Tag: 4 Stars

Categories
Audio Books book reviews

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Counting the Cost by Jill Duggar, Derek Dillard & Craig Borlase

Published September 14th, 2023 by Gallery Books
Autiobiography, Memoir, Biography, Cults & Demonism, Other Religions

TW: Sexual abuse, neglect, religious indoctrination, trauma

********

SYNOPSIS:

For the first time, discover the unedited truth about the Duggars, the traditional Christian family that captivated the nation on TLC’s hit show 19 Kids and Counting. Jill Duggar and her husband Derick are finally ready to share their story, revealing the secrets, manipulation, and intimidation behind the show that remained hidden from their fans.

Jill and Derick knew a normal life wasn’t possible for them. As a star on the popular TLC reality show 19 Kids and Counting, Jill grew up in front of viewers who were fascinated by her family’s way of life. She was the responsible, second daughter of Jim Bob and Michelle’s nineteen kids; always with a baby on her hip and happy to wear the modest ankle-length dresses with throat-high necklines. She didn’t protest the strict model of patriarchy that her family followed, which declares that men are superior, that women are expected to be wives and mothers and are discouraged from attaining a higher education, and that parental authority over their children continues well into adulthood, even once they are married.

But as Jill got older, married Derick, and they embarked on their own lives, the red flags became too obvious to ignore.

For as long as they could, Jill and Derick tried to be obedient family members—they weren’t willing to rock the boat. But now they’re raising a family of their own, and they’re done with the secrets. Thanks to time, tears, therapy, and blessings from God, they have the strength to share their journey. Theirs is a remarkable story of the power of the truth and is a moving example of how to find healing through honesty.

********

MY REVIEW:

From the moment I first stumbled upon an episode of  ‘19 Kids and Counting’ I was an avid viewer. Like many, I was fascinated by this huge family and their fundamentalist beliefs that were even stricter than my own fundie-lite upbringing. And while I didn’t buy that they were as perfect as they tried to portray, I was blindsided and horrified when the dark truths they were hiding were revealed. 

In this memoir the Duggar’s fourth child, Jill, finally tells her story, bravely narrating the audiobook version that I listened to. A story of  indoctrination, control, fear, trauma and abuse, Jill discusses the strict religious doctrine, purity culture and modesty culture they were raised in, their set gender roles that included the girls being parentified from a young age under the guise of ‘buddy teams’, the bleak reality of their poverty-stricken life before TV fame, and how religion was used as a way to control, silence and shame. Also woven through Jill’s story is the cost, which was not just financial, but emotionally, talking about how affording a better lifestyle because of the show meant there were prices to pay and how the money became another tool used to control them. Some things should not be for sale, she says, and I agree. 

I decided to listen to this on audiobook which Jill bravely narrates, and you can hear the emotion in her voice throughout. There were a number of revelations in this book that I was unprepared for despite the shocking secrets that had already come out of the Dugger closet. My jaw hit the floor and I was enraged at how her parents treated their children and the lengths they went to to try and keep control. While her mother, Michelle, isn’t innocent, it is clear that her father, Jim Bob, is the greater villain of the two and I was disgusted by so many of his actions. He retains a  tight grip and control on most of the family and my heart broke for Jill as she discussed being painted as the black sheep for daring to live her own life. 

A powerful, heart-rending and ultimately inspirational story, I highly recommend this book, particularly if you have an interest in cults or controlling families.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

MEET THE AUTHORS:

Jana, Jill, Jessa, and Jinger Duggar appear with the rest of their family on TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting, which airs five times a week and is now in its tenth season. The Duggars have appeared on such national TV shows as the Today show, Good Morning America, The View, Inside Edition, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and more.

Derick Dillard has been in the public eye since his first date with Jill Duggar, and over 4.4 million people tuned in for their two-hour wedding special on TLC. He starred on the TLC shows 19 Kids and Counting and Jill & Jessa: Counting On. Derick served in fulltime Christian ministry for five years, working in Asia while single, and then together with his wife Jill in Central America. Before going to law school, Derick worked in management at the Walmart headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, as a tax accountant. He is a practicing attorney, licensed in Arkansas and Oklahoma. Derick and Jill live in northwest Arkansas with their three sons.

Craig Borlase is a bestselling ghostwriter specializing in memoir. Previous works include the New York Times bestseller Finding Gobi and My Name Is Tani, the story of an eight-year-old chess prodigy.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Amazon* | Waterstones* | Bookshop.org*

********

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

*These links are affiliate links

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

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The People on Platform 5 by Clare Pooley

Published May 26th, 2022 by Bantam Press
Humorous Fiction, Literaty Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Lesbian Literature, Urban Fiction

********

SYNOPSIS:

Get ready to hop onboard this summer’s unmissable book – the perfect feel-good and heart-warming read.

