Pages: 320Published: 24th December 2017Genre: Crime/Thriller One cold November night in 2014, in a small town in the northwest of England, 21-year-old Arla Macleod bludgeoned her mother, stepfather and younger sister to death with a hammer, in an unprovoked attack known as the Macleod Massacre. Now incarcerated at a medium-security mental-health institution, Arla will speak to no one … Continue reading Book Review – Hydra by Matt Wesolowski
Hello everyone, All of a sudden, we are in the final month of the year. The Christmas decorations are just about to go up and the end of 2022 is imminent. For me, that also means lots and lots of blog posts! This will be the first of up to 20 posts throughout December, ranging … Continue reading Monthly Wrap-Up – November 2022
Pages: 352Published: 30th August 2022Genre: Young Adult MysteryContent warnings: Alcohol dependency, PTSD This was a buddy read with Ellie @ Read To Ramble, the fourth time we have read a Karen M. McManus book together. Cue lots of fun discussions! Four years ago, Brynn left Saint Ambrose School following the shocking murder of her favourite teacher. The case was … Continue reading Book Review – Nothing More To Tell by Karen M. McManus
Pages: 401Published: 13th September 2011Genre: FantasyContent warnings: Suicide The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. But behind the scenes, … Continue reading Book Review – The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Pages: 416Published: 31st March 2020Genre: Historical FictionContent warnings: Misogyny, sexual content Motherless and irrepressibly curious, Esme spends her childhood at her father's feet as he and his team gather words for the very first Oxford English Dictionary. One day, she sees a slip of paper containing a forgotten word flutter to the floor unclaimed. And … Continue reading Book Review – The Dictionary Of Lost Words by Pip Williams
Pages: 371Published: 12th May 2022Genre: Paranormal ThrillerContent warnings: Drug references, sexual references, missing baby storyline Late October. After midnight. You’re waiting up for your seventeen-year-old son. He’s late. As you watch from the window, he emerges, and you realize he isn’t alone: he’s walking toward a man, and he’s armed. You can’t believe it when you see him do … Continue reading Book Review – Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
Hello everyone, Just over a year ago I spotlighted Lynette Creswell's adorable festive children's book Hoglet's Christmas Surprise, which was a very enchanting story full of good vibes and positive values. And now, our favourite hedgehogs (hoglets!) Prickles and Primrose are back for a new story, which is all about making friends, kindness, and not judging … Continue reading Spotlight – Hoglet’s Birthday Surprise by Lynette Creswell
Pages: 416Published: 16th January 2018Genre: Young Adult Mystery Ellingham Academy is a famous private school in Vermont for the brightest thinkers, inventors, and artists. It was founded by Albert Ellingham, an early twentieth century tycoon, who wanted to make a wonderful place full of riddles, twisting pathways, and gardens. “A place,” he said, “where learning is a game.” … Continue reading Book Review – Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
Pages: 304Published: 14th April 2021Genre: HorrorContent warnings: Child abduction, sexual references This was a buddy read with Noly @ The Artsy Reader. We had been planning to read it for ages, but finally we got round it in August! Captivated by books and stories, Rose dreams of a life away from the confines of the Sunnyside Care Home she … Continue reading Book Review – The Cottingley Cuckoo by A.J. Elwood
Pages: 352Published: 1st February 2020Genre: MysteryContent warnings: Missing child storyline, animal death, misogyny When the eight-year-old daughter of an Oxford College Master vanishes in the middle of the night, police turn to the Scottish nanny, Dee, for answers. As Dee looks back over her time in the Master's Lodging - an eerie and ancient house - a picture of … Continue reading Book Review – Magpie Lane by Lucy Atkins
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