Actually, I'm A Murderer, Written By Terry Deary
My Rating: 💜 💜 💜 💜 💜
This was such a fun and twisty read; it kept me on the edge of my seat, and I couldn't put it down.
We are in two different time periods - 1973 and 2023, and the story is told from the viewpoints of three people - Aline is a police constable, trying to move up in her career with the police, but having to deal with chauvinistic colleagues who keep putting her down. Tony is an actor who speaks before he thinks and constantly gets himself into trouble. Mr Brown is easily overlooked, and that's just the way he likes it. In 2023, they are telling the story of how they all became intertwined in 1973 from their points of view.
Tony and Mr Brown met on a train when they were sharing a carriage with Claire and Edward. Bored and looking to be distracted for a while, they start chatting about what they do for a living. Claire works in electronics and has big plans for her career. Edward works as a lawyer and adviser in the Heath government, and Tony is an actor. Mr Brown announces that 'actually, I'm a murderer'.
From there, everything changes for the four people who met in the carriage, as well as for Aline. One of the people in the carriage will become Mr Brown's next victim. Who? And Why?
This is a fantastically interesting book. I love that often the same situation is told from the viewpoints of at least two of the characters. There are twists and turns that I never could have predicted.
If you love a murder mystery that is a little bit different, with fantastic characters and chin on the floor plot twists then this is the book for you.
Buy On Amazon
Pearly Gates, Written By Bonnie Solomon, Audiobook Read By The Author
My Rating: 💜 💜 💜 💜 💜
I adored this audiobook. It's laugh-out-loud funny, endearing, heartbreaking, uplifting, inspirational and beautifully written with characters I dare you not to fall in love with. Bonnie Solomon has done a fabulous job with this book, and her narration makes it even more amazing. She brings these sensational characters to life.
Pearly Gates is a dead drag queen working in waste management in the afterlife, but wants more in her life after death. She convinces a spirit guide to take an unscheduled holiday while she takes his place looking after three souls. Hannah is a widow having a hard time moving on, Sam is battling cancer and not coping with it, and Danielle is a trans woman who is struggling to accept her true self.
Pearly jumps headfirst into her new role as a guide while trying to stop herself from being recycled by making sure her boss thinks she is still at work. She comes up with an ingenious way of keeping up appearances at her job while helping her charges to live their best lives.
This book is beautiful and was a pleasure to read/listen to. I cannot wait to read more from Bonnie. Highly recommend.
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The Small Museum, Written By Jody Cooksley
My Rating: 💜 💜 💜 💜 💜
I bought this book on Amazon Kindle a while ago and had plans to read it, but not just yet. Then I got the ARC for the sequel, The Surgeons' House. I have heard that you don't need to read The Small Museum to read and understand The Surgeon's House, but I hate reading books out of order, and so I decided to read The Small Museum first, even though the ARC was about to expire on NetGalley. Oops. But I got it done.
I ate this book up. I read it in three days and stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it. It's very dark and disturbing in places, but fascinating, heartbreaking, and impossible to put down.
We are in London in 1873. Madeline has just married a man she does not love, nor know. His name is Lucius, a doctor who studies the unusual and the unexplained. He has a small museum of bones and specimens in their home that he keeps under lock and key. The museum holds immense importance for him. He and his sister, Grace, are trying to regain their status in society and the medical community after their Father downgraded their position.
Madeline is accused of a heinous crime, and with the help of her friend Caroline, the truth of the crime she has been charged with, as well as the truth about what Lucius and Grace have been up to, is finally revealed.
This is a very dark book, and deals with some difficult issues, such as stillbirth, but it is beautifully written and paced, which makes it a real page turner and impossible to put down.
Buy on Amazon
The Surgeon's House, Written By Jody Cooksley
My Rating: 💜 💜 💜 💜
This is a sequel to the fantastic The Small Museum. You don't necessarily need to read The Small Museum before you start The Surgeons's House as there is enough information in this book so you know the basics of the story, but I recommend that you do. The first book really sets up these characters and the world they live in.
This book starts 8 years after the end of The Small House. Rebecca is now running Evergreen House with her partner. She is forced to endure the presence of Dr Threlfall, who she doesn't trust, and the constant check ins from officials who are not supportive of what Rebecca is trying to do with the Evergreen House. She is keeping it all together, until the deaths start to happen. People living at the house are being killed, and Rebecca is determined to work out who, and why before there are more deaths.
This is a really good book, but it was a little bit more predictable than The Small Museum. I figured out the murderer quite quickly, but there were still twists and turns that kept me guessing and reading to the end. The characters are so beautifully written that I wanted the absolute best for them. It was amazing to be able to find out what happened to the characters I fell in love with from The Small Museum, as well as discover new characters to love in this book.
Buy on Amazon
Julie Tudor is Not a Psychopath, Written By Jennifer Holdich
My Rating: 💜 💜 💜 💜 💜
This book is very dark, funny and heart poundingly good.
