Tag: book reviews

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: Life Out of Order by Audrey Niffenegger

Published October 13th, 2026 by Vintage
Literary Fiction, Science Ficiton, Time-Travel Fiction, Magical Realism

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Two great loves. A world in chaos. And a life that never lands in order.

Alba DeTamble is a time traveler, slipping unpredictably through decades like her father before her. But the hardest thing she carries isn’t the burden of futures she can’t understand, or pasts she cannot change – it’s a secret: she is in love with two different people.

Each of them offers a different life. Zach lives in the present and can’t follow her when she disappears. Oliver can travel through time, just like she can.

As Alba careens from time to time, moving from the riot-torn Chicago streets of her present to the eerie, timeless Yellow House, and into the digital corridors of the Museum of Lost Souls and a flooded future London, she must face a question she can no longer avoid: how is it possible to love, and live a meaningful life, in an increasingly troubled, fractured world?

Intimate and expansive, Life Out of Order is a kaleidoscopic story of love, resilience and hope when time is running out.

BUY HERE

********

MY REVIEW:

The Time Traveler’s Wife immediately became one of my favourite books when I read it back in my twenties. So when I heard that Audrey Niffenegger was releasing a sequel that would focus on Clare and Henry’s daughter, Alba, I knew I HAD to read it. It was time to step back in this strange world where time travel is real and, for some people, life isn’t linear.

When I started this book I thought I was going to get a coming-of-age story about Alba and a glimpse of how Clare was doing all these years later. Instead I got a story about politics, AI and the end of the world. While we do see Alba grow and learn how to live her unusual life, that isn’t the main focus of the book. The story opens in 2022, when Alba is 21, but it isn’t the 2022 we remember. The world is in even greater turmoil and Alba and her friends are part of a group of political rebels. From the beginning, this was a confusing and crazy story and I had a fair few ‘wtf’ moments. There are also a Dickensian-level number of characters and it was hard to keep them straight. I struggled to get into the book at first, but as we shifted backwards and forwards through the years alongside Alba, the truth began to unfold and things did make a little more sense. I formed a strong connection to Alba and couldn’t put the book down. I went from being massively behind in the readalong to racing ahead and finishing the book ahead of time.

Imaginative, intelligent and cryptic, this is a kaleidoscopic story of epic proportions. A story of love, life, family, resilience, hope and time, Niffenegger explores some of the most important topics in the world today on these pages. But it was also a let down in many ways. It remained confusing, felt like she was trying to do too much, and there were lots of things that made me deeply uncomfortable. But there are some great things that will remain with me, including how well written many of the characters were. I loved Alba, even if I didn’t always agree with her actions, and it was great to read about Claire as an individual rather than simply part of a relationship with Henry. There are also some great new characters and others who will stay with you for all the wrong reasons, such as Isadora who is so unsettling.

Rating: ✮✮✮.5

Thank you to Vintage for my proof copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Audrey Niffenegger is a visual artist and writer who lives mostly in Chicago and occasionally in London. She has published six books, including the novels The Time Traveler’s Wife and Her Fearful Symmetry. She helped to found the Columbia College Chicago Center for Book and Paper Arts. Her art has been exhibited by Printworks Gallery in Chicago since 1986. She is a Professor in the Fiction Department of Columbia College. Her recent projects include a ballet, Raven Girl, in collaboration with Wayne McGregor for the Royal Opera House Ballet.

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

*This post contains affiliate links

Categories
book reviews Squadpod Squadpod Book Club

SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: Miss Bates by Catherine Cliff

Published October 22nd, 2026 by Pegasus Books
Historical Fiction, Reimagining, Literary Fiction

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Miss Bates, creepy, funny, and heartbreaking, is a daring reimagining of the world of Jane Austen’s Emma. But make no mistake, this is no marriage plot; it is a spinster plot. Or maybe, it is the spinster’s plot.

Henrietta Bates, the iconic bore of Emma, is the opposite of handsome, clever, and rich Emma: she is plain, ill-educated, and impoverished. An unmarried woman of quite a different order from that novel’s proudly single heroine, she is an object of scorn and pity, whose survival depends upon the generosity of her neighbors which she barters for with an unrelenting shower of banal and grateful chatter.

But what if the woman we see in Emma were actually deliberately assuming a role, donning a mask, as a means of managing an untenable situation? What if there was a world of difference between her inward and outward voice? What would the Woodhouses’s Highbury look like from herperspective?

Miss Bates by Catherine Cliff imagines answers to these questions as it chronicles Henrietta Bates’s unexpected and, at times, violent life, navigating a world with no ready-made opportunities, where the stakes are of the highest order. In a debut that is by turns comedic, tragic, startling, and altogether brilliant, Miss Bates turns Austen’s poignant and ridiculous side character into a feminist force who understands innately the life she has been dealt and how to slyly play it to her advantage.

