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

BOOK REVIEW: The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

Published February 2nd, 2021 by Pan Macmillan
Historical Fiction, Romance Novel, Domestic Fiction

Welcome to my review for this phenomenal masterpiece. Thank you to Bookbreak and Pan Macmillan for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘A powerful, stirring, wind-swept tale set in Depression-era America that makes your heart break and soar in equal measure.’ – Matt Haig, author of The Midnight Library

The Four Winds, an instant New York Times number one bestseller and Richard and Judy Book Club Pick, is a deeply moving story about the strength and resilience of women and the bond between mother and daughter, by the multi-million-copy bestselling author of The Nightingale, Kristin Hannah.

‘Powerful and compelling’ – Delia Owens, author of Where the Crawdads Sing

She will discover the best of herself in the worst of times . . .

Texas, 1934. Elsa Martinelli had finally found the life she’d yearned for. A family, a home and a livelihood on a farm on the Great Plains. But when drought threatens all she and her community hold dear, Elsa’s world is shattered to the winds.

Fearful of the future, when Elsa wakes to find her husband has fled, she is forced to make the most agonizing decision of her life. Fight for the land she loves or take her beloved children, Loreda and Ant, west to California in search of a better life. Will it be the land of milk and honey? Or will their experience challenge every ounce of strength they possess?

From the overriding love of a mother for her child, the value of female friendship and the ability to love again – against all odds – Elsa’s incredible journey is a story of survival, hope and what we do for the ones we love.

‘A story of love, family, unbreakable bonds, bravery and hope. I loved this book so much!’ – Christy Lefteri, author of The Beekeeper of Aleppo

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MY REVIEW:

Kristin Hannah has done it again. Powerful, moving, mesmerising and timeless, The Four Winds is another unforgettable masterpiece. A story of love, loss, survival, courage, heroism and hope set during the Great Depression, it follows Elsa Martinelli as she fights to survive on the Great Plains during the Dust Bowl era and then as she travels to California with her children in search of a fresh start. Will it be the land of milk and honey as she’s been promised?

This atmospheric and all-consuming tour-de-force packed a strong emotional punch and has left me with a huge book hangover. I could have lived inside this story forever and was bereft at finishing it. I’ve now read three books by Ms. Hannah and each one has been magnificent, so it seems I’m guaranteed something spectacular with every book and I’m excited for what her backlist has in store for me. 

Masterfully written, I was totally immersed in this epic saga which transported me back to the Great Depression. Hannah’s meticulous research is evident on every page, and with evocative imagery she paints vivid scenes that bring to life the dust-swept plains of Texas and the bleak reality of these people’s lives – dust storms that last weeks, the dust choking you and coating every surface, the muddy milk of cows forced to eat dust-covered grass, the gnawing hunger they felt as their crops failed, and the heartache of watching your loved ones slowly waste away. Desperation, drudgery and fear permeates every page, but there is also resilience, determination, bravery, and a fierce strength that left me in awe. Hannah explores a multitude of themes on these pages including the complexities of motherhoods, the power of community, social injustice, and the American Dream, creating a relatable, stirring and timely story that I got lost in.

Hannah has filled the pages with richly drawn, flawed and compelling characters, creating a strong connection between her characters and the reader and making us feel invested in their stories. The book’s protagonist, Elsa, is a formidable woman who battles against seemingly insurmountable odds, facing one hardship after another. We meet her as a spinster from a well-off family but when she becomes pregnant Elsa swaps her life of comfort and finery for one of toil and hardship when she’s forced to marry Italian farmer, Rafe. It’s a huge change, but she learns to love her new life. But after Rafe leaves, the Great Depression hits, and drought and winds turn the land into the Dust Bowl, things get even harder for Elsa and we see just how much strength she has, but we also see her vulnerability and fear. The other narrator, Elsa’s daughter Loreda, was my favourite character. She is a firecracker and I loved her spark, spirit and ferocity. You could tell this girl would go far and I loved watching the lessons that she and Elsa taught each other. 

Phenomenal, breathtaking and extraordinary, I can’t recommend this book highly enough and if I could give it more than five stars I would. Read it now! 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

*I listened to this on Bookbeat. You can listen for 60 days free by clicking my affiliate link here*

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

From Kristin’s Website: Kristin Hannah is the award-winning and bestselling author of more than 20 novels including the international blockbuster, The Nightingale, which was named Goodreads Best Historical fiction novel for 2015 and won the coveted People’s Choice award for best fiction in the same year.  Additionally, it was a selection of the Reese Witherspoon Book Club in 2023. It was named a Best Book of the Year by Amazon, iTunes, Buzzfeed, the Wall Street Journal, Paste, and The Week.  In 2018, The Great Alone became an instant New York Times #1 bestseller and was named the Best Historical Novel of the Year by Goodreads.

