Review: Christmas in Peppercorn Street

Christmas in Peppercorn Street by Anna Jacobs
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I knew this was book 5 in the Peppercorn Street series but it’s definitely a stand alone.
I absolutely got more than I bargained for reading this, it was awesome.

I just had to get back to reading this each chance I got.

I’m not going to give much away as I don’t like that myself. So.....

You have a woman and her daughter who are on the run hiding from an abusive partner.

You have a lovely gentle-man, yes, a “gentle” man who works hard for where he’s got in life.
Nice home and plenty in the bank.
His ex dumps his daughter on him. He doesn’t mind at all as he wants more to do with his daughter, however, his daughter isn’t very talkative, she’s been a bit poisoned by her mother against her father it seems.

These two meet under certain circumstances.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a happy clappy romance, far from it.

Her ex is in search of his daughter Gabby.

This is a brief outline as like I say, between these pages is not full of kisses under the mistletoe.

I really enjoyed it, Anna Jacobs is an author I read from my mid twenties onwards. I think she’s written over 80 books. Or somewhere around that, she’s such a fabulous storyteller.

Great Christmas read but with sheer depth.

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Review: Pretty Girls

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an truly awesome gruesome, at some times confusing but edge of your seat compelling read.

I am a bit late getting to the table reading this one, it slipped through my pile. So I thought I would listen to this on audio. Its the very first book I have "read" listening to it whilst doing my chores or driving to the shops. Somehow this was so real.

There's a girl gone missing, this reminds Claire of her sister who went missing twenty years ago. Its a mystery that was never solved.

Claire's Mother grieved but was able to move on and she made a life for herself despite the loss of her daughter.

The father on the other hand never ever gave up hope. Hence their marriage became estranged.

As we read through we learn that there seems to be a connection with the missing girl now and the missing girl twenty years ago.

Its graphic, gruesome in parts and when listening to it I felt it seemed worse that reading it in a book! But I kept on going because I knew that this fabulous author would not have written it if us readers didn't need to understand it. I realized as I went on in the book that it was vital to use readers, we really needed to know how vicious these attacks were.

The conclusion of this book was just awesome.

The letters Sam wrote to his daughter was heartbreaking, and that for me was the hardest part to read without tears.

Great thriller.

*My thanks go to Random House UK, Cornerstone via Net Galley for my copy*

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Review: Full Disclosure

Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So, I’m not a Young Adult, but I’m an adult young at heart, so that’s my reasoning on choosing a YA book sometimes that catch my eye.

Simone has two dads.
She’s adopted.
She also has HIV.

With HIV she has had a troubled life, hospital care visits, stigma, diversity problems and a best friend revealing her status on HIV to an entire bunch of school pupils with results of her having to find a new placement in another school.

Is it happening again?
She and Miles strike up a good relationship. She needs to tell him.
Now she’s getting threatening notes in her school.
Who are they from?

I adored her two dads. Supportive, and at times like any parent wanting to protect their child from harm.

Simone has two really good best friends but that hit its troubles.

The relationship between Miles and Simone is so dam cute. I loved it.

It’s difficult enough growing up, becoming an adult without all that Simone has to deal with. I felt her pain often.

The authors writing is so good. Enough narrative and a nice lot of dialogue which I love.

This sensitive subject matter was handled so well I thought.





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Review: The Boy With Blue Trousers

The Boy With Blue Trousers by Carol Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is such a pretty book. I adore the cover.
The writing inside is exquisite and alluring so much so it becomes addictive after a while. In a good way.

It’s a very complex read with cultural class interwoven.

Two women who are fleeing.

Difficulty
Needing to flee their homeland
Passage to Australia
Secrets

But neither women know each other.....
Yet.

Little Cat is not a girly girl and knows Kung fu moves from her twin brother.
But in her culture it doesn’t fit, it’s not apt.

Women are women and men are men
Women do women’s jobs
Men do men’s jobs.

