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traceyroberts's reviews
601 reviews
Escape for Christmas by Philippa Ashley
lighthearted
slow-paced
2.0
With "Escape from Christmas" being my first Philipa Ashley book, I was expecting snow, cosy romance and a few laughs along the way. Unfortunately it didn't quite live up to being the festive treat I was expecting.
Sophie used to be a Christmas loving gift shop owner. That is until the Christmas she discovered her fiancé cheating on her with her best friend. Devastated by the betrayal Sophie sells her shop and buys a guest house in the lake district. Determined to avoid the traditional festivities Sophie is hosting an "Escape" from Christmas for her guests, complete with tapas and flamenco dancers.
I really enjoyed the descriptions of the Lake District, this was an idyllic setting for a festive story. However that's really where my enjoyment ended. I didn't connect with the authors' writing style or any of the characters. The dialogue felt forced with characters constantly over explaining everything they spoke about. The exposition felt lengthly and repetitive which slowed down the pace of story making it feel like a slog to get through. The plot was fairly predictable which is OK for a cosy Christmas read. However it stretches credulity to the limit.
I think Phillipa Ashley fans will still enjoy this read but it wasn't quite what I was looking for. Thank you to Random House UK, Cornerstone and Netgalley for providing the ARC.
Sophie used to be a Christmas loving gift shop owner. That is until the Christmas she discovered her fiancé cheating on her with her best friend. Devastated by the betrayal Sophie sells her shop and buys a guest house in the lake district. Determined to avoid the traditional festivities Sophie is hosting an "Escape" from Christmas for her guests, complete with tapas and flamenco dancers.
I really enjoyed the descriptions of the Lake District, this was an idyllic setting for a festive story. However that's really where my enjoyment ended. I didn't connect with the authors' writing style or any of the characters. The dialogue felt forced with characters constantly over explaining everything they spoke about. The exposition felt lengthly and repetitive which slowed down the pace of story making it feel like a slog to get through. The plot was fairly predictable which is OK for a cosy Christmas read. However it stretches credulity to the limit.
I think Phillipa Ashley fans will still enjoy this read but it wasn't quite what I was looking for. Thank you to Random House UK, Cornerstone and Netgalley for providing the ARC.
Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
5.0
Ernest Cunningham returns for a Christmas special with this third book in the series. This story is a little shorter than the previous two novels, only 24 advent calendar style chapters, but it's every bit as packed full of wit and mystery.
Set in the blue mountains on the lead up to Christmas, which incidentally is the hottest time of the year in Australia, so no snow or log fires to be found here. Ern receives a call from ex-wife Erin who woke up covered in blood and has been arrested for the murder of her new partner. Ern must unravel the clues to get Erin out of jail.
I love Benjamin Stevenson's writing style. It gives a classic murder mystery a fresh and quirky vibe with some humourous meta commentary. I did manage to guess one tiny clue but most of the reveals were a surprise, the clues are not hidden as is the style of this author, just cleverly plotted.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for cosy crime with a difference. My thanks to Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House and Netgalley for providing an ARC.
Set in the blue mountains on the lead up to Christmas, which incidentally is the hottest time of the year in Australia, so no snow or log fires to be found here. Ern receives a call from ex-wife Erin who woke up covered in blood and has been arrested for the murder of her new partner. Ern must unravel the clues to get Erin out of jail.
I love Benjamin Stevenson's writing style. It gives a classic murder mystery a fresh and quirky vibe with some humourous meta commentary. I did manage to guess one tiny clue but most of the reveals were a surprise, the clues are not hidden as is the style of this author, just cleverly plotted.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for cosy crime with a difference. My thanks to Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House and Netgalley for providing an ARC.
Ice Town by Will Dean
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Ice Town is book 6 in the Tuva Moodyson Mysteries by Will Dean. This book definitely works as a standalone though if you just want to dive into the series.
Esseberg, AKA Ice Town can only be reached by way of a tunnel which closes at night. There is only one way in and one way out giving the novel a real claustrophobic feel. A deaf teenager goes missing and mountain rescue launch a search for him. When journalist Tuva reads about the young teen she is drawn to the town to help with the search. Being deaf herself she may be of use to communicate with him.
This was a chilling atmospheric read with danger lurking everywhere, from the creepy hotel at the top of the mountain, the defective ski lift and a killer on a murder spree. A totally gripping read and a fantastic ending.
Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for providing me with a copy to read and review.
Esseberg, AKA Ice Town can only be reached by way of a tunnel which closes at night. There is only one way in and one way out giving the novel a real claustrophobic feel. A deaf teenager goes missing and mountain rescue launch a search for him. When journalist Tuva reads about the young teen she is drawn to the town to help with the search. Being deaf herself she may be of use to communicate with him.
This was a chilling atmospheric read with danger lurking everywhere, from the creepy hotel at the top of the mountain, the defective ski lift and a killer on a murder spree. A totally gripping read and a fantastic ending.
Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for providing me with a copy to read and review.
The Broken Heart Playlist by Lara Martin
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.0
This is the third book by indie author Lara Martin and I love her easy writing style and how she creates such relatable characters.
The Broken Heart Playlist centres on food stylist and single mum, Kate and her daughter Lisset. Kate's exhusband treated her badly and their marriage was an abusive one leaving Kate broken, insecure and guarded. All that matters to her is her daughter and family. Until she meets Gideon...
I relished the slow burn romance and the sizzle of tension between Kate and Gideon. Lisset is a great little character who added much humour to the story, along with some truly laugh out loud moments from Grandma and her antics with Google. It was lovely to see characters from the previous book (but you don't need to have read "Phishing for Love" prior to this one) I also enjoyed how this book is broken up into seasons with songs to compliment each segment of the story. It gave the story greater depth for me.
