Top reads and new authors to me from 2021

Happy New Year's Eve & Happy new year when it comes, here is to 2022 being kinder to us all!

What a year this has turned out to be, the last four months have been really difficult for our family and my reading mojo went right out the window. If you know us personally or on our socials you will have been following our updates with Alex (my wee da). I cannot thank people enough for the kind messages sent to/for Alex, he loves it when I read them out and even posed with some books (and bought me some, wee scone). I am reading a book just now that I would normally have done before the bells however I doubt it will so can safely round up my 5 star reviews of 2021.

1st was actually my 1st read of 2021 Cold Shoulder by Lynda La Plante, read over 4 days, review HERE if you want to read.

2nd was Every Note Played by Lisa Genova, such an emotive read, read in under 1 day & I have only just noticed I haven't shared it on my blog so will fix this. Review on Goodreads, click HERE.

3rd was The Devil's Advocate by Steve Cavanagh. I LOVE Eddie Flynn and this one had echos of A Time To Kill, shockingly fab. My review HERE.

I had so many 4.5 and 4 star reads that are fantastic but I thought I would just add the 5 star reads. I am surprised I had any, not because of the books of which many were brilliant. More my concentration is off and have been struggling to read and get into books at all. It has absolutely been a case of it isn't them it is me. I don't often do lists and had I been a bit more prepared I could have done a top ten, instead it is a tiny wee my 5 star reads of 2021.

My Goodreads challenge is always +1 more than whatever we read the year before & we do the book jar challenge that I will empty tonight and sitting at £152, this money is usually used to support small businesses (often bookish), buy books from indie authors and maybe get something that I would nromally balk at spending so much on (one year it was the wizarding box another year it wass a £60 book box that went to charity).

I was introduced to a fair few new authors (new to me anyway). Abigail Deane - Girl A

Peter Benson - Isobel's Skin

David Nott - War Doctor Surgery on the front line

Marga Minco - Bitter Herbs

Stuart Johnstone - Out in the Cold

R G Adams - Allegations

Sarah A Denzil - You Are Invited

Ruth Druart - While Paris Slept

Michelle Medhat - The Trusted

Dan Farnworth - 999 My Life on the Frontline of the Ambulance Service

Catherine Bennetto - Make or Break

Victoria Cilliers - I Survived A True Story

Aoife Abbey - Seven Signs of Life Stories from ICU Doctor

Kia Abdullah - Take It Back

Sarah Leipciger - Coming Up For Air

Tim Wagonner - Your Turn To Suffer

Jennifer Saint - Ariadne

Louise Curtis - A Nurse's Story

That is most of the new authors up to March, I will need to add the rest when I get a chance however here is the link to my READ books on Goodreads so you can have a nosey if you so wish.

One More for Christmas by Sarah Morgan

One More for Christmas by Sarah Morgan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out as able over 5 days

Pages - 416

Publisher - HQN

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

For sisters Samantha and Ella Mitchell, Christmas is their most precious time of the year—a time for togetherness, love and celebration. Most of all, it’s about making up for everything their childhood Christmases lacked. But this year, they’ll be buying presents for the most unexpected guest of all—their estranged mother. It’s been five years since they last saw each other. But when their mom calls out of the blue and promises that this Christmas will be different, Samantha and Ella cautiously agree to spend it all together…

Gayle Mitchell is at the top of her career, but her success has come at a price—her relationship with her daughters. She never seemed to say or do the right things. Her tough-love approach was designed to make them stronger, but instead managed to push them away…until a brush with her own mortality forces Gayle to make amends. As the snowflakes fall on their first family celebration in years, the Mitchell women must learn that sometimes facing up to the past is all you need to heal your heart…



My review

Gayle is a career woman, top of her game that has come at quite a cost, a personal cost and Gayle hasn't spoken to her daughters in a fair few years. When Gayle takes unwell, publicly on a tv appearance and taken to hospital they reach out to her daughters, will this be what brings them together or is the troubled past about to be a troubled present?

Samantha and Ella have managed just fine without their mother, barriers built to protect themselves. Ella has a loving husband and little girl, Samantha is a bit like her mother in that her career is everything but so is happiness. Circumstances force a long awaited reunion over Christmas, Gayle hates Christmas and has never been an emotive demonstrative mother. The girls love Christmas and are the opposite of their mother who never embraced nor encouraged the spirit of Christmas. Oooft things are about to get hairy.

Family drama, relationships, unresolved anger, hurt, let down is just some of the issues these ladies are harboring and now about to be together, under one roof and at the time of year that cause them alot of bad memories/blood.

Gayle is a bit of a cold fish and at one point I wanted to slap her for what she said but as the book goes on and we learn more about the characters I thawed towards her a bit. Still livid at one particular thing. The family they are with in Scotland are just lovely and it was a nice contrast to the ladies.

Dysfunctional families, secrets, love, lies, miscommunication, relationships - it has a blend of just about everything. 3.5/5 for me this time, read Morgan before and will read again.

