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The Girl on the Train - Paula Hawkins

Description THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER. YOU DON'T KNOW HER. BUT SHE KNOWS YOU. Rear Window  meets  Gone Girl , in this exceptional and startling psychological thriller Review I must be one of the last people to read this book. I did apply for a review copy but unfortunately wasn't successful. I then waited for the book to come down in price which it didn't - so I decided I would buy it and read it straight away! I'm sure it will be a film and before anyone gives away what happens I felt I really needed to get it read, so it jumped the TBR queue. There is not much plot outline from the publisher as you can see in the description above, so there wasn't a lot to go on when I began to read the book. First of all the book jumps around date wise - past and present and also between the main characters. I did have a little trouble remembering who was who and which time frame we were in - but that soon settled down. I also had to re-read the beginning because I th

Middle-Aged Boys & Girls - Diane Bracuk

Description We all know adults who are stranded in the amber of adolescence. Growing older but not necessarily growing up is the central theme of Middle-Aged Boys & Girls, featuring characters who, to varying degrees, are stuck in adolescent roles of rebel, outcast, enfant terrible and cool kid. All are linked by losses--of looks, of status, of job security, of health, of confidence--which forces them to life's inevitable turning point. Given that we are living in an age where fifty is the new forty, and forty is the new thirty, and twenty is the new god-knows-what, these stories, with their sometimes painful, sometimes funny and always unflinching truths, resonate. Review This is an easy collection of stories to dip in and out of and none of them take too long to read. Each story is a microcosm of everyday life with an aspect maybe twisted or blown out of proportion to make the story. I did find I was just getting into the story when I flicked the page to find the end

To Catch a Creeper - Ellie Campbell

Description Cathy is riding high in her brand-new job at a (surprisingly bitchy) top London advertising agency working with best friend Rosa. But when Rosa's pregnancy goes amiss and enemies sabotage her new career, she finds herself leading a chaotic double life of lies and deception, hiding a shameful secret from all, especially husband Declan who appears in the throes of a nervous breakdown. Meanwhile she's agreed to unmask the notorious Crouch End Creeper, a burglar terrorizing their neighbourhood. Little does she know that her meddling, assisted by fellow mothers (the Wednesday Once Weeklies) and the Neighbourhood Watch, will lead their dangerous opponent to murder. And that it's not only the tall elegant transvestite who is placing herself at risk... Review This is the third book I have read by the sisters writing under the name of Ellie Campbell. I really like their writing style - so upbeat and a little crazy with the characters, but if you just go with it you

The Life-changing Magic of Tidying - Marie Kondo

Description Live in a clean and clutter-free home forever with the life-changing KonMari Method - now a multi-million copy international bestseller Review This book is from my own personal book shelf. I wanted to read this book as I kept hearing about it. However, I have seen lots of TV programmes on clearing clutter and the mantra that you are paying to store things you don't need/use is a strong one with me - did I need this book? So, after reading a number of reviews on Amazon I decided that I would purchase it and also the book format rather than the kindle edition. I find it so much easier to dip in and out of "real books" and also the simplicity of the book cover did make me want to own it! I finished reading the book a few weeks ago and have put some of what is advised into practice. I then came down with a nasty bug - I'm not sure whether this is related as I was cleaning and clearing away the past maybe it was connected? The book is also the perso

The Good Neighbor - Amy Sue Nathan

Description Things are a little rough for Izzy Lane. Still reeling from the break-up of her marriage, the newly single mom moves back to the Philadelphia home she grew up in, five-year-old Noah in tow. The transition is difficult, but with the help of her best friends—and her elderly neighbor, Mrs. Feldman—Izzy feels like she’s stepping closer to her new normal. Until her ex-husband shows up with his girlfriend. That’s when Izzy invents a boyfriend of her own. And that’s when life gets complicated. Blogging about her “new guy” provides Izzy with something to do when Noah’s asleep. What’s the harm in a few made-up stories? Then, her blog soars in popularity and she’s given the opportunity to moonlight as an online dating expert. How can she turn it down? But when her friends want to meet the mysterious “Mac,” someone online suspects Izzy’s a fraud, and a guy in-real-life catches her eye, Izzy realizes just how high the stakes are. That’s when Mrs. Feldman steps in, determined to s

Never look away - Linwood Barclay

Description It starts with a trip to a local amusement park. David Harwood is hoping a carefree day will help dispel his wife Jan's recent depression that has led to frightening thoughts of suicide. Instead, a day of fun with their son Ethan turns into a nightmare. When Jan disappears from the park, David's worst fears seem to have come true. But when he goes to the police to report her missing, the facts start to indicate something very different. The park's records show that only two tickets were purchased, and CCTV shows no evidence that Jan ever entered the park at all. Suddenly David's story starts to look suspicious - and the police to wonder if Jan's already dead, murdered by her husband. To prove his innocence and keep his son from being taken away from him, David is going to have to dig deep into the past and come face to face with a terrible childhood tragedy - but by doing that, he could risk destroying everything precious to him . . . Review

A seige of Bitterns - Steve Burrows

Description Newly appointed police inspector Domenic Jejeune doesn’t mind ruffling a few feathers. Indeed his success has elevated him into a poster boy for the police. The problem is Jejeune doesn’t really want to be a detective at all; he much prefers watching birds. Recently reassigned to the small Norfolk town of Saltmarsh, located in the heart of Britain’s premier birding country, Jejeune’s two worlds collide with the grisly murder of a prominent ecological activist. His ambitious police superintendent foresees a blaze of welcome publicity, although doubts soon emerge when Jejeune’s best theory involves a feud over birdwatching lists. A second murder does little to bolster confidence. Jejeune must call on all his birding knowhow to solve the mystery and deal with unwelcome public acclaim, the mistrust of colleagues and his own insecurities. For, in the case of the Saltmarsh birder murders, the victims may not be the only casualties… Review The plot line of this book

The Astonishing Return of Norah Wells - Virginia MacGregor

Description One ordinary morning, Norah walked out of her house on Willoughby Street and never looked back. Six years later, she returns to the home she walked away from only to find another woman in her place. Fay held Norah's family together after she disappeared, she shares a bed with Norah's husband and Norah's youngest daughter calls Fay 'Mummy'. Now that Norah has returned, everyone has questions. Where has she been? Why did she leave? And  why  is she back? As each member of the family tries to find the answers they each need, they must also face up to the most pressing question of all - what happens to The Mother Who Stayed when The Mother Who Left comes back? From the author of  What Milo Saw , comes this powerful, emotional and perceptive novel about what it takes to hold a family together and what you're willing to sacrifice for the ones you love. Review This is the second book by Virginia MacGregory I have reviewed - the first was Wh

Behind Closed Doors - B A Paris

Description Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace. He has looks and wealth, she has charm and elegance. You might not want to like them, but you do.You’d like to get to know Grace better.But it’s difficult, because you realise Jack and Grace are never apart.Some might call this true love. Others might ask why Grace never answers the phone. Or how she can never meet for coffee, even though she doesn’t work. How she can cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim. And why there are bars on one of their bedroom windows. Sometimes the perfect marriage is the perfect lie. Those who promote their books as a "psychological thriller" would do well to study this book by B A Paris - although the cover does not shout this as some do, to me this was a true psychological thriller. I'm not sure what I expected from this book, but it was not what I got. I read it in one day which is not how I usually read a book, but I had to know what was going to happen. When I wasn&#

The Witches of Cambridge - Menna Van Praag

Description For fans of Alice Hoffman, Sarah Addison Allen, and Adriana Trigiani,  The Witches of Cambridge  reveals an astonishing world where the heart's deepest secrets give way to the magic of life-changing love. Be careful what you wish for. If you're a witch, you might just get it.   Amandine Bisset has always had the power to feel the emotions of those around her. It's a secret she can share only with her friends—all professors, all witches—when they gather for the Cambridge University Society of Literature and Witchcraft. Amandine treasures these meetings but lately senses the ties among her colleagues beginning to unravel. If only she had her student Noa's power to hear the innermost thoughts of others, she might know how to patch things up. Unfortunately, Noa regards her gift as a curse. So when a seductive artist claims he can cure her, Noa jumps at the chance, no matter the cost. Noa's not the only witch in over her head. Mathematics professor Kat

The Right Bite - Jackie Lynch

Description It's easy to follow a healthy diet when you're in control of your shopping list, but as soon as you step outside the front door it gets complicated . . .  Walk into any coffee shop, bar or cinema, and making the right decision becomes a challenge;  The Right Bite  is here to help. With accessible, practical advice for all those everyday occasions, you can make the smart choice even when healthy options are limited. Each chapter focuses on a different eating environment – from breakfast on the go to a family barbecue. For each situation  The Right Bite  explores the type of foods likely to be available and compares them, explaining the main health pitfalls and highlighting top picks.     • Understanding Key Nutrients introduces you to the basics of a good diet     • Nutrition Numbers let you compare and weigh up your options instantly     • The Right Bite panel allows you to immediately pick the healthiest choice     • Fact Boxes scattered throughout give you ex

A parcel for Anna Browne - Miranda Dickinson

Description The gift of a lifetime? Anna Browne is an ordinary woman living an ordinary life. Her day job as a receptionist in bustling London isn't exactly her dream, yet she has everything she wants. But someone thinks Anna Browne deserves more . . . When a parcel addressed to Anna Browne arrives, she has no idea who has sent it. Inside she finds a beautiful gift - one that is designed to be seen. And so begins a series of incredible deliveries, each one bringing Anna further out of the shadows and encouraging her to become the woman she was destined to be. As Anna grows in confidence, others begin to notice her - and her life starts to change. But who is sending the mysterious gifts, and why? Review I've read a few Miranda Dickinson books and really enjoyed them,  I was looking forward to this one too. So I started out with the book hoping for great things.  To begin with I loved the character of Anna and the parcels she was receiving. She had a good cast of s

The Bette Davis Club - Jane Lotter

Description The morning of her niece’s wedding, Margo Just drinks a double martini and contemplates the many mistakes she’s made in her fifty-odd years of life. Spending three decades in love with a wonderful but unattainable man is pretty high up on her list of missteps, as is a long line of unsuccessful love affairs accompanied by a seemingly endless supply of delicious cocktails. When the young bride flees—taking with her a family heirloom and leaving behind six hundred bewildered guests—her mother offers Margo fifty grand to retrieve her spoiled brat of a daughter and the invaluable property she stole. So, together with the bride’s jilted and justifiably crabby fiancé, Margo sets out in a borrowed 1955 red MG on a cross-country chase. Along the way, none of what she discovers will be quite what she expected. But it might be exactly what she’s been seeking all along. I was drawn to this book by the title and the fact that for once the main character was in my age bracket.

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend Blog Tour

Description The International Bestseller.  Once you let a book into your life, the most unexpected things can happen... Broken Wheel, Iowa, has never seen anyone like Sara, who travelled all the way from Sweden just to meet her pen pal, Amy. When she arrives, however, she finds that Amy's funeral has just ended. Luckily, the townspeople are happy to look after their bewildered tourist—even if they don't understand her peculiar need for books. Marooned in a farm town that's almost beyond repair, Sara starts a bookstore in honor of her friend's memory. All she wants is to share the books she loves with the citizens of Broken Wheel and to convince them that reading is one of the great joys of life. But she makes some unconventional choices that could force a lot of secrets into the open and change things for everyone in town. Reminiscent of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, this is a warm, witty book about friendship, stories, and love

Readers, recommend your Bookstore!

READERS, RECOMMEND YOUR BOOKSTORE! Sourcebooks Launches Reader Voting Campaign to Grant Money to Community Bookstores NAPERVILLE IL (January 5, 2016) — Independent publisher Sourcebooks announces the “Readers, Recommend Your Bookstore” campaign, which will give grant money to three nominated bookstores. The “Readers, Recommend Your Bookstore Campaign” is inspired by the phenomenal support booksellers have given  The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend  by Katarina Bivald, which was selected as the #1 Indie Next Great Read for January 2016 .  Katarina Bivald’s   international bestselling debut novel,  The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend , is a charming, big-hearted story about the joy of books and the transformative power of community bookstores.  “Bookstores are the heart and soul of their community and have enormous impact on readers’ lives ,”  said  Dominique Raccah , founder and CEO of  Sourcebooks.  “ The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend  inspired us to create

The Five Times I Met Myself - James L Rubart

What if you met your twenty-three year old self in a dream? What would you say? Brock Matthews' once promising life is unraveling. His coffee company. His marriage. So when he discovers his vivid dreams—where he encounters his younger self—might let him change his past mistakes, he jumps at the chance. The results are astonishing, but also disturbing. Because getting what Brock wants most in the world will force him to give up the one thing he doesn't know how to let go of . . . and his greatest fear is it's already too late. I love time travel books and although strictly this isn't one - that was why I was attracted to it, it's the thought that if you had the chance to go back and maybe change past mistakes, would you? Brock uses something called "Lucid dreaming" to meet his younger self with amazing results. I loved all the 1980s references and how well the author captured what you might well say to someone who purported to be you from t