Tag: Emma’s Antciipated Treasures

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2025 Squadpod Squadpod Book Club

SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: Black Woods Blue Sky by Eowen Ivey

Published February 4th, 2025 by Tinder Press
Literary Fiction, Fairy Tales

Happy Publication Day to this dark, moving and extraordinary tale, which is our SquadPod Book Club book for February. Thank you to Tinder Press for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Where there is wonder, there is love – an unforgettable story of the beauty and savagery of the Alaskan wilderness, from the author of the million-copy international bestseller, The Snow Child.

‘I read with my heart in my mouth, filled with wonder’ Rachel Joyce, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
‘An enthralling novel about the endurance of love, the power of forgiveness and the savage, irresistible allure of wild places’ Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train

Birdie’s keeping it together, of course she is. So she’s a little hungover on her shifts, and has to bring her daughter to the lodge while she waits tables, but Emaleen never goes hungry. It’s a tough town to be a single mother, and Birdie just needs to get by.
And then Birdie meets Arthur, who is quieter than most men, but makes her want to listen; who is gentle with Emaleen, and understands Birdie’s fascination with the mountains in whose shadow they live. When Arthur asks Birdie and Emaleen to leave the lodge and make a home, just the three of them, in his off-grid cabin, Birdie’s answer, in a heartbeat, is yes.

Out in the wilderness Birdie’s days are harsher and richer than she ever imagined possible. Here she will feel truly at one with nature. Here she, and Emaleen, will learn the whole, fearful truth about Arthur.

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MY REVIEW:

Haunting, beautiful, breathtaking and profound, Black Woods, Blue Sky is an unforgettable masterpiece. A moving story of love, survival, resilience and hope, it’s been a few months since I read it and I still think about it all the time. Eowyn Ivey has created something very special, almost magical, with this book. And everyone needs to read it.

The story follows Birdie, a single mum to six-year-old Emaleen. Birdie is a reckless character who thinks she’s holding it together, but others see it differently. She often leaves young Emaleen alone while she works at the bar or goes fishing. While working at the bar Birdie becomes close to a quiet and strange young man named Arthur. But Arthur listens to her, is kind, he’s great with Emaleen, and the pair share a fascination with the mountains near their Alaskan small town. So, when he asks Birdie to leave her life and bring Emaleen to live offgrid with him she doesn’t hesitate to agree. 
Life in the wilderness is harder than she imagined, but so much more beautiful. But Arthur is acting strange and Birdie begins to think he’s hiding something. Soon, she and Emaleen discover the shocking and fearful truth about him that is beyond anything they ever imagined. 

No-one writes like Eowyn Ivey. I became an instant fan when I read The Snow Child a few years ago and this book solidified her status as one of my favourite authors. Utterly mesmerising, insightful, chilling and devastating, every word went straight to my soul. This book is one of a kind; a dark and forbidding fairytale that is both something from your dreams and straight out of your nightmares. The story builds steadily over three parts but got more intense in the final third and I read with my heart in my throat and shed tears as my heart shattered into pieces. Set in Alaska, the story’s strong sense of place is one of its greatest qualities. Ivey uses the harsh but beautiful  wilderness as another character in the story. The imagery is so evocative that I could see the snowy mountains, hear the twigs crunch under my feet and feel the frigid coldness on my skin.

Ivey has filled the book with characters who are richly drawn, fascinating, and achingly real. Ivey lays bare their flaws, fears and imperfections, making them more relatable, while their strength and resilience made them easy to connect with. Through Birdie, Ivey offers an honest portrayal of the difficulties of single parenthood, showing that alongside the love, joy and strength it brings is also incredible hardship and moments where you doubt your ability. As someone who was a single parent, I related to Birdie but also felt enraged by her behaviour and was rooting for her to become a better mother. However, I did appreciate that Ivey didn’t gloss over the more challenging parts or make Birdie an idealised version of a single mother. Arthur was more enigmatic, the fears of his father for his ‘dangerous’ son making us question what this nice guy is hiding. This led to a lot of tension as I tried to guess what was going on and while my guesses seemed crazy, I couldn’t shake them. But the star of this show was undoubtedly little Emaleen. It was impossible not to love this smart and sweet child who has made a permanent home in my heart. .

An extraordinary story that is like nothing I’ve read before, this is a book that everyone should read.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Eowyn (pronounced A-o-win) LeMay Ivey was raised in Alaska and continues to live there with her husband and two daughters. She worked for nearly a decade as a bookseller at independent Fireside Books in Palmer, Alaska, and prior to that as a reporter for the local newspaper, The Frontiersman.

Her new novel, Black Woods, Blue Sky will be released February 2025. To the Bright Edge of the World was published in 2016. Her debut novel, The Snow Child, has sold more than a million copies worldwide and is a New York Times bestseller published in more than 25 languages. It was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, a UK National Book Award winner, an Indies Choice award for debut fiction, and a PNBA Book Award winner

Eowyn’s essays and short fiction have appeared in The New York Times Book Review, The Wall Street Journal, London’s Observer Magazine, Sunday Times Magazine, Sunday Express Magazine, Woman & Home Magazine, the anthology Cold Flashes, the North Pacific Rim literary journal Cirque, and Alaska Magazine, among other publications.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2025

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: The Queen of Fives by Alex Hays

Published January 30th, 2025 by Headline
Historical Fiction, Mystery, Historical Mystery, Crime Fiction, Domestic Fiction

Happy publication day to this clever and cunning slice of Victoriana. Thank you to Headline for the invitation to take part in the blog tour and for sending me a proof copy in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Nothing is quite as it seems in Victorian high society, in the twisty and original new novel from the author of THE HOUSEKEEPERS…

They whisper her name in every corner of town.
The lady with a hundred faces, a thousand lives.
Five moves, five days – for such are the rules of her game.

1898. Quinn Le Blanc, London’s most talented con woman, has five days to pull off the seemingly impossible: trick an eligible duke into marriage and lift a fortune from the richest family in England.

Masquerading as a wealthy debutante, Quinn is the jewel of the season. Her brilliant act opens doors to the grand drawing rooms and lavish balls of high society – and propels her into the inner circle of her target: the corrupt, charismatic Kendals.

