I went into this expecting a generic thriller, but it turned out to be rather good. The ending wandered into unlikely territory which spoilt it a little for me, but overall a good read. 4🌟

Thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Penguin Books (UK), for the opportunity to read an ARC. #NetGalley

#wintergames
#TBRRead
#teamfozziwig
@BarkingMadRun @Clwojick @StayCurious

#wintergames
#teamfozziwig

@BarkingMadRun @StayCurious @Clwojick

Although I‘ve never actually seen this, it doesn‘t sound too bad. Starring Amy Acker (love her!) & Ketch sorry David Haydn-Jones, it‘s directed by Jason Priestley.

#festivephotochallenge. #wintergames. #teamfozziwig

@BarkingMadRun @StayCurious @Clwojick

Mine is Hope McSnowy.

#wintergames #teamfozziwig

@Clwojick @StayCurious @BarkingMadRun

#wintergames. #teamfozziwig

@Clwojick @StayCurious @BarkingMadRun

1. 165 so far.
2. 200
3. I haven‘t chosen any particular books as yet.
4. Staying in front of a warm fire with a good book.

#WinterGames. #TeamFozziwig

@BarkingMadRun @Clwojick @StayCurious

My #HarryPotter advent calendar.

#FestivePhotoChallenge #WinterGames #TeamFozziwig

@Clwojick @StayCurious @BarkingMadRun

Not liking this for some reason. DNF‘D @ p48.

Started off very slow, but picked up around 30% of the way through. Twists and turns, & several plot threads that eventually dovetail together nicely. Good read. 4🌟

A look at Darcy‘s continuing appeal, this starts off well. I enjoyed the chapters on Jane Austen herself & her contemporaries. I also liked the comparisons between Darcy, Rochester, & Heathcliff. I think it became a bit monotonous in the fanfic/reimaginings discussion section though. 4🌟

Thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Endeavour Quill, for the opportunity to read an a ARC. #NetGalley

#NFNov. @Clwojick @rsteve388

Such a fascinating subject, but I was disappointed in the actual relating of their stories by the author. A book I expected to be compelling was rather dry in places. 3⭐️

#NFNov @Clwojick @rsteve388

I loved this, it was such a good read. The characters rang true ( I am especially fond of Emily), & the research done was clear in the level of detail. The author also cleverly inserts little references to people, places, & events that could have inspired their writings in this fictional world. 5🌟

Thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Hodder & Stoughton, for the opportunity to read an ARC. #NetGalley

This book about the Tina Fontaine murder is an indictment of the lack of justice that Indigenous people, especially women & girls, faced in Canada. Misogyny & racism combined to create a situation that was truly appalling. An informative yet grim read that was a little academic in places. 3.5🌟

Thanks to NetGalley & publishers Little, Brown Book Group UK, for the opportunity to read an ARC. #NetGalley

#NFNov @Clwojick @rsteve388

This is the first book in this series I have read, although it‘s the third one published, but I think it works fairly well as a stand-alone too. No graphic violence, just a good old fashioned murder mystery. 4🌟

Thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Severn House, for the opportunity to read an ARC. #NetGalley

A real case of truth being stranger than fiction! Stallworth exposes the hatred, ignorance, & self-aggrandisement. There were a few issues with repetition & a dry writing style but overall it‘s worth a read. 3.5🌟

#NFNov. @Clwojick @rsteve388

The synopsis to this sounds great, unfortunately the horrible characters & boring plot make it a chore to read. 2⭐️

Told from the viewpoints of brother & sister-in-law, Edie and Harry, it moves back and forth from 1921 to the heat of battle in 1916. Beautifully written, evocative of the horrors of war, & what followed. I was totally immersed in the lives of the two characters, willing them to finally find peace & move on with their lives. 4.5🌟

Thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Simon & Schuster UK, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Dallas & Peabody investigate when dead bodies turn up minus certain body parts; heart, kidneys, etc. The perp seems to have high connections, as Dallas is taken off the case & put under investigation.

