Tag: Audiobook review

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Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The Trauma Cleaner by Sarah Kranostein

Published April 10th, 2018 by St Martins PR
Biography, Autobiography, True Crime

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SYNOPSIS:

Longlisted for the Wellcome Book Prize
Winner of the Victorian Prize for Literature
Winner of the Australian Book Industry Awards

A woman who sleeps among rubbish she has not put out for forty years. A man who bled quietly to death in his loungeroom. A woman who lives with rats, random debris and terrified delusion. The still life of a home vacated by accidental overdose.

Before she was a trauma cleaner, Sandra Pankhurst was many things: husband and father, drag queen, gender reassignment patient, sex worker, small businesswoman, trophy wife… But as a little boy, raised in violence and excluded from the family home, she just wanted to belong. Now she believes her clients deserve no less. Sarah Krasnostein has watched the extraordinary Sandra Pankhurst bring order and care to these, the living and the dead – and the book she has written is equally extraordinary. Not just the compelling story of a fascinating life among lives of desperation, but an affirmation that, as isolated as we may feel, we are all in this together.

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MY REVIEW:

The Trauma Cleaner is the extraordinary story of Sandra Pankhurst, who created a trauma cleaning company that takes care of a wide range of cleaning needs from hoarding to decomposition. I went into this expecting a story about a woman who cleans crime scenes but this ended up being so much more. 

Pankhurst was born male and raised in a violent home where her sexuality and gender identity was used against her. She transitioned as an adult and has worn a variety of hats, including husband, father, drag queen, sex worker, small business owner, and trophy wife, before opening her trauma cleaning business. Author Sarah Kranostein spent a few years with Sandra, interviewing her and accompanying her on a number of her cleaning jobs, something that allows her to not only tell us Sandra’s story, but that of some of her clients. 

The book is filled with lots of fascinating characters, but none are more intriguing than Sandra herself. She’s quite the character and it is impossible not to be drawn to her. She’s a complex person who has lived a life filled with sadness and trauma and there are some dark and graphic scenes in the book. She is also an unreliable narrator, though we are never sure if this is a case of outright lies or her past drug use and trauma. And although she can be selfish, she is also warmhearted and non judgemental, able to talk to anyone or put herself on any level.

Powerful, moving, funny, and compelling, this book reminds us of the importance of kindness, compassion, and human contact and connection in our lives. Highly recommended. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Sarah Krasnostein is a multi-award winning writer and critic. She is the best-selling author of The Trauma Cleaner (2017), The Believer (2021), the Quarterly Essay, Not Waving, Drowning (2022) and On Peter Carey (2023). She holds a PhD in criminal law and is admitted to legal practice in New York and Victoria.

Sarah has been awarded the Victorian Prize for Literature, the Australian Book Industry Award for General Non-Fiction, the Victorian Premier’s Prize for Non-Fiction, the Dobbie Literary Award, and the Douglas Stewart Prize for Non-Fiction at the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards. She was a finalist for the Walkley Book Award, the National Biography Award, the Melbourne Prize for Literature and the Wellcome Book Prize (UK). In 2022, she was awarded the Pascall Prize for Arts Criticism.

Sarah is a regular contributor to The Monthly and The Saturday Paper. Her work can be found in a variety of publications in Australia, America, and the UK including The Guardian, Tablet Magazine, Longreads, Literary Hub, The Jewish Quarterly, Meanjin and Oxford Handbooks Online as well as various academic journals. She has lectured in post-graduate criminal law and taught creative writing.

Sarah was born in America, is based in Australia and has lived and worked in both countries.

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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

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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.

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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: ✮✮✮✮✰

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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.

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Audio Books book reviews

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

Published October 24th, 2023 by Simon and Schuster UK
Memoir, Autobiography, Biography

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SYNOPSIS:

The Woman in Me is a brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith, and hope.

In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. The impact of sharing her voice—her truth—was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others. The Woman in Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey—and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history.

Written with remarkable candor and humor, Spears’s groundbreaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love—and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last.

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MY REVIEW:

“The woman in me was pushed down for a long time.”