Readers are falling in love with The People on Platform 5:

‘Incredible book, full of joy and warmth and love!’
‘A great novel with some truly wonderful characters‘
‘The fantastic cast of eclectic characters will steal your heart & have you rooting for their happy endings’
‘A feel-good, once-in-a-lifetime story‘
————————
Every day at 8:05, Iona Iverson boards the train to go to work with the same group of people who she makes assumptions about, even giving them nicknames. As a seasoned commuter, she knows there are rules that everyone should follow:
· You must have a job to go to
· Don’t consume hot food
· Always pack for any eventuality
· You must never speak to strangers on the train

But then, one morning, Smart-but-Sexist-Surbiton chokes on a grape right in front of Iona. Suspiciously-Nice-New Malden steps up to help and saves his life, and this one event sparks a chain reaction.

With nothing in common but their commute, an eclectic group of people learn that their assumptions about each other don’t match reality. But when Iona’s life begins to fall apart, will her new friends be there when she needs them most?

********

MY REVIEW:

One of my promises to myself this year is that I’d read more of my backlist and, as The People On Platform 5 has languished on my shelves for far too long, I decided to listen to it this month. Uplifting, engaging, emotional and hilarious, this love letter to the joy of friendship and the power of connection was just what I needed to lift my spirits on the cold January days. 

Every day Iona boards the train to go to work and sees the same group of people, giving them nicknames and making assumptions about their lives. But she sticks to the strict rules all commuters should abide by and never speaks to them. Until one day when a grape sparks a chain of events that will bring an eclectic group of strangers together. 

This was my first time reading a book by Clare Pooley, but it won’t be my last. Beautifully observed and wonderfully written, this heartwarming story is one I’ll not forget. Romance, humour, heartache, drama, skeletons in closets, and secrets waiting to be revealed, this gorgeous book had it all. It shattered my heart and then pieced it back together, and I often found myself laughing out loud. Who knew that the commute to work could be so eventful. 

The characters are a key part of this book and I adored this motley crew of compelling and richly drawn characters. They each narrate the story, offering us a glimpse into each of their lives and how differently they see the same events. But although there are multiple narrators, Iona still feels like the central character, and she was certainly the one who stole my heart most of all. Spirited and ebullient, she stands out from the crowd and refuses to fade away like people expect a woman of her age to do. I loved her nicknames for the other characters before she met them, her little schemes, and her beautiful romance with her wife, Bea. 

Comforting, affecting, entertaining and funny, this was an absolute joy to read. Highly recommended.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Clare Pooley graduated from Newnham College, Cambridge and spent twenty years in the heady world of advertising before becoming a full-time writer.

Clare’s memoir – The Sober Diaries – has helped thousands of people worldwide to quit drinking.

Clare’s first novel – The Authenticity Project – was a BBC Radio 2 Bookclub pick, a New York Times Bestseller and the winner of the RNA debut novel award. It has been translated into 29 languages. Her second novel is coming Spring 2022.

Clare lives in Fulham, London with her long-suffering husband, three children and two dogs.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

********

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxxx

*These links are affiliate links

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

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Now She Is Witch by Kirsty Logan

Published January 12th, 2023 by Harvill Secker
Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Women Sleuths, Lesbian Literature

********

SYNOPSIS:

In this witch story unlike any other, Lux and Else join forces to take their revenge on a powerful man. Their journey through the wild world will uncover both secrets and danger.

Lux has lost everything when Else finds her, alone in the woods. Her family, her lover, her home – all burned. The world is suspicious of women like her. But Lux is cunning; she knows how to exploit people’s expectations, how to blend into the background. And she knows a lot about poisons.

Else has not found Lux by accident. She needs her help to seek revenge against the man who wronged her, and together they pursue him north. But on their hunt they will uncover dark secrets that entangle them with dangerous adversaries.

From the snowy winter woods to the bright midnight sun; from lost and powerless to finding your path, Now She is Witch conjures a world of violence and beauty – a world where women grasp at power through witchcraft, sexuality and performance, and most of all through throwing each other to the wolves.

‘Mesmerising and evocative…an imaginative triumph’ Observer

‘‘An impassioned reclaiming of female desire. Stuffed, Russian-doll like, with stories,… an absorbingly atmospheric adventure’ Daily Mail

********

MY REVIEW:

“Beauty is dangerous. Beauty has power. Beauty has violence.”

When Else finds Lux in the woods she has nothing. Everything she had was burned. The world is suspicious of women like Lux but she is cunning and knows how to blend into the background. Lux also knows a lot about poisons, which is perfect for Else because she needs her help to destroy the man who wronged her. But it will take them on a dangerous path where dark secrets are revealed…

It’s the first day of Booksta Review Week and I’m using it as an excuse to finally catch up on the many reviews I still have to write. Most of them are for books I listened to on audiobook, including Now She Is Witch, which I listened to back in October. 

