Month: May 2025
Boy With Wings by Mark Mustian readalong
Boy With Wings follows the extraordinary journey of Johnny Cruel, a boy born with mysterious appendages on his back. What does it mean to be different? When Johnny Cruel is born with strange appendages on his back in the 1930s South, the locals think he’s a devil. Determined to protect him, his mother fakes his death, and they flee. Thus begins Johnny’s years-long struggle to … Read More Boy With Wings by Mark Mustian readalong
The Empathist by Alex Franklyn readalong
To the outside world, Amy has it all—her own home, a thriving career, and a seemingly perfect life. But behind the façade, she’s running from a past she doesn’t remember… a past that’s been locked away for years. Medication has kept the memories buried, numbing the pain with a side effect she’s come to embrace. But when her father’s death triggers a series of … Read More The Empathist by Alex Franklyn readalong
Secrets of Lostmor by Ann Smythe
In 1971, the Sanders family suffer a loss so great that they abandon their Gothic mansion house forever. Twenty-four years later, Lily Sanders reluctantly returns to her hometown for the reading of a mysterious will. Lily must face the secrets that lie within the crumbling estate in the wilds of Cornwall… and uncover the mystery hidden within. My Review Another great holiday read, and … Read More Secrets of Lostmor by Ann Smythe
+ brothers, crime fiction, fairy tale, family, fiction, gothic, review, siblings
Dead as Gold by Bonnie Burke-Patel
Adam Conlan has made a new life for himself in Morrow-on-Sea. After a wild youth, the goldsmith had settled down, determined to be around for his young son. But now Ophelia Richards appears at his studio door, asking if he will buy her gold. The writer entices and unsettles him; he sees she is adrift in the same cold pain and loneliness as he … Read More Dead as Gold by Bonnie Burke-Patel
+ crime fiction, fiction, murder, police corruption, police drama, police procedural, review, thriller, USA
Shatter Creek by Rod Reynolds
Hampstead County Police Department is embroiled in scandal after corruption at the top of the force was exposed. Cleared of involvement and returned to active duty, Detective Sergeant Casey Wray nonetheless finds herself at a crossroads when it becomes clear that not everyone believes she’s innocent. Partnered with rookie Billy Drocker, Casey works a shocking daytime double homicide in downtown Rockport with the two … Read More Shatter Creek by Rod Reynolds
The Last Song of the Mistle Thrush by Ruth Mary Flanagan
“For parents, carers, teachers, and of course, children, who love books like The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris and The Lorax by Dr. Seuss, this stunningly poetic picture book is a timeless ode to nature, hope, and protecting our planet for future generations.” The Last Song of the Mistle Thrush by Ruth Mary Flanagan is a heartfelt and beautifullyillustrated children’s picture … Read More The Last Song of the Mistle Thrush by Ruth Mary Flanagan
The Mistake by MJ Arlidge and Lisa Hall
In this family, everyone is telling lies. Pete never wanted another child. Before baby Erin was born, they were happy. If Natalie hadn’t got pregnant, he would never have done what he did. Natalie knows things have been difficult since the surprise arrival of Erin. Life with Pete and their two other children – Emily and Zadie – has been balancing on a knife-edge. … Read More The Mistake by MJ Arlidge and Lisa Hall
Outside The Box by Sue Lancaster
This is the story of Fennel, the Fox who liked to think thoughts that were ‘outside the box.’ A heart-warming tale of determination and staying true to yourself. In the tranquil woods where whispers of adventure rustle through fragrant leaves, Fennel the Fox finds himself at a crossroads. Fennel yearns for something more fulfilling-a life rooted in love for nature and authenticity. When the … Read More Outside The Box by Sue Lancaster
Sixty Is The New Assassin by Shesh
WAS AN ASSASSIN’S ROLE AKIN TO A CEO’S ROLE? BOTH NEEDED SOME SUSPENSION OF MORALITY, A WILLINGNESS TO DO THINGS THAT MOST WOULD NOT, OR COULD NOT. After retiring from active corporate life, sixty-year-old Ishmael Dollah keeps himself busy with regular runs around the city, tennis at the club and his book club meets. Life is good—a bit staid maybe, but good. That is … Read More Sixty Is The New Assassin by Shesh
+ feel-good, female friendship, fiction, friendship, love, marriage, mid-life crisis, relationships, review
The Friday Friendship Club by Anne Brooke
The lives of prime-time friends Leonora, Selena and Dorothea are about to take a very interesting turn. Leonora discovers her husband is having an affair and struggles to come to terms with this crushing blow. Selena is about to meet the love of her life but is utterly unprepared for the heartbreak it might bring. Finally, Dorothea’s beloved career is under threat, but her job … Read More The Friday Friendship Club by Anne Brooke
+ childhood, dementia, family, feel-good, fiction, friendship, grief, loss, love, marriage, neurodivergence, review
The Everyday and Far Away by Jacqueline Jones
For fans of Sally Page and Ruth Hogan, comes this heartwarming tale about love, loss and connection. Ernie has had three grand passions in his long life: his dear wife Phyllis, a vintage Norton Dominator motorcycle, and his mini-me son, Stephen. Now, as dementia overwhelms Ernie and takes away everything he can remember about the everyday, memories of those far away times remain crystalline … Read More The Everyday and Far Away by Jacqueline Jones
The Last Days of Leda Grey by Essie Fox
A bewitching novel about an enigmatic silent film actress, and the volatile love affair that left her a recluse for over half a century – for fans of Sarah Waters and Tracy Chevalier. During the oppressive heat wave of 1976, a young journalist, Ed Peters, finds an Edwardian photograph in a junk shop in the Brighton Lanes. It shows an alluring dark-haired girl, an … Read More The Last Days of Leda Grey by Essie Fox
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