The Four Winds was published in February of 2021 and immediately hit #1 on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Indie bookstores’ bestseller lists.  Additionally, it was selected as a book club pick by the both Today Show and the Book Of the Month club, which named it the best book of 2021.  

The Nightingale is currently in production at Tri Star, with Dakota and Elle Fanning set to star.  Tri Star has also optioned The Great Alone and it is in development.  Firefly Lane, her beloved novel about two best friends, was the #1 Netflix series around the world, in the week it came out.  The popular tv show stars Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke and Season Two is currently set to conclude the series on April 27, 2023.  

A former attorney, Kristin lives in the Pacific Northwest.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

Categories
Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews

BOOK REVIEW: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

Published January 29th, 2015 by Pan Macmillan
Historical Fiction, Romance Novel, War Story, Historical Romance

Today I’m sharing my thoughts on this masterpiece. Thank you to BookBreakk and Pan Macmillan for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The Bestselling Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

Soon to be a major motion picture, Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale has captured the hearts of millions of readers becoming a number one bestseller across the world. It is a heart-breakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the endurance of women.

This story is about what it was like to be a woman during World War II, when women’s stories were all too often forgotten or overlooked . . . Vianne and Isabelle Mauriac are two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals and passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path towards survival, love and freedom in war-torn France.

It is a novel for everyone, a novel for a lifetime.

‘A rich, compelling novel of love, sacrifice and survival’ – Kate Morton, author of Homecoming

‘Movingly written and plotted with the heartless skill of a Greek tragedy, you’ll keep turning the pages until the last racking sob’ – Daily Mail

‘I loved The Nightingale . . . great characters, great plots, great emotions, who could ask for more in a novel?’ – Isabel Allende, bestselling author of The House of the Spirits

‘A griping tale of family, love, grief and forgiveness’ – Sunday Express

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MY REVIEW:

Astonishing, breathtaking, phenomenal, heart-rending, courageous and powerful, The Nightingale, is an unforgettable masterpiece. Like most of Kristin Hannah’s novels, this book had been languishing on my shelf for far too long when I finally decided to pick it up on a whim this month. Why did I wait so long? 

The story explores what it means to be a woman during war, telling the story through the eyes of sisters Vivianne and Isabelle as they live through World War Two. The pair are separated and have very different experiences but each possess strength, an unbreakable determination to survive, and a strong moral compass that sees them taking huge risks in order to help others. 

A tearjerker that is filled with kindness, joy, connection and bravery, I was an empty shell when I finished this book. Masterfully told, hauntingly evocative and devastatingly real, it is easy to see why this story is considered a modern classic and so highly recommended. Rating this is one of the easiest five stars I’ve ever given. It left me with the biggest book hangover and even now, over a week after finishing it, the characters and story are still with me and I think about it daily. It has taken a place in my heart and on my list of favourite books of all time. And that final line! Oh, my heart 💔😭

When the year started I had a number of Kristin Hanah’s books on my TBR but hadn’t read any of them. Now, as it ends, I’ve read two of them, they are both in my list of favourite books this year. Ms. Hannah is undoubtedly now one of my favourite authors and I will be prioritising her backlist in 2025. 

I can’t recommend this magnificent story enough. If you haven’t read it, please do ASAP. Just clear your schedule first because once you start you’ll not be doing anything else.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

*I listened to this on Bookbeat. You can listen for 60 days free by clicking my affiliate link here*

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

From Kristin’s Website: Kristin Hannah is the award-winning and bestselling author of more than 20 novels including the international blockbuster, The Nightingale, which was named Goodreads Best Historical fiction novel for 2015 and won the coveted People’s Choice award for best fiction in the same year.  Additionally, it was a selection of the Reese Witherspoon Book Club in 2023. It was named a Best Book of the Year by Amazon, iTunes, Buzzfeed, the Wall Street Journal, Paste, and The Week.  In 2018, The Great Alone became an instant New York Times #1 bestseller and was named the Best Historical Novel of the Year by Goodreads.

The Four Winds was published in February of 2021 and immediately hit #1 on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Indie bookstores’ bestseller lists.  Additionally, it was selected as a book club pick by the both Today Show and the Book Of the Month club, which named it the best book of 2021.  