But as she spins in and out of their world, Quinn becomes tangled in a dangerous web of love, lies and loyalty. The Kendal family all have secrets of their own, and she may not be the only one playing a game of high deception…

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MY REVIEW:

1898. Quinn Le Blanc, London’s most talented con woman, is the reigning Queen of Fives. For her latest con she has just five days to trick an eligible duke into marriage and take a fortune from him. But Quinn isn’t the only one with a trick up her sleeve; someone else is playing their own con. And their sights are firmly set on the Queen of Fives…

Alex Hay transports us back to Victorian high society for this clever, cunning, shrewd and daring story of subterfuge and fortune-hunting. Skillfully written and cleverly choreographed, Hay had me in his thrall from start to finish. I was on tenterhooks as I tried to predict who could trust who or what would happen next and totally invested in Quinn’s game. I loved that while Quinn is so focused on her game she’s also unwittingly embroiled in a play of someone else’s making, raising the stakes higher than ever before. With its many storylines it kept me on my toes as Hay expertly and intricately wove the many storylines together to create an explosive and jaw-dropping finale. 

Furnished with a cast of fascinating and richly drawn characters who were so much fun to read, no-one is what they seem in this complex tale. Feisty, spirited, crafty and undaunted, Quinn thrived on the high stakes games she plays, unlike her faithful assistant Mr. Silk, who is much more jaded. The pattern of opposites continued with the Kendal Family as we have the feisty, independent and determined Tor alongside the much quieter and weary Duke. The ‘boy in the blue waistcoat’ was a dastardly villain who added a tantalising air or mystery that kept me guessing right up until the big reveal. 

Audacious, immersive and fiendishly delightful, this story of Victorian high society, high jinx, deception and danger is one not to be missed. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Alex is the bestselling author of The Housekeepers, which won the Caledonia Novel Award 2022. He grew up in Cambridge and Cardiff in the United Kingdom, studied History at the University of York, and wrote his dissertation on female power at royal courts, combing the archives for every scrap of drama and skulduggery he could find. He has worked in magazine publishing and the charity sector, and is a graduate of the Curtis Brown Write Your Novel course. His second novel, The Queen of Fives, publishes in January 2025. Alex lives with his husband in South East London.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2025

BOOK REVIEW: The Psychopath Next Door by Mark Edwards

Published January 28th, 2025 by Thomas & Mercer
Suspense, Psychological Fiction, Crime Fiction, Thriller, Mystery

Happy Publication Day to this heart-pounding thriller. Thank you Mark Edwards for sending an eBook ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

In this mesmerising thriller from the bestselling author of Keep Her Secret, a family’s fresh start is just the beginning of their nightmare…

Ethan Dove’s family has moved to a new home in a safe community, and it’s exactly the fresh start they need. Not only is his marriage to Emma hanging by a thread, but his son, Dylan, and twelve-year-old daughter, Rose, deserve to have a happy childhood.

After Rose is bullied by the boys across the road, Ethan is relieved when the woman who lives next door steps in. Fiona Smith has come into their lives at just the right moment, and when she offers to look after Rose during the school holidays, Ethan and Emma can’t believe their luck.

Which is exactly what Fiona wants. Because, far from being the perfect neighbour, Fiona is the last person you should trust with your child. With a vicious plot for revenge, Fiona is happy to train Rose to be her accomplice, especially when she begins to suspect that Rose might not be as innocent as she appears…

The Psychopath Next Door is a gripping and twisted psychological suspense thriller set in the terrifying world of Mark Edwards’s bestselling The Magpies universe.

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MY REVIEW:

He’s done it again. Mark Edwards never fails to deliver, and The Psychopath Next Door is another first-class thriller that sees Edwards turn the ordinary into our worst nightmare. 

Ethan Dove and his family have got the fresh start they were looking for after moving to a new home in a safe neighbourhood. And when Ethan’s daughter, Rose, is bullied by two local boys, he’s relieved that his new next-door neighbour, Fiona, steps in to help. This is exactly the kind of community he was looking for. And when Fiona offers to look after Rose during the school holidays, Ethan and his wife, Emma, are thankful for the help. But Fiona isn’t what she seems. Because lurking beneath the smiley, helpful exterior is a cold, calculating psychopath hell-bent on revenge. And she’s decided that Rose is the perfect trainee accomplice. 

As soon as I heard that his latest book was set in the same world as his unsettling Magpies series, I knew it would be a winner. Edwards has been an auto-buy author for me for a number of years and he gets better with every book. This nerve-shredding thriller had me hooked from start to finish but it was the finale where Edwards shined, delivering one of the best twists that I have ever read. And those final lines were truly terrifying.

Lucy Newton from the Magpies Trilogy makes a welcome appearance in this book. I always find her so much fun to read and loathe, but I found someone I might loathe even more: Fiona Smith. Fiona is a strange, unnerving and fascinating character who knows she’s a psychopath and embraces it. Fiona has just been released from prison and now she’s finally free to exact revenge on the people she blames for putting her behind bars. But the real star of the show in this book is Rose. That child made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end and was truly terrifying.  As a parent all I could think was how her parents were going to feel and what they might do. But I never could have predicted what ANY of the characters would do in this book. 

A magnificent thriller that will have you hooked from start to finish, I highly recommend this book. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mark Edwards writes books in which scary things happen to ordinary people, the best known of which are Follow You Home, The Magpies, Here To Stay and The Retreat. His novels have sold over 4 million copies and topped the bestseller lists numerous times. Mark prides himself on writing fast-paced page-turners with lots of twists and turns, relatable characters and dark humour

Mark live in the West Midlands, England, with his wife, their three children, two cats and a golden retriever.

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxxx

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2025 Readalong

BOOK REVIEW: Witchcraft For Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

Published January 16th, 2025 by Tor
Horror Fiction, Gothic Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Dark Fantasy, Supernatural Ficiton, Paranormal Fiction

Welcome to my review for this unsettling and unforgettable read. Thank you to Tor and Bookbreak for my place on the readalong and for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

A twisted Southern Gothic horror the New York Times bestselling author of How to Sell a Haunted House and The Final Girl Support Group.

