I adored the first book in this series (Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen), so when I saw this book go up on Netgalley, I requested it immediately. I I adored the first book in this series (Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen), so when I saw this book go up on Netgalley, I requested it immediately. I read it in a day - finished it at some ridiculous hour in the middle of the night.
Luke Doomsday was a child in the last book, he's all grown up in this one. He is at Stone Manor on a mission. Rufus D'Aumesty is the new Earl Oxney and is struggling to keep up with the chaotic administration of his estate. When Luke turns up, a calm and efficient secretary, he seems like a godsend in more ways than one.
I really enjoyed this book. Rufus is just too lovely - so kind and so very, very honest. Luke is ... less honest at times. The story takes place mostly in the big house, but the marshes play a role too. (I recently went on holiday to Norfolk, which has similar reclaimed land and I feel I now understand the descriptions of the marsh better now). In some places the story veers into danger and the tension is palpable. I was quite worried at one point!
A great central story with an interesting cast of supporting characters. I enjoyed this thoroughly. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. ...more
I've read all of the books in this series. There are few mentions of the previous books, but only in passing, so you can read this book as a standalonI've read all of the books in this series. There are few mentions of the previous books, but only in passing, so you can read this book as a standalone novel without reading any of the others in the series. This book feels slightly 'older' than the earlier ones and has leaned into the horror elements a bit more. Is Cozy Christmas Horror a thing? If so, this is it. It's scary, but in places it is also genuinely funny. The big fight with the Christmas ornaments made me giggle.
If you like Terry Pratchett's Tiffany Aching books, you'll enjoy these books. I'm looking forward to reading more books set in Woodville. I received an ARC through Netgalley. This is my honest review....more
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. CharlThis 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 to navigate a maze faster than Charlie. The story is told through Charlie's notes/ diary that he has to keep for the experiment. You see him go from being well meaning and confused, to increasingly intelligent until he's passed everyone he knows. The scenes where he realises that the colleagues who he thought were his friends and were laughing with him, were actually laughing at him, is heart breaking. Actually, quite a lot of the book is heartbreaking. You feel anguish for Charlie as he was and for Charlie as he has become. It's an incredibly moving book, quite sad, but thought provoking. I will be thinking about this one for days. I'll probably re-read it.
Merged review:
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 to navigate a maze faster than Charlie. The story is told through Charlie's notes/ diary that he has to keep for the experiment. You see him go from being well meaning and confused, to increasingly intelligent until he's passed everyone he knows. The scenes where he realises that the colleagues who he thought were his friends and were laughing with him, were actually laughing at him, is heart breaking. Actually, quite a lot of the book is heartbreaking. You feel anguish for Charlie as he was and for Charlie as he has become. It's an incredibly moving book, quite sad, but thought provoking. I will be thinking about this one for days. I'll probably re-read it....more
Richard is a grumpy actor known for being a bit miserable and rude. Elaine is an actress known for being nice and kind. In order to save Richard's repRichard is a grumpy actor known for being a bit miserable and rude. Elaine is an actress known for being nice and kind. In order to save Richard's reputation, the management of the theatre they work in engineer a fauxmance between them.
Richard was so very, very grumpy. Elaine was fun. She was strong and the polar opposite of Richard in personality. There's a lot of fun banter between the two and some of the interactions were hilarious. I always like a fake relationship story too.
I really enjoyed this book and will be reading the rest in the series....more
This is an unusual thriller. It was so much fun to read!
Saffy is a serial killer. It's a hobby, of sorts. Jon is a true crime podcaster who actually hThis is an unusual thriller. It was so much fun to read!
Saffy is a serial killer. It's a hobby, of sorts. Jon is a true crime podcaster who actually helped catch a serial killer. Two, in fact. His marriage has fallen apart and he's quite depressed. Girl is a dog. She is a Very Good Girl.
Saffy has a crush on Jon and she's worked out exactly how she's going to meet him and help him fall in love with her. In the meantime, Jon's podcast seems to have been provided a place, not just for true crime fans to gather, but for serial killers to find a place where they feel less alone. And these people want their favourite podcast back.
As thrillers go, this was tense, but also light hearted in places. It's wry and enjoyable. I raced through it in one train journey. It's the sort of book that I will press into people's hands and urge them to read....more
I bought this book because of the cover. It's so beautiful and clever.
The story is a gothic love story set during the early 1800s in Edinburgh. HazelI bought this book because of the cover. It's so beautiful and clever.
The story is a gothic love story set during the early 1800s in Edinburgh. Hazel wants to become a surgeon - a profession not available to a lady. She's promised in marriage to a viscount (her cousin Bernard, whom she's known since childhood). Jake is a bodysnatcher (or 'Resurrection man' as he'd prefer), who removes bodies from graves and sells them to the doctors to practice on.
The story touches on medicine at the time and the differences between what life was like in the different classes of society. It's quite gruesome, in places. At the core of it, it's still a love story. I enjoyed it a lot....more
This was a refreshing book because the protagonists were older. They are friends online but have not met - which, as you know, is completely my catnipThis was a refreshing book because the protagonists were older. They are friends online but have not met - which, as you know, is completely my catnip. Because of the way their online interaction panned out, she thinks he's a 20-something youngster and he thinks she's an old lady in her 80s. When they meet they realise that they are the same age.
Maggie is wonderfully grumpy and anti social (frankly, I can relate). Aiden is a sort-of muted Sunshine to her grumpy. I liked that too. One of my favourite things about this book was the explicitly demi-sexual hero. The fact that he's only working out what's 'wrong' with him (and she's there to tell him that there's NOTHING wrong with feeling the way he feels!) allows his demi-sexuality and his bi-sexuality to be discussed without it getting in the way of the story. Their whole interaction is really caring and adorable.
I love a prickly heroine and a beta hero, so I completely adored this story....more
This book was described at Falling Down for the #MeToo generation. I think that's a great description. Em is having a terrible day. She's been fired, lThis book was described at Falling Down for the #MeToo generation. I think that's a great description. Em is having a terrible day. She's been fired, let down, generally used and ignored and... she needs to get the airport for her sister's wedding. It's a boiling hot day in London and there's a transport strike on. The only way she can get to the airport is if she walks.
Everything that happens to Em is relatable - they are all things that happen to women on a daily basis. She's ostracised in her workplace because she was the victim of sexual harrasment from her boss. She's wearing uncomfortable shoes that aren't suited for walking six miles whilst dragging a case behind her. Her family have expectations of her. Random met catcall her. Her period starts. It's just one thing after another.
This book is an accumulation of just some of things that women have to deal with every day. Each individual things sounds trivial. 'Some guy groped you? Not a big deal, it was only a small thing etc...' and 'Don't make a fuss, you don't want to be THAT girl' or worse 'don't make a fuss, it'll only make it worse' (and the depressing thing is that it so often DOES make it worse). The trade off between safety and dignity is something women deal with every day.
Eventually, it all becomes too much and Em snaps. The consequences are devastating.
This is a great book. Angry, yes, but also riveting. It helps that I read it during an oppressive heat way. I could feel the soupy air of over-hot London as I read it. The story is tense. I really liked how you could trace the journey across London in your mind as she went.
An excellent read. I received a review copy through Netgalley (Thank you!). ...more
I've been meaning to read this book for ages, and I can't remember why it's taken me so long to get to these. It's a real pity because I totally lovedI've been meaning to read this book for ages, and I can't remember why it's taken me so long to get to these. It's a real pity because I totally loved it. I enjoy reading about characters who are smart and competent at what they do (it doesn't really matter what they actually do, it matters that they're good at it - if that makes sense). I also like geeky characters and characters with diverse/ mixed heritage ... and I love a beta hero. So this ticks all the boxes. Tobin's goofiness is endearing. Lily's super-organised rigidity is completely the opposite to Tobin. I liked that they softened each other's hard edges and that together they were more than the sum of the parts.
I can't believe I haven't read any Cathy Yardley books before. I'm fixing that now. I finished this one and immediately started on the next book in the series ...more
I enjoyed the first book so much that I bought this one straight away. As before, this has all the things that I love in a book - geeky people, diversI enjoyed the first book so much that I bought this one straight away. As before, this has all the things that I love in a book - geeky people, diverse characters, nice-guy heroes, friends to lovers AND terrible cheese puns! Honestly, what's not to love?
Josh and Tam have been friends for EVER and they are each other's safety net, so putting that at risk seems like terrible risk to them both. I love how Josh took care of Tam by feeding her - food is important to them both. I loved, loved, loved the cheese puns.