The Nightingale is currently in production at Tri Star, with Dakota and Elle Fanning set to star.  Tri Star has also optioned The Great Alone and it is in development.  Firefly Lane, her beloved novel about two best friends, was the #1 Netflix series around the world, in the week it came out.  The popular tv show stars Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke and Season Two is currently set to conclude the series on April 27, 2023.  

A former attorney, Kristin lives in the Pacific Northwest.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Audio Books book reviews Squadpod Squadpod Featured Books

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: To Die For (Travis Devine, 3) by David Baldacci

Published November 7th, 2024 by Pan Macmillan
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Ficiton, Police Procedural, Political Thriller, Adventure Fiction

Welcome to my review for this tense thriller. Thank you Pan Macmillan for my copy.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The bodyguard becomes the hunted in To Die For, the electrifying third Travis Devine thriller from international no. 1 bestselling author David Baldacci, following The Edge and the runaway no. 1 bestseller The 6:20 Man.

* * * * *

Some secrets are too dangerous to keep . . .

TWO SUSPICIOUS DEATHS

When Dwayne and Alice Odom are killed, the police report states clearly that it was a drug overdose. So why is their daughter, who was there when they died, claiming that’s not the truth?

ONE YOUNG SURVIVOR

Betsy Odom doesn’t trust the police but when she finds herself in the FBI’s custody after her parents’ deaths, she knows she has to be careful. Her uncle wants to adopt her and as he is a very rich and powerful man, she wants to let him. His criminal connections, however, mean the authorities aren’t so sure.

ONE MAN ON THE RUN

Enter Travis Devine. Trying to escape a skilled predator who wants him dead, Devine finds himself as Betsy’s bodyguard. But when an informant is found murdered, Devine knows this job is perhaps even more dangerous than the one he’s running from . . . and the true enemy may be on his side.

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MY REVIEW:

Former Marine Travis Devine – now a bodyguard, fixer and investigator – becomes the prey in the third installment in this series. A threatening note in his pocket from the mysterious girl on the train is only the latest in the line of attempts to kill him. And finding out who she is isn’t the only thing on Devine’s mind. The Department of Justice has sent him to the West Coast to protect a young girl whose uncle is the defendant in a federal case. Young Betsy Odom’s parents died of a drug overdose in front of her. But she claims they were murdered. Can Travis keep Betsy safe, discover the truth and stop the woman determined to kill him.

Suspenseful, gripping and intriguing, this my first time reading a David Baldacci book and this series so it took me a bit of time to get to grips with the characters and story, but once I did I was hooked. I particularly enjoyed the parts from the perspective of the woman on the train and was on the edge of my seat until the very last page. A great addition to the TBR of anyone who loves a great thriller.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

David Baldacci has been writing since childhood, when his mother gave him a lined notebook in which to write down his stories. (Much later, when David thanked her for being the spark that ignited his writing career, she revealed that she’d given him the notebook to keep him quiet, “because every mom needs a break now and then.”)

David published his first novel, ABSOLUTE POWER, in 1996. The feature film adaptation followed, with Clint Eastwood as its director and star. In total, David has published 50 novels for adults; all have been national and international bestsellers and several have been adapted for film and television. His novels have been translated into over 45 languages and sold in more than 80 countries, with 150 million copies sold worldwide. David has also published seven novels for younger readers.

David is also the cofounder, along with his wife, of the Wish You Well Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting literacy programs across the United States.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

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Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: The Mother of All Christmases by Milly Johnson

Published November 7th, 2024 by Simon & Schuster UK
Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance, Domestic Fiction, Christmas Story, Holiday Fiction, Festive Fiction

Welcome to my review for this gorgeous festive read. Thank you to SJV for sending me copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

From the Sunday Times bestselling author, The Mother of All Christmases is a gorgeous read full of love, life, laughter, a few tears – and crackers!

‘The feeling you get when you read a Milly Johnson book should be bottled and made available on the NHS’ Debbie Johnson

Eve Glace – co-owner of the theme park Winterworld – is having a baby and her due date is a perfectly timed 25th December. And she’s decided that she and her husband Jacques should renew their wedding vows with all the pomp that was missing the first time. But growing problems at Winterworld keep distracting them … 

Annie Pandoro and her husband Joe own a small Christmas cracker factory, and are well set up and happy together despite life never blessing them with a much-wanted child. But when Annie finds that the changes happening to her body aren’t typical of the menopause but pregnancy, her joy is uncontainable. 

Palma Collins has agreed to act as a surrogate, hoping the money will get her out of the gutter in which she finds herself. But when the couple she is helping split up, is she going to be left carrying a baby she never intended to keep?