‘I did an evil thing to be put in here, and I’m going to have to do an evil thing to get out.’

They call them wayward girls. Loose girls. Girls who grew up too fast. And they’re sent to the Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida, where unwed mothers are hidden by their families to have their babies in secret, give them up for adoption, and most important of all, to forget any of it ever happened.

Fifteen-year-old Fern arrives at the home in the sweltering summer of 1970, pregnant, terrified and alone. There, she meets a dozen other girls in the same predicament. Rose, a hippie who insists she’s going to keep her baby and escape to a commune. Zinnia, a budding musician who plans to marry her baby’s father. And Holly, barely fourteen, mute and pregnant by no-one-knows-who.

Every moment of their waking day is strictly controlled by adults who claim they know what’s best for them. Then Fern meets a librarian who gives her an occult book about witchcraft, and power is in the hands of the girls for the first time in their lives. But power can destroy as easily as it creates, and it’s never given freely. There’s always a price to be paid . . . and it’s usually paid in blood.

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MY REVIEW:

“Sit. Listen. I need you to understand what they did to us when we were girls.”

Unsettling, uncomfortable and deeply relevant, Witchcraft For Wayward Girls is a beguiling novel that will stay with you long after reading. For this may be a tale filled with hexes and conjuring, but the real horror lies in the brutal reality of these girls’ lives and the injustices they are subjected to, rather than the paranormal. 

The story takes place in the sweltering summer of 1970 when fifteen-year-old Fern arrives at Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida. Wellwood is a house for those they call wayward girls. For fast girls. For unwed mothers. At Wellwood, Fern meets girls from all walks of life, all in the same shameful position, who are there to live out the days of their pregnancy before surrendering their babies for adoption and then returning home to forget it ever happened. Every minute detail of the girls’ lives is strictly controlled: from the food they eat to how they spend their time. The adults tell them it is what’s best for them. Then she meets a librarian, Miss Parcae, who gives her a book about witchcraft. For the first time, the girls have power in their own hands. But there is a price that must be paid for that power. A price that is far steeper than any of them ever imagined. 

A master of his craft, Grady Hendrix expertly merges powerful storytelling, heart-stopping tension and chilling horror to create a masterpiece that was so good I read it twice this month. This is a dark read like no other. A book that will haunt you, consume you and then spit you out when it’s done. I admit, I went into this expecting a typical horror read and was totally unprepared for the beautifully tragic story I got instead. It is a story full of dread, heartache, trauma, rage and power that had me on the edge of my seat listening with bated breath. The richly drawn characters were compelling and I was quickly invested in the lives of these young girls. Holly’s story in particular stood out and filled me with so much rage that I wanted to get revenge on her behalf. 

I’d heard about the terrible homes for unwed mothers but this book conveys the atrocities that took place inside them with devastatingly evocative detail like I’ve never read before. These girls had no agency whatsoever and every facet of their life and day was tightly controlled. Even knowledge about their own bodies. These girls were kept in the dark about what would happen during labour, leading to some of the most distressing scenes I’ve ever read. I wanted to scream as the staff who should help and heal became sadistic and cold towards these terrified young girls. How could they be so cruel?

Dark, menacing, unapologetic and unforgettable, I can’t recommend this book highly enough. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

New York Times bestselling author Grady Hendrix makes up lies and sells them to people. His novels include HORRORSTÖR about a haunted IKEA, MY BEST FRIEND’S EXORCISM, which is basically “Beaches” meets “The Exorcist”, WE SOLD OUR SOULS, a heavy metal horror epic, THE SOUTHERN BOOK CLUB’S GUIDE TO SLAYING VAMPIRES, and THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP, coming on July 13, 2021. He’s also the author of PAPERBACKS FROM HELL, an award-winning history of the horror paperback boom of the Seventies and Eighties. He wrote the screenplay for, MOHAWK, a horror flick about the War of 1812, and SATANIC PANIC about a pizza delivery woman fighting rich Satanists.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Blog Tours Book Features Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2025

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Into Thin Air by Ørjan Karlsson

Published January 16th, 2025 by Orenda
Nordic Noir, Crime Fiction, Thriller, Hard-boiled, Mystery, Police Procedural, Crime Series

Today is my stop on the blog tour for the first in what promises to be a brilliant new series. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part in this tour, and to Orenda for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Chief Investigator of Nordland Police, Jakob Weber is drawn into a complex case when a teenaged girl goes missing in Northern Norway, and a second woman disappears from a remote island in similar circumstances … FIRST in a compelling, dark new Nordic Noir series.
 
‘This is first-class Nordic Noir from the real North, where danger lurks around every corner’ Gunnar Staalesen
 
‘Jakob Weber is a great protagonist, and the sense of place is phenomenal. The perfect start to a series destined for greatness’ Thomas Enger
 
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In Norway’s frozen north, it’s not just secrets that are buried…
 
When nineteen-year-old Iselin Hanssen disappears during a run in a popular hiking area in Bodø, Northern Norway, suspicion quickly falls on her boyfriend. For investigator Jakob Weber, the case seems clear-cut, almost unexceptional, even though there is some suggestion that Iselin lived parts of her life beneath the radar of both family and friends.
 
But events take a dramatic turn when another woman disappears in similar circumstances – this time on the island of Røst, miles off the Norwegian coast, in the wild ocean.
 
Rumours that a killer is on the loose begin to spread, terrifying the local population and leading to wild conspiracies. But then Jakob discovers that this isn’t the first time that young women have vanished without a trace in the region, and it becomes clear that someone is hiding something … and another murderous spree may have just begun…
 
For fans of Joe Pickett, Ragnar Jonasson and Jorn Lier Horst

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MY REVIEW:

There’s a new sinister storyteller on the block. Ørjan Karlsson is one to watch for anyone who enjoys their thrillers as dark as the starless sky. 

I always think there’s something so exciting about starting the first book in a new series as you aren’t only anticipating the book in your hands but all future books in this series, where the characters are like old friends you return to time and again. When the book is a Nordic Noir published by Orenda then your anticipation is even higher. But, as I expected, Into Thin Air did not disappoint. 