But fate and circumstances change to danger.

The cultural differences, the almost poetic writing was enthralling.

It’s not my usual type of read but I have to say I really enjoyed you.

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Review: A Mrs. Miracle Christmas

A Mrs. Miracle Christmas by Debbie Macomber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Although this is part of a series you can actually read this as a stand-alone.

This story is told in only the way that this well known author can, superbly.
It’s rich characters come to life in your head and chipped in with some painful realty problems which you as the reader get involved with and feel their pain, their frustrations and later the joy.

Joy within this family unit comes from an unexpected corner. Mrs Miracle.

This was an enchanting read with plenty to get your teeth into and enjoy Christmas feelings.

Debbie Macomber is a popular author with many series. One being a televised drama series.
Hallmark has many films based on stories from this author.
There are over 170 million books of hers worldwide.

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Review: The Doctor

The Doctor by Lisa Stone
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another great sinister read from Lisa Stone.

I’m sure most know her as Cathy Glass. It astounds me how she has switched to this genre and writes absolutely astounding astonishing stories that grip you.

This one is of no exception.

We’ve seen this phrase from publishers before right? “How well do you know your neighbours “. I’ve seen this used a lot trying to grab readers attention. This time it’s for real.

By the time I got towards the end the hairs on the back of my neck were standing on end.

The author does such a great job.
The bit at the back which tells us about the facts and realisation and theories of this procedure makes for chills down my spine.

I loved how she breathed life into all her characters.

Then ending was chilling, really chilling.

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Review: Room

Room by Emma Donoghue
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I wanted to bring this book up to date.
I saw the film years ago, but forgot I was halfway through the book at the time and put it to one side.
I think I had some urgent ARCS that came in through the post and I always meant to go back to it.....

Anywayz....
While I was packing my books to move home I came across this and decided to finish it. Which I did last night.

I enjoyed the film and I enjoyed the book.

There’s not a lot that I can say that hasn’t been said. Lots of reviewers have mentioned where the author may have got her source from for this book, but you know what.....I loved it for what it was, how it was written.



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Review: The Dark Side

The Dark Side by Danielle Steel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Now this is the reason that I never veer far from my reading roots. I started my avid reading years ago with writers like Danielle Steel who could weave a story so well you were right in between the pages and the lives she created.

This book was without exception a fast read because you won’t want to put it down. If you do, it will play on your mind until you pick it up again.

As the blurb says, Zoe hasn’t had the best starts and losing her sister at an early age, her mother not coping and Zoe really having to “get on with it” has bound to have affected her.

I love how the author digs deep. I admire how the author has incorporated her research on a topic that is hard to prove and hardly talked about or, indeed, misrepresented.

A fabulous read that if enjoyed every step of the way.

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Review: Darling Rose Gold

Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is definitely going into my top 10 this year on the creepiest, page turning mind twisting edge of my seat reads!

A mothers and daughters relationship is a complicated one. If anyone has a daughter there are going to be some rocky moments. But forget that! That’s a piece of cake!
Meet Rose Gold and her Mother Patty. I don’t know who is worse. When she grew, did she learn from her mother?

As the blurb says, Rose Gold grew up believing there was something wrong with her. The surgeries she had to go through, feeding tubes, losing weight. And using a wheelchair.
But her mother lied.

I know right.....hard to comprehend.

Her mother spends time in prison while in the mean time Rose Gold is growing up, getting older, having a mind of her own.

Now Patty is being released from Prison.
And Rose Gold takes her in. Rose has purchased a house. A house her mother is very familiar with.

The relationship is not only dysfunctional it’s darn right toxic but the toxicity is bubbling underground.

Rose Gold now has a son.

Enough about the story. It has so many layers to this than an onion.

It made me feel compulsively wanting to keep reading. I’m sure my heart at times was pumping fast, I gasped for sure in plenty of pages.
I couldn’t stop talking to my husband each time I put the book down, it got to where HE was asking me “what’s happening now?!”