I did think the revelations at the end were a little surprising and left me feeling a bit unsettled. Definitely not a predictable ending but overall I enjoyed the journey with these two characters.
Thank you Lara Martin for giving me the opportunity to read this and providing me with a digital copy.
The Broken Heart Playlist centres on food stylist and single mum, Kate and her daughter Lisset. Kate's exhusband treated her badly and their marriage was an abusive one leaving Kate broken, insecure and guarded. All that matters to her is her daughter and family. Until she meets Gideon...
I relished the slow burn romance and the sizzle of tension between Kate and Gideon. Lisset is a great little character who added much humour to the story, along with some truly laugh out loud moments from Grandma and her antics with Google. It was lovely to see characters from the previous book (but you don't need to have read "Phishing for Love" prior to this one) I also enjoyed how this book is broken up into seasons with songs to compliment each segment of the story. It gave the story greater depth for me.
I did think the revelations at the end were a little surprising and left me feeling a bit unsettled. Definitely not a predictable ending but overall I enjoyed the journey with these two characters.
Thank you Lara Martin for giving me the opportunity to read this and providing me with a digital copy.
All I Want For Christmas by Karen Swan
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Nothing kicks off the festive reading season quite like a new Karen Swan novel. I was utterly entralled with "All I Want For Christmas" and didn't want the story to end.
The backdrop for this festive treat is Copenhagen which I thought made the perfect Christmas destination. The main character, Darcy is currently finishing her art history PhD when best friend, Freja signs her up to an online dating app. Darcy reluctantly agrees to just three dates but looking for love is not her main focus when she is asked to research an unknown painting found hidden in the back of a well known masterpiece.
What I love about all of Karen Swan's novels is they are so much more than a romance story. There are layers of intrigue and mystery to unravel which makes for a satisfying read. I really enjoyed the chemistry between Darcy and Max. You could feel the sizzle of tension as they try to keep a professional relationship.
Overall this was great storytelling which kept me turning the pages. My thanks to Pan Macmillan for inviting me to read this book.
The backdrop for this festive treat is Copenhagen which I thought made the perfect Christmas destination. The main character, Darcy is currently finishing her art history PhD when best friend, Freja signs her up to an online dating app. Darcy reluctantly agrees to just three dates but looking for love is not her main focus when she is asked to research an unknown painting found hidden in the back of a well known masterpiece.
What I love about all of Karen Swan's novels is they are so much more than a romance story. There are layers of intrigue and mystery to unravel which makes for a satisfying read. I really enjoyed the chemistry between Darcy and Max. You could feel the sizzle of tension as they try to keep a professional relationship.
Overall this was great storytelling which kept me turning the pages. My thanks to Pan Macmillan for inviting me to read this book.
Into the Storm by Cecelia Ahern
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
3.0
I've loved previous novels by this author but this one didn't work for me. It had a strong opening when GP Enya is flagged down on the road whilst driving home in a severe storm. She saves a young lad who has been involved in a hit and run. However the incident has a profound effect on her life and is the catalyst for her to make drastic changes to her life.
I think I would have loved this book if Enya was more of a likeable character but she was not. I really struggled to find any empathy for her and found her a little annoying. I did like the character of Margaret though. She brought a little humour to an otherwise depressing read.
Overall this book is well written and I did enjoy the folklore aspects of the story.
My thanks to to Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy for review
I think I would have loved this book if Enya was more of a likeable character but she was not. I really struggled to find any empathy for her and found her a little annoying. I did like the character of Margaret though. She brought a little humour to an otherwise depressing read.
Overall this book is well written and I did enjoy the folklore aspects of the story.
My thanks to to Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy for review
The Book of Witching by C.J. Cooke
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
This was the perfect spooky read to kick off the season of the witch . I've been a fan of C J Cooke since reading A Haunting in the Artic last year. Also I love books featuring witches, especially when they are based on real history as this book is. I quite enjoyed reading the authors note about the research that went into bringing this story to life.
The plot unfolds over two separate timelines, modern day Glasgow and Orkney in 1594. I enjoyed both story lines equally and trying to work out what links the witch trials to the events centuries later. How does the book of witching play a part?
I found the witch trial harrowing to read but also compelling at the same time. Alison Balfour was a real person who was executed on charges of witchcraft. It angers me at the way these trials were conducted and the tortures used to extract a confession.
This book was a haunting and atmospheric read that had me hooked from start to finish. It's the perfect tale to read during the dark nights ahead. Thank you to Harper Collins UK and Netgalley for providing me with a digital ARC.
The plot unfolds over two separate timelines, modern day Glasgow and Orkney in 1594. I enjoyed both story lines equally and trying to work out what links the witch trials to the events centuries later. How does the book of witching play a part?
I found the witch trial harrowing to read but also compelling at the same time. Alison Balfour was a real person who was executed on charges of witchcraft. It angers me at the way these trials were conducted and the tortures used to extract a confession.
This book was a haunting and atmospheric read that had me hooked from start to finish. It's the perfect tale to read during the dark nights ahead. Thank you to Harper Collins UK and Netgalley for providing me with a digital ARC.
And Then There Were None: The Ultimate Mystery Edition by Agatha Christie
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
5.0
I was so blessed to receive an electronic copy of this new release edition. The final chapter is sealed so you have to try and solve the clues to find out whodunit.
I love to try and solve the mystery before I reach the end of a book but this one was so cleverly plotted I didn't get it right. Agatha Christie is the Queen of crime and this is an absolute masterpiece.
Thank you Harper Fiction and Netgalley for providing the ARC
I love to try and solve the mystery before I reach the end of a book but this one was so cleverly plotted I didn't get it right. Agatha Christie is the Queen of crime and this is an absolute masterpiece.
Thank you Harper Fiction and Netgalley for providing the ARC