Elizabeth

In a world full of rather depressing news, escaping into a feel-good book provides some much needed escapism. And The Last Marriage of Dot Brightmore by @laurapauthor , the sequel to The Last List of Mabel Beaumont offers just that, a heartwarming read that reminds you to seize the moment. Mabel and Dot are two octogenarians who in the first book find their way back to each other after 60 years apart. Having focused on Mabel in the first book, in this one we learn more about Dot, as follow the pair as they decide to get married. There is something so lovely about watching these two follow their hearts - and feeling able to express their love after all this time. It was lovely to revisit some old friends from the first book - and meet some new ones. It's a delightful story of second chances, of love in all its forms, of family and of found family - and a reminder that "it's never too late". If you are looking for an uplifting read that will touch your heart and leave you with a smile on your face, then this absolutely delivers. Thank you to Laura and @boldwoodbooks for my copy. #thelastmarriageofdotbrightmore #thelastlistofmabelbeaumont #laurapearson #libcreads

Having started a couple of months ago, I'm loving scouring my shelves for @nothing.beats.a.good.book 's scavenger hunt. Here's what I came up with for May. 5️⃣A book with 5, Five or Fifth in the title for the fifth month: Five Bad Deeds by Caz Frear ✒️An author with five letters preferably in their first & last name Walking on Sunshine by Heidi Swain 🔤A Book title of any length but the last letter in the title must be ‘Y’ (like May): Eye Spy by C M Ewan 💜A book with purple cover for ‘Make May Purple’ for Stroke Awareness Month: Night Road by Kristin Hannah 🐝A book with a bee on the cover or a yellow and black cover for World Bee Day 20th May: Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult 🍸A book with a cocktail or drink on the cover for World Cocktail Day 13th May: Scandalous Women by Gill Paul Amazingly these are all books I've read - have you read any of them? Have a great Saturday whatever you are up to. #scavengerhunt #bookchallenges #libcreads #mayscavengerhunt

Last week I was lucky enough to be invited to the @zaffrebooks Crime and Thriller Drinks. It was a fabulous evening with the opportunity to chat to authors, the Zaffre team and fellow bookstagrammers, and to hear from publisher @benwillisuk . And of course there were books - and lots of them. I was delighted to come home with some of the titles publishing in the next few months. 📚Killer Twist by @jofurniss 📚The Kill Switch by @robert_peston 📚The Man With The Golden Compass by @vaseemkhanwriter 📚Never To Be Found by @jospainscreenwriter 📚Death Writ Large by @susiedent Excited to dive in to these - and thank you so much to the @bonnierbooks_uk team for the invitation. #zaffrecrime #libcreads #crimeandthriller

It's Cover Reveal day for The Trouble with Sister Francis by @manversusbaby - and I couldn't be happier to have a proof in my hands! 📚Synopsis Sister Francis is an unlikely nun. She's sixty, sweary, drives like a lunatic and smokes like a stacked chimney . . . and she runs the Blessed Assumption Boys Club. Richie, Bennett, Kenny and Stan are four best friends from the Whittle council estate with little to do but get up to no good. After a run-in with local bullies, they discover the crumbling, forgotten club and find themselves in the company of the most remarkable person they will ever meet. Set against early 1980s Britain, THE TROUBLE WITH SISTER FRANCIS is a funny, heartwarming, and heartbreaking story of unlikely heroes, quiet rebellions, fierce loyalty and unexpected hope. And at the centre of it all lies a long-forgotten journal that might just change everything. I adored Frank & Red so can't wait to read this one, which is out on 27th August from @wildfiredoesbooks @headlinebooks , and is a @squadpod2021 book club pick. #thetroublewithsisterfrancis #mattcoyne #coverreveal #libcreads

And just like that it's Thursday again - this week seems to have flown by! And of course that means publication day - congratulations to the authors of these books out today. 📚Moveable Feasts (PB) by @chri.snewens 📚Mr & Mrs Dixon Hide A Body by Jennifer Holdich 📚Rose & Renzo by @carolynmanc 📚The Hollow Boys by @tariqashkanani 📚The Arrival by @robin_brookes_author 📚The Library After Dark by @andepliegowrites Lots of reviews to come but some good ones in there. Any of these catch your eye? #publicationday #publicationdaystack #bookstack #libcreads

I loved You Are Fatally Invited by @andepliegowrites , so was keen to read her new book, The Library After Dark, which is out tomorrow. A locked room mystery in a library at night - and one that is thought to be haunted - had me intrigued from the start! Told from multiple points of view, this did take me a bit of time to get into (and I will confess to making use of the helpful character list several times early on). It is clear from the outset that nothing - and no-one - is quite what it seems. But the intrigue of being trapped in an eerie library with some "interesting" exhibits and multiple unreliable narrators certainly drew me in. Fairy tales from a book in the library add a clever - and chilling - foretelling, and there are some pretty gory moments. There is no shortage of twists and turns as the story progresses - and I enjoyed how the story ultimately came together. It is certainly an atmospheric read and one that keeps you off balance throughout with its many layers - if you enjoy a gothic touch to your thrillers and plenty of intrigue then add this one to your list. Thank you @bantambooksuk snd @randomthingstours for my copy and opportunity to join the tour. #thelibraryafterdark #andepliego #randomthingstours #libcreads

Work Love Balance by @sophieloxtonauthor is a fun enemies to lovers workplace romance, an enjoyable and engaging read. Lizzy Brinks handles the comms for artist Esme Kaminska - and does a great job. But away from professional success she is struggling with some family challenges - and her professional life becomes way more complicated when her boss has a whirlwind romance with influencer Alex. Swept up in the first flush of romance they also come up with a concept for a dating app - and Lizzy must work with her opposite number at Alex's company, Olly. Sparks begin to fly but they are very different - and workplace romances are never a good idea are they ....?! With the story moving from London to Venice, where things become ever more complicated, it's a slow burn willl they won't they romance that will have you hoping for Lizzy and Olly's HEA. Lizzy was an interesting character as she juggled personal and professional lives, but her determination to bat off Olly did perhaps mean we learnt less about him. But there is much to make you smile and it's a fun read. Thank you @simonschusteruk and @randomthingstours for my copy and opportunity to join the tour. #worklovebalance #sophieloxton #forcedproximity #workplaceromance #libcreads

Boring Asian Female by @canwen.xu is a wild ride of a book, delightfully unhinged but with some thought-provoking issues beneath its surface. Elizabeth Zhang has set her sights on Harvard Law School - and with what she believes is a near perfect application, cannot understand when she is rejected. It is suggested that it is because she is a "boring Asian female" - but when she finds out that Laura, another Asian girl in her year got accepted, Elizabeth begins to spiral and develops an unhealthy obsession with Laura, who she deems to have stolen a place that was rightfully hers. As the story progresses, so Elizabeth becomes more and more unhinged - and her actions become more and more jaw dropping. There is something so compelling about her even if she is hard to like - and the undercurrents of expectation, racism, classism and perceived privilege, as well as the power of social media adds some thought-provoking layers to the craziness. It's entertaining, it's clever and I raced through it - and the ending made me smile .... Thank you @bedfordsq.publishers ans @novel.tours for my copy and opportunity to join the tour. #boringasianfemale #canwenxu #noveltours #libcreads

There may be a definite lack of sunshine here today but I received a fabulous package yesterday that had me dreaming of more exotic locations! To celebrate the paperback publication of The Surf House by @lucyclarke_author @bereadnow and @harperfiction very kindly sent me a copy, as well as three of her other books and some holiday essentials! I have loved all of Lucy's books that I have read so far and think these definitely need to be read poolside so I'll be saving them - my holiday TBR starts now! Have you read any of Lucy's books? #thesurfhouse #lucyclarke #holidayreads #destinationthriller #libcreads

The Last Daughter of Highdown Hall by @cathy_hayward_writer is a dual timeline story, the story of a family, a house that has been passed down the generations - and some pretty devastating secrets. Four sisters with a complicated relationship reunite at Highdown Hall following the death of their mother Milly. It is youngest daughter Zoe who has taken care of their mother as her health declined - and she is understandably devastated and mystified when the house that she considers home has been left to her sisters, excluding her. And as they sort through her mother's belongings, it becomes clear that this is a family harbouring secrets ... As we go back to hear from Milly when the girls were young, we learn just how complicated the family are - and how hard it is when perceptions of those we love, and long held family dynamics, are challenged. Whilst I guessed some elements, this didn't impact on my enjoyment. It's an engaging read, a story of the complexities of families, choices made and their enduring impact. Thank you @kellydpike and the author for my copy - and the chocolate key which ties in beautifully to the story. #thelastdaughterofhighdownhall #cathyhayward #libcreads

Sometimes books just "speak to you" and as soon as I read the synopsis of The Mini Breakers by @lucykennedytv it felt instantly relatable and knew I was going to enjoy it! Five forty-something women who have known each other since school head off to Portugal on their annual get-together. All very different and each of their lives having gone in very different directions, tensions escalate, secrets are revealed and what should have been a relaxing holiday becomes far from it - and quite a lot of chaos ensues. I have four school friends who I also go away with every year - and we always comment on how different we are and whilst we are the best of friends we always joke that you would never put us all together now. So this group feels very relatable - though I hope none of my friends would be quite as cruel to any of us as one of the characters in the book is at times, even is she does redeem herself eventually! There is lots to relate to if you are a woman of a certain age, plenty of humour and some heartfelt moments. It's a fun easy read and a reminder of how special enduring friendships are. A perfect poolside read! #theminibreakers #louisekennedy #lovebookstours #libcreads

@ljross_author 's books have been on my radar as have heard great things but I have never picked one up. But earlier this year when the lovely @livvithomas told me that, having previously been self-published, they were being re-released by @penguinukbooks , it seemed like the perfect opportunity to start on what I know is the much loved DCI Ryan series. Holy Island, the first book in the series, is set on Lindisfarne where Ryan is on sabbatical. That sabbatical comes to an abrupt end when a young woman is found dead in the grounds of the priory and Ryan takes on the case. Former local resident Dr Anna Taylor is called in as a civilian consultant when it appears to be a ritualistic killing - but then the body count grows ..... It's a great combination for a police procedural - a clever mystery with plenty of twists, an intense, cut off from the mainland twice daily, small-town setting and two likeable main characters. Their budding romance is engaging and there is just enough humour for a touch of light relief. With the history of the island and its ancient religions woven into the story, it is a compelling read and a great start to the series. My only "complaint"? I'm a little daunted by the fact there are another 23 in the series to read - but I will certainly be picking up the next book soon! Thank you @randomthingstours for the opportunity to join the tour. #holyisland #ljross #dciryan #libcreads