In this book we meet Julie Tudor, a woman who works at an office and is having a relationship with one of her colleagues, a younger guy named Sean. There is only one problem in their relationship - it's all in Julie's head. She watches Sean constantly, especially when he starts to get close to the gorgeous office newbie. Julie is determined to make Sean hers, by any means necessary. Since this isn't her first time, she knows just what to do.
Jennifer Holdich does a wonderful job in creating laugh our loud moments inbetween the dark events. Some of the things Julie does are so insane, but there is always something funny or unexpected that happens to keep you on your toes and turning pages.
Can't recommend this book enough.
Buy On Amazon
The Devil Wears Scrubs, Written By Freida McFadden
My Rating: 💜 💜 - DNF
This was my book of the month pick for one of my book clubs on Chapter 25. It was also my very first Freida McFadden, which was exciting as she is an author I have always wanted to read.
Unfortunately, I had to dnf it. I got to 20% and just couldn't continue. I found it really boring and I didn't like the characters. I have heard lots of good things about Freida McFadden, and that thankfully this isn't typical of her books.
Read on Kindle Unlimited
Killing Eve Book 4 - Resurrection, Written By Luke Jennings
By Rating: 💜 💜 💜 💜
This is a fantastic return to the world of Villanelle and Eve. I have adored this story since I discovered the television show when it premiered, and so revisiting that world is amazing.
In this book, Oxana and Eve are living in seclusion in Russia, keeping themselves to themselves and doing things that the old Oxana and Eve were never able to do. For Oxana, that means not living extravagantly in their small, unimpressive home. Then, The Twelve get in touch, wanting Oxana to go back to her former life as Villanelle. Then, Eve goes missing. Who has taken her, and why?
Villanelle is back, determined to reclaim the woman she loves by whatever means necessary. But who can she trust to help her?
This is a page-turning, heart-pounding book that kept me on the edge of my seat. Villanelle is as funny, determined, and strangely endearing as she ever was, and now that she has Eve by her side, there is nothing that will stop her.
If you are a fan of Killing Eve books and/or the television show, you will love this book.
My Rating: 💜 💜 💜 💜 💜
This book is a beautiful guide to creating gorgeous hand knit cowlettes, and would be a welcome addition to the book collection of any knitter, newbie or experienced.
The photos inside are gorgeous,, with beautiful detail. At the start of the book you are guided through everything you will need to pick the perfect needles, yarn and notions you will need to create your cowlette, as well as all you need to know before you start knitting, from swatches to blocking. It then goes into detail on everything you need to know about cowlettes themselves. There are a series of lovely patterns for you to choose from, or even make one or more of each. They have different looks and are perfect for all skill sets. There is also a very handy Cowlette Knitters Worksheet near the end of the book, which is very useful.
This book is a beautiful guide, and would be welcome in the hands of any knitter.
My Rating: 💜 💜 💜 💜
This is a fascinating audiobook. It will be perfect for anyone who loves learning about the ancient world or the mysteries of the world. It covers a lot of subjects throughout the book, some I have heard of, such as neanderthals, the Shroud of Turin and pyramids, and many that are new to me, such as the underground city of Derinkuyu in Turkey. All were amazing to learn about. The narrator, Matt Bates, does an excellent job with the text, making it interesting and keeping you listening.
If you are an ancient history buff, then this is the perfect audiobook for you.
My Rating: 💜💜 💜 💜 💜
I chose this book as part of Camp Netgalley, where you read a book from a curated collection on Netgalley throughout July and then leave a review by the end of 1 August to get a badge on your Netgalley profile. It was my first year taking part in it, and it was a lot of fun. Thankfully, I picked a real winner of a book.
This is a fun book that is like an 80s slasher movie with a 21st-century remake. The tension builds throughout the book, making it difficult to put down.
In this book, we meet Hannah, a young woman who is trying to come to terms with the death of her boyfriend Ben. She is having strange hallucinations and is not coping well. When she is given leave from her job, she decides to accept her friend's offer to take her and some of their friends on a wellness retreat for a few days in the desert. Eager to get her mind back on track, she dives into it with great enthusiasm.
But all is not as it seems. The guru who runs the retreat is a little weird, as is the woman who helps him. Are they genuine?
While they are there, tensions come to the forefront amongst the friends. When they start to disappear, one by one, the remaining inhabitants of the retreat start to fear for their safety and lives.
My mind was going back and forth on what was really happening at this retreat. The wonderful writing keeps you on the edge of your seat, keeping you guessing - is this happening, or is it all in Hannah's mind?
There are gory details of injuries, so be wary of that before you start the book.
If you are a fan of horror and slasher books, then this will be a wonderful addition to your collection.
Have you read any of these books? Do you have some of them on your tbr list? Let me know in the comments.
