Book Review | My Husband’s Killer by Laura Marshall

Thank you to Becky and Sphere for sending me a proof copy of My Husband’s Killer in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis

Three couples. One murder. A holiday to die for . . .

We arrived at a villa on the Amalfi Coast, ready to enjoy a sun-soaked weekend with our oldest friends – and one new face.

By the end of the weekend, my husband is found dead.

But how can I mourn him, when on the day of his funeral I discover he was having an affair?

The only suspects are the women we went on holiday with. My oldest, closest friends.

I really want to dig into my husband’s secret? Do I really want to know who betrayed me?

Review

My Husband’s Killer is a complex, clever and twist-filled read.

Beginning in present day, we are transported back to Italy 3 months earlier for Part One of the novel. Part Two returns us to after the funeral, focusing on Liz and Part Three is Andrew’s perspective and finally Part Four reveals the truth. I really enjoyed this format as it provided a thorough drip-feed of history and information through the different time periods.

Told through a large number of perspectives; Liz, Andrew, Poppy, Trina, Kitty and Saffie, it does however focus mainly on one, Liz. As the one who is ultimately most invested in discovering the truth, it made sense to have a heavy focus on her. I found her to be an interesting character but ultimately unlikeable. In fact, all the characters in My Husband’s Killer I found to be unlikeable. There is so much history to each of them and so much uncertainty, that every time I had a positive opinion it would be flipped on it’s head by a trait or a reveal of their history.

I was gripped with this novel from the outset, racing through the pages. It’s fast paced, original and filled with twists. The amount of secrets and lies are extensive and the whole storyline feels extremely complex.

Learning of their group friendship and it’s history over the course of the novel made it all the more interesting. Slowly being told snippets about how their relationships evolved and all the secrets and lies… A truly engrossing read.

My Husband’s Killer is out now from Sphere. You can order a copy using the link below and also help to support independent bookstores.

Bookshop.org

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Book Review | How to Kill Men and Get Away With It by Katy Brent

Thank you to Reader’s First for sending me a proof copy of How to Kill Men and Get Away With It in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis

Meet Kitty Collins.
FRIEND. LOVER. KILLER.

He was following me. That guy from the nightclub who wouldn’t leave me alone.

I hadn’t intended to kill him of course. But I wasn’t displeased when I did and, despite the mess I made, I appeared to get away with it.

That’s where my addiction started…

I’ve got a taste for revenge and quite frankly, I’m killing it.

A deliciously dark, hilariously twisted story about friendship, love, and murder. Fans of My Sister the Serial Killer, How to Kill Your Family and Killing Eve will love this wickedly clever novel!

Review

How to Kill Men and Get Away With It is a crazy, clever and darkly humorous debut.

The story begins in Belgravia, London in present day and then we move back to Chelsea in June and move through time chronologically. I found this slight preview of what’s to come interesting as it really made me eager for answers to why, how, who etc.!

Told through influencer Kitty’s perspective, we delve right into the depths of her mind. She is a fascinating character, with a lot of depth but also very unreliable. Her character felt original and she was funny and privileged but also extremely dark and pretty insane! From the beginning I was laughing at her quips about stains on Max Mara trousers. As we learn more about her and her past, we gain some answers as to why she is doing what she’s doing and learning this felt like being let in further to her mind, her elite world and going some way to understanding her character.

The novel has a generally fast pace and this felt like it accurately reflects Kitty’s lifestyle which compromises of influencing and perfecting her persona, alongside being a kind of vigilante. The wealthy air of having everything she has wanted moves alongside her.

There are so many additional characters; Maisie, Hen, Tor, Ben, Charlie to name a few, all of which fleshed out Kitty’s character and created a believable circle. I liked the rawness and the honesty that was batted around within the relationships which made them more believable, especially, I imagine, of the rich. It feels like a community and this drew me in more.

There was a lot of blood shed in the novel and hunter/prey behaviour. I did find, at times, I needed to suspend disbelief with some of the crimes and their details etc. That’s probably down to how many thrillers/crime novels and tv shows I’ve watched over the years though and my mind was primarily focused on feeling Kitty’s rage and the injustice of women’s positions for it to deter me too much!

Katy Brent did a really good job at finding a balance between detailing Kitty’s killing spree and getting to know her. ‘Normal’ (sort of) life events alongside stalking out her next victim, with what I found to be enough background context to become involved and engrossed in Kitty’s world.

A whirlwind of humour, justice and blood, How to Kill Men and Get Away With It is out now from HQ Digital. You can order a copy using the link below and also help to support independent bookstores.