I can't believe I took so long to find this series. I am enjoying them hugely....more
I bloody loved this book. The gentleman and the smuggler. Gareth Inglis was abandoned by his father and bullied by his uncle and cousin. He's very surI bloody loved this book. The gentleman and the smuggler. Gareth Inglis was abandoned by his father and bullied by his uncle and cousin. He's very surprised to hear that he has inherited the family pile. Joss Doomsday is too busy running the smuggling operation to think about other things ... normally.
I loved how different the two men were and how the power balance between them ebbed and flowed. You'd think that Gareth would be the needy one, but Joss needs him just as much. I liked how the fenlands were almost a character in themselves - especially as the two men see the marshes through different lenses. The Doomsday family dynamic was really interesting to read too. I gather that Luke is the hero in the next book. I'm really looking forward to reading that! ...more
It's a more literary read than my usual fare. It turns out my tolerance for dark subjects is pretty low now. Luckily, this book has a good amount of hIt's a more literary read than my usual fare. It turns out my tolerance for dark subjects is pretty low now. Luckily, this book has a good amount of humour threaded into it, which leavens the bleaker aspects.
I'm Sri Lankan and spent my childhood in Colombo in the 80s, so a lot of the stuff in the background was familiar to me. I really liked the fact that there were no attempts made to explain what the smattering of non-English words were - you could easily work it out from context. I did wonder if there was some subtext in the way the characters spoke to each other that would go unnoticed by people who weren't familiar with the culture. Not that it mattered. It's a nice extra layer to see.
The hero, whilst not particularly heroic, is relatable and interesting. It takes some skill to pull off a book that's written in the second person present tense and Shehan Karunathilaka does a great job of it. The mystery of who killed Maali Almeida is compelling. The book is quite political in places, which isn't surprising given that it's about someone who photographs the war dead. All in all a great book. An immersive read....more
Willa is forced out of her comfort zone by her best friend Valentina's dying wish that she go on an immersive Outlander themed holiday. It's all the mWilla is forced out of her comfort zone by her best friend Valentina's dying wish that she go on an immersive Outlander themed holiday. It's all the more impressive because Willa's comfort zone is working in Hollywood interviewing celebrities!
Finn's family farm is in trouble. He's reluctantly helping his step-sister with her mad scheme of holding Outlander themed holidays.
I don't watch Outlander, but I've got the gist of it that it's about a time travelling bigamist nurse and there's a lot of Scots involved.
This book was tremendous fun. Sort of like Outlander meets Austenland. At it's heart it's a story about what family means to different people and how you can find your family in places you'd never expect. I really enjoyed this book. It also made me yearn for porridge. I received a review copy via Netgalley. Thank you!...more
This book was charming and just the tonic I needed to brighten up my day!
Seren is a cook for a day centre for the elderly. Ned is the odd job man for This book was charming and just the tonic I needed to brighten up my day!
Seren is a cook for a day centre for the elderly. Ned is the odd job man for the centre. Kes is a dog and a very good boy.
I liked how Seren is aware of her agarophobic tendencies, but tries to explain to herself that she's fine, really. I also liked her strange relationship with her big brother - who was her sibling and parent in one. Ned is kind and thoughtful. He's exactly the sort of person Seren needed. I especially liked that his love did not cure her and the solution they reached was a genuine compromise (can't tell you any more without spoilers). The characters from the care centre were fun, too. The Dungeons and Dragons playing heavy metal band were brilliant. I usually enjoy Jane Lovering's books. This one is no exception....more
I was offered a copy of Straight As A Jalebi to read in return for a review quote. As you know, I try to keep up with any new romance novels that featI was offered a copy of Straight As A Jalebi to read in return for a review quote. As you know, I try to keep up with any new romance novels that feature South Asian characters, so I was delighted to read it.
Sunny is the 'good' son. He works in the family business and is generally very straight-laced. His niche shop in Birmingham has started a collaboration with the Indian clothing designer Milan, whose dazzling wedding clothes are bringing UK desi brides to the shop in droves.
Milan is the polar opposite of Sunny. He's flamboyant and over the top, playing to his campy designer image.
Sunny and Milan are drawn inexorably towards each other, but neither of them can come out to their families. Before they know it, they're both engaged to nice, suitable girls to be married. What are they going to do now?
It's nice to see South Asian rep. It's even nicer to see queer South Asian rep. I also liked that Sunny's side of the story was rooted firmly in the diaspora, so that you got to see Indians with all sorts of different outlooks on life.
This is a delightful male-male sweet romance. Sunny is just adorable and Milan is the perfect guy for him! I raced through this book in one highly enjoyable weekend....more
There is a shadowy organisation called Nevertheless, run by a group of rich and powerful women in New York. Hard-up journalist Jillian Beckley pitchesThere is a shadowy organisation called Nevertheless, run by a group of rich and powerful women in New York. Hard-up journalist Jillian Beckley pitches and article about how she would infiltrate Nevertheless and write an expose. Now she has to make good on this.
Getting into Nevertheless is tricky and succeeding is scary. Jillian finds out things about the group that are ... unexpected.
This is an interesting and compelling book. It takes a turn towards WTF at one point, but it all makes sense in the end. It's hard to say much more without giving spoilers. It has a minor romantic storyline in it, but it's not a romance at all (in case you were wondering). It's an enjoyable book, though. I'd call it women's fiction, perhaps with a hint of adventure. ...more
This book has been on my Kindle for a while and I finally got around to reading it. I love that Charlotte is a grumpy, caffiene obsessed, social awkwaThis book has been on my Kindle for a while and I finally got around to reading it. I love that Charlotte is a grumpy, caffiene obsessed, social awkward weirdo. I also love that Mike is a ray of sunshine, who has loved her forever and is exactly who she needs.
It's a quick read. There's quite a lot about food (which is one of the things I like about Jackie Lau's books). I didn't love this as much as I loved some of her other novellas (You should all read Only One Bed for Christmas), but it was pretty close....more
A wedding on a remote (and pretty scarily atmospheric) island off the coast of Ireland. A murder. The book is structured so that we don't know who had A wedding on a remote (and pretty scarily atmospheric) island off the coast of Ireland. A murder. The book is structured so that we don't know who had been murdered or how at the start of the book. We see the revelation of the murder and then we see the days leading up to the murder through the eyes of various people. It's wonderfully done. Clues are revealed about the problems and preoccupations of the various people in the wedding party until they all coalesce at the end to reveal the victim and the murderer. I really enjoyed reading this book. Gripping....more
This is a brilliantly evocative book. It follows four people who live in the Grand Life Apartments. Kamala (whose daughter has gone off to university,This is a brilliantly evocative book. It follows four people who live in the Grand Life Apartments. Kamala (whose daughter has gone off to university, leaving Kamala feeling a bit lost), Revathi (whose job is treating her apallingly and whose mother is nagging her to get married), Jason (who is running away from his heartbreak) and Mani (who owns the building and is fighting a battle of his own). We get to meet each of them and see the ups and downs of their lives. It's a quiet book - nothing overly dramatic, but it vividly describes every day life in modern Chennai. I really enjoyed reading and the food description meant I was craving a decent curry by the end....more
Sometimes, you're just in the mood for something light, fast paced and funny. This book delivers on all of those promises. Charlotte is the youngest oSometimes, you're just in the mood for something light, fast paced and funny. This book delivers on all of those promises. Charlotte is the youngest of three daughters and her mother is basically Mrs Bennett from Pride and Prejudice - anxious to marry off her daughters to rich men. Charlotte tries to save Piers from her mother and inadvertently stumbles into a scandal and an arranged engagement. Piers has his own secrets, which means that he is in danger. He can't protect someone like Charlotte. I really enjoyed the interaction and the respect between the two main characters. As with all books by Tessa Dare, it was very funny. ...more
I loved this book. Vera is such a great character - elderly, lonely, fearsome, interfering - an all round force of nature. Mostly though, she's lonelyI loved this book. Vera is such a great character - elderly, lonely, fearsome, interfering - an all round force of nature. Mostly though, she's lonely. Life is dull and colourless. No one comes to her tea house and nothing much happens. Until she comes downstairs and finds a dead man in her shop. Vera decides that the man has been murdered (even though the police don't think so) and decides to solve the mystery herself. We then get to see a group of very different individuals, all of whom could have killed the victim. I loved how we got to know the gang and how they became a sort of family to Vera. It was really sad to think that they were potential murderers. A brilliantly evocative and funny book. I recommend it wholeheartedly if you're after a comic murder mystery. I received a review copy from Netgalley. This is my honest review....more
A lovely debut novel. There are two storylines - one for Lily, who English and Chinese, but doesn't feel she belongs to either race, and one for Sook-YA lovely debut novel. There are two storylines - one for Lily, who English and Chinese, but doesn't feel she belongs to either race, and one for Sook-Yin (Lily's mother) who left Hong Kong as a young woman and tried to make a life for herself first in London, then in Hong Kong, but dies when Lily was five. When Lily finds that she and her sister have been left a substantial amount of money by a mysterious benefactor, Lily goes to Hong Kong to find out why. I felt that the story really came alive when Lily went to Hong Kong. The mystery subplot kept things moving. I loved that the handover of Hong Kong (from Britain to China) that happened in the background allowed small side discussions about the freedoms we take from granted in the West. The title is absolute genius too. The characters are interesting and flawed - Lily, who is clawing her way out of depression, and Sook-Yin who is a determined fighter but plagued by bad luck, are both vividly drawn. I enjoyed this book a lot and expect to hear a lot more about it once it's published.
I received an ARC from Netgalley (thank you). This is my honest review....more
This is one of the best books I've read this year! Lady con-artists and an audacious heist. I raced through it. Mrs King and Mrs Bone are both so well This is one of the best books I've read this year! Lady con-artists and an audacious heist. I raced through it. Mrs King and Mrs Bone are both so well described and easy to root for (they aren't NICE, but they're each relatable ... and formidable in their own way!). I loved the heist aspect of it and was genuinely tense reading the climactic scenes. There was a subtle mystery thread running through the book, which added an extra layer of intrigue. Wonderful!...more
I was given this as a Christmas present. I wasn't sure what I would make of it, because I'm a fan of Terry Pratchett's books and when he died, I felt I was given this as a Christmas present. I wasn't sure what I would make of it, because I'm a fan of Terry Pratchett's books and when he died, I felt palpable grief for this guy I'd never met, but had heard in my head for decades. When I read A Slip of The Keyboard, I cried. This is a biography, written by Rob Wilkins who DID know and work closely with Terry Pratchett. If you thought Pratchett was a twinkly cuddly person, you're in for a surprise (but if you've seen any of the programs about him/ by him, you'd know he's a grumpy old so and so for the most part, but a kind and lovely man nonetheless). Because it's Rob's memories, it's in Rob's voice, which made it much easier to read. The last few chapters, when The Embuggerance takes hold, were difficult, not least because Rob's own pain was so raw on the page. I don't really know what else to say in this review. If you want to see Terry Pratchett as his PA and friend saw him, then it's well worth a read. You might feel that you've had a glimpse into the day to day working practice of someone who was a writer through and through. I'm glad I read it. Now, I suppose I should read The Shepherd's Crown (I own it, and have listened to Tony Robinson reading it. I just haven't read it for myself yet).
This was a fun book. Gemma can see ghosts. She has to help them finish their unfinished business so that they can pass on to wherever it is they go afThis was a fun book. Gemma can see ghosts. She has to help them finish their unfinished business so that they can pass on to wherever it is they go after that. If she acknowledges them openly, then other people can see and hear them (they appear to be normal people, apart from they know that they’re dead). When she accidentally kisses the ghost Levi, she’s surprised to find that he’s been sent to help her, rather than needing her help himself. Levi wants to get back to his old life, so that he can save his sister from feeling guilty about his death. If he succeeds in his task of helping Gemma reconcile with her long lost sister, then he will cease to exist in Gemma’s timeline but go back to his sister. If he fails, he will never see his sister again. I wasn’t very well when I read this, and struggled to get into it at first - but that’s on me, not the book. I didn’t see how on earth they were going to get through to a happy ending, which was a really nice thing. It’s not often you have a conflict that genuinely feels insurmountable. Levi is such a kind (if grumpy) hero and Gemma is definitely the sunshiney one. I like this new(ish) genre of cosy paranormal romance with less fangs and claws. It leads to some interesting and thought provoking dilemmas. I hope there’s more. I received a review copy from the publisher via Netgalley. This is my honest review....more
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