BOOK REVIEW THE FREQUENCY OF US BY KEITH STUART

In Second World War Bath, young, naïve wireless engineer Will meets Austrian refugee Elsa Klein: she is sophisticated, witty and worldly, and at last his life seems to make sense . . . until, soon after, the newly married couple’s home is bombed, and Will awakes from the wreckage to find himself alone.

No one has heard of Elsa Klein. They say he was never married.

Seventy years later, social worker Laura is battling her way out of depression and off medication. Her new case is a strange, isolated old man whose house hasn’t changed since the war. A man who insists his wife vanished many, many years before. Everyone thinks he’s suffering dementia. But Laura begins to suspect otherwise . . .

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to read on netgalley. I am a massive fan of his books ever since he captured my heart writing about autism .

His storytelling is magical and perfect escapism This is a beautiful heartfelt life affirming story of love , loss grief and hope .

It’s unique and original in both plot and the narrative. 2 very different peoples paths are crossed and their lives will never be the same again.

Thought provoking and sensitivity written as the reader is invited to explore the world and many layers of grief and crossroads in life.

Published 25th March

BOOK REVIEW A POSTCARD FROM PARIS BY ALEX BROWN

Annie Lovell is keen to put the spark back into her life and when her elderly neighbour inherits an abandoned Parisian apartment she goes to Paris to discover more. Her curiosity takes an unexpected turn on discovering a bundle of secret diaries hidden within the walls, detailing the life of a young English woman, Beatrice Crawford, who volunteered in 1916 to nurse the soldiers in the fields of France.
 
Captivated by the romantic City of Light, Annie realises first appearances are not always as they seem. Following Beatrice’s journey from the Great War, through the Roaring Twenties and to a very different life in Nazi-occupied Paris, Annie must piece together the events from the past, if she is to fulfil the legacy that Beatrice left for her to find…

Firstly thank you for the copy to review on netgalley.and apologies in delay in reading!

I’ve interacted with Alex for a good few years and have a few similarities in terms of our personal lives. So it brings me great pleasure to see her books being loved by fans everywhere.

Her writing is a delight and absolutely beautiful! Close your eyes and your in Paris. Evocative and captivating, this book whisks you away .Filled with history , romance, friendships and bloody strong women !,

I loved it and I can’t wat to get travelling one day to beautiful cities . Meanwhile I’ll do this through the magic of words ..

Published 15th April

BOOK REVIEW WAITING TO BEGIN BY AMANDA PROWSE

1984. Bessie is a confident sixteen-year-old girl with the world at her feet, dreaming of what life will bring and what she’ll bring to this life. Then everything comes crashing down. Her bright and trusting smile is lost, banished by shame—and a secret she’ll carry with her for the rest of her life.

2021. The last thirty-seven years have not been easy for Bess. At fifty-three she is visibly weary, and her marriage to Mario is in tatters. Watching her son in newlywed bliss—the hope, the trust, the joy—Bess knows it is time to face her own demons, and try to save her relationship. But she’ll have to throw off the burden of shame if she is to honour that sixteen-year-old girl whose dreams lie frozen in time.

Can Bess face her past, finally come clean to Mario, and claim the love she has longed to fully experience all these years?

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley. I have only read a few of her books but they are all beautifully written.

This is a story of life the good bad and ugly parts . Do we wake up fulfilled at 53 ?

Do we have regrets ? Does our paat haunt us? A story of identity, past secrets ,hopes,dreams and family.

Written in alternate timelines so we learn what happened in her past that’s affecting her present . Emotional and life affirming, this is a great read.

Published 8th June

BOOK REVIEW THE DINNER GUEST BY B.P. WALTER

Four people walked into the dining room that night. One would never leave.

Matthew: the perfect husband.

Titus: the perfect son.

Charlie: the perfect illusion.

Rachel: the perfect stranger.

Charlie didn’t want her at the book club. Matthew wouldn’t listen.

And that’s how Charlie finds himself slumped beside his husband’s body, their son sitting silently at the dinner table, while Rachel calls 999, the bloody knife still gripped in her hand.

Classic crime meets Donna Tartt in this nerve-shredding domestic noir thriller that weaves a sprawling web of secrets around an opulent West London world and the dinner that ends in death.

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley. I have really enjoyed his previous books especially his debut. So I was looking forward to reading this .

I raced through this and it completely exceeded my expectations. It is a phenomenal read!

Written in alternate narratives and timeliness , we know the what and who but we have to discover the how and why.

Who is this Rachel that’s appeared in their lives and seems to be making herself very comfortable. Is she an ally or foe? Can she be trusted?

Are people ever who do they appear to be and what they capture om Instagram …is it real life? Is Charlie really living his best life ??

An exciting, thrilling cleverly written well plotted thriller . Packed with suspense and twists and turns .

Published 1st April and I highly recommend.

BOOK REVIEW SILENT SUSPECT BY NELL PATTISON

A FIRE. A MURDER. A SILENT SUSPECT…

On a quiet street, one house is burning to the ground…

By the time sign language interpreter Paige Northwood arrives, flames have engulfed her client’s home. Though Lukas is safe, his wife is still inside. But she was dead before the fire started…

Lukas signs to Paige that he knows who killed his wife. But then he goes silent – even when the police charge him with murder.

Is he guilty, or afraid? Only Paige can help him now…

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley. This is the third in the series of silent books which join Paige as she works alongside others to assist with cases.

