Category Archives: Fiction

Book Review: The Boy From The Woods by Harlan Coben

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Summary

“Thirty years ago, Wilde was found as a boy, after having lived alone in the woods, for many years, with no memory of his past. Now an adult, he still doesn’t know where he comes from, and another child has gone missing.

No one seems to take Naomi Pine’s disappearance seriously, not even her father-with one exception. Hester Crimstein, a television criminal attorney, knows through her grandson that Naomi was relentlessly bullied at school. Hester asks Wilde-with whom she shares a tragic connection-to use his unique skills to help find Naomi.

Wilde can’t ignore an outcast in trouble, but in order to find Naomi he must venture back into the community where he has never fit in, a place where the powerful are protected even when they harbor secrets that could destroy the lives of millions . . . secrets that Wilde must uncover before it’s too late”. – Goodreads

Published in March 2020, 371 Pages

My Thoughts

I’ve only recently come to Harlan Coben, having read a few of his books in the past few months and falling in love with his writing style and characters. From reading about Harlan Coben, I found out that Hester Crimstein is a character that turns up in a small way in a few of his stories. In this book she has a major part, and I can understand why readers have fallen in love with her. Hester is a sassy, bright, strong willed lawyer who has a major role in this story. I really can’t wait to read more about her in his other books.

The Boy From The Woods has a plot that gripped me immediately, and characters who had a very strong base and who kept my interest. For that matter, each of the Harlan Coben books that I’ve read, have been based on a strong storyline with great characters.

Reading this book felt like I was on a roller coaster. There was so much happening, and so much that was unexpected. Along with the story of a boy who was found in the woods years earlier, there was political scandal and intrigue, along with a teenager who had disappeared, and much, much more. I’m looking forward to reading more Harlan Coben books.

About The Author

Harlan Coben is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of the world’s leading storytellers. His suspense novels are published in forty-five languages and have been number one bestsellers in more than a dozen countries with seventy-five million books in print worldwide.- Goodreads

Star Rating 

Please note that my star rating system isn’t at all based on literary merit, but is based on my enjoyment for the book.
For me a book that gets five stars, is a book that I really enjoyed, and found difficult to put down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Unputdownable. Would read it again.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Fantastic read. Not to be missed

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Enjoyable. Would recommend it.

⭐️⭐️ Wouldn’t read it again.

⭐️ Don’t recommend this book at all.

The books mentioned in this post are of my own choice and have not been sent to me to review. My opinions are my own and I receive no renumeration at all for them.

Have you read this book? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts. I promise to always reply to comments made in the section below.

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Find me here: Facebook and Instagram and Goodreads

© 2023 Copyright. all rights reserved: bestbookishblog.com

Y: Yellowcake by Margo Lanagan #atozchallenge

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The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge  is for bloggers who wish to participate by publishing a blog post every day in April except for Sundays. Each blog post will focus on a letter of the alphabet. For example April 1 will be A, April 2 will be B and on it goes. By the end of April, a blog post for every letter of the alphabet will have been posted. My theme for 2023 is Book Reviews.

You can read my reviews without worrying about spoilers. My reviews are quite brief and I give away nothing more than you would read on the back cover or on Goodreads.

YELLOWCAKE
BY
MARGO LANAGAN

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Summary

This is a book of ten short stories written by Australian novelist Margo Lanagan. Yellowcake is classified as young adult fantasy, but to me that isn’t really a correct classification, as not all stories in this book are fantasy. The stories range from fantasy to horror and much in between. The stories are all different from each other, and some I found absolutely heart breaking. There is a strong sense of family and the need to belong, that runs through many of the stories.

The author has written an afterword about where she found her inspiration for these stories, which I found very interesting and really did add to the stories.

My Thoughts

I’m not generally a short story fan but do occasionally like to read a short story. Usually, I would just read one story now and then in a short story book, but I read each story in Yellow Cake, one after the other. For this review, I felt that I needed to experience the entire book, as I would a longer novel. I picked this up only because I was looking for a book to read for the letter ‘Y’. I didn’t realise until I’d finished reading the book that it is classified as young adult. I would say that the stories in this book are suitable for both young adult and adults, as I have found is often the case with young adult in recent times.

The author has an unusual view of the world, and of people, and why they do what they do. I found most of the stories to be compelling. A couple of the stories are the author’s version of classic fairy tales.

My favourite story is Shroud of Gold, a vague rewrite of he classic fairy tale, Rapunzel. It begins when Rapunzel has had her hair cut off, and is the story of the Prince’s rescue of her, and his love for her. Parts of the original Rapunzel can be recognised during the story, as they appear in the new version. This is my favourite of the short stories in Yellowcake. That could perhaps be because I have loved the story of Rapunzel since I was a child.

I’d recommend this book as a way of dipping into fantasy, if it’s not a regularly read genre, but remembering that this book is about much more than fantasy.

All books that I review have been purchased by me or borrowed from the library, unless otherwise stated.

Star Rating 

Please note that my star rating system isn’t at all based on literary merit, but is based on my enjoyment for the book.
For me a book that gets five stars, is a book that I really enjoyed, and found difficult to put down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Unputdownable. Would definitely read again
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Fantastic read. Not to be missed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️Enjoyable read. Would recommend.
⭐️⭐️Wouldn’t read again
⭐️Don’t recommend this book again

Find me here: Facebook and Instagram and Goodreads

Images and author information: Goodreads

You can find my other blogs here:
Next Phase In Fitness & Life and Tracking Down The Family

© 2023 Copyright. all rights reserved: bestbookishblog.com

U: Unsolved by James Patterson and David Ellis #atozchallenge #audiobook

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The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge  is for bloggers who wish to participate by publishing a blog post every day in April except for Sundays. Each blog post will focus on a letter of the alphabet. For example April 1 will be A, April 2 will be B and on it goes. By the end of April, a blog post for every letter of the alphabet will have been posted. My theme for 2023 is Book Reviews.

You can read my reviews without worrying about spoilers. My reviews are quite brief and I give away nothing more than you would read on the back cover or on Goodreads.

Unsolved
Invisible $2
by
James Patterson and David Ellis

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Summary

“For Dr. David Beck, the loss was shattering. And every day for the past eight years, he has relived the horror of what happened. The gleaming lake. The pale moonlight. The piercing screams. The night his wife was taken. The last night he saw her alive.

Everyone tells him it’s time to move on, to forget the past once and for all. But for David Beck, there can be no closure. A message has appeared on his computer, a phrase only he and his dead wife know. Suddenly Beck is taunted with the impossible- that somewhere, somehow, Elizabeth is alive.

Beck has been warned to tell no one. And he doesn’t. Instead, he runs from the people he trusts the most, plunging headlong into a search for the shadowy figure whose messages hold out a desperate hope.

But already Beck is being hunted down. He’s headed straight into the heart of a dark and deadly secret- and someone intends to stop him before he gets there”. – Goodreads

Published in 2019. Audiobook from Borrowbox

My Thoughts

I didn’t read Invisible #1, but Unsolved works well as a stand alone novel. In fact, I didn’t realise this was a second book in a series, until after I’d finished reading it. I have enjoyed the James Patterson collaborations that I’ve read so far, and this novel was no different. A fast paced, detective mystery with a great story line and a few unexpected twists along the way. There were also a few chills and shivers as I was reading.

Of course, as with most James Patterson books, it’s obviously written to a formula which is quite cliche – the FBI agent who goes against protocol, but because she has great results, she gets away with it.

 I enjoyed this novel very much. It was a quick read with an interesting plot and unexpected twists and turns. However, there is one thing that I didn’t like about this story, and that was the ending. It just didn’t feel right to me, and left me disappointed. Another reader could very well have a different opinion. The three and a half star rating was due to the ending. Without that ending, I probably would have given it four stars.

Star Rating 

Please note that my star rating system isn’t at all based on literary merit, but is based on my enjoyment for the book.
For me a book that gets five stars, is a book that I really enjoyed, and found difficult to put down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Unputdownable. Would definitely read again
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Fantastic read. Not to be missed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️Enjoyable read. Would recommend.
⭐️⭐️Wouldn’t read again
⭐️Don’t recommend this book again

Find me here: Facebook and Instagram and Goodreads

Images and author information: Goodreads

You can find my other blogs here:
Next Phase In Fitness & Life and Tracking Down The Family

© 2023 Copyright. all rights reserved: bestbookishblog.com

T: Tell No One by Harlan Coben #atozchallenge

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The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge  is for bloggers who wish to participate by publishing a blog post every day in April except for Sundays. Each blog post will focus on a letter of the alphabet. For example April 1 will be A, April 2 will be B and on it goes. By the end of April, a blog post for every letter of the alphabet will have been posted. My theme for 2023 is Book Reviews.

You can read my reviews without worrying about spoilers. My reviews are quite brief and I give away nothing more than you would read on the back cover or on Goodreads.

TELL NO ONE
BY
HARLAN COBEN

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Summary

“For Dr. David Beck, the loss was shattering. And every day for the past eight years, he has relived the horror of what happened. The gleaming lake. The pale moonlight. The piercing screams. The night his wife was taken. The last night he saw her alive.

Everyone tells him it’s time to move on, to forget the past once and for all. But for David Beck, there can be no closure. A message has appeared on his computer, a phrase only he and his dead wife know. Suddenly Beck is taunted with the impossible- that somewhere, somehow, Elizabeth is alive.

Beck has been warned to tell no one. And he doesn’t. Instead, he runs from the people he trusts the most, plunging headlong into a search for the shadowy figure whose messages hold out a desperate hope.

But already Beck is being hunted down. He’s headed straight into the heart of a dark and deadly secret- and someone intends to stop him before he gets there”. – Goodreads

Published in 2009. Paperback 70 pages.

My Thoughts

I’ve become a Coben fan over the last couple of years. Each of his books that I read, leave me wanting to read more. This very fast paced thriller had me interested until the last page. There twists and turns and then more twists and turns. The main characters, though flawed, were likeable and believable, even the more unusual characters.

Other than being a mystery/thriller, Tell No One is the love story of two children, who have been best friends since their childhood. The author has created a beautiful relationship and love between the two characters.

Quote

“There should have been a dark whisper in the wind. Or maybe a deep chill in the bone. Something. An ethereal song only Elizabeth or I could hear. A tightness in the air. Some textbook premonition. There are misfortunes we almost expect in life—what happened to my parents, for example—and then there are other dark moments, moments of sudden violence that alter everything. There was my life before the tragedy. There is my life now. The two have very little in common.”

About the Author

Harlan Coben is a #1 bestselling author and one of the world’s leading storytellers. His suspense novels are published in forty-five languages and have been number one bestsellers in more than a dozen countries with seventy-five million books in print worldwide.

Star Rating 

Please note that my star rating system isn’t at all based on literary merit, but is based on my enjoyment for the book.
For me a book that gets five stars, is a book that I really enjoyed, and found difficult to put down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Unputdownable. Would definitely read again
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Fantastic read. Not to be missed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️Enjoyable read. Would recommend.
⭐️⭐️Wouldn’t read again
⭐️Don’t recommend this book again

Find me here: Facebook and Instagram and Goodreads

Images and author information: Goodreads

You can find my other blogs here:
Next Phase In Fitness & Life and Tracking Down The Family

© 2023 Copyright. all rights reserved: bestbookishblog.com

S: The Smuggler’s Wife Series by Deborah Challinor #atozchallenge

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The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge  is for bloggers who wish to participate by publishing a blog post every day in April except for Sundays. Each blog post will focus on a letter of the alphabet. For example April 1 will be A, April 2 will be B and on it goes. By the end of April, a blog post for every letter of the alphabet will have been posted. My theme for 2023 is Book Reviews.

You can read my reviews without worrying about spoilers. My reviews are quite brief and I give away nothing more than you would read on the back cover or on Goodreads.

THE SMUGGLERS WIFE SERIES
BY
DEBORAH CHALLINOR

Summary

Kitty: The Smuggler’s Wife #1

Kitty and her mother are left with no means of support, when Kitty’s father unexpectedly dies, when Kittyis 18. For various reasons, Kitty has a damaged reputation, which is why her mother sends her to Australia in disgrace, to be cared for her by her missionary uncle and aunt.

In Australia, Kitty falls in love with Ryan, a very rude and unfriendly ship’s captain, who she eventually discovers, is also a gun runner. A very drama filled romance and adventure follows.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Published in January 2006. 352 pages

Amber: The Smuggler’s Wife #2

The story of Kitty continues with her meeting a street urchin, who offers her a small trinket. Her response to the urchin, sets both of them on the next stage of their lives. This causes problems with Kitty and Ryan.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Published in January 2007. 319 pages.

Band of Gold: The Smuggler’s Wife #3

Kitty is making a life for herself on the goldfields of Ballarat. Distrastrous events occur which affect most characters in this amazing story, of a strong willed woman making a life for herself in a male dominated world.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Published in January 2010. 320 pages.

The Cloud Leopard’s Daughter: The Smuggler’s Wife #4

The Cloud Lepard’s Daughter is a heart stopping adventure story, mostly set back in New Zealand, at the Otago goldfields. Kitty’s adventures in the last of this series, are very dangerous and upredictable, with love and greed central to the story.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Published in January 2016. 368 pages.

My Thoughts

I sometimes include Goodreads desciptions of the books that I review. In the case of the Smuggler’s Wife series, I feel that too much of the story line is given away on Goodreads. For that reason my summaries are very short, so that nothing is taken away from your enjoyment of the stories. I loved this series, and read them one after the other, in a short period of time, as I couldn’t wait to find out what happened to Kitty. Each book is stand alone, but I would recommend reading the series in order.

The series is a family saga, an adventure story, and a romance novel, all rolled into the fabulous story of strong willed Kitty, and her adventures. The settings for The Smuggler’s Wife #4 are both in the goldfields of Australia and New Zealand, and also on the high seas.

I would be surprised if any reader could stop at just the first book of this series. I couldn’t get enough of Kitty and her story.

About the Author

Deborah Challinor was born in Huntly New Zealand, and has worked as a fulltime writer and historian for more than 20 years. She has a PhD in New Zealand history from the University of Waikato.

Challinor has written many historical novels but the first books she wrote were non fiction history books.

Star Rating 

Please note that my star rating system isn’t at all based on literary merit, but is based on my enjoyment for the book.
For me a book that gets five stars, is a book that I really enjoyed, and found difficult to put down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Unputdownable. Would definitely read again
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Fantastic read. Not to be missed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️Enjoyable read. Would recommend.
⭐️⭐️Wouldn’t read again
⭐️Don’t recommend this book again

Find me here: Facebook and Instagram and Goodreads

Images and author information: Goodreads

You can find my other blogs here:
Next Phase In Fitness & Life and Tracking Down The Family

© 2023 Copyright. all rights reserved: bestbookishblog.com

R: The Resemblance by Lauren Nossett #atozchallenge

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The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge  is for bloggers who wish to participate by publishing a blog post every day in April except for Sundays. Each blog post will focus on a letter of the alphabet. For example April 1 will be A, April 2 will be B and on it goes. By the end of April, a blog post for every letter of the alphabet will have been posted. My theme for 2023 is Book Reviews.

You can read my reviews without worrying about spoilers. My reviews are quite brief and I give away nothing more than you would read on the back cover or on Goodreads.

THE RESEMBLANCE
BY
LAUREN NOSSETT

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

SUMMARY

“On a chilly November morning at the University of Georgia, a fraternity brother steps off a busy crosswalk and is struck dead by an oncoming car. More than a dozen witnesses all agree on two things: The driver looked identical to the victim, and he was smiling.

Detective Marlitt Kaplan is first on the scene. An Athens native and the daughter of a UGA professor, she knows all its shameful histories, from the skull discovered under the foundations of Baldwin Hall to the hushed-up murder-suicide in Waddel. But in the course of investigating this hit-and-run, she will uncover more chilling secrets as she explores the sprawling, interconnected Greek system that entertains and delights the university’s most elite and connected students.

The lines between Marlitt’s policework and her own past increasingly blur as Marlitt seeks to bring to justice an institution that took something precious from her many years ago. When threats against her escalate, and some long-buried secrets threaten to come to the surface, she can’t help but question whether the corruption in Athens has run off campus and into the force and how far these brotherhoods will go to protect their own”. – Goodreads

Published in 2015. 212 pages

MY THOUGHTS

This is a debut novel, and in my opinion, is worthy of picking up and reading. The Resemblance is a mystery, with quite an intriguing story line. It wasn’t until very close to the end that I started to get an idea of what was happening. The main character was quite unusual, and the other characters were totally believable to me.

As much as I enjoyed this book, my one criticism would be that things became a bit complicated towards the middle and I became confused, and almost put it down. I’m glad I continued as it turned out to be a very enjoyable book, which I would recommend.

About the Author

Lauren Nossett is a former professor turned novelist with a Ph.D. in German literature. Her scholarly work has appeared in journals, edited volumes, and a book with Northwestern University Press. She currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

All books that I review have been purchased by me or borrowed from the library, unless otherwise stated.

Star Rating 

Please note that my star rating system isn’t at all based on literary merit, but is based on my enjoyment for the book.
For me a book that gets five stars, is a book that I really enjoyed, and found difficult to put down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Unputdownable. Would definitely read again
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Fantastic read. Not to be missed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️Enjoyable read. Would recommend.
⭐️⭐️Wouldn’t read again
⭐️Don’t recommend this book again

Find me here: Facebook and Instagram and Goodreads

Images and author information: Goodreads

You can find my other blogs here:
Next Phase In Fitness & Life and Tracking Down The Family

This post is linked to Natalie’s Weekend Coffee Share

© 2023 Copyright. all rights reserved: bestbookishblog.com

O: Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout #atozchallenge

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The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge  is for bloggers who wish to participate by publishing a blog post every day in April except for Sundays. Each blog post will focus on a letter of the alphabet. For example April 1 will be A, April 2 will be B and on it goes. By the end of April, a blog post for every letter of the alphabet will have been posted. My theme for 2023 is Book Reviews.

You can read my reviews without worrying about spoilers. My reviews are quite brief and I give away nothing more than you would read on the back cover or on Goodreads.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is image-38.png

OH WILLIAM!
BY
ELIZABETH STROUT

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SUMMARY

“Lucy Barton is a writer, but her ex-husband, William, remains a hard man to read. William, she confesses, has always been a mystery to me. Another mystery is why the two have remained connected after all these years. They just are.

So Lucy is both surprised and not surprised when William asks her to join him on a trip to investigate a recently uncovered family secret—one of those secrets that rearrange everything we think we know about the people closest to us. What happens next is nothing less than another example of what Hilary Mantel has called Elizabeth Strout’s “perfect attunement to the human condition.” There are fears and insecurities, simple joys and acts of tenderness, and revelations about affairs and other spouses, parents and their children. On every page of this exquisite novel we learn more about the quiet forces that hold us together—even after we’ve grown apart.

At the heart of this story is the indomitable voice of Lucy Barton, who offers a profound, lasting reflection on the very nature of existence. “This is the way of life,” Lucy says: “the many things we do not know until it is too late.” – Goodreads

Published in 2021. 240 pages

MY THOUGHTS

This is a quite a short novel, but that doesn’t at all detract from it’s substance, or my enjoyment of the story. Elizabeth Strout has created characters who are flawed, and are totally relatable. The story of Lucy who is in her sixties, is also the story of her ex husband William. Lucy and William have been divorced for years, but have remained friends. This is a lovely story about relationships, the worries of ageing, memories, family, and the thoughts we have that worry us.

Perhaps it’s because Lucy and William are very close in age to me, but I really did identify with these characters. I felt their pain and their joy. I also understood the importance of their memories to them, at this stage of their lives. Perhaps this was also due to the excellent writing of the author.

I didn’t realise until I finished Oh William! that it is book three in the Lucy Barton series. Not having read the first two, didn’t make Oh William! any less enjoyable. However, I now have the other three books on my TBR list. Below is a photo of the books in order.

Image – Penguin Publishing

All books that I review have been purchased by me or borrowed from the library, unless otherwise stated.

Star Rating 

Please note that my star rating system isn’t at all based on literary merit, but is based on my enjoyment for the book.
For me a book that gets five stars, is a book that I really enjoyed, and found difficult to put down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Unputdownable. Would definitely read again
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Fantastic read. Not to be missed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️Enjoyable read. Would recommend.
⭐️⭐️Wouldn’t read again
⭐️Don’t recommend this book again

Find me here: Facebook and Instagram and Goodreads

Images and author information: Goodreads

You can find my other blogs here:
Next Phase In Fitness & Life and Tracking Down The Family

© 2023 Copyright. all rights reserved: bestbookishblog.com

N: Nightwork by Nora Roberts #atozchallenge

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The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge  is for bloggers who wish to participate by publishing a blog post every day in April except for Sundays. Each blog post will focus on a letter of the alphabet. For example April 1 will be A, April 2 will be B and on it goes. By the end of April, a blog post for every letter of the alphabet will have been posted. My theme for 2023 is Book Reviews.

You can read my reviews without worrying about spoilers. My reviews are quite brief and I give away nothing more than you would read on the back cover or on Goodreads.

NIGHTWORK
BY
NORA ROBERTS

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Summary

At nine years old, Harry Booth started sneaking out at night to steal from houses, in order to provide for the family, as his mother was gravely ill, and wasn’t able to work. After her death, he continued with the stealing, and became an expert, continually taking on new identities, to evade capture. Harry became friends with Miranda at school, and as they become older, she had no idea of Harry’s nocturnal activities. As Harry enters a dangerous world, he splits with Amanda, to protect her safety. Harry then takes on a very complicated job, which has been commissioned by a notorious, dangerous person. This is when Harry’s world becomes a dangerous place to be.

Published in 2022. 437 pages.

My Thoughts

This is the first of Norah Robert’s books that I’ve read, and I surprised myself by really enjoying it. I loved Harry. Even though his is definitely a criminal, he is a very likeable character and otherwise, has very strong morals. Other than stealing, of course. Even though this story line is a mystery, and could even be classed as a thriller, it is very much character based. The other characters around Harry are very strong, believable and entertaining. I found myself laughing many times. I definitely recommend this book, and will be reading more of this author.

Star Rating 

Please note that my star rating system isn’t at all based on literary merit, but is based on my enjoyment for the book.
For me a book that gets five stars, is a book that I really enjoyed, and found difficult to put down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Unputdownable. Would definitely read again
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Fantastic read. Not to be missed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️Enjoyable read. Would recommend.
⭐️⭐️Wouldn’t read again
⭐️Don’t recommend this book again

Find me here: Facebook and Instagram and Goodreads

Images and author information: Goodreads

You can find my other blogs here:
Next Phase In Fitness & Life and Tracking Down The Family

© 2023 Copyright. all rights reserved: bestbookishblog.com

M: Murder Rule by Dervla McTiernan #atozchallenge

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The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge  is for bloggers who wish to participate by publishing a blog post every day in April except for Sundays. Each blog post will focus on a letter of the alphabet. For example April 1 will be A, April 2 will be B and on it goes. By the end of April, a blog post for every letter of the alphabet will have been posted. My theme for 2023 is Book Reviews.

You can read my reviews without worrying about spoilers. My reviews are quite brief and I give away nothing more than you would read on the back cover or on Goodreads.

THE MURDER RULE
BY
DERVLA McTIERNAN

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Summary

“………a mother daughter story—one running from a horrible truth, and the other fighting to reveal it, that twists and turns in shocking ways, from the internationally bestselling author of The Scholar and The Ruin.
First Rule: Make them like you.
Second Rule: Make them need you.
Third Rule: Make them pay.They think I’m a young, idealistic law student, that I’m passionate about reforming a corrupt and brutal system.
They think I’m working hard to impress them.
They think I’m here to save an innocent man on death row.
They’re wrong. I’m going to bury him”. – Goodreads

Published in 2022. 295 pages

My Thoughts

After reading this author’s first three books, I waited impatiently for her fourth, and The Murder Rule didn’t disappoint at all. The story alternates between the present time and diary entries from 1994. It usually takes me a while to get into books that jump around in time, but this book had me from the start. In Murder Rule we have a story of corruption and violence, which causes much confusion to the main characters.

I’ve said very little about the plot or the characters, as I’d like prospective readers to start reading with very little knowledge of the plot as I did. This is a thriller with a strong main female character and many twists and turns.

If you like a crime thriller with an usual storyline and many twists and turns, then I would recommend this book as a great read.

About the Author

Dervla McTiernan is the author of three award winning books, the Cormac Reilly series – The Ruin, The Scholar and The Good Turn. The Ruin was published in 2018 and is the first in the detective Cormac Reilly series. The Ruin was a top ten bestseller and an Amazon Best Book of July 2018. Dervla was a New Blood Panellist at Harrogate Festival. The Scholar was published in 2019 and was a top five bestseller. The Good Turn was published in 2020.

My Star Rating

Please note that my star rating system isn’t at all based on literary merit, but is based on my enjoyment for the book.
For me a book that gets five stars, is a book that I really enjoyed, and found difficult to put down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Unputdownable. Would definitely read again
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Fantastic read. Not to be missed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️Enjoyable read. Would recommend.
⭐️⭐️Wouldn’t read again
⭐️Don’t recommend this book again

Find me here: Facebook and Instagram and Goodreads

Images and author information: Goodreads

You can find my other blogs here:
Next Phase In Fitness & Life and Tracking Down The Family

© 2023 Copyright. all rights reserved: bestbookishblog.com

J: Just An Ordinary Family by Fiona Lowe #atozchallenge

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The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge is for bloggers who wish to participate by publishing a blog post every day in April except for Sundays. Each blog post will focus on a letter of the alphabet. For example, April 1 will be A, April 2 will be B and on it goes. By the end of April, a blog post for every letter of the alphabet will have been posted. My theme for 2023 is Book Reviews.

You can read my reviews without worrying about spoilers. My reviews are quite brief, and I give away nothing more than you would read on the back cover or on Goodreads.

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JUST AN ORDINARY FAMILY
BY
FIONA LOWE

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Summary

“Alice Hunter is smarting from the raw deal life has thrown her way: suddenly single, jobless and forced to move home to her parents’ tiny seaside town. And now she faces an uncomfortable truth. She wants her twin sister Libby’s enviable life.

Libby’s closest friend Jess Dekic has been around the Hunter family for so long she might as well be blood. She’s always considered herself a sister closer to Libby than Alice ever could be…

Libby Hunter has all of life’s boxes ticked: prominent small-town doctor, gorgeous husband and two young daughters. But when she is betrayed by those she loves most, it reveals how tenuous her world is…

For Karen Hunter, her children are a double-edged sword of pain and pride. She’s always tried to guide her girls through life’s pitfalls, but how do you protect your children when they’re adults?

As the family implodes, the fallout for these four women will be inescapable…” – Goodreads

Published in 2020
Paperback,

My Thoughts

I don’t usually pick up books about relationships, especially family relationships, but surprising to me, I enjoyed reading about the family, the women and the secrets in this story. The secrets and conflicts seemed very real and believable to me.

There are many tears and laughters in the story, as there were for me. As the story went on, I found that I kept changing my mind about who’s side I was on, and who was the more honest and deserving of a happy ending. This is also a story about kindness and forgiveness. Nobody is perfect, as is the case in real life. A very real and relatable read, that I would recommend.

Star Rating
Please note that my star rating system isn’t at all based on literary merit, but is based on my enjoyment for the book. For me a book that gets five stars, is a book that I really enjoyed, and found difficult to put down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Unputdownable. Would definitely read again
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Fantastic read. Not to be missed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️Enjoyable read. Would recommend.
⭐️⭐️Wouldn’t read again
⭐️Don’t recommend this book again

Find me here: Facebook and Instagram and Goodreads

Images and author information: Goodreads

You can find my other blogs here:
Next Phase In Fitness & Life and Tracking Down The Family

© 2023 Copyright. all rights reserved: bestbookishblog.com