Atmospheric, evocative and enthralling, this is a dark and witchy feminist fairytale about  power, love, loss, bravery, wisdom, and magic. It’s a timely story about disempowered women finally taking back what is theirs, utilising the magic that can be found in nature to do it. Kirsty Logan’s bewitching and poetic prose is transporting and stirring, telling truths that feel as real today as they did in history, helping the reader to connect with Lux and her story. I didn’t take many notes while listening, choosing instead to just enjoy the experience and what stays with me is the bawdy humour, compelling characters and riveting storytelling. 

Powerful, alluring, eerie, and unexpected, I highly recommend this book. 

Rating: 🧙🏻‍♀️🧙🏻‍♀️🧙🏻‍♀️🧙🏻‍♀️

********

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Kirsty Logan is the author of three novels, three story collections, a memoir, two chapbooks, a 10-hour audio play for Audible, and several collaborative projects with musicians and visual artists. Her books have won the Lambda, Polari, Saboteur, Scott and Gavin Wallace awards. Her work has been optioned for TV, adapted for stage, recorded for radio and podcasts, exhibited in galleries and distributed from a vintage Wurlitzer cigarette machine. She lives in Glasgow with her wife, baby and rescue dog.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

********

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxx

*These links are affiliate links

Categories
Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The Lido by Libby Page

Published April 19th, 2018 by Orion
Literary Ficiton, Romance

********

SYNOPSIS:

THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER

Meet Rosemary, 86, and Kate, 26: dreamers, campaigners, outdoor swimmers…

Rosemary has lived in Brixton all her life, but everything she knows is changing. Only the local lido, where she swims every day, remains a constant reminder of the past and her beloved husband George.

Kate has just moved and feels adrift in a city that is too big for her. She’s on the bottom rung of her career as a local journalist, and is determined to make something of it.

So when the lido is threatened with closure, Kate knows this story could be her chance to shine. But for Rosemary, it could be the end of everything. Together they are determined to make a stand, and to prove that the pool is more than just a place to swim – it is the heart of the community.

‘Feel-good and uplifting, this charming novel is full of heart’ LUCY DIAMOND

********

MY REVIEW:

“It is raining smiles.”

Emotional, heartwarming and uplifting, The Lido is a truly special book. A story about  the restorative power of friendship, the power of community, life, love, and loss,  it warms you from the inside like Ready Brek and was the perfect book to chase away the cold January blues. 

Rosemary, 86, has lived in Brixton her whole life and has swum at the lido every day since she was a child. It’s the place she met her beloved late husband, George, and remains the centre of her world. Rosemary isn’t your typical elderly woman. She’s feisty, fiercely independent, and has an unquenchable zest for life. The lido is her lifeline to friendship, freedom and community, and its potential closure would mean losing a part of herself. 

Kate, 26, is a reporter for the local newspaper who was assigned to report on the potential closure. She’s recently moved to Brixton and hasn’t managed to make any friends. She’s lonely, filled with self-doubt, and crippled with anxiety and depression, but hasn’t told anyone. The two women forge a strong friendship and join forces with members of the local community to try and save the lido.

This book had languished on my shelves for far too long and I am so glad I finally took the plunge (excuse the bad pun). Libby Page’s writing is alluring, uplifting and emotionally resonant. She takes you through a rainbow of emotions, creating an overwhelming feeling of warmth and positivity despite the loneliness and sadness that runs through the story. But it’s the characters that are my favourite part of this book. I love an intergenerational friendship and the one between Rosemary and Kate is one of the best I’ve read. They were fascinating characters individually but even better together. I loved how Rosemary got Kate on board her quest to save the lido by getting her to swim and the ways they both enriched each other’s lives. I listened to this book on audiobook and the narrator did a fantastic job of bringing the characters and story to life. I was bereft when the story was over and am excited to read the follow up, The Lifeline, which is out in April. 

So if you’re looking for a book to brighten your day, The Lido  is the book for you.

Rating: 🏊‍♀️🏊‍♀️🏊‍♀️🏊‍♀️

********

MEET THE AUTHOR:

From Libby’s official website:

I’m Libby Page, the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Lido, The 24-Hour Café, The Island Home and The Vintage Shop of Second Chances. The Lifeline, a follow-up to The Lido, will be published in the UK in April 2024.

Before writing The Lido I worked as a journalist and in marketing. I live in Somerset with my husband and young son.

Are you signed up to my newsletter? By being a subscriber you will receive the latest news about my books as well as regular reading recommendations and behind-the-scenes content.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

********

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

*These are affiliate links

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: On A Quiet Street by Carla Kovach

Published January 15th, 2024 by Bookouture
Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Noir Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Romance

Today is my stop on the blog tour for On A Quiet Street, the new thriller from Carla Kovach. Thank you to Bookouture for the eBook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

********

SYNOPSIS:

Every family has its secrets. Some are more deadly than others…

I live on a quiet tree-lined street with my perfect husband Cain. But when 18-year-old Charlotte knocks on the front door, what she says has me questioning just how well I really know my husband.

‘I was adopted as a baby and I’m looking for my biological parents. I was told they live here.’

My heart races as I fear Cain has been keeping a huge secret from me. Does he have a child he never told me about? And has he been lying all these years?

I can’t trust anything Cain says. Desperate for answers, I agree to meet Charlotte in secret. But it’s Charlotte who is full of questions: about our lives, our relationship. It’s only when she lets slip the name of the road I used to live on, that I realise how much she knows about me, too…

Cold fear floods through my body. My husband may not have told the truth, but his lies are nothing compared to mine. If Charlotte knows my darkest secret, my whole life could fall apart. How far will I have to go to keep the truth hidden?

If you loved The Housemaid, The Perfect Marriage and Gone Girl you will be absolutely gripped by this heart-stopping psychological thriller.

********

MY REVIEW:

Leah lives on a quiet street with her husband Cain and their life is picture perfect. But when 18-year-old Charlotte knocks on their door saying she’s looking for her biological parents the walls start to crumble and long-held secrets threaten to finally be unearthed…

OMG. This one hell of rollercoaster ride! Tense, twisty and thrilling, I stayed up reading this one late into the night and read it in under a day. Carla Kovach is an autobuy author for me and I know whenever I read one of her books she’s delivering a riveting thriller that I’ll love. And while I’m a big fan of her Gina Harte series, I do look forward to her standalones so I couldn’t wait to dive into this one. 

Fast paced, cleverly written and cunningly plotted, this has secrets, lies, suspicion and loss. All the relationships are dysfunctional, creating one big cluster of  toxicity and mistrust. I couldn’t even be sure about Leah, vacillating between believing what she was saying and thinking she was hiding something more. It is a complex and intricately woven maze of trouble that didn’t go in the directions I thought it would AT ALL. The twists and turns kept coming, deviating into completely unexpected directions again and again until I finally stopped trying to figure things out and decided to just enjoy the ride.

So if you love thrillers that make you feel lots of emotion, keep you on your toes and surprise you, then this is a must read. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Carla started writing more seriously ten years ago after having flirted with musical theatre and occasional writing in her youth.

Since then she has written & produced several stage plays, has four self-published books, has acted in several independent films and is currently in the final stages of production of her feature horror film, Penny for the Guy.

She now writes full time as well as co-owning a film, photography & video production company located in the heart of Redditch town centre.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Amazon*

********

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

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

*These links are affiliate links

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

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: How To Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie

Published July 22nd, 2021 by The Borough Press
Thriller, Supsense, Dark Comedy, Satire

Welcome to my review of the delciously dark How To Kill You Family. This is my first audiobook and backlist book of 2024. Thank you to The Borough Press for the copy of the book.

********

SYNOPSIS:
THE #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

‘I loved this book’ RICHARD OSMAN

‘An antiheroine able to best villainous male protagonists such as Patrick Bateman any day’ OBSERVER

‘Chilling, but also laugh-out-loud funny. Another corker’ SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

They say you can’t choose your family. But you can kill them.

Meet Grace Bernard.
Daughter, sister, serial killer…
Grace has lost everything.
And she will stop at nothing to get revenge.

********

MY REVIEW:

“I have killed several people, some brutally, others calmly, and yet I currently languish in jail for a crime I did not commit…”

Grace Bernard is currently in prison for a notorious crime that she didn’t commit. Ironically, her real crimes are unknown and Grace is actually a serial killer who has calmly and meticulously murdered six members of her family and will stop at nothing in her quest for revenge.

A deliciously dark and deadly debut, How To Kill Your Family is a gripping story of familial dysfunction, vengeance and murder. After it languished on my shelves for far too long I decided to listen to it as my first audiobook of the year. And I’m so glad I did. Bella Mackie has created a story dripping with jet-black humour and a compelling anti-hero you won’t forget. It was one of those great audiobooks that are easy to listen to because both the story and narration are so good and I got completely lost in this story. I thought I knew where it was headed and listened safe in that knowledge. But I was completely wrong and was left reeling with my jaw on the floor. Also, how could she end it there?! So cruel. 

Mackie takes us deep inside Grace’s mind, allowing us to understand her behaviours even if we don’t agree with them. She’s a fantastic anti-hero: flawed, unforgiving, bitter, emotionally detached, unpredictable, calculated and untroubled by guilt or remorse yet she has a charm and magnetism that makes you root for her. It’s easy to understand why she’d want revenge on those who destroyed her life and I think we’ve all fleetingly considered how to get revenge on those who’ve hurt or betrayed us. But while we’d move on Grace doesn’t and methodically plans and carries out her complex plans, taking her time to avoid being caught instead of acting rashly and making mistakes. She’s consumed by her obsession and I couldn’t help but wonder if she’d ever truly feel satisfied even after her plans were complete. 

Witty, entertaining and addictive, How To Kill Your Family is a brilliant satirical debut that I highly recommend. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Bella Mackie is a former journalist who previously worked for The Guardian and Vice News. She writes a twice monthly Vogue column. Her first book, Jog On, was a memoir about mental health and running. It was a number two bestseller (just underneath Michelle Obama, which is a hallowed spot).

Since then she’s written an accompanying journal to encourage others to try exercise more for their minds than their bodies. Bella’s first foray into fiction, How To Kill Your Family, came out in July 2021 and ended up in the number one bestseller spot. Bella lives in London and spends a lot of time wrangling her large stupid dog.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

********

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

*These links are affiliate links

Categories
book reviews Squadpod Reviews

SQUADPOD REVIEWS: Lowbridge by Lucy Campbell

Published July 6th, 2023 by Ultimo Press
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction

Welcome to my review of the fantastic debut, Lowbridge, which was one of our Squadpod reads this year. Thank you to Ultimo Press for the copy of the book and chance to review it.

********

SYNOPSIS:

A missing girl. Decades of silence. A secret too big to bury.

1987: It’s late summer and a time of change when a 17-year-old girl leaves the local shopping centre in the sleepy town of Lowbridge and is never seen again. Her unsolved disappearance is never far from the town’s memory. There’s those who grew up in the shadow of her loss whose own lives were altered forever, and those who know more than they’re saying.

It just takes an outsider to ask the right questions. 2018: Katherine Ashworth, shattered by the death of her daughter, moves to her husband’s hometown. Searching for a way to pick up the pieces of her life, she joins the local historical society and becomes obsessed with the three-decades-old mystery.

As Katherine digs into that summer of 1987, she stumbles upon the trail of a second girl who vanished and was never missed because no one cared enough to see what was happening in plain sight. Her trail could lead right to Katherine’s door.

In a town simmering with divisions and a cast of unforgettable characters, Lowbridge is a heart-wrenching mystery about the girls who are lost, the ones who are mourned and those who are forgotten.

********

MY REVIEW:

“Everyone’s drawn to a good mystery, and Tess’s disappearance is the biggest mystery this place has ever seen.”

Shattered by the death of their daughter, Katherine and James move back to his hometown of Lowbridge. Looking for a way to begin to rebuild her life, Katherine gets involved with the local historical society and comes across a thirty-year-old unsolved mystery that still haunts the small town. Katherine begins to dig deeper into what happened that summer and comes across long-buried secrets that some people will go to extraordinary lengths to keep hidden…

Brilliantly written, steadily paced and compelling, this is a fantastic debut. Lucy Campbell has crafted an intriguing character-driven mystery that explores topics such as grief, motherhood, the essence of life in a small town and how the tragedy is still affecting those who live there decades later. Told in dual timelines, one following Tess in the months leading up to her disappearance in 1987 and the other following Katherine as she tries to solve the mystery thirty years later, there’s a claustrophobic feel to the story that comes from both the small-town setting and the bubble of grief that surrounds Katherine. Keeping us guessing, Campbell slowly unspools Lowbridge’s hidden history and dark secrets, building the suspense to a shocking and unexpected conclusion. 

With any character-driven story it is vital to have well-written characters and Ms. Campbell has certainly delivered. While Tess and Katherine are our main protagonists, the story is filled with a cast of authentic, richly drawn characters who draw us into their lives. Campbell makes us feel what each character is going through which ranges from typical teenage angst to much deeper traumas. In the past, everything is happening against a backdrop of us knowing Tess will soon vanish so I found myself searching for clues and trying to figure out who was responsible. But it was Katherine who leapt from the pages most strongly for me, her grief and heartbreak over the loss of her daughter radiating from the pages and seeping into every facet of her existence as she tries to find a way to move forward. It is impossible not to feel heartbroken for her and  think anyone who has lost someone close to them will recognise some part of that loss in her.  I was rooting for her to succeed in both her quest to uncover the truth about Tess’s disappearance and learning to live again.

Gripping, cryptic and heart-wrenching, Lowbridge is a superb debut I have no hesitation in recommending.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

*DM me for TWs

********

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Lucy Campbell has worked as a writer and sub-editor across magazines, newspapers and non-fiction books. Lowbridge is her first novel. She lives in Canberra with her husband and three children.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

********

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

*All purchase links are affiliate links

Categories
book reviews Respect Rom Fic Romance Rocks Squadpod Squadpod Reviews

SQUADPOD REVIEWS: In Bloom by Eva Verde

Published August 31st, 2023 by Simon & Schuster UK
Romantic Comedy, Literary Fiction

Today I’m finally sharing my review for this heartwarming and beautiful story. Thank you to Simon and Schuster UK for offering the Squadpod the chance to read the book and sending me a copy of the book.

********

SYNOPSIS:

The brilliant and incisive new novel from the author of Lives Like Mine…

A deeply affecting novel, In Bloom tells of strength, survival, forgiveness, resilience and determination, and the fierce love and unbreakable bonds between mothers and daughters.

Delph has kept herself small and quiet as a form of self-protection, ever since the love of her life Sol’s untimely death left her pregnant and alone at the age of twenty-four. Theirs was such a once-in-a-lifetime love, that the loss of her soulmate broke her heart ‒ and almost broke her, too.

Years on, Delph’s protective bubble bursts when her daughter Roche moves out of the flat Delph shares with her partner Itsy and in with her estranged nan, Moon. Now that it’s just the two of them, the cracks in Delph and Itsy’s relationship begin to grow. Feeling on the outside of the bond between her fierce-yet-flaky tarot-reading mother and volatile martial-arts-champion daughter, Delph begins questioning her own freedom.

Is her life with Itsy all it seems? And has keeping small and safe truly been her choice all these years…?

********

MY REVIEW:

In Bloom is a beautiful and affecting story about mothers and daughters that follows three generations of women from one family on a journey of self-discovery, forgiveness and freedom. Filled with courage, resilience, strength and hope, it is a multilayered story about ordinary women trying to navigate their dysfunctional relationships and survive the cards that life has dealt them. 

This is a slow-burn novel that took me a bit of time to get into. But I found that once I did I was hooked and didn’t want to put the book down. Eva Verde is an extraordinary writer and her prose is poetic, insightful, raw and emotive, tugging at your heartstrings one moment and then making you laugh out loud the next. Difficult topics such as toxic relationships, grief and generational trauma are explored with sensitivity while also being written in an honest, authentic and relatable way. And that ending! I was not prepared for how beautiful and heartrending that would be. 

Roche, Delph and Moon each narrate this multiple timeline novel, slowly taking us through their past and present to slowly reveal the secrets they are hiding even from themselves. While they are very different people they also have many similarities and each woman is fierce, strong, determined, flawed and scathing, with Roche being particularly fiery. And while I liked them all, it was Delph I found myself connecting with most of all because we had many similar struggles. 

Heartwarming, insightful, funny, bittersweet and raw, In Bloom is a remarkable and deeply human story that I highly recommend. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Eva Verde is a writer from East London. Identity, class and female rage are recurring themes throughout her work and her debut novel Lives Like Mine, is published by Simon and Schuster.

Eva’s love song to libraries, I Am Not Your Tituba forms part of Kit De Waal’s Common People: An Anthology of Working-Class Writers. Her words have featured in Marie Claire, Grazia, Elle and The Big Issue, also penning the new foreword for the international bestselling author Jackie Collins Goddess of Vengeance.

Eva lives in Essex with her husband, children and dog. 

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Amazon* | Bookshop.org*

********

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

*These links are affiliate links

Categories
book reviews Squadpod Squadpod Book Club

SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: On the First Day of Christmas by Faith Hogan

Published October 12th, 2023 by Aria
Festive Fiction, Romance Fiction, Holiday Fiction, Humorous Fiction

Welcome to my review for the second of the Squadpod’s two December Book Club books. Thank you to Aria for the gifted copy.

********

SYNOPSIS:

This Christmas, everything will change…

When Liv Latimer says goodbye to her fellow nurses and finishes work for the holidays, she’s looking forward to a Christmas to remember with her boyfriend Eddie.

But as she leaves the hospital, tragedy strikes and Liv is faced with a choice. Will she ignore her instincts and go home as planned? Or will she stay, and potentially change the course of her life as she knows it?

Whatever choice she makes, Liv is about to discover that fate finds a way…

From the bestselling Irish author of The Ladies’ Midnight Swimming Club comes an emotional and uplifting festive story about love, family and how a split-second decision can change your life.

********

MY REVIEW:

On the First Day of Christmas is a sliding doors style story that is told in parallel timelines that diverge at a fateful moment. Liv Latimer is excitedly thinking about her cosy family Christmas celebrations back home in Ballycove and daydreaming about the proposal she is sure her long-term boyfriend, Eddie, will finally make this year when she’s caught up in a tragic accident. Faced with a choice, will Liv ignore her gut feelings and go home to Ballycove as planned, or will she stay in Dublin and see where destiny leads her?

My heart was not ready for this book. Heartwarming, funny, and filled with festive magic, I completely lost myself in this story. This was the second of the Squadpod’s two December Book Club Books and it is safe to say I’m full of the joys of Christmas reading. Beautifully told, cleverly plotted and filled with compelling characters, it is a fascinating exploration of how the choices we make can alter our lives forever but fate will always find a way. Faith Hogan expertly crafts the story parallel timelines, allowing us to see how the decision Liv makes at that fateful moment impacts not only her Christmas, but the rest of her life.  

The protagonist, Liv, is a wonderful and authentic character who is relatable, messy, vulnerable, kind, and stronger than she knows. The book opens with the tragic death of her twin sister, Rachel, from cancer and we see that she is still trying to come to terms with her loss, which is woven into the fabric of her existence and shaped her life ever since. I loved that Rachel was so present throughout the book and remained a guiding light for Liv from the beyond. It explores loss and grief in such a beautiful way that I related to and took comfort from on a personal level.

Another topic the story explores is the fear of being alone. Liv has been with her boyfriend, Eddie, for six years and is convinced that this Christmas he will finally ask her to marry him. Much of Liv’s inner turmoil and dilemmas revolve around their relationship. She knows Eddie is no prince charming but she’s also sure that being with him is better than being alone, something I think many of us can understand. But at the same time I was willing her to stop accepting less than she deserved and finally kick the deadbeat to the curb. 

A charming, witty and moving story filled with Christmas cheer, On the First Day of Christmas was a joy to read from beginning to end. I’m so thankful to the Squadpod for introducing me to new-to-me authors like Ms. Hogan and her backlist is now on my TBR.

Rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄

********

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Faith Hogan is an Irish award-winning and bestselling author of nine novels. Her books have featured as Book Club Favorites, Net Galley Hot Reads and Summer Must Reads. She writes grown up women’s fiction which is unashamedly uplifting, feel good and inspiring.

She gained an Honours Degree in English Literature and Psychology from Dublin City University and a Postgraduate Degree from University College, Galway.

Her latest novel is The Guest House By The Sea – set in the west of Ireland – this is a book to fall in love with.

She also writes crime fiction as Geraldine Hogan. Her Corbally series is out now.

She is currently working on her next novel. She lives in the west of Ireland with her husband, four children and a very busy Labrador named Penny. She’s a writer, reader, enthusiastic dog walker and reluctant jogger – except of course when it is raining!

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Amazon*

********

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

*These are affiliate links

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: Dead Sweet by Katrin Juliusdottir

Published December 7th, 2023 by Orenda Books
Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Hard-boiled Mystery, Noir Fiction, Political Thriller Translated Fiction

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for the first book in an exciting new series. Thank you to Orenda for the proof copy and Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part in the tour.

********

SYNOPSIS:

When a celebrated government official is found dead after his surprise birthday party, a young police officer uncovers a terrifying world of financial crime, sinister cults and disturbing secret lives. Icelandic politician Katrín Júlíusdóttir’s award-winning debut – first in a breathtaking series…
 
**Winner of the Blackbird Award for Best Icelandic Crime Debut**  

‘A breathtaking political thriller from one of Iceland’s most exciting new voices’ Eva Björg Ægisdóttir

‘Katrín Júlíusdóttir skilfully weaves together intense family dynamics, dark pasts and criminal endeavours in this masterful narrative’ Lilja Sigurðardóttir
 
____________________
 
A murder is just the beginning…
 
When Óttar Karlsson, a wealthy and respected government official and businessman, is found murdered, after failing to turn up at his own surprise birthday party, the police are at a loss. It isn’t until young police officer Sigurdís finds a well-hidden safe in his impersonal luxury apartment that clues start emerging. 
 
As Óttar’s shady business dealings become clear, a second, unexpected line of enquiry emerges, when Sigurdís finds a US phone number in the safe, along with papers showing regular money transfers to an American account. Following the trail to Minnesota, trauma rooted in Sigurdís’s own childhood threatens to resurface and the investigation strikes chillingly close to home…
 
Atmospheric, deeply unsettling and full of breakneck twists and turns, Dead Sweet is a startling debut thriller that uncovers a terrifying world of financial crime, sinister cults and disturbing secret lives, and kicks off an addictive, mind-blowing new series.

********

MY REVIEW:

“There’s a lesson to be learned: life’s not a game to be played.”

