Category: Book reviews

The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon My rating: 2 of 5 stars Set in Pennsylvania, 1968, when people with disabilities were shut away and forgotten by the rest of the world, I picked this book up because the premise and plot seemed mesmerizing. And, truthfully speaking, the writing was beautiful. Unfortunately, the story…

How Far We Fall by Jane Shemilt My rating: 5 of 5 stars A Macbethian novel with a modern twist, How Far We Fall is set in the world of neurosurgery and explores themes of revenge, betrayal and ambition. With sharp, impeccable writing and layered plotting, this is a thoughtful thriller you won’t want to…

Cross Her Heart by Sarah Pinborough My rating: 5 of 5 stars I know a number of people are comparing this book to Pinborough’s Behind Her Eyes and being disappointed, but I think it’s important to review each book as a standalone, and this book is just as enticing. Cross Your Heart follows Lisa, an…

Not That I Could Tell by Jessica Strawser My rating: 5 of 5 stars A group of neighborhood women gather round the back yard firepit with glasses of wine in hand. By morning one of the women is gone. What is interesting is that the story doesn’t center so much on where she went but…

After Nightfall by A.J. Banner My rating: 5 of 5 stars I really enjoyed this medium-paced thriller. Not so fast paced that I sped through it, but a good ‘summer’ read perfect for putting down/picking back up again. I genuinely didn’t guess the ending, and the myriad of twists kept me turning page after page.…

Dark Waters by Mary-Jane Riley Alex feels like she’s stagnating since she left London, so when she hears a story on the news about two men who’ve been discovered dead in an apparent suicide pact, she’s desperate to sink her teeth into a good story and decides to investigate. The story is well structured, an…

Take Me In by Sabine Durrant My rating: 5 of 5 stars An utterly compelling psychological thriller that had me gripped from the first page. Take Me In is a brilliant character study of two people who don’t know how to get out of the cycle of their own destruction and self-sabotage. On a family…

Keep You Close by Lucie Whitehouse My rating: 5 of 5 stars After 10 years not talking to her best friend, Rowan receives a call that Marianne has died. Convinced it wasn’t an accident, Rowan returns to Oxford and begins investigating Marianne’s death. Well-plotted, fast-paced and intriguing, Keep You Close is simultaneously atmospheric and tense…

Bone by Bone by Sanjida Kay My rating: 4 of 5 stars Single mother Laura and her daughter Autumn have just moved to Bristol from London. Autumn almost immediately begins to be bullied at her new school. But when Laura tries to put a stop to it she makes a horrible choice that has far…

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is a difficult book to review, possibly because it was completely different from how I expected it to be, which was a sweet, coming of age book. Instead it was about family, not living up to expectations, and how…

The Silent Wife by Kerry Fisher My rating: 4 of 5 stars The Silent Wife is a family saga/drama that tells the story of two women who are the wives of two Italian brothers, exploring the difficulties of second marriages. An intricate, character-driven story about two very different women, exploring themes of domestic abuse and…

Why Mummy Drinks by Gill Sims My rating: 4 of 5 stars Why Mummy Drinks is a hilarious insight into the life of Ellen and her typically middle class family. Written very much in the style of Bridget Jones, it is witty and sharp, with a huge amount of swearing and an even huger amount…