The Quick and the Read

Blog Tour: ‘Lessons’ by Ian McEwan

I’m delighted to join the blog tour for ‘Lessons’ by Ian McEwan today.

Thanks to Random Things Tours and Jonathan Cape for my place on the tour and for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: ‘The Girls Who Disappeared’ by Claire Douglas

I’m always in the market for a twisty crime novel and this one seemed to good to pass up!

The story opens with the past disappearance of three teenage girls. Four of them drove home in one car but – after an accident – only one injured girl remains. Where did they go? Now, twenty years later, Jenna Halliday has come to Stafferbury to make a podcast about the events of that night. She needs the co-operation of Olivia, the survivor, but why won’t Olivia speak about her missing friends? Jenna finds herself in danger as she starts to uncover the secrets held by the residents of the small town.

Blog Tour: ‘Class: A Graphic Guide’

Something different for the blog today – I was invited to review a graphic guide to class by Laura Harvey, Sarah Leaney and Danny Noble.

This is a gorgeously-illustrated book – thanks to Random Things Tours and Icon Books for my copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Blog Tour: ‘Small Angels’ by Lauren Owen

Today’s blog tour is for a gothic treat of a book!

Thanks to Claire Maxwell and Tinder Press for my place on the tour and for the book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are always my own.

Book Review: ‘Pandora’ by Susan Stokes-Chapman

Reading the sampler of this book, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the full version. A feisty, independent, female lead? A pet magpie? A Georgian London setting but with Greek myth elements? Absolutely, sign me up now!

Book Review: ‘Run Time’ by Catherine Ryan Howard

I absolutely loved the idea of this book! A thriller that takes place on the remote set of a horror film – what a great idea. I’d read one of Catherine Ryan Howard’s previous books (’56 Days’) set during Covid lockdown so I knew that I was in safe hands…if anyone can pull off some bogglingly high concept ideas then she can!

Book Review: ‘The Cliff House’ by Chris Brookmyre

I started reading this book on Pigeonhole, a chunk at a time, released daily. This is definitely one you don’t want to read in small chunks – to keep up with everyone and to not constantly be on a cliffhanger, you need to devour this in one sitting! Thanks to NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: ‘Dear Little Corpses’ by Nicola Upson

If you haven’t yet discovered Nicola Upson’s excellent historical crime series, here’s your chance.

This novel takes place in the early days of World War Two as war is declared and children evacuated en masse to the country. The Suffolk village in which Josephine Tey is living ends up with a lot more evacuees than planned, forcing those who didn’t want to take children to open their homes – the scene in the village hall where the evacuees are being homed made me really think of ‘Bedknobs and Broomsticks’ in all the best ways! When a child goes missing, Tey and the villagers start asking questions and pointing fingers…

Ten books I should have shouted about before now!

I’ve hit a bit of a reading slump. It happens to the best of us – a run of good books but not peppered with the absolutely great ones. The ones you put down all other books for, ignore your phone and your family…yeah, those.

To find my inspiration, I had a look back at the books I’ve read this year and noticed that 10/73 had got my top mark of 5 stars on Goodreads. Now seems like a good time to revisit the top ten…in no particular order.

Turns out I really like crime fiction!

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Book Review: ‘All About Evie’ by Matson Taylor

‘The Miseducation of Evie Epworth’ was one of my books of 2021 – I couldn’t wait to see how Matson Taylor was going to follow up his impressive debut novel. Thanks to NetGalley for granting me access to this sequel in exchange for an honest review.

This novel picks up a way after the first one finished with 1960s Evie heading for London. She’s now 10 years older and living the high life in 1970s London – until a surprising and unfortunate incident involving Princess Anne ends her BBC career a little prematurely. Faced with a number of possibilities, Evie picks herself up and tries some different paths with the help of her friends.