I’ve got so many annotations in this book (page stickers) for what made me gasp, be shocked, evilness, and the time she first met up with her long lost dad, the results of that. The twisted mindsets. The friend Phil she knows online who text each other and eventually meet up.

The chapters have headings between Rose Gold and Patty. Sometimes with dates.

I was swayed in disliking the mother to wondering what the heck.....about the daughter.

This is a debut novel. And going by this book I’ve just read, I’m going to be first in line for her next book that’s for sure.

This book is by Michael Joseph an imprint of Penguin books who kindly sent me this book early.
It’s release is March 2020 and I urge you to preorder this, you won’t be disappointed.

There’s a huge discussion going on about this book on Penguins forum. Lots to talk about and lots of peoples POV.

A 10/10 book for me.

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Review: Widow of Gettysburg

Widow of Gettysburg by Jocelyn Green
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’m not going to say much apart from, I learnt a lot from this book about the history of Gettysburg and the women who where resilient and strong.

Powerful read.

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Review: Five Days

Five Days by Douglas Kennedy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have read this authors books many many times. And each time I say, what a man! He writes with such emotional depth with such insight to women that I have to applaud him.
It’s so well done.

Who hasn’t been in a humdrum life, doing the same things over and over?
Work, family life, partner duties, and everything else that goes along with it.

When the grown kids leave home, just what was the state of their marriage?

Attending a conference she gets to meet Richard and her life for five days spirals in a totally different direction.

A very easy relaxed read that won’t take much time at all to read but full of thought provoking material.

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Review: The Blossom Sisters

The Blossom Sisters by Fern Michaels
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What an absolutely charming book. I listened to this on audio. It’s more convenient at the moment while I go about daily life.

This is about a man breaking up with his wife, and it’s all from his side of things. How the wife wants everything and how lost he is.

His aunts don’t want to know as he married HER and now he’s “made his bed and has to sleep in it” kind of thing.

I really enjoyed it

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Review: The Wishing Tree

The Wishing Tree by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ivy finds out that her husband is cheating on her.
What would you do?

She has a chance to go to her hometown where her sisters preparing to get ready for her wedding.
Through this, Ivy discovers what true love is all about.

She bumps into an old flame, but meanwhile her husband is wanting to come back and be forgiven.

I know what I “think” I would do, but what does Ivy do?

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Review: The Promise Box

The Promise Box by Tricia Goyer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’ve been listening to this one on audio from the library. I forgot I had this on my kindle.

Anyway, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought due to the never ending secrets and lies, it just got too extreme in some parts.

So not the best choice I’ve made.

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Review: Safe in His Arms

Safe in His Arms by Colleen Coble
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It was time for a nice bit of romance.
So book 2 in this historical fiction series.

Safe in His Arms Is based around Margaret O’Brien. Born and bread in Texas and living on the family ranch she puts her whole into keeping it going. She takes great pride in what she’s achieved.

No time for romance, gave up on that.......until.

Never say never to a bit of romance.

Very enjoyable read.


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Review: An Angel by Her Side

An Angel by Her Side by Ruth Reid
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oh no, I didn’t realise this was book 3 in the series. I’ve gone and done it again.

I enjoyed it though but of course I’d have felt better if I’d read the other two previous ones.

So much tragedy happening to one person, just doesn’t bear thinking about. But they say......it makes you stronger and have more understanding towards others. If that’s true, then it surely was within the pages of this book.

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Review: The Wednesday Daughters

The Wednesday Daughters by Meg Waite Clayton
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I’m going to admit I struggled with this book.
I hadn’t read book one, I didn’t realise it was a series and I felt like I’d missed something all the way through.

I see there are others that have struggled and found the book hard to read or connect with.
I really wanted to finish it, but halfway I decided to skim it....so my review is only based on the first half of the book.

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Review: The Lost Husband

The Lost Husband by Katherine Center
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fabulous story about love, loss and starting over.
Just that sentence hold a vast set of emotions which the author makes you feel whilst reading this book.

Great talent.

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Review: He's Gone

He's Gone by Alex Clare
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am tired.
Shattered.
Anyone got matchsticks to keep my eyes open?

I read this book from my -catch up- challenge I set myself this year.
Oh man, why didn’t I read this before!

This is a two edged sword of a book.

I had been getting fed up of “police procedures/detectives so I put some aside. This was one of them.

Boy I wish I had read this sooner.

We have a DI who is returning to work after a medical procedure which we find is a man becoming what he feels he supposed to be, a woman. So all those emotions and surgeries, hormones and problems that come with peoples reactions to diversity.

Then we have her trying to solve a case of a missing child.

This is so insightful and cleverly written I couldn’t stop reading.

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Review: Rose Harbor in Bloom

Rose Harbor in Bloom by Debbie Macomber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another catch up back list book from a few years ago.
Yes I’m behind!
This is book 2 in the series which I’ve been meaning to read.

It’s a quaint read like all of Debbie Macomber books are. She takes every day people people and every day situations and make them into enthralling and engaging stories to read.

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Review: Sisterland

Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Yep
A fair crafted read that did hold my attention although it veered on the paranormal realm to fantasy for me.

The concept of “special powers” is some things that lots of people believe but I just am not sure, call me Mrs Cynical.

A 3.5* for holding my attention.

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Review: Dear Thing

Dear Thing by Julie Cohen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I ended up listening to this on audio within a day and part of the early hours trying to disguise my tears.

There’s not many books that make me ugly weep, but this one did.

One mother is a mother and doesn’t want to be.
The other wants to be a mother so desperately.

It’s a heartbreaking read that the author has done such research on that you “feel” their emotions through the pages.

You want a good cry?
Here it is.

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Review: Glamorous Illusions

Glamorous Illusions by Lisa Tawn Bergren
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is definitely an historical fiction book. Christian based as there are lots of religious quotes in here, so if you are into that, you will enjoy this book a lot.
Personally I thought it was over done.

The storyline was very good. A nice bit of mild romance, but be aware, it’s a love triangle that has its ups and downs.

I slowly worked through my first chapters by audio, as I found it better to listen to it than read it, however by the 30% mark I went back to the book and I must say, I enjoyed the later half.

A fairly good grounding for a book 1
I’m not sure I’d go on with this series though as it was just a bit too preachy for my taste.

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Review: Magpie

Magpie by Sophie Draper
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really wouldn’t put this as a thriller, more like a suspense.

It’s a slow burner for sure. I had to take a few breaks and read something else in between as I tended to get a bit frustrated with the chapters back and forth.

Forward, then six weeks back, forward, then six weeks back and different POVS.
It was very hard work.

The story was good......in the end, not fantastic, but OK.
I just got twisted in knots using too much brain power.

The ending was good though.

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Review: Date Night

Date Night by Samantha Hayes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This ticked all the boxes for me.
For a thriller...

Fast paced ✔️
Intriguing ✔️
Mystery✔️
Family drama✔️
Suspense✔️
Missing person✔️
Psychological thriller✔️
Unputdownable✔️

A couple with everything they needed, nice home, job, child, good marriage until......
𝐀 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝, 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐮𝐬𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫

What?!

So there plants the doubt and confusion.
Would you be able to ignore this entirely? Or would you sometimes read into things and wonder if it may be true.

So a date night is planned.
𝕭𝖚𝖙 𝖎𝖙 𝖆𝖑𝖑 𝖌𝖔𝖊𝖘 𝖜𝖗𝖔𝖓𝖌
Badly wrong.

They return home and their young daughter is missing.

Now continues with the reader having 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂𝓸𝓷𝓮 under suspicion all the characters look dodgy.

The ending to this book threw me. I couldn’t have guessed this in a zillion years.
A masterpiece of a thriller.

I listened to this on audio and it was GREAT.



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