Annie, Palma and Eve all meet at the ‘Christmas Pudding Club’, a new directive started by a forward-thinking young doctor to help mums-to-be mingle and share their pregnancy journeys. Will this group help each other to find love, contentment and peace as Christmas approaches?

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MY REVIEW:

Charming, cosy and captivating, The Mother of All Christmases is another winner from the Queen of feel-good fiction. Exquisitely written, this was a delight to read from start to finish, feeling like I’d been wrapped in a warm, soft blanket of festive joy. 

The Mother of All Christmases follows three women: Eve Glace, Annie Pandoro and Palma Collins, who meet at the ‘Christmas Pudding Club’, a group for local mums that are expecting their babies around Christmas. The women strike up friendships, helping each other through not only the ups and downs of pregnancy, but other aspects of their lives. I loved these women. They may be very different people from unique situations, but they found similarities that bonded them and formed genuine friendships. I was rooting for each of them and hope to see more of them in future books. 

This was a festive delight and I never wanted it to end. Funny warm and moving, there’s a wonderful, cosy vibe that radiates from these pages and a fabulous sense of community and friendship that runs through the story. I think the secret to some of that is the setting. Like myself, Milly Johnson is a Yorkshire lass and sets her stories here in the North. This gives them a feeling of home and comfort that I love. And I don’t think you can beat the warmth and friendliness of Northerners, which really shines through in this and her other stories. This merges with Johnson’s magnificent storytelling and compelling characters to create stories that never miss time and again. 

The perfect Christmas pick-me-up. Add this to your TBR now!

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Milly Johnson was born, raised and still lives in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. She is the author of 21 novels, 4 short story ebooks, a book of poetry and a Quick Reads Novella (‘The Little Dreams of Lara Cliffe’) and was an erstwhile leading copywriter for the greetings card industry. She is also a poet, a professional joke-writer, a newspaper columnist and a seasoned after dinner speaker.

She won the RoNA for Best Romantic Comedy Novel of 2014 and 2016, the Yorkshire Society award for Arts and Culture 2015, the Romantic Novelist Association Outstanding Achievement award in 2020, the Goldsboro Books Contemporary Romantic Novel Award in 2021 and the Richard Whiteley Award for Inspiration to the County of Yorkshire in 2022.

She writes about love, life, friendships and the importance of community spirit. Her books champion women, their strength and resilience and celebrate her beloved Yorkshire.

Her 21st novel ‘The Happiest Ever After’ is out now and is about Polly Potter who finds herself living at the seaside with no recollection of how she got there, thinking she is the leading character in a book she is writing. But what happens when Polly – or Sabrina as she believes she is – finds out who she is and has to make a decision whether or not to go back to the lesser life she left behind. Full of sea air, sand, seagulls… and scarecrows.

Do check out Milly’s website – it’s easy to find if you search for her name. She has a monthly newsletter with insider info, competitions and even birthday celebrations.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliopiles xxxx

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: All I Want For Christmas is You by Karen Swan

Published October 10th, 2024 by Pan Macmillan
Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance, Holiday Fiction

Today I’m sharing my review for this cosy winter romance. Thank you to Pan MacMillan for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest reivew.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Three first dates and an art-world mystery – it’s going to be a busy Christmas for Darcy. All I Want for Christmas is the Sunday Times bestselling cosy winter romance from Karen Swan, author of Christmas By Candlelight.

Can she find love this Christmas?

Christmas in Copenhagen is a magical time of year but Darcy Cotterell isn’t feeling festive. Newly single, again, she’s not even going home for Christmas. Instead she will be spending her holiday finishing her art history PhD. Her best friend, Freja, has other ideas. She signs Darcy up to a dating app, determined that she won’t be lonely this Christmas.

Darcy agrees to three dates – but her mind is on work, not play: an unknown portrait by Denmark’s greatest painter has been found and she is tasked with identifying the woman in the painting. During her research, she encounters sexy, arrogant lawyer Max Lorensen – who happens to be bachelor number one! The attraction is instant but, knowing they must work together, they abandon the match. Or try to. But their feelings are undeniable – until Darcy discovers Max has an agenda . . .

