BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR: The Summer That Changed Us (Changing Tides Book 1) - Billie Swann

Ellie never stopped loving Jackson. She’s just learned how to live without him.

Seventeen years after the summer that shattered everything, Ellie has built a life she can control. She runs The Beach House Café on the Dorset coast, keeps her world small, and tells herself she’s fine. Love, motherhood, and the future she once imagined all feel impossibly out of reach, buried beneath years of guilt.

Then Jackson walks back into her life.

He’s not the lanky schoolboy she remembers. He’s all grown up now with broader shoulders and striking hazel eyes shot through with gold, but he has that smile that makes her forget to breathe. Despite having every reason to hate her for what she did, he still looks at her like she’s the only person in the room.

The connection between them is impossible to ignore. As old feelings resurface, so does the secret Ellie’s been hiding since they were teenagers – a secret that sent their lives spiralling in opposite directions.

Now Ellie must decide whether she’s brave enough to risk everything for the man she never stopped loving.

Sometimes love isn’t about getting a second chance. It’s about finding the courage to take it.

What did I think?

What a fabulously heartwarming book this is!  The Summer That Changed Us isn't a hearts and flowers love story; it's a romance that deals with some serious issues with grit, sensitivity and warmth.  This is Billie Swann's debut novel and I'm delighted to see that she has more books planned in the Changing Tides series.

Seventeen years ago, Ellie and Jackson were childhood sweethearts but they are driven apart by a shattering event that shaped their lives.  Ellie shies away from relationships and concentrates on running her beach café but when trade starts to fall off she discovers that there's a rival café close by and running it is none other than Jackson.

Oh it's really painful to see Ellie and Jackson skirting around each other as if they are strangers.  The chemistry is clearly still there but they have been hurt terribly before and it looks like neither of them are willing to take the risk of having their heart broken again.  It's like they are both wearing magnets though and as much as they pull away from each other, they are drawn back together.

The history behind Ellie and Jackson is so sad and I struggled to hold in my tears as events played out during their teenage years.  It's a shame they were so young as they might have reacted differently and got through it together rather than alienating each other and working through their pain separately.  Hindsight is a wonderful thing though and you can't turn back the clock.

Whilst this is a romance novel, there's a lot of angst and difficulties for the characters to overcome.  It makes it quite realistic as life is all about the ups and downs and I really warmed to both main characters and others in the periphery.  

Compelling, heartwarming, poignant and uplifting, The Summer That Changed Us is an accomplished and flawless debut novel from Billie Swann and I'm excited to read more in the series.  A very highly recommended read.

I chose to read a digital ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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BLOG TOUR: Healing Hearts on Thistledown Lane - Holly Hepburn

Maura has everything she ever wanted from life – a quirky cottage in Edinburgh’s picturesque Dean Village, a thriving career as a potter and a contented relationship with her childhood sweetheart, Jamie. Never mind that the cottage is damp, her pots aren’t selling and Jamie prefers a night down the pub with his rugby mates to an evening in with her.

But everyone wishes things were just a tiny bit better, right?

When Maura reunites with Fraser Bell at a Hogmanay party, she’s instantly transported back to her school days. And when he proposes she makes ceramic ghosts to complement his city ghost tour business, she’s tempted. At first, everything goes smoothly but it’s not long before their new partnership causes problems that ripple through every aspect of Maura’s life. The ghosts go viral, so she has more orders than she can fulfil and Jamie is not thrilled that she’s spending all her time in her studio. But when Edinburgh Castle shows an interest in Maura’s work, things begin to spiral out of control.

Can Maura really have it all or will she regret wishing for more?

 

What did I think?

Healing Hearts on Thistledown Lane is just the kind of book you need to warm your heart on a chilly winter's day and I absolutely loved it.  It is wonderfully uplifting and incredibly romantic.

Written with a dual point of view and a past and present timeline, this is Maura and Fraser's story.  Maura and Fraser went to the same school and, although they were aware of each other, their paths barely crossed.  Many years later, Maura is a talented potter and Fraser is an actor who has returned to Edinburgh to run ghost tours of the city.  When they run into each other at a party the chemistry virtually sizzles off the page but neither of them are single, however, it is clear to the reader that they are both with the wrong people.