Bookshop.org

Note: This is an affiliate link. If you purchase via this link, I’ll get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you.

Until next time,

Monthly Wrap Up | February 2023

February, being a short month, usually flies by but it was a pretty long month for me. I was solo parenting for half of it and it was tiring! Always grateful for the best co-parent but when he’s away I definitely get a reminder of how much. The weather was cold, fairly dry and fairly windy so definitely not the worst of month’s. I’m excited for March and changing the clocks, more lighter days and spring starting to appear again!

In terms of reading, February was a good month. A focus around books featuring love for #RomanceRocks and the month of love! I took part in one blog tour, read seven books and reviewed five.

What I Read

The Back Up Man by Phoebe Luckhurst

What July Knew by Emily Koch

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

The Vintage Shop of Second Chances by Libby Page

Just Got Real by Jane Fallon

How To Kill Men and Get Away With It by Katy Brent *

The Garnett Girls by Georgina Moore

*Review to follow, I will link to this post as and when it is published on my blog.

Book of the month

So many brilliant reads this month, it was a really tough choice to pick only one but my book of the month was… What July Knew. Such an original story, with so much emotion. The character of July was well written and I enjoyed the naivety of a younger main character. There was also the mystery of Maggie Hooper which was weaved through the novel so well. I really urge you to pick up a copy of the book if you haven’t read it already!

Going forward…

March is another busy month as I’ve got another blog tour and the two challenges I mentioned last month. I’m also trying to catch up on a few recently released reads that I haven’t yet had a chance to read. Lots of exciting reading to come!

As always, a huge thank you to the publishers and authors who provided me with a gifted copy of a book in exchange for an honest review. You’ll find their details tagged in each individual blog post, linked above. 

Until next time,

Book Review | What July Knew by Emily Koch

Thank you to Kate and Harvill Secker for sending me a proof copy of What July Knew in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis

Summer, 1995.

July Hooper knows eighteen things about her mother.

Like number thirteen: she loved dancing on the kitchen table. And number eight: she was covered in freckles.

And then there’s number two: she died after being hit by a car when July was small.

She keeps this list hidden in a drawer away from her father. Because they’re not allowed to talk about her mother. Ever.

But an anonymous note slipped into July’s bag on her tenth birthday is about to change everything she thinks she knows about her mum.

Determined to discover what really happened to her, July begins to investigate, cycling around the neighbourhood where her family used to live. There she meets someone who might finally have the answers.

July wants her family to stop lying to her, but will the truth be harder to face?

Review

What July Knew is an absorbing, emotional and mysterious read filled with 90’s nostalgia.

The story is set across a hot summer, beginning on 20 July 1995 and ending August 2. A very short span of time with a lot happening in between. The heatwave really made everything seem more intense, especially the situations and the emotions held within them.

The mystery starts with a post it note slipped inside July’s school book, which was a really original idea. I liked the uncertainty and the unravelling of everything July thought she knew.

July is a truly wonderful character. Emily Koch really captures the naivety of someone so young really well. It makes the situations she finds herself in and her thoughts surrounding them all the more heartbreaking though.

Flashing back and forward in time with the aid of letters from two ambiguous and unknown recipients was a nice touch. I looked forward to the next one, where a little more information would be given. I liked that they weren’t as black and white as they first appear to you at the beginning!

Some chapters begin with more of an outside perspective and then lead into July’s situation or bring it back to what we know. I liked this as it mixed things up a bit and provided a bit of the unexpected. It also helped to ‘see’ things through another point of view. Being so heavily involved with July I sometimes felt my levels of right and wrong etcetera were skewed.

The story is full of emotion and sheer child-like naive perspective. Some elements were tough to read and really made me feel for July and her situation, it was truly heartbreaking at times

The mystery of Maggie Hooper is nicely weaved through the entirety of the story and you’re still guessing right up until the end. You really feel a sense of having got to know her, through various people’s information, alongside July.

Emily Koch’s writing is immersive and I truly felt like I was alongside July in her journey of discovery. The incredible description and well thought through details really provide a gripping story, one that I was hooked on from page one.

The nostalgia as an early 90’s baby was real and with every mention of pogs, lava lamps and Smash Hits magazine, I fell a little bit more in love with Emily Koch’s story.

A truly brilliant book that will stay with me. What July Knew is out now from Harvill Secker. You can order a copy using the link below and also help to support independent bookstores.

Bookshop.org

Note: This is an affiliate link. If you purchase via this link, I’ll get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you.