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MY REVIEW:

Christmas in Copenhagen may be magical but Darcy isn’t feeling the festive spirit this year. Newly single and feeling jaded, she isn’t even going home to celebrate Christmas and is staying home to finish her art history PhD. Her best friend, Freja, is determined that won’t happen and signs her up to a dating app, telling her to pick three men to date. But Darcy is distracted. At work an unknown portrait by Denmark’s greatest painter has just been discovered and it’s Darcy’s job to identify the subject. During her research she meets the gorgeous but arrogant lawyer Max, who also happens to be one of the men she met on the app. Though they decide work and romance shouldn’t mix, they find it’s hard to resist each other. Until Darcy discovers Max had a secret agenda all along…

One of my favourite parts of the run up to Christmas is reading festive fiction so I was delighted when the SquadPod were offered the chance to read this book. A cosy winter love story cleverly woven together with a tense and twisty mystery, it was the perfect book to read snuggled up under a blanket while drinking hot chocolate, which is exactly what I did. Funny, layered, heartwarming and escapist, it pulled me in from the first page and held me captive to the last, surprising me at every turn. 

Enemies-to-lovers is my favourite romance trope and this one offers more yearning and sizzling attraction than any I’ve read before. Throughout the book you are wondering if Max and Darcy not only will get together, but if they should. Neither of them are full of pure intentions and Max is a very flawed hero who seemed to throw up a red flag every time you thought he was Mr. Right. Though I admit to rooting for them to be a couple most of the time. I also understood her reservations after being hurt so deeply. But this was a great reminder that our  happy-ever-after could still be out there – maybe even just around the corner. Ultimately, I was rooting for Darcy to have her happy ending, with or without a man. 

So, if you’re looking for a cosy festive romance that’s just a little bit different, this is the book for you.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Karen Swan is the Sunday Times top three bestselling author and her novels sell all over the world. She writes two books each year – one for the summer period and one for the Christmas season. Previous summer titles include The Spanish Promise, The Hidden Beach and The Secret Path and for winter, Christmas at Tiffany’s, The Christmas Secret and Together by Christmas.

Her books are known for their evocative locations and Karen sees travel as vital research for each story. She loves to set deep, complicated love stories within twisting plots.

Her historical series called The Wild Isle, is based upon the dramatic evacuation of the Scottish island St Kilda in the summer of 1930.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Categories
Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2023

BOOK REVIEW: Weyward by Emilia Hart

Published February 2nd, 2023 by The Borough Press
Gothic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Supernatural Fiction, Horror Fiction,

Today I’m sharing my thoughts on this powerful and beguiling debut.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

*As seen on BBC’s BETWEEN THE COVERS

* A #2 Times bestseller

* A New York Times bestseller

OVER 500,000 COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE

‘Humming with a sly, exhilarating magic’ BRIDGET COLLINS
‘A much-heralded epic’ OBSERVER
‘Empowering’ GLAMOUR

Three women, five centuries, one spellbinding story

In the present day, Kate flees a traumatic relationship to the Cumbrian cottage she inherited from her great-aunt; but the cottage hides secrets of its own.

In 1942, Violet rebels against her father’s ideas of a ‘proper young lady’ . . . until he takes matters into his own hands.

In 1619, Altha is on trial for witchcraft, implicated in the gruesome death of a local man.

Three women they tried to cage – but Weyward women belong to the wild. And they cannot be tamed…

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MY REVIEW:

“Witch. The word slithers from the mouth like a serpent. Drips from the tongue as thick and black as tar. We never thought of ourselves as witches, my mother and I. For this was a word invented by men. And with that brings power to those who speak it not those it describes. A word that builds gallows and pyres, turns breathing women into corpses. No, it was not a word we ever used.” 

Spellbinding, haunting, moving, fierce and empowering, Weyward is an outstanding debut that explores the threads that reach across time to connect women. 

The story is told from the perspective of three women: Altha, Violet and Kate. In 1619 Altha, who is a healer, is on trial for witchcraft after being implicated in the gruesome death of a local man. In 1942 Violet lives a suffocating life with her father and brother and rebels against what a ‘proper young lady’ should be. But her rebellion will spark a chain of events that have devastating results. And in 2019 Kate flees an abusive relationship and takes refuge in the Cumbrian cottage she inherited from her great-aunt. But as she will discover, the cottage – and her aunt – hide long-buried secrets of their own. 

Emilia Hart showcases herself as an author to watch with this incredible debut. Beautifully written, expertly crafted and intricately woven, it moves between the three narrators and timelines to slowly unveils their stories and ultimately reveals how their paths are connected. The three women at the centre of the book are strong, fierce, relatable and compelling characters. My heart went out to each of them and the terrible situations they faced but I ultimately found myself in awe of their strength and resilience. Interwoven into each woman’s story is a hint of the supernatural as Hart explores the way that women who are healers or have a deeper connection to nature have found themselves accused of witchcraft. While this is explored in each timeline, Altha’s storyline focuses most on this as she lived at the time of the witch trials and is on trial for witchcraft. 

