Rhoda Baxter's Blog, page 22

Book review: A Summer to Remember by Sue Moorcroft

A Summer to Remember by Sue Moorcroft My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When Clancy is betrayed by her boyfriend and work colleagues, she takes up the job of caretaker for a row of cottages in Nelson’s Bar, which is a tiny village by the sea. There she find comfort and friendship amoung the locals and, of course, love.

A Summer to Remember is such a sunny book! The village, with its cliff top walks and lack on mobile signal or internet, feels like a character in itself. Clancy is very earnest and thoug...

Book review: Not Your Knight In Shining Armour by Kate Johnson

Not Your Knight in Shining Armour by Kate Johnson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh my word, I loved this book.
Scarlet is a plus sized heroine (she’d say ‘fat’). She’s been a rock and roll brat and done that. Now she’s relauching a career as her new, sober, self.
Tom is a mess. He’s suffering from PTSD, tends to drink too much and is often depressed. He has tried just about every treatment money could buy (and he’s a Prince, so he has the money to buy just about everything!) but it’s not helping.
He...

Bookreview: Burnout by Emily and Amelia Nagoski

Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I first heard about this book on the Smart Bitches podcast and thought it sounded interesting, so when I saw it on Netgalley, I requested it immediately. I burned out last year and ended up leaving my job. Anything that would help with my recovery would be most welcome.
This book made sense. A lot of the stuff you get told to do to protect your mental health - meditate, take 'me time', colour in etc - an...

Book review: Level Up by Craig Anderson

Level Up by Craig Anderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first time I've read any Lit RPG (I've seen Ready Player One, but not read it). This book was really fun.
After a freak accident, Marcus finds himself trapped between the real world and a video game. Normal rules have ceased to apply and video game rules are important. Marcus has to level up and defeat the big boss at the end of the game in order to save the real world from imploding.

I enjoyed the jokes. The pivot tables made me la...

Book review: Adventures in Dating in Heels by Liam livings

Adventures in Dating...in Heels by Liam Livings
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's the nineties and Kev is a teenager. He knows he's gay and he likes to cross dress. He has a job in TKMaxx and a best friend, Tony, who is more worldly wise than he is.
This is a coming of age story, told in episodic chapters in Kev's voice. Kev is adorable and the book explores his relationships with his mother (lovely), his father (not a nice guy), Tony (bestie) and various boyfriends. Poor Kev isn't the luckiest whe...

Book review: Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is a classic, but I'd never read it. So when it came up on my Kindle, I bought it. I'm so glad I did.
This is the kind of Sci Fi I like.
Charlie has a low IQ, but he's not aggressive (in fact, he's very nice and kind) and has the urge to better himself. He undergoes an experimental treatment to increase his IQ. The mouse that the treatment was tested on before Charlie is Algernon. At the start of the book, Algernon is able t...

Cover Reveal: This Stolen Life

My alter ego Jeevani Charika has a book coming out on the 8th of May. It’s a story about motherhood, student life and the secrets we hide from the people we love. It will be published by Hera books.

Here’s the cover and the blurb.

Book review: My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a great book! I picked this up after hearing the author being interviewed about it on Radio 4. A heroine who is constantly cleaning up crime scenes after her sister kills people sounded like too interesting a premise to pass up.
The chapters are short. The writing is beautifully sparse (it takes skill to say a lot in so few words). Korede knows her sister is a serial killer, but... she's her sister. She must prot...

Book review: Beginner’s Luck by Kate Clayborn

Beginner's Luck by Kate Clayborn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I kept hearing about this book and how it had really good representation of a scientist heroine. I'm so glad I picked it up.
Kit is a material scientist, who is happy with where she is, especially as a lottery win allows her to do the thing that she's always wanted to do and put down roots.

Ben has been sent to recruit Kit to a large private organisation. If she accepts, she would have to move.

I loved that both characters had issues and...

Book Review: Captain Amberton’s Inherited Bride

Captain Amberton's Inherited Bride by Jenni Fletcher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. I read it in about a day, which is pretty fast for me.
Lance Amberton is trying to do the right thing. He's lost his father and his brother and got injured all in the same week and he's having trouble adjusting.
Violet Harper has been controlled by her father all her life and even in his death, he's trying to marry her off like she's a possession. But if she refuses, she will be penniless.

B...