When I heard Britney Spears was releasing a memoir I wasn’t sure I’d read it. I wouldn’t call myself a huge fan, but I have always enjoyed her music and was interested in hearing her side of the story after she spent so many years silenced. This was definitely a case of ‘Bookstagram made me do it’ but I was glad I decided to listen to this at the end of last year. Powerful and heartrending, The Woman in Me left me with a new-found respect and admiration for Ms. Spears. The writing can be shaky, it’s obviously written by a ghost-writer, and it was sometimes hard to follow, but it was good to finally hear Britney’s side of her story. 

This was an emotional listen. There’s sadness, anger, frustration, heartbreak and joy, taking you on a rollercoaster of emotions as Britney recounts her personal and family history. We learn that the Spears family have been beset by tragedy and trauma for generations. Britney talks about how her alcoholic father, Jamie, continued the cycle of abuse and they all lived under a constant cloud of fear where nothing was ever good enough. At a young age Britney became a ‘little entertainer’, discovering that she came alive, was taken out of her bleak reality, and felt a sense of taking back control whenever she sang or performed on stage. But what felt like an escape for her soon became another tool for control and she was repeatedly let down and betrayed by her family; the very people she should have been able to rely upon most. Even the supposedly heartwarming memories she discusses are concerning and it is so hard to listen to as she’s mistreated again and again. I was enraged and incensed as I listened to the many awful things her family has put her through.

Obviously this wouldn’t be a memoir from one of the biggest female pop stars of her generation without discussing her fame and having achieved huge stardom when she was just a teenager, this is something that has been a massive part of her life. The way she has been treated by the media and paparazzi is vile. It made me so angry to hear how she was slut shamed and mocked, especially when compared to how men in the industry were treated so differently in the same situations. My rage was also inflamed as I listened to Britney’s side of her infamous breakdown and break-up with Justin Timberlake, revealing the media spin that was put on those situations so that she was portrayed as the problem, feeding into what her father wanted the world to see so he could keep control. 

Heart-rending, maddening, and illuminating, The Woman in Me is a candid memoir which serves as a stark warning of the negative side of fame and fortune. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album …Baby One More Time in 1999. During her first decade within the music industry, she became a prominent figure in mainstream popular music and popular culture, followed by a much-publicized personal life. Her first two albums established her as a pop icon and broke sales records, while title tracks “…Baby One More Time” and “Oops!… I Did It Again” became international number-one hits. Spears was credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s.

In 2001, she released her third studio album Britney and expanded her brand, playing the starring role in the film Crossroads. She assumed creative control of her fourth studio album, In the Zone released in 2003, which yielded chart-topping singles “Me Against the Music”, “Toxic” and “Everytime”. After the release of two compilation albums, Spears experienced personal struggles and her career went under hiatus. Her fifth studio album, Blackout, was released in 2007 and despite receiving little promotion, it spawned hits “Gimme More” and “Piece of Me”. In 2008, her erratic behaviour and hospitalizations caused her to be placed in a conservatorship. The same year, her sixth studio album Circus was released, with the global chart-topping lead single “Womanizer”. After embarking on The Circus Starring Britney Spears, she released greatest hits The Singles Collection, which featured U.S. and Canadian number-one single “3”. In 2011, Spears returned with her seventh studio album, titled Femme Fatale, which was released on March 29, 2011, including the lead single “Hold It Against Me” which has become Spears’ fourth U.S. number-one single. The album debuted at #1 on Billboard 200. This made Spears the only female artist ever to have six number one debut albums, and have seven albums debut in the top two spots.

Spears has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists in the history of contemporary music. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), she is the eighth top-selling female artist in the United States, with 33 million certified albums. Spears is also recognized as the best-selling female artist of the first decade of the 21st century, as well as the fifth overall. She was ranked the 8th Artist of the 2000s by Billboard. In June 2010, Spears was ranked sixth on Forbes list of the 100 Most Powerful and Influential celebrities in the world; she is also the third most mentioned musician on the internet, according to Forbes.

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Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: My Daddy is a Hero by Lena Derhally

Published December 9th, 2019
True Crime, Murderer Biogrophies, Psychology and Violence

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SYNOPSIS:

A husband. A father. A killer.

Chris Watts was a family man. Everybody, including his family, believed that. Yet, on August 13, 2018, he murdered Shanann, his pregnant wife, and two young daughters, burying Shanann and their unborn son in a shallow grave and dumping their daughters’ bodies in separate oil tanks.

As terrible as his story is, it is also a warning because, to this day, living behind bars, Watts is still acting out the character traits that made him kill in the first place.

In this, the first and only psychological exploration of the Watts family murders, psychotherapist Lena Derhally has pieced together the crime, the events leading to it, and most of all, her beliefs about the “why,” including the fact that Chris Watts—now a self-described “man of God”—is not in the least remorseful about killing his family.

Using police discovery and other sources, Derhally recreates the night of the murders and the investigation that followed. She explores the childhoods, families of origin, meeting, and early relationship of Shanann and Chris Watts. She also examines Watts’s double life and duplicity regarding his well-publicized affair with a co-worker, who, although she claimed their affair was casual, was searching online for wedding dresses at the time of the murders.

The book includes an in-depth look at community psychopaths, the different subtypes of narcissism, how to prevent this type of violence, and interviews with a neuroscientist, a criminal psychologist, and a journalist in order to determine what in Watts’s twisted makeup allowed him to hide who he really is for so long. Using her knowledge of attachment theory, Imago relationship theory, and psychopathology, Derhally draws a profile of the real Chris Watts and–just as important–she warns readers that he is still a danger today.

L-R: Bella, Celesta and Shannan Watts

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MY REVIEW:

“Sometimes the most dangerous people are the ones we least expect.”

My Daddy is a Hero tells the devastating story of the murder of Shannan, Bella and Celeste Watts at the hands of the man they should have been able to trust most. It immediately feels victim-centric, opening with Shannan, who was 15 weeks pregnant, arriving home after a work trip to Arizona in the early hours of August 13th, 2018. Within a few short hours she and her daughters were dead, their bodies discarded in one of the oil fields where Chris worked. 

Heartbreaking, moving and enraging, this was not an easy book to read but it was an important one. This shocking crime has haunted me ever since I first heard about it and I’ve read many online articles and watched a number of documentaries about the case in an attempt to fathom how a seemingly perfect husband and father can murder his entire family. In this in-depth exploration of the crime and investigation, Lena Durhally attempts to answer this and many other questions, crafting a wonderfully victim-centric account of this tragedy, skillfully balancing respect for Shannan, Bella, and Celeste with an honest discussion about the crime. Durhally examines the whole Watts family and delves into the psychology of psychopaths, narcissists and family annihilators in a more general way, asking how we can spot the signs and try to prevent these tragedies before they happen. But I think what is so terrifying about this particular case is the lack of red flags beforehand. Chris Watts appeared to be a model father and husband, betraying very few outward signs of his inner rage or sinister plans. It really is the stuff of nightmares and it is part of the reason he remains a danger, despite his current claims of redemption. 

I’d recommend this book to anyone with an interest in true crime or the psychology of psychopaths and narcissists. 

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Lena Derhally is a licensed psychotherapist certified in Imago Relationship Therapy. She specializes in relationships and sees individuals and couples with a variety of issues. She has published numerous articles in The Washington Post and Huffington Post. She has also been interviewed for a variety of publications as an expert, including Self Magazine and Glamour Magazine. She is the co-host of a psychology podcast, “Sessions with Bob and Lena” and is a public speaker. In her spare time, when she is not spending time with her family and friends, she enjoys being a clinical instructor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the George Washington School of Medicine where she mentors medical students. She is also very passionate about raising money and awareness for children with trauma who have been afflicted by war.

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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

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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

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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: 🧙🏻‍♀️🧙🏻‍♀️🧙🏻‍♀️🧙🏻‍♀️

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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.

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Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews Cozy Mysteries Read Christie

READ CHRISTIE 2024: The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Hercule Poirot Series Book 1) by Agatha Christie

Published October 1920
Mystery, Cosy Mystery, Crime Fiction, Detective Story, Classic Fiction

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SYNOPSIS:

When Emily Inglethorp is poisoned the police are certain they’ve found the killer, but Hercule Poirot is not so easily satisfied. The sleuth digs deep into a tangled mystery in his debut appearance as the detective hero of Christie’s classic crime series.

Agatha Christie’s first mystery novel marks the initial appearance of her renowned Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot, known for his impeccably neat appearance, fine mustache, and ability to cut to the core of some of the most complex and puzzling mysteries ever conceived. Summoned to investigate a murder in an elegant English country house, Poirot begins assembling clues and finding reasons to doubt the apparently obvious culprit was actually responsible for the murder. Riddles and secrets multiply as documents vanish, secret alliances are unveiled and the seemingly unsolvable is broken wide open. Deliberately conceived and written to puzzle devoted mystery fans, The Mysterious Affair at Styles has delighted readers since its first publication in 1920 and marks a perfect entry point for those new to the author or her unforgettable sleuth.

With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of The Mysterious Affair at Styles is both modern and readable.

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MY REVIEW:

Ok. I confess. I’m a bad book blogger and I had never read an Agatha Christie book before this one (despite owning many). Like most people I am familiar with the stories and have watched many film and TV adaptations over the years but never got around to picking up one of the actual books. Every year since joining Bookstagram I’ve wanted to take part in the Read Christie, the official Agatha Christie Reading Challenge, but didn’t manage to fit it in. This year I was determined to make it happen and I am thrilled to have finally read my first Agatha Christie. . 

Each year Read Christie has different prompts and in 2024 they are exploring Christie’s works through the decades, starting in 1920 and going all the way through to the 1970s. January’s prompt is the 20s, so after talking to my Christie-expert friend, Sue, I decided to start at the very beginning with Christie’s first ever novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, which was first published in the US in October 1920 and in the UK on 21st January 1921, introducing the world to the now-famous Hercule Poirot.

Enthralling, compelling and mysterious, I loved this book. It isn’t a story of Ms. Christie’s that I’m familiar with but I loved that it felt both completely new and comfortingly familiar. It felt like finding a soft toy I’d had as a child and holding it again. Sue recommended listening to the audiobook and I am so glad I took her advice. I loved the little details like the sound of the typewriter keys clicking and thought the narrator was fantastic. I was enrapt and couldn’t stop listening, finishing it in just a few hours. And that ending! Wow. 

This book was a brilliant start to my Agatha Christie reading and one I’d recommend, especially if you’re looking to start her books for the first time like I was. Roll on another one next month! 

Rating: 🔍🔍🔍🔍🔍

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Born in Torquay in 1890, Agatha Christie became, and remains, the best-selling novelist of all time.

She is best known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, as well as the world’s longest-running play – The Mousetrap. Her books have sold over a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation.

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Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The Lido by Libby Page

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

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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

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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: 🏊‍♀️🏊‍♀️🏊‍♀️🏊‍♀️

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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: ✮✮✮✮✰

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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.

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Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2023

AUDIOBOOK LISTENALONG REVIEW: None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell

Published July 20th, 2023 by Century
Thriller, Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Fiction

Welcome to my review for the heart-pounding None Of This Is True. Thank you to Rachel Quin for the invitation to take part and to Century for the proof and audiobook.

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SYNOPSIS:

* AN INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER *
* OVER 6,000 FIVE STAR REVIEWS *
* AUDIBLE NO.1 SIX WEEKS IN A ROW *

‘Gloriously dark’ Lucy Foley
‘A moody, slippery novel‘ Gillian McAllister
‘One hundred percent brilliant’ Clare Mackintosh
‘Shocking and creepy and glorious’ Nicola Walker
‘Utterly addictive’ Claire Douglas
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Celebrating her 45th birthday at her local pub, podcaster Alix Summer crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie is also celebrating her 45th.

A few days later, they bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie says she thinks she would be an interesting subject for Alix’s podcast. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.

Alix agrees to a trial interview and indeed, Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated. Aix finds her unsettling but can’t quite resist the temptation to keep digging.

Slowly Alix starts to realise that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it Josie has cajoled her way into Alix’s life – and into her home.

Soon Alix begins to wonder who is Josie Fair really? And what has she done?

* The Hi! I’m Your Birthday Twin podcast has been bought to life! Listen to all 4 episodes and find out more here *

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MY REVIEW:

“But she can’t shift the discomforting sense that there’s something else. Something behind this dark yet somehow typical story of a family blighted by the dysfunction of a controlling and dominant man… And as much as her gut tells her to believe a woman who says she has been abused, it also tells her that Josie is not to be trusted.”

Podcaster Alix Summers is out celebrating her 45th birthday when she meets Josie Fair who introduces herself with the words, “Hi, I’m your birthday twin”.  They run into each other again a few days later and Josie tells Alix she’s on the verge of big changes in her life and thinks she’d make an interesting subject for her podcast. Alix agrees to a trial interview and sees the potential for a great story in Josie’s complex and strange life. As they get to know each other the disquieting feelings Alix ignored only grows stronger as she realises Josie is hiding some dark secrets. And as Josie pushes her way further into Alix’s life and home, she begins to wonder who Josie really is and what she might be capable of….

Lisa Jewell never fails to deliver and showcases the full scope of her masterful storytelling skill set in this heart-pounding thriller. An addictive page-turner filled with delicious anticipation, sucker-punch twists,, and a ticking time bomb of dread, it had me on the edge of my seat from the first page until the last. And over a week after finishing it I still have no idea what is true and what isn’t. The mixed media format made it perfect for audiobook as the excerpts from interviews and podcast episodes brought the story alive and made me feel like I was listening to a true crime podcast rather than a work of fiction. And that ending! OMG. I was not ready and it left me with both my heart and jaw on the floor. A round of applause, Ms. Jewell. 

Alix and Josie are compelling characters who feel relatable with their familiar struggles. I’m the same age and could imagine being friends with them and sitting discussing our problems over coffee. Well, I could to a point, because as the story digs deeper into their lives it quickly becomes clear that there is something dark and disturbing lurking in Josie’s life. Alex senses this darkness too, but the journalist in her compels her to keep going and discover what secrets she’s hiding, to reveal the story. I went from seeing Josie as a sad, lonely, downtrodden woman to a predator waiting to strike. The warning signs flashed in my head and I listened in rapt horror as it descended deeper into the things nightmares are made of.

Dark, brooding, compelling, and unexpected, Lisa Jewell reminds us all why she’s the Thriller Queen with this nerve-shredding story. A must-read for fans of the genre, just make sure  you carve out a chunk of time before reading because once you pick this one up you won’t be putting it down until you’re finished.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Lisa Jewell was born in London in 1968.

Her first novel, Ralph’s Party, was the best- selling debut novel of 1999. Since then she has written another twenty novels, most recently a number of dark psychological thrillers, including The Girls, Then She Was Gone, The Family Upstairs and The Night She Disappeared. Her latest novel None of This Is True was published in July 2023.

Lisa is a New York Times and Sunday Times number one bestselling author who has been published worldwide in over twenty-five languages. She lives in north London with her husband, two daughters and the best dog in the world.

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

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Bone China by Laura Purcell

Published September 19th, 2019 by Raven Books
Gothic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Horror Fiction, Ghost Story, Medical Thriller, Romance

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SYNOPSIS:

A Daphne Du Maurier-esque chiller set on the mysterious Cornish coast, from the award-winning author of The Silent Companions.

‘Du Maurier-tastic’ GUARDIAN

‘Deliciously sinister’ HEAT

‘A clever, creepy read’ SUNDAY EXPRESS


Consumption has ravaged Louise Pinecroft’s family, leaving her and her father alone and heartbroken.

But Dr Pinecroft has plans for a revolutionary experiment: convinced that sea air will prove to be the cure his wife and children needed, he arranges to house a group of prisoners suffering from the same disease in the cliffs beneath his new Cornish home.

Forty years later, Hester Why arrives at Morvoren House to take up a position as nurse to the now partially paralysed and almost entirely mute Miss Pinecroft. Hester has fled to Cornwall to try and escape her past, but she soon discovers that her new home may be just as dangerous as her last.

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MY REVIEW:

Laura Purcell has done it again. Gloriously sinister, gothic and eerie, Bone China is an unsettling tale from the queen of the gothic mystery. The Cornish coast and Morvoren House provide a haunting backdrop that is the perfect setting for Purcell’s unmistakable chilling and malevolent gothic style. You feel yourself in the grip of a master storyteller as she pulls you into the world she created with her meticulous and darkly poetic prose, compelling characters and strong sense of place. Filled with folklore, mystery, suspicion and foreboding, there’s a lingering atmosphere of unease and the sense of dread deepens as Purcell expertly blurs the lines between reality, imagination and the supernatural. All of this merged with the expressive narration of the audiobook to create a truly visceral and immersive experience. 

Told in three timelines we follow Hester Why in the present as she arrives at Morvoren House to take up a position as Lady’s Maid and Nurse to Miss Pinecroft, the strange and reclusive Lady of the house. A second timeline flashes back to Ms. Why’s past and slowly reveals her secrets. Lastly, we go back forty years before Hester’s arrival at Morvoren House to follow the story of Miss Louise Pinecroft and her father, Dr. Ernest Pinecroft. The Pinecrofts have come to Morvoren to continue his quest to perfect his radical cure for consumption. Purcell seamlessly weaves the many threads together, holding me in her thrall and keeping me guessing right up until the end. 

Purcell’s research is detailed, delving into Cornish folklore and the origins of bone china, which are surprisingly morbid. Integral to the story are the unsettling local tales of changelings and faeries, seen as a serious matter at the time. Faeries were dark and dangerous creatures with limitless power and were blamed for everything and anything: pregnancy loss, stillbirth, disability, famine, mental illness, and sickness, such as tuberculosis which is a central part of the storyline. Then known as consumption, tuberculosis is the illness that shattered the Prichard family which has led Dr. Ernest Prichard to Morvoren House so he can perfect his innovative cure with the assistance of his daughter, Louise. It was hard to read about the barbaric ‘cures’ people were subjected to in the name of so-called modern medicine at that time knowing it was based in historical fact. 

The characters are intriguing and well-written. Purcell allows us greater insight into who many of them are by having them appear in multiple timelines so we really get to know them and their backstories. While the characters appear very different, they are all deeply flawed people who are consumed by guilt and inner turmoil. Hester is a secretive, impulsive and obsessive young woman who oozes desperation. We know she’s fleeing from a tragic event and is plagued not only by regret but also fear of being discovered. I found her intriguing but was frustrated she refused to learn from her past mistakes and kept going in circles. Miss Pinecroft is a much more sympathetic character with a moving backstory. But it takes some time to unravel that and in the present we see her as a feeble and mute old woman who is confined to her bed or the parlour. Flashbacks tell us the fascinating story of an intelligent and determined young woman who is working hard to overcome the tragedies she has lived through and help others through working with her father on his cure for consumption. But the character who stood out most for me was Creeda, Miss Pinecroft’s servant who has been at Morvoren house for many years. Creeda is well versed in folklore and wholeheartedly believes the stories are true. In her world there are faeries waiting to steal people and changelings live amongst us. Needless to say, she’s a strange character. She is also shrouded in mystery and seems to be at the centre of everything that happens at Morvoren House, adding to the overall feeling of unease that surrounds her. I loved that the more we learned about her tragic past the more unnerving she became and her backstory was one of my favourite storylines.

Darkly atmospheric, insidious, menacing and utterly magnificent, Bone China is a DuMarier-esque gothic novel that is one of Laura Purcell’s best books yet. Highly recommended, especially on audiobook. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Laura Purcell is a former bookseller living in Colchester, Essex with her husband and pet guinea pigs.

She began her career with two historical novels about the Hanoverian monarchs, Queen of Bedlam and Mistress of the Court before her break-out Gothic ghost story The Silent Companions.

The Silent Companions won the WHSmith Thumping Good Read Award in 2018 and was shortlisted for the Goldsboro Glass Bell. It was selected for both the Radio 2 Book Club and Zoe Ball’s ITV Book Club.

The Shape of Darkness won a Fingerprint Award for Historical Crime Book of the Year 2022 and was shortlisted for both an Edgar Award and a Dead Good Readers’ Award.

Laura’s short stories have been published in a number of collections including the Sunday Times best-selling The Haunting Season. She recently worked as lead writer on Roanoke Falls, a Realm podcast executive produced by John Carpenter and Sandy King Carpenter. It won a silver Signal Award for Best Scripted Fiction.

Please note that in the USA Laura is published by Penguin Books, where The Corset is titled The Poison Thread and Bone China is called The House of Whispers.

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