Chief Investigator of Norland Police, Jakob Weber, is drawn into what appears to be a clear-cut case when teenager Iselin Hanssen disappears during a run. Suspicion quickly falls on her boyfriend and it looks like this case will be tied up quickly. But things take a dramatic turn after another woman disappears in similar circumstances and rumours begin to spread about a serial killer being on the loose. Then, as Jakob investigates the increasingly complex case, he discovers that this isn’t the first time young women have vanished in the area. Could his cases be connected to these cold cases? And is he hunting for a serial killer who has been hiding in their midst for decades?

Chilling, addictive and suspenseful, this wild and crazy rollercoaster ride was a brilliant start to a new series. Exploring dark deeds, depravity and the murkiest depths of humanity, it had me hooked from its sinister prologue to its unforgettable finale. Skillfully written and cleverly choreographed, Karlsson kept me on my toes with an array of red herrings, twists and turns, and there are so many threads in this story that you could weave a jumper. A strong sense of place transported me to the icy and rugged Norwegian landscape, and provided a treacherous backdrop where danger lurks waiting to pounce. 

The story is told from multiple points of view as Karlsson introduces us to the varied cast of fascinating characters. While it never felt confusing, it did take me a while to get to grips with who each person was as Karlsson established the people we will meet time and again in this series. Our main protagonist, Jakob Weber, is a great central character, while his new partner, Noora Yun Sande, is a mysterious addition with a dark backstory that provides a lot of uncertainty and tension. Karlsson also includes the mysterious killer’s perspective; the odious, cruel and twisted character allowing the author to explore the depravity that can lurk inside humanity. 

A taut, tense and propulsive thriller, this was a fantastic start to a new series and I can’t wait for book two!

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ørjan N. Karlsson (b. 1970) grew up in Bodø. A sociologist by trade, he received officer training in the army and has taken part in overseas missions. He has worked in the Defence Ministry and is now a departmental manager in the Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection. He has written a large number of thrillers, sci-fi novels and crime novels for adults. 

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2025

BOOK REVIEW: Death in the Arctic by Tom Hindle

Published January 16th, 2025 by Century
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Welcome to my review for this claustrophobic and nail-biting thriller. Thanks to Century for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

A frozen wilderness.


A killer in the skies.

When aspiring travel writer Chloé Campbell is invited aboard a luxury airship flying to the North Pole, she thinks she’s bagged the opportunity of a lifetime.

But she hasn’t had long to admire the dazzling icy views before a fellow passenger is found dead in their cabin.

Trapped at the top of the world, the group agrees a tragic accident has occurred. But as the hours tick by, fear turns to doubt.

It seems everyone’s a suspect.

And it isn’t long before the passengers begin to turn on each other . . .

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MY REVIEW:

The Osprey is a luxury airship on its maiden voyage over the arctic. On board are eight passengers all personally invited by one of its owners, and eight of crew. When one of the passengers is found dead in their room, faulty equipment is blamed. But soon some of those on board the craft begin to wonder if it really was an accident. Could they be trapped on the airship with a killer?

Chaotic, claustrophobic, nail-bitingly tense, devilishly clever, and filled with twists and turns, Death in the Arctic is a unique locked-room mystery that will keep you guessing. Tom Hindle is an author who has been on my TBR for years, and I have each of his books, but this was my first time reading one of them. And he is worth the hype. Expertly written, skillfully plotted, intricately woven and fast-paced, Hindle has managed to merge cosy crime with heart-pounding suspense. I will definitely be prioritising his backlist after reading this.

The book is filled with a cast of compelling characters, each with rich and sometimes intertwining backstories that add to the intrigue and tension. There are unreliable narrators, people we can’t trust, secrets, lies and desperation, all merged together on one aircraft. And as suspicion swirls following the death of a passenger, things begin to boil over and the finger is pointed in various directions. The story is told from multiple points of view, seamlessly moving between the narrators and offering a glimpse inside their psyche. The main narrator was Chloe, a travel blogger whose place on board the ship offers her the chance to finally write for a travel magazine. It’s her big break. But instead of writing her article, she finds herself investigating a possible murder and trying to stay one step ahead of the killer. 

An original and riveting thriller that kept me on my toes, this is one not to be missed. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tom Hindle hails from Leeds and lives in Oxfordshire with his wife, a cat and two surprisingly cunning tortoises. He is the author of A Fatal Crossing, The Murder Game and Murder on Lake Garda – which were inspired by masters of the crime genre such as Agatha Christie and Anthony Horowitz.

Tom is hard at work on his next murder mystery.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2025

BLOG TOUR: Your Child Next by M. J. Arlidge and Andy Maslen

Publisihed January 16th, 2025 by Orion
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction, Adventure Fiction

Happy Publication Day to this book. Today is my stop on the blog tour for this heart-pounding and thought-provoking thriller. Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers Tours for the invitation to take part and to Orion for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

THEY’VE FAKED YOUR CHILD’S DEATH. AND IF YOU DON’T GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT, THEY’LL MAKE IT A REALITY.

Things have been difficult for Annie since her husband left; her teenage daughter, Isla, has become a ghost of her former self. Annie’s terrified that Isla might do something desperate, and she’ll lose her, too. So when Annie receives a video of herself crying at Isla’s funeral, her blood runs cold.

Confused and horrified, Annie races upstairs to check on Isla, who is alive and well. The video has been faked. But who sent it and what do they want?

One dark truth soon becomes clear: Annie is the latest in a string of parents being blackmailed, and Isla will be killed if Annie goes to the police or if she fails to give the sender what they want. Annie has a deadly choice: comply with the demands, or try to unmask the dangerous criminal.

Your Child Next is a thrilling and unputdownable novel that asks you how far you’d go to protect the ones you love. Perfect for fans of Harlan Coben and Steve Cavanagh.

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MY REVIEW:

Fast-paced, intense, twisty and compelling, Your Child Next is a nerve-shredding thriller gleaming with malice that is guaranteed to have you on the edge of your seat.

When Annie receives a disturbing email that has deep-faked her daughter’s death, she thinks it’s some kind of sick joke. But who would do such a thing? The answer soon becomes clear when she receives a call from someone claiming they are behind the video. They demand she pays them £1000 every month and if she doesn’t, or if she contacts the police, they will make the video a reality. Terrified and with no idea how she will meet their demands, Annie realises she has two choices: find a way to comply or unmask them.

M. J. Arlidge has been an auto-buy author for me for many years. His Helen Grace series is one of my favourites and he’s a thriller author I’ll always recommend. But this was my first time reading one of his co-authored books and I will admit I wondered if it would affect how much I enjoyed reading it. Especially as I’d never read anything by his co-author, Andy Maslen. But I needn’t have worried; this book was every bit as intricately woven, cleverly choreographed and skillfully layered as I’ve come to expect from Alridge. Dripping with suspense, it kept me guessing and I was hooked from the first page to its heart-stopping finale and devoured it in just two sittings. 

Told from multiple points of view, the book is filled with characters who are richly drawn, fascinating and flawed. Themes of mental health problems, grief, trauma and fear are examined through the characters. It also explores the pitfalls of social media, the dark underbelly of technology, and poses moral dilemmas, asking just how far you’d go to protect the ones you love. 

Sinister, chilling and utterly addictive, Your Child Next is a first-class thriller not to be missed. 

Out today. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

M. J. Arlidge

Matthew J. Arlidge has worked in television for the last twenty years, specialising in high-end drama production, including prime-time crime serials Silent Witness, Torn, The Little House and, most recently, the hit ITV show Innocent. In 2015 his audiobook exclusive Six Degrees of Assassination was a number-one bestseller. His debut thriller, Eeny Meeny, was the UK’s bestselling crime debut of 2014 and has been followed by ten more DI Helen Grace thrillers – all Sunday Times bestsellers. is an English author of crime novels, including the Helen Grace Series.

Andy Maslen

Andy Maslen writes thrillers across a number of genres: police procedurals, vigilante, psychological, suspense and horror. He spent 30 years in business before turning to writing full time. He is the creator of best-selling series featuring Gabriel Wolfe, Stella Cole and Inspector Ford, plus standalone novels and short stories. He lives in Wiltshire.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

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

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Geneva by Richard Armitage

Published October 12th, 2023 by Faber & Faber
Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Fiction

Welcome to my review of this sesnational debut. Thank you to Faber & Faber for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Nobel Prize-winning scientist Sarah Collier has started to show the same tell-tale signs of Alzheimer’s disease as her father: memory loss, even blackouts. So she is reluctant to accept the invitation to be the guest of honour at a prestigious biotech conference – until her husband Daniel, a neuroscientist, persuades her that the publicity storm will be worth it. The technology being unveiled at this conference could revolutionise medicine forever. More than that, it could save Sarah’s life.

In Geneva, the couple are feted as stars – at least, Sarah is. But behind the five-star luxury, investors are circling, controversial blogger Terri Landau is all over the story, and Sarah’s symptoms are getting worse. As events begin to spiral out of control, Sarah can’t be sure who to trust – including herself.

‘SENSATIONAL.’ Clare Mackintosh

‘I RACED THROUGH IT.’ Lucy Foley

‘OUTSTANDING.’ Harlan Coben

‘HEART-POUNDING.’ Lucy Clarke, author of The Hike

‘IMMENSELY READABLE.’ Sarah Hilary, author of Fragile

‘HIGHLY ADDICTIVE.’ Alice Feeney, author of Daisy Darker

‘STUNNING.’ Helen Fields, author of The Institution

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MY REVIEW:

Gripping, intense, suspenseful and surprising, Geneva is a high octane thrill ride where no-one is what they seem and you don’t know who to trust. 

The story follows Sarah Collier, a nobel-prize winning scientist and her husband, Daniel, who is also a neuroscientist. Sarah has been invited to be the guest of honour at a prestigious biotech conference but she’s reluctant to accept as she has recently been showing signs of Alzheimer’s disease, the same illness that affected her father. But Daniel persuades her to go, reminding her that the technology being unveiled at the conference could revolutionise medicine and maybe even save her life. So, the couple head to snowy Geneva and are treated to five-star luxury. But while they are there Sarah’s symptoms worsen, events spiral out of control, and a controversial blogger is covering the story, leaving Sarah unsure if she can trust even herself. 

Fast-paced, heart-poundingly tense, and cleverly choreographed, with this sensational debut, Richard Armitage showcases himself as a thriller writer to watch. He drew me into the story from the start, balancing the tension and heavy science with lighter moments perfectly and keeping you on your toes with an electrifying game of cat and mouse and twists I never saw coming. Armitage’s evocative imagery and attention to detail really set the scene, and combined with narration by the author himself, brings the story to life so vividly it feels like you’re there. 

An exhilarating and unpredictable thriller not to be missed, I can’t wait for the TV adaptation and whatever Armitage writes next. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Richard Armitage is a multi-award winning stage and screen actor. Armitage is best known for his role of Thorin Oakenshield in Peter Jackson’s trilogy of ‘The Hobbit’. On Film Armitage starred in ‘Into the Storm’ ‘Alice Through The Looking Glass’ ‘Captain America, the First Avenger’ ‘Oceans 8’. Independent features include ‘The Lodge’ ‘My Zoe’ ‘Brain on Fire’ and ‘Pilgrimage’. On TV, Guy of Gisborne in ‘Robin Hood’, Daniel Miller in Epix ‘Berlin Station’, ‘John Porter’ in Sky’s Strike Back, Francis Dolerhyde in NBC’s Hannibal, Lucas North in ‘Spooks’ and John Thornton in ‘North and South’ both for the BBC. He also voices Trevor Belmont in the Netflix series ‘Castlevania’, Devereaux in their upcoming animated ‘Tomb Raider’ and Logan in Marvel’s ‘Wolverine’ podcast.

Recent TV adaptations for Netflix include Ray Levine in ‘Stay Close’ and Adam Price in ‘The Stranger’ both written by Harlan Coben. He recently played William Farrow in “Obsession” also for Netflix based on the novel ‘Damage’ by Josephine Hart.

