Tragically, Lucinda Riley passed away, but thankfully, for her legions of fans, Lucinda’s son Harry Whittaker has taken up her mantle and reworked anTragically, Lucinda Riley passed away, but thankfully, for her legions of fans, Lucinda’s son Harry Whittaker has taken up her mantle and reworked and given new life to a lost treasure, The Hidden Girl. As you would expect, The Hidden Girl is a captivating saga with the most incredible characters. The writing is exceptional, from the descriptive settings to the exquisitely drawn characters.
This sweeping saga is told across two time lines, the first follows Yorkshire born Leah Thompson, who finds herself thrust into the world of modelling. The second focuses on the tragic tale of two young siblings in Poland during the Second World War. The two timelines intertwine beautifully, creating a memorising story that explores family secrets spanning generations and a long-forgotten prophecy from the past.
If I had one small niggle, I found some chapters didn’t flow quite as well as I hoped, as they jumped from one timeline to another. Despite this, I still loved this memorising story. The Hidden Girl will capture the readers’ imagination right from the beginning, taking them on a journey from the horrors of the concentration camp to the catwalks of Milan. Beautifully told, I found this book to be heartbreaking, tender, and uplifting in equal measures. Highly recommended....more
I worked as a psychiatric nurse for many years, so Hold Back The Night book description immediately piqued my interest. Jessica Moor takes an unflinchI worked as a psychiatric nurse for many years, so Hold Back The Night book description immediately piqued my interest. Jessica Moor takes an unflinching look at nursing during the 1950s through the eyes of student nurse Annie. From the barbaric treatments used to treat mental health problems to the stigma and awful treatment of AIDS patients, it’s hard-hitting, shocking and emotive.
As I mentioned, the story follows Annie’s nursing journey, which begins in the 1950s where she’s a nurse in Fairlie Hall, a mental hospital. It moves on to the 1980s where she provides a home for men who are dying from AIDS. The story begins in 2020 at the height of COVID and moves back and forth across the three timelines. We learn how Annie struggles with past choices, regret and guilt.
I wasn’t a huge fan of Annie’s as a junior nurse. I would describe her as ‘efficient’, a stickler for following procedure but lacking compassion and empathy. Moving to the 1980s, it felt like she was looking for redemption by taking in lodgers to ease her own guilt. Her relationships with best friend Rita, Lizzie, her daughter and her lodgers seemed to lack warmth. Although in Annie’s defence, this may have stemmed from her years working in Fairlie Hall.
Jessica draw’s parallels between COVID and AIDS through the changing timelines which I thought were very well done. Although very different illnesses, they both caused similar reactions of panic, isolation and ignorance. I found these scenes the most upsetting, knowing full well that this was unfortunately the ‘norm’ back then!
WOW what a spellbinding debut this turned out to be. Crow Moon is a menacing and darkly sinister modern gothic thriller steeped in Scottish folklore. WOW what a spellbinding debut this turned out to be. Crow Moon is a menacing and darkly sinister modern gothic thriller steeped in Scottish folklore. Set in the fictional village of Strathbran Suzy Aspley has created a village that has a powerful effect on the story and adds to the dark, mysterious, and fearful atmosphere tenfold.
After the death of her twin sons in a tragic house fire, Martha Strangeways, an ex-journalist, is consumed by grief. Dougie is Martha’s teenage son, whose friend Fraser is found murdered with a creepy poem about crows tattooed on his back. Retired journalist Martha founds herself drawn into the investigation. The characters in the story are well-drawn and diverse. I particularly liked Martha, who doggedly plants herself in the middle of the investigation.
In the small claustrophobic community, paranoia and distrust become intertwined as the number of potential suspects for the murder increases and long buried village secrets are revealed. The sense of foreboding amplifies with every page turn as another of Dougie’s friends vanishes.
Suzy Aspley grief and long term psychological damage both have a large part to play in this sorrowful tale. Crow Moon is a wonderfully atmospheric and compelling novel and a MUST read for gothic thriller fans. Personally, I can’t wait to see where the author takes Martha next.
