as though life is passing her by and she can’t do anything to rectify the situation, she has a husband and daughter who take her for granted which I feel as though a lot of people will be able to relate too. It made me think what would I do in her situation. Hopefully this will help these people realize they are not alone. Carole then gets a look and see what life is like in the future for her, we see her letting go of things near the end. I felt as though I warmed to Carole and could see where she was coming from, this was a uplifting read that shows us that if we want to change then we can but we have to do it for ourselves. I really enjoyed this book.

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

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Falling By T. J. Newman

1 June , 20211 June , 2021 by Hannah ♥ 3 Comments

You just boarded a flight to New York.

There are one hundred and forty-three other passengers onboard.

What you don’t know is that thirty minutes before the flight your pilot’s family was kidnapped.

For his family to live, everyone on your plane must die.

The only way the family will survive is if the pilot follows his orders and crashes the plane.

Enjoy the flight.

My Thoughts:

OMG. This was so good, I want to read it again and again. It is such a change from the usual thrillers as this one is set in the air in an airplane. All these passengers aboard don’t even realize what has happened, the pilot’s family has been kidnapped, but the only way his family will stay alive is for all the passengers to die, what a predicament he has. They want him to crash the plane but what does he decide to do? I really felt how tense the pilot was and how scared he was, I couldn’t believe what happened in the end. If you are after a nonstop thrilling ride then this is the book for you. I loved it. Wow.

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

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A Taste of Home By Heidi Swain

28 May , 2021 by Hannah ♥ 1 Comment

Fliss Brown has grown up living with her mother on the Rossi family’s Italian fruit farm. But when her mother dies, Fliss finds out she has a family of her own, and heads back to England with Nonna Rossi’s recipe for cherry and almond tart and a piece of advice: connect with your family before it is too late…

Fliss discovers that her estranged grandfather owns a fruit farm himself, on the outskirts of Wynbridge, and she arrives to find a farm that has fallen into disrepair. Using her knowledge gleaned from working on the Rossi farm and her desire to find out more about her past, Fliss rolls her sleeves up and gets stuck in. But what will she discover, and can she resurrect the farm’s glory days and find a taste of home…?

My Thoughts:

You can never go wrong with a book by Heidi, they are just so warm and inviting and I could spend hours snuggled up reading one, getting lost in another person’s world. Absolute Bliss. So the stories main character is Fliss who lives in Italy on an Italian Fruit Farm, the writing is so detailed you can imagine the sun beating down on your back as your picking fruit straight of the trees, when her mum sadly dies, Fliss finds out she has more family than she expected in England so decides to go and meet them like her mother would of wanted. However when she gets there it is not as expected and things are not quite right, but as Fliss has experience of fruit farms can she help and turn it around? I loved the sound of all the food she would rustle up, it made my tummy rumble and the sound of the cherry and almond tart, I would love to eat one. A perfect and uplifting read, one I would highly recommend.

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

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The Ex-Boyfriend Yard Sale By Haley McGee

28 May , 202128 May , 2021 by Hannah ♥ 1 Comment

Haley McGee is in debt. The solution? A yard sale of the gifts from her ex-boyfriends.

When it came to pricing, she got stuck. Surely the ways we invest in our romantic relationships should be reflected in the price. But how?

Is the mixtape from your first love worth more than the vintage typewriter from a philanderer? Does sitting on a box cutter wedged between seats on bus when going to see the boyfriend you lost your virginity to increase or decrease the value of the necklace he gave you? Do the lies you told the guy who gave you a jewellery box dock its price?

Should you be compensated for the miserable times or do they render an item worthless?

Haley decides to gamble on a larger pay out. She interviews her exes and enlists the help of a mathematician to create a formula – with 87 variables – for the cost of love. As she wrestles her financial literacy and tackles romantic and professional woes, the one that got away reappears with a new proposition.

Female desire, heartbreak and the chance for integrity are held up in this whip-smart, original and daringly candid memoir. As Haley McGee interrogates her romantic triumphs and failures with unflinching detail and hilarity her exquisite proses elevates this all too human conundrum: is love worth it?

My Thoughts:

Haley is in debt big time and needs funds as soon as possible or she is at risk of losing everything. Looking at things around her bedroom to sell she comes across all the things that have been given to her other the past from ex- boyfriends. After a lengthy chat with her friend she decides to go for it and sell the items, but at what cost? She obviously wants her monies worth so decides to set up interviews with her exes, this leads to her reminiscing about each ex. Along the way I really warmed to her and felt for her with being so unlucky in love, there are parts that are very funny too. It is a fresh idea and concept that really worked as a story, it is a nice chunky book to get your teeth into too. I liked all the math’s equations too at the back of the book.

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

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The Summer Seekers By Sarah Morgan

27 May , 202127 May , 2021 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Kathleen is eighty years old. After a run-in with an intruder, her daughter wants her to move into a residential home. She’s not having any of it. What she craves – needs – is adventure.

Liza is drowning under the daily stress of family life. The last thing she needs is her mother jetting off on a wild holiday, making Liza dream of a solo break of her own.

Martha is having a quarter-life crisis. Unemployed, unloved and uninspired, she just can’t get her life together. But she knows something has to change.

When Martha sees Kathleen’s advert for a driver and companion to take an epic road trip across America, she decides this job might be the answer to her prayers. Travelling with a stranger? No problem. She’s not the world’s best driver, but it couldn’t be worse than living with her parents again. And anyway, how much trouble can one eighty-year-old woman be?

As these women embark on the journey of a lifetime, they all discover it’s never too late for adventure…

My Thoughts:

I have not read about a really good road trip for a long time and Sarah’s story really hit the spot. It made me crave getting out on the open road with the sun high in the sky and to escape the everyday world. There are three stories that interweave and come together, Kathleen is eighty and is fed up with her life, she wants a big adventure before it is too late. Liza is her Kathleen’s daughter and is tired of being stressed all the time, and Martha is just what Kathleen needs, Martha has her own problems in life and when she see’s Kathleen is looking for a driver she goes for the job and gets it. They go on a trip of a life time together and find themselves. It was wonderful to see how they bonded but also it was lovely to see Kathleen doing something she has always wanted to do. It shows if you really want to do something, just go for it, don’t be scared. If an eighty year old lady can do it, then anyone can. A warm and uplifting story, that I truly loved.

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

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The Skylight By Louise Candlish

27 May , 202127 May , 2021 by Hannah ♥ 1 Comment

They can’t see her, but she can see them…

Simone has a secret. She likes to stand at her bathroom window and spy on the couple downstairs through their kitchen skylight. She knows what they eat for breakfast and who they’ve got over for dinner. She knows what mood they’re in before they even step out the door. There’s nothing wrong with looking, is there?

Until one day Simone sees something through the skylight she is not expecting. Something that upsets her so much she begins to plot a terrible crime…

My Thoughts:

This is one of the quick reads books, it is a short story that is less than 100 pages. I loved it, I am a big fan of Louise’s books anyways so once I got my copy I had to read it straight away and it took me less than an hour but it certainly packed a punch. I didn’t realise short stories could be so good. Simone can see into her neighbours downstairs but she is the only one who knows this, they can’t see her but she can see them. When one day she sees something that shocks her, she starts to plan something that will change everyone’s lives all together. There are a couple of twists and turns that I was not expecting and the ending was brilliant. I will definitely be buying the rest of the books.

There are six quick reads books to choose from and every book sold, they will donate a book to someone who finds reading difficult. The books only cost £1. If you want to find out more, click on the link below:

https://readingagency.org.uk/adults/quick-guides/quick-reads/

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

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