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SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: The Christmas Book Club by Sarah Morgan

Published October 23rd, 2023 by HQ
Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance, Domestic Fiction, Festive Fiction, Christmas Story

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Could this Christmas be the start of a whole new chapter?

A long-lasting friendship

Every year, Erica, Claudia, and Anna reunite for their book club holiday. They’re bonded by years of friendship and a deep love of books, but there is still so much they keep from each other…

A perfect Christmas escape

At the cosy Maple Sugar Inn, Hattie specialises in making her guests’ dreams come true, but this Christmas all she wants is to survive the festive season. Between running the inn and being a single mother, Hattie is close to breaking point.

The start of a brand-new story…?

Over the course of an eventful week, Hattie sees that the friends are each carrying around unspoken truths, but nothing prepares her for how deeply her story will become entwined in theirs. Will this Christmas be the end of the book club’s story or the start of a whole new chapter?

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

Every year, best friends Erica, Anna and Claudia reunite for their book club holiday. This year they are getting together near Christmas, and Erica has chosen the cosy Maple Sugar Inn in Vermont for their getaway. The Inn is run by Hattie, a widowed single mother who specialises in making her guests’ dreams come true. But between motherhood and running the inn, there is little time to do anything than simply try to survive the festive season. The friends arrive at the Inn, and over the course of the next week secrets are revealed and all of their stories will become entwined in unexpected ways…

I love a cosy Christmas story, so when the SquadPod voted for The Christmas Book Club as our December Book Club pick I was thrilled. I’ve heard so many good things about Sarah Morgan’s books and have many of them on my TBR, so this was the ideal excuse to finally read one of them. And now I’m wondering why I waited so long. A delightful and uplifting story of love, friendship, family, grief and the changes that life throws our way, The Christmas Book Club is festive perfection. Sarah Morgan knows how to keep her readers turning the pages, delivering a story that is funny and entertaining but also has moving and emotional stories woven into every facet. 

One of the highlights of this book for me were the compelling characters and the depictions of family, love and friendship between them. I especially loved Hattie, the Inn’s proprietor, and her young daughter Delphi, but each of the characters had me enthralled and I was rooting for each of them. The will they/won’t they romance between Hattie and Noah was also gripping and I was cheering them on throughout. 

So if you’re looking for a warming festive story to read whilst snuggled under a blanket with a hot chocolate this year, this is the book for you.

Rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Sarah Morgan is a USA Today and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of romance and women’s fiction. She has sold over 25 million copies of her books and her trademark humour and warmth have gained her fans across the globe.

Sarah lives near London, England and when she isn’t writing or reading, she likes to spend time outdoors hiking or riding her mountain bike.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn

Published March 22nd, 2022 by Harper Collins UK
Historical Fiction, Thriller, War Story, Drama, Biographical Fiction, Spy Fiction, Holiday Ficiton

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The brand-new historical novel based on a true story from the bestselling author of The Rose Code and The Alice Network

*Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee: Best Historical Fiction 2022*

In the snowbound city of Kiev, aspiring historian Mila Pavlichenko’s life revolves around her young son – until Hitler’s invasion of Russia changes everything. Suddenly, she and her friends must take up arms to save their country from the Fuhrer’s destruction.

Handed a rifle, Mila discovers a gift – and months of blood, sweat and tears turn the young woman into a deadly sniper: the most lethal hunter of Nazis.

Yet success is bittersweet. Mila is torn from the battlefields of the eastern front and sent to America while the war still rages. There, she finds an unexpected ally in First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, and an unexpected promise of a different future.

But when an old enemy from Mila’s past joins forces with a terrifying new foe, she finds herself in the deadliest duel of her life.

The Diamond Eye is a haunting novel of heroism born of desperation, of a mother who became a soldier, of a woman who found her place in the world and changed the course of history forever.

buy here

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MY REVIEW:

Powerful, atmospheric, immersive and intense, , The Diamond Eye is the remarkable story  of Lyudmila ‘Mila’ Pavlichenko, a Russian sniper during the Second World War who went on to become the deadliest sniper in history. It opens on  August 27th, 1942, when Mila is a Russian Envoy at the White House, before jumping back to November 1937, when she was an ordinary citizen in Kiev. Told by Mila, the Marksman, and in extracts from the diary of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, it then moves between timelines and narrators, blending fact with fiction as Kate Quinn tells the story in cinematic detail. 

