b00kw0rms0fthew0rldunite's reviews
678 reviews

Kate Hardy has done it again, another cracker of a mystery starring Georgina Drake.

This one has a whole cast of characters, all who seem exceedingly innocent. It's a real brain scratcher for the detectives (amateur and those being paid). I did like the fact that Colin had a much bigger role than usual, given that he was in charge of both cases. There was some great police work done as well as Georgies efforts to find out the truth. Georgina herself had a smaller part, considering her normal role in the books and she was less 'annoyingly present' to the family and friends involved in the case since they were her friends.

I love a good bit of Doris and although the first few books revolved around her stories, she definitely took a back seat in this one. I'm just glad to see that she hasn't gone for good.

This book involved a cold case as well as a present one and dealt with themes such as abusive partners and family, sexual orientation, violence and revenge. The author deals with these issues in her characters well.

My thanks to Netgalley and the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

 I adore the books set in Emerald Bay with the Kelly family and I'm quite sad that this is the last of the series. (I think)

Michelle Vernal has a lovely writing style that keeps you thinking that you are emerged in a warm hug. The community that she creates with the cantankerous and the chilled, the nosy and the nice, the do-gooders and the dears, never fails to raise a smile while I am reading. I like the way that her characters aren't all on pedestals to be Disney princesses but they are real with flaws and stubbornness and dodgy episodes galore with their knickers.

Hannah, I must admit, wasn't the favourite sister due to her seemingly alien views about most things and her ferociousness to get her own point across. This book in her point of view wasn't bad though and it was good to get to know her from the inside out. I really enjoyed knowing more about the family history and some of Nora and Kitty's backstory.

I'm going to miss visiting Emerald Bay and hope that there is a new series to sink my teeth into soon.
My thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and Michelle Vernal to the opportunity to read this ARC, all opinions posted are my own. 

This is possibly the most genre confused book I have ever read! But...It works quite well.

A cross between a historical fiction novel - with the governess in 1800's Singapore, working for two families, a romance book - with the romances of quite a few characters worked through within the story or a supernatural or fantasy book - with allusions of her age, her knowledge of various mythical creatures and practices and her 'past'.

Miss Cassidy, who I found to be charming, insightful and dear rather than formidable, is written in such a way that I was often baffled at why she was doing what she was or thinking the thoughts she was. It wasn't read in a way that the reader was privy to the information at hand but rather it gets revealed at the end like a mystery novel. 

I listened to an audio version and was very charmed by the narrators soft Scottish lilt. She spoke very well and had a wide range of accents and intonations for the characters.

All in all, quite an interesting read and it looks like there may be more in the series to look forward to. 

Mt thanks to Netgalley, Bolinda Audio and Meihan Boey for an opportunity to read and give opinions on this ARC

This is the second book in the series and a beautiful and emotional read. We again follow Dr Frances Brakespeare as she battles with sexism, identity and modern thinking in a time ruled by fear and religious piety. 
Wanting to start a change in the small village that would see the choice for women in how their bodies are used and an awareness of how too many babies can impact finances and health, Frances doesn't have an easy time of it. Supported by those who always supported her while facing criticism from largely the uneducated or power hungry, Frances tries to keep the health of her community paramount in her endeavours. 
Alongside this she faces a myriad of hate from her mentor, Izzy's sister and the whole backstory alluded to in the first installment is brought to the surface.
Frances and Gregory's characters stay true to the ones we know and love and progression is made with Devlin and the lovely nurse Lucy.
A lovely community of older characters and new, definitely a book to get lost in. If you liked Call the Midwife, you will love this!

Thanks to Netgalley and the author and publisher for an opportunity to read the ARC. All expressed opinions are my own.

This is a lovely, heartwarming tale set in 1822. The story revolves around the main characters of Jemma and Miles as Jemma sets to fulfill the dying wish of her grandmother, who insists that she abandon her modern rebellious ideas of being a spirited spinster, get married and fall in love.
She enlists the help of her best friend Miles who is a much chased after, handsome local vicar. 

I quite like both the main characters, Miles is the ideal book boyfriend and his pure love and adoration of Jemma is beautiful. Jemma is the regency equivalent of Bridget Jones and is clumsy, independent and stubborn. They together with their group of rebel friends give the words love triangle and even love quadrilateral a run for their money and a thorough workout!

The term rebels isn't one that I have heard of in (slightly post) Regency era books or movies and it threw me a bit although I came to realise that they were a group of modernish thinking people who do good for big causes. I never came to know who or what they were rebelling against but that doesn't impact the story in a big way. I also think there may be a book that came before this one due to mentioned bits about other characters.

As for the matchmaking mamas, they get a bit of mention in the book and their scheming ways see and have seen a few happily matched couples. I quite liked the sound of them although we don't know what really goes on there due to the point of view only being from Jemma and Miles.

I guessed the ending quite early on in the book although quite a bit of the story line surrounding it such as the cricket match, injury and picnics were unexpected and great listening prior to the ending. 

The narrators were fantastic and the female one had me in stitches when Jemma got hysterical and awkward. It really was funny to listen to Jemma's character being fully brought to life at her stubbornist, most 'in denial' moments.

A romantic and cheering book that had me wanting to read (listen) more. Thanks to Netgalley, Dreamscape Select and the author and publisher for allowing me to listen to the ARC audiobook. All opinions expressed are my own.

The second book in The Queen's Deadly Damsels series is just as funny, lovable and spicy as the first.
The plot continues with uncovering the group stealing and selling girls. This time however, the plot centres around Millie and Beau.
Millie being a funny, awkward and passionate fighter for freedom who will do whatever it takes to be away from her oppressors, and Beaufort Drake who is a battle scarred hero with his heart turned to stone.
We see a return of Hannah and Killian, the ever impressive and witty Phillipa and a host of new characters who in turn made my blood boil and/or made me smile.

I wasn't satisfied with the end of the evil stepmother as what she had done was the cruelest actions I had seen in a while and I would have liked to see her get exactly what she deserved.
The ending of the rest was well done and had me googling if there was another book (of course there is!) and eager to see when it will get here.

I love the writing and not just the story but the funniest bits which were in my opinion, the bits said inside Millie's head. They had me laughing out loud in quite a few places.

A great story and I'm putting Darcy McGuire in the firm favourite category!

My biggest thanks to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and Darcy McGuire for allowing me the chance to read an ARC. All opinions are my own.

Kristen Bailey is the queen of Christmas rom-coms... or ones set during other times of year... or basically just the queen of rom-coms in general! I love love love her humour and the banter between her characters, and that for me is better than grand romantic gestures or spice of any level. Grand old British humour at it's finest!

Maggie is a thoroughly delightful character with a huge heart and a sweet tooth! She gets put into a terrible position by her bosses at work and has to choose one of her team to dismiss over the Christmas period. Her team are her family and this year due to her parents being on a cruise, the 3 lads had conspired between them for Maggie to be spending parts of Christmas with all of them.

The fun that follows includes being a fake girlfriend while setting up her 'boyfriend' with someone much better, putting awful family members in their place, rescuing baby foxes in a reindeer onesie and stealing wedding cake...and that's before the romance even gets started!

I really love the way that Maggie and Leo start, find each other, take selfies with donkeys and end up together too. I think I've found myself a new book boyfriend crush for sure! The community of families that surround the characters are joyous to read about and such a heartwarming part of the story. My favourite of course being Leo's family dynamics. The smile didn't leave my face.

I did see the way the job situation panned out quite early on although if I had my way with the ending, the Wiseman company could shove their Christmas tree where the sun don't shine and they would have all gotten better jobs for a company that deserved them. Really wanted to knock the smile off Jan's face.

Adore the narrator and the way she could put on the different accents so well. She really made the book come alive and her comic timing was brilliant.

A 5-star read! Thank you so much to Netgalley, Storm Publishing and the queen herself Kristen Bailey for a huge big smile on my face with this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Chasing Horizons is one of those books that you didn't know you needed to read until you do. It has a ready made set of lovely friends and family that watch out for each other, a tour of Europe, a romance that leaves you wanting to read more and a wholesomeness that is just the right level instead of not enough or 'shove down your throat' over the top.

This is the second book in the series and we meet Kylie and Seth in this edition. Seth is not your typical 'womaniser' jock, being a man of few words and sincere in his actions and relationships instead of letting his fame get him in trouble. Kylie is a loud and proud person, who unlike a lot of female characters, loves herself and is confident about who she is. So refreshing to see a character that doesn't doubt and need reassurance every 5 minutes!

They meet on a tour that mirrored my own experience in the day on a Contiki tour. They went to all the same haunts and I'm pretty sure our tour guide's name was Kylie Anderson too! The parallels! ...and the pics we took in front of the sex museum in Amsterdam... ;)

The story that they go on is lovely and I love the way that they can reflect on their own parts of their experience throughout the journey. The man who finds it hard to speak doesn't magically decide he can to win the day but the woman he loves makes it easier for him to express himself by giving him what he needs. The woman who is hung up on needing something that she can't ask for, decides that she doesn't actually have to ask to 'ask'. There is no huge 'regret inducing' compromises that are made to achieve their happily ever after.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5. Thanks so much for allowing me to be part of the Journey of Chasing Horizons, Allison! Sign me up for Tara's story already please!!

An outstanding start to a series, loved every humourous minute of this. The narrator of the audiobook was superb! An auto buy author for sure.

This is the 4th book in the series 'A Village at War' by Ellie Curzon. Every now and again a book comes along that has something you weren't expecting and that is the case with this book for sure. It had all the main parts of a book set in a small village, the close community of characters, petty rivalries, local spirit and being wary of newcomers and as I had read the first in the series I knew that I was in for a treat with an Ellie Curzon book.

The story revolved around the land girls and in particularly, Lottie, who has suffered trauma in her immediate past with the passing of her sister due to a German bomb. When a German plane is shot down near to her farm during an air raid and it is thought that a survivor has escaped, she doesn't act as most main book characters would do. I would expect that main characters, in order to show their kinder or sympathetic side, would be of the opinion that since they are at war, both sides are losing men on the front and that the bombing that their own country does is impacting the enemy country too. However Lottie, fresh from the horrors of losing her sister rampages against the Nazi's, badmouths them and generally is outraged about all the things they are doing. This is a real reaction and what I would expect a citizen during a brutal war to do. It makes Ellie's characters so much more realistic and flawed to have them acting on genuine feelings and reactions to such events. For most of the book Lottie's rant, ravings and thoughts are so devastatingly human.

The other parts that aren't in every war tale is the notion of revving up the community hate against their enemy. We would know of course that countries at war generally don't need much revving up but this book deals with issues such as inciting violence in communities where there needn't be any and taking situations into their own hands. It's refreshing to see different issues being raised and different angles being explored.

Towards the middle and end it does go back to having the heroine/hero love story and the characters rallying together in an emergency and the happily ever after that you would expect of a book. The characters aren't set out as heroes but rather represented in a grumpy, surly or obstinate way.
As I said before, very realistic. I liked the turn around in attitudes and the ending had a few twists and turns that I didn't see coming. All in all a great book.

Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and Ellie Curzon for an ARC to read. All opinions expressed are my own.