‘What happens to those girls who go missing? What happens to the Zoe Nolans of the world?’

In the early hours of Saturday, December 17th, 2011, Zoe Nolan, a 19-year-old Manchester University student, walked out of a party taking place in the shared accommodation where she had been living for three months.

She was never seen again.

My Thoughts:

This made for a very interesting story, it is very well written and I like how the story is set out, even though it is mainly interviews it really works and you see the story come together in a very unique way. The story is about Zoe who goes to university and has her whole life ahead of her but after a party one night with her friends she walks out and is never seen again. All the interviews are with her friends and family and I for one was suspicious of everyone. Did something happen to her? or did she just up and leave on her own account? I hope Joseph writes more of these as this one was brilliant. I devoured it in one sitting, I was just too impatient to find out.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review. Thank you to Netgalley and DoubleDay for sending me a copy.

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The DNA results are back. And there’s a serial killer in her family tree…

Liz Catalano is shocked when an ancestry kit reveals she’s adopted. But she could never have imagined connecting with her unknown family would plunge her into an FBI investigation of a notorious serial killer…

The Tri-State Killer has been abducting pairs of women for forty years, leaving no clues behind – only bodies.

Can Liz figure out who the killer in her new family is? And can she save his newest victims before it’s too late?

My Thoughts:

I have never felt comfortable about DNA or ancestry kits, and in Liz’s case you can see why as after doing one she finds out she is adopted but no on has thought to tell her, when she starts looking into her family members the FBI want to talk to her as they are investigating a crime that happened. Will Liz be able to help the FBI before another set on women are killed? who could it be? I liked the way the writing and story line flowed, it kept me on edge and I also liked how the book was set out, alternate chapters one with Liz’s story and also one with each of the women. I just didn’t want to stop at any chapters, I just wanted to read on to find out who the killer was. It was a very good thriller and the ending was brilliant.

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

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TWO PEOPLE
 
Simon Sparks is the man you know from behind the counter at the local Prince Burger (‘hold the gherkin!’), fry shovelling, shelf stacking, hiding away from the world. And Jodie Brook is the single mum you see crossing the street with her son Zak – always chasing a dream she can’t reach.
 
ONE LIFE
 
What if life could be so much more? When Simon and Jodie’s worlds collide, it upends everything they know. But in chaos comes opportunity. And for every person who’s ever doubted them, they find someone who’ll finally believe

My Thoughts:

This is a book about friendship, overcoming difficult situations and also how things might not seem ok at the time but they work out well in the end. It is a book that came into my life when I really needed it and It has made my heart so full that I want to share it with the whole world and hope it helps someone else out too. It is original and uplifting story about Simon who is a quirky guy that loves math’s but hides away from the world and Jodie who is a mum to Zak that tries her hardest but doesn’t always get there. I loved all the characters, how they are written really brought them to life and their personal situations are real life situations so I feel as though people will be able to relate. I just felt as though this book was a great big hug and it is what I needed. So Thank you to Sarah the author.

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

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I just wanted to write a little post about a business that I came across the other day, a little different to my book reviewing but I felt this business is worth a mention.

Nook Farm Honey is a business that is set in Cumbria and is run by Helen Griggs, the setting is idyllic with lots of flowers and beautiful countryside, you can just imagine how well the bees are thriving there, that’s why their honey tastes so good. The bees live at different locations through out Northern Cumbria, I mean come on who wouldn’t want to be a bee living there, I know I would. Nook Farm Honey have been producing honey since 2001 and I wish I had heard of this place a long time ago as buying honey from them helps out a small business and I will definitely be buying more from this place in the future.

Did you know eating local honey can help relive hayfever symptoms?

They have all different types of honey on their website some I have never heard of before but can’t wait to give a try. You can actually visit Nook Farm Honey too, so that would be lovely to see, find these details on their website.

Their website is very easy to navigate round and it was interesting to learn and see pictures that they have taken.

There are lots of offers going on at the moment and some really lovely gift bundle ideas, so whether you want to buy a gift for a honey lover or to treat yourself, have a look at the website and help out a small business as they really need your help at the moment to thrive and the bees will love you forever.

www.nookfarmhoney.co.uk

single jars of honey are available to buy

bundles of honey that come with a jar of honey, a honey drizzler and a bee bomb

wild seed bombs

gift wrapping service

On the website they also have a few recipes that you can try with their beautiful honey.

Be quick to get in on all the lovely deals that are happening at the moment.

and Bee Happy

let me know if you buy any of this honey in the comments and how much you liked it.

