Tag Archives: Karen Cleveland

That Was The Month That Was… June 2019!

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June was a month that was full of reading and blogging so I’m a happy blogger right now! I read 30 books. I was hoping to try and blog every day in June, which I didn’t manage but, having said that, I blogged 31 times over the month (a couple of days I had more than one post) so I’m really pleased with that.

Otherwise my highlight for June came on the penultimate day of the month when we finally got to pick up our new car! It’s highly unlikely that I’ll ever be able to drive again but our new car gives me and my husband more freedom as it has a hoist in the boot to life my mobility scooter/wheelchair. Also, because it’s an SUV the seats are higher and the doors open wider so it’s easier for me to get in and out of the car.

 

Here are the books I read in June:

I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney

This thriller was really enjoyable but the final 20% or so just didn’t work for me. I do love Alice Feeney’s writing though so will be looking out for her other books in the future.

The Space Between Time by Charlie Laidlaw

This book was such a beautiful read. It got to me in a way that I wasn’t expecting and I loved that about it.

I Heart Hawaii by Lindsey Kelk

This was a wonderful ending to a fab series, it really did tie everything up in such a gorgeous way and I loved it!

The Sea Refuses No River by Bethany Rivers

This is a stunning poetry collection that explores grief after the death of a parent. I really connected to this one and recommend it.

Horizontal Collaboration by Navie and Carole Maurel

This graphic novel was such an interesting and engaging book, it really got under my skin in ways I didn’t expect it to so I really recommend it.

The Friend Who Lied by Rachel Amphlett

This was my first novel by this author and it definitely won’t be the last because I very much enjoyed it.

Girl in Snow by Danya Kukafka

I’d had an ARC of this on my TBR for over a year so I was glad to finally pick it up.  It was a really gripping read so I’m really glad I read it.

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

I listened to the audio book on Scribd* and found it really interesting but the way the book was written wasn’t quite as engaging as I hoped it would be.

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

I finally read this book this month and I’m so happy that I did because I loved it! I’ve had the hardback of this on my TBR ever since it was first published but somehow hadn’t read it yet. It was my priority book from my 20 Books of Summer challenge and I loved every single second that I spent reading this one!

Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I had an ARC of this but I decided to buy the audiobook as I’d heard it was good and I’m so glad I did. I completely and utterly adored this book, I think it’s going to be one of my favourite reads of the year. I highly recommend it, especially the audio!

Every Mother’s Nightmare by Mark Thomas

I knew this would be a difficult read because of the subject matter but in the end it was the endless grammar, punctuation and formatting errors that almost made me give up on this. I did finish it but I wouldn’t recommend it.

What Red Was by Rosie Price

This was an okay read for me. I enjoyed the first half but then it just started to drag a little. The writing is really good but there were too many storylines for the length of the novel. I would look out for more books by this author in the future though.

The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna by Juliet Grames

This was my second book for the 20 Books of Summer challenge and I adored it! It’s such a stunning novel and one that I keep finding myself thinking about.

The Lost Properties of Love by Sophie Ratcliffe

This book is part-fiction and part-memoir and I loved it. It’s such a beautiful novel and one that really made me think over things in my own life from a new perspective. I already know that I want to re-read this.

Nutshell by Ian McEwan

I really enjoyed this short novel about an unborn baby listening in to his mother and her boyfriend plotting the murder of his father! It’s reminded me how much I enjoy Ian McEwan’s writing.

An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

I had an ARC of this but decided to listen to the audio and I’m so glad I did. I think the audio really added to this book and kept me engaged in the story all the way through.

After the End by Clare Mackintosh

This book is stunning! It’s such a heartbreaking read but it will also make you think. I loved this one and highly recommend it.

She’s Not There by Joy Fielding

I bought this book a while ago and have been so keen to read it so I’m glad to have got to it in June. It’s not a book that will really stay with me but I did really enjoy the time that I spent reading it.

The Swap by Fiona Mitchell

I enjoyed this book but it was lacking something for me. I think I just wanted a little bit more depth but that’s not to say that it wasn’t an enjoyable read.

Keep You Close by Karen Cleveland

I really enjoyed this spy thriller and pretty much read it in one sitting. It’s a great premise and it’s such a gripping story so I recommend it.

Last Seen Alive by Claire Douglas

I’ve had this book on my TBR ever since it was published so when I spotted the audio on my library BorrowBox app I decided to part-listen and part-read this book. I really did enjoy this book and now I’m even more excited to read the author’s new book!

Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss

I really enjoyed this book, I read it all in one sitting as it’s a short book and it had more of an impact on me than I was expecting.

The Perfect Betrayal by Lauren North

This is such a brilliant psychological thriller; it’s one of very, very few novels where I just didn’t work out what was going to happen. It’s a flawless thriller and I loved it. I highly recommend this one!

The Trouble With Goats and Sheep by Joanna Cannon

This is another book from my 20 Books of Summer challenge and I fell in love with this one. It’s such a gorgeous book and it’s one I’ll never forget! I did part-read and part-listen to this one (I listened on *Scribd) and the narrator, Paula Wilcox, is so perfect for this book.