The ‘Jackman and Evans’ crime series by Joy Ellis and ‘The Taking of Annie Thorne’ by CJ Tudor both available on Audible, are currently in development for TV adaptation from his production company White Boar Films alongside The Imaginarium and Sprout Productions/ Night Train.

In 2022 he penned his debut crime thriller ‘Geneva’. It was an instant #1 bestseller for Audible and will be published by Faber&Faber (UK) and Pegasus (US)

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

Categories
Book Features Emma's Anticipated Treasures Squadpod Squadpod Book Club Squadpod Featured Books Squadpod Recommends Year In Review

SquadPod 2024 Favourites

It’s become a tradition to share a post featuring the SquadPod’s favourite books of the year and find out what our favourite reads are collectively. In 2024 we’ve been fortunate to read some amazing books both individually and as a team, so I’ve loved looking at these lists.

Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Tik Tok and BlueSky

Read to the end to find out our book of the year…

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Emma at Emma’s Biblio Treasures
  • Frank and Red – Matt Coyne
  • The List of Suspicious Things – Jennie Godfrey
  • The Silence in Between – Josie Ferguson
  • The Betrayal of Thomas True – A. J. West
  • The Nightingale – Kristin Hannah
  • One of the Good Guys – Araminta Hall
  • Clytemnestra – Costanza Casati
  • The Women – Kristin Hannah
  • Small Hours – Bobby Palmer
  • Prima Facie – Suzie Miller
  • The Household – Stacey Halls
  • The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers – Samuel Burr
  • The Theatre of Glass and Shadow – Anne Corlett
  • The Maiden – Kate Foster
  • Spoilt Creatures – Amy Twigg
  • Redemption – Jack Jordan
  • The House of Fever – Polly Crosby
  • The House in the Cerulean Sea – TJ Klune
  • The Examiner – Janice Hallett
  • Circus of Mirrors – Julie Owen Moylan
  • The Burial Plot – Elizabeth Macneal
  • The Book of Witching – C. J. Cooke
  • The Unfinished Business of Eadie Browne – Freya North
  • Black Woods, Blue Sky -Eowyn Ivey
  • The Marriage Portrait – Maggie O’Farrell

Book of the Year: Frank and Red – Matt Coyne

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Sue at Brown Flopsy’s Book Burrow
  • All I Want For Christmas – Karen Swan
  • Because She Looked Away – Alison Bruce
  • Circus of Mirrors – Julie Owen Moylan
  • Dark as Night – Lilja Sigurdardottir
  • First Lie Wins – Ashley Elston
  • Frank and Red – Matt Coyne
  • Geneva – Richard Armitage
  • How To Solve Murders Like a Lady – Hannah Dolby
  • In Bloom – Eva Verde
  • In the Blink of an Eye – Jo Callaghan
  • Leaving – Roxana Robinson
  • Living is a Problem – Doug Johnstone
  • Love Game – Emma Rae
  • Nightbloom – Peace Adzo Medie
  • Nothing Without Me – Helen Monks Takhar
  • Original Sins – Erin Young
  • Palisade – Lou Gilmond
  • Prima Facie – Suzie Miller
  • Second Chances at the Board Game Cafe – Jennifer Page
  • The Bedlam Cleaver – Robert J. Lloyd
  • The Betrayal of Thomas True – A. J. West
  • The Comeback – Ella Berman
  • The Enigma Girl – Henry Porter
  • The Final Act of Juliette Whilouby – Ellery Lloyd
  • The Last Summer – Karen Swan
  • The Maiden – Kate Foster
  • The Unfinished Business of Eadie Browne – Freya North
  • The Wreckage of Us – Dan Malakin
  • Theatre of Glass and Shadows – Anne Corlett
  • Victim – Jorn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger

Book of the Year: Frank and Red – Matt Coyne

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Vik at Vik’s Book Haven
  • Frank and Red – Matt Coyne
  • Clickbait – LC North
  • MILF – Paloma Faith
  • Breaking the Dark – Lisa Jewell
  • Mercy Chair – M. W. Craven
  • Death Watcher – Chris Carter
  • The Ice Retreat – Ruth Kelly
  • Don’t You Want Me Baby – Rachel Dove
  • After the Storm – G. D. Wright
  • The Clique – Rhiannon Barnsley
  • The Guests – Nikki Smith
  • My Daughter’s Revenge – Natali Simmonds
  • Date With Destiny – Lucy Vine
  • Someone in the Attic – Andrea Mara
  • A Good Place to Hide a Body – Laura Marshall
  • Message Deleted – K. L. Slater
  • The Night She Dies – Sarah Clarke
  • The Intruders – Louise Jensen
  • Darling Girls – Sally Hepworth
  • The Trade Off – Sandie Jones
  • The Familly Manda – Sue Heller
  • What Stays Unsaid – Sophie Flynn
  • How To Kill A Guy in Ten Ways – Eve Kellerman
  • Lights Out – Louise Swanson
  • The Phantom Child – A. J. Willis

Books of the Year: Frank and Red – Matt Coyne & Clickbait – L. C. North

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Jen at Travels Along My Bookshelf
  • The List Of Suspicious Things – Jennie Godfrey
  • The Glassmaker – Tracy Chevalier
  • Circus Of Mirrors – Julie Owen Moylan
  • In All Weathers – Matt Gaw
  • A Silent Tsunami – Anthea Rowan
  • Clear – Carys Davies
  • The Unfinished Business Of Eadie Browne – Freya North
  • Frank and Red – Matt Coyne
  • The Final Act Of Juliet Willoughby – Ellery Lloyd
  • The Betrayal Of Thomas True – AJ West
  • The Trouble With Mrs Montgomery Hurst – Katie Lumsden
  • Miss Austen Investigates – Jessica Bull
  • A Lively Midwinter Murder – Katy Watson
  • Someone At A Distance – Dorothy Whipple
  • Five Little Pigs – Agatha Christie
  • Diary Of A Provincial Lady – EM Delafield
  • Jane and Prudence – Barbara Pym
  • Mistletoe Magic In The Highlands – Bella Osborne
  • Wolf Hall – Hilary Mantel
  • The Kings Mother – Annie Garthwaite