BUY HERE

********

MY REVIEW:

Jane Austen’s Emma is a story we all know well. But how well do we really know that world and those characters? That is the starting point for Catherine Cliff’s debut, Miss Bates, which reimagines the world from the perspective of the iconic bore, Henrietta Bates. And unlike most books about that era, this isn’t a book about marriage but a book about spinsterhood, where the life of its heroine takes centre stage rather than a wedding.

Emotional, moving, witty and bold, this is a love letter to Jane Austen’s Emma. Catherine’s affection for the story is evident on every page and I finished this book wanting to reread the original. Well written, acutely observed and detailed, Catherine perfectly captures the atmosphere and dialogue of the era, transporting us back to Regency England in evocative detail. I could hear the gossip, see the luxurious gowns at the balls and feel the weight of people’s judgement.

I will confess, it has been a long time since I read Emma and I don’t remember a lot about Henrietta Bates. But I feel like I know her intimately after reading this book. Catherine has rescued her from the sidelines and given Henri a voice that demands to be heard. Plain, uneducated and impoverished, Henrie has spent her life invisible, overlooked and mocked. But from her scathing inner monologues we learn she is a strong, feisty and intelligent feminist who boils with an inner rage and knows how to play the cards she’s been dealt. And that endless chatter that makes her the object of Emma’s ridicule? We learn that this is her armor, a way for her to survive in a world that has no place for her. She isn’t always likeable but my heart broke for all she went through and I admired her resilience and how she learned to play the cards she was dealt. And I had a real soft spot for young Henri; a little girl struggling to make sense of the world who discovers that she can have contrasting inner and outer worlds, which is where a lot of the story’s humour is found. How I wished I could leap into the book and hug that little girl.

In Austen’s books we’ve come to expect a pretty, light and breezy world, but the one Cliff has created is dark, dangerous and achingly human. There is sexism, sexual assault, poverty, death, female rage and crippling societal expectations. Henri’s rage feels so relatable and I was cheering her on in many of the darker moments as she took back some of the autonomy she had been denied. And then there is Henri’s hatred of Emma Woodhouse, the spoiled, self-centred and obnoxious titular character from the original classic. I understood why Henri loathed her and couldn’t have stood being around her myself.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Catherine Cliff grew up in New York City. She has a BA in Classics and English from Harvard and a doctorate in English literature from Yale, specializing in English Renaissance poetry. She lived in London and Basel for many years and is now settled in western Massachusetts. This is her first novel.

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

*This post contains affiliate links

Categories
Audio Books book reviews

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

Published October 31st, 2023 by Titan Books
Historical Fiction, Horror Fiction, Southern Gothic

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

“The Reformatory is one of those books you can’t put down. Tananarive Due hit it out of the park.” Stephen King

Winner of the Bram Stoker Award®, World Fantasy Award and Los Angeles Times Book Prize, this is a gloriously creepy Deep South horror story based on the infamous Dozier School for boys, perfect for fans of The Only Good Indians and Nothing But Blackened Teeth.

Jim Crow Florida, 1950.

Twelve-year-old Robert Stephens Jr., who for a trivial scuffle with a white boy is sent to The Gracetown School for Boys. But the segregated reformatory is a chamber of horrors, haunted by the boys that have died there.

In order to survive the school governor and his Funhouse, Robert must enlist the help of the school’s ghosts – only they have their own motivations…

buy here

********

MY REVIEW:

Florida, 1950. After a trivial scuffle with a white boy from a prominent family, twelve-year-old Robert Stephens Jr is sent to The Gracetown School For Boys. But the reformatory is a chamber of horrors run by a cruel governor who enjoys inflicting pain. The ghosts of boys who died there haunt the grounds, and they won’t leave Robert Jr alone. But these annoying ghouls could be Robert’s only chance of making it out of there alive. But do they have their own motivations for helping him?

Set against the backdrop of a brutal reform school for boys in the Jim Crow era, The Reformatory is a haunting story of racial injustice, corruption, abuse, murder and the supernatural. Powerful, moving, savage, unsettling and consuming, I was hooked from the first page. The story is inspired by the author’s own Great Uncle, who died at a reformatory when he was seventeen. And she makes it clear this is a work of fiction, knowing it was inspired by a true story made it all the more horrifying.

