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

BOOK REVIEW: A Beautiful Way To Die by Eleni Kyriacou

Published May 8th, 2025 by Head of Zeus
Historical Fiction, Crime Fiction, Thriller, Historical Thriller, Mystery, Hollywood Noir

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Don’t miss the new novel from Eleni Kyriacou, author of BBC Between the Covers pick The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou.

‘Deeply atmospheric… From movie star glamour to the rotten core of fame, I couldn’t put this down.’ LOUISE HARE
‘Evocative, tense, seductive.’ TAMMY COHEN

PLAY THEIR GAME
Hollywood, 1953. Young actress Ginny Watkins is turning heads. Even the legendary – and married – actor Max Whitman can’t resist the allure of the hottest new starlet. He promises Ginny the world, in return for the right favour.

DO WHAT THEY SAY
London, 1954. Stella Hope, once the most famous actress in Hollywood, has been ousted to Ealing Studios after her divorce from the powerful Max. Just as she accepts her fate, she receives a letter, blackmailing her for a mistake she made many years ago.

OR THEY’LL BURY YOU
Two women on either side of stardom find themselves in the orbit of the same beguiling man. And one night, in the shadows of a glamorous Oscars afterparty, their lives are changed forever.

A Beautiful Way to Die delves into the decadence and depravity of the early film industry from Hollywood to London. Perfect for fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and films like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Babylon.

buy here

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MY REVIEW:

A captivating exploration of the dark underbelly of Hollywood that lies beneath the glitz, glamour and fame, A Beautiful Way To Die is enthralling, taut and poignant. Written with style, pose, beauty and packing a strong emotional punch, it has a cinematic edge that makes it feel perfect for the big screen. Cleverly plotted and intricately interwoven, Eleni Kyriacou had me in her thrall from start to finish with her red herrings and surprising twists.  A superb story of feminism, friendships, secrets, misogyny and true crime, I inhaled this book in under a day.

Moving between L.A and London in the 1950s we follow the stories of four women: disgraced Hollywood starlet Stella, actress Ginny who is trying to make it big in Hollywood, make-up artist Maggie and an unnamed woman who has been locked in a sanatorium. The world they inhabit is very much a man’s world. A time when misogyny is rife, women have come to expect sexual assault and men’s misdeeds are covered up, especially in Hollywood. They are seen as disposable and easily replaced. This brings us to Stan Fisher is a Hollywood exec and ‘fixer’. He not only runs the studio and rules these women’s lives, he also covers up the men’s actions. But although there are dire consequences for stepping out of line, these women refuse to stay quiet and are fighting back.

I loved these fierce, strong and sassy women who pushed back and refused to behave. It’s because of brave women like them we have the rights we do today and I was cheering them on every step of the way. They and the other characters were charismatic, captivating and richly drawn. There are some truly vile, odious brutes who enraged me and the book is overflowing with unreliable narrators so we never feel sure about who we can trust. But it was the  mysterious, unnamed woman in the asylum I felt drawn to the most. Who was she? What is the truth behind the haunting flashes of memory she keeps having? I had a few theories but none of them were correct and my jaw hit the floor when her identity was finally revealed. 

And don’t miss the author’s note at the end with some fascinating facts and insight into the story.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

​Eleni Kyriacou was born and raised in London to Greek Cypriot parents. She’s an award-winning editor and journalist and she has appeared in publications such as the Guardian, the Observer, Marie Claire, Red and Stella. She’s written on a wide range of topics including adoption, relationships, travel, self-development, the arts and women’s health.

Her first novel She Came to Stay was published by Hodder in 2020, and her second, The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou (Head of Zeus, 2023) was a BBC 2’s Between the Covers pick.

A Beautiful Way to Die (Head of Zeus) was published in 2025.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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

BOOK REVIEW: Perfect Kill by Helen Fields (DI Callanach, Book 6)

Published February 6th, 2020 by Avon
Crime Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Series, Police Procedural

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

He had never heard himself scream before. It was terrifying.

Alone, trapped in the darkness and with no way out, Bart Campbell knows that his chances of being found alive are slim.

Drugged and kidnapped, the realisation soon dawns that he’s been locked inside a shipping container far from his Edinburgh home. But what Bart doesn’t yet know is that he’s now heading for France where his unspeakable fate is already sealed…

DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach are working on separate cases that soon collide as it becomes clear that the men and women being shipped to France are being traded for women trafficked into Scotland.