Hart explores themes such as oppression, male violence and domestic abuse, which each woman experiences despite living centuries apart. It was a sad reminder of how so much may change, yet some things seem to stay the same and women are still battling against the same things as their ancestors centuries ago. And while this is undoubtedly a feminist book, it isn’t man-hating or a book that calls women to take revenge against men. It is simply telling the truth of what women have experienced and encouraging us to find our strength. After all, we women all have a little bit of witch in us. Thank you, Ms Hart, for the reminder.  

Powerful, witchy, bold and beguiling, Weyward is an astonishing debut not to be missed. 

Rating: ✭✭✭✭✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Emilia Hart is a British-Australian writer. She was born in Sydney and studied English Literature and Law at the University of New South Wales before working as a lawyer in Sydney and London. Emilia is a graduate of Curtis Brown Creative’s Three Month Online Novel Writing Course and was Highly Commended in the 2021 Caledonia Novel Award. Her short fiction has been published in Australia and the UK. She lives in London.​

The award-winning WEYWARD was published in 2023, and Emilia’s latest novel, THE SIRENS, will publish in 2025.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Categories
Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2024

BOOK REVIEW: The Mystery Guest (Molly the Maid, 2) by Nita Prose

Published January 18th, 2024 by Harper Fiction
Mystery, Thriller, Literary Fiction, Women Sleuths

Welcome to my review for this gorgeous cosy mystery. Thank you to Harper Fiction for sending me a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

*The sparkling new novel from the million-copy bestselling author of THE MAID*

‘Utterly delightful’ DAILY MAIL

‘Captivates from page one’ JANICE HALLETT

_________________________________________________________________

DO NOT DISTURB. WHODUNNIT IN PROGRESS …

Molly Gray wears her Head Maid badge proudly for every shift at the Regency Grand Hotel: plumping pillows, sweeping up secrets, silently restoring rooms to a state of perfection. But the hotel’s reputation is sullied when a guest – a famous mystery writer – drops very dead on the tearoom floor.

As suspicion swirls in the hotel corridors, it’s clear there’s grime lurking beneath the gilt. And Molly knows that she alone holds the key to the mystery. But unlocking it means thinking about the past, about a dusty old house, and everything else she’s tidied away in her memory.

Because Molly knew the dead guest once upon a time – and she knows his secrets too …

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MY REVIEW:

“Every fairytale teaches a lesson. The monster is always real. Just not the way you thought. No secret stays buried forever.”

When renowned author J. D. Grimthorpe drops dead during an event at the Regency Grand Hotel; our favourite cleaning lady-turned amateur sleuth, Molly Gray, is drawn into another investigation. Suspicion fills the hotel’s halls and the list of suspects seems to grow daily: could it be Lily, the new Maid-in-Training or Serena, Mr. Grimthorpe’s Secretary? Maybe it could even be one of his devoted fans. But this victim is no stranger to Molly and she quickly realises that long-buried memories from her past and a secret the author has long kept hidden could hold the answers to his death. 


Molly the Maid is back! The Maid was one of my favourite books of 2022 so I was excited to step back into the Regency Grand Hotel For another mystery. Nita Prose has once again written a captivating mystery that also feels like a warm hug. I devoured this book, enjoying every moment of being back with Molly and the other characters. 

This book has solidified Molly’s place as one of my favourite amateur sleuths. She is such a warm, endearing and quirky character who I think it would be impossible not to love. Since the last book Molly has been promoted to Head Maid and it is clear she relishes her new role. I loved seeing how she has grown since the first book and delving into her past to solve this mystery. The flashback scenes were some of my favourite and I loved getting to know her late Grandmother better and seeing their dynamic. It helped me understand Molly even more and you can see the seeds for who she is in the present being sown in her past. Also back are other favourite characters such as Anglea, the feisty barmaid and Molly’s best friend, Preston, the loveable Doorman, Hotel Manager Mr Snow, and Molly’s old foe, Detective Stark. I loved being back with these characters, feeling like I was back amongst old friends. 

Cosy, comforting and compelling, this is the perfect book for anyone wanting their mystery with a side of uplit. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

*I listened to this on Bookbeat. Click here to listen with 60 days free.*

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nita Prose is the author of The Mystery Guest and The Maid, which has sold over 2 million copies worldwide and was published in more than forty countries. A #1 New York Times bestseller and a Good Morning America Book Club pick, The Maid won the Ned Kelly Award for In­ternational Crime Fiction, the Fingerprint Award for Debut Novel of the Year, the Anthony Award for Best First Novel, and the Barry Award for Best First Mys­tery, and was an Edgar Award finalist for Best Novel. 

