Trouble is coming to the four streets, especially for its redoubtable women, who’ve struggled through a bitter winter to put food on the table. The Dock Queen Carnival is only weeks away, but there’s no money for the usual celebrations. No sign of a tramp ship with illicit cargo to be quietly siphoned off by the dockers.

Peggy Nolan, with seven boys and a husband too lazy to work, has hit rock bottom and is hiding a terrible secret. Little Paddy, her mischievous eldest, is all too often in trouble, but he’d do anything for the mother he loves. How can he save her from selling herself on the streets – or worse?

Maura and Tommy Doherty always looked out for any neighbour in trouble, especially Peggy, but they’re far away, running a pub in Ireland and corrupt copper, Frank the Skank, is moving into their old house on the four streets. Can anything bring them home in time?

My Thoughts:

This is the fourth book in this series, without reading the other three books I thought it was a great read. I liked the fact it is centred around a street with lots of interesting characters, you can see when times were really hard how these people stuck together and helped each other out. Even through a really bad time of sadness and heartbreak you can really see the neighbours pulling together to help one another even if they don’t have much themselves. It was a powerful story, one that literally blew me away, I will have to get stuck into the other three now as I always like to know the characters background. I also want to learn more about the history of the place and also the street as I am sure I would find that very interesting too. An enjoyable read.

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

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Soon after upending her life to accompany her boyfriend Ryan to the Arctic, Maya realises it’s not all Northern Lights and husky sleigh rides. Instead, she’s facing sub-zero temperatures, 24-hour darkness, crippling anxiety – and a distant boyfriend as a result.

In her loneliest moment, Maya opens her late mother’s recipe book and cooks Indian food for the first time. Through this, her confidence unexpectedly grows – she makes friends, secures a job as a chef, and life in the Arctic no longer freezes her with fear.

But there’s a cost: the aromatic cuisine rekindles memories of her enigmatic mother and her childhood in Bangalore. Can Maya face the past and forge a future for herself in this new town? After all, there’s now high demand for a Curry Club in the Arctic, and just one person with the know-how to run it…

My Thoughts:

I couldn’t wait to start reading this book, the story sounded really good and the title sounded intriguing. Maya and her boyfriend have moved to the Arctic and she is not at all fussed about it, it doesn’t seem all it is cracked up to be. Because of all this Ryan is being distant from her which makes her feel lonely in such an isolated place. Her mother use to cook and that is where Maya has learnt her skills from, so to bring comfort to herself she reads her mother’s cook book and cooks from it, from here she starts to make a few friends and manages to get a job doing something she loves. Finally things are looking up. Maybe coming here is not a bad thing after all. I think people will be able to relate to this story about doing something for someone you love but with it not necessarily the right thing for you. It shows you can make the best of a bad situation if you just put your mind to it. I really enjoyed this uplifting read and I look forward to reading what ever Dani comes up next with.

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

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How well do you know your neighbour?

Would you trust them with your life?

I heard Emily before I saw her. The harsh smack of heels against cheap wooden floorboards. The loud phone calls. The incessant music.

I knew Emily before I met her. Discarded receipts in our communal hallway. Sticky leftovers in the shared food waste bin. Wine shop vouchers in the letterbox.

Now she’s gone missing, and I’m the only one who can find her. The only one who can save her.

Because I know her best, and I heard everything.

My Thoughts:

This was a very good spine tingling thriller that I read in a day as I didn’t want to put it down. It is all about neighbours and how well do you really know them. But living in close proximity maybe you know more about your neighbours than they might think. I found this book creepy and eerie but it made me want to read on, when you think you know someone so well but never really spoke to them, the neighbour from next door, you know their movements and what they do in the evenings when they are at home. What do you do when they go missing? can she work out the missing pieces and find Emily before it is too late? be suspicious of everyone because you don’t know what they know about you.

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

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Have you heard about the couple on Maple Drive?

Isla barely leaves the house after her brutal mugging.

Her boyfriend Zach moved in with her after the attack. To look after her.

But something else has happened now. Right on their doorstep.

I don’t want to say that someone’s out to get her…

I just hope they find out the truth before it’s too late.

Or at least before the secrets they’re hiding from each other surface.