With so many lives at stake, they face an impossible task – but there’s no option of failure when Bart and so many others will soon be dead…

Get ready for a rollercoaster ride like no other, with the next gripping thriller from the number one bestselling crime author, Helen Fields. The perfect read for fans of M. J. Arlidge and Karin Slaughter.

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

The DI Callanac series is one of my favourites. So when I heard that Helen Fields was releasing a new installment next year I was thrilled. But I’d fallen behind, so I decided it was time to get back to my favourite French Detective. 

It starts with a haunting and unforgettable opening scene: twenty-year-old Bart wakes up in pain in a stinking, pitch-black room, chained at the ankle. And he has no idea how he got there. He soon realises he’s been drugged and kidnapped. But what he hasn’t yet comprehended is that he’s been put in a shipping container and is on his way to France, where an unspeakable fate awaits him. In France, DI Luc Callanach is investigating the case of a young man who has had his organs harvested. While in Scotland, DCI Ava Turner is investigating Bart’s disappearance. They soon realise their cases are connected and men and women are being taken, sent to France and having their organs harvested. And the group is also connected to the trafficking of women in Scotland. There are many lives at stake, and Luc and Ava face a race against the clock to find them before it’s too late…

Dark, gritty, intense, scalpel-sharp and nerve-shredding, Perfect Kill is a bingeable thriller. I can always rely on Helen to deliver a first-class thriller that keeps me on the edge of my seat and holds me in a chokehold from start to finish. And just when I thought this series couldn’t get better, she proved me wrong with this book. Helen is a spectacular sinister storyteller who spins the threads of this disturbing story to suspenseful perfection. A masterclass in pace and tension, the outright fear is omnipresent and my heart raced as Luc and Ava tried to solve the crimes before it was too late. As she explored the darkest underbelly of the criminal world I felt like I was watching it all unfold on screen before me. Someone really needs to adapt this series. 

Luc and Ava are great detectives and I love their will they/won’t they romance. That storyline takes a bit of a backseat this time around but I am still rooting for them to get together at last and become a kick-ass crime-fighting couple. It was fun to be back with them and the other returning characters. And then there’s the villains. Helen crafted some truly odious and deplorable characters who represent the worst of humanity but were great to read. 

A heart-pounding thriller that starts with a bang and never lets go, this book – and the whole series – is a must for thriller lovers.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A former criminal and family law barrister, Helen Fields has the expertise and experience to make the characters and plots scorch with authenticity. 

With a background as both a prosecutor and defence counsel, Helen Fields has a depth of knowledge about crime that lends a fierceness  to her writing. From Courts Martials to care proceedings, the Coroner Courts to the Crown Court, Fields draws on her professional years for the extraordinary colour and texture that makes her writing jump off the page.

Sunday Times Best Seller, Million copy and twice long-listed for the McIllvanney Scottish Crime Book of the Year author whose books have been translated across the globe, Fields consistently produces high impact, compelling novels that readers love.

The ‘Perfect’ series, set in Edinburgh, introduced the world to DI Luc Callanach. This year saw the release of Degrees of Guilt, her first psychological thriller in the name HS Chandler, a book as shockingly realistic as it is darkly entertaining.  

​Helens’ latest character creation is Dr Connie Woolwine, an American forensic psychologist and profiler, based on a real FBI Agent who consulted on the first book.  You can find Connie in The Shadow Man, One For Sorrow and The Institution.

​Helen is a million copy best seller crime writer & UK no.1 thriller book novelist now writing her 14th book.

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Thhanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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BOOK REVIEW: The Secrets We Hide by Karin Slaughter

Published June 18th, 2026 by Harper Fiction
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Psycological Thriller, Southern Fiction, Police Procedural

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Welcome to North Falls―a small town with big secrets.

The house at 1601 Iris Drive looks like any other in the quiet, residential street. But rumours are rife about the Vickery family – a couple in the midst of a volatile separation and a daughter with secrets of her own.

Then one afternoon gunshots ring out. Allison Vickery is found murdered in her own kitchen, her teenage daughter bleeding and left for dead. Her husband suspiciously absent.

Everyone in North Falls thinks they know what happened. Gossip and rumours spread like wildfire. But the truth is far more shocking than anyone could ever have imagined.

Secrets are everywhere in this small town. Everyone is hiding something. It’s up to Detective Emmy Clifton to uncover the truth, but the deeper she looks the darker it gets…

A gripping and twisty thriller, perfect or fans of Lisa Jewell, Andrea Mara and Shari Lapena

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

We’re back in North Falls for the second book in Karin Slaughter’s newest series. 