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2024

BOOK REVIEW: The Bad Seeds (Sweetpea, 5) by C. J. Skuse

Published October 24th, 2024 by HQ
Thriller, Mystery, Dark Comedy, Humorous Fiction, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction, Crime Series

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘This isn’t a book for the squeamish or the faint-hearted … think Bridget Jones meets American Psycho’ Red

🪓

Sweetpea is coming home at last…

Newly married, with a loving family surrounding her, everything’s coming up roses for ex-serial killer Rhiannon Lewis, right?

Wrong.

Her husband has just been shot, and the daughter she left behind in the UK is desperately ill. She’s got no choice but to flee the States and return home, back to her roots, where she’s in danger of being recognised and arrested at any moment.

Only nothing is quite as it seems…

With a series of bad choices in front of her, and the authorities right behind, Rhiannon’s in a hell of a hole and she needs to dig herself out of it pronto. But help can come from the most unlikely places. And even more unlikely people…

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MY REVIEW:

“Even though I’m a bad seed, I’m trying to grow.”

Rhiannon is back. And it is her final adventure, making this book bittersweet for me as I am not at all ready to say goodbye to my favourite anti-hero. And would I like the ending? I was apprehensive. But I also knew I could rely on the Queen of Sassy Noir to send our girl out the right way. And that’s exactly what she does, knocking it out of the park once again with a magnificent finale to the Sweetpea series. 

When the book opens Rhiannon is newly married but instead of enjoying her honeymoon she’s by her husband’s side in the hospital as she waits to see if he’ll recover from a gunshot wound. But she can’t stay there for long as her daughter is seriously ill and she has to fly back to the UK to see her. But can she make it back without being recognised and arrested? 

What a book! Darkly funny, tense and twisty, I was on the edge of my seat from start to finish, devouring this one whole as I waited to learn how things end for Rhiannon. As an official bad seed, I am team #KeepHerBuried but there are many who want to unmask Rhiannon and see her jailed for her crimes and they are hot on her heels in this instalment, raising the tension as she tries to get back to her daughter. I was surprised how emotional this book was at times and it wasn’t only laughter that had tears in my eyes this time around. But something I love about this series is how you can rely on some things to never change. Every book is filled with inappropriate, ink-black humour, pop culture references, and bloody murder. And while we have seen a softer, more emotional side to Rhiannon as the series went on, she is still that wonderful psycho serial killer who won’t let anyone stand in her way. She has just learned some life lessons and now has more to lose. 

Deliciously dark, scathing, hilarious and completely outrageous, I can’t recommend this book and the whole series highly enough. And that final line! Sheer perfection. Take a bow, Ms. Skuse. I couldn’t have asked for a better ending. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

C.J. SKUSE is the author of the Young Adult novels PRETTY BAD THINGS, ROCKOHOLIC, DEAD ROMANTIC, MONSTER and THE DEVIANTS and the adult crime thrillers THE ALIBI GIRL and the SWEETPEA series of books. C.J. was born in 1980 in Weston-super-Mare, England and has First Class degrees in Creative Studies in English and Writing for Children and, aside from writing novels, works as a Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Audio Books book reviews

BOOK REVIEW: The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

Published July 4th, 2024 by The Borough Press
Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Psychological Ficiton, Domestic Fiction

Welcome to my review for this bingeable thriller. Thank you to The Borough Press for sending me a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
WINNER OF JIMMY FALLON’S SUMMER READS BOOK CLUB
SELECTED FOR BARACK OBAMA’S SUMMER 2024 READING LIST

‘I was totally gripped’ DOUGLAS STUART

‘Immersive and enthralling’ PAULA HAWKINS

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If you venture into those woods you’re still sure of a big surprise’ The Times

Some said it was tragic, what happened to the Van Laars.

Some said the family deserved it. That they never even thanked the searchers who stayed out for five nights in the freezing forest trying to help find their missing son.

Some said there was a reason it took the family so long to call for help. That they knew what happened to the boy.

Now, fifteen years later, the Van Laars’ teenage daughter has gone missing in the same wilderness as her brother. Some say the two disappearances aren’t connected.

Some say they are.

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MY REVIEW:

Some said it was tragic when the Van Laars’ son went missing. Others said the family deserve it. Rumours that they knew what really happened to him and that was why it took them so long to call for help are whispered alongside the grumbles that they didn’t even bother to thank those who spent five freezing nights searching for the boy. Now, fifteen years later, tragedy has struck again for the family. Their daughter, Barbara, has gone missing while at the camp held each summer on the family’s property. Some people think the two disappearances are connected. Others don’t. But what is the truth?

