Just For The Summer By Abby Jimenez

Just For The Summer By Abby Jimenez

Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it’s now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They’ll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other’s out, and they’ll both go on to find the love of their lives. It’s a bonkers idea… and it just might work. 

Emma hadn’t planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

It’s supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma’s toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they’re suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected–including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?

My Thoughts:

This is my first book by Abby, but I thought this sounded a good Summer read. Justin has this unique curse where every woman he dates, the instant they break up, the woman goes onto to find their soulmate. But when a woman messages him, he would of never in a million years realise she has exactly the same curse. How weird. The two of them wonder what would happen if they were to get together, would the curse counteract the curse? I don’t think either of them would ever realise what would really happen. It was a easy summer read, perfect pick me up. It was a fast paced read and one that I would read again. I have never read any of Abby’s books before but I will definitely be picking up more of her books.

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Has Anyone seen Charlotte Salter? By Nicci French

Has Anyone seen Charlotte Salter? By Nicci French

She’s loved by all who meet her. But someone wants her gone . . .
Then 

When beautiful and vivacious Charlotte Salter fails to turn up to her husband Alec’s 50th birthday party, her kids are worried, but Alec is not. As the days pass and there’s still no word from Charlie, her daughter, Etty, and her sons, Niall, Paul and Ollie, all struggle to come to terms with her disappearance.
How can anyone just vanish without a trace?
Left with no answers and in limbo, the Salter children try and go on with their lives, all the while thinking that their mother’s killer is potentially very close to home.

Now

After years away, Etty returns home to the small East Anglian village where she grew up to help move her father into a care home. Now in his eighties, Alec has dementia and often mistakes his daughter for her mother. 
Etty is a changed woman from the trouble-free girl she was when Charlie was still around – all the Salter children have spent decades running and hiding from their mother’s disappearance.
But when their childhood friends, Greg and Morgen Ackerley, decide to do a podcast about Charlotte’s disappearance, it seems like the town’s buried secrets – and the Salters’ – might finally come to light.

After all this time, will they finally find out what really happened to Charlotte Salter?

My Thoughts:

I read one of Nicci’s books a few years ago but did not think much of it. So I was dubious when a friend said she had read this one and enjoyed it. I am so glad I picked it up, it was brilliant. Charlotte Salter is on everyone’s mind when she is a no show at her husband’s birthday bash. No one knows why she may of just vanished but when the police start looking into it all, some people are more suspicious than others. The first half of the book we hear about what happened at the time and the second part is the here and now. Now all grown up and with a town full of secrets can the Salter family find out what really happened on that day? I found it an easy follow along read. Characters were all suspects to me, there are a few red herrings along the way. I would never of guessed the outcome in a million years. It became an addictive read for me, one I did not want to put down. A great read.

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The Singer Sisters By Sarah Seltzer

The Singer Sisters By Sarah Seltzer

1967: Judie Zingerman is rising to stardom as one half of folk duo the Singer Sisters.

As she and her sister Sylvia tour coast to coast, crowds can’t get enough of Judie’s confessional lyrics. Everyone can see they’re heading for new heights. Yet something is about to push them off course…

1996: Alt-rocker Emma Cantor is playing the festival circuit, with her sights on a record deal. Emma has never understood why her mother, folk icon Judie Zingerman, gave up music at the height of her success.

But as Emma is catapulted into the spotlight as an MTV darling and LA It girl, fame brings its own heartache. Could discovering her mother’s long-kept secrets help Emma find her path again?

My Thoughts:

This book is split into two parts, one is set in 1967 and the other is set in 1996. Judie is in a band called the Singer Sisters, her and her sister are doing well for themselves but is it all going to come crashing down on them. Emma Cantor is playing festivals and hopes to be able to make it big with a deal, but is fame and fortune all it’s cracked up to be? If you like stories about music then this is the book for you, it is a family drama with the need to create music. It is a whirlwind of a story, I liked how it was set in different eras so you could see how different it was in both eras. However I am not a big fan of stories that follow musicians, but that is just me.

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

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The Dead Friend Project By Joanna Wallace

The Dead Friend Project By Joanna Wallace

Everyone needs a hobby…

Things haven’t been going well for Beth. Her husband has left her for one of her friends. Her fellow school mums judge her for swearing too much and not shifting the baby weight. And now she’s stuck in A&E after her son fell off the climbing wall on the first day of school.