On her way home from her mother’s funeral, Detective Emmy Clifton hears shots ringing out from one of the houses. She and her sister, Jude, go to investigate and find Allison Vickery lying dead on her kitchen floor. Her teenage daughter Mandy is found bleeding and left for dead. Noticeably absent is Allison’s husband, Bill, who is a known domestic abuser. The case seems clear cut. But the truth will shock everyone…

Karin Slaughter never disappoints. When I pick up one of her books I know I’m getting a dark, tense and twisty thriller that will have me in a chokehold from start to finish. Her latest offering, The Secrets We Hide, further cements that reputation. Suspenseful, gritty, clever, immersive and propulsive, Karin delivers another page-turner that kept me on the edge of my seat. Karin explores some dark and important topics including the relationship between mothers and daughters, secrets, lies, coercive control and corruption. It is achingly human and brimming with emotion that will put you through the wringer alongside the characters. But I loved being back with them and in North Falls.  It is expertly written and impeccably crafted, and showcases why Karin has had such a long and successful career.

One of Karin’s greatest talents is writing about smalltown life and exploring the darkness that can lurk in its shadows. And that darkness is seeping from every pore of this book, reminding us that even the place we call home can be a place of danger and that things aren’t always what they appear to be on the surface. And because the story is set in such a small town, Emmy knows the victims and suspects and I found that because she was, I was even more invested in getting justice.

Action-packed and addictive, this is a must for any thriller lover.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you to Harper Fiction for sendind me a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Karin Slaughter is one of the world’s most popular and acclaimed storytellers.

She is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty-five novels, including the Edgar nominated Cop Town and standalone novels Pretty Girls and False Witness. An international bestseller, Slaughter is published in 120 countries with more than 40 million copies sold across the globe. Pieces of Her, based on her novel, debuted at #1 worldwide on Netflix as an original series in 2022. Her bestselling thriller series, Will Trent, is now a television and streaming sensation in its 4th season. The Good Daughter will soon be a limited series starring Rose Byrne and Meghann Fahy, and further projects are currently in development for film/TV. Karin Slaughter is the founder of the Save the Libraries project—a nonprofit organization established to support libraries and library programming. A native of Georgia, she lives in Atlanta.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2025

BOOK REVIEW: The Eights by Joanna Miller

Published April 3rd, 2025 by Fig Tree
Historical Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Oxford, 1920. For the first time in its 1000-year history, the world’s most famous university has admitted female students. Giddy with dreams of equality, education and emancipation, four young women move into neighbouring rooms on Corridor Eight. They have come here from all walks of life, and they are thrown into an unlikely, life-affirming friendship.

Dora was never meant to go to university, but, after losing both her brother and her fiancé on the battlefield, has arrived in their place. Beatrice, politically-minded daughter of a famous suffragette, sees Oxford as a chance to make her own way – and her own friends – for the first time. Socialite Otto fills her room with extravagant luxuries but fears they won’t be enough to distract her from her memories of the war years. And quiet, clever, Marianne, the daughter of a village vicar, arrives bearing a secret she must hide from everyone – even The Eights – if she is to succeed.

But Oxford’s dreaming spires cast a dark shadow: in 1920, misogyny is still rife, influenza is still a threat, and the ghosts of the Great War are still very real indeed. And as the group navigate this tumultuous moment in time, their friendship will become more important than ever.

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

St Hugh’s College, Oxford in 1920. Beatrice, Dora, Marianne and Otto are pioneers. The four women are among the first female students to study at Oxford University. It is a time of change. But change doesn’t come easy after 1,000 years of tradition, and the Eights – as they are known – face an uphill battle against misogyny and exclusion and must prove themselves worthy of their place. 

Heartfelt, warm, moving, engaging and utterly captivating, this is a delightful story of friendship, freedom, women’s rights, sisterhood and self-discovery. Joanna Miller proves herself as a debut author to watch with her superb storytelling, meticulous research and charismatic characters. The story has a strong sense of time and place, the good and the bad of 1920s England on display as she brings the past life in vivid technicolour. And while there are some heavy themes covered in the story, Ms. Miller avoids them feeling too heavy as she dovetails into light-hearted and inspiring elements that give the story an uplifting and warm-hearted vibe. 

