I was delighted to be asked to join the blog tour for ‘The Poison Machine’ – the second historical thriller featuring Hunt and Hooke. This book follows on from last year’s excellent ‘The Bloodless Boy’, although can be read as a standalone.
Thanks to Nikki at Melville House Press for my spot on the tour and the copy of the book for review. As always, opinions are entirely my own.
I’ve got a bit of a confession here. I know I like Ruth Ware’s books but I’d kind of…put this one off. The title made me think it was going to be about wealthy people living Instagrammable lives – not that I have a problem with that at all, but I kind of need to be in the right mood.
I was wrong and should have read the blurb.
This book is actually about a murder at a fictitious Oxford University college. It centres on Hannah and the ‘before’ and ‘after’ of her discovery of the body of her roommate, April, in their shared rooms. April is the ‘It Girl’ of the novel’s title, bringing champagne, designer clothes and luxury furniture to their digs, but this is much more the story of a friendship group and a university experience gone tragically wrong.
Continue reading Book Review: ‘The It Girl’ by Ruth WareHistorical fiction with a strong female lead? The fictionalisation of a real-life journalistic sensation? Victorian-era New York? All of these things are exactly what brought me to this book – and I loved it!
Thanks to the author for providing me a copy for review. As always, opinions are my own.
Continue reading Book Review: ‘Madwoman’ by Louisa TregerWelcome to my stop on the blog tour for ‘The Bloodless Boy’ – a fabulous historical crime novel that is out in paperback on 14th July.
I am absolutely delighted to be opening this tour – thanks to Nikki at Melville House Press for inviting me onto the tour and for my copy of the book for review. As always, opinions are entirely my own.
Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this brand new, debut police procedural.
Thanks to Helen Richardson for inviting me on the tour, and to Allison and Busby for my review copy of the novel. As always, opinions are entirely my own.
Regular followers of my blog know that I love a crime novel. A debut crime novel? Even better – a chance to find a new favourite! A debut crime novel written by someone who really knows his stuff? Better still – and crime novelists probably don’t come much better qualified than Graham Bartlett, former Chief Superintendent and Police Commander of Brighton and Hove.
Continue reading Blog Tour: ‘Bad for Good’ by Graham BartlettI’m really sorry that I let this one sit on my NetGalley shelf for so long! Thanks to NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
The story opens in 1980 with the chance meeting of two women on Hampstead Common. Elise Morceau is young and naive and immedialtely falls under the spell of Constance Holden. Connie is older, already a successful writer and confident in ways Elise isn’t. When Connie’s book gets made into a Hollywood film, Elise accompanies her to Los Angeles and the pair fall into a glamorous party lifestyle.
This 1980s story – essentially of the relationship between the two women – is interspersed with a present day story in which Rose Simmonds is looking for her mother. When she learns that Connie was part of her mother’s life, she decides to ask some difficult questions of the writer – now in her 70s and a recluse…
Continue reading (Audio)Book Review: ‘The Confession’ by Jessie BurtonWelcome to my stop on the blog tour for this glorious middle grade fantasy novel. Thanks to The Write Reads for organising the tour and to Harper Collins for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
So…this one is a bit of a weird one for me.
Continue reading Blog Tour: ‘Fireborn’ by Aisling FowlerThe December 2020 Books That Matter feminist subscription box has arrived! Warning – spoilers ahead for those of you waiting on your delivery.
The Box
The December box is themed ‘We glow through what we go through’ – nope, I’m not entirely sure what that really means either!
As usual, it is beautifully wrapped in pink tissue paper and features a range of gifts and a book of the month. This month’s contents are:
My Review
The book this month is one that I haven’t heard of, but it looks absolutely brilliant. I love the idea of the 1930s setting and the focus on the women involved in the film industry.
The journal isn’t one that I’d really use, but my daughter will so that is fine. It is beautifully produced and has lots of prompts for reflection. It is excellent quality, but just not really my thing.