Mila was a history maker and her story is one of an extraordinary life. But it didn’t start out that way. In 1937 she was 21 years old, an ordinary Russian citizen and a single mother to a five-year-old son. Vowing to be both mother and father to her son, she became an expert shooter to prove to him she could take on the male role he needed, and by the time Russia was invaded in 1941 she was an experienced marksman. Determined to defend her country, Mila joined the Red Army. And with no limits on what roles a woman can take in Russia, unlike the UK and USA, she becomes a sniper. Known to her enemies as ‘Lady Death’, Mila went on to become the deadliest female sniper in history, with 309 confirmed kills recorded. She was also the first Soviet citizen welcomed in the US when she travelled there on a goodwill tour, talking about her experiences as a female soldier and to advocate for their help opening a second front in Europe.

I loved this woman. Feisty, strong, intelligent, determined, ambitious and accomplished, she is someone I’d want on my side. She was also straightforward, with a bluntness that could sometimes come across as brusque to Americans. A staunch advocate of women’s rights, Mila was intent on demonstrating that girls can do anything boys can, demanding respect from her male peers instead of trying to impress them or being intimidated by them. She was an inspiration and a symbol of a strong woman, all whilst hiding her own heartache and trauma underneath. 

Books based on true stories are some of my favourites and I won’t forget this story of heroism, heartache, love, loss, feminism, war and self-discovery is one I won’t forget. Expertly written, meticulously researched, full of evocative imagery and richly drawn characters, Kate Quinn had me in her thrall from start to finish. And that ending! I was on tenterhooks, my heart racing, and then just when I thought it was all over…Bam! She delivers a jaw-dropping curveball that I didn’t see coming and I’m still trying to recover from. 

Action-packed, moving, suspenseful and haunting, The Diamond Eye is a breathtaking story that would be perfect on the big screen or adapted for Netflix and is a must for your TBR.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kate Quinn is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. A native of southern California, she attended Boston University where she earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Classical Voice. She has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga, and two books in the Italian Renaissance, before turning to the 20th century with “The Alice Network”, “The Huntress,” “The Rose Code,” “The Diamond Eye,” and “The Briar Club.” She is also a co-author in several collaborative novels including “The Phoenix Crown” with Janie Chang and “Ribbons of Scarlet” with Stephanie Dray, Laura Kamoie, Eliza Knight, Sophie Perinot, and Heather Webb. “The Astral Library,” releasing in 2025, is her first foray into magical realism. Kate and her husband now live in Maryland with their two rescue dogs.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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BOOK REVIEW: Forget Me Not (Helen Grace, 12) by M. J. Arlidge

Published July 4th, 2024 by Orion
Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Suspense, Police Procedural, Crime Series, Psychological Thriller

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Prepare to read the most exhilarating thriller from M.J. Arlidge yet….

When local teenager Naomi goes missing, Detective Inspector Helen Grace is her only hope.

But with the police force under fire from all sides as a gang war grips the city, Helen will have to defy direct orders to search for her.

Helen’s secret investigation follows a disturbing trail of missing girls disappearing from the streets. She’s the only person looking for them. And with the clock still ticking, she’s about to have more enemies than time working against her…

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MY REVIEW:

After a fight with her boyfriend Darren, teenager Naomi finds herself on the streets with nowhere to go. The homeless shelters are full, so she finds a place outside that seems to offer enough shelter to sleep and settles down. As she does, a man approaches her and offers to take her somewhere safe and warm and she goes with him. A decision she quickly regrets when he kidnaps her and Naomi wakes in a dark and claustrophobic cell. And she’s not alone.

Naomi’s mother, Sheila, receives a silent call from her daughter and spends the night searching the streets. After a fruitless night, she goes to the police station, where DI Helen Grace listens to her and promises to make Naomi’s case a priority. Even if that means she must defy orders to do so. Soon, Helen’s secret investigation leads her to a trail of girls being taken from the streets. And no one else is looking for them. Can she find Naomi and solve the mystery before time runs out?

Dark, propulsive and heart-stoppingly suspenseful, we’re back with Helen Grace and the team for their twelfth instalment. The Helen Grace series is probably my favourite crime series, and each new book is an auto-buy to add to my shelves. After not finding time to read this one last year I couldn’t wait to return to it and catch up. Once again M. J. Arlidge has crafted a deftly written, expertly plotted and twisty thriller that kept me guessing and had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. And speaking of the ending, Mr. Arlidge you are evil to end the book like that! Thank goodness I have book thirteen ready to read. 

Forget Me Not is another exhilarating instalment in a series that all thriller-lovers should read. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you Orion for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

M. J. Arlidge has worked in television for the last twenty years, specializing in high-end drama production, including prime-time crime serials Silent Witness, Torn, The Little House and, most recently, the hit ITV show Innocent. In 2015 his audiobook exclusive Six Degrees of Assassination was a number-one bestseller.