And then there are the characters. These wonderful women – and all the other characters – are richly drawn, compelling and real. You will laugh, cry, feel angry and cringe with embarrassment at their behaviour. But you will recognise it all as painfully human. Our protagonists are plucky, strong and determined women who are making history. They are likeable, easy to root for but also flawed. I loved reading them and adored their strong friendship, which is at the heart of the story. It is  the kind of friendship every woman dreams of. The kind where they are there for each other through the good and the bad, accepting of their flaws and rooting for one another when they win. 

Thought-provoking, witty, soulful and utterly superb, this is a debut you don’t want to miss.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Joanna has always loved stories – even from an early age, when the Headteacher complained to her parents that she had read all the books in the school library. Joanna went on to study English at Exeter College, Oxford and later returned to the University to train as a teacher.

After ten years in education, she set up an award-winning poetry gift business. During this time, she wrote thousands of poems to order and her rhyming verse was filmed twice by the BBC.

Unable to resist the lure of the classroom, Joanna recently returned to Oxford University to study for a diploma in creative writing. THE EIGHTS is her debut novel and is inspired by her love of local history and historical fiction.

When Joanna is not writing, she is either walking her dog or working in the local bookshop. She lives with her husband and three children near the Grand Union Canal in Hertfordshire, UK.

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Thanks for reading this, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: Wildflower by Becky Jenkinson

Published June 18th, 2026 by Zaffre
Fantasy Fiction, Cozy Fantasy, Romantasy

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Cursed from birth to always tell the truth, magical florist Felicity ‘Fliss’ Farrow chooses her words carefully and avoids trouble. But when she receives an anonymous request for a mysterious flower, her quest leads her directly into trouble’s path, to Willoh Vane.

Fliss knows the outcast – yet teasingly handsome – sorcerer is rumoured to have used dark magic to corrupt the northern forest five years ago. She’s witnessed the resulting feud with Prince Bastion, whom her best friend, Card, is soon to marry. Despite the divided loyalty she feels, Fliss reluctantly accepts Will’s help with gathering more rare flowers and finds herself increasingly drawn to him.

As the royal wedding approaches, Fliss fears the flowers she’s delivered are intended for a sinister purpose. But with her warnings ignored, can she and Will save the kingdom from disaster, and ultimately discover what Fliss has sought for so long – the truth behind her curse?

‘Absolutely charming! With lovable characters, a unique floral magic system, and a story that tugs on your heartstrings, Wildflower is a true delight’
TESSONJA ODETTE, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Lies That Summon the Night

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

If you’re looking for a book that feels like summer, or a story that makes you feel like you’re skipping through a field of flowers on a warm summer’s day, then look no further. Wildflower is the book for you. Cosy, enchanting, romantic and heartfelt, this whimsical romantasy is an absolute delight. 

The story follows florist Felicity ‘Fliss’ Farrow, who was cursed from birth to always tell the truth. One day Fliss receives an anonymous request asking for a mysterious and rare flower that can only be located in a forbidden part of the land and home to the wicked sorcerer, Willoh Vane. Everyone knows Willoh is trouble. Fliss reluctantly accepts his help and finds herself drawn to the handsome outcast. When Fliss begins to fear that the flowers she delivered are intended for a sinister purpose, can she and Willoh save those she loves from a dark fate?

The best way to describe this book is sweet but deadly. Overall this is a cosy read that made me feel like I was wrapped in a warm hug but it has a deadly sting in its tail that strikes when you least expect it. Gorgeously written, Becky Jenkinson has filled this story with wonderful characters, original magic, imaginative world-building, witty banter, swoon-worthy romance, dark curses and malevolent conspiracies, this has everything  you want from a cosy fantasy and more. It was exactly the balm I needed after a few darker stories back to back, and I’ve not stopped thinking about it ever since I finished. 

Fliss is a wonderful heroine who is strong, feisty and likeable. I enjoyed the complications that arose from her curse and watching her come up with great ways to get around it. The curse also leaves her fearful of being used, an anxiety I think many of us can relate to even if we aren’t cursed. One of my favourite parts of this story was the relationship between Fliss and Willoh. Every interaction was sizzling with chemistry and their banter was so much fun. Handsome and charming but also cocky, Willoh isn’t your usual love interest. But we all know it’s hard to resist a bad-boy. On paper they may have been a disaster but I was rooting for them. 

Don’t miss this gorgeous debut.