This was not my favourite book in the series, evidenced by how long it took me to actually read it. I don't know why but I found my attention wandering. It just seemed to take an awfully long time for the case to be solved. 3⭐️

A collection of fairy tale retellings including The Three Little Pigs, Beauty and the Beast, and Bluebeard. Some worked well - I really enjoyed The Key, The Twelfth Girl, Better, and Untethered - but others were either too short and ended before they really got going or they just didn't work for me. A mixed bag overall. 3⭐️

I went into this expecting a psychological thriller, but the author takes the issue of our obsession with social media and crafts a thriller with supernatural occurrences. I felt that it didn't always work, but on the whole it was an intriguing concept which kept me reading. 3⭐️

TW: swearing, sexual scenes, discussion about porn, violence.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, Little, Brown Book Group / Orbit, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

13 books read for October - apt number!

I had high hopes in the first half, but I think the plot loses its way in the second half. I expected something darker & more menacing for the conclusion tbh, & I feel as if things weren‘t adequately explained. Love the cover though. 3⭐️

TW: violence, animal deaths, illness, & mention of self-harm.

An entertaining enough read with the usual teenage angst about fitting in at a new school, and boys, amongst the magical goings-on. It was all a bit superficial though, no real sense of danger, & I‘m not sure I will bother reading the rest of the series. It just squeaks a pick rating of 3.5🌟

Not for the faint hearted, this book about Edward IV & his brothers is a weighty tome at over 600 pages packed with historical detail. The death of a Burgundian horse was difficult to read about & it made me dislike Anthony Woodville.

An informative read about this period of English history. 4🌟

Thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Penguin Books UK / Allen Lane, for the opportunity to read an ARC. #NetGalley

The concept was good but I find that for a book like this, the reader has to root for the main character(s). Unfortunately I disliked Rhoda & Dan so it was difficult to care about what happened. 2⭐️

Really not enjoying this so moving on.

TW: sexual assault & violence.

A read that was equal parts heartbreaking & infuriating. The authors deal with this specific case but also show just how long this prejudicial view of women as innate liars when it comes to sexual assault has been entwined with the law. 4🌟

Thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Random House UK/Cornerstone/Windmill Books, for the opportunity to read an ARC. #NetGalley

A look at the fascinating life of Clementine Churchill nee Hosier. From supporting the voting rights of women, organising major charity projects during the war, she refused to be pushed into the background. 4🌟

Thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Quarto Publishing Group - White Lion Publishing, for the opportunity to read an ARC. #NetGalley

I expected a lot from this book - great cover & synopsis looked intriguing, however it was merely okay. I didn‘t connect with any of the characters & I think you need to in order to feel a sense of urgency & menace. 3⭐️

TW: Murders were quite gruesome, some sexual scenes, swearing.

Now, I love my alone time but I‘m not sure even I could go weeks without seeing another human being. Hats off to the author! An incredible journey indeed. 4🌟

Thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Penguin Random House Canada / Allen Lane, for the opportunity to read an ARC. #NetGalley

A fairly entertaining follow up which takes place some weeks after the first book ends. Bobby, Alice, & Pete go looking for the missing Smitty.

Sometimes the teenage snarking got a bit irritating but it was a mostly fun, quick read. 3⭐️

I was never a Moore fan, especially playing James Bond, as I much preferred Timothy Dalton & Pierce Brosnan in the role. Here Moore does come across as a pretty decent, likeable guy who didn‘t take himself too seriously - including being a practical joker on set.

It turned out to be an interesting read. RIP. 4🌟

Started off well, the author set the scene perfectly & it was rather creepy. Things did go downhill about halfway, & I did feel disheartened about the future of Baxter the cat as soon as he was mentioned. 3⭐️

TW: death of a pet, mention of sexual abuse.

Thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Flame Tree Press, for the opportunity to read an ARC. #NetGalley

Marianne, Jesse, & Helen share a dangerous secret - one that could cause all their lives to implode. The narrative takes place in 3 different times: present, 1980s, & 1950s. We go back to see what happened between Marianne & Jesse then further back still for Helen‘s story.

The synopsis looked interesting but the start dragged a little. It did pick up a bit but only a so-so read for me. 3⭐️

The third book in the series is another good read. Well thought out plot with twists & turns. I like the fact that DI Ridpath isn‘t a stereotype, however, I thought Trent & Caruso were depicted as a little too over the top with their refusal to listen to Ridpath. Overall a 4🌟 read.

Thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Canelo, for the opportunity to read an ARC. #NetGalley

This one is okay, but I don‘t think it‘s as good as ‘One of Us is Lying‘. Maybe I read too many of this type of book, but I could see the twists coming. A quick, entertaining read but a tad predictable. 3.5🌟

The original synopsis was incredibly intriguing, but the book itself was rather pedestrian. I found that I had worked out most of the plot early on. It was fairly well written but the story stretches the reader‘s credulity in places. 3⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley & publishers, HarperCollins UK, for the opportunity to read an ARC. #NetGalley

I almost stopped reading after the first couple of chapters because the MC, Robert Diaz, was coming across as a bit of a whiny AH. Eventually it did turn out to be a fairly entertaining read, even if you have to suspend your disbelief. 3⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley & publishers, HQ, for the opportunity to read an ARC. #NetGalley

Trying to keep buying books to a minimum at the moment, but couldn‘t resist these two new releases.

First in a series featuring US army Captain Matthew Grant & British journalist, James Batchelor. This one starts with the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.

The plot itself was good but the MCs were a bit dim at times. Female characters were a little stereotypical & unimaginative. I like other books from author so will read the second, see if things improve.

Note: sexual scenes, & a public hanging is described in some detail.

Absolutely riveting & well researched book about the murder of RFK in June 1968. The authors make a compelling argument that Sirhan Sirhan was a distraction so the real assassin could carry out the kill. The case should be reopened & re-investigated. 5🌟

Deena and her two older sisters are from the Rys family. Rys women who are different & don‘t conform are cursed at age 17 as ‘bad apples‘. When Deena‘s oldest sister, Mandy is presumed dead, Deena believes that Mandy has set off to break the family curse.

The book involves folklore, magic, banshees, Irish history, & LGBTQIA+ issues. Yet I just didn‘t connect with it like other readers have. 3.5🌟 (5🌟for the cover).

DNF‘d at 54 pages read. My mum had read it before me so I asked her if the story was going to pan out as I suspected. When she confirmed I was right, I didn‘t see much point in continuing. Too predictable for me.

A look at how many boys are raised in a culture of toxic masculinity & the serious consequences, not just for them, but for the girls in their lives. Thought provoking, infuriating, & heartbreaking. 4🌟

TW: some harrowing descriptions of sexual assault.

Thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Oneworld Publications, for the opportunity to read an ARC. #NetGalley

Cliched. The person orchestrating most of what happens practically has a flashing neon sign above their head saying “I‘m it!”. Funnily enough, Chloe suspects everyone but this person. A disappointing 2⭐️

The narrative moves between the reported poltergeist haunting of two teenage sisters in 1976, & the present day investigation.

The author conveys the sense of suffocation & unease very well. It was atmospheric but not as chilling as I had hoped, plus I had an inkling about the conclusion & was a little disappointed to be right. 4🌟

Thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Bonnier Books/Zaffre, for the opportunity to read an ARC. #NetGalley

A fairly entertaining zombie-Groundhog-Day mashup. The characters are generic but the plot is quite cleverly done.

I did have two issues: first is that I feel false rape allegations are too much of a ‘hot button‘ topic to be a plot device. Second, there were some spelling/grammatical errors & instances of missing/incorrect words - enough to be noticeable.

I did like it enough to plan on reading the sequel. 3⭐️

This isn‘t my usual genre of reading material, & I can only think that I added it to my TBR due to the asylum angle. Having said that, it was an interesting read & the two converging storylines (1964 & 2008) were handled well.

I found Maggie to be a sympathetic character & her story showed how far we have come in how single women are treated (not that there aren‘t still issues). I wouldn‘t reread it but it was worth the initial read. 4🌟