Dead Mountain by Donnie Eichar

This is such a fascinating and intriguing book. I enjoyed seeing the process of how the author believes he may have solved the mystery of what happened to the hikers. I still feel like there’s something more to the story though so if anyone has any recommendations I’d love to hear them.

Furious Hours by Casey Cep

I found this book so interesting, it was such a good read. I was intrigued by the case that this book focuses on and also to learn more about Harper Lee. I will try and review this one soon but in the meantime I definitely recommend it.

Something To Tell You by Lucy Diamond

This is another book where I had a NetGalley copy but listened to it on audio. It’s such an engaging story that ends up being a really heart-warming read.

Hard Pushed by Leah Hazard

I found this book so interesting, it’s really eye-opening to read about what life is like for midwives. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.

Something to Live For by Richard Roper

I loved this novel! It’s such a moving and heart-warming book and it was such a tonic on a couple of days when I was feeling a bit low and unwell. I’ll be reviewing this one next week for the blog tour.

Me and the Table by Stephen Hendry

I downloaded the audio of this on a whim when I saw it in the BorrowBox app, and I’m so glad I did because it was a really enjoyable memoir.

 

*I’m a paid member of Scribd (as mentioned above) and they have given me a code that will allow you to sign up and get two months free (and I would get one month free). If you’d like to try them out here is the link. I love Scribd and highly recommend them.

June Blog Posts & Reviews:

I started off June by Wrapping-Up May! May was a great reading month so June had a lot to live up to, and as you can see from this post it managed it! My first review of June was Dead Inside by Noelle Holten, a brilliant new crime novel by a fab blogger and author! I then continued on with my occasional Mini review series with my thoughts on Ordinary People by Diana Evans, Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward, The Furies by Katie Lowe, and Entanglement by Katy Mahood. I read the final book in the I Heart series I Heart Hawaii by Lindsey Kelk  and managed to review it straight away for once! It was then time for This Week in Books 5 June . My next review was of an incredible novel that I read in one sitting The Flight of Cornelia Blackwood by Susan Elliot Wright. It was then my turn on the blog tour for We Never Said Goodbye by Helene Fermont and I shared my review. It was then time for my first Book Haul  of the month!

In the second week of June I posted another selection of Mini reviews of Girl in Snow by Danya Kukafka, I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney, The Golden Child by Wendy James, and Need to Know by Karen Cleveland. It was then time for my stop on the blog tour for A Modern Family by Helga Flatland, a book that left its mark on me and I’m sure it’ll be one of my books of the year! I also took part in the blog tour for The Space Between Time by Charlie Laidlaw, another fab book! I then decided to go back to WWW Wednesdays  and shared my current and recent reads plus what I hoped to read next! My next review was of another incredible novel The Van Apfel Girls Are Gone by Felicity McLean, which I’m still finding myself thinking about weeks after reading it! Then it was time for another Book Haul!

In the third week of June I shared my review of The Friend Who Lied by Rachel Amphlett as part of the blog tour. It was my first book by the author and it definitely won’t be the last as I really enjoyed it. My next review was of the brilliant Sister of Mine by Laurie Petrou. Then it was time for my next WWW Wednesdays post! It was then my turn to share my review of the beautiful debut novel Death and Other Happy Endings by Melanie Cantor. My final review of this week was of the moving poetry collection The Sea Refuses No River by Bethany Rivers. Then it was time for another Book Haul (eek!).

In the last week of June I started by sharing another selection of Mini reviews of An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, The Neighbour by Fiona Cummins, What Red Rose by Rosie Price, and Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter. I then got to share my review of the stunning graphic novel Horizontal Collaboration by Navie and Carole Maurel. It was my turn on the blog tour for The Perfect Betrayal by Lauren North, this was one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve read in a long time as it completely blindsided me! I also shared my latest WWW Wednesdays  post. I was delighted to share my thoughts on a gorgeous book that was part novel and part memoir The Lost Properties of Love by Sophie Ratcliffe. Up next came my review of spy thriller Keep You Close by Karen Cleveland and that was followed by my thoughts on the incredible After the End by Clare Mackintosh! I then shared another book haul and that was followed with the audio book tag!

 

The state of my TBR:

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So I think I’m going to give up on tracking my TBR for the moment as it’s just completely out of control! I need to go through my books and have a sort out so once I’ve managed to get that done I may start tracking it again. I will be doing my mid-year book stats post later this week so my TBR will feature in that post. Eeeek!!

 

 

How was June for you? I hope you all had a good month and that you read lots of good books. Did you read many books? What was your favourite book of the month? Please tell me in the comments, I’d love to know. Also, if you have a blog please feel free to leave a link to your month’s wrap-up post and I’ll be sure to read and comment back. 🙂

 

Review: Keep You Close by Karen Cleveland | @TransworldBooks @annecater #RandomThingsTours

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About the Book

A strange sensation runs through me, a feeling that I don’t know this person in front of me, even though he matters more to me than anyone ever has, than anyone ever will.

You go into your son’s bedroom. It’s the usual mess. You tidy up some dirty plates, pick up some clothes, open the wardrobe to put them away.

And that’s when you find it. Something so shocking it doesn’t seem real.