Rating: 💐💐💐💐💐

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Becky Jenkinson is a writer, illustrator and teacher from Manchester, England. She graduated with a degree in Animation from Norwich University of the Arts, and in 2019, moved to Tokyo, Japan, where she currently teaches English. When she isn’t frequenting Tokyo Disneyland, she spends her free time hooked on video games, watching musicals, and requesting more photos of her cat back in England.

Wildflower is her debut novel.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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BOOK REVIEW: Underwater by Tara Menon

Published March 12th, 20206 by Summit Books UK
Literary Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Nautical Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

A stunning and deeply moving novel of grief, loss and female friendship, set against the backdrop of two cataclysmic natural events.

When six-year-old Marissa loses her mother, she is taken by her father to live on a small Thai island in the Andaman Sea. There, she forms a deep friendship with Arielle and together they explore the fragile wonders of its forests, reefs, and beaches. Holding their breath for minutes at a time, they learn to dive into the deep, as effortlessly synchronized as the manta rays they come to know by name. Then, on Boxing Day 2004, when the Indian Ocean tsunami makes landfall, they are swept up by the first wave and separated.

Eight years later, Marissa is living in New York. She spends her days wandering through the city and her nights seeking solace in the beds of strangers. As the city prepares for a devastating storm, Marissa reflects on her past and learns how to sustain herself in a precarious world.

Under Water is a story about friendship and grief, but also ecological change and natural disasters. It is a meditation on loss, a tribute to our dying oceans and forests, and a love letter to the disappearing coral reefs.

‘The horrors of 2004 are told with verve in this debut about a woman haunted by survivor guilt . . . there are stunning descriptions of island wildlife . . . Tara Menon tells the story with confidence and style’ Sunday Times

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

On Sunday, December 26th 2004 the Indian Ocean tsunami made landfall and killed an estimated 227. 898 people in fourteen countries. In this phenomenal debut, Tara Menon explores this tragedy through the eyes of one fictional character, Marissa, who lives on a small Thai island in the Andaman Sea but is in Thailand with her best friend, Arielle, on the day the tsunami strikes. 

This isn’t a book you simply read. It’s one you live. And you will never be the same again once you do. Atmospheric, heartbreaking, raw and utterly mesmerising, I finished this magnificent debut in just two sittings. A heart-wrenching story of family, friendship, loss and trauma, it had me on the verge of tears many times. The whole thing reads like a movie, and as we are transported back to the terrifying day when the sea roared and consumed thousands, I could see every moment like it was on the big screen in front of me and hear the orchestra kicking in with emotional music as the tears welled in my eyes. Tara Menon’s writing is beautiful, evocative, poignant and richly layered, holding me in a chokehold from the first page to the last. It is written with such skill and emotion that I could hardly breathe. Tara has a talent for storytelling and I can’t wait to read whatever she writes next. 

We follow Marissa in two timelines: 2004 and 2012, when she is living in New York seeking solace in the beds of strangers. As New York prepares for a devastating storm, Marissa reflects on the events of that tragic day, and the loss of her mother when she was just six years old. After her mother’s death, she and her father move back to the small island they are from and it is here that she meets Arielle, the girl who becomes her best friend and the two are quickly inseparable. As the story builds up to the tsunami there is an undercurrent of tension and grief is woven into every facet of the story. I really related to Marissa’s grief for Arielle, especially when she talked about carrying Arielle with her everywhere and still talking to her in private. 

A truly remarkable debut that you won’t be able to forget.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tara Menon was born in India, grew up in Singapore, spent a decade in New York, and now lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts where she is an assistant professor of English at Harvard University. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times Book Review, the Nation and the Paris Review.

Under Water is her debut novel and it has been shortlisted for the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize 2026.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The Tiny Magic Bookshop by August Bloom

Published June 4th, 2026 by HQ
Fantasy Fiction, Contemporary Fantasy, Magical Realism, Domestic Fiction

*I listened to this on Bookbeat. Click here to listen free for 45 Days*

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

There’s magic in a book …

Max always felt too ordinary for the magical village of Lampton. No place more so than her mum’s bookshop, where the recommendations are more than just a matter of taste – they’re magic.

When Max’s mum dies suddenly, she leaves her daughter Lamplight Books and makes one last wish: that Max would spend a year working in the bookshop before she sells it.