Because those could be even deadlier…

My Thoughts:

I don’t think I have read many of Sam’s books before if any. This book was fantastic. I loved the sound of the plot it sounded intriguing, I knew it would keep me on the edge of my seat and keep me guessing as to what was going to happen. I found it engaging and twisty with the right amount of turns to make you want to read on just a little bit more. The story is about Isla, she hardly leaves the house after she was involved in a vicious attack, when her boyfriend moves in, things start going bad, but is someone out to get her? secrets and lies and betrayals all make this one hell of a ride of a read. I felt as though I was on a rollercoaster of emotions. It was such a brilliant read and from now on I will be catching up on all of Sam’s previous books as I loved this one.

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

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THE WESTERN FRONT, JULY 1918. Gregor Reinhardt is a young lieutenant in a stormtrooper battalion on the Western Front when one of his subordinates is accused of murdering a group of officers, and then subsequently trying to take his own life. Not wanting to believe his friend could have done what he is accused of, Reinhardt begins to investigate. He starts to uncover the outline of a conspiracy at the heart of the German army, a conspiracy aimed at ending the war on the terms of those who have a vested interest in a future for Germany that resembles her past.

The investigation takes him from the devastated front lines of the war, to the rarefied heights of Berlin society, and into the hospitals that treat those men who have been shattered by the stress and strain of the war. Along the way, Reinhardt comes to an awakening of the man he might be. A man freed of dogma, whose eyes have been painfully opened to the corruption and callousness all around him. A man to whom calls to duty, to devotion to the Fatherland and to the Kaiser, ring increasingly hollow…

My Thoughts:

This is a bit of a different read for me, I choose it because I always like to read something a bit different as you never know if you will enjoy it or not. I was pleasantly surprised that I did enjoy it. It is quite heavy going but in a fast paced kind of way. I do enjoy books set in the past and to find out what happened on the Western Front in 1918. It was a real eye opener and I discovered after reading this, that I hardly knew much about The Western Front but after reading this book I feel as though I have gained a great more deal of knowledge. The way Luke the author writes, you can almost imagine you are there in the trenches with all the men, smelling the gun powder and everything else. It is captivating and I went on a rollercoaster of emotions reading it, but I am glad I did as I feel as though I have learnt a great deal and I hope it helps other people learn things that they might not of known before. Such a great story too. I would be intrigued to read the other books in this series now too.

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

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Seven friends. One killer. You can run, but you can’t hide…

The Boxing Day hike is meant to bring their nature group together.
Emily, the sister who never lets her hearing loss hold her back.
Lauren, the sister who always feels a step behind.
Morna, who doesn’t get on with Lauren.
Ben, whose feelings for Emily border on obsession.
Dan, the quiet newcomer to the group.
Kai, who isn’t just on the hike to enjoy the wildlife.
And Alec, the one who knows all their secrets.

As the sun sets, a gunshot rings out on the nature reserve.
One of the seven is dead. And one of their number killed them…

My Thoughts:

This was such a great read, it has everything you could want from a thriller. It is captivating and engaging but also tense and dramatic with plenty of twists that you could never even imagine. I loved the idea of the story line and it really brought the story to life. Lots of characters but who is the one hiding the secret? It’s a well thought out plot line with red herrings galore but the story is so good and the ending I didn’t believe. I feel like I want to re-read this story again in case I missed anything the first time.

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

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I promised her I’d protect him… and I’ll do anything to keep him safe. 

Five years ago, my sister Rachel left her baby boy on my doorstep. A little bundle wrapped in blankets.

I loved him. I cared for him. I called him Noah and raised him as my own.

Rachel was full of secrets, and the truth about Noah was one we shared. A secret just between sisters.

Now, my sister is dead. The police say it was an accident… But I’m convinced that’s a lie.

I owe it to Rachel to uncover the truth… Even if I risk losing the family I’ve fought so hard for.

My Thoughts:

I think Karen writes a brilliant psychological thriller, her stories are always packed full of intrigued and twists and turns. There are some great characters with believable and relatable lives, the plot is paced well, it captivates you so you want to keep reading on. I liked the sound of the plot too. Karen’s writing gives you that level of intrigue that you just want to read a bit more. You wonder what is going to happen but the twists that happen in the book will leave you on the edge of your seat, when the first big twist came, I didn’t really know what the outcome was going to be. But it was very good, and kept me engaged till the end. I look forward to Karen’s next book. They are just brilliant.

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

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Have you ever experienced imposter syndrome? Do you often find yourself seeking approval from others? Is beating yourself up getting you down?

Then this book can help you.

With thought-provoking advice, a step-by-step action plan and a simple method to challenge your inner critic, You Are Enough will help you embrace your flaws and celebrate your unique awesomeness. Let go of the myth of perfection, finally stop comparing yourself to others, and learn how to be happy with all that you are.

My Thoughts:

This is a bit of a different kind of read for me, but one I wanted to read as it really did help me. This book is all about embracing your flaws and to be happy being you, which I have struggled with for a long time. It is broken down into three sections with different parts in those chapters. I suggest getting a notebook which I did and when a chapter asks you questions, you can write down your answers to come back to later, this really helped me. It is all about helping to shift your mind set and thinking more positively about yourself, and I have to say this book has taught me a lot and also helped me feel more positive about who I am. I hope this book helps other people too. I can re-read it as many times as I like and I truly think it will help me in the future if I ever need it again. I am so glad I have read it and I like that at the back of the book there are more reading suggestions.

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

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Twelve clues. Twelve keys. Twelve days of Christmas.
But who will survive until Twelfth Night?

Lily Armitage never intended to return to Endgame House – the grand family home where her mother died twenty-one Christmases ago. Until she receives a letter from her aunt, asking her to return to take part in an annual tradition: the Christmas Game. The challenge? Solve twelve clues, to find twelve keys. The prize? The deeds to the manor house.

Lily has no desire to win the house. But her aunt makes one more promise: The clues will also reveal who really killed Lily’s mother all those years ago.

So, for the twelve days of Christmas, Lily must stay at Endgame House with her estranged cousins and unravel the riddles that hold the key not just to the family home, but to its darkest secrets. However, it soon becomes clear that her cousins all have their own reasons for wanting to win the house – and not all of them are playing fair.

As a snowstorm cuts them off from the village, the game turns deadly. Soon Lily realises that she is no longer fighting for an inheritance, but for her life.

This Christmas is to die for . . . Let the game begin

My Thoughts:

I love a good murder mystery so was keen to see what this book was all about. It is a little like Agatha Christie and shares some similarities. For me I enjoyed it, it was predictable and a little slow but I was intrigued with how the story line would pan out whilst being a game. Even if you don’t solve the clues, it was still a nice story to follow along to, it is a story with a murder mystery and alongside it is other content for people who want to solve the clues. I think it is a fun book with a predictable ending.

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

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The coastline of Cumbria stretches for almost two hundred miles from Morecambe Bay to the Solway Firth and passes through the beautiful Lake District National Park. The Cumbria and Lake District Coast provides suggestions for places to visit along the coast, including picturesque harbours, stately homes, museums and seaside resorts. Readers will also discover less well-known sights such as medieval buildings, lighthouses and stone circles. The Lancashire shores of Morecambe Bay and the Scottish shores of the Solway Firth are included too.

For those interested in the history of the coast, there is an introduction to the role of coastal trade through the centuries. Topics include the Roman coastal defences that once extended to Maryport beyond Hadrian’s Wall, how mining contributed to the growth of ports such as Barrow, Millom and Workington, and the canals that linked ports at Lancaster, Ulverston and Carlisle to the shore.

For wildlife enthusiasts, the book highlights the many nature reserves that dot the shoreline and the varied habitats that are found, such as sand dunes, lowland raised mires and spectacular sea cliffs. There are also tips on watching waterbirds, for which Morecambe Bay and the Solway Firth are famed, and on where to see seals and tidal bores such as the Arnside Bore.

With stunning colour photographs, The Cumbria and Lake District Coast is a must-read for travellers and local residents alike. It will also be of interest to walkers along the England Coast Path, a fabulous new long-distance trail which is due to be completed shortly.

My Thoughts:

I couldn’t wait to read this book after going to the Lake District recently and loving it, I wanted to learn more about this stunning place and this was the perfect book to do that with. It is a very interesting and engaging read, where you can learn so much from, it is filled with lots of information about different things. The parts that really interested me the most was learning about all the different wildlife and birds. It gives a detailed look at things ranging from the different estuary’s and water safety to a bit about the history to the different wildlife and birds, I feel as though there is a bit for everyone in here. The pictures are great and really makes me want to go back now, now I have a bit more knowledge up my sleeve about this beautiful and breathtaking place. This book is such a handy guide to keep with you when you are out and about.

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

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