Tanananrive Due is an exceptional storyteller who has crafted an evocative and layered narrative brimming with malice. This is a story where the past doesn’t just echo, it springs to life from the page in vivid detail. There is a quiet, creeping unease and a darker, more brutal savagery that is slowly uncovered, sending shivers down my spine. But despite my revulsion it was impossible to turn away and I found myself thinking about the book whenever I wasn’t reading. There is a strong sense of place and the reformatory feels like a character in its own right, looming menacingly over every page. I felt like I could see the school in front of me, hear the whispers from the ghosts and feel the chill in my bones. And while this is a horror story, at its core it is achingly human, wrecking my emotions again and again.

The characters in this story are richly drawn, complex, flawed and real. Some of them are wonderful, while others are deplorable. Narrators Robert Jr and his big sister, Gloria, quickly stole my heart, though my heart broke the suffering they’d endured already at such a young age. I could feel their fear as Robert Jr was sent to the reformatory and was with Gloria every step of the way as she tried to rescue her little brother from this hellish place. Another character I loved was Miss Lottie. Witty and no-nonsense, I loved her scenes and the way she was there for Gloria. On the flip side, Superintendent Haddock was a vile and evil man who turned my stomach every time he was on the page. Tananrive did a remarkable job of creating a truly disgusting villain who was all the more terrifying because we know there were real men like him at that time.

An eerie, dark and sinister southern gothic that is perfect for the ‘ber months.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

TANANARIVE DUE (tah-nah-nah-REEVE doo) is an award-winning author who teaches Black Horror and Afrofuturism at UCLA.

A leading voice in Black speculative fiction for more than 20 years, Due has won an American Book Award, an NAACP Image Award, and a British Fantasy Award, and her writing has been included in best-of-the-year anthologies. Her books include The Reformatory (October 31, 2023), The Wishing Pool and Other Stories, Ghost Summer: Stories, My Soul to Keep, and The Good House. She and her late mother, civil rights activist Patricia Stephens Due, co-authored Freedom in the Family: A Mother-Daughter Memoir of the Fight for Civil Rights.

She and her husband/collaborator, Steven Barnes, wrote the Black Horror graphic novel The Keeper, illustrated by Marco Finnegan. Due and Barnes co-host a podcast, “Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!”

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

*This post contains affiliate links

Categories
Audio Books book reviews

BOOK REVIEW: The Bone Mother by Suzy Aspley

Published May 7th, 2026 by Orenda Books
Gothic Fiction, Crime Fiction, Mystery, Folklore, Horror Fiction

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

When reporter Martha Strangeways is summoned to investigate the discovery of body parts on a remote railway track, she’s drawn into a strange case, as her own past comes back to haunt her … The atmospheric, chilling series continues…

___________

Rituals
Secrets
A killer who will protect them at any cost…

Martha Strangeways has settled into a quiet life in Strathbran, after the horrific events that traumatised the village a year earlier. But all this is turned upside down when her friend at Glasgow CID, DI Derek Summers, calls on her to help with a disturbing case: a human ear, with an unusual Celtic earring, has been found next to a railway line in the Highlands.

And when the body of a young woman wearing matching jewellery turns up at a landmark church shortly after, the mystery deepens. Why has she been laid out in a ritualistic fashion? Does her trek along the little-known Cailleach Way have anything to do with her death? And who is running the Facebook Group where she posted details of her journey to the shrine of the Bone Mother goddess?

As Martha tries to unpick the threads, she finds herself entwined with a ghost from her own past, and in conflict with the owner of a project that threatens to destroy the goddess’s sacred land.

With Halloween approaching, and someone determined to protect the goddess at all costs, can Martha and Summers catch the killer before they strike again – and this time much closer to home…?

BUY HERE

********

MY REVIEW:

Scotland, October 2019. Emma sets out to walk the Cailleach Way, a little-known trail that leads to the shrine of the Bone Mother, which is under threat from a developer who plans to build on the site. A few days later, part of a body is found on a railway line. Then the rest of the body is found laid out in ritualistic fashion at a landmark church wearing jewellery bearing the symbol of the Bone Mother. Journalist Martha Strangeways is called in to help investigate by her friend DI Derek Summers, and soon finds herself embroiled in a case that is much darker and dangerous than anyone suspended.

Unbearably tense, unsettling, ominous and totally addictive, The Bone Mother captured my attention from the first page and held it in a chokehold until the last. Steeped in folklore and legend, darkness runs through the pages of this story of rituals, secrets and murder. But be warned: once you start reading this one, make sure you have no other plans, including sleep, because you’ll not be putting this one down until you’re done. When I reviewed Suzy Aspley’s last book, her debut Crow Moon, I said there was a new queen of gothica in town and she has cemented that title with her spectacular sophomore offering. An exquisite sinister storyteller, she has crafted a story filled with emotion, dread and chilling, nail-biting tension. I was on the edge of my seat and devoured it in just one sitting, staying up until the early hours as I had to finish it before I could sleep.