Max has no desire to uproot her busy life in the city to return to a place that always made her feel inadequate, but she can’t ignore her mum’s last request. So she decides on a trial run of two weeks – if she can’t even last that long, then a year would be impossible…

buy here

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MY REVIEW:

Lamplight Books is a small bookshop in the magical village of Lampton. Max has come back to sort out the shop after her mother’s sudden death. She’s always felt too ordinary for this place and didn’t inherit her mum’s magical ability to recommend books that help people with their troubles. So she is shocked when she learns her mother wished her to spend a year living and working in the bookshop before she sells it. Max has no desire to uproot her life but also feels like she can’t refuse her mum’s last wish. So, she decides to have a two week trial run and then decide what to do. Can she find a place where she never managed to fit in?

Charming, cosy and comforting, reading this book was like being wrapped in a big, warm hug, which was exactly the vibe I was hoping for. It’s a love letter to bookshops, booksellers, books and the magic that is found in their pages. I loved hearing different books mentioned and how there was a quote from each of them at the end of the chapter. The different books also helped Max or other characters on their journey, showcasing the power of books to help us through some of our darkest times. They really are always there for us. As you can imagine, as  a book lover I adored these aspects of the story.

The characters are relatable and compelling as even the magical beings are given very human emotions and problems that make us able to relate to them. Max was a flawed, nuanced and likeable character who is going through the hardest time in her life. My  heart broke for her as she tried to deal with losing her mother and I had a lot of sympathy for all the other things she was dealing with, some of which she did bring upon herself. But the main character in this story is grief, which takes centre stage throughout. Max’s grief is palpable. It’s always with us in every room and at every movement, something that anyone who has grieved someone they love will understand. August Bloom takes us through all the different stages alongside Max as she tries to run the shop, make a decision about its future and find her place in Lampton. 

I highly recommend this heartwarming and bewitching story. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you HQ Stories for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

August Bloom  writes magical novels from her cosy writing studio in Gloucestershire. She devours gentle fantasy stories alongside cinnamon buns and loves the cooler autumn months when she can curl up under a blanket with a good book. Her co-writer is a chronically clumsy Labrador who she explores the countryside with.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2026

BOOK REVIEW: Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

Published April 9th, 2026 by Fourth Estate
Historical Fiction, Satire, Suspense, Thriller, Psychological Fiction, Speculative Fiction

*I listened to this on Bookbeat. Click here to listen free for 45 days*

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘My name is Natalie Heller Mills, and I was perfect at being alive…’

Natalie lives a traditional lifestyle – and her followers are sick with envy. Her charming farmhouse on her working ranch is artfully cluttered, her husband is a handsome cowboy, her homemade sourdough boules are each more beautiful than the last. So what if there are nannies and producers and industrial-grade ovens behind the scenes? What her followers don’t know won’t hurt them.

Then, one morning, Natalie wakes up in a strange, horrible version of reality. Her home, her husband, her children―they’re all familiar, but something’s off. Is this a hoax? A reality show? A test from God? Natalie knows just two things for sure: this isn’t her perfect life, and she must escape, by any means possible.

As darkly funny as it is shocking and gripping, Yesteryear is an electrifying examination of tradition, fame, faith and the grand performance of womanhood, from a thrilling new talent in fiction.

NOW BEING ADAPTED INTO A MAJOR FILM STARRING ANNE HATHAWAY

BUY THE BOOK

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MY REVIEW:

Natalie Heller Mills is perfect at being alive. A flawless Christian woman, she is the wife men dream of, the mum every woman wants to be. She lives with her husband Caleb and their soon-to-be six children on a working ranch where every inch of their life and home is perfectly staged. No-one sees the nannies and producers behind the scenes. And they never will. Then one morning Natalie wakes up and doesn’t recognise her reality. This is her ranch but it’s dirty, the man looks like her husband but doesn’t act like him, and she doesn’t recognise the children who call her ‘Mama’. Natalie wonders if this is a test from God or maybe she’s on a reality show. But whatever the reason she’s here, she knows she must escape and get back to her perfect life.

This book is everywhere. I couldn’t wait to read it and listened to the audiobook as soon as it was released. But since then I’ve struggled to write my review. I think that’s partly because this book wasn’t what I expected. The marketing focuses on the historical side but a lot of the story is contemporary. And I found my attention wavering half way through the second timeline until the big twist brought things back around. But there was also a lot I loved. Dark, bold, original, perceptive and unsettling, it’s a timely and thought-provoking read and one hell of a wild ride.

