Review - My Sister's Bones

Kate Rafter is a successful war reporter. She's the strong one. The one who escaped Herne Bay and their father. Her sister Sally didn't. Instead, she drinks.

But when their mother dies, Kate is forced to return to the old family home. And on her first night she is woken by a terrifying scream.

What secret has Kate stumbled upon?
And is she strong enough to uncover the truth . . . and make it out alive?

A completely unputdownable story about the secrets families hide, with a twist that will knock your socks off, this thriller is the hottest debut since The Girl on the Train.

I have literally just finished this book and couldn't wait to review it. My Sister's Bones by Nuala Ellwood was breathtaking! I didn't realise how good it was until 75-80% through and then I couldn't put it down.

At 400 pages (Kindle Edition) it took me 2 days to finish reading it around the 3 little ones, but I enjoyed it, a lot! The author's style is beautiful and well crafted. The book is comprised of 3 parts, each from a different perspective, which brings a real depth to the story and the main characters. I like to feel like I know the characters and I really liked Kate, the main character. The author really drew me in and I felt emotionally involved in the story.

One point that really made me enjoy this book was the plot twist. I never saw it coming, and I almost always do! I was caught completely off guard and thrilled about it!

I felt the story line was well balanced throughout and brought to an impeccable end with full closure. I personally don't like it when an ending feels hurried and with questions left unanswered.

I have rated this book at 5 stars on Amazon and Goodreads because it truly deserves it. Go get your copy, it's well worth the read!

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...