2 completely different books! Enjoying both.

Love it!

I empathised with Julia‘s grief and refusal to believe that her little girl was gone, along with her husband.
I loved the mystery surrounding the Red Witch and the sacrifice of a child every 35 years. As the story unfolded and clues were revealed I was sucked in by red herrings until the ultimate reveal.
This is a great story which kept me enthralled until the final page.

A fantastic thrill ride through the pages of vampires, demons and mystery. London Clarke has a voice reminiscent of the gothic tales of old. Although the main character was flawed and ever so slightly unlikable, she felt real and her efforts at cleansing her new home kept me reading into the small hours. The Meadows is not in the data base so I have placed this review under another of the author‘s novels.

As well as being a raving book nerd I am also a broochie. I manage to combine my 2 passions sometimes. Recently, for book week, I was reading books, talking books and wearing books!
#Erstwilder #broochie

Totally did not see that ending coming!
Brilliant detective story with plenty of twists and turns which left me guessing along the way. Very well thought out and plotted. I had the advantage of listening to the Audible book so didn‘t have to guess whose perspective we were reading which I understand confused some readers of the conventional book. Audible has several people narrating. First in a series which is great news!

Another ripping yarn from Ruth Ware. I devoured this book in a couple of days and LOVED it. It had an almost gothic feel to it with the story of the orphaned girl coming to stay with long lost relatives in a crumbling mansion. Twists and turns aplenty with a final reveal which, although I had seen coming, was skillfully written and executed. The tarot comparisons took me back to when I dabbled in my teens. By far my favourite of her books.

I‘m having a wonderfully relaxing time in the Aussie bush, camping on a friend‘s property and reading my little heart out. Do you like my t-shirt 🤣

This has got to be one of my favourite Berry Springs books. Amanda McKinney knows how to spin a yarn full of intrigue and mystery with that all important dash of romance mixed in. This is a perfect example and totally unputdownable!

A fabulous romp through the steamier side of Berry Springs! Being one of Amanda‘s Berry Springs Bandits I was privileged to be given an ARC of the first book in her new series. It is grittier, and a whole lot sexier than the Berry Springs books with testosterone aplenty. Gage and Niki‘s explosive tale began the series perfectly and the cliffhanger ending means that I am desperate to get my hands on Cabin 2!

So many good reviews and I normally enjoy Lisa Jewell‘s books but this one didn‘t do it for me. Possibly because I listened while doing other things but it felt disjointed with all the different voices and perspectives and there were no great surprises here. I didn‘t find the storyline credible. Not a thriller or suspenseful and I have to admit I was glad when it finished.

I really enjoyed this and listened (Audible) every chance I got. The idea of finding an envelope stuffed with money in your bag and having no idea how it got there was clever. Pair that with an innocent victim struggling to pay off someone else‘s debts (been there myself) and you have the perfect conundrum. Drop in some emergency vet visits, sudden job loss and tragic past and you know where this is going. Brilliant read!

The rather sweet and quirky story of Don and Rosie. Sweet on Rosie‘s part and definitely quirky on Don‘s. I enjoyed listening to the audible book and found myself grinning at Don‘s odd language and behavior on more than one occasion. I am thankful that Audibles chose it as their freebie this month and I will absolutely be getting the subsequent books.

A great concept which started off brilliantly but fell a bit flat towards the middle. The pacing of the story stalled and practically stopped and I had questions which weren‘t touched on until near the end. Thankfully the ending redeemed the book but I really wish that I liked it more. Still a pick but with reservations. #NetGalley

I picked this up because I had heard from numerous people that it was genuinely frightening. Sadly, it didn‘t seem so to me. Parts of it were a little spine-tingly but mostly the ghost story aspect fell flat for me. Don‘t get me wrong, it is extremely well written and the mystery of the missing boys, decades apart, was cleverly interspersed with the supernatural happenings on the island. I was definitely driven to keep reading and enjoyed it.

It‘s not in the database yet but I am about to dive in to this ARC of a steamy new series from Amanda McKinney. It‘s marketed as a sexier spinoff of the Berry Springs series so I will let you know...watch this space!

A tragic story of a family cut down and murdered in their home. Childhood friend, Aaron Falk, is now a Federal Police Detective and he is determined to clear his mate‘s name and find out who really killed him and his family. A real page turner, this one kept me reading all hours. The hopping back and forth to the past, when another mysterious death shocked the town, was skillfully done and added a deeper element to the story.

A brilliant and atmospheric mystery involving past and present deaths. Mia needs to solve the first, which happened when she was a teenager, to understand the second in present day. Set on an isolated Maine island during bleak Winter storms, the weather and intermittent phone service/internet cause added obstacles to her search for the truth. #NetGalley

Confusion reigns! Both my Audible book and my NetGalley ARC are about police who reluctantly return to their home towns to solve a murder ... and both have suspicious deaths of friends in their pasts. My brain is frazzled trying to keep them both straight! 🧠 😖

This is my second foray into the paranormal policing world of Detective Jennifer Knight and the one that starts the whole series. Although a bit slow to begin with I was soon pulled in to the story and couldn‘t put it down. Jennifer Knight is a strong female lead with psychic abilities which add an extra dimension to the normal crime genre.

Another exciting book from the pen of Samantha Hayes. I was quite honestly flummoxed with this one and truly hadn‘t worked it out until it was all laid bare for me. It has it all, mystery, suspected foul play, romance and betrayal. #NetGalley

Although this is the third book in the series it is the first for me and I really enjoyed the juxtaposition of police procedures and psychic abilities. Being a twin myself I could totally relate to the connection twins have and as the mystery was unraveled I found myself hanging on every word. I‘m off to buy the first book now. I‘m hooked!

Communing with nature and words 📖⛺️

Another exciting Berry Springs mystery, this time set in the claustrophobic atmosphere of a haunted cave. This sexy crime series gets better with each book and I love that the heroines are feisty, independent women who don‘t rely on the hunky male protagonists to get them out of trouble. Sadie and Owen battle through broken bones, knife attacks and gunshots while solving the mystery of the desecrated skeleton found in Crypts Cave.

A nice change of pace from my usual fare of murder, mayhem and mystery. The inevitable love story of Vince and Joy is a sweet look into the lives of 2 people who were destined to be together but their timing was off. No great thunderstruck moments or gut clenching cliches but a nice tale of life, love and the path to happiness.

A masterful mystery, full of intrigue and red herrings which kept my mind buzzing with possible perpetrators throughout. All of the characters had major flaws which indicated they could have been the murderer depicted at the beginning of the book and I constantly swayed from one to the other as I endeavored to “soooolve the case” before it was revealed who-done-it! My only criticism is that the ending felt rushed but it didn‘t affect my enjoyment.

A cozy Winter Friday night, comfy in my pj‘s and Dorian Gray gloves. Bliss 💕

I feel like I would have enjoyed this more if I had read the book instead of listening on Audible. I really didn‘t like the narrator‘s voice. That being said, it was a good story with a (mostly) strong female lead. She had her more wimpish moments. I had expected a bit more of a spook factor and it mostly came across as a love story but archaeological themes get me every time and I was able to indulge my inner archaeologist with it.

Nothing particularly original or earth shattering here. A formulaic story of stalking and mental health issues which suffers slightly from the unlikable characters. I finished the book and found I just didn‘t care how it ended. Predictable but mildly interesting at best. #NetGalley

I have been away for a few days and someone has made herself comfy on my lap. Tonks isn‘t moving for anyone or anything. I guess I will just have to keep reading then.

Brilliant! This book had me from the first page, the story of a missing daughter and the frantic search to find her was enthralling. As tiny clues emerged and the backstory filled in the essential details I just couldn‘t put it down. I felt such empathy for the desperate mother and was hoping for the best outcome. The shocking twist had me gasping and I can‘t begin to describe how it made me feel. #NetGalley

Loved it! Parts of it had me wanting to slap Stella into making more sensible decisions but ultimately I felt such compassion for the poor woman who had lost her child and no one but her believed she was still alive. The story is told through 3 narratives and each has its own unique voice. It ended abruptly though and I would have liked a little more closure and some loose ends tied up. All in all I found it to be a compelling read. #NetGalley

A pleasant time slip story which started off a bit slow but made up for it in the final chapters. I always enjoy historical stories with the time slip element and this one was no exception.

Judith Krantz was one of my guilty pleasure reads in the 80s. I remember sitting in the common room, (Collingwood Comprehensive) giggling at the naughty bits in Princess Daisy. I named my cat Mistral after her book Mistral‘s Daughter. I gave away my books years ago but feel sad that she‘s gone.

This book had quite a few “OMG why is she doing that?” moments for me but those moments were necessary for the story to keep unfolding. It‘s a complicated story of trust and dishonesty which kept me eagerly turning pages until it was done. Alison James is a great storyteller and I am keen to read more of her work. #NetGalley

DI Gina Harte is fast becoming my favorite detective. These books just keep getting better. This one (the 4th in the series) drew me in with the poignant memories of a girl who disappeared, and kept me enthralled with the police procedures as the mystery unfolded. A thumping good read from a talented author. #NetGalley

I have wanted to read this for years and finally managed to snag a copy. It is a lovely story of love and loss, time-blend and history with a gentle heroine and an altogether more feisty author, and plenty of small glimpses of the connections between the two. I enjoyed the book but do think it might have suffered a bit through the narration which, although well done, felt a little staid and teacher-like to me. #Audible

A mesmerizing story of love and loss, liberty and pain. As a mother I totally felt Faye‘s fear as she realized her son and husband were missing. As the tale unfolded and secrets were revealed I was swept up into the mystery and intrigue of an unimaginable act which knocked me for six. What a great read. #NetGalley

A bit predictable with a formula that has been done many times before but still interesting enough to keep me reading. The characters were well defined and the story kept up a good pace, while at times it felt a little formulaic, there were enough original concepts which spiced up the tale. All in all I liked it and I will definitely keep an eye on this author. #NetGalley

Good morning Littens.

This is the second of Claire Allan‘s books that I have read and wow, it just keep me reading long after I should have turned out the light. This story had such a lot happening and I was hooked right from the first page. As the truth slowly came to light and the murderer was revealed I couldn‘t put it down and eagerly kept reading until the final page. A truly great read. #NetGalley

My view today as I enjoy this incredible book 📖

I see all the US meet ups and it got me wondering...where do my fellow Aussie Littens reside? 🇦🇺

An intelligent and thought-provoking tale which delves into the minds of psychopaths. Augusta Bloom is a wonderfully complicated woman with insight into the minds of the criminals she comes up against. There were some surprises along the way and an unforeseen twist and I thoroughly enjoyed this thumping good read. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read such a great new author.

I discovered Audible and am now an avid listener on my daily commute. Also I joined NetGalley which in turn caused me to embrace a Kindle, something I never thought I would do. I still buy paperbacks though and read constantly so just the formats have altered slightly.
#changes

A fascinating and deeply moving story of a mother‘s love told in two voices. The 2 narratives ultimately combine to reveal the harrowing truth in an edge of your seat, suspenseful finale which left me emotionally drained. A great book which will stay with you for days after you‘ve finished. #NetGalley

Carla Kovach has created a detective with flaws, who, in this third installment of the Gina Harte series, is determined to solve the mystery surrounding a teenage girl who fell from the back of a van. I read way past my bedtime, I just couldn‘t put it down.

A wonderfully intricate story of betrayal and loss of trust which is set in the beautiful Lake District. I spent most of the book wondering who to trust and although the ending was a little predictable there was enough suspense to keep me reading until the wee hours. #NetGalley

A wonderfully intricate story of betrayal and loss of trust which is set in the beautiful Lake District. I spent most of the book wondering who to trust and although the ending was a little predictable there was enough suspense to keep me reading until the wee hours. #NetGalley

I am totally reading these out of order. I read 2 first, thanks to NetGalley, so found 1 on Audible. It‘s a distressing and addictive tale of abduction and skewed love with a wonderfully normal detective, whose own tormented past drives her to put the bad guys away. I am eager to begin book 3 in this riveting series.