In fact, things haven’t been going well for Beth since Charlotte died – her best friend, a favourite at the school pick-ups and the only person to ever run an interesting PTA meeting. But after being hit by a car while on an ill-timed evening jog, Charlotte is no longer there to help Beth pick up the pieces of her increasingly difficult life.

That is, until Beth discovers that Charlotte left her toddler alone in the house during that fatal run. The Charlotte she knew would never do something so irresponsible, and suddenly Beth is questioning whether Charlotte’s death was really an accident. With a newfound purpose and a glass of wine in hand, it’s time for Beth to uncover what really happened to her best friend. And what better place to start than the circle of chatty school mums, who can’t be as perfect as they pretend. But which of them is hiding something? Beth’s determined to find out. Once she’s put the kids to bed, of course…

My Thoughts:

I had high hopes for this read. Charlotte goes into a alcoholic spiral after her best friend dies. Nothing seems to be going right for her and she does not know how to rebuild her life. After hearing something about the day her best friend died, Beth knows something is not quite right about the way Charlotte died and she sets out on a mission to find out what really happened and to get justice for her friend. It started off ok, though I did find the story slightly boring to start with, it did pick up and the ending was good. The characters are not really likeable but that is what you need in this sort of story. It felt a little too mum friendly too me. Not really sure this book was for me.

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The Murder After the Night Before By Katy Brent

The Murder After the Night Before By Katy Brent

Something bad happened last night. My best friend Posey is dead. The police think it was a tragic accident. I know she was murdered.

I’ve woken up with the hangover from hell, a stranger in my bed, and I’ve gone viral for the worst reasons.

There’s only one thing stopping me from dying of shame. I need to find a killer.

But after last night, I can’t remember a thing…

My Thoughts:

This is my second book by Katy and I wanted to give another one a try to see if I would like it. Molly’s best friend is dead but the police are palming it off as a accident but Molly knows that there is more to this than meets the eye. Molly sets out to find out who killed her best mate. Another story where you think there may be amusing parts but there really wasn’t. The story is slow and does not really go anywhere. A real shame. Not for me unfortunately.

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How to Kill Men and Get Away with it By Katy Brent

How to Kill Men and Get Away with it By Katy Brent

Meet Kitty Collins.

FRIEND. LOVER. KILLER.

He was following me. That guy from the nightclub who wouldn’t leave me alone.

I hadn’t intended to kill him of course. But I wasn’t displeased when I did and, despite the mess I made, I appeared to get away with it.

That’s where my addiction started…

I’ve got a taste for revenge and quite frankly, I’m killing it.

My Thoughts:

This is my first by Katy Brent, the story line sounded intriguing. Kitty Collins life changes when a guy starts following her. When she kills him, she does not feel a thing and quite likes the thrill of it all. This is when the story comes into full force and Kitty has to choose her next victim. The story is a simple one but one I did not really enjoy as much as I thought I would. It gets a bit boring half way through. I would be interested to read another of Katy’s books to see if I feel any different.

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The Formidable Miss Cassidy By Meihan Boey

The Formidable Miss Cassidy By Meihan Boey

Miss Cassidy is no ordinary governess. She can tutor the most wayward child, tell stories in multiple languages and fix any household crisis. But she also deals with problems of a far more dark and dangerous kind.

Arriving in 1890s Singapore, this formidable, flame-haired Scotswoman soon finds herself (among other things) ridding a house of a bloodthirsty demon and raising a spirit from the dead. But when she is hired by the wealthy Chinese widower Mr Kay, whose family is suffering from a terrible curse, she must battle forces far more ancient and powerful than any she has encountered – not to mention the unexpected impulses of her own heart… An irresistible brew of magic, romance and mystery The Formidable Miss Cassidy invites you to embark on a thrilling supernatural adventure alongside an unforgettable heroine.

My Thoughts:

This is not my usual read but something about the story line intrigued me. Miss Cassidy is ready to change the lives of people around her. I felt as though she was a bit like Mary Poppins, I thought Miss Cassidy of a wonderful woman who would do anything for anyone and help the best way that she can, it was full of adventure and mystery that it kind of makes you spell bound. It was definitely a unique and quirky read but one I am glad I picked up.