And you realize a horrifying truth…

Your own son might be dangerous…

 

My Thoughts

The premise of Keep Her Close grabbed my attention right away! Steph is an FBI agent and a single mum to her teenage son Zach. One day she is in his room and she makes a horrifying discovery in his wardrobe. I immediately wanted to know more and I’m happy to say that this book kept me gripped all the way through.

Steph is an FBI agent and is trained in spotting when someone is lying and so when she confronts her son and he denies all knowledge she is convinced he’s telling the truth. This made for an interesting dynamic because I think people find it hard to believe a loved one is doing anything wrong so I wasn’t sure that Steph was right to believe Zach so easily. By the same token it’s her job to know and she understands issues of security so I wondered if maybe she was right and someone was setting Zach, or possibly her, up.

Keep Her Close is set in the present day but there are a few flashbacks spread throughout the novel, and I really enjoyed that element. I like being able to slowly piece together someone’s background and to build up a picture of how they got to be who they are.

Keep Her Close soon ramps up the tension as a colleague of Steph’s approaches her with intelligence he has about a domestic anarchist group that Zach may be involved in. Steph starts digging, determined to prove that her son is being set up but the investigation leads down some dark paths and I ended up not being sure at all of who I could trust in this novel.

I really liked Steph throughout this novel. She’s something of a flawed character in that she is stubborn and doesn’t easily let people in, neither in her private life nor at work, and this makes things harder for her. She also gets fixated on a particular problem to the detriment of other things that she should be doing. And she’s fiercely protective of her son. But, for me, all of this made her human and meant I could identify with her a lot of the time and I was always rooting for her.

This was such a fast-paced, gripping novel and it would make a perfect holiday read – it’s a book to pick up and devour while the real world disappears for a while!

Many thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

Keep You Close is out now and available here.

 

About the Author

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Karen Cleveland spent eight years as a CIA analyst, focusing on counterterrorism and working briefly on rotation to the FBI. She has master’s degrees from Trinity College Dublin and Harvard University. She lives in northern Virginia with her husband and two young sons.

 

 

You can find the rest of this tour at the following blogs:

Keep You Close Blog Tour Poster

WWW Wednesdays (26 Jun 2019)!

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WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. It’s open for anyone to join in and is a great way to share what you’ve been reading! All you have to do is answer three questions and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.

The three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

A similar meme is run by Lipsyy Lost and Found where bloggers share This Week in Books #TWiB.

 

What I’m reading now:

Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident by Donnie Eichar

This is a book that I heard about a while ago and then forgot the author and title but I had remembered the blurb, so when I got an email from Amazon this week recommending it to me I immediately bought it! I’m reading this now and it’s such a disturbing and yet fascinating read about a group of hikers in 1959 who went missing and were found dead in strange and unexplained circumstances. A lot of the book is recreating who the people were and the trail they walked before they came to harm and I’m finding it so interesting.

Something To Live For by Richard Roper

I’m only a few chapters into this novel but I can tell it’s going to be a book that I love. It follows a man who has a lonely life, and his job is to deal with the funerals of people who have died alone and have no family. His work colleagues want to start a Come Dine With Me idea of each member of staff cooking for the rest of their team at their home on rotation so I’m really keen to see what this leads to!

Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep

I finally picked this book back up this week and I read most of it yesterday! I’m so glad I got back into this because it’s such an interesting read. I’m up to the final section now and learning how much input Harper Lee had into Truman Capote’s research for In Cold Blood is fascinating.

 

What I recently finished reading:

The Trouble With Goats and Sheep by Joanna Cannon

This was my third pick for my 20 Books of Summer challenge and I’m so happy that I finally read this. What a gorgeous novel – so funny in places and moving in others. I have a lovely hardback of this but I found the audio on Scribd* so I part-listened and part-read it. The narrator, Paula Wilcox, is so perfect for this book and she really added to the novel. I will try to write a full review of this one soon.

The Perfect Betrayal by Lauren North

This book was everything a psychological thriller should be and I loved it. I’ve already reviewed this so you can find my full thoughts here if you’d like to know more.

Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss

I’ve had an ARC of this on my TBR for way too long but I finally picked it up at the weekend and I read it in one sitting. I found this a really engrossing read, it had so much more to it than I was expecting and I really enjoyed it.

Last Seen Alive by Claire Douglas

I’ve finally replaced my library card and downloaded BorrowBox so I can borrow audiobooks from there. I had an ebook of this but when I saw the audio I decided to listen to it. I flew through it and was listening to it every spare minute I had as I was so keen to find out what was going on and how it was all going to end. I recommend this one.

Keep You Close by Karen Cleveland

I really enjoyed this new thriller and found it hard to put down. I’m going to be sharing my review of this one tomorrow so please look out for that then.

 

What I plan on reading next:

The Last Stage by Louise Voss

I love Louise Voss’ writing and was hoping to get to this book this week but didn’t quite manage it but it’s definitely on my stack to read next! I can’t wait!

The Hidden Wife by Amanda Reynolds

I was delighted to be approved for this book on NetGalley recently and am really keen to read it so I’m planning on making it one of my reads for the coming week!

Normal People by Sally Rooney

This is likely going to be my next pick from my 20 Books of Summer Challenge as I’ve found the audio on Scribd* so I’m going to part read my hardback and part listen to the audio. I found Conversations With Friends easier to get through on audio so am hoping it also adds to the reading experience of this one too.

