Tag: 4.5 stars

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

Published October 31st, 2023 by Tor
Gothic Fiction, Contemporary Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Mythology, Dark Fantasy

Welcome to my review for the eerie and unsettling gothic fantasy, Starling House, which was the October Reese’s Book Club pick. Thank you to Tor and Black Crow PR for my copies of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

A Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

‘Alix E. Harrow is an exceptional, undeniable talent’ – Olivie Blake, author of The Atlas Six

Step into Starling House – if you dare . . . Alix E. Harrow reimagines Beauty and the Beast in this gorgeously modern Gothic fantasy, perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab and Naomi Novik.

Nobody in Eden remembers when Starling House was built. But the town agrees it’s best to let this ill-omened mansion – and its last lonely heir – go to hell. Stories of the house’s bad luck, like good china, have been passed down the generations.

Opal knows better than to mess with haunted houses, or brooding men. But when an opportunity to work there arises, the money might get her brother out of Eden. Starling House is uncanny and full of secrets – just like Arthur, its heir. It also feels strangely, dangerously, like something she’s never had: a home. Yet Opal isn’t the only one interested in the horrors and the wonders that lie buried beneath it.

Sinister forces converge on Eden – and Opal realizes that if she wants a home, she’ll have to fight for it. Even if it involves digging up her family’s ugly past to achieve a better future. She’ll have to go down, deep down beneath Starling House, to claw her way back to the light . . .

This is a romantic and spellbinding Gothic fairytale from Hugo, Nebula and Locus Award-shortlisted Alix E. Harrow.

‘Starling House is Alix E. Harrow’s greatest work yet’ – Ava Reid, author of Juniper and Thorn

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MY REVIEW:

“Dreams are just like stray cats. If you don’t feed them they get lean and clever and sharp-clawed, and come for the jugular when you least expect it.”

Starling House is the ‘haunted house’ that Eden’s residents avoid. Stories about curses, bad luck and even murder have been passed down for generations. Opal knows she should stay away from the foreboding, dilapidated mansion, but there’s something drawing her to it. And when she’s offered a job by Arthur, its strange and mysterious heir, the offer is too good to resist; a chance to finally save enough money to get her brother, Jasper, out of this small town and into a better life. But there’s a darkness to Arthur Starling and his house, something dangerous that makes Opal wonder if the stories might be true after all…

Unsettling, eerie and forbidding, Starling House is a gorgeous dark gothic fantasy filled with magic, monsters, secrets and suspicion. In her beautifully written and alluring reimagining of Beauty and the Beast Alix E.  Harrow has crafted a phantasmagoria of mystery, fantasy and horror that is impossible to resist. Much like the eponymous house, it pulls you in and transports you to another world, holding you under its spell until the last page. There are many things I loved about Ms. Harrow’s writing but I particularly enjoyed how she had Opal talk directly to the reader so you feel like you’re part of an intimate conversation rather than reading fiction. I also loved that she included footnotes throughout the book that made it seem like we’re reading an account of actual events and playing into making the story so believable. I had to keep reminding myself that all of this was fiction and the product of an author’s evocative imagination. 

“I should probably be freaked out—this place is eerie and endless, a rotting labyrinth—but mostly I just feel sorry for it. Starling House makes me think of an underfed pet or a broken doll, a thing unloved by the person who promised to love them best.”

The story is told by two narrators: Opal and Arthur. Opal is the underdog, a down-on-her-luck orphan caring for her younger brother who is scraping together every penny to survive. Spiky, fierce and spirited, you can’t help cheering her on, even as she does things you don’t approve of. After all, she’s simply trying to survive. Arthur, the heir and Warden of Starling House, takes more warming up to. Eccentric, cryptic and strange, he’s creepy at first but Harrow gives this reclusive character a beating heart, making the beast human and someone we feared into someone we care about. It’s an irresistible redemption tale that is perfectly executed. And while they may appear to be vastly different, they actually have a lot in common: they are both orphans who people of the town gossip about, look down on and are suspicious of, and they are both filled with a sense of duty: Opal to her brother, Jasper, and Arthur as Warden of Starling House. I loved watching their stories unfold and their relationship grow. By the end I was rooting for them both and hoping for a happy ending. 

“The House wants her, and the House is stubborn… He doesn’t know why it would want her of all people: A freckled scarecrow of a girl with crooked teeth and holes in the knees of her jeans, entirely unremarkable except for the steel in her eyes. And perhaps for the way she stood her ground against him. He is a ghost, a rumor, a story whispered after the children have gone to bed, and she was cold and hurt, all alone in the rising dark—and yet she hadn’t run from him until he told her to. The House has always had a taste for the brave ones.”

Starling House is more than a house. It’s a living, breathing entity and an important character in the book. When you step over its threshold you’re transported to another world. One that is dark, terrifying and secretive. Where there is magic, monsters and mythical creatures. But there’s so much more; the house seems to have a consciousness, feelings, a heartbeat. Its darkness is seductive and it pulls you in, just like it drew Opal to its gates. And while this world is filled with unbelievable things, Harrow makes it feel totally believable as she combines the perfect amount of the magical, supernatural and mythical with reality that makes us buy into its existence and lose ourselves inside it. 

“Small towns are supposed to be cozy and friendly, like perfect little snow globes, but me and Jasper have always been kept on the other side of the glass.”

The town of Eden is also very important to the story. This small town lives and breathes legend. Everyone and everything is cursed and the residents simply turn a blind eye. They also turn a blind eye to prejudice and suffering, topics that are explored throughout the book and we see examples of in both narrators’ lives. There is also an overwhelming feeling of claustrophobia that comes from this small-town setting and Starling House, adding to the tense and sinister air that hovers over every page.

Darkly atmospheric, haunting, dreamlike and bewitching, this mesmerising gothic fantasy is a must read. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Alix E. Harrow is the NYT-bestselling author of The Ten Thousand Doors of January, The Once and Future Witches, Starling House, and various short fiction, including a duology of retold fairy tales (A Spindle Splintered and A Mirror Mended). Her work has won a Hugo and a British Fantasy Award, and been shortlisted for the Nebula, World Fantasy, Locus, Southern Book Prize, and Goodreads Choice awards.

She’s from Kentucky, but now lives in Charlottesville, Virginia with her husband and their two semi-feral kids.

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BUY THE BOOK

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org*| Amazon*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxx

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2022

REVIEW: That Bonesetter Woman by Frances Quinn

Published July 21st, 2022 by Simon & Schuster UK
Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Adventure Fiction

Thank you to Simon & Schuster UK for the proof copy of this outstanding historical fiction novel.

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SYNOPSIS:

‘What a heroine Endurance Proudfoot is! I loved her from the start. An unconventional woman who takes us on a fascinating – if bumpy – ride through a man’s world. I laughed, cried and most of all cheered! Can’t stop thinking about it… an absolute cruncher of a tale’ Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal

‘A complete joy of a novel that, like it’s wonderful protagonist’s namesake, is a story of endurance against all odds. Full of heart and so eloquently written, THAT BONESETTER WOMAN had me cheering Durie on from start to finish – I absolutely loved it’ Susan Stokes-Chapman, author of Pandora

​It’s usual, they say, for a young person coming to London for the first time to arrive with a head full of dreams. Well, Endurance Proudfoot did not. When she stepped off the coach from Sussex, on a warm and sticky afternoon in the summer of 1757, it never occurred to her that the city would be the place where she’d make her fortune; she was just very annoyed to be arriving there at all.
 
Meet Endurance Proudfoot: clumsy as a carthorse, strong as an ox, with a tactless tongue and a face she’s sure only a mother could love. Durie wants one thing in life: to become a bonesetter like her father. It’s physically demanding work, requiring nerves of steel, and he’s adamant it’s not a job for a woman.

Strong-willed and stubborn, Durie’s certain that in bonesetting, her big, usually clumsy hands have found their natural calling. So when she’s bundled off to London with her beautiful sister, she won’t let it stop her realising her dream. As her sister finds fame on the stage, Durie becomes England’s most celebrated bonesetter – but what goes up must come down, and her success may become her undoing.

Inspired by the true stories of two of Georgian England’s most famous celebrities, That Bonesetter Woman is an uplifting tale about finding the courage to go your own way, when everyone says you can’t – and about realising that what makes you different can also make you strong.

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MY REVIEW:

“She was going to be a bonesetter. She was going to fix people.”

I was delighted when That Bonesetter Woman was chosen as the September book by the Historical Fiction Book Club as it has been on my TBR since receiving a proof last year (yes, this review is very late). It was also one of the 12 backlist books  I added to my ‘12 in 2023’ list back in January and I haven’t been good at getting to those so I was pleased to tick another off that list. 

Endurance (Durie) Proudfoot has never fit in. Instead of being beautiful, graceful, and tactful like other girls, she’s clumsy, unusually strong, tactless, and has a face only a mother could love. She also has an unusual dream: to be a bonesetter like her father. But bonesetting is seen as a job for boys, so a frustrated Durie is carted off to London with her younger sister, Lucinda. But she’s determined that this isn’t the end of her bonesetting dreams and carves out a path to accomplish becoming England’s most celebrated bonsetter. But traditionalists don’t like that a woman is taking up space in a man’s world and set out to put her back in her place.

Mesmerising, immersive, and absorbing, That Bonesetter Woman is another outstanding novel from the pen of masterful storyteller Frances Quinn. Her magnificent debut, The Smallest Man, was one of my favourite books of 2020, so I had high expectations for this book. And she surpassed them all. As she did in her debut, Quinn has created fictional characters inspired by real historical people and then merged fact with fiction to craft an unforgettable story about those who are different. Meticulously researched and rich in fascinating historical details that I loved—did you know you used to get free zoo entry to the London Zoo with a dead cat?—it feels so real that I had to keep reminding myself this wasn’t biographical fiction and Durie is a fictional character. Exquisitely written and perfectly paced, Quinn puts our emotions through the wringer with some heartwarming, heartbreaking and wonderful subplots that are woven into Durie’s story. She brings history to life, wrenching you out of your own reality and into the one she’s created. 

“Each time seemed like a reminder that she just didn’t fit in the world like other people did. Except when she was doing the one thing age wasn’t clumsy and cack-handed at, and what was she going to do if she wasn’t allowed to do that?”

Durie Proudfoot is a truly original heroine. I can promise you will have never read anyone quite like her. She’s headstrong, stubborn, determined, plain-speaking, and honest. Someone with heart and morality who has no time for flattery, lies, or greed. And though Durie lives a life that is extraordinary and memorable, it is also a life marred by anguish and misfortune. Quinn creates a strong connection between the reader and protagonist, making us feel deeply the pain that inhabits her as she struggles with being different, trying to understand the behaviours of others, and other challenging events in her life. Also palpable is her frustration at being caged by the expectations of society as they attempt to put her in a box she has never and will never fit in. I loved how she fought for what she wanted and knew was right for her from a young age, even when facing what seemed like increasingly insurmountable odds as she got older. She was a truly remarkable and fascinating woman and I loved watching her metamorphosis from clumsy outcast to celebrated bonesetter. 

Though no other character shone as brightly as Durie, the book has a cast of richly drawn background characters that I enjoyed. George stands out as one I particularly liked, probably because of his kind, thoughtful character and the sweet relationship he shared with Durie. Like her, he is straightforward and is one of the few people she really connects with. He’s the kind of love-interest we dream of: someone who really gets you and accepts you for who you are. Their scenes together were some of my favourite in the book and I was rooting for them every step of the way.

Atmospheric, evocative, ambitious and compelling, That Bonesetter Woman is an epic masterpiece of historical fiction that I highly recommend.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Frances Quinn grew up in London and read English at King’s College, Cambridge, realising too late that the course would require more than lying around reading novels for three years. After snatching a degree from the jaws of laziness, she became a journalist, writing for magazines including Prima, Good Housekeeping, She, Woman’s Weekly and Ideal Home, and later branched out into copywriting, producing words for everything from Waitrose pizza packaging to the EasyJet in-flight brochure. 

In 2013, she won a place on the Curtis Brown Creative novel writing course, and started work on her first novel. The Smallest Man was published in 2021 by Simon & Schuster with her follow up, That Bonesetter Woman, published in 2022. 

She lives in Brighton, with her husband and two Tonkinese cats.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxxx

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: Once A Monster by Robert Dinsdale

Published September 21st, 2023 by Pan Macmillan
Historical Fiction, Mythlogy, Fantasy

I’m a little late due to illness, but here is my review for this laybrinthing and mesmerising gothic tale. Thanks to Chloe and Pan Macmillan for the invitation to take part in the blog tour and for the gifted copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

‘A labyrinthine delight of a novel . . . Dickensian darkness is infused with ancient myth. Historical writing at its finest . . . .’ Essie Fox, bestselling author of The Somnambulist and The Fascination

London, 1861: Ten-year-old Nell belongs to a crew of mudlarks who work a stretch of the Thames along the Ratcliffe Highway. An orphan since her mother died four years past, leaving Nell with only broken dreams and a pair of satin slippers in her possession, she spends her days dredging up coals, copper and pieces of iron spilled by the river barges – searching for treasure in the mud in order to appease her master, Benjamin Murdstone.

But one day, Nell discovers a body on the shore. It’s not the first corpse she’s encountered, but by far the strangest. Nearly seven feet tall, the creature has matted hair covering his legs, and on his head are the suggestion of horns. Nell’s fellow mudlarks urge her to steal his boots and rifle his pockets, but as she ventures closer the figure draws breath and Nell is forced to make a decision which will change her life forever . . .

From the critically acclaimed author of The Toymakers comes an imaginative retelling of the legend of the Minotaur, full of myth and magic and steeped in the grime of Victorian London; perfect for lovers of historical fiction with a mythical twist.

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MY REVIEW:

“They damned him in legend. Well, it’s always easy to damn a man who’s different, isn’t it?”

The familiar legend of the minotaur gets a makeover in this magnificent tale. 

London, 1861. Ten-year-old Nell is part of a crew of mudlarks who spend their days searching a stretch of the Thames along Ratcliffe Highway for treasures to placate their master, Benjamin Murdstone. Then one day she finds something unexpected among the usual lumps of coal and iron: the corpse of a huge creature, almost seven feet tall with what seem to be horns on his head. But as she’s trying to decide if she should take his boots and rifle his pockets for things to sell, she realises it is still alive and is forced to make a decision that will change the course of her life…

“From the front, he was less car a man; in profile, more bestial still… His eyes were marked not in fury but in caution and terror. They rolled, just like a fawn’s as it tries to take in the world it’s just been instructed it will have to survive. 
It wasn’t only Nell who was shaking. The stranger was shaking too.”

What comes to mind when you think of the Minotour? Beast. Giant. Brute. Savage. Behemoth. Monster. But what about his human side? It is here that Dinsdale succeeds in showing us that we may think we know this mythical creature but there is so much we don’t know. Have we ever taken the time to understand his pain, dreams and desires? This is the Minotour like you have never seen or imagined him before. Through Minos’ character, Dinsdale lays bare the deepest parts of the Minotaur’s soul, showing us the human side of him for what feels like the first time while examining the monster that lives inside all of us and asking us to consider what it is that makes us human. 

“The mudlark and the monster, staring at each other across the dancing flames. The things I find in the mud, they should change my life. Those words seemed to fill up the whole of the seaward cave – for wasn’t Minos one of those things?”

Robert Dinsdale’s The Toymakers is one of my all-time favourite books, and I’m a sucker for a Greek mythology retelling, so I was excited to read his take on the Minotaur myth. At almost 500 pages this book is quite the tome, and I did think it could have done with being a bit shorter as there are times it seems to lose its way a little. But it always finds its way back and Dinsdale has created a story that truly stands out from the crowd, not only because of the book’s striking cover. The writing is melodic and almost dreamlike in places, giving us a Dickensian vibe as Dinsdale merges Victorian Gothic with myth and history. It is evocatively illustrated, transporting me back to Victorian London so vividly that it felt like I could see the smoke rising from the chimneys, smell the pungent air, and feel the biting cold of winter. It was a cruel and unforgiving place for many, something Dinsdale explores through characters who are living on the margins of life, doing whatever they must to survive another day, and dreaming of maybe one day lifting themselves into a better life. They are a flawed, fractured group of people and some choose to be kind, while others choose cruelty or betrayal. But they all pull us into their lives and make us root for their success or comeuppance. Young Nell was by far my favourite character and a real joy to read. Feisty, determined, this young orphan has no-one and nothing in the world yet she has the kindest soul. I was rooting for her to fulfil her dreams and adored the sweet friendship she and Minos shared. 

Labyrinthine, mesmerising, imaginative and heartfelt, Dinsdale held me in his thrall as he spun his magical tale, my heart pounding as we raced towards that chilling finale. A truly astonishing piece of gothic fiction, Once A Monster will change how you look at this well-known myth forever.. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Robert Dinsdale was born in North Yorkshire and currently lives in Leigh on Sea. His novels include; The Harrowing (Faber 2010) Three Miles (Faber, 2011) Little Exiles (HarperCollins, 2013) Gingerbread (HarperCollins, 2014), and Paris by Starlight (Del Rey, 2020).

His first venture into magic, The Toymakers, was published by Ebury in 2018.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

*All purchase links are affiliate links

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2023

BLOG TOUR: The Murmurs (The Annie Jackson Mysteries Volume 1) by Michael J. Malone

Published September 14th, 2023 by Orenda Books
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Gothic Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Horror Fiction, Religious Ficiton, Book Series

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this beguiling gothic thriller. Thank you to Anne at Random Things for the invitation to take part and to Orenda for the proof copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

A young woman starts experiencing terrifying premonitions of people dying, as it becomes clear that a family curse known only as The Murmurs has begun, and a long-forgotten crime is about to be unearthed…
 
On the first morning of her new job at Heartfield House, a care home for the elderly, Annie Jackson wakens from a terrifying dream. And when she arrives at the home, she knows that the first old man she meets is going to die.
 
How she knows this is a terrifying mystery, but it is the start of horrifying premonitions … a rekindling of the curse that has trickled through generations of women in her family – a wicked gift known only as ‘the murmurs’…
 
With its reappearance comes an old, forgotten fear that is about to grip Annie Jackson.
 
And this time, it will never let go…
 
A compulsive gothic thriller and a spellbinding supernatural mystery about secrets and small communities, about faith, courage and self-preservation, The Murmurs is a startling and compulsive read from one of Scotland’s finest authors.

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MY REVIEW:

“Who are they? 
They are every woman, burned, every man flayed and skinned, they’re every trauma visited upon every human—they’re pain they’re torture, they are the scream echoing in the distant dark, the whispered taunt in your ear.
They’re the baited breath, the hammering pulse, the cold beaded sweat, dry mouth, and the bunched yet frozen muscle ignoring the command to run, run, RUN.
They are vengeance and they will never stop.”

A family curse, long-forgotten crimes, repressed memories, and decades-old secrets all come together in this beguiling gothic thriller that is perfect for spooky season. 

Annie Jackson is a young woman whose life has been marred by tragedy. She survived the accident that killed her mother but it took her memories, leaving her with only a nightmare that returns just as she’s about to start a new job at a care home. And on her first day it gets worse as a disturbing vision and murmuring voices tell her one of the residents is about to die. From that day on she is plagued by foreshadowings of the fates of those on the margins of life and death. The eponymous murmurs come unwelcome and unbidden, leaving her frightened, bewildered and scared to look people in the eye. Annie soon discovers the murmurs are part of a curse that has cascaded through the generations of women in her family. Desperate to know more and understand what is happening to her, she and her twin brother, Lewis, begin to explore their family history. But what they discover is much darker than they ever imagined and they find themselves embroiled in old mysteries that are far more dangerous than they realise…

He’s done it again! Michael J. Malone is a masterful gothic storyteller and he had me spellbound as I read. Evocatively told, it oozes a sinister atmosphere as he weaves elements of folklore and the supernatural into the narrative, blurring the lines between what is real and what is in our imagination. Ghostly fingers of the past tighten their grip on Annie and rekindle ashes of memory that slowly reveal horrifying secrets that have been buried for decades. It is chilling, twisty, and there’s a creeping sense of dread that permeates the pages. There are elements of the unknown, the inexplicable, and the unexpected alongside complex family dynamics, dark secrets, and lots of emotion. The story is steadily paced and slowed down a little in the middle before picking up pace again during the last third of the book. This is where I couldn’t put it down, pushing aside my sleepiness in the early hours and flying through the pages as the tension escalated at breakneck speed and we hurtled towards the heart-pounding and shocking finale. 

Malone tells the story in multiple vividly drawn timelines by multiple compelling narrators. But it is Annie who is at the heart of this book. She’s is a bit of a lost soul and we can feel her confusion, fear, and isolation as she tries to figure out what on earth is happening to her. I liked her relationship with her twin brother, Lewis, which felt authentic and grounding in a story that generally feels quite bizarre. I also really enjoyed reading the historical family members and loved the addition of Moira McLean’s memoir. 

Haunting, ominous, darkly atmospheric, and captivating, this is the best I’ve read yet from this author. Add it to your TBR now. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought up in the heart of Burns’ country. He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings. Blood Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize from the Scottish Association of Writers. Other published work includes: Carnegie’s Call; A Taste for Malice; The Guillotine Choice; Beyond the Rage; The Bad Samaritan; and Dog Fight. His psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie, was a number-one bestseller, and the critically acclaimed House of Spines and After He Died soon followed suit. Since then, he’s written two further thought-provoking, exquisitely written psychological thrillers In the Absence of Miracles and A Song of Isolation, cementing his position as a key proponent of Tartan Noir and an undeniable talent. A former Regional Sales Manager (Faber & Faber) he has also worked as an IFA and a bookseller. Michael lives in Ayr.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | Waterstones* | Amazon* | Bookshop.org*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews form the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

*These purchase links are affiliate links

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Blog Tours Book Features Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: Life and Otter Miracles by Hazel Prior

Published September 14th, 2023 by Transworld
Romantic Comedy, Humorous Fiction, Uplit, Adventure Fiction, Holiday Fiction

Happy Publication Day to Life and Otter Miracles! I’m delighted to be sharing my review for this uplfiting story on such a special day. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part and to Transworld for the gifted copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

From the bestselling author of Richard & Judy’s pick Away with the Penguins comes this ‘otterly’ delightful, heart-warming and feel-good story about the healing power of nature.


‘A lovely holiday read . . . Packed full of humanity and otters!’ Sally Page

‘This book was just amazing. It made me laugh and cry!’ *****
‘There is so much to love and treasure in this story’ *****
‘This book was a delight from start to finish!’ *****
‘Glorious dose of otter cuteness’ *****
You loved Veronica McCreedy. Now meet Phoebe Featherstone . . ._____

Down by the river, Phoebe Featherstone is about to make a life-changing discovery . . .

Clever, nosy Phoebe is unable to get out much, but she has a talent for uncovering her neighbours’ secrets by examining the parcels delivered by her courier father, Al.

When they discover an abandoned baby otter on the riverbank, Phoebe must step out of her comfort zone – and she experiences an unexpected sense of happiness that she has not felt in a very long time. But now, further secrets are coming to light.

Phoebe soon realizes that something is amiss at the local otter sanctuary. She will need to overcome her own close­ly guarded issues and put all her sleuthing skills to good use if she wants to save the otters . . . and in the process, change her life for ever.

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MY REVIEW:

“In this moment, Phoebe felt it for the first time: A curious concentration of joy that had nothing to do with her own state, that was activated by focusing wholly on the baby otter. It was a new and glorious phenomenon. It should have a name. Perhaps she would call it ‘the Otter Effect’. Like the Butterfly Effect, only much, much better.”

Be prepared to feel ‘the Otter Effect’. 

A story of family, friendship, community, and self-discovery, I adored this beautifully told gem of a story told with wit, warmth, and wisdom that is a balm for the soul. It is the book I never knew I needed and I’ll never be the same again after reading. Hazel Prior has been a favourite and auto-buy author for me ever since I read Away with the Penguins, and with every book she just gets better. Life and Otter Miracles showcases her gift for writing animals you’ll fall in love with, humans you’ll relate to, and stories you won’t forget to perfection. I loved the attention to the tiniest details such as the chapter names and the otter illustrations at the start of each one. But this is the book I never knew I needed and I’ll never be the same after reading it.

19-year-old Phoebe Featherstone and her father, Al, who have just moved to the small Exmoor village of Darleycombe and are out exploring the beauty their new home has to offer when they come across an otter cub abandoned on the riverbank. Phoebe is soon struck with what she calls ‘the Otter Effect’; the warm, happy feeling that these animals bring and can’t bear to be parted from her, so after they take the little creature to the local otter sanctuary she volunteers to help care for the cub and prepare her for release back into the wild. There’s a varied cast of characters that I loved, particularly Phoebe, Al, and Christina – a woman Phoebe quickly becomes friends with and hopes to set up her father with. Phoebe is a big fan of detective shows such as Poirot and I loved how she used this knowledge to play amateur detective at various points in the story, particularly when it seems clear that someone is trying to sabotage the otter sanctuary. By this point in the story, Phoebe has found her own kind of sanctuary there, and the idea of it closing is devastating. She is determined to catch the culprit, and I enjoyed following the clues along with her to try and figure out the answers. One of my favourite aspects of the book was the relationship between Phoebe and Al and it was great to read a story that focused on a single father. Phoebe’s attempts to play matchmaker for him were fun to read, though I did doubt they’d be successful. But the stars of the show are undoubtedly the otters. Coco is the cutest little animal ever and everyone will fall for the charms of her and the other otters in this book. I wanted to immediately find the nearest otter sanctuary to visit and now understand why they are my eldest son’s favourite animal. 

But although it was the amazing writing, compelling characters, and adorable otters that drew me to this book, it is the author’s depiction of Phoebe’s chronic pain that had the greatest impact on me. I developed chronic pain at a similar age to Phoebe and I have never seen myself or my experience so evocatively represented in a book. It brought me to tears and means more than I could ever express. I can honestly say I have never felt so seen as I did when reading Phoebe talk about the little things she has to think about just to get through the day. It’s woven into every facet of her life and I lost it all over again a couple of times when Phoebe’s struggle was especially palpable. Ms. Prior’s familiarity with chronic pain is evident in the raw, honest, and sensitive way that Phoebe’s experience is written and I don’t think anyone who hasn’t lived it could have conveyed the brutal, devastating reality of living in agony day after day. I am so grateful to her for being brave enough to write this character so that those of us with chronic pain can feel seen and those who don’t know how it feels are educated by reading her words. Thank you Hazel. 

Compassionate, heartwarming, moving, and uplifting, Life and Otter Miracles is the perfect book to cosy under the blanket with on a cold night. But be warned—you will fall in love. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Hazel Prior lives on Exmoor with her husband and a huge ginger cat. As well as writing, she works as a freelance harpist. Hazel is the author of Ellie and the Harp-Maker, the #1 ebook and audiobook bestseller Away with the Penguins and its follow-up, Call of the Penguins. Life and Otter Miracles is her fourth novel.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: The Short Straw by Holly Seddon

Published September 14th by Orion
Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction

Today I’m delighted to be opening the the blog tour for this spine-chilling thriller. Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers Tours for the invitation to take part, and to Orion for the proof copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

Leaving isn’t safe… But staying would be deadly.

‘An addictive read. . . Patricia Highsmith meets Shirley Jackson’ – GILLIAN MCALLISTER
‘The Short Straw practically pulses with foreboding and menace. Get ready to stay up all night! Fans of Shirley Jackson and Ruth Ware will love this. No one writes of family dynamics quite like Holly Seddon.’ – JACK JORDAN

Three sisters find themselves lost in a storm at night, and seek safety at Moirthwaite Manor, where their mother once worked. They are shocked to find the isolated mansion that loomed so large through their troubled childhoods has long been abandoned. Drawing straws to decide who should get help, one sister heads back into the darkness. With the siblings separated, the deadly secrets hidden in the house finally make themselves known and we learn the unspeakable secret that binds the family together.

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MY REVIEW:

“Can there be anything more frightening than realising that a bad dream was actually a memory, and then finding yourself back in it?”

Sisters Nina, Lizzie and Aisa Kelsey find themselves stranded during a storm and are forced to take shelter in Moirthwaite Manor, an isolated mansion where their mother once worked. The house is swathed in darkness and appears to have long since been abandoned, leaving them wondering what happened to its former residents. Unable to agree who should go for help, the sisters draw straws to decide, and one of them heads out into the cold, dark, terrifying night. But are those inside the house any safe? 

Darkly atmospheric, eerie, and forbidding, The Short Straw is a cocktail of nerve-shredding chills and adrenaline that you won’t be able to put down. There’s an unrelenting unease and a dark, oppressive feeling that permeates the pages from the start. I felt like I was watching the opening of a horror film as the sisters approached Moirthwaite Manor, which has an ominous and sinister presence. It’s the kind of place where you wouldn’t be surprised to see bloodstains on the surfaces or an empty chair creaking as it rocks back and forth. It feels claustrophobic, like you can feel the walls closing in on you. I wanted to scream at them not to go in and just run away from this terrifying place. But they couldn’t hear me. So I read on while frozen with fear, desperate to know what came next but also terrified of what might be waiting in that house. 

“The first thing they notice is the cold. Somehow, it feels colder inside than out. A frozen silence, years in the making, is embedded in every crevice. This place is a stranger to sunlight.”

The story is told in dual timelines, moving between the night the three sisters are sheltering from the storm and flashbacks told by their late mother, Rosemary, that slowly reveal the dark, monstrous history of the house. The characters are all richly drawn and compelling, with Kelsey’s being easy to root for while the background characters felt menacing and unreliable. This compounded the heart-pounding tension and made me feel an even greater rapport with the sisters. I also loved Seddon’s decision to have Rosemary narrate the flashbacks as it makes her feel real and allowed me to form a real connection to her. It also offered a different perspective on the sisters’ memories that was fascinating. 

A story about three sisters trapped together in a storm is a dynamic ripe for conflict and there is tension, acrimony and drama between them from the start. But the sisters aren’t only dealing with family conflict. Each of them is trying to come to terms with their grief after Rosemary’s recent death and the author explores the different ways grief can affect us while also exploring topics such as the complexities of mother-daughter relationships and abandonment. She seamlessly weaves these more emotional themes with the haunted house trope and sense of creeping fear to create a thriller that doesn’t just send shivers down your spine but also tugs on your heartstrings. 

Clever, chilling and surprising, The Short Straw is an outstanding thriller. And I loved every second of it. Just make sure you read it with ALL the lights on. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Holly Seddon is the international bestselling author of TRY NOT TO BREATHE, DON’T CLOSE YOUR EYES, LOVE WILL TEAR US APART, THE HIT LIST and THE WOMAN ON THE BRIDGE.

After growing up in the English countryside obsessed with music and books, Holly worked in London as a journalist and editor. She now lives in Kent with her family and writes full time.

Alongside fellow author Gillian McAllister, Holly co-hosts the popular Honest Authors Podcast. 

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the tour.

*All purchase links are affiliate links

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2023

BLOG TOUR: The Fascination by Essie Fox

Published June 22nd, 2023 by Orenda
Gothic Fiction, Historical Thriller, Historical Romance, Gothic Romance, Suspense

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this deliciously dark and enthralling piece of gothic fiction. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Book Tours for the invitation to take part, and to Karen at Orenda Books for my gifted proof copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

The estranged grandson of a wealthy collector of human curiosities becomes fascinated with teenaged twin sisters, leading them into a web of dark obsessions. A dazzlingly dark gothic novel from the bestselling author of The Somnambulist.
 
‘Mysterious, sometimes shocking, full of surprises and twists … brimming with Victorian wonders!’ Sean Lusk

‘A magical, macabre masterpiece’ A.J. West
 
‘Fascinating and immersive’ Anna Mazzola

________________________________


Victorian England. A world of rural fairgrounds and glamorous London theatres. A world of dark secrets and deadly obsessions…

Twin sisters Keziah and Tilly Lovell are identical in every way, except that Tilly hasn’t grown a single inch since she was five. Coerced into promoting their father’s quack elixir as they tour the country fairgrounds, at the age of fifteen the girls are sold to a mysterious Italian known as ‘Captain’.

Theo is an orphan, raised by his grandfather, Lord Seabrook, a man who has a dark interest in anatomical freaks and other curiosities … particularly the human kind. Resenting his grandson for his mother’s death in childbirth, when Seabrook remarries and a new heir is produced, Theo is forced to leave home without a penny to his name.

Theo finds employment in Dr Summerwell’s Museum of Anatomy in London, and here he meets Captain and his theatrical ‘family’ of performers, freaks and outcasts.

But it is Theo’s fascination with Tilly and Keziah that will lead all of them into a web of deceits, exposing the darkest secrets and threatening everything they know…

Exploring universal themes of love and loss, the power of redemption and what it means to be unique, The Fascination is an evocative, glittering and bewitching gothic novel that brings alive Victorian London – and darkness and deception that lies beneath…

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MY REVIEW:

“A narrow ray of sunlight shafts through the door and draws his eye towards the jar that, till that moment, had been concealed in veils of shadow. The skin of what it holds is white and luminous, like pearls…he notices the place where the shoulder blades should be, and where…
Is that a pair of wings? But if they’re wings, is this a fairy? A real-life fairy in a bottle? 
The fascination has begun…”

The Fascination is a deliciously dark slice of Victiorian gothic about life’s outsiders and oddities. A story about the so-called-freaks who would be put on display and stared at for an entry fee. But this book takes that familiar trope and twists it into something that is unexpected. This is a story of trauma, grief, obsession, secrets, redemption and the search for acceptance. A story that we can all relate to that is told by those so often not given a voice. 

Atmospheric, beguiling and intoxicating, I loved the vibe of this story from the beginning. I’m an immediate fan after this first time reading a book by Essie Fox and can’t wait to explore her back catalogue and read any future releases. Beautifully written and meticulously researched, she has crafted a world filled to the brim with intricate details and marvels from the Victorian era. This created an immediate sense of trust between me and the author, leaving me completely hooked and in the palm of her hand as she took me on a journey into the world of curiosities. And the story she tells is one that is complex, layered, and intricately woven, filled with luscious enchantments and unsettling horrors. It is a tale of the best and worst of human nature that will tug at your heart strings, make you rage, and give you hope. And that ending! Omg. Talk about pulling the rug out from under me! Bravo, Ms. Fox. Bravo.

Leaping from the pages of this book is a cast of eclectic characters who are all richly drawn, compelling and memorable. You will love some and loathe others, but every one of them will pull you in. The spotlight inevitably shines on brilliant narrators Keziah and Theo, but the background characters are also given their time to shine, creating some of the most memorable moments of the book. I also loved that every character, however small, has their own captivating story, and enjoyed following their triumphs and trials as the author slowly intertwines them to craft a skillfully woven novel of stories within stories that is mesmerising. 

Hypnotic, heady, mysterious, and original, The Fascination is a gorgeously gothic tale you will lose yourself in. One of my favourite books so far this year, I can’t recommend it highly enough. 

Rating: ✭✭✭✭✭

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Essie Fox was born and raised in rural Herefordshire, which inspires much of her writing. 

After studying English Literature at Sheffield University, she moved to London where she worked for the Telegraph Sunday Magazine, then the book publishers George Allen & Unwin – before becoming self-employed in the world of art and design. 

Always an avid reader, Essie now spends her time writing historical gothic novels. Her debut, The Somnambulist, was shortlisted for the National Book Awards, and featured on Channel 4’s TV Book Club. The Last Days of Leda Grey, set in the early years of silent film, was selected as The Times Historical Book of the Month. Her latest novel, The Fascination is based in Victorian country fairgrounds, the glamour of the London theatres, and an Oxford Street museum full of morbid curiosities.  

Essie is also the creator of the popular blog: The Virtual Victorian. She has lectured on this era at the V&A, and the National Gallery in London.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | Waterstones* | Berts Books | Amazon* | Bookshop.org*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

*These purchase links are affiliate links

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2023

BOOK REVIEW: Keep Her Secret by Mark Edwards

Published May 30th 2023 by Thomas & Mercer
Thriller, Psychololgical Fiction, Crime Fiction

Happy Publication Day Mark Edwards! I’m thrilled to be opeining the blog tour today for this sensational thriller.
Thank you FMcM Associates for the invitation to take part, and to them and Thomas & Mercer for the gifted copy of the book.

TRIGGER WARNING: Domestic Abuse

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SYNOPSIS:
In this sinister tale from 4 million copy bestselling author Mark Edwards, a deadly secret turns a couple’s new romance into a nightmare. And they’re not the only ones who know the truth…

After twenty years apart, Matthew and Helena have rekindled their college romance and are away in Iceland on their first holiday together. Swept up in the romance on a mountain hike, one moment they are taking the perfect photo, the next Helena is hanging from the cliff edge…

Terrified, Matthew almost misses Helena’s sudden and shocking confession―but what he hears chills him to the bone. And when Helena reveals the full truth Matthew is horrified, not only by what she’s done, but why she did it. Does he really know her at all?

His shock turns to horror when, back in England, they discover that someone not only overheard Helena’s confession but plans to blackmail her. Now Matthew must decide whether to go to the police or help Helena keep her secret―and as events spiral out of control, how far is Matthew willing to go to protect his ‘perfect’ girlfriend?

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MY REVIEW:

“What happened next took no more than three seconds. But looking back, as I sometimes do now when I’m unable to sleep, I see it unfolding in slow motion. The beginning of all that followed.”

He’s done it again! I’m delighted to be opening the tour today for Keep Her Secret, the new, first-class thriller by psychological suspense powerhouse, Mark Edwards, which is out today. Disturbing, deadly, and deliciously deranged, it had me on tenterhooks from start to finish. And that ending! Sheer perfection. But, I’m getting ahead of myself, so let’s go back a little.

Matthew and Helena are in the heady, blissful days of new romance when she confesses a dark, secret. He vows to keep it, but someone else knows what Helena is hiding and is determined to make her pay, sparking a chain of events that threaten to destroy not only the couple’s new romance, but their entire lives. As things spiral more and more out of control, Matthew is forced to question just how far he’s prepared to go to protect his new girlfriend. Will he keep her secret? And if he does, can they find a way to come out of this unscathed?

“It had been the most insane twelve hours. The view from the top of the mountain. Helen’s fall and rescue. The revelation that had followed. And now this. 
An unforgettable, crazy day, following an intense two weeks. Standing there, beside Helena, I didn’t think that as long as I lived, I would ever have another one like it.”

This book is one of the most insane, unpredictable, intricately-woven thrillers I’ve ever read. From the start there’s a sense of foreboding that intensifies with every page. It’s fast-paced, addictive, and absolutely wild, delivering jaw-dropping twists again and again. It was like being in a boxing ring with the heavyweight champion of the world and I was being pummelled again and again, the shocking twists raining down on me without mercy. And every time I thought it was over, that the bell was ringing and there were no more surprises, I’m on the floor again, knocked out by another shocking revelation.  I can still feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins and my heart beating out of my chest.  

It is no secret that I’m a huge fan of Mark Edwards. He never fails to deliver and every new book is a highlight in my reading year. I love how he takes ordinary people living ordinary lives and puts them into terrifying situations. It is the relatability that makes it so frightening because it could be you, your family, your friend, or your neighbour. And it is that relatability we see again in Matthew and Helena. Richly drawn, relatable, flawed and layered, they have that spark that makes them compelling even when they are making questionable choices time and again. As their mistakes pile up they sink deeper into the quicksand with no sign of a liferaft to help them get out. It was impossible to predict what would happen or how they could emerge virtuous from this mess. Another thing I liked is that we can never be sure if we can trust Helena. Is she really who she claims to be or is there a darker, more sinister side hidden beneath a mask of vulnerability? All I knew was that I needed answers and I devoured the book quickly to get them. 

Cryptic, menacing, and propulsive , Keep Her Secret is a turbulent rollercoaster ride that will keep you guessing. A must-read for all thriller-lovers. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Mark Edwards writes psychological thrillers in which scary things happen to ordinary people. He has sold more than three million copies of his books and topped the bestseller lists numerous times since his first solo novel was published in 2013.

His novels include What You Wish For, Because She Loves Me, Follow You Home, The Devil’s Work, The Lucky Ones, The Retreat, In Her Shadow, Here To Stay and The House Guest. He has also published two short sequels to The Magpies, A Murder of Magpies and Last of The Magpies, and six books co-authored with Louise Voss.

Many of his books have been translated into foreign languages including French, German, Italian, Spanish, Estonian, Thai, Lithuanian, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish and Russian. In 2019 Mark won The Cat and Mouse Award for Most Elusive Villain at the Dead Good Reader Awards for Last of the Magpies.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Amazon | Bookshop.org

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the tour.

*All purchase links are affiliate links

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Squadpod Squadpod Recommends Squadpod Reviews

SQUADPOD REVIEWS: The Final Party by A.A. Chaudhuri

Published May 25th by Hera Books
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Thriller, Domestic Fiction, Urban Fiction, Travel Literature, Coming-of-Age Story

Today I’m delighted to be opening the Squadpod Spotlight tour for The Final Party. Thank you to Hera books for my gifted eBook.

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SYNOPSIS:

SIX FRIENDS.

In a luxury villa set high in the hills above the glamorous town of Sorrento, southern Italy, three couples gather for the perfect 40th birthday celebration.

ONE BODY.

Before the week is out, one of them is dead.

COUNTLESS LIES.

Their perfect reunion quickly becomes the holiday from hell when one of the group starts receiving anonymous messages, threatening to expose a dark secret from their university days.

As old friendships are tested to the limit, it’s clear that what happens in the dark past won’t stay buried…

A heart-racing psychological thriller that will hook you from the very first page, with twist after twist that will make your jaw drop. Fans of B.A. Paris, My Husband’s Killer and Lucy Foley won’t be able to put this down. If you were hooked by The White Lotus or The Watcher, you’ll love this.

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MY REIVEW:

“Six friends had started the week on seemingly good terms, here for a rest and the perfect birthday celebration. 
But the perfect week in paradise has turned into the holiday from hell. 
Because one of them is dead. 
One of them is a killer. 
But which one of them here is guilty?” 

A multiple point of view and dual timeline novel, The Final Party takes place in Sorrento, Italy in August 2019. Six friends have got together for the fortieth birthday of one of their group, but tensions are high as four of the friends battle with their conscience over secrets they have been keeping for eighteen years. Secrets surrounding the night that another one of their group was attacked and left forever changed by her inability to remember who attacked her or why. What is it her friends know about that night? And which one of the group will end up dead before their celebrations are over?

A.A. Chaudhuri just gets better with each book. Tense, twisty and totally thrilling, she has delivered a first-rate thriller that will knock your socks off! This is suspense writing at its best; a seven-layer cake of a thriller where each slice holds something unexpected. And I couldn’t get enough. From the start there is a sense of something dark and sinister. Of overwhelming dread, long-held secrets and deception. And you can tell that these secrets have the power to blow up their lives if revealed. Chaudhuri expertly drip-feeds the reader little pieces of the puzzle before whipping the rug away from under us every time I thought I’d got things figured out. The uncertainty only heightened the tension and I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. 

When a multi-narrative thriller is done right it is one of my favourite tropes, and this is sheer perfection. The characters are a group of fractured, flawed and relatable people who, quite frankly, are a train-wreck. But they are compelling and I couldn’t help but feel totally invested in their twisted web of friendship, secrets and lies. It was soon apparent that each one of them holds different pieces of this puzzle and no-one has the full picture, not even the ones who think they do. They are eaten up by guilt, regret and the fear of exposure; of one of the secrets being revealed and triggering a domino effect that would see their lives explode in a fiery blaze of betrayal. I really felt for Padma, who is still so eaten up by not knowing the truth about the night that changed her life. Knowing that those closest to her have held the keys to answering her questions all along yet chose to keep her in the dark only compounds the devastation. But even in my wildest theories I didn’t suspect the true horror that was waiting to be uncovered.

Unpredictable, intricate and suspenseful, The Final Party is a nerve-shredding thriller you won’t be able to put down. This is one any self-respecting thriller-lover HAS to have on their TBR.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

A.A. Chaudhuri is a former City lawyer, turned thriller writer, who lives in Surrey with her family.

Once a highly ranked British junior tennis player, competing in the national championships and a member of the national squad, she went on to tour the women’s professional satellite circuit as a teenager and achieved a world ranking of 650.

After returning to full-time education, she gained a BA Honours 2:1 in History at University College London, and a commendation in both the Graduate Diploma in Law and Legal Practice Course at the London College of Law, before training as a solicitor at City firm Norton Rose and then practising as a commercial litigator at two other City firms, Kendall Freeman and Travers Smith.

She left law in 2008 to pursue her passion for writing and in 2010 passed the NCTJ fast-track newspaper journalism course, in respect of which she was awarded The Oxford University Press Public Affairs Award for the most outstanding public affairs central government paper.

In 2013 and 2014 she self-published two women’s fiction novels under the name Alexandra Sage: Love & Limoncello and the sequel Love & Loss. Love & Limoncello has sold more than ten thousand copies to date, reaching number 53 in the Amazon Kindle Bestsellers List in October 2014.

THE SCRIBE and THE ABDUCTION, published by LUME BOOKS in July and December 2019, are her first crime book series, plunging readers into London’s glamorous legal world and featuring series’ heroine, Maddy Kramer, fiction’s first female City lawyer amateur sleuth, who teams up with charismatic DCI Jake Carver to solve a gruesome series of murders and a puzzling abduction.

Both books have hit the bestsellers lists in the UK, Australia and Canada, with bestseller tags in Australia and Canada.

THE SCRIBE and THE ABDUCTION were published as audio books by Isis Audio on 1st  January and 1st March 2021, both read by David Thorpe.

She has also contributed an original short story THE ENCOUNTER to crime anthology GIVEN IN EVIDENCE published by LUME BOOKS in May 2020, has written many articles and short stories for The Crime Writers’ Association.

In February 2021, Alex signed a two-book contract for two standalone psychological thrillers with HERA BOOKS, the first entitled SHE’S MINE was published on 18th August 2021 in ebook and 26th August in paperback. THE LOYAL FRIEND was published by Hera Books on 23rd June 2022 in paperback and ebook and on 26th June in audio with Saga Egmont. In June 2022 Alex signed a deal with Hera Books for three more psychological thrillers. The first of these, THE FINAL PARTY, will be published on May 25th 2023.

Besides being an avid reader, she enjoys fitness, films, anything Italian and a good margarita!

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones | Amazon | Bookshop.org

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

*All purhcase links are affiliate links

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REVIEW: So Close by Sylvia Day

Published: March 30th, 2023
Publisher: Michael Joseph
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Contemporary Romance, Gothic Fiction, Literary Fiction, Urban Fiction, Book Series
Format: Hardcover, Kindle, Audiobook

Welcome to my review of So Close, the sultry, spicy and consuming first part of the new Blacklist Duology by Sylvia Day which the Squadpod is featuring this month.

Thank you to edPR and Michael Joseph for the gifted copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

From the No 1 Sunday Times bestselling author of the Crossfire saga comes the beginning of a twisty tale of obsession and fury, as a trinity of women protect what they covet at any cost.

You can’t believe all of them . . . But can you trust any of them?
___________

Widower Kane Black has been hollowed by grief.

Until he sees a woman with his wife Lily’s inimitable beauty on Manhattan’s streets. He whisks her up to his towering penthouse, nestling her in dark opulence.

Aliyah, Kane’s mother, sees a threat. “Lily” has dangerous control over Kane and there can be only one queen on this throne.

Amy, Kane’s sister-in-law, has been bloodied by betrayal. She’s paid too high a price and now intends to claim what she’s owed.

Three women, linked by buried secrets, circle the man who unquestioningly accepts the return of his beloved long-dead wife.

But Kane is happier than he’s ever been, and he’ll do anything to stay that way . . .
___________

A lushly gothic novel of domestic suspense, So Close is an emotionally intense and addictive story of love, greed and ambition from multimillion-copy international bestseller Sylvia Day.

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MY REVIEW:

“What a pair we are, intrinsically broken but tied to one another by desire and death.” 

Whew! Scorching, sultry and intense, So Close not only had me hot under the collar, but kept me on the edge of my seat as I read this gripping story of obsession, secrets, rage, greed and revenge.

Kane Black is a man used to getting what he wants. A powerful, rich businessman with the looks of a Greek god, he has the best that money can buy and women falling at his feet. But Kane’s life was torpedoed by grief six years ago when his beloved wife Lily disappeared following a sailing accident, and he’s never been the same.
Then, one day, he sees a woman who looks remarkably like his late wife on the streets of Manhattan. After the woman is injured in a hit and run, he whisks her to his opulent penthouse to recover. But although the woman looks identical to Lily, including the same distinctive tattoo, she has no memory of their marriage or where she’s been for the last six years. Kane is sure that his beloved wife is back from the dead, but those around him aren’t so sure. His devoted assistant, Witte, is worried this is a masquerade to swindle his employer, and Kane’s dysfunctional family see her as a threat to their carefully laid plans, sparking a battle for control that some might not survive…

“I’ve stepped into the shoes of a ghost, a woman whose memory, style and tastes have spread malignantly through your life, completely subsuming the man you once were.”

Sensual, spicy and alluring, this is one of those books I’d think twice about reading in public for fear of blushing. It was my first time reading one of Sylvia Day’s books and I am so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone for this one. I’d heard so many friends rave about this author and knew that reading books I didn’t think I’d like has led me to discover some of my now-favourite books – hello ACOTAR and Beautiful Shining People – so I decided to give it a try. It was nothing like I expected, but in all the best ways. Mysterious and powerful, this was a real page-turner. The narrative is darkly atmospheric; the air thick with sexual tension, mistrust and suspense, and there is an ominous drumbeat that rings in your ears as you read. I also liked that the book is well written and the spicy parts didn’t make me totally cringe as it’s badly written sex scenes and a lack of story surrounding them that have put me off erotica. This one certainly doesn’t suffer from a lack of story and is bursting at the seams with intriguing storylines that keep the reader guessing. As the author teases us, playing psychological mind games with each new chapter, I found myself questioning everyone and everything right up until the final page and was then left hungry for more.

“Who manufactured the myth of family being those who will love and protect you at any cost? Why are we told to forgive toxic behaviour only because of genetics? …I don’t know how or why you’ve ended up back in the nest with these vipers, but they’ll have to get through me to sink their fangs into you.” 

Ms. Day has filled her book with characters who are ruthless, vile, and morally grey. They are unlikable yet utterly compelling and fun to read. This is a family that is not only dysfunctional and toxic, but also scheming and power-hungry, always plotting against one another and playing games. Certainly not a group you’d want to be part of. Matriarch Aliyah was probably my least favourite while I kind of liked Witte, Kane’s loyal majordomo. Kane Black himself doesn’t narrate the story, yet he is at its heart and is the obsession of each of the narrators. And while Kane is just as cut-throat, calculated and shifty as the rest of them, yet his charisma makes him that little bit more likeable. And then there is Lily. Elusive, cryptic and beguiling, it seems no one is immune to her allure. But is she really back from the dead or an opportunist and imposter? I vacillated between the two possibilities for the whole book, the seeds of doubt woven into the narrative making it impossible to decide. 

Intoxicating, consuming, and undeniably sexy, So Close will leave you breathless. And that ending! I need book two now. Why is October so far away?!

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Sylvia June Day is the #1 New York Times, No. 1 Sunday Times & internationally bestselling author of over twenty award-winning novels, including ten New York Times bestsellers and thirteen USA Today bestsellers. She is a number one bestselling author in twenty-nine countries, with translations in forty-one languages and over twenty million copies of her books in print.

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxx

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