Book of the Year: The List of Suspicious Things – Jennie Godfrey

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Kate at Rutherford Reads
  • The Search Party – Hannah Richell
  • Knock Knock – Michelle Tehan
  • Ice Town – Will Dean
  • Leaving – Roxana Robinson
  • Home Again For Christmas – Emily Stone
  • The Guests – Nikki Smith
  • The Negotiator – Brooke Robinson
  • A Good Place to Hide a Body – Laura Marshall
  • Talking at Night – Claire Daverley
  • Frank and Red – Matt Coyne
  • The Summer Party – Kate Gray
  • The Wrong Hands – Mark Billingham
  • The Chamber – Will Dean
  • The Comeback – Ella Berman
  • Darling Girls – Sally Hepworth
  • Seven Days – Robert Rutherford
  • Five Bad Deeds – Caz Frear
  • Finding Sophie – Imran Mahmood
  • The School Run – Ali Lowe
  • In the Blink of an Eye – Jo Callaghan
  • The Memory of Us – Dani Atkins
  • The Christmas Appeal – Janice Hallett
  • The Perfect Guests – Ruth Irons
  • Redemption – Jack Jordan

Book of the Year: Frank and Red – Matt Coyne

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Elizabeth at Lib C Reads
  • Frank & Red – Matt Coyne
  • The List of Suspicious Things – Jennie Godfrey
  • All The Colours of the Dark – Chris Whitaker
  • Leaving – Roxana Robinson
  • The Silence In Between – Josie Ferguson
  • The Wedding People – Alison Espach
  • The Glassmaker – Tracy Chevalier
  • Circus of Mirrors – Julie Owen Moylan
  • The Unfinished Business of Eadie Browne – Freya North
  • This Motherless Land – Nikki May
  • The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby – Ellery Lloyd
  • True Love – Paddy Crewe
  • The Women – Kristin Hannah
  • Talking at Night – Claire Daverley
  • How to Age Disgracefully – Claire Pooley
  • Sandwich – Catherine Newman
  • Leave No Trace – Jo Callaghan
  • The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers – Samuel Burr
  • Prima Facie – Suzie Miller
  • The God of the Woods – Liz Moore
  • First Lie Wins – Ashley Elston
  • You Are Here – David Nicholls
  • Adelaide – Genevieve Wheeler
  • The Spy Coast – Tess Gerritsen

Book of the Year: Frank and Red – Matt Coyne

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Hayley at Lotus Readers
  • The Divorce – Moa Herngren
  • The Instrumentalist – Harriet Constable 
  • The Midnight Hour – Eve Chase 
  • One of the Good Guys – Araminta Hall 
  • The Women – Kristin Hannah
  • Profile K – Helen Fields 
  • Toxic – Helga Flatland 
  • The Silence In Between – Josie Ferguson
  • The Circus of Mirrors – Julie Owen Moylan 
  • This Motherless Land – Nikki May 
  • Living Is A Problem – Doug Johnstone 
  • The Black Loch – Peter May
  • Ice Town – Will Dean
  • The Trouble With Mrs Montgomery Hurst – Kate Lumsden
  • Dark As Night – Lilja Sigurdottir 
  • The Glassmaker – Tracey Chevalier 
  • By Any Other Name – Jodi Picoult 
  • Night Watching – Tracy Sierra
  • The Salt Flats – Rachel Atalla
  • Home Truths – Charity Norman

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Ellie at Elspells
  • The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley 
  • In Memoriam by Alice Winn
  • The Burial Plot by Elizabeth Micheal
  • Tiananmen Square by Lai Wen
  • Ghost Mountain by Ronan Hession
  • Birding by Rose Ruane
  • The Moon Represents My Heart by Pim Wangtechawat
  • The Last Princess by Ellen Alpsten 
  • Nesting by Roisin O’ Donnell
  • Black Woods, Blue Sky by Eowyn Ivey 
  • May All Your Skies Be Blue by Fíona Scarlett 
  • Green Dot by Madeleine Gray

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Karen at Book Blogging Bureau
  • The List of Suspicious Things – Jennie Godfrey 
  • Prima Facie – Suzie Miller 
  • The Midnight Feast -Lucy Foley 
  • Frank and Red – Matt Coyne 
  • The Fellowship of the Puzzlemakers – Samuel Burr 
  • A Lesson in Cruelty – Harriet Tyce 
  • The Curse of Penryn Hall – Jess Armstrong
  • The Knowing -Emma Hinds 
  • The Guests -Agnes Ravatn 
  • The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year –   Ally Carter 

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Becca at Becca Kate Blogs
  • Murder on Lake Garda – Tom Hindle
  • The Mystery Guest – Nita Prose
  • Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead – Jenny Hollander 
  • The Story Collector – Iris Costello
  • The Last Party – Clare Mackintosh
  • Funny Story – Emily Henry
  • The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers – Samuel Burr
  • Redemption – Jack Jordan
  • The Midnight Feast – Lucy Foley
  • For Such a Time as This – Shani Akilah
  • Probably Nothing – Lauren Bravo
  • One of the Good Guys – Araminta Hall
  • Circus of Mirrors – Julie Owen Moylan
  • Here One Moment – Liane Moriarty

Book of the Year: Funny Story – Emily Henry

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Ceri at Ceri’s Lil’ Blog
  • Love Betty – Laura Kemp
  • The Lamplighters – Emma Stonex
  • Ten Years – Pernille Hughes
  • Contacts – Mark Watson
  • Where the Crawdads Sing – Delia Owens
  • The Mystery Guest – Nita Prose
  • The Lucky Escape by Laura Jane Williams 
  • The Love Hypothesis Ali Hazelwood
  • The Phone Box at the Edge of the World – Laura Imai Messina
  • A Train to Moscow – Elena Gorokhova
  • Yours Truly – Abby Jiminez
  • The Honeymoon – Kate Gray
  • The Party Season – S J I Holliday
  • The Hiding Place – Simon Lelic
  • Home Stretch – Graham Norton 
  • The Housewarming – S E Lynes 
  • Her Lonely Bones – Wendy Dranfield
  • Don’t You Want Me Baby? -Rachel Dove
  • The Sentence – Christina Dalcher
  • A Recipe for Christmas – Jo Thomas

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Zoe at Crazed Redhead Blog
  • Cover the Bones by Chris Hammer
  • Miss Austen Investigates – Jessica Bull
  • Here in the Dark –  Alexis Solokis 
  • Helle & Death – Oskar Jensen
  • The Pumpkin Spice Cafe – Laurie Gilmore
  • The Fury – Alex Michaelides
  • The Knowing – Emma Hinds
  • The Poisons We Drink – Bethany Baptiste
  • Days at the Morisaki Bookshop – Satoshi Yagisawa
  • Marigold Mind Laudnry – Jungeun Yun
  • None of This Is True – Lisa Jewell
  • Bright Young Women – Jessica Knoll
  • Critical Incidents – Luci Whitehouse
  • ASAP – Axie Oh
  • Every Smile You Fake – Dorothy Koomson
  • The Summer of Broken Rules – K. L. Walther
  • Beating Heart – Laura Pavlov
  • Things We Never Got Over – Lucy Score
  • Night Road – Kristin Hannah
  • Funny Feelings – Tarah DeWitt
  • The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore – Laruie Gilmore
  • The Christmas Tree Farm – Laurie Gilmore
  • Silent Evidence – Clea Koff
  • So Let Them Burn –  Kamilah Cole

Book of the Year: Marigold Mind Laudnry – Jungeun Yun

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So what were our favourites?

In alphabetical order, our top five books this year were:

  • Circus of Mirrors by Julie Owen Moylan
  • Frank and Red by Matt Coyne
  • The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers by Samuel Burr
  • The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey
  • The Unfinished Business of Eadie Browne by Freya North

And our overall favourite was…

Frank and Red! Which was our Feburary Book Club pick.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles. And thank you for all your support in 2024 xxx

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Squadpod Book Club

SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: Home Again For Christmas by Emily Stone

Published October 10th, 2024 by Headline Review
Romance Novel, Festive Fiction, Holiday Fiction, Christmas Story

Welcome to my review for December’s SquadPod Book Club pick . Thank you to Ollie at Headline for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

As the snow softly falls on the cobbled streets of Bath, ’tis the season to fall in love…
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Lexie is always on the move, but there is one constant in her life – her ‘wish jar’; the childhood tradition from home that she couldn’t leave behind.

When Lexie’s estranged dad dies, she is shocked to learn that she has inherited half of his travel company in Bath. Her dad’s will stipulates that she must work with Theo, her handsome but bad tempered business partner, for a year.

Once the year is over, Lexie intends to leave. But a work trip to sizzling Spain reveals a chemistry between Lexie and Theo that is impossible to deny.

Will Lexie find a reason to stay in one place? Will she discover the secret her father kept from her, and finally learn the meaning of home?

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MY REVIEW:

Lexie enjoys a nomadic life, living out of a suitcase as she goes from place to place. But when her estranged dad, Richard, dies, she is shocked to learn that he has left her half of his travel company in Bath. Not only that, but she can only sell after working with her business partner Theo for a year. The pair clash instantly but it feels like a small price to pay for selling at the end of the year. But it soon becomes clear that while they can’t stand each other, there is also a sizzling chemistry that they are finding hard to resist.

Home Again For Christmas is a heartwarming enemies-to-lovers festive romance that explores themes of belonging, the meaning of home, and complexities of grief. This was a joy to read over the Christmas period and once I finally got time to just sit with it, I couldn’t put this book down. Emily Stone’s writing is moving and enthralling and I loved the travel aspect of the story; how Stone explored different sights and traditions in other European countries at various times of the year. It was well researched and made me want to experience them for myself. Especially the Fete du Citron in France. 

But what I loved most about this book is its richly drawn and compelling characters. I love a good enemies-to-lovers romance, and I was rooting  for Lexie and Theo from the beginning. They had all the wit, chemistry and venom that I enjoy in that trope and enjoyed trying to predict what would happen next. I also enjoyed Lexie’s friendship with Fran and her blossoming relationship with her sister, Rachel. The latter is just one of the more complex issues the story explored, also exploring how Lexie works through her complicated grief and how she dealt with discovering different sides to her father’s personality after his death that don’t fit the box she’d put him in. 

A wonderful feel-good festive romance, I highly recommend this book. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Hello, I’m Emily! If you’ve found this page then welcome, and thanks so much for showing an interest in my writing.

I have written three books now, which feels surreal! My latest novel is Love, Holly in the US and The Christmas Letter in the UK. My books always revolve around the Christmas period, but span the course of a whole year and more. They also deal with love – and grief, in one way or another. I think I put a part of me in every book – as I’m sure every author does – and my newest book is no exception. The main character – Holly – often does the wrong thing for the right reasons, and that is a situation I’ve found myself in! And with three sisters myself, writing about the sister love – and difficulties – in this book felt personal at times!

My other two novels are One Last Gift – a story of finding yourself when you feel that’s impossible, and of the love between siblings – and Always, in December. As my debut novel, it will always be one close to my heart. Whilst very different from me, the protagonist, Josie is suffering with a grief that I know all too well – losing a parent/parents at a young age, and having to carry that grief into adulthood, long after it’s supposedly ‘gone away’. I lost my mum when I was seven, and I still think about her even now, in my thirties – and that’s something that Josie and I share. Max, too, is suffering his own kind of grief, and that’s something that he has to learn to deal with. But whilst the novel is about grief, and learning to live with that, it’s also about falling in love, and about learning to be brave, even when your life doesn’t feel quite right yet – even if it feels like it will never quite be right!

I wrote my first two novels in a glorious house in Chepstow, living with my sister and my two nieces. My third book I wrote on the English coastline in Cornwall – so I consider myself very lucky!

If you read any of my novels then thank you, and I really hope you enjoy!

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx