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1104 reviews
Three Boys Gone by Mark Smith
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
An Incredible Premise! That’s all folks!
Three sixteen-year-old boys drown in the rough surf on a treacherous stretch of an Australian beach. The only witness, one of their teachers, chooses not to risk her own life to save them, and instead stands helplessly by.
I went into Three Boys Gone expecting an emotional exploration of a school community torn apart by the moral implications of a senseless tragedy, and a main character struggling with her actions. What I received instead was a terribly written, cheap, cheesy thriller, full of plot holes, with a laughable ending. I still cannot believe how bad it was!
Initially I admired the vague and erratic writing throughout the first handful of chapters attributing the time jumps to the frantic numbness and trauma of the situation but in hindsight and given the low quality of the writing going forward I think I’m giving the author way too much credit. Weather was utilised well adding to the confusion and tension as well as the reliability of recall by characters involved. I also liked that the identity of the three boys was concealed until the 11% mark.
And thus ends my only positives. The behaviour of every character was absurd – the teachers, students, parents, school, police procedures and search and rescue – everything! The thriller ending came out of nowhere, made no sense, and I was left with so many unanswered questions. The book ended abruptly too. Although by this point, I was grateful for small mercies. The writing was juvenile – I have never heard a female refer to going to the bathroom as “needing to take a piss”, and this occurred on two occasions. So gross! And it was repetitive – I cannot count the number of times the phase “three boys missing/dead” or a variation of it was mentioned. Yeah, I get it, you don’t need to ram it home. And don’t get me started on all the blatant sexism toward women and discrimination against a lesbian couple. I was appalled by all the hatred, hate speak, and misogynist men. It just didn’t make sense given that this was set in 2024.
The early reviews for this have been very positive, which is why I purchased this book in the first place. I’m sorry I wasted my money.
Three sixteen-year-old boys drown in the rough surf on a treacherous stretch of an Australian beach. The only witness, one of their teachers, chooses not to risk her own life to save them, and instead stands helplessly by.
I went into Three Boys Gone expecting an emotional exploration of a school community torn apart by the moral implications of a senseless tragedy, and a main character struggling with her actions. What I received instead was a terribly written, cheap, cheesy thriller, full of plot holes, with a laughable ending. I still cannot believe how bad it was!
Initially I admired the vague and erratic writing throughout the first handful of chapters attributing the time jumps to the frantic numbness and trauma of the situation but in hindsight and given the low quality of the writing going forward I think I’m giving the author way too much credit. Weather was utilised well adding to the confusion and tension as well as the reliability of recall by characters involved. I also liked that the identity of the three boys was concealed until the 11% mark.
And thus ends my only positives. The behaviour of every character was absurd – the teachers, students, parents, school, police procedures and search and rescue – everything! The thriller ending came out of nowhere, made no sense, and I was left with so many unanswered questions. The book ended abruptly too. Although by this point, I was grateful for small mercies. The writing was juvenile – I have never heard a female refer to going to the bathroom as “needing to take a piss”, and this occurred on two occasions. So gross! And it was repetitive – I cannot count the number of times the phase “three boys missing/dead” or a variation of it was mentioned. Yeah, I get it, you don’t need to ram it home. And don’t get me started on all the blatant sexism toward women and discrimination against a lesbian couple. I was appalled by all the hatred, hate speak, and misogynist men. It just didn’t make sense given that this was set in 2024.
The early reviews for this have been very positive, which is why I purchased this book in the first place. I’m sorry I wasted my money.
The Wedding Forecast by Nina Kenwood
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Having enjoyed this author’s two previous YA romances I was eager to pick up her first adult novel in the same genre.
Why I loved The Wedding Forecast:
🩷It was fun, cute, light, and flirty, but also contained some tough, real, relatable issues and deep meaningful thoughts and conversations.
🧡It was hilariously funny. There were so many laugh out loud moments.
🩷There were two potential love interests – Mack (an actor as well as the groom’s oldest friend) and Patrick (the wedding photographer) and there was a lot of ambiguity regarding which man Anna was going to end up with until the last possible moment.
🧡Both romances had potential, but I was rooting for one couple over the other.
🩷I liked how the novel focused on other aspects of Anna’s life – work, friends, family, flatting, break-up, moving on and starting over, finding closure, re-inventing yourself, and doing what makes you happy.