‘Be still my beating heart’ sums up how I was feeling after I finished the captivating gothic thriller Yule Island which is based on a true story. Fro‘Be still my beating heart’ sums up how I was feeling after I finished the captivating gothic thriller Yule Island which is based on a true story. From the start, Johana ‘Gustawsson’s vivid descriptions of Yule Island, with its oppressive, inescapable, and darkest winter landscape, strike a sense of unease into the reader. Coupled with a teenager’s death, which has the markings of a ritualistic killing, the author plunges the reader into a dark place where horrifying secrets from the past hide buried in the shadows.
The plot without giving too much away centres around art expert Emma Lindahl whose latest job is to appraise the antiques and artefacts in the infamous mansion of one of Sweden’s wealthiest families. Situated on the island of Storholmen, where a young woman was murdered nine years earlier, her killer never found. Detective Karl Rosen joins her as they investigate a new horrific murder. To the who? And Why? This takes time to get to, but the mystery and suspense grows significantly throughout. I should mention David Wariner who has done a magnificent job in translating Yule Island into English, capturing the tone perfectly. I loved how the author unpeel’s the layers of the mystery, never too much or too little, but just enough to unsettle the reader.
Like all new relationships, there’s a settling-in period, so there’s much to learn about Emma and Rosen. As the story progresses, the author is not afraid to tackle some darker themes, which heighten those feelings of dread. I appreciated how the author melds historical facts with Swedish myths and legends, as it definitely adds to the whole gothic atmosphere. Johana Gustawsson’s title ‘the queen of French noir’ is spot on. It’s a rare breed of author who's able to create an intricately woven story that’s visceral and addictively dark whilst keeping the reader enthralled. What more can I say? Apart from Yule Island is a deftly plotted novel of the highest order with a shocking twist in its tail.
The Women is historical fiction at its absolute best, profoundly emotional, This book deserves tall the ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and more
The Women by Kristin Hannah
The Women is historical fiction at its absolute best, profoundly emotional, it’s a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine. You will live and breathe Frankie’s story and feel her every emotion. It’s a story of family, unbreakable bonds, love, loss, bravery and ultimately hope. “Women can be heroes, too.” When twenty-year-old nursing student “Frankie” McGrath hears these unexpected words, it is a revelation. Frankie has led a privileged, sheltered life. But in 1965 the world is changing, and when her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she impulsively joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path. Unprepared for the horrors of war, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war.
Although this is ultimately Frankie’s story, it also shines a light on the story of all women who put themselves in harm’s way to help others. Women whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has been all too often forgotten. From the minute she lands in Vietnam, Frankie enters ‘hell’, working in the most horrifying conditions. She’s shocked and terrified, but as her confidence grows, her strength and endurance are to be applauded. The works heartbreaking, brutal, a never never-ending cycle of the wounded, ill and dying. And yet, despite all this, Frankie flourishes. We see Frankie change from a naïve, privileged young girl into a woman who is courageous. I loved the friendship that blossoms between her and Barb and Ethel. It’s an unbreakable bond that will help them through the hardest of times.
The second part of the book deals with Frankie’s trauma of coming home to a country that’s anti-war and hostile to veterans. They treat veterans like outcasts instead of recognizing them as the heroes they are. Frankie is just one of the “forgotten women” many believing only men were sent to Vietnam. She’s a different woman when she returns, grieving for lost love, and traumatised by the horrors of war. It was difficult and heartbreaking to read about Frankie’s addictions. The challenges she faced made me cry for Frankie and all the women in Vietnam who were never acknowledged or given the support they needed. Kristin Hannah has created the most incredible heroine in Frankie. She’s courageous and resilient and yet there’s a vulnerability to her that makes the reader want to protect her. The Women made for a powerful, all-consuming read, Frankie is a character who will stay with me for a long time to come and in my opinion this is Kristin Hannah’s best book yet. My top read of the year so far!