Well written, cleverly crafted, acutely observed and interwoven with humour, Caro Claire Burke delivers an unforgettable debut. Caro explores some important and relevant themes, including feminism, religion, misogyny, motherhood, marriage, mental health and sexuality. She also explores social media, influencers and trad wife culture, showing the reality of these people’s lives versus the polished version they present to the world. In the 1850s timeline Caro showcased how different the life these modern women glamorise would really look as Natalie is forced to live the harsh reality. And it’s nothing like she thought it would be. This timeline also shows us that the modern trad-wives have autonomy and choices that the women of the past didn’t have, reminding us why it’s so dangerous to promote a return to these times and to strip women of their autonomy in so many areas of life. It’s an uncomfortable read at times, but it is a necessary discomfort that helps the reader really understand what the author is trying to convey.

Natalie is a great protagonist, but not because she’s likeable. Quite the opposite. She’s totally insufferable, bitchy and mean to the people around her. Caro has written her so well and I loved reading her. But I was also rooting for her to be brought down a peg or two. Though I will admit part of me also felt sorry for her. She’s so caught up in the trap of being a perfect trad-wife and portraying a perfect life for her followers that image matters more than anything to her. Even her own happiness or that of her children. To her, the worst thing would be for her followers to find out she has nannies, hear the way she really talks to people or what she actually thinks. So when she woke up in the 1850s I was thrilled and hoped she would finally be humbled.

One of the things I loved about this book was how it was so unpredictable. I had a number of predictions about how and why Natalie was in the 1850s but I could never be sure if any of them were right or guess what direction the story would take next. And that ending! It was so unexpected, powerful and moving. Even a month later I’m still thinking about it.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Caro Claire Burke received her Master’s in Fine Arts from the Bennington Writing Seminars. She is the co-host of Diabolical Lies, a politics and culture podcast. Yesteryear is her first novel.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum

Published March 12th, 2026 by Hodder & Stoughton
Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Romance Novel

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘A MYSTERY WRAPPED INSIDE A LOVE STORY. A STUNNING DEBUT’ ALICE FEENEY

‘THIS IS THE THRILLER I NEEDED TO FILL THAT GONE GIRL-SHAPED HOLE’ RUTH MANCINI

‘Absolutely addictive. This story might keep you up at night’
‘THIS AMAZING THRILLER MIGHT JUST SAVE YOUR LIFE’

Benny and Joy like to say that they’ve been saving each other since the moment they met.

Until the day Joy disappears and Benny is accused of her murder.

Best friends Benny and Joy host a beloved ‘comedy survival’ podcast, gleefully finding life-affirming humour in near-death experiences.

When Benny arrives at Joy and her husband’s home one morning to record, he finds shattered glass and an empty house.

With Joy missing and the hours ticking by, not even their most devoted fans could guess the terrible secrets they have hidden from the world – and from each other.

If Benny wants to find Joy in time, and clear his own name, he’ll have to solve the highest stakes survival story yet.

BUY THE BOOK

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MY REVIEW:

We have a strong contender for my favourite book of the year. 

Best friends Benny and Joy co-host a popular comedy survival podcast, finding life-affirming humour in near death experiences. But when Benny arrives at Joy’s house one morning to record, he discovers the house empty and in disarray. Joy and Xander are missing. There are few clues and as the police search for the couple, Benny is trying to decipher them in an attempt to find Joy and clear his own name before it’s too late.

What a rollercoaster! Funny, vibrant, and heart-poundingly tense, This Story Might Save Your Life is a  love story cloaked inside a compelling mystery. Tiffany Crum has crafted a truly original debut. Beautifully written, perfectly paced, meticulously choreographed and layered with intimacy, humour and suspense, Crum had me in her thrall from start to finish. This feels like a very modern story and I loved the podcast element, especially 

how clips from actual episodes were included. I listened to the audiobook and the narrators elevated every facet of the story, which also meant I often found myself forgetting I wasn’t listening to a real podcast. I also loved  trying to piece together the clues alongside Benny but it was hard to predict and my jaw dropped with every revelation. Totally unputdownable, it kept me on the edge of my seat and up well past my bedtime. And that ending! I’d never have guessed it.

The book is filled with a cast of characters that were likeable, charismatic and real, especially Benny and Joy, whose friendship felt genuine. I loved their easy, witty banter and the way they supported each other. And then there’s the undercurrent of love and longing, which creates a will they/won’t they tension. It’s obvious from the start that they have feelings for each other, but there is always a reason not to confront it, whether that’s other relationships or fear of ruining their friendship. I was screaming at them that they were meant for each other and that none of this would have happened if they’d just been together all this time.