His debut thriller, Eeny Meeny, was the UK’s bestselling crime debut of 2014. He has now written thirteen books in the DI Helen Grace series and written two standalone novels, A Gift For Dying and Eye For An Eye.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes

Published September 15th, 2022 by Mantle
Greek Mythology, Historical Fiction, Fairy Tale, Fantasy

Today I’m sharing my review for this fierce feminist retelling. Thank you to Mantle for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2023.

In Stone Blind, the instant Sunday Times bestseller, Natalie Haynes brings the infamous Medusa to life as you have never seen her before.

‘Witty, gripping, ruthless’ – Margaret Atwood via X (Twitter)

‘So to mortal men, we are monsters. Because of our flight, our strength. They fear us, so they call us monsters’

Medusa is the sole mortal in a family of gods. Growing up with her Gorgon sisters, she begins to realize that she is the only one who experiences change, the only one who can be hurt.

When Poseidon commits an unforgiveable act against Medusa in the temple of Athene, the goddess takes her revenge where she can: on his victim. Medusa is changed forever – writhing snakes for hair and her gaze now turns any living creature to stone. She can look at nothing without destroying it.

Desperate to protect her beloved sisters, Medusa condemns herself to a life of shadows. Until Perseus embarks upon a quest to fetch the head of a Gorgon . . .

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MY REVIEW:

“They will fear you and flee you and call you a monster, just like they do your sisters.”

Fierce, feminist, moving and addictive, Stone Blind is a powerful story full of humour, strength, empathy, heartbreak and righteous female rage. It tells the story of Medusa, offering you a new way to see the myths we think we know so well. And it tells us how a story can be warped and twisted until the truth is no longer recognisable.

Medusa is a myth I have long been fascinated with, and as a long-time fan of Natalie Haynes, I was excited to see her bring her and her story to life in a new way. Medusa is the original complicated protagonist, and I have a soft spot for those kinds of characters. Traditionally billed as the villain, this book finally exposes the truth of Medusa’s fate in all of its devastating and complicated glory. It’s unsettling and hard to read in places, but never gratuitous, exposing the so-called heroes for the villains they really are. And while it is billed as Medusa’s story, the snake-haired Gorgan is actually only a part of this tale. It is also a book about the bickering, jealous, selfish and vengeful gods and goddesses who are inextricably linked with Medusa and her tragic fate. 

“I feel like becoming the monster he made.”

The story itself is exquisitely written, richly layered and intricate. I listened to the audiobook, which is narrated by Haynes. Her narration is evocative and emotive, making the world around me disappear as the story came to life around me. It’s emotional, raw and heartbreaking, but also funny, insightful and passionate. Natalie’s meticulous research and extensive knowledge is evident throughout, making these ancient stories feel as relatable and resonant today as they were when first written. 

A magnificent retelling, I highly recommend this to anyone who likes Greek Mythology or stories about strong women.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Natalie Haynes is a writer and broadcaster and – according to the Washington Post – a rock star mythologist. Her first novel, The Amber Fury, was published to great acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic, as was The Ancient Guide to Modern Life, her previous book. Her second novel, The Children of Jocasta, was published in 2017. Her retelling of the Trojan War, A Thousand Ships, was published in 2019. It was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2020. It has been translated into more multiple languages than she can now remember. Her non-fiction book, Pandora’s Jar: Women in the Greek Myth was published in Oct 2020, and reached number 2 in the New York Times Bestseller chart. Her novel about Medusa, Stone Blind, was published in Sep 2022 and Margaret Atwood liked it.

Natalie has been speaking on the modern relevance of the classical world for the last fifteen years, on tours which have spanned many countries and three continents.

Natalie is a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4: ten series of her show, Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics, have been broadcast on Radio 4: all series are available now on BBC Sounds. She will make series 11 in 2025.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*
*these are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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BOOK REVIEW: After the Storm by G. D. Wright

Published August 1st, 2024 by Avon Books
Thriller, Mystery, Suspenseful, Psychological Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Police Procedural

Welcome to my review for this outstanding debut. Thank you to Avon Books for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘So compelling and tightly plotted I couldn’t put it down’ CLAIRE DOUGLAS

‘Tense and emotional…A dark beating heart of a novel’ GILLIAN McALLISTER

‘Totally addictive. One of the most tense and gripping thrillers I’ve read in ages’ LISA JEWELL

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Don’t miss the gripping debut crime novel in which a child’s tragic drowning rips a small community apart with devastating consequences…

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TWO CHILDREN WENT INTO THE SEA.

When Andrew and Sophie take their daughter and her friend to the beach on a stormy day, they are momentarily distracted and both children are washed out to sea. Andrew dives in, but comes back ashore with only one child – Maria, his own daughter. Joe, the son of his best friend and local police officer, Chris, has drowned. But it was just a tragic accident…wasn’t it?

ONLY ONE CAME OUT ALIVE.

As Sergeant Mike Adams and DS Sue Willmott investigate what really happened in the water that afternoon, the ripple effects of the tragedy tear the community apart. The detectives must discover the truth before their colleague – bereaved and desperate father, Chris – takes the investigation into his own hands…

BUT WHO IS TO BLAME?

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MY REVIEW:

Andrew and Sophie take their daughter, Maria, and her best friend, Joe, to the beach on a stormy day. The kids are happily playing when a moment of distraction changes everything and both kids are washed out to sea. Andrew dives into the water to find them, but only comes back with one child. 
When Joe’s parents, Chris and Linda, learn of his death, they want answers. Could his death be more than a tragic accident? As the police investigate, the community is torn apart by the ripple effects of the tragedy. Chris is out for vengeance. Can the police get answers before he takes matters into his own hands?

Heartbreaking, tense, atmospheric and consuming, After the Storm is a remarkable debut. Exquisitely written, deftly plotted and keenly observed, this is a story enmeshed in raw grief, utter devastation and white hot rage. G. D. Wright showcases himself as a talent to watch on the thriller scene, delivering heart-pounding tension and emotions that go straight to your soul in a story that wrecked havoc on my heart as well as my blood pressure. Losing a child is every parents’ worst nightmare and the scenes where they learn of their son’s death are some of the most heartbreakingly raw and evocative that I’ve ever read. I wiped tears from my eyes as their hearts shattered and he wrecked havoc on my heart as well as my blood pressure. I am in awe that this is a debut as it reads like the work of a veteran author. 

Before that tragic day it wasn’t just the kids who were friends, but the parents too, but afterwards they find themselves on opposite sides of the tragedy. While Chris and Linda try to wrap their heads around their life-shattering loss, a cloud of suspicion over Andrew. He fights to prove his innocence but he’s an unreliable narrator and is clearly hiding something. As time goes on, Chris is fueled by the fire of revenge and determined to see Andrew pay for what happened. As the reader, you feel for both sides and also don’t know what to believe as Wright keeps the truth close to the vest. 

For any book to be truly great, you need good characters and Wright has created a cast of brilliant characters who are richly drawn, relatable, made me care about them and made me feel invested in their lives. He makes us feel their emotions and allows us to step into each of their shoes. You can feel the love he put into each of these characters on every page and they are people that will stay with me.

Powerful, moving, unsparing and unforgettable, After the Storm is an absolute triumph. And that ending! Gaz, you totally broke me😭 Both this, and the follow-up Into the Fire, are must-reads for any thriller fans. 

Rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

*I listented to this on Bookbeat. Click here to get 60 days of listening free*

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

From Amazon:
My name is Gary (pen name G.D. Wright) and I live on the south east coast of England with my wife and two young children.

I joined Kent Police at the age of 18, working on the front line in a variety of uniformed roles until the age of 29 when, completely out of the blue, I suffered two cardiac ‘events’, and was subsequently diagnosed with a hereditary and incurable disease of the heart (arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy if you’re being fussy!). As a result, I had an internal defibrillator implanted in me, and I had to retire from the police aged 30.

One door closed, but another opened, and my wife and I bought a coffee shop in Ramsgate Harbour. We spent eight of the happiest years of our lives there but, when the kiddies came along, it just wasn’t sustainable. Family comes first, every single time (a theme in my books…), and the simple fact was that we knew our summers should be spent with the kids, not working seven days a week. In 2022, we sold our ‘third baby’ (the coffee shop, not an actual baby – although… what a plot line for the future… making a mental note…), and I took to writing full time.

Fast forward to now. I’ve signed a two book deal with Avon UK (part of the Harper Collins family), and my debut was released in August 2024. It’s called AFTER THE STORM, and it’s a police procedural with a twisty, emotional hook. My second novel, INTO THE FIRE, is coming in the summer of 2025.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*
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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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BOOK REVIEW: The Glassmaker by Tracy Chevalier

Published September 12th, 2024 by The Borough Press
Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Medical Ficiton, Domestic Ficiton, Coming-of-Age Story

Welcome to my review for this beautiful novel which I read with the Historical Fiction Book Club this month.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

FROM THE GLOBALLY ACCLAIMED AUTHOR OF GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING

Venice, 1486. Across the lagoon lies Murano. Time flows differently here – like the glass the island’s maestros spend their lives learning to handle.

Women are not meant to work with glass, but Orsola Rosso flouts convention to save her family from ruin. She works in secret, knowing her creations must be perfect to be accepted by men. But perfection may take a lifetime.

Skipping like a stone through the centuries, we follow Orsola as she hones her craft through war and plague, tragedy and triumph, love and loss.

The beads she creates will adorn the necks of empresses and courtesans from Paris to Vienna – but will she ever earn the respect of those closest to her?

Tracy Chevalier is a master of her own craft, and The Glassmaker is vivid, inventive, spellbinding: a virtuoso portrait of a woman, a family and a city that are as everlasting as their glass.

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MY REVIEW:

Venice in 1486. 14-year-old Orsola Rosso lives across the lagoon on Murano, a place where time flows differently – like the glass the island’s maestros spend their lives perfecting. But it is a man’s world, and after her father’s sudden death it is her brother, Marco, who takes his place. Meanwhile, Orsola learns to craft glass in secret, slowly penetrating glassmaking’s patriarchal world. The story then follows through the centuries, following Orsola and her family as they try to survive in an ever-changing world. 

Beautiful, immersive, moving and enthralling, The Glassmaker is a time-bending tour-de-force that sparkles as brightly as a Murano bead. Part historical fiction and part fable, Tracy Chevalier plays with the concept of time, bending all of the rules and creatively reshaping it to craft this imaginative story. Magnificently written, meticulously researched, cleverly choreographed, with evocative imagery and richly drawn characters, Chevalier showcases herself to be a maestra in her own field with this dazzling and unforgettable story. There is a strong sense of place, Chevalier capturing the beauty of Venice and Murano and the spirit of their inhabitants. Time moves differently on Murano – a hundred years can go by in the blink of an eye while the people who live here age only a few years. It’s a fascinating concept and I enjoyed how she used it to demonstrate how little life actually changes despite the passing of the years and discoveries that are made.

The story centres around the Rosso family, particularly Orsola Rosso, who is just a teenager when the story begins. Orsola is an unforgettable heroine. Talented, strong, resilient, determined and passionate, she challenges societal and gender norms to fulfil her dream of becoming a glassmaker and sustaining her family. But she is also a character who settles for less and endures hardships, often for the good of her family over her own desires, and I sometimes found it hard to understand why she would be so steadfast in some areas and capitulate in others. We follow the Rosso family through many years of historical and societal changes. They face wars, plagues, hunger, new technology and changes to the glass industry. We watch them fall in love, suffer heartbreak and grieve for people they’ve lost. I enjoyed  watching this family and witnessing how the individual members adapted to all of their challenges and changes. It created a strong bond, made me root for them and feel invested in their lives. And I was sad when I closed the book and left them behind.

A spectacular story that will stay with you long after reading, pick this up if you enjoyed How to Stop Time or The Time Traveler’s Wife.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tracy is the author of 11 novels, including the international bestseller GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING, which has sold over 5 million copies and been made into an Oscar-nominated film starring Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth. American by birth, British by geography, she lives in London and Dorset. Her latest novel, THE GLASSMAKER, is set in Venice and follows a family of glass masters over the course of 5 centuries.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*these are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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BOOK REVIEW: All the Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

Published June 25th, 2024 by Orion
Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Literary Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

OVER ONE MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE

A sweeping coming-of-age tale, an epic love story and a searing thriller, all unfolding on a vast canvas.

There is a moment when childhood ends.

For Joseph ‘Patch’ Macauley and Saint Brown, it comes late one summer as Patch is abducted from their hometown. Devastated, Saint devotes her days to finding her best friend.

Held in total darkness, Patch is hopeless and alone – until he feels a hand in his. Though he never sees the girl, they fall in love. When he escapes, he’s left with only her voice and name – and promises to spend the rest of his life searching for her.

As Saint’s heart breaks for the boy she lost – and the man he becomes – she will shadow his journey, to uncover the truth behind who took him.

Over a lifetime driven by obsession, Patch and Saint must sacrifice everything for redemption, justice, and, ultimately, love – even if that means losing each other forever …

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MY REVIEW:

Monta Clare, Missouri, 1975. 13 year-old Joseph ‘Patch’ Macaulay is abducted after bravely stepping in when he sees a masked man assaulting a young girl. Patch is held captive in complete darkness. But he isn’t alone. Also in the dark is a girl named Grace who tells his stories and paints pictures with her words to comfort him. When he eventually escapes, Grace is nowhere to be found and investigators can find no proof that she ever existed. But Patch is convinced she is real and begins what will become a life-long search for Grace. His best friend, Saint, is devastated by the loss of the boy she knew, but pledges to keep helping him in his search. Following them both over their lifetimes, this is a story of love, obsession and the relentless search for justice.

Where on earth do I begin with this review? This is honestly one of the hardest reviews I’ve written. Not only because of the scale of this epic story, but because of the writing and the emotion it conveys. Both are difficult to describe adequately. But I will try my best to do it justice. 

Hypnotic, breathtaking and totally consuming, ‘All the Colours of the Dark’ is a masterpiece. It had been on my TBR for over a year and I had avoided reading as I was intimidated by its sheer size and all the hype that surrounded it. So, when some blogger friends invited me to join their readalong it seemed like the perfect chance to read it in a manageable way. But I failed miserably, devouring it in under a day. It stole my attention, made it impossible to think about anything else and pulled me in. I didn’t just read this book. I lived it. It wreaked havoc on my emotions and hasn’t left me since.

Chris Whitaker is a masterful storyteller and I was unprepared for the sheer beauty of what I was about to read when I started this book. The writing is breathtaking, cinematic, mesmerising, and somehow feels both gentle and raw. He paints pictures with words, just as Grace did in the darkness for Patch, using imagery and prose that is poetic, evocative and colourful. Complex, intricate, epic and sweeping, it is a story about what lurks in the shadows. It defies genre, merging a serial killer thriller, historical mystery, small-town drama and love story. The characters are richly drawn, nuanced, compelling and fractured people who make you care about them deeply. It is full of twists and turns, many of which pack a powerful punch, and moments of high drama and intensity are lightened with humour or contrast with the slower and quieter moments. Whitaker explores a variety of themes, some of which are dark and disturbing, while others inspire hope. Friendship, loss, obsession, morality and the pursuit of justice feature heavily, but it is love, trauma and human resilience that are at the centre of this story. 

Phenomenal, moving, mysterious and utterly magnificent, this is my favourite book so far this year. I can’t recommend it highly enough. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Chris Whitaker is the author of the New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling All The Colours Of The Dark. His other acclaimed and bestselling novels include We Begin At The End, Tall Oaks, and All The Wicked Girls.

Chris’s novels have been translated into thirty languages and have won the CWA Gold Dagger, the CWA John Creasey Dagger, the Theakston Crime Novel of the Year, the Ned Kelly International Award, and numerous awards around the world.

His books have also been selected for the Read With Jenna Book Club, Waterstones Thriller of the Month, Barnes & Noble Book Club, Good Morning America Book Club, and for BBC2’s Between The Covers.

All The Colours Of The Dark is currently in development with Universal Pictures. We Begin At The End is currently in development with A24.

Chris was born in London and lives in the UK.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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BOOK REVIEW: The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell

Published August 30th, 2022 by Tinder Press
Historical Fiction, Biographical Ficiton

Today I’m finally sharing my review for this magnificent novel. Thank you to Tinder Press and Netgalley for sending me an eBook ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2023
A Reese’s Bookclub December Pick (2022)
An Instant Sunday Times, New York Times and Irish Times Bestseller (August 2022)
A Guardian and LitHub Book of the Year (December 2022)

‘Every bit as evocative and spellbinding as Hamnet. O’Farrell, thank God, just seems to be getting better and better’ i newspaper

‘Her narrative enchantment will wrest suspense and surprise out of a death foretold’ Financial Times

‘Ingenious, inventive, humane, wry, truthful . . . better than her last novel’ Scotsman

‘Finely written and vividly imagined’ Guardian

‘In O’Farrell’s hands, historical detail comes alive’ Spectator
Winter, 1561. Lucrezia, Duchess of Ferrara, is taken on an unexpected visit to a country villa by her husband, Alfonso. As they sit down to dinner it occurs to Lucrezia that Alfonso has a sinister purpose in bringing her here. He intends to kill her.
Lucrezia is sixteen years old, and has led a sheltered life locked away inside Florence’s grandest palazzo. Here, in this remote villa, she is entirely at the mercy of her increasingly erratic husband.

What is Lucrezia to do with this sudden knowledge? What chance does she have against Alfonso, ruler of a province, and a trained soldier? How can she ensure her survival.

The Marriage Portrait is an unforgettable reimagining of the life of a young woman whose proximity to power places her in mortal danger.

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MY REVIEW:

Italy, 1561. Lucrezia, Duchess of Ferrara, is unexpectedly taken to a remote country villa by her husband, Alfonso. As dinner is served Lucrezia begins to suspect that Alfonso has sinister intentions for bringing her here. She is sure he plans to kill her. Can this sheltered sixteen-year-old survive against her powerful, combat-trained husband?

Atmospheric, evocative, intriguing and beguiling, Maggie O’Farrell brings history to life with this mesmerising reimagining of the life of Lucrezia de’ Medici. The book opens with a historical note that Lucrezia died aged just sixteen of ‘putrid fever’, though there were rumours that her husband, Alfonso II de Este, Duke of Ferrara, had a hand in her death. The story then begins in 1561, at that meal in the remote fortress with her husband, then jumps back to her birth in 1544. It then moves between timelines, telling her story from childhood to adolescence and her ill-fated marriage to her untimely death. 

Exquisitely written and meticulously researched, this is a glorious tapestry of a novel. O’Farrell transports her reader to sixteenth-century Italy, where we are immersed in all of its opulence, art, luxury, political tension, strict social codes and expectations for women. I lost myself in its pages, savouring O’Farrell’s luscious prose. But always in the back of my mind was Lucrezia’s impending death, adding to the tension and creating a sense of dread that lingered over every page. I knew her fate, yet I couldn’t  help but hope that somehow there would be an escape, a different ending for her at the end of Ms. O’Farrell’s pen. 

Lucrezia de’ Medici is a tragic heroine, brought to life once more from the archives of history for modern readers. Lucrezia may appear to have had a charmed life since birth, with her title and upbringing in a palazzo, but there was much hardship alongside the wealth and luxury. Her conception was considered unfortunate and she was such a difficult infant that her mother removed her from the nursery and sent her to be cared for by a maid in the kitchen. There, she was placed in a laundry tub and watched over by the young daughter of the kitchen maid, her only contact with her mother being reports sent back to her mother each day. As we follow Lucrezia through her childhood sheltered in the palazzo and into adolescence, we see beyond the tragedy and it was easy to develop a fondness for this artistic, feisty and spirited girl who has always been an outsider, even in her own home. For women of Lucrezia’s era and class, their destiny was set, and she was married to Alfonso at just fifteen. But instead of a new beginning, her marriage is the beginning of the end, turning into a dark fairytale that concludes with her death less than a year later. 

Dark, alluring and suspenseful, this unforgettable novel is one that lingers long after reading. Highly recommended.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

From Maggie’s Web Page: Maggie O’Farrell, Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, is the author of HAMNET, Winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2020, and the memoir I AM, I AM, I AM, both Sunday Times no. 1 bestsellers. Her novels include AFTER YOU’D GONE, MY LOVER’S LOVER, THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US, which won a Somerset Maugham Award, THE VANISHING ACT OF ESME LENNOX, THE HAND THAT FIRST HELD MINE, which won the 2010 Costa Novel Award, INSTRUCTIONS FOR A HEATWAVE and THIS MUST BE THE PLACE., and THE MARRIAGE PORTRAIT. She is also the author of two books for children, WHERE SNOW ANGELS GO and THE BOY WHO LOST HIS SPARK. She lives in Edinburgh.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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BOOK REVIEW: The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue

Published July 23rd, 2020 by Picador
Historical Fiction, Medical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Historical Romance, Lesbian Literature

Welcome to my review for this powerful and unforgettable story. Thanks to Picador for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Three days in a maternity ward at the height of the Great Flu. The Pull of the Stars is the Sunday Times Bestseller from the acclaimed author of The Wonder and Room.

‘An immersive, unforgettable fever-dream of a novel’ – The Times

The old world dying on its feet, a new one struggling to be born . . .

Dublin, 1918. In a country doubly ravaged by war and disease, Nurse Julia Power works at an understaffed hospital in the city centre, where expectant mothers who have come down with an unfamiliar flu are quarantined together. Into Julia’s regimented world step two outsiders: Doctor Kathleen Lynn, on the run from the police, and a young volunteer helper, Bridie Sweeney.

In the darkness and intensity of this tiny ward, over the course of three days, these women change each other’s lives in unexpected ways. They lose patients to this baffling pandemic, but they also shepherd new life into a fearful world. With tireless tenderness and humanity, carers and mothers alike somehow do their impossible work.

In The Pull of the Stars, Emma Donoghue tells an unforgettable and deeply moving story of love and loss.

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MY REVIEW:

Dublin, 1918. Ireland is a country ravaged by war and in the grip of a pandemic. At an understaffed hospital in the city centre, we follow Nurse Julia Power as she cares for expectant mothers who have contracted the flu. She is helped by Birdie Sweeney, an inexperienced volunteer helper, and Doctor Kathleen Lynn, an Irish Nationalist on the run from the police. Over the course of three days, we see them battle to give patients the best care, bring new life into the world, and tragically lose lives to this mysterious disease. 

Beautiful, moving, harrowing and immersive, The Pull of the Stars is an unforgettable piece of historical fiction. Exquisitely written and meticulously researched, Emma Donoghue had me hooked from the first pages, transporting me into Julia’s world and making me feel like I was in the room with her. Likeable and easy to root for, Julia was a great protagonist. I loved the care she had for all of her patients, her passion for nursing and that she was refusing to conform to society by staying unmarried as she turned 30. The other characters are equally as compelling. Birdie was naive  but enthusiastic and willing to learn. And my heart broke as we learned more about what she’d been through growing up in religious institutions. Dr Kathleen Lynn, who is based on a real person, was modern, visionary and unafraid to do whatever it takes to further her cause. Each of the women are strong in their own ways and I loved seeing the effect they had on Julia’s life in just three short days.

1918 was a dangerous time to be a woman, especially in a country like Ireland where religious beliefs meant there was an expectation to marry young, an aversion to contraception and a societal expectation to churn out babies back to back regardless of whether or not you wanted to or could afford them. Donoghue explores these issues along with others such as the horrific realities of the Magdalene laundries and religious institutions, and the terrible infant mortality rate, especially amongst poorer families. The characters represent different social groups and offer us an example of many different lives. There are victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence, impoverished and malnourished women struggling to give birth for a twelfth time and terrified teenage first-time mothers. Each of these women are fighting to survive at a time when the mortality rate was 15% and we see successful births and tragic losses of both mothers and babies.

One of the things I love about historical fiction is getting a glimpse of life at the time the book is set and as someone who has always been fascinated by medical history, I enjoyed learning about how different treatments and knowledge were at the start of the twentieth century, while also seeing how knowledge about hygiene and medicine were growing at the time and helped to save lives. I appreciated that Donoghue didn’t shy away from the more shocking and gruesome aspects of nursing and the complications that can arise in obstetrics, although it may be too intense for some readers. 

Highly recommended. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Born in Dublin in 1969, Emma Donoghue is a writer of contemporary and historical fiction whose novels include the international bestseller “Room” (her screen adaptation was nominated for four Oscars), “Frog Music”, “Slammerkin,” “The Sealed Letter,” “Landing,” “Life Mask,” “Hood,” and “Stirfry.” Her story collections are “Astray”, “The Woman Who Gave Birth to Rabbits,” “Kissing the Witch,” and “Touchy Subjects.” She also writes literary history, and plays for stage and radio. She lives in London, Ontario, with her partner and their two children.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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BOOK REVIEW: A Tidy Ending by Joanna Cannon

Published April 28th, 2022 by The Borough Press
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Fiction

Welcome to my review for this compelling black comedy. Thank you Borough Press for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

MEET LINDA.

Linda lives a nice, normal life, on a nice, normal street with Terry, her perfectly ordinary husband.

Linda’s not like everyone else, she keeps herself to herself. But she’s good at solving puzzles and there are times she sees things other people might have overlooked.

Because nothing on Cavendish Avenue is quite as it seems. People have started to go missing in the neighbourhood and Linda will soon discover that some secrets can’t stay buried forever…

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MY REVIEW:

In an ordinary English neighbourhood local girls are being murdered by someone the papers have dubbed The Hexford Stranger. As suspicions swirl and everyone is trying to figure out who could be responsible we follow Linda, a normal woman who is one of the residents. She lives with her husband, Terry, and those who know her would say she keeps to herself. But Linda also notices things that other people miss. And lately she’s been noticing strange things that she slowly begins to piece together….

Darkly funny, sinister and deeply human, A Tidy Ending is a captivating and atmospheric read that feels like  peeking out of your living room window. Deftly written, skillfully constructed and acutely observed, Joanna Cannon vividly transported me into Linda’s world. Cleverly concealed clues are dropped like breadcrumbs for us to follow, and I don’t mind admitting that I missed a lot of them. And that ending! My jaw dropped. As Linda says repeatedly, appearances can be deceptive.

Now, we need to talk about Linda. Quirky, cringey, sad, lonely and needy, she’s a memorable and compelling but not particularly likeable protagonist, though as I love an unreliable narrator I did find myself warming to her as the story went on. In a loveless marriage, ignored by her husband, put down by her mother and with no friends, you can’t help but feel for her, especially as her traumatic backstory is revealed. She is also socially unaware, cringey, and easy to take advantage of, often making me want to ride in and rescue her when others were mistreating her. 

Tense, twisty, complex and full of heart, this is an entertaining domestic noir with heaps of black humour and an appropriately tidy ending. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

*I listened to this on Bookbeat. Click here to get 60 days of listening for free*

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Joanna Cannon graduated from Leicester Medical School and worked as a hospital doctor, before specialising in psychiatry. Her novels, The Trouble With Goats and Sheep and Three Things About Elsie, were both Sunday Times bestsellers and Richard and Judy picks. Her new novel, A Tidy Ending, was published in April 2022. She lives in the Peak District with her dog, Lewis.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Amazon*
*these are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx