UNBOXING: Secrets of Blackthorn Hall by Cassandra Clare

Hey, everyone! Last year, I backed Cassandra Clare’s Seasons of Shadowhunters Kickstarter campaign and since then I’ve been impatiently waiting for the first book to arrive. It finally came and it was definitely worth the wait! It wasn’t cheap paying for shipping from the US and I was worried it wouldn’t be worth it but it feels really good quality and it’s surprisingly weighty. Also, it’s a beautiful edition.

REVIEW: I Died on a Tuesday by Jane Corry

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Title: I Died on a Tuesday by Jane Corry
Published by: 
Penguin
Publication date:
 20th June 2024
Genre: Thriller
Format: Paperback
Amazon UK

Synopsis:

THERE’S THE STORY EVERYONE BELIEVES . . .

The victim: Eighteen-year-old Janie leaving home for a new life.

The criminal: World-famous rockstar, Robbie, who harbours a shocking secret.

The protector: Witness support officer, Vanessa, desperate to right the wrongs of her past.They tried to bury that fateful day. Now it’s back to haunt them.

. . . AND THEN THERE’S THE TRUTH.

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April 2024 wrap-up!

Hey, everyone! Today I am sharing all the books I read in April and it was such a fantastic month for me! I read 16 books in total and while it was a bit up and down in terms of my enjoyment, I am still super happy with what I read. So let’s get into it:

Murder on Lake Garda by Tom Hindle: I would have liked this more if it wasn’t for Robyn. Actually, the whole cast of characters aren’t very likeable but Robyn was so annoying. She constantly reminds you that she did a journalism degree but she never actually did anything with it and instead became a bartender. But she can suddenly solve a murder despite having no experience whatsoever beyond a journalism degree. Also, she accused her boyfriend of murdering someone without any proof but then got annoyed when someone did the same to her. So it’s ok for her to point the finger but they can’t do the same to her? It’s fair game at this point. Lastly, she has this fear of water but it added nothing to the story so I’m not sure why it was necessary to include this. This story had a lot of promise but I found myself getting more and more irritated as it progressed. Sadly, it wasn’t for me.

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REVIEW: Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra

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Title: Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra
Published by: 
Viking
Publication date:
 8th February 2024
Genre: Thriller
Format: Paperback
Amazon UK

Synopsis

There was someone in the house.

Home alone with her young children during a blizzard, a mother tucks her son back into bed in the middle of the night. Then she hears a noise – old houses are always making some kind of noise. But this sound is disturbingly familiar: it’s the tread of footsteps, unusually heavy and slow, coming up the stairs…

In that split second, she has three choices.

Should she hide? Should she run? Or should she fight?

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March 2024 wrap-up!

Hey, everyone! Today I’m sharing all the books I read in March and it wasn’t as many as the previous months as I was in a little bit of a slump, but I’ve managed to get past it now. I was stuck on Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff for ages but it was more the mood I was in than the book. That was incredible, as always. I can’t fault Jay Kristoff! Anyway, here are all the books I read in March:

The Girl from Widow Hills by Megan Miranda: Unfortunately, I think it was this book that put me in a slump. The audiobook was available from my library and it sounded interesting enough, so I thought I’d try it. I didn’t properly get into the audiobook until I was halfway through it and even then I continued to struggle with it because I didn’t find the story believeable enough. There’s some books I can look past the story actually happening in real life because I’m enjoying it so much, but I couldn’t do it with this one. It kept switching between the present day and old news reports from when Arden went missing and I thought it was a bit much. I’d listen to a few of them but there was so many that it felt unnecessary. Then the ending wasn’t exciting or thrilling either and didn’t make up for how lackluster the rest of the story was. I was very disappointed with it and I’m not sure if I’d reach for another book by this author.

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Illumicrate Unboxing: Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff

Hey, everyone! I haven’t posted an unboxing in a while since I’ve cancelled my Illumicrate subscription but I just had to share this absolutely stunning edition of Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff!

I think this might be one of my favourite covers. The artwork is incredible and the gold foiling against the white background is so pretty. I love the edition for the first one but I love this one even more.

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February 2024 wrap-up!

Hey, everyone! Today I’m sharing all the books I read in February and I had another successful month. I managed to read ten books and I have mixed opinions on them. Some I loved and would definitely read again, while others left me feeling a bit disappointed. So let’s get into it!

Three Perfect Liars by Heidi Perks: This is my favourite book of Heidi’s so far! It was an incredibly gripping story and I couldn’t tear myself away from it. I loved how the story flipped between interviews in the aftermath of the fire and the events leading up to it. There was so much tension between the characters and you could tell it was leading up to an explosive ending. I loved it so much!

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REVIEW: Broken Shadows by Sorrel Pitts

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Title: Broken Shadows by Sorrel Pitts
Published by: 
Bloodhound Books
Publication date:
 6th February 2024
Genre: Thriller
Format: eBook
Amazon UK

Synopsis

Twenty-seven ago, eleven-year-old Callum was abducted. His body was found six months later by his older brother, Tom, near a Neolithic henge called the Shadowing Stones. It was the first in a series of events that would tear Tom’s family apart. Convinced his father was responsible for his brother’s death, Tom fled to Australia to start a new life.

Now, decades later, Tom learns that his father is dying of cancer. Knowing this may be his last chance to learn the truth, Tom returns to England. But when he crosses paths with childhood acquaintance Anna, the pair are drawn together. As Tom grows closer to both Anna and his father, he is confronted with a series of shocking twists and revelations that will change his life forever…

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REVIEW: The Fury by Alex Michaelides

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Title: The Fury by Alex Michaelides
Published by: 
Michael Joseph
Publication date:
 2nd February 2024
Genre: Thriller
Format: Paperback
Amazon UK

Synopsis:

‘There were seven of us in all, trapped on the island. One of us was a murderer . . .’

On a small private Greek island, former movie star Lana Farrar – an old friend – invites a select group of us to stay.

It’ll be hot, sunny, perfect. A chance to relax and reconnect – and maybe for a few hidden truths to come out.

Because nothing on this island is quite what it seems.

Not Lana. Not her guests.

Certainly not the murderer – furiously plotting their crime . . .

But who am I?

My name is Elliot Chase, and I’m going to tell you a story unlike any you’ve ever heard.

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