A magnificent and unforgettable debut, this is a must for your TBR.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tiffany Crum grew up on a dairy farm just down the road from a maximum-security prison. A longtime Californian, she now lives in Atlanta with her husband, two sons, and dogs, and spends her free time trying to keep her vegetable garden alive. Her debut novel, This Story Might Save Your Life, is a New York Times bestseller, an Amazon Best Book of March, a Book of the Month selection, and a BBC Radio 2 Book Club pick. It will be published in nineteen languages and is under option for television.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews Uncategorised

BOOK REVIEW: In the Family Way by Laney Katz Becker

Published June 3rd, 2025 by HQ
Historical Fiction, Domestic Ficiton, Coming-of-Age Story

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

A warm, uplifting and empowering novel following a group of suburban housewives and the pregnant teenager they welcome into their fold as they find their place on the cusp of liberation. For fans of Lessons in Chemistry or The Help.

*****

Ohio, 1965. Every week a group of suburban housewives meet for their Tuesday card game, sharing gossip, advice and confidences.

Lily Berg has the perfect life. She’s married to a doctor, with an infant daughter and another on the way. She can’t let her husband know she’s struggling but she knows she can trust her friends.

Becca, Lily’s best friend and next-door neighbour, is everything Lily isn’t. She’s messy and brash and never on time for anything. When she falls pregnant with a fourth child she desperately can’t afford, she turns to Lily.

Although Lily’s little sister, Rose, got married last year, she’s not ready to give up her independence. Her modern marriage appears to be perfect, but behind closed doors things are very different.

And Betsy is fifteen, pregnant and frightened. When Lily takes her in, from the local home for unwed mothers, she has no idea how much it will shake up all of their lives.

Over six months, the group will be put to the test by secrets, forced to make impossible decisions and face up to a society that isn’t ready for women to have their own dreams and ambitions.

Set against the backdrop of 1960s America, In the Family Way is a timely novel that captures the experiences of women on the cusp of liberation as they grapple with timeless questions of womanhood and the role we play as wives, mothers, and people in our own right.

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

A poignant, powerful, uplifting and thought-provoking read, this consuming debut follows a group of suburban housewives and a pregnant unwed teenager they welcome into their fold. Set in 1965, this is an America where women were seen as wives and mothers with little thought given to who they were as people in their own right. They are still at the mercy of men, have no rights and no control over their bodies. On the cusp of those rights finally being made law, Lainey Katz Becker explores the harrowing reality of marriage, pregnancy and motherhood when the men make all the rules.

Beautifully written, Ms. Katz Becker expertly combines raw honesty, emotion and hope, creating a story that may be hard to read at times but also makes you laugh and lifts your spirits. I was enthralled from the start and couldn’t put the book down once I’d started, reading it in under a day. I was completely invested in the lives of these women and needed to know how things turned out for them.

The characters are charismatic and likeable, pulling me into their world and making me care about what happens to them. I loved the relationships between the women and how they made such a positive difference in each other’s lives, especially Lily and Betsy. 

It was devastating how little Betsy knew about her own body and pregnancy, and I was so thankful she had Lily there to support and educate her. 

Exploring sensitive topics such as pregnancy, miscarriage, abortion, rape and domestic abuse, and the wider issues of women’s rights, body autonomy, misogyny and patriarchal society, the story serves as a reminder of why it is so vital to hold onto these rights and how dangerous life was for women without them. Without access to contraception or safe abortions women were dying. And without easy divorces women were trapped in abusive marriages and more likely to be murdered by their husbands. It is terrifying both how recently the book is set and how timely the story is in our current climate.

A touching and heartwarming read that will linger long after you turn that final page, this is a must-read.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

Thank you HQ for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Laney Katz Becker is an award-winning author and writer. Her debut novel, Dear Stranger, Dearest Friend was a Literary Guild alternate selection, recommended by Library Journal and featured on CBS’ Saturday Early Show, among other media outlets.

Laney is also the author of the non-fiction anthology, Three Times Chai, a collection of rabbis favorite stories. Her writing career also includes working as an award-winning advertising copywriter, freelance journalist and, most recently, for more than a decade, as a literary agent.

When she’s not writing, Laney enjoys drawing, sewing, reading, playing tennis, long walks (while listening to podcasts or audio books) and playing canasta. A native Ohioan, Laney is a graduate of Northwestern University. Although she lived in Westchester County, NY for most of her adult life, she currently resides on the east coast of South Florida where she lives with her husband and their Havanese. She has two married children and two grandchildren.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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