Unnerving, tense and twisty, Dead Sweet is a strong start to an exhilarating new Scandi Noir crime series. Debut author Katrín Júlíusdóttir takes us on a turbulent ride of buried secrets, double lives, criminal ventures and dark deeds that are finally uncovered. She introduces us to Sigurdis, a young police officer with a traumatic past, who is finally given the chance to sink her teeth into a major investigation when celebrated government official Óttar Karlsson is found murdered on the beach after failing to show up for his surprise 50th birthday party. The police are initially stumped as to who could have wanted to kill this well-liked man until Sigurdis discovers a safe hidden in Óttar’s luxury apartment that reveals he was not the man anyone thought he was. The signs all point to a financially motivated crime but Sigurdis isn’t convinced and her gut is telling her this was more personal. But can she prove it? 

My love for everything Orenda publishes is no secret, and their translated crime fiction are some of my favourite books, so I was very excited about this one. I might not need yet another crime series on my TBR, but I knew it would be a mistake not to read this book. And once again they’ve struck gold. After reading this it’s easy to see why it was the winner of the Blackbird Award for Best Icelandic Crime Debut and Katrín Júlíusdóttir is undoubtedly an author to watch. Cleverly plotted, sharply observed, and skillfully written, she intricately weaves together a plethora of narrators and threads perfectly. She keeps you guessing, sporadically including old diary entries from an unknown narrator that add to the dark undertones already running through the pages. I was on a knife-edge from the first page right up until the surprising conclusion. I don’t mind admitting that I did not get this one right at all!

“Ottar seemed to have the psychopaths knack of adapting himself to the people from whom he wanted something, showing interest and understanding until his prey believed that they had found a soul mate and placed complete trust in him.”

I love the added apprehension multiple narrators can bring to a book and the different voices telling this story put the tension through the roof. Ms. Júlíusdóttir has packed this book with an array of realistic and compelling characters and while it did take me some time to fully connect with some of them, it was never confusing. I liked that it was always clear that Sigurdis is our central character and I thought she was a great protagonist. She’s likeable and easy to root for and has a dark, traumatic and heartbreaking backstory that only strengthened the bond I felt with her.  While Sigurdis is probably our most frequent narrator, Óttar is only ever on the page as a memory or a victim, Júlíusdóttir manages to make him feel vivid and three dimensional. We feel his sinister presence polluting every page as his misdeeds haunt those he left behind and every time I thought I couldn’t like him any less there would be more revelations that made me dislike him even more. Júlíusdóttir writes these fractured and flawed characters with honesty and sensitivity, allowing us to understand some of their actions and comprehend the trauma and pain they are living with, while never allowing it to feel like their wrongdoings are excused. Her exploration of their dynamics also feels authentic and appreciated the accuracy and relatability with which she wrote these characters and storylines. 

Intelligent, suspenseful and totally gripping, Dead Sweet is a must read for any thriller-lover. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Katrín is a Policy advisor and author. She received the Blackbird Award, an Icelandic crime-writing prize, for her first novel, Sykur (en: Sugar) in 2020. Her debut novel was reviewed well by critics and hit the best-selling lists in the first weeks after publication.

She was the Managing Director of Finance Iceland from 2016-2022. She has a political background and was a member of Parliament from 2003 until 2016. The Minister of industry, energy and tourism from 2009-2012 and Minister of finance and economy from 2012-2013. She served as the Social Democratic Alliance’s vice-chair from 2013-2016.

Before she was elected to Parliament, Katrín was an advisor and project manager at a tech company and a senior buyer and CEO in the retail sector, as well as the Managing Director of a student union during her uni years. She worked from a young age in the fishing industry, as a store clerk and took nighttime shifts at a pizza place. She studied Anthropology and has an MBA from Reykjavík University.

She was raised in Kópavogur, about 15 minutes’ drive from downtown Reykjavík. She now lives in the neighbouring town of Garðabær with her family. She is married to author Bjarni M. Bjarnason, who encouraged her to start writing. They have four boys.

********

MEET THE TRANSLATOR:

Quentin Bates escaped English suburbia as a teenager, jumping at the chance of a gap year working in Iceland. For a variety of reasons, the gap year stretched to become a gap decade, during which time he went native in the north of Iceland, acquiring a new language, a new profession as a seaman and a family, before decamping en masse for England. He worked as a truck driver, teacher, netmaker and trawlerman at various times before falling into journalism, largely by accident. He is the author of a series of crime novels set in present-day Iceland (Frozen Out, Cold Steal, Chilled to the Bone, Winterlude, Cold Comfort and Thin Ice) which have been published worldwide. He has translated all of Ragnar Jónasson’s Dark Iceland series.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading Bibliopiles xxx

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

*These links are affiliate links