Victoria Hislop not only writes a wonderful story, her evocative descriptions of the Greek landscape bring to life the beauty of Greece as a whole. HeVictoria Hislop not only writes a wonderful story, her evocative descriptions of the Greek landscape bring to life the beauty of Greece as a whole. Her descriptions are so rich it takes little imagination to conjure up the sights, smells, people, culture and history of Athens and the Greek islands. The Figurine shines a light on the questionable acquisition of cultural treasures and the price people and countries will pay to cling on to them. The Figurine is a captivating tale of one woman's quest to come to terms with her family's brutal past.
The Figurine shares the story of Helena, who is part Greek and part Scottish. As a young child, she spends her holidays with her mother’s parents in Athens. Her annual visits continue until the political turmoil of Greece in the 1970s and her grandparents passing. When emptying their lavish apartment, she finds evidence of her grandfather’s nefarious past. A past that’s shrouded in violence, corruption, looting, theft and illegal acquisition of Greek treasures. Helena’s attempt to make amends for some of her grandfather’s actions will take her on a journey that will captivate the reader.
Helena is an incredible character. We follow her journey from a young child to an adult. Her courage and determination to bring the looters to justice is to be admired. As I read more, I appreciated how Greece, once just a place to holiday, becomes an important part of Helena’s heritage, a place that feels like home. Before I read The Figurine, I knew very little about archaeological digs and artefacts, but reading this book, Hislop opened up a whole new world to me. The more I learnt, the more fascinated I became. I thought about signing up to a dig in the hope of finding a highly sought after Cycladic figurine! If you are looking for a book to escape the dreary weather, and you love historical fiction with a dose of romance thrown in, then I would happily recommend you read this beautifully told story.
Firstly, I must mention the title The Mysterious Double Death of Honey Black is such an intriguing title. Why a double death? What’s the mystery behinFirstly, I must mention the title The Mysterious Double Death of Honey Black is such an intriguing title. Why a double death? What’s the mystery behind the death of Honey Black? So many questions that are deftly answered by Lisa Hall in this original glamorous, time-slip murder mystery set in the Golden Age of Hollywood. It’s 2019, and Lily is a cleaner at the famous Beverly Hills Hotel. It’s the where the actress Honey Black was brutally murdered and they did not catch her killer. After an accidental bump to the head, Lily finds herself in Hollywood but in 1949. Rubbing shoulders with Hollywood’s elite, including Honey Black. Lily realises that the actress has only two weeks left to live before her murder date. Can she unmask the killer before it’s too late? Can she alter Honey’s fate? And so begins a compelling and addictive read.
I normally like my crime thrillers to be full of blood and gore. The Mysterious Double Death of Honey Black is more of a cosy murder mystery. It made a pleasant change and reminded me of a classic Agatha Christie book, where the tension lies in the ‘whodunnit’ rather than the crime itself. It’s obvious the author has researched the Hollywood of bygone days, the glamour, glitz, gossip and scandal. She brings the era to life with her stunning visual descriptions.
I like how the author misdirects you at every given opportunity. It certainly keeps you guessing. No sooner had I discounted one suspect another character took their place! Amateur sleuth Lilly is such a refreshing character. She’s determined, resourceful and considering her circumstances, she’s incredibly resilient.
The thing that makes this book so interesting is that, alongside Lilly’s investigations, we get transported back to the Golden Age of Hollywood. I loved the references to the real life stars before they became household names. In case you haven’t guessed, I loved the Mysterious Double Death of Honey Black. It’s clever and so original, it’s brilliantly plotted, with incredible characters. Highly recommend.
I’ve read a lot of historical fiction books set around World War II, but I can’t think of one book I’ve read whose focus is the plight of woman JapaneI’ve read a lot of historical fiction books set around World War II, but I can’t think of one book I’ve read whose focus is the plight of woman Japanese prisoners of war. Based on true events, Sisters Under The Rising Sun is an astonishing story of sisterhood, bravery, friendship, and survival that will captivate readers. After the fall of Singapore to the Japanese, the ship that holds refugees and nurses of the Australian army is bombed and sinks, with few survivors. Norah, a musician, and Nesta are two of the captured prisoners. This is their story.
Morris does a fabulous job in allowing the reader to feel the character’s emotions. As the reader, you sense their fear, despair, grief, and their hate for their captors. My heart ached for the horrific conditions the prisoners faced. Fear of starvation, the heat, with such chronic overcrowding, poor sanitation was the norm, and dysentery and typhus flourished. They subjected the women to constant brutality from their captors. Despite the terrible conditions, the women showed great courage, resourcefulness, and determination.. This book is based on personal stories of real people, which makes it all the more emotive.
Reading the biographies of some of the main characters at the end made for an emotional read. Sisters Under The Rising Sun is beautifully written, with the most amazing characters. Despite the horrors within its pages, this is ultimately a story that’s about courage and resilience of women and their ferocious will to survive against the odds.
The Freedom of the Soul (The Penbrook Diaries Book 2) by Tracey Bateman swipe photo for book description
The Freedom Of The Soul is the second book inThe Freedom of the Soul (The Penbrook Diaries Book 2) by Tracey Bateman swipe photo for book description
The Freedom Of The Soul is the second book in the Penbrook Diaries. I read both books in the series in two days which is unheard of! Both stories are filled with characters you will love and characters you will abhor. The Freedom Of The Soul includes the evil institution of slavery, racism, and the rise of the Klan. As you can imagine some scenes are heartbreaking, others offer hope but it’s still a beautiful historical tale.
The story moves flawlessly between the 1840's and 1940's and back again, showing that true love can endure. Tracey Bateman’s style of writing is fantastic and the blend between the past and present work's well. You soon become drawn into the story and really care about the characters. Once again I felt so many emotions whilst reading this book.
I highly recommend this book, but would urge you to read The Color of the Soul first. They are both incredible books.
The Color Of The Soul is the first book in the Penbrook Diaries. Tracey Bateman weaves such a beautiful historical southern tale, rich in detail, and The Color Of The Soul is the first book in the Penbrook Diaries. Tracey Bateman weaves such a beautiful historical southern tale, rich in detail, and characters that are perfectly depicted. She had done a wonderful job of showing the realities of life during the period just before the Civil War to the advent of the Civil Rights Movement.
The book is set in 1948, but includes diaries from the 1800’s which also include several characters’ point of view. The author seamlessly moves from one era to the next and from one character to another. The author has a way of making the characters come to life. There are quite a few characters, but each has a very distinctive voice.
A very powerful story, and I experienced many emotions while reading it. This is a deeply moving saga that is painful, and desperately sad, yet manages to provide hope for a better future. The characters are complex and the journey to their awakening and self-discovery is a trip well worth experiencing.
GO AS A RIVER is a is a poignant, coming-of-age story, about love, sacrifice and resilience. Without a doubt, it’s beautifully written and is rich in GO AS A RIVER is a is a poignant, coming-of-age story, about love, sacrifice and resilience. Without a doubt, it’s beautifully written and is rich in description and atmosphere. The book is brimming with beautiful descriptions of the Colorado mountains, countryside and wildlife. Through lush imagery of the natural world, Shelley Read shows the possibility of growing in the most challenging of circumstances. The detailed descriptions of the setting detracted from Torie's story, making it harder for me to engage.
In 1948, a chance meeting between seventeen-year-old Victoria “Torie” Nash meets a young man by the name of Wilson “Wil” Moon, a drifter of Native American descent, triggers a sequence of events that changes Victoria’s life forever. The love they share is taboo, but the lessons Wilson teaches Victoria about the flow of the river sustain her through her hardships, ease the pain of her losses, and guide her to find her niche in life. Topics of racism and prejudice are depicted and are as brutal as the landscape of the Colorado wilderness.
With all the positive reviews, I was hoping GO AS A RIVER would be an exceptional read, but alas, it left me a little deflated! Why? I think my biggest problem was the pacing. I seemed to have been reading for ages and nothing actually happened! The lack of character development was an issue for me too. So much time is spent describing nature there was little room left to develop the characters. Never the less overall this was an enjoyable read and an impressive debut novel. But unfortunately I didn’t find it to be the heartbreaking, tear jerking, memorable read that other reviews promise.
A story of two women, Eleanor and Ruby living two completely different lives that are joined together. It’s a story about the pain and sacrifice of fo A story of two women, Eleanor and Ruby living two completely different lives that are joined together. It’s a story about the pain and sacrifice of forbidden love, the lengths a mother will go to protect her child, and survival against the toughest of odds. I liked how the author gives you two very different storylines working in parallel that provide completely different perspectives of the two woman. Set in 1948, when pregnancy for an unwed mother was taboo not to mention a sin it was even more challenging for those living during segregation and racism. I’m not sure this book will be for everyone as it leans heavily to the ‘romance’ and that’s why I have rated down a star. I would have much preferred to have more history of the two woman and the difficulties they faced. ...more
The story of Pheby Delores Brown is a powerful, heartbreaking and inspiring read. Although a fictional story, it’s interwoven with real historic4.5 ⭐️
The story of Pheby Delores Brown is a powerful, heartbreaking and inspiring read. Although a fictional story, it’s interwoven with real historical events and places, such as the infamous Devil’s Half-Acre, a jail where slaves were broken, tortured, and sold. There are so many interesting multi-faceted characters in this book but it is Pheby who will ultimately capture your heart. Yellow Wife is a mesmerising story of courage, survival, and striving to be free.
What makes this story even more heartbreaking is the knowledge that the brutality and slavery happened. Yellow Wife is predominantly about Pheby, although it also highlights for black men and women, slavery was an equally devastating experience. Both were forced to perform gruelling labor, subjected to mental and physical degradation, and denied their most basic rights. Enslaved men and women were beaten mercilessly, separated from loved ones arbitrarily, and, regardless of sex, treated as property in the eyes of the law. It’s books like this that are a stark reminder of a shameful period in American history.
The story is graphic in its details of the atrocities played out against the slaves. It’s not an easy story to read. After all, it’s a brutal and harrowing account of slavery. But it’s also an unforgettable story of determination and endurance. Yellow Wife is a beautifully written, moving book that is compelling and intricately researched. Pheby’s story is one which will stay in my thoughts for a long time to come. Highly recommended.
THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO surpassed my expectations. I absolutely loved every page of this book! The story spans several decades, and it’s setTHE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO surpassed my expectations. I absolutely loved every page of this book! The story spans several decades, and it’s set against the backdrop of the glittery Hollywood film industry. But all that glitters is not gold! Recluse Hollywood star Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, we learn more about her seven husbands along the way! The burning question and one everyone wants the answer to is, ‘who was the love of her life?’ Evelyn Hugo insists that Monique a journalist, will be the one to write her tell-all biography, but why? And what connects the two?
Most of the narrative is from Evelyn POV as she reminisces about her past and chapters interspersed with the present, where we learn more about Monique. The narrative and the characters are second to none. TJR captures the very essence of her characters. I convinced myself that this was a real life Hollywood star! Evelyn is flawed, ruthless, she’s manipulative and very selfish, but I loved her! She frustrated me; she made me angry, my heart broke for her, but she is unforgettable! And as each husband comes and goes, you love her a little more.
The real reason for Evelyn picking Monique is intriguing, and kept me guessing all the way to the dramatic revelation. There are so many characters that made this book a joy to read. Some will worm their way into your heart, others will leave you cold, but each one adds a depth to the story that made this book such a joy to read. I adored reading Evelyn’s rag to riches story, the glitz and glamour, the scandals, the heartbreak and her incredible forbidden love story. Highly recommended.
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