Review - The Loving Husband

So, my first read of 2017 was Christobel Kent's The Loving Husband. This book had been recommended to me by a friend and had been on my to-read list for quite a while. A Sunday Times Bestseller and popular among various book clubs and social media, I finally decided to read it.

Blurb (courtesy of Amazon):

Fran Hall and her husband Nathan have moved with their two children to a farmhouse on the edge of the Fens - a chance to get away from London and have a fresh start.

But when Fran wakes one night to find Nathan gone, she makes a devastating discovery. As questions about her husband and her relationships start to mount, Fran's life begins to spiral out of control.

What is she hiding from the police about her marriage, and does she really know the man she shared her bed with?

I am a huge fan of this 'domestic thriller' genre and with blockbusters such as The Girl on the Train and Gone Girl making such a huge impact over the last 12 months or so, it seems I am not alone in favouring this category. As such, I have read quite a few books in 2016 of a similar nature and enjoy them immensely. The Loving Husband should have been no different.

Unfortunately it missed the mark by a long shot.

The plot was great, and the developing story line was, overall, brilliant. It just lacked depth. I like to feel like I am getting to know the characters and really experience what they are going through but Fran was totally one dimensional. The author's style really threw me and I found myself struggling to keep up with the erratic switching between present and past. 

Of course, it wasn't all bad. There are a few 'WTF...' moments!! A few good plot twists and plenty of moments where you think you may have guessed only to be back to square one by the next paragraph!

I felt truly disappointed at the end. The plot was dragged and stretched out through the book and rather abruptly came to an end, with everything being explained hurriedly in just a few pages. I wanted to enjoy it. I wanted and willed it to get better with every chapter; it just didn't.

Of course, this is just my opinion! I had read a few Amazon reviews beforehand and seen many positive reviews. The Kindle version is on sale at the moment, and for only 99p, it's probably worth a read to make your own mind up.

Until next time,

Rachael xo

2016 - My Year In Books

At the dawn of a new year I thought it fitting to look back at 2016 as a whole and, wow, what a year it was! My thought process wasn't in the least bit encouraged by my Goodreads Year in Books tool!! 

66 books officially read and logged. Probably around 70 in truth, which is not bad considering I was extremely busy at the start of 2016 with another project and so I didn't really get started until around late April/early May. My goal for 2016 was 100 books, so I have set it again at 100 for 2017 and I'm pretty confident I will do it this year!

My genres varied a little more in 2016, from business and self help to psychological thrillers and timeless classics. I thoroughly enjoyed every one of them.

To see my full list, take a look at my Goodreads Year In Books https://www.goodreads.com/user/year_in_books/2016/42351815

I intend to make the most of 2017 and widen my choices even further, paying more attention to reviews and my blog, and re-reading some of my school reads that (shamefully) I skimmed through rather than studied!

Until next time,

Rach xo

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year fellow book lovers! I sincerely wish you all the best for 2017!

I intend to start the year as I mean to go on! Keeping on top of my blog, keeping up with the latest best sellers, and some of the more obscure titles, and of course reviewing some of the latest tech including my brand new Kindle Oasis!

My first read for 2017 is one that's been on my pile for a while. The Loving Husband by Christobel Kent. Enjoy the rest of your New Year break, see you on the other side!

Rach xo

Happy Sunday!

Sunday mornings are my favourite time of the week, especially during late Autumn when it's all dressing gowns and fluffy socks! In fact, I have cosied up that much the last week or so that I forgot to blog. Oops!

I have read a fair few books in that period. All of which I have enjoyed immensely and will include a short review and links below. 

It seems my 'to be read' pile (TBR for short) is getting longer by the day! I have discovered a fair few new authors in 2016 including Alex Lake and K.L. Slater and I cannot wait to read their next installments!

Speaking of K.L. Slater, I read the brilliant Safe With Me last week. A gripping psychological thriller.

Thirteen years ago someone did something very bad to Anna. Now it’s her turn to get even …

Anna lives a solitary existence, taking solace in order and routine. Her only friend is the lonely old lady next door. She doesn’t like to let people to get too close – she knows how much damage they can do.

Then one ordinary day Anna witnesses a devastating road accident and recognises the driver as Carla, the woman who ruined her life all those years ago. Now it’s Anna’s chance to set things straight but her revenge needs to be executed carefully …

First she needs to get to know Liam, the man injured in the accident. She needs to follow the police investigation. She needs to watch Carla from the shadows…

But as Anna’s obsession with Carla escalates, her own secrets start to unravel. Is Carla really dangerous or does Anna need to worry about someone far closer to home?

I devoured this in one day and sort of worked out what was happening before it happened, but don't let this dissuade you from reading it; I seem to have that uncanny ability sometimes and often think that I should be writing, not reading! But I digress, this was a brilliant thriller and the Kindle edition is currently only 99p on Amazon!

Next on my list was Claire Seeber's The Stepmother. Another great psychological thriller with plenty of twists. An enthralling read and perfect for those who like books such as Behind Closed Doors (which I highly recommend if you haven't read it!) and Between Me and You (also another fantastic plot twister!).

The perfect wife. A fairytale family. Don’t believe your eyes…

Jeanie and Matthew are a happily married couple who both have teenage children from previous relationships.

No one said it would be easy to raise a blended family under one roof but Jeanie and Matthew are strong. They will make it work.

And whilst Jeanie’s step-daughter Scarlett rejects her, Jeanie will just have to try harder to win her over.

But Jeanie has a past. A terrible secret she thought she’d buried a long time ago. And now, it’s coming to the surface, threatening to destroy her new marriage.

Someone is playing a terrifying game on Jeanie and she must put a stop to it once and for all. After all, a fairytale needs a happy ending…doesn’t it?

I have read a further 5 books this week (yes 5!) including the amazing My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout. I devoured it in a matter of hours and savoured every turn of the page! It's not often I read physical books anymore, so when I do I can't get enough of the smell!



Next up was The Child's Secret by Amanda Brooke. This was the first I had read from this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. An eight-year-old girl goes missing which, as a parent myself, makes the novel seem that much more fast-paced, perhaps knowing what is at stake if they fail to find her. Great storyline.



Following this was one of the classics. I decided to Google what were the top selling books of all time. I recognised many and had read a few, but there were others that I did not recognise and others that I suddenly had an urge to read. Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird was one and I decided to dive right in. I found it a little slow to start, set in 1930s southern America it was far from the modern British thrillers I have indulged in lately. I persevered and I am extremely glad that I did. A bittersweet coming-of-age tale that made me truly appreciate how different today's society is. Rape and racism rife throughout, as well as class differences show a stark contrast to modern life. It is one that I would recommend to anyone, and will be passing on to my children to help them understand that no matter what your background, we are all human beings. I was pleased to learn that the book is widely used in schools throughout America, a humble tale for young minds to absorb before heading out into the big wide world as adults.



Finally, over the last two days I have read two offerings from another new author, Alex Lake. First up was After Anna, another British psychological thriller centred around the disappearance of a five year old girl. Even though I (again) guessed what the outcome would be, it did not spoil my enjoyment of reading it. In fact, I enjoyed it so much I immediately dived in to Lake's next offering, Killing Kate. Very similar structure, which I enjoyed as it felt familiar and felt like I really knew the author and the style. Another gripping storyline with plenty of twists and turns. Highly recommend Alex Lake and looking forward to the next novel.



So a busy two weeks, but thoroughly enjoyed every one of them. Now to decide what to read next...

Book book or e-book?

The universe seems to be pretty undecided on this one! It's a debate that has raged on since the first e-readers were made available in the early 2000's and especially since the launch of Amazon's first Kindle, released in 2007.

I grew up surrounded by books. My whole family are readers and when I was younger I couldn't wait for my next trip with my Mum to Waterstones to spend my pocket money on the next Goosebumps book! Even now, as an adult, there is a certain aura when you walk into a book shop. A sense of adventure and wonderment and, of course, the smell! For me nothing beats the smell of a new (or old) book.

I will readily admit that I miss that smell, and the trips into the City to browse and choose my next adventure. Of course, the convenience of just clicking a button to add to your collection and having it delivered instantly is brilliant, but it's just not the same.

I have owned various tablets over the past few years and occasionally used them for reading but I finally dove in to the world of e-readers in 2014 when I was bought the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite for my birthday. I loved it instantly and rarely put it down! It travels everywhere with me and contains around 300 books at the moment which, in physical terms, would fill my car boot and leave very little room for us!

I'm also quite spontaneous when it comes to what I read, so it's great to be chatting with a friend and be able to download the book they have recommended almost immediately. Also great if you suddenly decide you want to read Moby Dick during your extended stay in hospital and don't have to wait for someone to buy it for you! The ability to see which book comes next in a series is a great tool, as is being able to look up words with just a tap on the screen.

This debate will probably never be settled. E-books have been leading the sales over the last few years but it emerged recently that physical books are making a comeback and for the first time in four years sales grew in 2015. It has also been reported that the number of independent small book shops has risen, which is fantastic news!

Whatever platform you prefer, the story remains the same. I am an e-reader convert for the reasons shared by most; portability and convenience. I am truly a woman of the 21st century and embrace all things speedy like Netflix, Uber and Amazon Prime. It doesn't stop me dreaming of one day living in a Castle with a library of physical books to rival that of Beauty and the Beast!