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

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A Court of Silver Flames By Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Silver Flames By Sarah J. Maas

Nesta Archeron has always been prickly – proud, swift to anger and slow to forgive. And since the war – since being made High Fae against her will – she’s struggled to forget the horrors she endured and find a place for herself within the strange and deadly Night Court.

The person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred, winged warrior who is there at Nesta’s every turn. But her temper isn’t the only thing Cassian ignites. And when they are forced to train in battle together, sparks become flame.

As the threat of war casts its shadow over them once again, Nesta and Cassian must fight monsters from within and without if they are to stand a chance of halting the enemies of their court. But the ultimate risk will be searching for acceptance – and healing – in each other’s arms.

My Thoughts:

The last book in the Series and I feel bereft. It really has been a Series that I did not think I would like. But as soon as I started the first book I knew I was in for a real treat. I have not ever had a Series like this that I have totally fallen for. This is more of Nesta and Cassian’s relationship but we do hear from other characters too. I was not sure if I liked Nesta to begin with but the more I read about her the more I liked her. It was such an enchanting and magical story that you can’t help but get swept along with. I don’t think I will be able to love a Series as much as I have loved this one. Now off to find more of Sarah’s books.

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A Court of Starlight and Frost By Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Starlight and Frost By Sarah J. Maas

In this companion tale to the bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses series, Feyre, Rhys and their friends are working to rebuild the Night Court and the vastly changed world beyond after the events of A Court of Wings and Ruin.

But Winter Solstice is finally near, and with it a hard-earned reprieve. Yet even the festive atmosphere can’t keep the shadows of the past from looming. As Feyre navigates her first Winter Solstice as High Lady, she finds that those dearest to her have more wounds than she anticipated – scars that will have a far-reaching impact on the future of their court.

My Thoughts:

This is the fourth book in the ACOTAR Series and the one book that is the shortest from the rest. After reading such chunky books this was a light relief on the hands. The story is a much lighter one than the previous books, you get to see the characters move on from what happened in the previous book. You kind of get more back story into the characters in this book which I liked because it helps with understand their actions in the next book. For me this book made me excited to read the last book and also sad because I do not want this series to be over.

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All Boats are Sinking By Hannah Pierce

All Boats are Sinking By Hannah Pierce

“All boats are sinking, Hannah, just at different rates.”

After a break-up, some hit the gym; some cut their hair; others have a one-night stand. In the aftermath of her break-up, Hannah bought a narrowboat.

Newly single and plunged into life on the water, Hannah had to learn quickly how to grapple with exploding toilets, disappearing hulls, and the curious glances and questions from pedestrians on the towpath. But when career burn-out, a global pandemic and an ill-advised rebound relationship threatened to sink her, Hannah felt the need to escape. In a bid to let go of the past and restore her sense of self-worth, she embarked on a narrowboat odyssey which took her from the bustling streets of London to the tranquil yet dramatic waterways of West Yorkshire.

Suffering from an apparent magnetism to drama but buoyed by her brilliant friends, Hannah tells of the challenges of off-grid life as a single 30-something on the water. All this as she tries to balance the tension between owning her singledom and giving in to a deep desire to find love.

Peppered with lists, recipes, maps, footnotes and diagrams, and spanning hundreds of miles of the British waterways, it’s an uplifting and often hilarious story of adventure and personal growth, and of a woman trying to keep her boat and life afloat. And to answer that perennial question: yes, it’s cold on the boat in winter.

My Thoughts:

After things go wrong in Hannah’s life, she puts her best foot forward and buys a narrowboat. What Hannah does not realise is that narrowboats need a lot of work doing to them to keep them stay afloat basically like what she is doing. She is determined to view places in England she has never seen before but she faces new challenges along the way. I have to say it was not a book I thought I would enjoy but I really got to know Hannah through out this story and really felt as though she was a friend at the end. My knowledge on narrowboats is barely existent so it was wonderful to read about and learn something new. It is a mixed emotion bag where one minute you feel sorry for Hannah and then the next you are laughing along with her. A must read for anyone who is thinking about navigating their life on a different path.

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

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