Until next time,

Blog Tour | The Garnett Girls by Georgina Moore

Thank you to Anne and Random Things Tours for the chance to be a part of the blog tour for The Garnett Girls and for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis

Forbidden, passionate and all-encompassing, Margo and Richard’s love affair was the stuff of legend– but, ultimately, doomed.

When Richard walked out, Margo locked herself away, leaving her three daughters, Rachel, Imogen and Sasha, to run wild.

Years later, charismatic Margo entertains lovers and friends in her cottage on the Isle of Wight, refusing to ever speak of Richard and her painful past. But her silence is keeping each of the Garnett girls from finding true happiness.

Rachel is desperate to return to London, but is held hostage by responsibility for Sandcove, their beloved but crumbling family home.

Dreamy Imogen feels the pressure to marry her kind, considerate fiancé, even when life is taking an unexpected turn.

And wild, passionate Sasha, trapped between her fractured family and controlling husband, is weighed down by a secret that could shake the family to its core…

The Garnett Girls, the captivating debut from Georgina Moore, asks whether children can ever be free of the mistakes of their parents.

Review

The Garnett Girls is a complex and beautifully written family drama.

The story begins with a prologue, an insight into the past. Each chapter that follows features a title, taken from a phrase or sentence used within the chapter. I liked the quirky pre-empt of this and felt like it drew me in as I anticipated where it was taken from. The chapters are labelled where necessary between the two locations, as the story is split between London and the Isle of Wight. I found this useful as it meant there was no second guessing.

There are a lot of characters within this novel. Three sisters; Imogen, Rachel, Sasha, their Mother Margo and a multitude of partners, family and friends. Together they provide an extremely captivating community. I was drawn into their lives and felt the eagerness of wanting to know more about their troubles, their childhood and their family ties.

The Garnett family are an extremely complex web, struggling with their own lives and how they fit into one another’s as time has and is passing by. Each one is brilliantly well thought through and authentic. It’s easy to imagine them as real people going about their lives in their family bubble and extended community. They’re all extremely realistic and have a multitude of relatable problems, within both their relationships and their lives as a whole. There are a lot of unresolved issues and feelings of resentment towards one another which makes them feel more human.

Georgina Moore’s writing depicts the Isle of Wight in such gorgeous technicolour. The beaches, shops and sunny days all sound idyllic and Sandcove an all encompassing place to be.

A deep and delightful read, The Garnett Girls is out now from HQ. You can order a copy using the link below and also help to support independent bookstores.

Bookshop.org

Note: This is an affiliate link. If you purchase via this link, I’ll get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you.

Until next time,

Book Review | The Back Up Man by Phoebe Luckhurst

Thank you to Michael Joseph for sending me a proof copy of The Back Up Man in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis

They made a deal to marry at thirty. But Euan’s nowhere to be found . . .
Can Anya track down her back up man?
__________

Twenty-nine, single, jobless and in a nightmare house share, things could be going better for Anya Mackie.

Then she stumbles across a pact she wrote with her school crush, Euan Carrick – to marry at thirty if they’re still single . . .

But Euan hasn’t been seen for a decade.

Reluctantly enlisting the help of Euan’s emotionally unavailable best friend Jamie Kildare, Anya sets off across the country to find her Back Up Man.

But will Euan remember her?

And should Anya really be betting her future on her past?

Review

The Back Up Man is an amusing and original story filled with great characters and an interesting journey.

The story is told primarily through present day, but with a glimpse into the past. 2007 sees a young past Anya and Euan delve into the origin of their pact.

Anya is a really relatable character and her ‘down on luck’ life events are really realistic. Her chasing the past as her present is altering is an interesting adventure to follow and her character development following this is great to read.

Saying that, the characters as a whole are all really interesting and extremely varied. Anya is surrounded by people from all different walks of life and they all serve a purpose which truly adds to the storyline.

The teenage Anya and Euan really threw me back to my own secondary school and university days. It feels like a lifetime ago but the descriptions of being excited to see your crush every day and hoping to get their attention as you pass in the corridor really brought back memories.

The inclusion of texts and emails within the narrative was a nice touch. This made it feel like we gained more of an insight into Anya’s life and it felt more realistic and personal.

Alongside Anya’s food influencer aspirations, their are naturally a lot of mentions of food and recipes within the book. These many mentions of various dishes had me almost constantly hungry and googling anything I hadn’t heard of. I was definitely inspired to do some broader cooking which was an unexpected takeaway from the book!