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Last Place You Look by Louisa Scarr

Last Place You Look by Louisa Scarr
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1.5 days

Pages - 352

Publisher - Canelo Crime

Source - Amazon

Blurb from Goodreads

The man you love has been murdered. You’d do anything to find out the truth. Wouldn’t you?

A man lies dead in a hotel room, and the police attend his home address to inform the widow. Nothing unusual, until DC Freya West realises – too late – that the victim is the man she has been having an affair with. The future she imagined has been snatched away.

Meanwhile, her new boss, DS Robin Butler, is preoccupied with his own problems. Mistakes he thought buried deep in his past now threaten to be exposed. Before long, both Butler and West are keeping secrets that could end their careers – and worse.

When the detectives have a chance to tell the truth, they choose to keep quiet. But once that line is crossed, is there any going back? After all, breaking the law is easy when you know how to uphold it.



My Review

I hadn't heard of this author before and the book was on offer on Amazon and I am a sucker for crime and bargains! DC West is put to work with DS Butler her new boss. West is about to have her world turned upside down, she thought it was because the married man she has been having an affair with is leaving his wife. Actually he turns up dead and she is on the case with the new boss.

Ooooh there is a lot going on in this book and some mentions of sex (even a brief visit to a swingers pad) and West's love is found naked, dead in a hotel room! Accidental death on the surface but everything West knows about him she knows no way this can be true. How does she focus the investigation when she isn't meant to know him, she is grieving and her future is gone!

It is intense as we know one of the officers is hiding a secret but Butler also has things in his past he would rather be left there. As the investigation picks up we learn more about the central characters and things get dark and dodgy quickly.

I can't believe this is a debut, you would believe this author has been writing for years. Suspense, shock, characters with depth and unravelling their layers as you go. I got this because it was on offer, I ordered book two because I am very much looking forward to where the next stage of the story is going, 4.5/5 for me this time!

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I heart Christmas by Lindsey Kelk

I Heart Christmas by Lindsey Kelk
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 369

Publisher - Harper

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Angela’s planning her very own fairytale of New York…

• Enormous Christmas tree
• Eggnog
• Eccentric British traditions
• Gorgeous man

But Santa’s throwing her a few curveballs – new job (as if it’s not mental enough already), new baby-craze from her best friend Jenny, and Alex determined they should grow up and settle down. Once friends start turning up uninvited on her doorstep (and leading her astray), can Angela really have a merry little Christmas? So much for happy holidays – something’s got to give…


My review

This is book six in the series, you could read it as a standalone but I would read the previous so you know the backstory and appreciate it more. So things are going well for Angela, she is married to the stunning Alex. The magazine is going well and finally they are going to have a week off to be together and enjoy each others company, what could go wrong.

As always there is drama, family issues, relationship & friendship themes and all set in the run up to Christmas. An old nemesis raises their head and some things that have been in the past needs dealt with.

I thought Angela was a wee bit selfish in parts at this and if she had just dealt with how she was feeling and what she wanted so much would be avoided. Then it wouldn't have made for a good story though eh and people don't always do the most sensible action we, the reader, would have.

If you want to leave your life behind for a wee while then Angela and co provide that for you. Relatable for some of the issues, particularly the family/plans for Christmas. 3.5/5 for me this time, I think I have another one or two on the tbrm by this author.

View all my reviews I Heart Christmas by Lindsey Kelk
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 369

Publisher - Harper

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Angela’s planning her very own fairytale of New York…

• Enormous Christmas tree
• Eggnog
• Eccentric British traditions
• Gorgeous man

But Santa’s throwing her a few curveballs – new job (as if it’s not mental enough already), new baby-craze from her best friend Jenny, and Alex determined they should grow up and settle down. Once friends start turning up uninvited on her doorstep (and leading her astray), can Angela really have a merry little Christmas? So much for happy holidays – something’s got to give…


My review

This is book six in the series, you could read it as a standalone but I would read the previous so you know the backstory and appreciate it more. So things are going well for Angela, she is married to the stunning Alex. The magazine is going well and finally they are going to have a week off to be together and enjoy each others company, what could go wrong.

As always there is drama, family issues, relationship & friendship themes and all set in the run up to Christmas. An old nemesis raises their head and some things that have been in the past needs dealt with.

I thought Angela was a wee bit selfish in parts at this and if she had just dealt with how she was feeling and what she wanted so much would be avoided. Then it wouldn't have made for a good story though eh and people don't always do the most sensible action we, the reader, would have.

If you want to leave your life behind for a wee while then Angela and co provide that for you. Relatable for some of the issues, particularly the family/plans for Christmas. 3.5/5 for me this time, I think I have another one or two on the tbrm by this author.

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The Merry Christmas Project by Cathy Bramley

The Merry Christmas Project by Cathy Bramley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days

Pages - 384

Publisher - Orion

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Christmas has always meant something special to Merry - even without a family of her own. This year, her heart might be broken but her new candle business is booming. The last thing she needs is another project - but when her hometown's annual event needs some fresh festive inspiration, Merry can't resist.

Cole loves a project too - though it's usually of the bricks and mortar variety. As a single dad, his Christmas wish is to see his kids again, so getting the new house finished for when they're all together is the perfect distraction.

But this Christmas, magic is in the air for these two strangers. Will it bring them all the joy they planned for . . . and take their hearts by surprise too?

After all, anything can happen at Christmas. . .



My Review

Merry is taking a huge leap of faith, after stepping down from her job and living with her boyfriend she is giving it her all to set up her new candle business. When she thinks things are going in the right direction with her relationship fate has other ideas. Focusing on keeping busy she steps up to help arrange a festive memorial special event for the whole town. Cole is spending this year alone, his ex is with the kids far away from their wee town. Soon Cole gets swept up with the community festivities and a friendship with Merry and co.

If you want a bit of escapism with some Christmas spirit, relationships, friendships and a wee tug at some heart strings (nothing too heavy) then this is a perfect read for you. Merry is such a sweetheart and Cole's family is lovely too. It is a nice cast of characters and I think I needed that because there have been some belters of late. A community pulling together for this time of the year when it means so much to so many.

I liked reading about Merry's candle making too, it doesn't feature hugely in the book (I mean the actual process) but what it does I liked. I burn a fair few candles but never really thought about what all goes into the nor the tweaking, I liked how Merry came up with one particular scent inspiration.

This is my first dance with Bramley, it won't be my last. A nice wee break from reality read and ticks a good bit of the festives, 4/5 for me this time.

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The Story of Silence by Alex Myers

The Story of Silence by Alex Myers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - as able over 10 days

Pages - 400

Publisher - Harper

Source - Netgalley

Blurb from Goodreads

A knightly fairy tale of royalty and dragons, of midwives with secrets and dashing strangers in dark inns. Taking the original French legend as his starting point, The Story of Silence is a rich, multilayered new story for today’s world – sure to delight fans of Uprooted and The Bear and the Nightingale.

There was once, long ago, a foolish king who decreed that women should not, and would not, inherit. Thus when a girl-child was born to Lord Cador – Merlin-enchanted fighter of dragons and Earl of Cornwall – he secreted her away: to be raised a boy so that the family land and honour would remain intact.

That child’s name was Silence.

Silence must find their own place in a medieval world that is determined to place the many restrictions of gender and class upon them. With dreams of knighthood and a lonely heart to answer, Silence sets out to define themselves.

Soon their silence will be ended.



My Review

Silence, born a girl, raised a boy. The laws of the land that only males could inherit therefore Silence MUST be a boy. I had never heard of this medieval poem so this retelling was shiny brand new to me from all angles. We open in an old tavern with a bard telling the story of Silence and we go back to Silence's birth, why the law came into play that only males can inherit and Silence's life.

This is brilliant, different, unique (I felt) going back to a time when there is war, inheriting through marriage, birth, titles, land. Being raised as a boy, knowing you are different but not exactly why and living your life a lie, trying to constantly prove your worth. It is emotive in places, I really felt for Silence. Nothing was good enough, just wanting approval, only wanting to be a knight. Silence is such a good person, kind, honest and it is almost constantly used against them.

I don't generally read books like this and I am glad I got a chance to, historical fiction (I am coming more around and enjoying this genre), fantasy, gender vs sex, adventure, friendship, relationships, deceit, betrayal and even a wizard! There is just so much and for me it was fresh, different, new. I read a lot of books across genres but this was really different. I plan to hunt down the poem and have a read at it. When reading this I did find myself pondering life/situations for Silence then and for those in the LGBTQIA community now. I don't know if that was one of the authors goals in writing this but it certainly left me deep in thought. Sometimes you don't realise how much you take for granted purely because of how you were born/raised. 4.5/5 for me this time, this was my first time reading this author, I will be looking at their other work and other books in this kind of vein. It is thought provoking read and I think I will be thinking about this long after I put it down.

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Additional Giveaway

As apology for later posting competition this is an additional giveaway, open worldwide.

Up for giveaway is x1 facemask of the ones shown, the winner will choose ONLY ONE from the four available, this is open world wide.

Two are festive themed, one is a cat with a christmas hat on.

Or a seasonal snowflakes on a blue background.

The other two are non festive, one is a Ouijja board print.

Or lastly a black cat with beautiful purple eyes and a pentagram star print.

To enter please use a the Rafflecopter below.


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December Giveaway

Just a wee simple straight forward giveaway, apologies it is late.

Up for grabs is x1 £5 Amazon voucher. Sadly Amazon will not allow me to gift outside my own country so this one is open to UK ONLY. However I will be listing another competition tonight that will be open to all.

As always - please use Rafflecopter below to enter the competition.

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Your Neighbour's Wife by Tony Parsons

Your Neighbour’s Wife by Tony Parsons
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 400

Publisher - Penguin

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

Tara Carver seems to have the perfect life. A loving mother and wife, and a business woman who runs her own company, she's the sort of person you'd want to live next door to, who might even become your best friend.

But what sort of person is she really?

Because in one night of madness, on a work trip far from home, she puts all this at risk. And suddenly her dream life becomes a living nightmare when the married man she spent one night with tells her he wants a serious relationship with her. And that he won't leave her or her precious family alone until she agrees.

There seems to be only one way out.
And it involves murder...



My review

Wow this is an intense read so buckle in! Tara Carver is an independent business women, she runs a dating agency app whilst her stunning, fit husband Christian looks after their wee boy. When Tara flies to Japan for a business convention and meets James, well when the cat is away....... Tara has never done anything like this in her life, she is happy in her marriage and quickly regrets her one night with James. However Tara is about to learn that actions come with consequences and James isn't willing to let her go.

Oh Tara Tara Tara what a nightmare. James seems lovely but dear Lord how appearances can be deceiving. Even when Tara leaves Japan and thinks it is over but really it is just starting. The chapters flip between Tara and Christian as the story unfolds, the tension and steaks run high and things just go from bad to worse. You initially find it hard to have sympathy for Tara, she did cheat on her husband but things get dark really quickly and it isn't just impacting on Tara but those around her and she loves.

It is a pretty dark book, some really shady characters/actions throughout, Parson's brings swipe after swipe and things go from bad to worse to really really bad. Pretty short chapters and you are hooked in really quickly. It has been ages since I read Parson's and don't remember that book being anything like this. Really engaging, shocking, page turner and Parson's shows us again and again how things can just keep getting worse! 4/5 for me this time, I will be having a nosey at their back catalogue, my reading mojo has taken a kicking just now with stress etc but this was a book I found I could loose myself in for a wee while. If you think things aren't great yourself at least we aren't Tara ooft!

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Dark Pines by Will Dean

Dark Pines by Will Dean
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 5 days

Pages - 328

Publisher - Point Blank

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

An isolated Swedish town. A deaf reporter terrified of nature. A dense spruce forest overdue for harvest. A pair of eyeless hunters found murdered in the woods.

It’s week one of the Swedish elk hunt and the sound of gunfire is everywhere. When Tuva Moodyson investigates the story that could make her career she stumbles on a web of secrets that knit Gavrik town together. Are the latest murders connected to the Medusa killings twenty years ago? Is someone following her? Why take the eyes? Tuva must face her demons and venture deep into the woods to stop the killer and write the story. And then get the hell out of Gavrik.


My Review

This is my first dance with this author. Tuva Moodyson is our main character, a journalist in a small isolated Swedish town. Twenty years ago there were some grisly murders and then nothing. Now a body has been found in the woods with echoes of the killings years ago, is it coincidence, is it a copycat? Tuva needs to get to the bottom of it but will all small towns they all have their secrets and some secrets are worth killing over.

Tuva is a different character to any I have read before, she is deaf although with the use of hearing aids she can hear. Through her character portrayal we get a small insight into the way people treat others with hearing impairments, discrimination and downright rudeness/ignorance! It really opened my eyes and be more appreciative to issues a person with this particular impairment. Tuva is a really strong independent character and the way she uses her disability to her advantage at times, faces head on peoples ignorance and manages it all with grace and strength. She is a great read and I look forward to the next few books exploring more of her character.

It is hunting season in the book and a huge part and history to this small town and its residents, I struggled with some of the animals parts, I always do in books/movies. I loved the scene settings, when in the woods the writer creates such vivid descriptions you have no problems transporting to it.

Some of the characters are unsettling, not overly nice and some just a bit strange. The troll sculptures made me wonder if this is something the author has came across in real life, they are such weird creations as art often is. They unsettle Tuva and I did visuals how creepy it would be if someone bought, gifted or just left one for you, shudders.

I have the rest of the series on my tbrm and look forward to getting round to them. The book itself covers so many themes, murder, death, creepiness, relationships, bizarreness, friendships and a fair amount of suspense especially the scenes in the woods. The opening chapter, in the car with the elk, my heart was in my mouth, Dean certainly knows how to create tension! 3.5/5 for me this time!

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In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days

Pages - 343

Publisher - Penguin

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

On November 15, 1959, in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, four members of the Clutter family were savagely murdered by blasts from a shotgun held a few inches from their faces. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were almost no clues.

As Truman Capote reconstructs the murder and the investigation that led to the capture, trial, and execution of the killers, he generates both mesmerizing suspense and astonishing empathy. At the center of his study are the amoral young killers Perry Smith and Dick Hickcock, who, vividly drawn by Capote, are shown to be reprehensible yet entirely and frighteningly human. In Cold Blood is a seminal work of modern prose, a remarkable synthesis of journalistic skill and powerfully evocative narrative.


My Review

One of my workies, Martin has been raving about this book for AGES, I bought it after another gab about it and the movies (I haven't seen them, yet!). Taking all the materials available and Capote had access to he reconstruct everything that happened in the murders and people affected or directly involved in the murder and case.

I have read a ton of true crime books, seen shows galore and a few movies. This one struck a different chord, when I started it I wasn't sure why it was so loved. As I got into it though I started to appreciate it the way so many others have.

The book has very few chapters which really put me off, however within the huge chapters there are some page breaks so you can stop there. I am not a huge fan of long chapters however the book does engage, I would just say pick it up when you have time to read it in long sittings.

We follow Dick and Perry on their seemingly unrelated journey in the day(s) running to and the murder. We meet the Clutters and how they were in the community and then everything is laid bare. You hear in the killers own words what happened and words spoken by the victims which really punch an emotive punch. It isn't often you hear exactly what happened when someone is brutally murdered let alone a whole family and the why.

It is a really sad case and you learn about the killers, their backgrounds and who they are/were as people. It makes an interesting read as you get to "see" the victims, the community, the police involved, the killers - it covers so much, 4/5 for me!

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The Bloodless Boy by Robert J Lloyd Blog Tour

Today is my turn on the blog tour for "The Bloodless Boy" by author Robert J Lloyd.

About the author:

Robert J. Lloyd grew up in South London, Innsbruck, and Kinshasa (his parents worked in the British Foreign Service), and then in Sheffield, where he studied for a Fine Art degree, starting as a landscape painter but moving to film, performance, and installation. His MA thesis on Robert Hooke and the ‘New Philosophy’, inspired the ideas and characters in The Bloodless Boy. He lives in Crickhowell in the Brecon Beacons. This is his first book.

The book is out to buy now, click HERE to buy from AMAZON UK.


The Bloodless Boy by Robert J. Lloyd
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in an out over 5 days

Pages - 392

Publisher - Melville House

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Amazon

The City of London, 1678. New Year's Day. The body of a young boy, drained of his blood and with a sequence of numbers inscribed on his skin, is discovered on the snowy bank of the Fleet River. With London gripped by hysteria, where rumors of Catholic plots and sinister foreign assassins abound, Sir Edmund Bury Godfrey, the powerful Justice of Peace for Westminster, is certain of Catholic guilt in the crime. He enlists Robert Hooke, the Curator of Experiments of the Royal Society, and his assistant, Harry Hunt, to help his enquiry. Sir Edmund confides to Hooke that the bloodless boy is not the first to have been discovered. He also presents Hooke with a cipher that was left on the body. That same morning Henry Oldenburg, the Secretary of the Royal Society, blows his brains out. A disgraced Earl is released from the Tower of London, bent on revenge against the King, Charles II. Wary of the political hornet's nest they are walking into - and using evidence rather than paranoia in their pursuit of truth - Hooke and Hunt must discover why the boy was murdered, and why his blood was taken. Moreover, what does the cipher mean?


My Review

London, 1678, the body of a child is found - drained of blood, London is in a state of unrest, fear, distrust and blame is being laid toward the Catholics. Robert Hook, Curator of Experiments in the newly formed Royal Society for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge with his assistant Harry Hunt are called in to investigate. What has happened to the boy, why take the blood, why was he murdered and is it anything to do with a plot against the king?

Historical crime, politics, religion, scientists in their early discoveries - it is a busy book! You can tell a lot of research and work has gone into it. My history knowledge is super patchy so there is plenty of the factual stuff that was new to me. I do enjoy reading up and seeing what has been gleamed from fact and infused into a book, it has been really well done and I think folk actually familiar with those parts of history would be impressed.

The chapters are short which you know I love but I think in this book it works really well because there is so so much to take in. Loads of characters, developments, sidelines, political, medical, plotting, underhanded behaviour, murder. Political stuff doesn't engage me nor religious but there is enough going on and chapters wee enough you are never stuck on any one thing and it is all relevant to where the story is going.

Some of the scenes are graphic and not for the faint hearted, there isn't lots of gore/violence but enough to say probably best not be eating if of a weak stomach and vivid imagination. Characters - Harry Hunt I liked, he seems like such a nice guy, curious, loyal and not seeing himself as worthy in certain aspects, I think I have a soft spot for him, wanting him happy not fancying. This absolutely doesn't read like a debut and I am looking forward to book two to see where the story goes, 4/5 for me this time!

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Wish You were Here by Jodi Picoult

Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 319

Publisher - Hodder & Stoughton

Source - Netgalley

Blurb from Amazon

Contains an exclusive short story from Jodi Picoult featuring the main character, Diana, available in the first print run only. Pre-order now to guarantee your copy!

Diana O'Toole's life is going perfectly to plan. At twenty-nine, she's up for promotion to her dream job as an art specialist at Sotheby's and she's about to fly to the Galápagos where she's convinced her surgeon boyfriend, Finn, is going to propose.