A family secret, a mysterious legacy, and a journey that will change everything…
 
When Isla, a 65-year-old grandmother, is left nothing but an old painting in her mother’s will, while her sisters and aunt inherit the estate, she is devastated. Close to retirement, getting ready to live on her own terms, the last thing she expects at this time of her life is such turmoil. So, to find an explanation for her mother’s rejection, she embarks on a road-trip.
 
But, right at the last moment, she’s forced to take her sullen – and, in her view, impossible – 14-year-old granddaughter Charlie with her. Cramped together in Isla’s car with her smelly old dog, these ill-assorted travelling companions set off to uncover some shattering and life-changing family truths at the same time as learning to love each other…

My Thoughts:

The cover is so pretty, it reminds me of lazy Summer days and being out on walks in the fresh air. This book is set in the UK but we also see the book go back in time to Paris in the 1950’s. Family, secrets and love and loss are all a big part of how this story is told, really well thought and told characters that really bring the story to life. It is so much more than what the story is really about. Isla is about to take her 14 year old granddaughter on a road trip, but will a 14 year old really want to cooperate with her 65 year old gran? What will they uncover when they embark on this trip of a lifetime?

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

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One magical night in Venice, Didi fell in love. But it ended – and he left without even saying goodbye.

Now, thirteen years on, Shay Mason is back.

The old spark is still there, but Didi’s determined to ignore it. As manager of a stunning Cotswolds hotel, she’s happy at last, and soon to be married. Anyway, Shay isn’t staying. He’s made a promise to his father. He’s going to keep it. And then he’ll be gone.

But Shay’s return stirs up long-forgotten emotions, and the scandal that led him to leave raises its head once again. It’s time for buried secrets to come to light. And it seems that this was someone’s intention all along . . .

My Thoughts:

I was excited to read this book by Jill Mansell as she is one of my favourite authors, I just find her books are easy going and perfect escapism. Didi is soon to be married but when an old flame Shay turns up unexpectedly her feelings all come back from the past, and so does his. But what made him back then leave so suddenly, will Didi ever find out? what will it mean for her now? Lots of secrets are uncovered and emotions are high in this gripping and satisfying read. It is a feel good story that will make you crave reading another Jill Mansell book.

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

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1944, in the ruined wine cellar of a Tuscan villa, as the Allied troops advance and bombs fall around them, two strangers meet and share an extraordinary evening together.

Ulysses Temper is a young British soldier, Evelyn Skinner is a sexagenarian art historian and possible spy. She has come to Italy to salvage paintings from the wreckage and relive memories of the time she encountered EM Forster and had her heart stolen by an Italian maid in a particular Florentine room with a view.

These two unlikely people find kindred spirits in each other and Evelyn’s talk of truth and beauty plants a seed in Ulysses’ mind that will shape the trajectory of his life – and of those who love him – for the next four decades.

My Thoughts:

After reading this book I can’t wait to delve into more of Sarah’s books. I found this story fascinating and even more so by the way Sarah is a great storyteller. It is a moving and poignant story that explores love in it’s many forms. I wanted to cherish the words longer than I needed too just because it is such a rich story which is set in the 1940’s. A British Soldier and a art historian meet, will romance blossom? what will happen to both of them especially at this moment in time. A beautifully told story that you will just want to cherish.

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

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Emma Patrick’s life is spiralling out of control. On the cusp of her 50th birthday, she suddenly realises that she doesn’t have many meaningful relationships in her life. She’s single, successful, living alone and thinks she’s loving it, but being so focussed on work and always online means she’s lost any real connection to people.

When Emma gets a call to say her ageing father is becoming increasingly confused, she decides that she should go back home to the countryside to spend some time with him. But returning to Little Bramble, the village she grew up in, after all these years, is filled with complications of its own and people she’d rather avoid.

As Emma starts to settle in to her childhood home, she finds herself loving village life – much to her surprise. When the opportunity to get involved in the running of the summer fete comes her way, before she knows it she’s embracing jam making, cake baking and bunting. And with romance brewing, Emma begins to doubt the glamorous life in London that she worked so hard to build . . .

My Thoughts:

This book made me dream of the warmer weather and being outside more with the sun on your face. Emma’s story is a relatable one whatever age you are. She thinks she is happy, she isn’t tied down to any one, she has a good job, but she is missing something. When her dad becomes unwell, she decides to go and spend time with him in the Village she grew up in. Can she find the missing part she desperately needs? there is a whole load of romance, cakes and a Village community coming together. Will Emma get her happy ever after? I really enjoyed reading Emma’s story, it is heartfelt and uplifting when we all need a bit of escapism.

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

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