The folklore of Cailleach – the Bone Mother goddess – is woven into every facet of this story. And Suzy’s meticulous research is evident in the details that are on these pages. Though she isn’t physically present the Bone Mother’s presence is felt at every turn. Many of the characters believe in her legend, and someone is clearly willing to go to murderous lengths to protect her sacred shrine. Suzy expertly weaves this myth with gothic horror and mystery to create an eerie tableau that keeps you guessing right up until the big reveal.

Martha is a plucky and likeable protagonist who is easy to root for, but she is also damaged and flawed. Martha has gone through a lot of trauma but it was great to see that she is dealing with it better this time around. Martha’s job as an investigative journalist makes her stand out from other crime protagonists. It also means that she can’t resist a mystery, gives her a unique lens through which to view each case and means she doesn’t technically have to adhere to the law. I’ll admit, I enjoyed watching her break the rules in order to get the answers she’s looking for.

Highly recommended.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Originally from the north-east of England, former journalist Suzy Aspley has lived in Scotland for almost thirty years. She writes crime and short stories, often inspired by the strange things she sees in the landscape around her. She won Bloody Scotland’s Pitch Perfect in 2019 with the original idea for her debut novel and was shortlisted for the London Capital Crime festival’s New Voices award. In 2020, she was mentored by Jo Dickinson as part of the Hachette future bookshelf initiative. Her novel, Crow Moon, was also longlisted for the Caledonia Novel Award, and shortlisted for the Val McDermid Debut Award and the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize. Herald Scotland said, “Crow Moon meets the definition of “eagerly awaited” more than most debuts’. The Bone Mother is the second book in the series featuring journalist Martha Strangeways.

When she’s not writing, she’s either got her nose buried in a book, or is outside with her dogs dreaming up more dark stories.

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Molly is Missing by Samantha Hayes

Published October 26th, 2026 by Bookouture
Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Domestic Fiction

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

It’s every mother’s worst nightmare…

Kim arrives early at the school gates, bursting with excitement to see her daughter, Molly, after a week-long history trip. Shy and a little anxious, time away from her loving parents is a big deal for Molly – but the emoji-filled texts Kim’s been receiving all week prove her daughter has been having the time of her life. But when the bus pulls up, Molly’s seat is empty. Her teachers say she never went on the trip…

As the search for Molly begins, distraught Kim feels like the police are dragging their feet and the school is acting a little too defensive. And with each precious day that passes, the secrets binding Kim’s tight-knit community begin to unravel. Why isn’t Kim’s best friend by her side? And why is her husband being so shady?

Nothing matters to Kim but bringing Molly home safe. With nowhere to turn and no one left to trust, only Kim can find her. And she’s running out of time…

A totally unputdownable psychological thriller that will keep you up all night reading. Perfect for anyone who loves Freida McFadden, Andrea Mara and Jeneva Rose.

BUY HERE

********

MY REVIEW:

16-year-old Molly has been in France on a school trip since Monday. It’s her first time abroad without her parents and her mother, Kim, has tried not to let her anxieties about it show. But she knows Molly is fine thanks to the regular updates she’s been sending by text. So, when Kim arrives at the school to collect Molly and she doesn’t get off the coach, Kim is confused. That confusion only grows when Molly’s headteacher tells her Molly didn’t go on the trip and he received an email from her on Monday morning saying Molly was poorly and couldn’t attend. Kim feels like the ground has fallen from under her feet. Where is her daughter?

Wow! This heart-pounding, twisty and bingeable thriller was one hell of a ride. Samantha Hayes never disappoints and this is one of the best I’ve read from her so far.  Skillfully written, deftly choreographed and intricately interwoven, it held me in a chokehold from the first page. As addictive as a can of pringles, once I started there was no way to stop and I devoured it in just two sittings, staying up well past my bedtime to finish it.

But while it is a first-class thriller, what also shines through in this book is the emotion as Samantha makes you feel everything alongside Kim and Molly. As a middle-aged mum I felt a strong connection with Kim and my heart broke as this ordinary mum was plunged into every mother’s worst nightmare. I felt every moment of her heartache and fear as she searched for her daughter and cheered her on as she went rogue by conducting her own searches. As a mother I don’t know if I could sit around waiting for the police either even though I know it is what you’re supposed to do.

Molly’s chapters perfectly captured her confusion, terror and determination, making me feel like I was right there with her in the dark. She doesn’t remember what happened or where she is, which ramps up the tension and puts the reader in the same position as everyone but the culprit. As Molly tried to piece it all together I was on the edge of my seat, incapable of putting the book down until I knew what happened.

There are a number of suspicious characters and we are never quite sure who we can trust. This made me question everything and there were a few people I thought might be behind Molly’s disappearance. But as I followed the clues that were dropped like breadcrumbs, I could never be completely sure and was kept guessing right up until the jaw-dropping moment when all was revealed.

A must-read for all thriller lovers.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you to Bookouture for seding me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Samantha Hayes grew up in Warwickshire, left school at sixteen, avoided university and took jobs ranging from private detective to barmaid to fruit picker and factory worker, and she lived in Australia and the USA before finally becoming a crime author (which was a relief, given she wrote her first work of fiction aged ten).

Sam’s books are family-based ‘domestic noir’ thrillers, with the emphasis being on ‘real life fiction’, and they’re published in many countries and languages – oh, and she’s pretty proud of getting the No 1 spot on Amazon with DATE NIGHT.

Her books focus on current issues and set out to make her readers ask, ‘What if this happened to me or my family?’ And you’ll always find a BIG twist at the end! HER HOUSEKEEPER is available for pre-order now (book twenty-something!).

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING said “We’re big fans of Samantha Hayes. Her believable psychological thrillers are completely gripping…” and THE INDEPENDENT called her writing ‘fantastically written and very tense’.

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

*This post contains affiliate links

Categories
Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2026

BOOK REVIEW: A Bad, Bad Place by Frances Crawford

Published February 12th, 2026 by Bantam
Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Police Procedural

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Don’t miss the award-winning crime debut of the year – perfect for fans of The List of Suspicious Things. A murder mystery unlike any other…

*WINNER: VAL McDERMID CRIME DEBUT AWARD*
*WINNER: McILVANNEY PRIZE FOR BEST SCOTTISH CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR*
*WINNER: BLOODY SCOTLAND DEBUT PRIZE*

What happened to the dog walker who found the body?

Glasgow, 1979.

Twelve-year-old Janey won’t take her dog, Sid Vicious, for a walk. Not anymore. It’s Sid’s fault she found the murdered woman.

Janey claims she can’t remember what she saw at the abandoned railway, but the police think she’s hiding something. And they’re not the only ones interested.

Fear and rumour rip through the tight-knit community of Possilpark. Janey and her nana, Maggie, are dragged into the hunt for a murderer. And Maggie’s struggle to keep her beloved granddaughter safe becomes ever more desperate.

Because Janey’s memories can’t stay hidden forever.

And neither can the killer…

BUY HERE

********

MY REVIEW:

Glasgow, 1979. Twelve-year-old Janey won’t take her dog, Sid Vicious for a walk anymore. Not since she found the body. Janey claims not to remember what she saw that day at the abandoned railway, but the police don’t believe her. And they are right. Janey is haunted by the brutal images she saw that day but has vowed to herself she’ll never reveal what she really saw. And as rumours sweep through their tight-knit community, Janey’s nana, Maggie, tries to keep her granddaughter safe from a killer that is still on the loose. 

This sensational debut has won multiple crime awards here in the UK this year and it is easy to see why. Insightful, funny, gut-wrenching, original and addictive, it had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Exquisitely written, this first-class thriller is a masterclass in pace, plotting and tension. The story has a strong sense of place and a troubled, small-town vibe. This is a place where everybody knows everybody and they like to think there are no secrets. But when Sam is murdered they are forced to wrestle with the fact that one of them is keeping the darkest of secrets. But who? There are multiple suspects and unreliable narrators which kept me guessing right up until the final page. Frances Crawford had me in a chokehold, my heart racing through the twists and turns, right up until that final reveal. And I’m still not over that ending!

The characters feel achingly human. They are messy, flawed, vulnerable and real; ordinary people who have been plunged into a nightmare. The tragedy consumes and haunts them, their horror leaping from the pages as you walk every step beside them. Told in alternating chapters by Janey and Maggie, Janey’s chapters begin with however many days it has been since the murder, which I found heartbreaking. It is evident how much of an effect this has had on her and I can’t imagine seeing something so horrific at just twelve years old. Janey is haunted by what she saw and terrified to admit what she knows but also eager to see justice done for Sam, so she quietly starts her own investigation, which felt like a very real response. Maggie is also well written. Strong and fiercely protective, I loved the relationship she had with Janey and it is obvious she only does what she thinks is best for her granddaughter. I liked that we got to know Sam as a person, too, even though she’s already dead at the start of the book.

A tense, heart-rending and unmissable debut, this is a must-read for all thriller lovers. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

As a passionate advocate of lifelong learning, Frances Crawford graduated in 2022, age 60, with MLitt (Distinction) in Creative Writing from Glasgow University. In 2023, she won the Bloody Scotland/Glencairn Crime Short Story Competition, and the first chapters of her debut novel A Bad, Bad Place won Highly Commended in the Moniack Mhor Emerging Writer Award 2024. 

A Bad, Bad Place was published by Transworld in February 2026, and has since won the 2026 Theakston Old Peculier McDermid Debut Award at Harrogate Festival, the 2026 Bloody Scotland Debut Prize, and the 2026 McIlvanney Award for Best Scottish Crime Novel at Bloody Scotland: the first author to win both awards in one year. 

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

*This post contains affiliate links

Categories
book reviews Squadpod Squadpod Featured Books Squadpod Reviews

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK: A Lady’s Guide To Vampire Hunting by Michelle Maxstoke

Published October 22nd 2026 by One More Chapter
Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Gothic Ficiton, Romance Novel, Fantasy Fiction, Dark Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy, Vampire Literature

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

In the gaslit dark, love is never tender. It’s teeth at your throat. Blood on silk. It is the sweetest surrender – and the most exquisite damnation.

By day Lady Euphemia Butterworth is a dutiful daughter – corseted, perfumed, and groomed to marry a lecherous duke twice her age. By night, she dreams of freedom, the dangerous thrill of adventure and a life not dictated by men with money and cruel smiles. But when a vampire attack shatters her world, Effie is branded hysterical, locked away and desperate to escape and prove what really happened.

Liam Rafferty has ghosts of his own. Orphan, ex-boxer, ex-patient of the asylum, he stalks the shadows as a reluctant hunter, his body inked with sins and his soul fraying at the edges. He finds refuge in a travelling circus, but it cannot silence the devil whispering in his ear – or the fangs waiting in the dark.

When Effie’s gilded cage collides with Liam’s world, the sparks are as dangerous as the bite of the monsters they hunt…

BUY HERE

********

MY REVIEW:

After coming face to face with a vampire that kills her beloved brother, Lady Ephemia Butterworth knows she has one purpose: to find and kill the creature that took Cedric away from her. But her father won’t believe what she saw, locks her in her room and has her treated for hysteria. So Ephemia makes her escape. Her path soon crosses with Liam Rafferty, a circus performer by day who stalks the streets hunting vampires by night. She asks Liam to teach her how to hunt and the sparks soon fly between them. As they search for the vampire who took Cedric, Liam and Effie find themselves falling deeper into danger.

Darkly atmospheric, mysterious, transportive and witty, this was an addictive read. A swoonable forbidden romance merged with blood-sucking vampires, this was the perfect read for spooky season. Skillfully written and cleverly choreographed, Michelle Maxstone has crafted a love story with a bite that held me in her thrall. It’s quite the rollercoaster ride; there are emotional moments one minute, then shocking twists the next and I could never predict what crazy situation would happen next. Once I started reading I couldn’t stop and I devoured the book in under twenty-four hours.

The story is set in Yorkshire in an alternate 1800s and I was immediately transported back to the dark, gaslit streets. Evocative imagery brings the story to life and I never doubted for a moment that any of it was real. I felt like I was walking besides the characters at every step in this place drenched in nightmares, where sharp-fanged creatures stalk their prey. My heart was in my throat as I read, terrified of what horrors would happen next.

The story is told by Effie and Liam in alternating chapters. Likeable and easy to root for, I loved reading both these characters. They are such different people from very different walks of life, but they share similarities too. Both of them are determined and will do anything for those they love. There’s an undeniable chemistry between them from the start and I loved their forbidden upstairs/downstairs romance.

A gorgeous gothic vampire romance, add this to your spooky season TBR now.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you to One More Chapter for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michelle Maxstoke was born in Solihull but has lived in Leeds for the past 15 years. She worked for the NHS before completing a PhD in nutritional epidemiology and working as a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Leeds. She has published over 25 articles in a number of scientific journals and magazines. Michelle started writing fiction after taking a creative writing course with the London School of Journalism. In 2017 she won the Rose Simmonds prize, the British Dietetic Association’s most prestigious award for an original research publication.

She lives with her husband, two sons, and a hyperactive Labrador. As a scientist and mum, her hobbies include mulling over the complexities of the universe, treading barefoot on Lego, and chipping dried Play-Doh from fabric surfaces.

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

*This post contains affiliate links

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: Royal Witch by Philippa Gregory

Published October 20th, 2026 by Harper Fiction
Historical Fiction, Biographical Fiction, Political Fiction

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Ambition. Sorcery. Treason. How far will one woman dare to go?

1420. Eleanor Cobham arrives at the court of Henry V. Pretty but not highborn, she hopes for little more than to marry well.

England is in a golden age – but beneath the glittering surface, ancient rivalries fester and chaos lurks in the shadows.

And chaos, Eleanor discovers, creates opportunities. Appointed lady-in-waiting to a Countess who commands her own army, she begins to see what a woman can truly become.

She dares to dream of real power. Perhaps even the crown itself. But for that, she must turn to darker arts. And the higher she climbs, the darker the path becomes…

Philippa Gregory tells a breathtaking story of sorcery, ambition and one woman’s extraordinary rise.

BUY HERE

********

MY REVIEW:

Darkly atmospheric, scandalous and complex, Royal Witch is a detailed portrait of the life of an extraordinary woman who has been forgotten by history.

Eleanor Cobham arrives at the court of Henry V hoping to marry well. But as she is not highborn she faces an uphill battle to make it happen and must create her own opportunities. She dreams of power, not love. Even daring to wonder if she could one day wear the crown. There is nothing she won’t do to achieve her dreams, but the higher she rises, the darker her path to get there becomes.

Philippa Gregory has been one of my favourite historical fiction authors for many years. Nobody writes royal historical fiction like she does. And in this bewitching story of ambition, love, jealousy, witchcraft and revenge, she takes that expertise and merges it with a hypnotic tale of sorcery to create a story that is truly unforgettable. Masterfully written and rich in historical detail, Gregory’s meticulous research is evident on every page as she makes life at the royal court leap from the page. I was in her thrall and devoured the book in just two sittings.

Eleanor is not your average 15th century woman. Fierce, bold, ambitious and determined, she is taking her destiny into her own hands. She could also be vengeful  – especially in matters of the heart- and wasn’t  afraid to step over anyone to reach her goals. I’ll be honest, I didn’t like her. But I absolutely loved reading her and I did understand some of her actions. She lived in a dog eat dog world where you had to be ruthless to get ahead. And Eleanor was intent on success. Although Eleanor’s story is at the heart of this book, it also explores the life of three other remarkable women who also go to extraordinary lengths to achieve their ambitions: Jacqueline of Hainault, Mistress Jourdemayne and Queen Catherine. I loved reading about these women. They lived such fascinating lives and it was interesting to see how Eleanor interacted with them and the ways in which she would use them to reach her goal.

A spellbinding and complex tale that is perfect for reading at this time of year.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Philippa Gregory is one of the world’s foremost historical novelists. Author of bestselling novels such as The Other Boleyn Girl (2001) and The White Queen (2009), recently she has been working on The Fairmile Series, a trilogy which includes Tidelands (2019), Dark Tides (2020), and the upcoming Dawnlands (2022). Her work has been adapted for TV and cinema. She is a recognised authority on women’s history.

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxxx

*This post contains affiliate links

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

BOOK REVIEW: What Have You Done? by Shari Lapena

Published July 18th, 2024 by Bantam
Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Domestic Fiction

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Nothing ever happens in sleepy little Fairhill.

The teenagers get their kicks telling ghost stories in the old graveyard. The parents trust their kids will arrive home safe from school. Everyone knows everyone. Curtains rarely twitch. Front doors are left unlocked.

But this morning all of that will change.

Because Diana Brewer isn’t lying safely in her bed where she belongs. Instead she lies in a hayfield, circled by vultures, discovered by a local farmer.

How quickly a girl becomes a ghost. How quickly a town of friendly, familiar faces becomes a town of suspects, a place of fear and paranoia.

Someone in Fairhill did this. Everyone wants answers.

And one innocent question could be deadly.

BUY HERE

********

MY REVIEW:

Nothing ever happens in the small, quiet town of Fairhill in Vermont. Not until the morning when a farmer finds the body of a teenage girl in his field. She has been brutally murdered and her eyes gouged out and stomach ripped open by vultures. It’s a gruesome sight and as news spreads through the town it sends shockwaves through the residents. She is identified as Diana Brewer and someone in Fairhill savagely murdered her.The whole town wants answers but there is one person who is trying to evade the truth coming to light. Who? And why did they kill her?

Shari Lapena is one of my favourite thriller authors and this was another first-class thriller. Suspenseful, cryptic, twisty and addictive, it got under my skin and Shari held me in her thrall from the first page. Her writing is razor-sharp, her pacing perfect, and the story is filled with clever clues and misdirection that kept me on my toes. I was completely hooked and inhaled this book, staying up far too late to finish it as I had to know who had killed Diana. 

I love books set in a small town because they inspire a false sense of security and safety where everyone knows everyone. But after a crime they begin to realise that maybe they don’t know at least one of their neighbours as well as they thought and paranoia and suspicion sweeps through the town. There is also a real sense of danger that the claustrophobia of the town only intensifies. 

There is a large cast of characters, many of whom also narrate the story. But my favourite narrator was Diana herself, who narrates from beyond the grave. It gave me The Lovely Bones vibes but, unlike that book, Diana has no idea who her killer is and is trying to solve her murder alongside the reader. But this wasn’t an easy book to predict. So many people were acting sketchy and I found myself vacillating between possible culprits. But over time things began to come back to Diana, adding to the tension and narrowing the list of suspects. It’s so well done that I only settled on a suspect moments before the big reveal.

A must-read for all thriller lovers.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shari Lapena is the #1 internationally bestselling author of ten suspense novels including The Couple Next Door, A Stranger in the House, An Unwanted Guest, Someone We Know, The End of Her, Not a Happy Family, Everyone Here is Lying, What Have You Done?, She Didn’t See It Coming, and Getting Away With Murder.

A former lawyer and English teacher, Shari now writes full time from a farm in Ontario, where she lives with her husband.

Her first thriller, The Couple Next Door, was a runaway global bestseller, selling  4 million copies worldwide. It was WHSmith’s “Book of the Year” in 2016 and the #1 Adult Fiction Title in the UK for 2017. All of Shari’s thrillers have been New York Times, UK Sunday Times, and Globe and Mail bestsellers. Four of her books have been Richard & Judy Book Club Picks. Her books have sold into forty territories around the world and have been optioned for film and TV.

She doesn’t want you to be able to put her books down.

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliiophiles xxxx

*This post contains affiliate links

Categories
book reviews Squadpod Squadpod Featured Books Squadpod Reviews

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK: Fabulous and Furious by Harper Ford

Published September 24th, 2026 by Avon Books
Contemporary Fiction, Humorous Fiction

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Everyone around 55-year-old Nell is absolutely infuriating. Her new boss is a sexist pr*ck, her clients can be selfish tw*ts, and the general public? They can p*ss right off!

But when Nell loses it at a children’s party entertainer (who definitely deserved it) her family send her to a rage room. Nell finds herself stood there with a baseball bat, being instructed to break as many things as possible by an annoyingly handsome man called Glen…

Still, as fun as it is to smash stuff, Nell finds it doesn’t quite hit the spot. Inspired, she starts a new space for herself and the women at work: Rent-A-Rant, a place just for them, to speak their minds, no holds-barred, and to finally be heard. Oh, and to eat loads of biscuits.

All these women have a lot to be mad about. But could it be that, instead of getting rid of their fury, they could channel it for good? With Rent-A-Rant’s help, Nell isn’t going to let everything fall apart ― she’s going to smash it up.

This hilarious and relatable coming-of-middle-rage novel from Harper Ford fights back at bullies and bastards one menopausal rant at a time ― the perfect read for fans of Alexandra Potter, Jane Fallon, and Riot Women.

BUY HERE

********

MY REVIEW:

55-year-old Nell is angry all the time. She finds everyone around her infuriating and loses her temper over the smallest thing. But it is after Nell loses it at a party entertainer that her family step in and gift her some sessions at a local rage room. But as Nell stands there with her baseball bat, she realises that what she really needs is a good old rant. So, Rent-A-Rant is born; a place where Nell and other like-minded women can meet for a rant about anything they like. Finally, instead of suppressing their rage, they are expressing it and being heard. But can they take that rage and harness it for good?

Hilarious, maddening, relatable and uplifting, this book made me feel seen. A story about female rage, the patriarchy, aging and bullying, Nell and her friends fight back against the bastards trying to grind them down. Harper Ford is an author I’ve had on my TBR for a while so I was glad of the opportunity to finally pick up one of her books. My only regret is waiting so long. Harper is a comedy genius who perfectly merges witty moments and snarky banter with important topics, which Harper handles with honesty and compassion. I was especially grateful to see her accurate and relatable portrayal of a character with endometriosis and adenomyosis. It is great to see a light shone on these illnesses and to have a character with chronic illness who actually feels recognisable rather than a misrepresentation. 

The book is filled with a cast of charismatic characters and  I loved every moment I spent with them. Like Nell, I’m middle-aged, menopausal, have a grandchild and freed myself from a controlling ex-husband, so I connected with her immediately. I also felt a strong kinship with Idil, Nell’s work colleague who is chronically ill. I adored Nell’s little grandson, Freddie, and enjoyed her romance with Glen, which brought a much-needed spark back into her life.

Feel-good fiction at its finest, this book is an absolute riot and every woman should read it.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thanks you Avon for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Harper Ford is an author, much of the time. She started out as a writer of historical novels, then found out she was funny during lockdown so decided to write contemporary romantic comedies too. Harper Ford is the romcom pen-name for author Becca Mascull.

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

*This post contains affiliate links