Dark, atmospheric, intriguing and suspenseful, The God of the Woods is a gripping thriller. In multiple timelines it tells the story of the disappearance of two children from the same family: Bear and Barbara Van Laars. Tightly plotted, complex and brimming with foreboding, the story moves seamlessly between timelines and narrators. It is a slow-burning thriller, building the tension piece by piece to keep the reader hooked. And when the full picture emerged it revealed something totally unexpected. 

The compelling characters each have an important role in the story that will lead us to the truth of the siblings’ fates and I enjoyed trying to guess what the next twist or clue would be. The ‘present day’ narrative is set in the 70s and this timeline merges with the summer camp setting to provide a nostalgic atmosphere that I loved. I was taken back to the heady days of being a teenager in a simpler time when you couldn’t just text someone to ask where they were or track their location by phone. 

Mysterious, twisty and alluring, I highly recommend this bingeable thriller. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

*I listened to this book on Bookbeat. Click here to get 60 days of listening for free with my affiliate link*

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Liz Moore is the author of five novels: The Words of Every Song, Heft, The Unseen World, the New York Times-bestselling Long Bright River, and The God of the Woods. A winner of the 2014 Rome Prize in Literature, she lives in Philadelphia and teaches in the MFA program in Creative Writing at Temple University.

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

BOOK REVIEW: The Whistling by Rebecca Netley

Published October 14th, 2021 by Michael Joseph
Ghost Story, Horror Fiction, Gothic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Suspense, Supernatural Fiction

Welcome to my review for this unsettling gothic thriller. Thank you to Michael Joseph Books for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

FEEL SHIVERS DOWN YOUR SPINE WITH THIS CHILLING AND GRIPPING GHOST STORY SET ON A FAR-FLUNG SCOTTISH ISLAND . . .

‘Wonderfully atmospheric, genuinely eerie’ GUARDIAN
‘Gripping, chilling and very, very satisfying’ DAILY MAIL
‘A ghost story that kept me guessing’ SUSAN STOKES-CHAPMAN
‘Perfect for a cold winter’s night’ DAILY MIRROR
‘It will chill you to the bone’ ANITA FRANK
‘If you’re looking for a chilling tale as we head towards Halloween, you’ve found it’ HEAT
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When Elspeth arrives on a remote Scottish island to become nanny to a young child, she hopes to bond with her. Until she learns that, for reasons no one will explain, Mary has not spoken for months.

And the girl’s silence is not the only mystery.

Hypnotic lullabies drift down empty corridors.
Strange dolls appear in abandoned rooms.
And as the nights draw in, darker questions arise . . .

What happened to Mary’s late twin, William? Why did their previous nanny disappear so suddenly?

And is the whistling Elspeth hears at night just the storm outside?

Or is somebody coming for her . . . ?

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MY REVIEW:

As it’s spooky season I decided to finally read The Whistling. It follows Elspeth who has taken up the position of nanny on the remote Scottish island of Skelthsea. Her new charge, Mary, is a troubled child who hasn’t spoken a word since the sudden death of her twin brother, William, and the disappearance of their former nanny. No one will speak of what happened, and in a desperate attempt to help her charge, Elspeth searches for answers. But the islanders remain defiantly silent. And then there’s the strange whistling that Elspeth hears at night. Is the house haunted? Or is there a more human explanation for what’s happening at Iskar House.

Chilling, eerie and unsettling, this gothic tale was definitely a book you need to read in the daytime. I decided to listen to it on audiobook and from the opening pages I was hooked. Skillfully written and expertly choreographed, Rebecca Netley has created a sensational debut. Also woven into the narrative is a heart-rending exploration of loss and grief that adds depth, while the remote setting merges with the atmosphere of unease to create a gloriously ghostly tale.

Elspeth is a fascinating protagonist who was easy to like, while young Mary is a heartbreaking and unsettling youngster that I couldn’t make my mind up about. The background characters are equally compelling and there’s a real sense of this small island closing ranks to protect their own. 

Dark, spine-tingling and addictive, The Whistling is the perfect read for spooky season.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rebecca Netley grew up as part of an eccentric family in a house full of books and music, and these things have fed her passions.

Family and writing remain at the heart of Rebecca’s life. She lives in Reading with her family and an over-enthusiastic dog, who gives her writing tips.

Rebecca is a writer of long and prize-winning short fiction. The Whistling, Rebecca Netley’s debut novel won the Exeter Novel Prize and was longlisted for the Michael Ondaatje Prize. The Whistling has been adapted for stage.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx