Oh, what a wonderful and colourful life Ruby has had and what a journey! She‘s had a stab at espionage, living in a commune and visiting conflict zones to name some of her escapades.This is a brilliant read from beginning to end. It‘s beautifully written with some fantastic characters, Ruby obviously pipping them all to the post with her joie de vivre. Such an exhilarating ride, full of fun but also with some sad moments - I loved it! #Pigeonhole

I found this book disappointing. I think it‘s trying to be something it‘s not. I quite enjoy a slow burner but this one dragged a bit for me. It didn‘t flow. The tarot card elements were interesting although I don‘t believe in all that stuff. The characters weren‘t particularly likeable. It just goes to show you shouldn‘t judge a book by its cover and this book‘s cover is certainly eye catching. It lured me in!

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A library book. I‘m looking forward to reading this as I loved The Familiars and The Foundling. I haven‘t read Mrs England yet.

Gothic fiction is a favourite genre of mine and this story is an excellent example of such. It has an atmospheric setting which is Wales. Well researched with plenty of mentions of myths, folklore and the odd spot of witchcraft, it‘s written with a good sense of menace. The suspense builds up gradually, rattles along at a fair old pace, culminating in an exciting finale. I was totally gripped by this story and found it a page turner. #Pigeonjole

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I quite enjoyed this fast paced mystery, the plot rattles along and is intriguing. However, I did find it a little repetitive at times and lacking a certain depth - there wasn‘t a sense of place and the characters seemed one dimensional. It kept my attention nevertheless and I wanted to know how it all concluded, although I guessed the twist quite early on. It makes for easy, light reading. #TBC on Facebook

I‘m reading this with my online book group, thereadingloft.groups.io.

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This is a fun and entertaining read although it does have some serious themes woven through it. The plot and the characters are just like a cassoulet - various differing ingredients being thrown into a pot, slowly simmering away together with the end result combining to make a harmonious blend, leaving a satisfying after taste. It‘s a story to remind us that it‘s never too late to follow your dreams and you‘re never too old to tango! #Pigeonhole

I enjoyed this cosy murder mystery. It‘s well written with some beautiful descriptions. Daphne makes a wonderful amateur sleuth and she‘s also a great character. The plot flows along nicely and we get to meet some other interesting residents. It‘s a real hive of activity and secrets hidden in the closet. The suspects mount up, the suspense increases and it rattles along to an exciting finish. An engaging and entertaining read. #Pigeonhole

A wonderful dysfunctional family drama set over the period of one day, a wedding, with flashbacks to the past. Well written, insightful and very engaging with some fantastic, realistic characters. I loved it!

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I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It‘s beautifully written and well researched. I loved the setting, it was very visual. I particularly loved the addition of a tandem tricycle - it made me smile every time it was mentioned. Non was a fantastic character, she was a brilliant model for women‘s rights in the Victorian era. Basil was another fascinating character, he had his own secret. I was gripped from beginning to end. Recommended. #Pigeonhole

A library book.

I read this book with my local reading group. I really didn‘t like it - I don‘t like books containing child or animal abuse. It seemed far too padded out at times and I absolutely hated the ending. I‘m so pleased I‘ve finally finished it so I get on and read something more pleasant!

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This is a fun, entertaining and easy if somewhat predictable read. I loved the idea of the Bibliotherapy and Epeolatry, a bookshop and literary bar/club on the cliffs. Gran was zany and quirky and Evie was a little immature and irritating. Far-fetched and slapstick in parts but overall it‘s an enjoyable and engaging read, just right for escaping from the rigours of every day life. Great for relaxing with an Epeolatry cocktail! 🍸 3.5⭐️ #TBC

A library book which I‘m reading with my local book club. The theme is a story set in South America so we‘re in Trinidad.

I really enjoyed this book. It‘s a heartwarming read about finding yourself. I liked the main character, Martha, she certainly evolves throughout the story. She‘s quirky. A captivating read involving family secrets, a book to get lost in. I read this with my online reading group, thereadingloft.groups.io.

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What a wonderful book! I loved Eadie. She‘s so quirky. It‘s a heartwarming and nostalgic read, a coming of age story. It‘s about the power of friendship. As the blurb says it‘s a moving love letter to youth. I was so sorry to turn the last page - I will miss Eadie very much.

I enjoyed this book, although I did find it a little disjointed at times as there were gaps in the story which weren‘t explained. It‘s told in the first person by Synne herself - I liked her voice and found myself cheering her on throughout the tale. It‘s well researched and interesting to read. I haven‘t read many books set during this era so it was great to immerse myself in the 11thC world and gain some knowledge. #Pigeonhole

This is an atmospheric and sinister gothic thriller. It‘s fast paced, kept my attention throughout and I was always eager to pick up my Kindle to read on. The characters are colourful and well drawn. A thoroughly enjoyable and intriguing read which ran a tingle up my spine at times. This is the first in a new series so I look forward to joining Martha on her further adventures. #TBC on Facebook

A book from the library.

