What Rachael Reads

Today we welcome the lovely Lauren Westwood and her most recent novel Finding Secrets, published 1st March 2017. A country house, a precious jewelled locket, and a puzzle dating back to the London Blitz and Imperial Russia. Utterly captivating, a fantastic romance from beginning to end. Perfect for the fans of Carole Matthews and Milly Johnson. Alex Hart loves her dream job as manager of Mallow Court, a historic Elizabethan house, even if her friends think she needs to get out more. But a discovery in the pocket of an old coat – a jewelled mechanical locket shaped like a bird – changes everything, and Alex discovers that things are not as they seem. From an old diary, to a handsome barrister, a mysterious clockmaker, and the darkest hours of the London Blitz, Alex must follow the trail of the jewelled bird to uncover the truth about the things she holds dearest – and someone is determined not to let sleeping dogs lie! Only by finding the secrets of the past can Alex find t...

I get emails with book deals several times per day, and being a complete book addict I cannot leave them unopened. I almost feel anxious if I don't read them, thinking that I will definitely miss out on a great book, a great story, a life changing novel. I know I am not alone in this way of life, as countless members of online book clubs keep reassuring me with their 'book post' hashtags and carefully posed and filtered 'book pics'.  Sometimes I think I should just unsubscribe and let go, and for whatever my next read may be to find me instead. As if it were fate, or meant to be. But my inner bookworm refuses. She is a force to be reckoned with and has lead me down many incredible paths, introduced me to some unmissable characters and shaped my life beyond measure. So for that, I obey her every wish. She is real, she is formidable. She is my childhood and my best friend.  She is me.

Behind Closed Doors by Elizabeth Haynes My rating: 5 of 5 stars Elizabeth is one of my favourite authors, so I fear this review may be a little biased! However, having read the previous 5 books from her, I feel that I can confidently give Behind Closed Doors a 5 star rating. I find Elizabeth's style incredibly easy to read and the quirky information formats, such as police reports, witness statements and internal emails add greatly to the reading experience. I also find Elizabeth's novels very unpredictable which, for me, is pretty rare. I can pretty much read between the lines of most mystery/thriller novels and work out the ending to some extent, but I have not been able to do this with any of Haynes' novels. She has previously been hailed as one of the most exciting things to hit recent crime fiction, and I have to agree. Elizabeth has firmly established herself as one to watch out for and I cannot wait to read whatever comes next. View all my reviews

Extremely proud to announce our very first blog tour stop! The lovely Lauren Westwood is bringing to us her second novel Finding Secrets. Visit us next Saturday, 11th March to check out Lauren and her book!

Happy World Book Day fellow book lovers! This is one of my favourite days of the year. We have a beautiful sunny day here in South Wales for a change and it was wonderful taking my children to school this morning and seeing the different costumes in all shapes, sizes and colours! My favourite from 2016 had to be our Deputy Headteacher who transformed into Miss Trunchbull and looked amazing! Matilda was one of my all-time favourite Roald Dahl books. My eldest two have gone to Hogwarts; Hermione and Quidditch Harry strolled in this morning alongside Gangsta Granny, Where's Wally, Merida from Brave and, of course, no book day would be complete without a Gruffalo or two! Harry and Hermione My youngest refused to dress up, but was more than happy to take The Gingerbread Man along to nursery and proudly proclaim it as her favourite! I am spending World Book Day with tea and the fantastic Elizabeth Haynes and her fourth novel Under A Silent Moon. Elizabeth has recently become ...

Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes My rating: 5 of 5 stars Elizabeth is fast becoming one of my favourite thriller writers. Into the Darkest Corner is simply stunning. A chilling, mind-twisting tale of domestic abuse and its effects long after the fact. Couldn't put this one down! View all my reviews

A fantastic selection of bargain thrillers on Amazon today!