The Back Up Man is out now from Michael Joseph. You can order a copy using the link below and also help to support independent bookstores.

Bookshop.org

Note: This is an affiliate link. If you purchase via this link, I’ll get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you.

Until next time,

Blog Tour | The Vintage Shop of Second Chances by Libby Page

Thank you to Ellen and Orion for the chance to be a part of the blog tour for The Vintage Shop of Second Chances and for sending me a proof copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis

Among the cobbled streets of the Somerset town of Frome, Lou is embarking on the start of something new. After the death of her beloved mother, she takes a deep breath into the unknown and is opening her own vintage clothes shop. 

In upstate New York, Donna has just found out some news about her family which has called into question her whole upbringing. The only clue she has to unlock her past is a picture of a yellow dress, and the fact it is currently on display in a shop in England. 

For Maggy, she is facing life as a 70-something divorcee and while she got the house, she’s not sure what to fill it with now her family have moved out. The new vintage shop in town sparks memories of her past and reignites a passion she’s been missing…

Together, can these three women find the answers they are searching for and unlock a second chance at a new life?

It’s never too late to start again…

Review

The Vintage Shop of Second Chances is a a heartwarming, wholesome read filled with lovely characters and a glorious backdrop.

Immediately drawn in by Libby Page’s wonderful descriptions

The story is told through three characters in alternating chapters. We begin with Lou, then Donna and finally Maggy. There is also chapters told in the past, telling the tale of a beautiful yellow dress and following it’s history.

The way Libby Page always writes of intercepted lives and bringing characters together in the most unique and usual ways is brilliant. She really has a way of creating genuine realistic-feeling interactions and scenarios.

The story is filled with emotion and is such a heartfelt read. There are some truly surprising moments,

Lou, Maggy and Donna were a wonderful trio and I really loved them as characters, both together and separately. The way they are brought together, the growth and change between them is really wholesome.

The Vintage Shop of Second Chances is out now from Orion. You can purchase a copy using the link below and also help to support independent bookstores.

Bookshop.org

Note: This is an affiliate link. If you purchase via this link, I’ll get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you.

Until next time,

Book Review | The Things That We Lost by Jyoti Patel

Thank you Najma, #Merky books and Squadpod for sending me a proof copy of The Things That We Lost in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis

Nik has lots of questions about his late father but knows better than to ask his mother, Avani. It’s their unspoken rule.

When his grandfather dies, Nik has the opportunity to learn about the man he never met. Armed with a key and new knowledge about his parents’ past, Nik sets out to unlock the secrets that his mother has been holding onto his whole life.

As the carefully crafted portrait Avani has painted for her son begins to crack, and painful truths emerge, can the two of them find their way back to each other?

The Things That We Lost is a beautifully tender exploration of family, loss and the lengths to which we go to protect the ones we love.

Review

The Things That We Lost is a powerful, engrossing debut, covering life, love and loss.

The story begins with a prologue and starts with July 2017, alternating between timelines with the secondary one starting at March 1979. A dual timeline novel telling of characters’ history.

From the outset Jyoti Patel creates a real sense of unity in the characters – you can feel the closeness of the bond between Nik and Avani. They are extremely realistic characters with flaws and imperfections. You quickly become part of their world and feel like part of their family.

Avani is a really interesting character with a lot of layers to her, both in her personality and her situation. The drip-feed of her history through the novel is absorbing. Learning more about her character made me more drawn to her and her life, and went some way to explaining some of her personality traits.

Learning of her as she is with Nik, and how she was with Elliot was fascinating. How she has changed over the years, the impact of events, how her relationship with Elliot was etc. There are so many things that are learnt alongside one another and add to the character building and realism within this novel.

Nik’s speech and colloquial language is really reflective of his age and I found it helped to further bring out his personality. The slang really brings him into context and he really feels like he’s reflecting a part of London.

In regards to language, there are also many Gujarati words, phrases and colloquialism’s which really helped with setting the book. There were many I recognised but also some I didn’t. I educated myself as to what they were or what they meant and this made me feel even further included in their world.

The steady unearthing of secrets is what really drew me in to The Things That We Lost. It’s a true, unexpected, page turner that I was eagerly anticipating answers to, with the history and how everything would link together. I was truly engrossed in this wonderful read.

The Things That We Lost is out now from #Merky Books. You can purchase a copy using the link below and also help to support independent bookstores.

Bookshop.org

Note: This is an affiliate link. If you purchase via this link, I’ll get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you.

Until next time,

Monthly Wrap Up | January 2023

The longest month ever is at an end! I don’t usually find January that bad as it’s my birthday month and although we had a holiday, I still found it extremely long! There was more illness in my house and I can’t wait for cold season to finally be over. The weather was cold with a bit of snow, a bit of rain and a bit of sunshine… A thoroughly mixed month! I’m looking forward to a February as I feel like it’s a short stopgap to spring with, hopefully, some more of those glorious crisp sunny days.

In terms of reading, January was a good month. Quite heavy on the thrillers/mystery reads but that’s never a bad thing! I took part in one blog tour, read six books and reviewed three.

What I Read

The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett

Death Comes to Marlow by Robert Thorogood

Needless Alley by Natalie Marlow

The Things That We Lost by Jyoti Patel *

A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins

The Reader on the 6.27 by Jean-Paul Didierlaurent

*Review to follow, I will link to this post as and when it is published on my blog.

Book of the month

This was a difficult decision as I had a real collection of brilliant reads but my January book of the month is….The Things That We Lost. Such a truly wonderful book. The characters, their unity, the language… Everything is just so well put together, truly original and an incredible read. It’s one that will stay with me and I really urge you to read it if you haven’t already!

Going forward…

February is a busy month as I’ve got one blog tour and another that needs reading ready for the first of next month. I’ve also taken on two book challenges this year so I’m hoping I can keep up with those, so far so good! A lot of my reading focus will be around romance and books with focuses around love, what with it being the month of love! This is also supporting Squadpod and #RomanceRocks.

As always, a huge thank you to the publishers and authors who provided me with a gifted copy of a book in exchange for an honest review. You’ll find their details tagged in each individual blog post, linked above. 

Until next time,

Book Review | Needless Alley by Natalie Marlow

Thank you Jade and Baskerville for sending me a proof copy of Needless Alley in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis

Birmingham, 1933. 

Private enquiry agent William Garrett, a man damaged by a dark childhood spent on Birmingham’s canals, specialises in facilitating divorces for the city’s male elite. With the help of his best friend – charming, out-of-work actor Ronnie Edgerton – William sets up honey traps. But photographing unsuspecting women in flagrante plagues his conscience and William heaves up his guts with remorse after every job. 

However, William’s life changes when he accidentally meets the beautiful Clara Morton and falls in love. Little does he know she is the wife of a client – a leading fascist with a dangerous obsession. And what should have been another straightforward job turns into something far more deadly. 

Drenched in evocative period atmosphere and starring an unforgettable cast of characters, Needless Alley takes the reader from seedy canal-side pubs, to crumbling Warwickshire manor houses, and into the hidden spaces of Birmingham’s Queer, bohemian society.

Review

Needless Alley is a deep and intricately woven web of love and crime with a dash of politics. A truly original detective novel and a step back in time.

The book is written in two parts, almost like a before and after a key event occurs. Each chapter, where necessary, has a location and date at the beginning so it’s very clear where it’s taking place. I always like these descriptions as it really helps to solidify location and differentiate between places in my mind and in the story.

Right from the outset I found myself immersed in the story. Natalie Marlow’s description is just incredible, the detail is really intricate which makes the goings on extremely realistic. It really brings in all the senses and creates an extremely lifelike and realistic world. A true step back in time as I definitely felt like I was involved, and had gone back in time, involved in the nitty gritty, grimy goings on in the streets of 1930’s Birmingham.

William is a somewhat surprising character. I didn’t expect him to be as engrossing as he turned out to be. Initially I wasn’t entirely sure as to whether I liked him but I found myself warming to him, with his unorthodox manner and dogged determination. He turned out to be an interesting character filled with history.

There are many other interesting characters in the novel; Queenie, Ronnie and Clara to name a few. They all feed into each other nicely, creating a full circle and I found them all to be interesting for different reasons.

The references to various places in the Midlands were close to home for me and I found it interesting to think of the towns and cities mentioned in the 1930’s. Alongside this, the history that’s woven through is fascinating, knowing almost nothing about the politics of the time. I definitely felt as though I was at the rallies and surrounded by the far right opinions focused on within the novel.

I found myself completely engrossed, especially after a pivotal point in the novel. I was truly in shock and just devoured page after page, eager to know where the story would go next. The twists are extremely well thought out, wonderfully complex and completely unguessable!

Needless Alley is out tomorrow (19 January) from Baskerville. You can preorder a copy using the link below and also help to support independent bookstores.

Bookshop.org

Note: This is an affiliate link. If you purchase via this link, I’ll get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you.

Until next time,