The Rise of Synne by L P O‘Bryan

1066: England‘s Darkest Hour. A Young Woman's Destiny Beckons. In the bloody aftermath of the Battle of Hastings, Synne, an orphan healer, navigates a perilous path. Captured by the forces of William the Conqueror, Synne carries a message that could alter the course of history.

In a world where alliances are as shifting as the winds, Synne must fight not only for her family's legacy but for her life.

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I enjoyed this book but did find it confusing at times - I had to make notes! It‘s quite the puzzle and it‘s not until the end when all the dots join up that the final piece of the jigsaw drops into place. There are a great cast of characters, however, who are clearly defined with their own individual personalities, making it easy to identify them. It‘s quite a sad story in some respects but ends on a hopeful note. An engaging and worthwhile read.

I enjoyed the first part of this book with the interaction between Charlie, Mr Bowditch and Radar the dog. However, when Charlie and Radar went down the tunnel to fairyland it seemed to lose its way somehow. It dragged a bit and some of it felt childish. I almost thought I was Alice in Wonderland! I was quite pleased when I finally finished it although I will miss Radar - she saved it for me.

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This is a wonderful piece of historical fiction based on fact. It‘s beautifully written in a very evocative and descriptive manner, even operatic in some ways. The story rattles along at a fair rate. The characters have distinctive voices. It‘s really quite the page turner and very much a thriller. A powerful, moving and worthwhile read and I look forward to reading book two, The Ghosts of Rome. #Pigeonhole

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It‘s really quite bonkers! At first it read like a young adult novel, but as I progressed I began to enjoy it more. It did make me giggle at times. I‘m not sure whether I was supposed to find it funny but I did. Despite that, there is a good plot and a variety of characters to keep the reader engaged. All in all not a bad book but probably not my genre! I‘ve given myself a Brownie point for reading it! 🐲😄

I thoroughly enjoyed this book - I was gripped from beginning to end. It‘s quite a slow burner. There‘s a plethora of unlikeable characters and it has plenty of twists and turns. It‘s written with a sense of humour so there are lots of laughs along the way as well as a feeling of intrigue and drama. The suspense builds up gradually and then gallops towards an exciting finish. A rollercoaster of a read! #Pigeonhole

I‘m reading this with my online reading group https://thereadingloft.groups.io/g/main. I‘m not sure it‘s my thing but am giving it a go!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It‘s a real page turner - I was always eager to pick it up to read a few more pages. It‘s beautifully written and well researched. It‘s a tale of friendship, grit, resistance and the power of books, how they can soothe and comfort us in our darkest hours. If you enjoy historical fact combined with fiction and just a great story, you will love this one. I can highly recommend it. #TBC on Facebook

What We Did in the Storm by Tina Baker On the beautiful island of Tresco, two worlds live side by side. The wealthy visitors come by helicopter to stay at their lavish time-share properties. The estate staff travel by boat, and work all hours to keep them happy. In the midst of a tempest, two women are attacked and one goes missing. The secrets of this fragile community can no longer be hidden. #Pigeonhole

It was great to visit Scarfr and Hlif again and see how they were getting on! I loved my time on the Sun Chaser with them. This is a well written and exciting story. The research which has gone into it is amazing. The characters are well drawn and the plot is skilfully penned. A vivid and atmospheric read with some stunning imagery, I look forward to joining Scarfr and Hlif on their next adventure. #TBC on Facebook

Reading and reviewing for #TBC on Facebook.

This is quite a bleak and sad story set in a claustrophobic town where its inhabitants all seem to have secrets or are very reserved. None of them are particularly likeable. I liked the writing style, it drew me in. I did find it a little drawn out and protracted. I enjoyed it, though, and thought it depicted small town dynamics very well. A well written and engaging read with an interesting twist. #Pigeonhole

3.5⭐️ An easy read but quite formulaic. I enjoyed all the book references, the idea of a mobile bookshop and, of course, the setting. A good piece of escapism. I read this with my online reading group.
Strangely I‘ve read two Jenny Colman books for two different book groups for two months running! 😄.

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Reading and reviewing for #TBC on Facebook. This is the second in the Midwinter Dragon series. I‘ve read the first one - lots of characters which confused me a little so I will be making notes this time about which Jarl is which! 😐🤔😄

There‘s not much I can say about this novella, just a little insight into Jamie‘s life before meeting Claire. If you enjoy the Outlander books as much as I do, you‘ll probably like this one for what it is.

I‘m reading this with my online book club, https://thereadingloft.groups.io/g/main. The theme is ‘new beginnings‘ this month.

I hugely enjoyed this book as I have all the other novels I‘ve read by Rachel Hore - she‘s a favourite author of mine. It‘s an engaging and well written tale with some realistic and likeable characters. I loved the setting - the descriptions are wonderfully vivid and it was easy to visualise in my mind. The timelines were seamlessly put together and well researched. It‘s just a lovely, easy, heartwarming read.