Oh this is just a gloriously heartwarming book with an entertaining storyline and fabulous characters.  I loved Fraser's idea for Maura to make ghosts for his business and if you thought the scene with with Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze in Ghost was romantic, just wait until you read about Maura teaching Fraser to make a ghost.  Will either of them be brave enough to declare their feelings?  You will have to read the book to find out.

Bursting with romance and filled with charm, I adored Healing Hearts on Thistledown Lane from the very first page.  Holly Hepburn always brings locations to life and this is her love letter to Edinburgh.  An unmissable read for fans of romance and very highly recommended.

I received a gifted paperback for the Team BATC blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Identity Crisis - Nicola Gill

Be yourself, people say. But the last person Clare Palmer wants to be is herself – she’s lost everything she once had and now can barely get through a bus ride without wanting to thump someone. (People who don’t wear headphones, sniffers, fried chicken guzzlers.)

So when she discovers her resemblance to beloved reality TV presenter Jenna Cox, Clare jumps at the chance to become a lookalike, earn some cash and get her life back together.

But it’s all too easy to cross the line between celebrity lookalike and pretending to be the real Jenna – and becoming someone else is about to take Clare’s life down a track that’s even rockier than the one she’s on…

 

What did I think?

Identity Crisis is Nicola Gill's fifth novel but it is the first of her books that I have read and I absolutely loved it.

Clare Palmer was once a successful author with a loving husband; now she has writer's block and her husband is shacked up with someone else.  When Clare is mistaken for celebrity Jenna Cox one day, she applies and is accepted to become a lookalike.  Whilst it's a good way to earn some money when her editor is waiting for Clare's next book, being Jenna Cox takes up more of Clare's life than being Clare Palmer.

With such a heartbreaking backstory, it's easy to see how Clare has lost sight of who she is so it's no wonder that she steps into Jenna's shoes so easily.  It just gets Clare into a bit of a tangle when she starts to care about the people who think she is actually Jenna.  There's a lot of humour but also a poignant moral dilemma as the story progresses and I had no idea whether or not it would all turn out right in the end.  No spoilers here - you will need to read it yourself to find out!

Incredibly entertaining, laugh-out-loud hilarious and surprisingly emotional, Identity Crisis is a fun, heartfelt and uplifting novel that I absolutely raced through.  I will definitely be looking out for more Nicola Gill books as Identity Crisis is a superb five star read. 

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the Bookstagram Tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Got What Was Coming - Hilly Barmby

 

Got What Was Coming alternates between past and present.

Three young women, Mali, Star and Abeba, receive an email from the school they’d attended as kids. It is an invitation to the tenth anniversary of the inauguration of ‘The Second Chance Cafe’, which they’d set up to help disenfranchised kids.

It is an exciting but ultimately tragic story that covers the complex lives and inter-relationships of four teenage girls and their mothers. The book reaches its climax with the death of another girl and the realisation of the role the others all played in her death and the impact on their lives through to adulthood.

What did I think?

Since I first discovered Hilly Barmby's book, I just can't get enough of them so I was delighted to received an early copy of her new self-published novel, Got What Was Coming and it's no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It's a very intriguing story with three main characters who are are all very different.  Mali, Star and Abeba may not have started off as friends at school but they are linked by a tragic event.  Via a dual timeline we find out exactly what happened in the past to make them into the women they are today.

With bullying at the heart of the story, it's often difficult to read as events play out and the tragedy is fully revealed.  It's very thought-provoking to see that although a particular person may not have been an active bully they are most definitely complicit by either standing by and doing nothing or pushing another person into the bully's sights to draw attention away from themselves.  

Incredibly poignant and compelling, Got What Was Coming is an eye-opening and thought-provoking story about human nature and the regrets that shape who we are today.  Never has that well-known phrase 'survival of the fittest' held so much meaning and chilled me to the core.  A highly recommended read and one that will stay with me for a long time.

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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BLOG TOUR: While We're Young - K.L. Walther

A whirlwind romance inspired by Ferris Bueller’s Day Off about four friends whose hearts are broken and mended over the course of an epic senior skip day—from the bestselling author of The Summer of Broken Rules!

Grace, Isa, and Everett used to be an inseparable trio before their love lives became a tangled mess. For starters, Grace is secretly in love with Everett, who used to go out with Isa before breaking her heart in the infamous Freshman Year Fracture. And, oh yeah, no one knows that Isa has been hanging out with James, Grace’s brother—and if Grace finds out, it could ruin their friendship.

With graduation fast approaching, Grace decides an unsanctioned senior skip day in Philadelphia might be just what they need to fix things. All she has to do is convince Isa to help her kidnap Everett and outmaneuver James, who’s certain his sister is up to something.

In an epic day that includes racing up the famous Rocky steps, taste-testing Philly's finest cheesesteaks, and even crashing a wedding, their secrets are bound to collide. But can their hearts withstand the wreckage?

 

What did I think?

As soon as I saw that While We're Young was inspired by Ferris Bueller's Day Off I just had to read it and I was not disappointed; it was everything I expected it to be and more.  It may be a YA book but adults will love it too.

Anyone who has seen the film will notice some similar scenes and the scattering of references that pay homage to the John Hughes classic.  I absolutely loved these little nods to one of my favourite films but there is so much more to this wonderful book.

The characters are so well developed they almost pop out from the page and they all have their own little hangups and characteristics that really endeared them to me.  Grace is the main character but I also loved her brother James and her two best friends Isa and Everett who haven't been speaking to each other since they dated and broke up.  Grace sees an opportunity to bring her little friendship group back together again but it will involve them all bunking off school.

Incredibly entertaining, sweet and heartwarming, While We're Young is so much fun to read and it left me with a great big smile on my face.  I definitely plan to read it again to relive the fun, high jinks and emotion that delighted me from start to finish.  

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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About the author:

K.L. Walther was born and raised in the rolling hills of Bucks County, Pennsylvania surrounded by family, dogs, and books. Her childhood was spent traveling the northeastern seaboard to play ice hockey. She attended a boarding school in New Jersey and went on to earn a B.A. in English from the University of Virginia. She is happiest on the beach with a book, cheering for the New York Rangers, or enjoying a rom-com while digging into a big bowl of popcorn and M&Ms. And listening to Taylor Swift on repeat, of course. 

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Deadly Deep (Dread Wood Book 4) - Jennifer Killick

The brand new must-read middle-grade novel from the author of super-spooky Crater Lake. Perfect for 9+ fans of R.L.Stine’s Goosebumps and Stranger Things!

It’s summer term and time for a school trip with a difference! Year 8 are on a boat off the coast of France, learning about ocean life. But things are about to get WEIRD . . .

Who is the creepy man on board the ship? And what IS the vast, shadowy creature seen lurking at the bottom of the ocean?

When the ship is sunk Club Loser realise that they are the only ones who can save the day, and their classmates. Can they outwit and defeat a giant, deadly sea monster from the depths? It’s a fight for survival and if they fail, Club Loser will find themselves in a watery grave . . .

 

What did I think?

Deadly Deep is aimed at 10-12 year olds but I’m in my fifties and I loved it.  I actually didn’t realise this was book four in the series when I ordered it, but I didn’t feel at a disadvantage at all having not read the first three books as I quickly got to know the vividly drawn characters.

The classmates from Dread Wood High are onboard a boat on a school trip and this is one trip they will never forget.  They are set to learn much more than they expected about ocean life as they get up close and personal with one particular creature of the deep.

I found this book incredibly entertaining and could totally visualise everything that was happening on board the boat.  So much so that my heart was pounding and my pulse was racing as events unfolded.  

The only thing I struggled with (as an oldie) was some of the teenage slang words but I made a good guess at their meanings as I didn’t want to stop reading to look them up.

Deadly Deep is massively entertaining, incredibly funny and a little bit scary.  I really enjoyed it; it’s something completely different for me and I’d highly recommend it.

My rating:

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Bright Midnights: A Dark Paranormal Love Story (The Limerent Series Book 2) - LS Delorme

Amelie has always been different.

Most high school students find life challenging, but 17-year old Amelie has a lot more to contend with than typical teenage angst. Ever since she turned 11, others have been irresistibly drawn to her—with tragic consequences. Her only escape is at night when she flies to different times and places through her “dreams”. Her life begins to change when, on one of her flights, she meets Clovis, an alluring and mysterious young man who hides a secret.

As Amelie finds herself increasingly drawn to him, she learns his story, how it intertwines with her own and finally discovers how to live her life in the real world. Until her own secrets are revealed to the wrong people and that world turns upside down.

Bright Midnights is the second in the Limerent Series and continues in the thought-provoking and beautiful style of the first as it considers different dimensions, different ways of looking at the world, and the transcendental power of love.

 

What did I think?

I discovered The Limerent Series at book 3, Fanning Fireflies, so I'm working backwards by returning to the series with book 2, Bright Midnights.  Each book can be read as a standalone as the main characters' stories are the focus of each book, with some cameo appearances from characters you might recognise if you've read any of the other books.

This is Amelie's story and she has a special gift that definitely feels like more of a curse as people become fixated and dangerously obsessed with her.  The story becomes quite dark as the reader is privy to certain thoughts and feelings that people have about Amelie and it often made my skin crawl.

Amelie can escape her real life through her dreams where she meets Clovis.  It's obvious from the start that Amelie and Clovis have a special connection but there are very good reasons why they can never be together.  The heart rules the head though, and there are some more necessary but slightly uncomfortable moments in store for the reader as inevitable events occur.

LS Delorme's writing is so dreamlike and ethereal, sweeping the reader away to alternative realities.  The plot is imaginative and original as it mixes real life with the paranormal and the characters are beautifully drawn and very memorable.  

Pure escapism with a dark undercurrent, Bright Midnights is a captivating romantasy that is entertaining and provocative.  I am looking forward to reading more books in this magical series.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: The Reunion - M. J. Arlidge and Steph Broadribb

A skull looks up at Jennie from the trench, but it's not the chalk-white bone and grimacing teeth that send her reeling. It's the heart-shaped gold pendant, its delicate chain snapped in two. The necklace Hannah never took off. It can't be Hannah. But it is.

When Jennie Whitmore arrives at her school reunion, she immediately regrets her decision. Why would she choose to surround herself with people who were never nice to her? Who still aren't, even now she's a police officer? The only person who truly looked out for her all those years ago was charming, beautiful Hannah. Until the day she disappeared.

Jennie is ready to finally put White Cross Academy behind her, the old school building demolished the morning after the party. But with the demolition comes a call: a teenage girl's remains have been found on the grounds.

The instant drop in Jennie's gut tells her that the remains might be Hannah's, but when she's called in to examine them, the truth becomes undeniable. Hannah didn't run away and abandon Jennie thirty years ago; in fact, she never left White Cross at all.

Suddenly, Jennie has a murder to solve. The murder of her best friend. But can she do so before her colleagues discover just how closely connected she is to the victim? Before a mystery stalker makes good on his threats to silence her for good?

The Reunion is a gripping mystery perfect for fans of THE SANATORIUM, Lucy Foley, and Ruth Kelly.

 

What did I think?

I love both M.J. Arlidge's and Steph Broadribb's books so it's a booklover's dream to see these two authors collaborate to create a bone-chilling thriller.  As if the thought of a school reunion isn't horrifying enough, the partygoers are about to sober up pretty quickly when a body is found buried within the school.

Jennie is hoping her old friend Hannah will turn up to the school reunion so she can finally understand why Hannah didn't turn up the night they planned to run away to London.  The explanation is hiding beneath her feet and it's the worst one that Jennie could have imagined: Hannah was murdered on that fateful night.  

This murder is personal so Jennie is determined to lead the case despite her conflict of interest, which she hides from her boss.  As she plays down her relationship with Hannah and starts investigating Hannah's last known movements, she starts to wonder whether they were even friends at all.

The writing is seamless and if there weren't two names on the cover, you would never guess that it had two authors.  The plot twists and turns like a slithering snake and just when you think you have it all worked out, the truth slithers out of your grasp again.  

Gripping, chilling and twisty, The Reunion is a brilliant thriller that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat from start to finish.  I would definitely recommend it but be prepared to be unable to put it down once you pick it up.

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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About the authors:

M.J. Arlidge has worked in television for the last twenty years, specialising in high-end drama production, including prime-time crime serials Silent Witness, Torn, The Little House and, most recently, the hit ITV show Innocent. In 2015 his audiobook exclusive Six Degrees of Assassination was a number-one bestseller. His debut thriller, Eeny Meeny, was the UK's bestselling crime debut of 2014 and has been followed by ten more DI Helen Grace thrillers - all Sunday Times bestsellers.

Steph Broadribb was born in Birmingham and grew up in Buckinghamshire. Most of her working life has been spent between the UK and USA. As her alter ego - Crime Thriller Girl - she indulges her love of all things crime fiction by blogging at www.crimethrillergirl.com

Steph is an alumnus of the MA in Creative Writing (Crime Fiction) at City University London, and she trained as a bounty hunter in California. 

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BLOG TOUR: The Shame (Glasgow Southside Crime Series Book 3) - Maureen Myant

Glasgow

The cellar of a suburban bungalow has been hiding a dark secret. During building work, a skeleton is uncovered. DI Alex Scrimgeour and DS Mark Nicholson soon discover the remains have been there for sixty years. The owners of the house from that time, Richard and Doris Cavendish, are dead, but their daughter may still be alive.

Edinburgh

Edith Drummond is pleased to be back at work as a teacher after lockdown. She's a difficult woman with no friends but she's good at her job and the children love her. However, her Head Teacher, Olivia Waring, wants her to retire. Edith is determined to stay put, but their feud soon pales into insignificance when Edith receives a visit from the police.

Mark is sure Edith is hiding something, but he doesn't know what. His suspicion deepens when further remains are found at the bungalow in Glasgow, this time of a newborn baby. Despite dealing with his own personal problems, Mark is determined to get to the bottom of this bizarre case. Is there a link between the two crimes? Is the answer staring him In the face or is there more to the mystery than meets the eye?

 

What did I think?

The Shame is the third book in the Glasgow Southside Crime Series and although you can read it is a standalone and thoroughly enjoy it, it's absolutely brilliant when read as part of the series.  

The character development throughout the series is outstanding and I was as hooked by the continuation of their stories as I was by the actual crime they were investigating.  It's a rather grisly crime when the new owners of a home discover a skeleton in their basement so the police need to trace the previous occupants to identify the body and solve the crime.  

Edith Drummond was so ashamed of her past in Glasgow that she changed her name and moved to Edinburgh.  Edith is a difficult woman to love but she really did grow on me and I completely sympathised with her past family life and her present working life as a teacher.  I was so annoyed that the head teacher can't see what a brilliant teacher Edith is but instead is set on making Edith retire.  I was virtually fist bumping the air when Edith continued to stand up to her.

I am completely hooked by DS Mark Nicholson's story and although I do feel sorry for him, he made his bed so he has to lie in it.  Unfortunately for Mark, that bed is in his boss's flat as his wife threw him out after his affair.  DI Alex Scrimgeour is a bit of a teddy bear now that his own personal mystery has been solved but I really wouldn't be helping myself to his whisky if I was living in his flat!

As impossible to put down as it is to predict, The Shame is a cracking piece of crime fiction that had me on the edge of my seat and reading with my virtual running shoes on.  I already consider this to be one of my favourite crime series and The Shame proves that it is just getting better and better.  Very highly recommended.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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You Wouldn't Catch Me Dead - Tess James-Mackey

The only thing worse than being lost . . . is being found.

Keely planned to keep her head down at her new school - she isn't there to make friends or memories, she just wants to be left alone.

In order to get into college, she is roped into a programme that involves camping in the Welsh wilderness with five over-keen try-hards. Her plan is to keep her head down, keep her mouth shut and get through the next few days.

But Keely is running from something. Something that drove her family out of their home and to this quiet town. And when her fellow explorers start disappearing and the bodies begin to pile up, she has to ask herself: did she run far enough?

The second spine-chilling standalone from the author of Someone is Watching You, Tess James-Mackey.

 

What did I think?

After reading Tess James-Mackey's outstanding debut, Someone Is Watching You, I was very excited to read her next book, You Wouldn't Catch Me Dead, and I was not disappointed.  It is every bit just as creepy, tense and disturbing as I expected and I loved every second of it.

I've never been camping and I certainly wouldn't want to now after reading about a school trip to the Black Mountains in Wales that goes terribly wrong.  Keely is the new girl at school after a tragic event that saw her leave her old life behind and start again where nobody knows her.  She can run but she can't hide

Keely is haunted by her past, that is gradually revealed to the reader through flashbacks, but she has more pressing things on her mind at the moment when the group finds themselves lost in the spooky Welsh wilderness with no phone signal.  The barren location is completely bone-chilling and I could easily visualise the creepy ruins of the abbey.  

Tense, creepy and disturbing, You Wouldn't Catch Me Dead is a chilling YA read that is filled with suspense.  The stories of ghostly monks that entertained the group sent shivers down my spine and I was totally creeped out when things started going bump in the night.  A highly recommend read for teens and adults alike.

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How to Find a Missing Girl - Victoria Wlosok

A year ago, beloved cheerleader Stella Blackthorn vanished without a trace. Devastated, her younger sister, Iris, launched her own investigation, but all she managed to do was scare off the police's only lead and earn a stern warning: once she turns eighteen, more meddling means prison-level consequences.

Then, a year later, the unthinkable happens. Iris's ex-girlfriend, Heather, goes missing, too-just after dropping the polarizing last episode of her true crime podcast all about Iris's sister. This time, nothing will stop Iris and her amateur sleuthing agency from solving these disappearances.

But with a suspicious detective watching her every move, an enemy-turned-friend-turned-maybe-more to contend with, and only thirty days until she turns eighteen, it's a race against the clock for Iris to solve the most dangerous case of her life.

 

What did I think?

I really enjoyed this book from start to finish.  I loved the inclusion of podcast transcripts and the amateur sleuths that reminded me of the Scooby Gang (even before they decided on their Halloween outfits).

Something bad is happening at Hillwood; one missing girl is considered a runaway, but two missing girls make Iris and her friends investigate their disappearances.  Iris has a vested interest as her sister was the first to disappear and the second girl is her ex-girlfriend.  I couldn’t read fast enough to discover whether Iris would find out who is behind the disappearances or whether she would become a target herself.

The writing is fresh and vibrant as Victoria Wlosok draws such vivid scenes with her wonderful words and I was completely drawn into the story.  I really cared about Iris and her friends and I loved their own unique characters.

Gripping, fresh and compelling, How to Find a Missing Girl is an excellent debut novel from an exciting new talent in the YA genre.  Victoria Wlosok is studying at the University of North Carolina so put her on your watch list as I’m sure there are more great things to come from her. 

My rating:

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Every Exquisite Thing - Laura Steven

A feminist YA horror-thriller-romance retelling of The Picture of Dorian Gray by the TikTok sensation and author of The Society for Soulless Girls…

Penny Paxton is the daughter of an icon. Her supermodel mother has legions of adoring fans around the world, and Penny is ready to begin her journey to international adoration, starting with joining the elite Dorian Drama School.

When Penny’s new mentor offers her an opportunity she cannot refuse, to have a portrait painted by a mysterious artist who can grant immortal beauty to all his subjects, Penny happily follows in the footsteps of Dorian’s most glittering alumni, knowing that stardom is sure to soon be hers.

But when her trusted mentor is found murdered, Penny realises she’s made a terrible mistake – a sinister someone is using the uncanny portraits to kill off the subjects one by one. As more perfectly beautiful students start to fall, Penny knows her time is running out . . .

A seductive and searing exploration of beauty, identity, and what the pursuit of perfection can truly cost.

 

What did I think?

Every Exquisite Thing is an incredibly thought-provoking and powerful novel that really makes you question why we strive for what we perceive as perfection.  It’s a modern day retelling of The Picture of Dorian Gray and although I haven’t read Oscar Wilde’s classic novel, I know the premise. 

Penny Paxton is following in her mother’s footsteps when she enrols at the Dorian Drama Academy.  Penny just wants her mother to be proud of her but her mother doesn’t seem to have a maternal or caring bone in her body.  Penny strives to be perfect and when she gets the chance to freeze her image, just as she is now, she jumps at the chance.

It’s incredibly thought-provoking and really rather sad to think about what is beneath the surface of the perfect images we see on screen.  Would you rather be happy or appear to be perfect but be miserable inside?

We are all perfect in our own way and we shouldn’t listen to anyone who tells us we’re not.  There’s an incredible line in the book that is very powerful and I can’t stop thinking about it:

“I was so perfect before the world told me otherwise.”

As well as being a powerful warning about obsession with self-image, Every Exquisite Thing is a very compelling, dark and captivating story.  It’s a fantastic retelling that brings a classic novel bang up to date and into the hands of a new audience.

An unforgettable book and a highly recommended read.

My rating:

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The Stargazers - Harriet Evans

'Don't you think there should be a name for people like us?' he said. 'Who look up and who dream of more, who dream of escaping? Who never lose faith, no matter how hard it becomes?'

'Stargazers,' I said. 'That's what we are'

It's the 1970s, and Sarah has spent a lifetime trying to bury memories of her childhood: the constant fear, the horror of her school days, and Fane, the vast, crumbling house that was the sole obsession of her mother, Iris, a woman as beautiful as she was cruel. Sarah's solace has been her cello and the music that allowed her to dream, transporting her from the bleakness of those early years to her new life with her husband Daniel in their safe, if slightly chaotic, Hampstead home and with a concert career that has brought her fame and restored a sense of self.

The past, though, has a habit of creeping into the present, and as long as Sarah tries to escape, it seems the pull of her mother, Fane Hall and the secrets hidden there cannot be suppressed, threatening to unravel the fragile happiness she enjoys now. Sarah will need to travel back to Fane to confront her childhood, and search for the true meaning of home.

Deliciously absorbing and rich with character and atmosphere, The Stargazers is the story of a house, a family, and finding the strength inside yourself to carry on.

 

What did I think?

You can't help but be drawn to The Stargazers by its beautiful cover and it's as beautiful inside as out.  This is the story of the Fane family and the stately home that has been in their family for decades but is crumbling to dust around them.

Set in a dual timeline where we meet Iris in 1922 and her daughters Sarah and Victoria in 1969 to 2020.  Iris has been driven mad by Fane Hall falling into the hands of her father's brother, Uncle Clive.  It's her house!  As she keeps telling everyone, and it would have been her house if only she had been born a boy.  Iris's obsession with Fane Hall has driven a wedge between her and her daughters and it has also fractured the relationship between the sisters.

It is absolutely heartbreaking to see how Iris treats her daughters.  All that matters to her is Fane Hall and she is determined to get her Uncle Clive out of her house.  It's a deep-rooted simmering feud but it has taken over the whole of Iris's life and she has missed out on so much.

Sarah is living her best life in her new home with her husband, Daniel and their two daughters.  Sarah doesn't know how to be a mother and my heart really went out to her as she struggled to adjust to motherhood while Daniel entertains his entourage of local ladies who hang on his every word.

There is so much going on in this book from school bullying that horrified me to an incident with a tree that I am still laughing about now.  It's one of those books that make you experience the full spectrum of emotions and there are some stunning surprises in store for the reader that I didn't see coming at all. 

The Stargazers is beautifully written with an intriguing plot and a powerful message about home, which really is where the heart is.

I received a hardback copy to take part in the Tandem Collective readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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