🧡The single POV (Anna’s) worked for me, as this was Anna’s journey.
🩷I loved the mums.
The Wedding Forecast included some of my favourite settings:
🧡A wedding setting.
🩷An Australian setting.
🧡A New York setting.
🩷Both a bookshop setting, and Anna was an author of crime fiction.
🧡Some of it was set around Christmas.
It also included some of my favourite romantic tropes:
🩷Slow-burn romance.
🧡Forced proximity.
🩷Forced to share a bed.
🧡Toxic ex.
🩷Toxic exe’s pregnant new partner.
🧡Non-graphic, tasteful open-door romance.
The Wedding Forecast was a win for me so I would love it if Nina Kenwood were to write more contemporary romances for an adult market.
P.S. Who names a poor baby Birdie? I’m sorry, but no!
Why I loved The Wedding Forecast:
🩷It was fun, cute, light, and flirty, but also contained some tough, real, relatable issues and deep meaningful thoughts and conversations.
🧡It was hilariously funny. There were so many laugh out loud moments.
🩷There were two potential love interests – Mack (an actor as well as the groom’s oldest friend) and Patrick (the wedding photographer) and there was a lot of ambiguity regarding which man Anna was going to end up with until the last possible moment.
🧡Both romances had potential, but I was rooting for one couple over the other.
🩷I liked how the novel focused on other aspects of Anna’s life – work, friends, family, flatting, break-up, moving on and starting over, finding closure, re-inventing yourself, and doing what makes you happy.
🧡The single POV (Anna’s) worked for me, as this was Anna’s journey.
🩷I loved the mums.
The Wedding Forecast included some of my favourite settings:
🧡A wedding setting.
🩷An Australian setting.
🧡A New York setting.
🩷Both a bookshop setting, and Anna was an author of crime fiction.
🧡Some of it was set around Christmas.
It also included some of my favourite romantic tropes:
🩷Slow-burn romance.
🧡Forced proximity.
🩷Forced to share a bed.
🧡Toxic ex.
🩷Toxic exe’s pregnant new partner.
🧡Non-graphic, tasteful open-door romance.
The Wedding Forecast was a win for me so I would love it if Nina Kenwood were to write more contemporary romances for an adult market.
P.S. Who names a poor baby Birdie? I’m sorry, but no!
How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Castle Knoll is a tiny English village full of secrets – past and present!
Castle Knoll, Dorset,1965 – At the local Country Fair a psychic’s ominous fortune predicting 16-year-old Frances Adams murder causes a dark cloud to settle over a fun day. When part of the fortune comes to pass, and one of her best friend’s goes missing soon after, Frances is convinced her life is in danger and that someone in Castle Knoll is going to murder her. She becomes obsessed with solving her own murder, before it’s too late…
Chelsea, London, 2024 – Annie Adams receives a letter from her Great Aunt Frances’ solicitor, inviting her to Castle Knoll to discuss her inheritance. Annie has grown up hearing stories of her reclusive, rich, mysterious relative, fixated on solving her own murder, and is curious and excited to finally meet her. But she arrives at her Great Aunt’s country estate, only to discover Frances’ body. Someone has finally murdered her, just as foretold. But who? And why now? Annie is determined to pick up where her Great Aunt left off and solve Frances’ murder once and for all.
I award How to Solve Your Own Murder 4.5 stars. It is the first book in the Castle Knoll Files series, and I’d characterise it as a small-town cosy (cozy) mystery with two crimes to solve to get to the truth, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg in this village where everyone is hiding something. The premise and title were the two things that really drew me to this novel and I’m happy to say that it more than lived up to my expectations. There were some shocking twists – the one at the 49% mark and its implications had me reeling, but unfortunately for me it was at this point that Christmas preparations got in the way of my reading, and it was several days before I was able to pick up the book again. The rest of the novel was worth the wait though. Even though the main mystery was wrapped up more than satisfactory by the close of this book I was left with several unanswered questions regarding other secrets. However, having now read the book blurb for How to Seal Your Own Fate, I’m convinced my dangling questions will be addressed either in the next instalment or later on in the series.
As mentioned in my synopsis there are two timelines to keep track of – the present-day storyline narrated by Annie in the first person, and italicised diary entries written by 17-year-old Frances beginning in 1966. There is also a prologue set the day of the Castle Knoll Country Fair, 1965. I enjoyed both the present and past storylines, and all the characters were distinctive and unforgettable. There were a lot of characters, relationships to one another, and village secrets to keep track of though – it’s a mystery with many layers and threads where you really have to pay close attention because every little thing counts. I really hope I’m approved on Netgalley for How to Seal Your Own Fate (pretty please Penguin Group Dutton) as I’d really like to read these two books close together if I can, because even by the release date of the 27th March 2025, I’m bound to have forgotten some things. Regardless, I’ll be continuing this series.
How to Solve Your Own Murder really impressed me, and I’m excited to revisit Castle Knoll’s as soon as possible. So happy to have discovered another mystery series to add to my collection.
Castle Knoll, Dorset,1965 – At the local Country Fair a psychic’s ominous fortune predicting 16-year-old Frances Adams murder causes a dark cloud to settle over a fun day. When part of the fortune comes to pass, and one of her best friend’s goes missing soon after, Frances is convinced her life is in danger and that someone in Castle Knoll is going to murder her. She becomes obsessed with solving her own murder, before it’s too late…
Chelsea, London, 2024 – Annie Adams receives a letter from her Great Aunt Frances’ solicitor, inviting her to Castle Knoll to discuss her inheritance. Annie has grown up hearing stories of her reclusive, rich, mysterious relative, fixated on solving her own murder, and is curious and excited to finally meet her. But she arrives at her Great Aunt’s country estate, only to discover Frances’ body. Someone has finally murdered her, just as foretold. But who? And why now? Annie is determined to pick up where her Great Aunt left off and solve Frances’ murder once and for all.
I award How to Solve Your Own Murder 4.5 stars. It is the first book in the Castle Knoll Files series, and I’d characterise it as a small-town cosy (cozy) mystery with two crimes to solve to get to the truth, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg in this village where everyone is hiding something. The premise and title were the two things that really drew me to this novel and I’m happy to say that it more than lived up to my expectations. There were some shocking twists – the one at the 49% mark and its implications had me reeling, but unfortunately for me it was at this point that Christmas preparations got in the way of my reading, and it was several days before I was able to pick up the book again. The rest of the novel was worth the wait though. Even though the main mystery was wrapped up more than satisfactory by the close of this book I was left with several unanswered questions regarding other secrets. However, having now read the book blurb for How to Seal Your Own Fate, I’m convinced my dangling questions will be addressed either in the next instalment or later on in the series.
As mentioned in my synopsis there are two timelines to keep track of – the present-day storyline narrated by Annie in the first person, and italicised diary entries written by 17-year-old Frances beginning in 1966. There is also a prologue set the day of the Castle Knoll Country Fair, 1965. I enjoyed both the present and past storylines, and all the characters were distinctive and unforgettable. There were a lot of characters, relationships to one another, and village secrets to keep track of though – it’s a mystery with many layers and threads where you really have to pay close attention because every little thing counts. I really hope I’m approved on Netgalley for How to Seal Your Own Fate (pretty please Penguin Group Dutton) as I’d really like to read these two books close together if I can, because even by the release date of the 27th March 2025, I’m bound to have forgotten some things. Regardless, I’ll be continuing this series.
How to Solve Your Own Murder really impressed me, and I’m excited to revisit Castle Knoll’s as soon as possible. So happy to have discovered another mystery series to add to my collection.
The Act of Disappearing by Nathan Gower
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Outlier alert! I don’t mind a slow burn mystery, but this was painfully slow and repetitive, especially the modern timeline. I persevered holding out for some surprising twists, but all three reveals I had figured out early. In fact the plot was straight out of an episode of one of my favourite TV shows. Not saying this author has seen it, and I know there’s only a certain amount of mystery plots and that there’s bound to be similarities. Also, I think this novel could’ve benefited from being 100 pages shorter, as some of the subplots were drawn out and had little to do with the mystery. It was a miss for me I’m afraid.
Cruel Winter with You by Ali Hazelwood
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Under the Mistletoe is a collection of five Amazon-Original holiday-themed stories published this month, penned by well-known authors in the romance genre. Cruel Winter With Youby Ali Hazelwood is novella 1/5.
Jamie Malek has always shared a love/hate relationship with her best friend’s younger brother, Marc Compton, and the last time they saw each they did not part on good terms. So, when a snowstorm leaves them stranded together on Christmas Eve, old resentments flare, and sparks fly. Can Jamie and Marc resolve their differences this Christmas?
Cruel Winter With You was my first book by Ali Hazelwoodand I was really impressed by her writing and can’t wait to read more by her. This one was a sexy open-door romance but tastefully done. I loved that thorough backstories were provided for the characters relationship given the short length of the story. Maybe Marc was kind of obsessed with Jamie, dropped too many f-bombs for my taste, and did the author really have to make him a billionaire? But it was supposed to be a Christmas fantasy, so I’m not too bothered it wasn’t entirely realistic. A great start to this series.
Jamie Malek has always shared a love/hate relationship with her best friend’s younger brother, Marc Compton, and the last time they saw each they did not part on good terms. So, when a snowstorm leaves them stranded together on Christmas Eve, old resentments flare, and sparks fly. Can Jamie and Marc resolve their differences this Christmas?
Cruel Winter With You was my first book by Ali Hazelwoodand I was really impressed by her writing and can’t wait to read more by her. This one was a sexy open-door romance but tastefully done. I loved that thorough backstories were provided for the characters relationship given the short length of the story. Maybe Marc was kind of obsessed with Jamie, dropped too many f-bombs for my taste, and did the author really have to make him a billionaire? But it was supposed to be a Christmas fantasy, so I’m not too bothered it wasn’t entirely realistic. A great start to this series.
Boy: Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
5.0
I recall my teacher reading this to the class in 1986 I believe. As a child I found it hilarious and highly entertaining, and as an adult I wholeheartedly agree. The archaic practices of corporal punishment in schools and barbaric medical treatments and care were horrifying. We don’t know how good we have it! The author was a little full of himself and his achievements, but considering his lifelong phenomenal success he had earned the right.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hot Mess by Jeff Kinney
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It’s the dreaded Family Beach Vacation for Greg Heffley!
In the 19th instalment of the hugely successful Diary of the Wimpy Kid series, titled Hot Mess, Greg’s Gramma wants the family to vacation at Ruttyneck Island in honour of her upcoming 75th birthday.
In attendance are, of course, Greg and his family – Mum, Dad, older brother Rodrick, and younger brother, Manny.
Greg’s aunts on his mother’s side – Aunt Gretchen and her two bratty twins Malcolm and Malvin, Aunt Cakey and her long-suffering boyfriend Vincent, and Aunt Veronica and her internet-famous dog Dazzle.
And gate-crasher Uncle Gary – Greg’s dad’s brother.
Prepare yourself for the hilarity and light-heartedness. These books are always chock full of fun, and entertaining twists and surprises. As always, Greg tries his best to stay out of trouble and fails spectacularly. It would be boring if he didn’t. I loved spending time with Greg, his family, and relatives. The perfect holiday read to put you in high spirits.
In the 19th instalment of the hugely successful Diary of the Wimpy Kid series, titled Hot Mess, Greg’s Gramma wants the family to vacation at Ruttyneck Island in honour of her upcoming 75th birthday.
In attendance are, of course, Greg and his family – Mum, Dad, older brother Rodrick, and younger brother, Manny.
Greg’s aunts on his mother’s side – Aunt Gretchen and her two bratty twins Malcolm and Malvin, Aunt Cakey and her long-suffering boyfriend Vincent, and Aunt Veronica and her internet-famous dog Dazzle.
And gate-crasher Uncle Gary – Greg’s dad’s brother.
Prepare yourself for the hilarity and light-heartedness. These books are always chock full of fun, and entertaining twists and surprises. As always, Greg tries his best to stay out of trouble and fails spectacularly. It would be boring if he didn’t. I loved spending time with Greg, his family, and relatives. The perfect holiday read to put you in high spirits.
The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I love a Psychologically Disturbing Murder Mystery Gothic Tale, and Peter Swanson never fails to leave me reeling in shock!
4.5.
The Christmas Guest was prickling with uneasiness and foreboding. I loved the Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, tie-in. Our story begins in 1989 relayed via diary entries, with American college student, Ashley, excited to be spending her Christmas holidays at her friend Emma’s family’s English Country House. The present storyline takes place in Manhattan in 2019 where the full picture of what really happened that winter is revealed.
Unfortunately, I saw the second biggest twist coming only because I have read something similar. It was a brilliant twist though, and I would’ve completely fallen for it hook, line, and centre here if I hadn’t of been familiar with it. i’m still processing the biggest twist, and have two theories regarding what it means, although I prefer one over the other.
I listened to this on audiobook and Esther Wane was superb, and I especially loved the sound effects like the pages of the diary being turned as it was being read. The perfect holiday-themed read for those who prefer mysteries to romances.
4.5.
The Christmas Guest was prickling with uneasiness and foreboding. I loved the Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, tie-in. Our story begins in 1989 relayed via diary entries, with American college student, Ashley, excited to be spending her Christmas holidays at her friend Emma’s family’s English Country House. The present storyline takes place in Manhattan in 2019 where the full picture of what really happened that winter is revealed.
Unfortunately, I saw the second biggest twist coming only because I have read something similar. It was a brilliant twist though, and I would’ve completely fallen for it hook, line, and centre here if I hadn’t of been familiar with it. i’m still processing the biggest twist, and have two theories regarding what it means, although I prefer one over the other.
I listened to this on audiobook and Esther Wane was superb, and I especially loved the sound effects like the pages of the diary being turned as it was being read. The perfect holiday-themed read for those who prefer mysteries to romances.
Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I’m in the minority, but Reminders of Him was cringey af. I almost threw in the towel at the 80% mark because of the direction the plot took.
The premise was intriguing with twenty-six-year-old Kenna returning to her deceased boyfriend’s hometown (having served five years in prison for the part she played in his death) to reconnect with her young daughter. The daughter she gave birth to in prison, who had been raised since birth by her boyfriend’s parents, who of course blame her for the death of their son, Scotty
Except it wasn’t about Kenna trying to forge a relationship with her daughter. The majority of the novel was devoted to the romantic subplot, and for the most part their physical rather than emotional connection. Because their emotional connection was difficult to fathom.
I’ve said it before, but I’m over these females who need a man to save them, have nothing and no one else in their lives, no skills, are unable to take care of themselves, and without a man they fall apart Boo-hoo!. Kenna’s past relationship with Scotty was extremely unhealthy and co-dependent, with her being totally reliant on him for everything. And her current love interest, Ledger, treated her badly for most of the book, but that was okay with Kenna because he was good in bed.
And of course, even though Ledger was only twenty-six himself he was exceedingly rich and successful. He was also a toxic alpha male – at one point he physically restrained Kenna by picking her up and carrying her against her will into his house to prevent her from doing something he didn’t agree with. No, no, no!
Pettiness ahead! I don’t expect characters to be called Peter and Susie, but the names CoHo chose were eye-rolling. Kenna’s wasn’t too bad I suppose, but Ledger? So dumb. And Kenna’s daughter was Diem (as in carpe diem). Seriously?
As you can see, I wasn’t a fan. I think I’m too old for CoHo. Next!
The premise was intriguing with twenty-six-year-old Kenna returning to her deceased boyfriend’s hometown (having served five years in prison for the part she played in his death) to reconnect with her young daughter. The daughter she gave birth to in prison, who had been raised since birth by her boyfriend’s parents, who of course blame her for the death of their son, Scotty
Except it wasn’t about Kenna trying to forge a relationship with her daughter. The majority of the novel was devoted to the romantic subplot, and for the most part their physical rather than emotional connection. Because their emotional connection was difficult to fathom.
I’ve said it before, but I’m over these females who need a man to save them, have nothing and no one else in their lives, no skills, are unable to take care of themselves, and without a man they fall apart Boo-hoo!. Kenna’s past relationship with Scotty was extremely unhealthy and co-dependent, with her being totally reliant on him for everything. And her current love interest, Ledger, treated her badly for most of the book, but that was okay with Kenna because he was good in bed.
And of course, even though Ledger was only twenty-six himself he was exceedingly rich and successful. He was also a toxic alpha male – at one point he physically restrained Kenna by picking her up and carrying her against her will into his house to prevent her from doing something he didn’t agree with. No, no, no!
Pettiness ahead! I don’t expect characters to be called Peter and Susie, but the names CoHo chose were eye-rolling. Kenna’s wasn’t too bad I suppose, but Ledger? So dumb. And Kenna’s daughter was Diem (as in carpe diem). Seriously?
As you can see, I wasn’t a fan. I think I’m too old for CoHo. Next!
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0