But then the virus hits New York City and Finn breaks the news: the hospital needs him, he has to stay. But you should still go, he insists. And reluctantly, she agrees.

Once she's in the Galápagos, the world shuts down around her, leaving Diana stranded - albeit in paradise. Completely isolated, with only intermittent news from the outside world, Diana finds herself examining everything that has brought her to this point and wondering if there's a better way to live.

But not everything is as it seems . . .


My Review

Covid has well and truly hit, Diana O'Toole and her doctor boyfriend and meant to be going on holiday. The hospitals are struggling and Finn encourages Diana to go the non refundable trip of a lifetime alone. Paradise has no signal, Diana ends up stranded in a place she doesn't speak the language with only a troubled teen, her angry dad and helpful gran to get through the days. We hear from Finn back home in broken correspondence from the bits of emails/messages that manages to make it across the seas.

So I know this book won't be for everyone because a lot of people don't want to read about covid. Whilst covid does feature in the book in isn't the whole focus or even the main meat of it. Diana goes on a bit of a person journey, self discovery and growth being stranded, very limited communication from back home. I loved the island she goes to, Picoult paints such a vivid picture you could see the places, smells, animals, just serene!

Then we have the aspects of covid, poor Finn, caught in the midst of it, unable to properly talk to Diana, offload, decompress - the things we do with partners during extreme stress. I think if you aren't in healthcare or haven't been affected by covid this is a fantastic book to let you see the devastation, emotional impact that covid can have, on healthcare, on a person, on relationships, there isn't really anything it doesn't impact upon.

Sometimes Picoult can knock the stuffing out of you in some of what she writes or how she constructs parts of her story. I actually uttered the words out loud "No Waaaaaay" during one part and that my friends is a teaser not a spoiler! I really liked this book, I think she wrote a really hard subject and humanised it by creating the characters the way she did. 4/5 for me this time, I do enjoy Picoult's books and have at least one or two more to catch up on so I have read them all. I need to bump them up the tbrm, this reminded me how much I like her writing!

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Dead Mercy by Noelle Holten Blog Tour

Today is my turn on the blog tour for book Dead Mercy by Noelle Holten.

About the Book

A brutal murder… When a burned body is found with its teeth missing, DC Maggie Jamieson discovers that the victim may be the husband of one of her probation colleagues. A dark history… As the body count rises, the team becomes increasingly baffled by how the victims could possibly be connected until a clue leads them to a historical case that was never prosecuted. A terrible secret… In order to catch the killer, Maggie must piece together what happened all those years ago before it’s too late.

About the author

Noelle Holten is an award-winning blogger at www.crimebookjunkie.co.uk. She is the PR & Social Media Manager for Bookouture, a leading digital publisher in the UK, and worked as a Senior Probation Officer for eighteen years, covering a variety of risk cases as well as working in a multi agency setting. She has three Hons BA’s – Philosophy, Sociology (Crime & Deviance) and Community Justice – and a Masters in Criminology. Noelle’s hobbies include reading, attending as many book festivals as she can afford and sharing the booklove via her blog. Dead Inside – her debut novel with One More Chapter/Harper Collins UK is an international kindle bestseller and the start of a new series featuring DC Maggie Jamieson.

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For my stop I have my, as always, non spoiler review, enjoy.

Dead Mercy by Noelle Holten
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - as able over 3 days

Pages - 400

Publisher - One More Chapter

Source - Netgalley

Blurb from Goodreads

A brutal murder…
When a burned body is found with its teeth missing, DC Maggie Jamieson discovers that the victim may be the husband of one of her probation colleagues.

A dark history…

As the body count rises, the team becomes increasingly baffled by how the victims could possibly be connected until a clue leads them to a historical case that was never prosecuted.

A terrible secret…

In order to catch the killer, Maggie must piece together what happened all those years ago before it’s too late.



My Review

If you haven't read the previous books in the series I would suggest going back, whilst you could read this as a standalone you miss out on so much background. In this book we see DC Maggie Jamieson investigating a pretty horrific crime, someone is set on fire and teeth extracted. It also looks like the killer may just be getting started. As the violence/murderer escalates Maggie needs to investigate all angles and soon finds there is more to these killings than meets the eye.

Being book five we have gotten to know the characters and for some of us really love and invest in them. Maggie is all work work work but also looks out for her brother and we get a wee peek into her personal relationships. Her parents, her brother and in previous books we have seen Maggie go back and forth on her personal life, sexuality, pro and cons of dating and the object of her reluctant affections. Maggie is complex which makes her relatable, she champions for her victims, wants to get the right person and do a good job. She is loyal, an animal lover and honest, she is a good egg and good at what she does, I am a fan!

We see other characters we have met before, coming back, character development, I love that especially when invested in a series. The killings are brutal, graphic and Holten paints a very vivid picture, not for the faint hearted or if you are offended by swearing! Been a fan since book one and very much looking forward to seeing what is in store next for our crew, 4/5 for me this time.

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The Jodi Arias Story - Picture Perfect by Shanna Hogan

Picture Perfect: The Jodi Arias Story by Shanna Hogan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 368

Publisher - St Martin's True Crime

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Mormon motivational speaker Travis Alexander, was involved in a relationship with a beautiful photographer, until it turned deadly...
In June 2008, in Mesa, Arizona, the body of 30-year-old Travis Alexander was discovered brutally murdered in his home. He had been shot in the face, slashed across the throat, and stabbed in the heart. Alexander had been a devout Mormon, handsome and hard-working, beloved by all, and his death came as an enormous shock.

Suspicion pointed to one woman: Jodi Arias. Travis had met Jodi at a conference 18 months prior, and he was instantly taken with the beautiful aspiring photographer. Separated by 400 miles, they began a long distance relationship. It became clear to Travis's friends, however, that Jodi was a lot more invested in the relationship than he was. Travis was seeing multiple women, and his relationship with Jodi eventually came to end. But rather than move on, Jodi moved from her home in Palm Desert, California to within just miles of Travis's home, where she continued to insert herself into his life.




My Review

I seen snippets of Jodi Arias interview with the police on one of those true life programs and I seen lots of folk chatting about it on true crime book groups. Jodi was arrested for the brutal murder of her ex boyfriend, this book looks at Travis's life before and after meeting Jodi.

The first chapter is Travis's body being found then chapter two and the first half of the book looks at Travis childhood all the way up to adulthood, his career path/choices and meeting Jodi. We also learn about Jodi growing up and her issues. Their meeting, relationship, breakup and staying in touch with a very toxic relationship. Then the body discovery, the damage to the body (not for the faint hearted) and the book (this version) includes 8 pages of photos, some of the crime scene, some from the camera. The interviews with Jodi, her arrest and thereafter.

I actually had to google to see what the final sentence was which you would think the book included. I imagine anyone who knew Travis would be devastated by this book, first half would be fine as it is just about him as a person and what he went through in life. However the details of the brutality of his murder and the details of his relationship and physical encounters with Jodi. Travis was a devout Mormon and Jodi held back on nothing when it came to their physical relations, the book briefly covers the horror those who knew him felt on discovering a different side to the religious devout guy they knew.

Even now Jodi continues to appeal and raise complaints against those involved in her case. The book also highlights she gave many interviews in her earlier detainment before she was charged and before she changed her story. I think true crime fans will find her an interesting study, 3.5/5 for me.

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The Shadows by J R Ward

The Shadows by J.R. Ward
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 4 days

Pages - 654

Publisher - Piatkus

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads


Trez “Latimer” doesn’t really exist. And not just because the identity was created so that a Shadow could function in the underbelly of the human world. Sold by his parents to the Queen of the S’Hsibe as a child, Trez escaped the Territory and has been a pimp and an enforcer in Caldwell, NY for years- all the while on the run from a destiny of sexual servitude. He’s never had anyone he could totally rely on... except for his brother, iAm.

iAm’s sole goal has always been to keep his brother from self-destructing- and he knows he’s failed. It’s not until the Chosen Serena enters Trez’s life that the male begins to turn things around... but by then it’s too late. The pledge to mate the Queen’s daughter comes due and there is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and no negotiating.

Trapped between his heart and a fate he never volunteered for, Trez must decide whether to endanger himself and others- or forever leave behind the female he’s in love with. But then an unimaginable tragedy strikes and changes everything. Staring out over an emotional abyss, Trez must find a reason to go on or risk losing himself and his soul forever. And iAm, in the name of brotherly love, is faced with making the ultimate sacrifice...



My Review


You can read this as a standalone but as it is book thirteen of a series you do miss a lot of the back story however each book focuses on a particular character or handful of characters. Trez and his brother iAm are an accepted part of the brotherhood, welcomed to their home, firm respected friendships. Trez is on the run from his *legacy* he was promised to the queen, for the Princess, Trez has never wanted that. Now time is running out and the Royal promise/agreement will be fulfilled.

Life is never straight forward in these books, Trez finally finds someone he loves, Selena (we met her before) but of course there is a huge something that stands in the way. Then fate intervenes and they are together but he has to fulfil his duties or die. His brother iAm is the oppose of Trez, he has never been with a woman and he looks out for Trez, will do anything for him. The royals have reached out and both men will feel the effects of the promise their parents made all those years ago.

As with the other books there is graphic sex and a ton of body fluids so not for the easy offended or mortified. We see Layla and her dilemma with Xcor, I get she feels she is doing the right thing but the danger she puts herself and her unborn, I was beyond exasperated with her at times. Rhage, I don't really know what happened to him in this book, even after finishing it, clearly something is coming and I feel this is setting the scene but he wasn't our normal Rhage and I don't know why.

For the books having romance throughout this book was a bit sad. Quinn's brother Luchas we see a bit more of him in this but again not a lot so I am wondering if he might get a book of his own coming?

I didn't love this book, I didn't hate it, I was left feeling a wee bit empty, maybe loss - I don't know. Usually you get a happy sigh in amongst a lot of danger and badness, I just felt this book had flashes of a lot of the characters and storylines but no real meat for any of them. Usually the book focuses on one person/couple and then you get scenes and bits with the others. I don't know/feel like we did with this one. There was a lot going on, 3/5 for me this time. The last quarter of the book picked up more for me but yeah not my fave of the series. I have the rest to read, most on my tbrm and I look forward to where the story goes but rooting for Layla to sort her crap out!

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The Lost by Simon Beckett blog tour

Today is my stop on the blog tour for "The Lost" by Simon Beckett. For my stop I have my review, enjoy.

Buy link for the book, available from AMAZON UK, available for PRE ORDER HERE, Out on 25th of November.

The Lost by Simon Beckett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 368

Publisher - Orion Books

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

A MISSING CHILD

Ten years ago, the disappearance of firearms police officer Jonah Colley's young son almost destroyed him.

A GRUESOME DISCOVERY

A plea for help from an old friend leads Jonah to Slaughter Quay, and the discovery of four bodies. Brutally attacked and left for dead, he is the only survivor.

A SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH

Under suspicion himself, he uncovers a network of secrets and lies about the people he thought he knew - forcing him to question what really happened all those years ago...



My Review

Jonah Colley gets a call from his old friend (they haven't spoken in a long long time) asking him to meet him, he is the only one he can trust. Jonah is a cop, his pal is a cop and one thing he has never heard in his voice, fear. Jonah goes off to Slaughter Quay and finds a horrific sight before being attacked. What follows is Jonah getting suspicion from his fellow officers, he needs answers to what happened and his past comes back with a vengeance, a past he thought had been grieved over, a link to his missing child.

The book is pretty fast paced and Jonah has to be one of the most unlucky people/police officers ever. We learn about his past, what happened to his marriage and with the brutal murders he has been linked to he NEEDS answers. Add to all that he is banged up pretty badly it isn't an easy task. The past and present gets interlinked and we flip back a few times to Jonah's past all the while questioning why the crackpot went to an abandoned place to meet his auld pal he hasn't spoken to in so long.

Colley is a flawed character, he makes mistakes, he seems weak at times then surprises you with gumption and strength. The story is a bit like an onion, lots and lots of layers, a fair few characters but written well enough to not distract or take away from the plot. There was one character I would have liked a bit more scenes and information from, I think, for the smart parts they appeared they were a great addition to the story. I hope this is the first in a new series and we hear more from some of the characters, 4/5 for me this time.

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Christmas Hope for the Steel Girls by Michelle Rawlins

Today is my turn and last stop on the blog tour for "Christmas Hope for the Steel Girls" by author Michelle Rawlins.

For my stop I have my review, enjoy!

Christmas Hope for the Steel Girls by Michelle Rawlins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 400

Publisher - HQ

Source - Netgalley

Blurb from Goodreads

With the country at war, can they come together this winter?

Winter, 1939
As December draws nearer and with her family facing their first Christmas without Bert, Nancy is desperately trying to keep up her children’s spirits and her own.

Young Patty should be excited to be spending her first festive season with sweetheart Archie, but why does she worry he’s keeping something from her?

Betty is missing her beloved William as he continues his RAF training but she’s determined not to sit around wallowing. In the midst of the coldest winter on record and with the introduction of rationing, times are tougher than ever but Betty has an idea to make sure nobody goes without this winter.

And with our Steel Girls rallying around each other, can there still be hope this Christmas?

The second novel in the new heartwarming Steel Girls series following our feisty factory sister’s bravery and hope during wartime, perfect for fans of Nancy Revell and Elaine Everest.



My Review

so I didn't realise this was book two in a series but you can absolutely pick this up as a standalone. We have a Betty, I LOVE a Betty as you know so boxes being ticked already. 1939, winter and families are trying to adjust to their loved ones off to war. Positions changed, women were working in the steel factory to aid the cause and to make ends meet. Betty, Patty and Nancy - working together, surviving each day and looking forward to things being back to normal.

Aw you guys, a wee Betty and omg she is an actual scone. So kind, thinking of others, she is just a tonic to read. I have been reading horror for October reads and some of that was really dark and creepy. So to come into a book where the people are doing their bit, pulling together despite living through such horrible times. Loved ones away to war, rationing coming in and still people go over and above for each other, a sense of belonging and community.

We have the courting and relationships strengthening, families missing their loved ones, new relationships blossoming and an authentic feel for that time period. I actually liked it so much I bought the first book in the series when I finished this so I can read more on the characters and look forward to the next in the series. Survival, loved, relationships, hope in a time of darkness, community, love and strength. It is more about the people and them getting through each day than the darker aspects of or intricate details of the actual war, 4/5. This was my first dance with this author but it won't be my last.

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