 

 

*I’m a paid member of Scribd (as mentioned above) and they have given me a code that will allow you to sign up and get two months free (and I would get one month free). If you’d like to try them out here is the link. I love Scribd and highly recommend them.

 

 

What have you been reading this week? I’d love to hear. And if you take part in WWW Wednesday or This Week in Books please feel free to leave your link below and I’ll make sure to visit and comment on your post. 🙂

Stacking the Shelves with a #bookhaul (22 Jun 2019)!

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Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews and Reading Reality, which is all about sharing the books that you’ve acquired in the past week!

 

Purchased Books and eBooks

Rinse Spin Repeat by Edith Fassnidge

I’ve been wanting to read this book for ages so decided to treat myself with the little bit of money left on my book voucher from my birthday. This is a graphic novel memoir so I’ll probably read this very soon.

You Are What You Read by Jodie Jackson

I read some great reviews of this book on its recent blog tour and have been intrigued by it so decided to buy a copy. It’s a look at how what we read and see in the media affects us. It sounds fascinating and it’s not a big book so I hope to read this one quite soon.

 

Purchased AudioBooks

Melmoth by Sarah Perry

I’ve been wanting to read this book for a while as I really enjoyed The Essex Serpent. I spotted it as a daily deal on Audible this week so I snapped it up!

The Blind Watchmaker by Richard Dawkins

This was an impulse buy when I saw this was a daily deal on Audible. I read one of Richard Dawkins’ books a few years ago now and found it really interesting so I’m intrigued by this one.

 

ARCs

Someone We Know by Shari Lapena

I was super excited when this parcel arrived through my letterbox yesterday! I love Shari Lapena’s writing so can’t wait to read her latest!

Keep You Close by Karen Cleveland

This book arrived at the start of this week and I’ve actually already read it. I really enjoyed this thriller and will be reviewing it soon for the blog tour.

Clear My Name by Paula Daly

I’m a huge fan of Paula Daly so couldn’t resist requesting this one on NetGalley. I was thrilled to be approved to read it and plan on getting to this very soon. I love Paula Daly’s writing so much that I didn’t even look what this book was about, I just knew I had to read it!

The Darkest Summer by Ella Drummond

I read and enjoyed Ella’s first novel last year so was delighted to be invited to read her new novel for the blog tour. I’ll be reading this one in the coming weeks!

 

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Poppy’s Recipe for Life by Heidi Swain

A lovely blogger friend of mine so kindly offered to send me her copy of this book as I’ve been so keen to read it. It looks like a lovely summery read and I’m hoping for some nice weather so that I can read it out in the garden!

 

Have you bought any new books over the last week? Please tell me below. 🙂 If you join in with Stacking the Shelves please feel free to leave your link and I’ll make sure to read and comment on your post.

WWW Wednesdays (19 Jun 2019)!

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WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. It’s open for anyone to join in and is a great way to share what you’ve been reading! All you have to do is answer three questions and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.

The three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

A similar meme is run by Lipsyy Lost and Found where bloggers share This Week in Books #TWiB.

 

What I’m reading now:

The Perfect Betrayal by Lauren North

I’m only a few chapters into this book but it’s got my gripped so far! I’m really keen to see where it’s going to go!

Keep You Close by Karen Cleveland

I received an ARC of this through the post earlier this week and it sounded so good that I’ve started reading it already!

Furious Hours by Casey Kep

I haven’t read anymore of this over the last week as I just wasn’t in the mood for non-fiction but I will be getting back to this over the coming week.

 

What I recently finished reading:

 

The Swap by Fiona Mitchell

I’ve been reading this on and off for the last couple of weeks. It really grabbed me initially but then I lost my way with it a bit. I’d still recommend it, I think it’s a case of it being me not the books.

She’s Not There by Joy Fielding

I’ve had this book on my TBR for a while so was glad to get to it this week. I enjoyed it.

After the End by Clare Mackintosh

This book is incredible! It’s beautifully written, and it made me think. I will review this once I can get my thoughts down in a coherent fashion. I definitely recommend pre-ordering this though!

An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendriks and Sarah Pekkanen

I had an ARC of this but decided to listen to the audiobook and I’m glad I did. I enjoyed listening to it but I’m not sure I would have got through it so quickly if I was reading it. I’ll review it when I’ve got my thoughts together.

Nutshell by Ian McEwan

I’ve been wanting to read this for ages and it caught my eye on my bookshelf this week so I picked it up. I enjoyed it, it was certainly different from anything else I’ve read!

The Lost Properties of Love by Sophie Ratcliffe

This book is stunning and I loved every minute that I spent reading it. It was a different read for me and I definitely recommend it. I’ll be reviewing this next week for the blog tour so please look out for that.

 

What I plan on reading next:

The Last Stage by Louise Voss

I couldn’t resist buying the ebook of this last week when it was on offer (I have the paperback on pre-order but I’m just so keen to read it!) so this is going to be my next read. I love Louise Voss’ writing and have been a fan since her first book came out years ago!

Something to Live For by Richard Roper

I’ve been looking forward to reading this book for a while now so definitely want to make it a priority to read in the coming week.

A Nearly Normal Family by M. T. Edvardsson

I was thrilled to get approved for this on NetGalley a little while ago and it’s been calling to me ever since. I’m going to try and make time to read it this week!

The Trouble with Goats and Sheep by Joanna Cannon

I’ve had this book on my TBR ever since it was first published and I’m so keen to read it this summer. I’ve picked it for my 20 Books of Summer and would really like to make it the next book I read off the list.

 

What have you been reading this week? I’d love to hear. And if you take part in WWW Wednesday or This Week in Books please feel free to leave your link below and I’ll make sure to visit and comment on your post. 🙂

Mini Book Reviews: Girl in Snow, I Know Who You Are, The Golden Child & Need to Know!

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Today I’m sharing some more mini book reviews as I continue my mission to catch up with my reviews!

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Girl in Snow by Danya Kukafka

This book is billed as a thriller but it’s more of an exploration of three characters, and once I realised that’s what it was I really quite enjoyed this novel. The premise is that a teenage girl, Lucinda, has been found murdered and the novel is told from the perspective of three other characters: Cameron – a teenage boy who is quite obsessed with Lucinda, Jade – a teenage girl who thinks Lucinda has a perfect life and she wants that for herself, and Russ – one of the detectives investigating the murder. I did hope for a bit more depth in these characters but having said that I did get completely invested in wanting to know what had made them the way they were, and how far Cameron and Jade’s fixation with Lucinda might have led them. It’s a book that really looks at what makes us who we are and makes us do the things we do, and what the consequences of that is. I’ll definitely look out for more books by this author and I recommend this one.

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I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney

I loved Alice Feeney’s previous novel, Sometimes I Lie, so I had very high hopes for this new book. I was gripped very quickly and found it really hard to put down. The novel is about actress Aimee Sinclair. She comes home one day and finds her husband missing but she can’t remember when exactly she last saw him. The police get involved and very soon suspect Aimee of knowing more than she’s letting on. Aimee is something of an enigma, she plays on her acting skills to get her through situations but she’s also convinced she’s being stalked and becomes increasingly anxious and on edge. Interspersed with the chapters from the present day we find out about Aimee’s childhood, which was a difficult time for her. I’d say I very much enjoyed the first 80% or so of this novel but I just didn’t like the ending at all. I read a lot of thrillers and I’m quite happy to suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride but the ending of this book was just too far-fetched for me. It brought me right out of the book and I was left disappointed. I still love Alice Feeney’s writing and I will definitely be buying whatever she writes next but this book just wasn’t for me in the end.

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The Golden Child by Wendy James

This is such a brilliant novel! It follows Lizzy who is a blogger and she shares her perfect life online; unfortunately the reality isn’t quite so perfect. There is a lot of tension with her husband, her mum and her mother-in-law; not to mention the normal trials and tribulations of her two teenage daughters. Then one day a nasty episode of bullying happens at her daughters’ school and the finger of blame is pointed at one of Lizzy’s daughters. You also get to see the other side of the story as the novel follows the mother of the girl who was so horribly bullied. It’s fascinating to see how the two women deal with the situation and how the whole thing slowly unravels. I found this book so difficult to put down once I started reading it. The multiple perspectives keeps the book moving at a pace, and the way the lives of the so-called perfect family unravels is so well done. This is such a great novel and I definitely recommend it!

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Need to Know by Karen Cleveland

I read this book quite a while ago now and that fact that it is still sticking in my head shows how good it is! It’s a novel about Vivien, a CIA analyst who works to try and uncover Russian cells in the USA. She’s also married with a young family so she’s juggling a lot. One day she uncovers something at work and can’t unsee what she’s seen. The slow realisation that everything she holds dear could now be at risk is terrifying for her and she’s put in the position of whether to protect family or country. This novel is a rollercoaster ride and one that I just couldn’t stop reading once I started it. And it has one of the most brilliant endings to a novel, I loved it! I can’t wait to read Karen Cleveland’s next novel, which I believe is due out very soon!

 

 

That Was The Month That Was… January 2019!

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January is a month that I’ve struggled with in recent years but actually this January didn’t weigh on me quite as much so I feel like I’ve made progress in coming to terms with some things. I also turned 40 this month so am determined that my 40s will be fabulous!

I always plan ahead to keep my mind occupied in January so this time my plan was simple… read lots of good books! And I definitely succeeded with this! I read more books in January then ever before (since I started keeping record of what I read) and ended up finishing 34 books over the month! I can’t pick a single favourite as pretty much every book was really good but I have to give a special mention to Ideal Angels by Robert Welbourn because that book was incredible and it won’t let go of my thoughts!

I also managed a lot more blogging in January than I’ve done for a while and I’m really enjoying it. It feels like my blogging mojo is fully back now after the wobble I had over the summer so hopefully it will stick around now!

 

Here are the books I read in January:

The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar

This was a Christmas present from my husband. I’ve been wanting to read it for a while and it was worth the wait because I loved it. I already feel that this will make my favourite books of the year so 2019 was off to an amazing start!

Ivy and Abe by Elizabeth Enfield

I had an ARC of this book but I decided to listen to the audio book while I was feeling unwell and I very much enjoyed it. I’m fascinated by the idea of fate so this book was right up my street. I do plan on reviewing it when I get a chance.

The Liar’s Girl by Catherine Ryan Howard

This was another excellent book that I just couldn’t put down! I’ve already reviewed this so you can see my full thoughts here if you’d like to.

The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley

This book a really good way to pass a cold, wintery day when I needed some escapism! My review is here if you’d like to know more.

The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert

I’ve had this book on my TBR for ages and so I decided to part listen to the audio and part read it and I adored it. It was everything I hoped it would be and more!

The Rumour by Lesley Kara

This book was brilliant, it more than lived up to my expectations for it and is another book that I think may well be on my top books of the year! My review is here if you’d like to read it.

The Story Keeper by Anna Mazzola

This book is so atmospheric and had me gripped from start to finish. Find out more in my review here.

No More Plastic by Martin Dorey

This was an interesting introduction to reducing plastic but I was hoping to learn more. I’d definitely recommend it if you’re looking for somewhere to start though.

The Perfect Girlfriend by Karen Hamilton

I’d had an ARC of this on my TBR for quite a while and I finally picked it up in January and I ended up reading it in one sitting, it was so good! Here’s my full review!

The Second Sister by Claire Kendall

I bought this book sometime last year and I spotted it when I was tidying up my shelves last month so kept it out to read. It was a good thriller, it kept me turning the pages!

Ideal Angels by Robert Welbourn

This book is incredible. I loved it, even though it broke my heart. I know this book will be in my favourite reads of 2019, it just won’t let go of me. My full review is here if you’d like to know more.

The Party by Lisa Hall

This book was an okay read, it was one I read over the space of a couple of hours but it wasn’t as thrilling as I’d hoped.

Storyteller: The Authorised Biography of Roald Dahl by Donald Sturrock 

I’ve had the audio book of this for ages and it caught my eye when I was going through my Audible app recently. I very much enjoyed learning more about Roald Dahl, and I now want to read all my favourite of his books!

The Language of Kindness by Christie Watson

I’ve wanted to read this ever since I first heard about it so when I spotted it on an Audible deal recently I snapped it up. I listened to it over a couple of days and found it really interesting. It didn’t have the same lasting impression as Adam Kay’s book but it was a good listen.

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

I was lucky to receive an ARC of this last year and finally picked it up a couple of weeks ago and I devoured it in one sitting. It is such a brilliant novel, I loved it! My review is here if you’d like to know more.

Into the Silent Sea by Claire Stibbe

This was a really good thriller and another book that I flew through as I simply had to know how it would all end. Here’s my review!

The Suspect by Fiona Barton

I’ve read and enjoyed Fiona Barton’s previous two novels so I was delighted to receive a copy of this one. This is a brilliant novel, definitely Fiona’s best yet and I loved it. My full review is here if you’d like to know more.

Our Kind of Cruelty by Araminta Hall

This is another ARC that has been on my TBR longer than it should but when I did pick it up I devoured it. I was gripped from start to finish. I hope to get my review finished and posted soon.

Only Child by Rhiannon Navin

This was a really good read, although I struggled at times with the child narrator. Here’s my review.

Need to Know by Karen Cleveland

I read this novel in one sitting over the course of an afternoon and I loved it. I was intrigued from the opening chapter and it had me hooked right to the end. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.

Dear Mrs Bird by AJ Pearce

I had an ARC of this so I read it while also listening to the audio book and I really enjoyed it. It’s such a wonderful novel, one that I think I might re-read in the future. I hope to get my review posted soon.

Bring me Back by BA Paris

Sadly I didn’t really get on with this book, it was too far-fetched to me and it just didn’t gel at all. I have enjoyed a previous book by the author so maybe this just wasn’t the right book for me.

The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer

This book has been on my TBR since it was first published but I’ve put off reading it because it felt like it was no longer for me. I’m so glad that I gave it a go though as I got a lot more out of it than I was expecting to so I recommend it.

Diversify by June Sarpong

This book was hit and miss for me. There were chapters that really struck a chord and others that didn’t. I’m glad I read it though, it was interesting for the most part.

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

I finally read this book and I can totally see why it got so much praise last year! I loved it too, it was so different to other books in this genre and I really appreciate how much work it must have taken.

Dead Girls by Graeme Cameron

This was a good read, it wasn’t as good as the previous book Normal but it was still a book that I read in just two sittings.

Notes on A Nervous Planet by Matt Haig

This was another Christmas present and I’m glad I picked it up when I did. I found it even more useful than I was expecting to and I think it is a book that I will go back to in the future.

A Very English Scandal by John Preston

This audio book was fascinating, shocking but really interesting. I already knew some things about this case but there was so much I didn’t know. I was hooked all the way through this book, it left me reeling!

Senseless by Anna Lickley

This is such a good novel. It’s got a great storyline, which I really enjoyed and it also has excellent disability representation, which I very much appreciate in a novel. I’ll be reviewing this in February for the blog tour!

Tilly and the Bookwanderers: Pages & Co. by Anna James

I got this book for Christmas and I saved it to read on the anniversary of my mum’s death when I knew I would need a comforting read. This book was everything I hope it would be and so much more besides, I adored it! I’m hoping to get a chance to re-read A Little Princess soon as it’s reminded me how much I loved that novel as a child.

The Six Loves of Billy Binns by Richard Lumsden

This book was beautiful, so much more more than I was expecting it to be and I loved it. I’ve already reviewed this so you can see that here if you’d like to know more.

The Cactus by Sarah Hayward

This book is gorgeous! I read it in one sitting and I completely and utterly fell in love with it. I’ll definitely be reviewing this one soon but in the meantime I highly recommend it!

Someone Like Me by MR Carey

I was sent an ARC of this and was told it was a thriller so I was a bit discombobulated when I started reading it. I’m still not sure what I think of it but I did read it in just a couple of sittings so it definitely gripped me!

Spare Room by Dreda Say Mitchell

I read this book in one sitting and it kept me up way past my bed time as I just couldn’t put it down! I reviewed this one yesterday so you can find that here if you’d like to know more.

 

January Blog Posts & Reviews:

My Favourite Novels Read in 2018

My Favourite Non-Fiction Read in 2018

Reading Bingo for 2018! Was it a full house for me??

2018 Reading Reflections, Statistics and Plans for Tackling the TBR

 

Stacking the Shelves (5th Jan)

Mini Crime and Thriller Book Reviews featuring A Noise Downstairs by Linwood Barclay, The Mystery of Three Quarters by Sophie Hannah, All The Hidden Truths by Claire Askew and Bluebird Bluebird by Attica Locke)

Review of The Liar’s Girl by Catherine Ryan Hyde

New Year Book Tag

This Week in Books (9 Jan)

Review of The Story Keeper by Anna Mazzola

Review of The Perfect Girlfriend by Karen Hamilton

Review of The Rumour by Lesley Kara

Stacking the Shelves (12 Jan)

Review of The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Review of The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley

This Week in Books (16 Jan)

Review of Only Child by Rhiannon Navin

Review of Ideal Angels by Robert Welbourn

Stacking the Shelves (19 Jan)

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying up and How the #KonMari Method Changed My Life!

This was a much more personal post than I normally share on my blog but I wanted to share how following Marie Kondo’s de-cluttering methods had actually made a huge difference to my life!

Music Monday: In My Life by The Beatles

Review of Into the Silent Sea by Claire Stibbe

Review of The Suspect by Fiona Barton

This Week in Books (23 Jan)

Stacking the Shelves (26 Jan)

The Six Loves of Billy Binns by Richard Lumsden

This Week in Books (30 Jan)

Review of Spare Room by Dreda Say Mitchell

 

The state of my TBR:

the-state-of-my-2

Well, in 2018 I succeeded in reducing my mammoth TBR… but 2019 has been the month with all the books. I started January with 2447 books (this is books that I own, I don’t add books to my TBR if I don’t own them) and have ended the month with 2464 books. Oops! This is in spite of me reading 34 books off my TBR this month, the fact is that I’ve acquired 51 books so overall my TBR has increased by 17 books. My plan is to reduce my TBR by 20 books every month so I need to do some serious reading and/or unhauling (unhauling keeps autocorrecting to unfailing and I was so tempted to leave it at that! Haha!) in February to get back on track! In all seriousness though I’m not worried as last year the reduction of my TBR happened over the course of the year so I feel sure I’ll be back on track come December 31st!

 

 

How was your January? I hope you all had a good month and that you read lots of good books. Did you read many books? What was your favourite book of the month? Please tell me in the comments, I’d love to know. Also, if you have a blog please feel free to leave a link to your month’s wrap-up post and I’ll be sure to read and comment back. 🙂

This Week in Books (23 Jan 2019)! What are you reading at the moment?

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Today I’m taking in part in This Week in Books, which was started by Lipsyy Lost and Found! If you want to join in you just need to share what you’re reading now, what you’ve read over the last week, and what you hope to read next.

Now

Tilly and the BookWanderers: Pages and Co. #1 by Anna James

I got this book for Christmas and I saved it to read this week when I knew I would want a comforting read. This is such a perfect book, I adore it!

Senseless by Anna Lickley

I’m really enjoying this book, there is real honesty about living with disability in various forms but above all it’s a really good novel. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.

Gone by Midnight by Candice Fox

This is such a good read too. I had to put it down for a couple of days as I needed a quieter kind of read but I’ll be picking it back up in the next day or so.

Trauma: From Lockerbie to 7/7: How Trauma Affects Our Minds And How We Fight Back by Gordon Turnbull

I haven’t read any more of this book this week as it wasn’t the right time for me but I will definitely be getting back to it very soon.

 

Then

Dead Girls by Graeme Cameron

I loved Normal by this author so have been wanting to read Dead Girls and finally listened to the audio book this week. It didn’t quite live up to the first book for me but it was still a really good read.

Diversify by June Sarpong

I also listened to this on audio this week and I’m not sure how I feel about it. Some parts were good and struck a chord with me but others didn’t.

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hugo by Stuart Turton

I have been wanting to read this since it first came out and I’m so glad I finally got to read it. It’s a definite five star read and I loved it!

The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer

I’ve had this on my TBR for such  a long time and something kept putting me off picking it up. It caught my eye this week though and I think I read it at just the right time as I got more out of it than I was expecting to.

Bring Me Back by BA Paris

I’m afraid I didn’t really get on with this book. There was enough in it to keep me listening to the audio book but it wasn’t as good as The Breakdown.

Dear Mrs Bird by AJ Pearce

This book is wonderful, I loved every minute that I spent reading it!

Need to Know by Karen Cleveland

This was another one sitting book, I was gripped all the way through!

Our Kind of Cruelty by Araminta Hall

I loved this book too. It’s one that keeps coming into my head, it’s not letting go of me which is always the sign of a good book.

Only Child by Rhiannon Navin

I finished this book this week and enjoyed it. My full review is here.

The Suspect by Fiona Barton

This is my favourite of Fiona Barton’s novels to date, it was so good! I’ve reviewed it today so you should be able to find it if you’d like to know more.

 

Next

The Six Love of Billy Binns by Richard Lumsden

I was hoping to read this book this week but it wasn’t the right time for what seemed like could be an emotional read so I’m going to pick it up this coming week instead and I’m looking forward to it.

East of England by Eamonn Griffin

I’m on the blog tour for this next month so am hoping to pick it up this week.

All the Little Lies by Chris Curran

I love Chris Curran’s writing so I’m delighted to have an ARC of her latest book and really want to read it asap!

Louis and Louise by Julie Cohen

I’ve seen some fab reviews of this on the blog tour this week so when I realised I had an ARC from NetGalley on my Kindle I knew I had to pick it up as soon as I can.

 

What have you been reading this week? I’d love to hear. And if you take part in This Week in Books or WWW Wednesday please feel free to leave your link below and I’ll make sure to visit and comment on your post. 🙂

This Week in Books (16 Jan 2019)! What are you reading?

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Today I’m taking in part in This Week in Books, which was started by Lipsyy Lost and Found! If you want to join in you just need to share what you’re reading now, what you’ve read over the last week, and what you hope to read next.

Now

The Suspect by Fiona Barton

I’m really gripped by this book, it’s my favourite Fiona Barton novel to date! I was engrossed in it most of yesterday afternoon and can’t wait to get back to it.

Only Child by Rhiannon Navin

I had a break from this novel for most of this week but I’m back reading it again now and hope to finish it soon. It’s a good read but I find the child’s voice and perspective a little too much at times.

Trauma: From Lockerbie to 7/7: How Trauma Affects Our Minds And How We Fight Back by Gordon Turnbull

I’ve read a couple more chapters of this over the last week and am still finding it fascinating. It’s a brilliant book.

 

Then

The Language of Kindness by Christie Watson

I bought this as an audio book recently and listened to it over the last couple of days. It was an interesting book and gave an insight into different aspects of nursing. I didn’t love it as much as I thought I would but I would still recommend it.

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

This book was brilliant, it’s a perfect psychological thriller and I literally read it from cover to cover in one sitting! I’ve already reviewed this so if you’d like to know more you can read my thoughts here.

Into the Silent Sea by Claire Stibbe

I found this novel so gripping! It took me a couple of chapters to find my feet with it and then it became really hard to put down. I’ll be reviewing this one next week on my blog so keep an eye out for that soon.

Storyteller: The Authorised Biography of Roald Dahl by Donald Sturrock

I listened to this on audio book over the last week or so and really enjoyed it. It was so interesting to learn more about Roald Dahl and it’s made me want to go back and re-read all my childhood favourites by him, followed by his adult fiction that I’ve never read.

The Party by Lisa Hall

This was a quick and enjoyable enough read.

Ideal Angels by Robert Welbourn

This book is incredible! I’m going to be reviewing it on here tomorrow and am still tweaking my review because I loved it so much that I’m struggling to get my thoughts in order on the screen.

The Second Sister by Claire Kendall

This is the first novel I’ve read by Claire Kendall and I really enjoyed it. It wasn’t what I was expecting it to be but it kept me hooked all the way through. I’ve got The Book of You on my TBR so plan on trying to get to that soon.

The Perfect Girlfriend by Karen Hamilton

I had this book on my TBR since March 2018 but I finally picked it up in the last week and I read it in one go! It was such a good read, and I loved it. I’ve already reviewed this book so you can read my full review here if you’d like to know more.

 

Next

The Six Loves of Billy Binns by Richard Lumsden

I’m going to be on the blog tour for this in a couple of weeks time so I’m planning to read this in the coming week. I think this could be an emotional read for me but I’m looking forward to reading it all the same.

Need to Know by Karen Cleveland

This is an ARC that I’ve had on my TBR for quite a while so I want to try and read this in the next few days if I can. I’m really keen to get to it.

Tilly and the Bookwanderers: Pages and Co. #1 by Anna James

I got this for Christmas and have been saving it to read this week as I knew I’d want a comforting, easy read in the next few days. I feel sure this will be that book.

Matilda by Roald Dahl

This is a book I’ve always loved but I haven’t re-read it in a really long time so I think this week might be a nice time for me to pick it up again.

 

What have you been reading this week? I’d love to hear. And if you take part in This Week in Books or WWW Wednesday please feel free to leave your link below and I’ll make sure to visit and comment on your post. 🙂