I raced through this, eager to discover the truth! All is not as seems and who can be trusted.

Fast paced, thrilling and packed with suspense. This is another fantastic book and I highly recommend you discover Nells writing.

With each book we get to know more about the characters and what makes them tick. I love that character development within a series.

A thrilling race against time to find the killer before someone innocent gets the blame… or are they as innocent as they seem?

Published 29th April

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BOOK REVIEW TRUE CRIME STORY BY JOSEPH KNOX

In the early hours of Saturday 17 December 2011, Zoe Nolan, a nineteen-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.
Seven years after her disappearance, struggling writer Evelyn Mitchell finds herself drawn into the mystery.
Through interviews with Zoe ‘ s closest friends and family, she begins piecing together what really happened in 2011.
But where some versions of events overlap, aligning perfectly with one another, others stand in stark contrast, giving rise to troubling inconsistencies.
Shaken by revelations of Zoe ‘ s secret life, and stalked by a figure from the shadows, Evelyn turns to crime writer Joseph Knox to help make sense of a case where everyone has something to hide.
Zoe Nolan may be missing presumed dead, but her story is only just the beginning..

Firstly a huge thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley. I’m a huge fan of this authors books so was excited to see what he had written next.

I’ll be honest its very different both to what I expected and to his series . I am left pondering after reading did I enjoy it.. not in a bad way! It is a highly thought provoking and unsettling account of a true mystery surrounding a teenager girls disappearance. I’m a mum to a teenage girl who’s off to uni this year so perhaps this shifted the level of enjoyment for me personally.

However it is incredibly fresh and written in a easy to read and follow dialogue. I raced through as was compelled to know more and find the truth.

It’s a dark topic but you can see the grit ,determination and passion that was given in getting this story out there.

Cleverly written and in a unique original style that captures the reader straight away.

Published 17th June

BOOK REVIEW THE CASTAWAYS BY LUCY CLARKE

It should be like any other holiday.

Beautiful beaches.
Golden sunsets.
Nothing for miles.

You’ll never want to leave.
Until you can’t…

I am a massive Lucy Clarke fan , I’ve been reading her books even before I was a book blogger. She is in the group of authors I will always buy.

I whizzed through this yesterday and wow it didn’t dissapoint ! This is written in alternate narratives and timeliness keeping the pace addictive and fast.

Unpredictable, thought provoking , exciting and packed with intrigue and mystery. An amazing book!

Tense and claustrophobic , Lucy’s evocative descriptive creative writing sets the scene.

Explores the dynamic of sisters and identity.. who are we to our siblings and to ourselves.

I highly recommend for the perfect escapism …as long as you’re safe and not castaway…

Published 1st March

BOOK REVIEW THE WIFE WHO GOT A LIFE BY TRACY BLOOM

Cathy Collins is a mum on a mission – to change her life.

When her husband drops a midlife-crisis bombshell,
Cathy decides it’s time to take control.

No more laundry, teenage tantrums or housework.
After years of putting herself last, she’s going to be first for a change.

Cathy Collins is carving a new path, and nothing is going to get in her way…

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley. I have loved Tracy’s other books so was excited to read this.

I binged in one go and loved it! Funny, witty and so relatable as a mum.

Heartwarming and a sheer delight to read. Deals with sensitive tough subjects as well as the comedic everyday moments .
Guaranteed to make you smile and perfect escapism .

Published 29th April

BOOK REVIEW WATCH HER FALL BY ERIN KELLY

WATCH HER RISE
After years of blood, sweat and tears, Ava Kirilova finally has the ballet world at her feet. But away from the spotlight, whispers backstage make her lonely and paranoid.

WATCH HER FALL
Because someone is watching her from the wings. Someone who wants what she has. Wants it so badly two people will pay with their lives.

I have been so eager to read this so it was my first purchase in a actual bookshop since lockdown. Firstly it is a beautiful cover that just draws you in.

Wow what a book! This is exquisite and cleverly written with such a evocative and atmospheric tone.

This plays on the theme of identity and who we are and its twisty ,dark and just amazing . We all have good and bad ,dark and light within us but what happens when the lines get blurred .

Add a large dash of ballet, hurt,revenge and lies you have a original fresh captivating psychological thriller.

I loved this and highly recommend.

BOOK REVIEW THE STRANGERS WE KNOW BY PIP DRYSDALE

Imagine seeing your loving husband on a dating app. Now imagine that’s the best thing that happens to you all week …

When Charlie sees a man who is the spitting image of her husband Oliver on a dating app, her heart stops. Her first desperate instinct is to tell herself she must be mistaken – after all, she only caught a glimpse from a distance as her friends laughingly swiped through the men on offer. But no matter how much she tries to push her fears aside, she can’t let it go. Because she took that photo. On their honeymoon.

Suddenly other signs of betrayal start to add up and so Charlie does the only thing she can think of to defend her position – she signs up to the app to catch Oliver in the act.

But Charlie soon discovers that infidelity is the least of her problems. Nothing is as it seems and nobody is who she thinks they are …

Firstly thank you to the publishers for my copy and apologies for the delay.

This is a new author for me and will definitely be reading more from her. This is a fantastic book that is one hell of a rollercoaster.

Tension , lies,secrets and betrayal. Fast paced and highly addictive.

Excellent and original plot and holds all the ingredients for a great psychological thriller.