The bookmark and keyring are lovely and will be used. The keyring in particular is lovely quality – made of a heavy metal and featuring the box theme.
The Teapigs tea is nice, although one tea bag feels a bit mean!
I really couldn’t get on with the popcorn – I’m not a fan of mixed sweet and savoury flavours – and I couldn’t even palm it off on my children, so this one isn’t a winner.
The booklet, produced by ‘Books That Matter’ and giving a bit of background information to the book and gifts featured in the box, is fine – it was interesting to flick through it but it is only a few pages.
The Verdict
I really love the book choice this month and it is something that I am interested in reading. However, the gifts don’t all hit the spot this time round which is a shame – but very much down to my personal preferences.
Overall, I still think this is worth the £20 a month (including postage) and it does feel like a treat every month.
*SPOILER ALERT* Do not read if you are awaiting your own subscription box for this month!
This is my 4th month with ‘Books That Matter‘, the feminist subscription box that delivers a book and other treats to your door for the princely sum of £20 a month (including postage).
I’ll admit that I was sceptical about whether I’d get books I actually wanted to read (especially as I buy so many books) but 3/4 have been hits so far.
The Box
August’s box arrived, as they all do, having been well squashed by the postal service – the boxes are a bit flimsy, but the contents are usually just fine. As usual, everything is beautifully packed and opening the boxes is becoming a monthly treat.
Each of the monthly boxes is themed and this month is ‘Women of the World: Celebrating Women in Translation Month’ – a fab theme, I think, as I definitely am trying to read more from outside of my home nation, the UK.
August’s contents are:
My Thoughts
I’m really pleased with this month’s book choice. I’d not heard of the book or the writer before, but it looks absolutely brilliant. Reading the opening pages has definitely made me want to read more and it is on an area of the world (Argentina) that I know very little about – another excellent reason to read on.
I love the design of the patch and postcard, but I’m really not sure what use I have for it. Maybe if I was younger and more rebellious, it would be perfect – as it is, I’m a 40 year old mum and teacher who can’t really wear patches with naked women on! I can only think it would be too distracting for my pupils and my own kids…
Let’s face it, cookies are always welcome!
As for the rest of the box, I can only say it is very papery… the items are well-designed and the booklets interesting. I can definitely always find a home for a bookmark and sticker, although I will struggle to know what to do with the booklets once I’ve glanced through them and the poster isn’t something I’d want to put up. All very interesting, but probably not items I’d want to keep longer term.
The Verdict
A fabulous themed box with a great book choice. Worth the subscription fee although, for me, not all the items quite hit the spot. I’ll definitely keep subscribing next month!
I can’t remember a time I wasn’t obsessed with reading. From the early days of illicit Secret Seven books devoured after lights-out to breakfasts spent poring over cereal packets to the more highbrow demands of a Literature degree…if there’s reading material available, I’m there!
Having spent years talking about books with anyone who would listen, I then found NetGalley and settled in to reviewing books alongside my day job as secondary English teacher. I kind of refined my genres and interests and my passion for books continued to grow. I’d say it was a well-cultivated and controlled development, like a beautiful bonsai tree. My husband would say an obsession growing more like knotweed, but heigh-ho…
So I’ve finally taken the plunge and here is my very own blog. You can expect book reviews covering a range of genres – historical crime is a favourite, alongside anything set in the Victorian era, but I really am not prescriptive. I love funny books, fiction and non-fiction, ‘Women’s fiction’ (always thought that was a weird category title, to be honest), police procedurals and books about books. But also anything else that takes my fancy along the way.
You also don’t get to be a long-term bookworm without becoming au fait with all kinds of literary gifts, subscription services and other connected bits and bobs. I’ll be chatting about these too.
Most importantly, all the opinions are my very own and have no ulterior motive. If I don’t love it, I’m not recommending it!
So welcome to my blog and thanks for stopping by. This is one scary step so please be kind!
