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sams_fireside's reviews
248 reviews
The Library Girls of the East End by Patricia McBride, Patricia McBride
Cordelia has managed to snag a dream job for her and despite being one of the ‘posh-uns’, she actually wants to get her hands dirty and muck-in. She sets about putting her mark on Silver Town Library and increasing the amount of borrowers it gets. She has a task on her hands as she changes everything that has come before whilst keeping her staff happy and all with bombs dropping on their heads!
An easy read that’ll while away an afternoon or two as the days become much colder. So snuggle up in front of the fire with a cup of ‘Rosie-lee’ and join Cordelia, Mavis and Jane at Silver Town Library.
Thank you to Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to read and review The Library Girls of the East End by Patricia McBride.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? No
4.0
I always enjoy a good old-fashioned story, particularly if it’s set around the Second World War. The Library Girls of the East End was no exception. It’s full of (mostly) wonderful characters, from all walks of life, ranging from the very posh and well-off to the cockney people from the depths of the East End. You know the ones I mean, the people who have to work for a living, who don’t have any airs and graces and actually appreciate everything they’ve earned for themselves.
Cordelia has managed to snag a dream job for her and despite being one of the ‘posh-uns’, she actually wants to get her hands dirty and muck-in. She sets about putting her mark on Silver Town Library and increasing the amount of borrowers it gets. She has a task on her hands as she changes everything that has come before whilst keeping her staff happy and all with bombs dropping on their heads!
An easy read that’ll while away an afternoon or two as the days become much colder. So snuggle up in front of the fire with a cup of ‘Rosie-lee’ and join Cordelia, Mavis and Jane at Silver Town Library.
Thank you to Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to read and review The Library Girls of the East End by Patricia McBride.
Storm From Within by Madeline Vaughn
I love Emily. She’s a feisty main character who won’t stop until her family is safe and the bad people are on their way to retribution. Plus, who can’t love a character that names their car Katniss - if you’ve read Hunger Games you’ll understand the Katniss thing!
Storm From Within is a quick, exciting and rollercoaster of a read and I can’t wait to read the next one.
Thank you to Madeline Vaughn for having me on her ARC Street Team. It’s been so much fun and I’m looking forward to doing it all again soon.
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Another great read from Madeline Vaughn for the next book in the Emily Fallon series. Storm From Within continues the story of the dodgy US Navy guys who think they are above the law, not stopping to continue with their villainous ways and woe betide anyone who gets in their way. Unfortunately, Emily is already in their way....
I love Emily. She’s a feisty main character who won’t stop until her family is safe and the bad people are on their way to retribution. Plus, who can’t love a character that names their car Katniss - if you’ve read Hunger Games you’ll understand the Katniss thing!
Storm From Within is a quick, exciting and rollercoaster of a read and I can’t wait to read the next one.
Thank you to Madeline Vaughn for having me on her ARC Street Team. It’s been so much fun and I’m looking forward to doing it all again soon.
The Last Train Home by Elle Cook
Meeting on a train late one evening, their lives are thrown together in the worst way possible and from there, things get better, then worse, then better again with loads of life-changing events happening to both of them over the next seven years.
I loved all the characters - most of the time - in this book. Teddy made me laugh and Natasha is just the perfect best friend to have. A book about bad timing, and historical events that actually happened, but mostly it’s about love and romance and how everything will always work out in the end.
If you love well-written contemporary fiction, with some curve balls thrown in, then I’d recommend adding this book to your TBR.
Thank you to Penguin Random House UK and Century Books for the opportunity to read and review The Last Train Home by Elle Cook.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I really enjoyed The Last Train Home. It was an easygoing, cute read that made me feel all warm and cosy the more I read. Abbie and Tom are great main characters and Elle tells the story from both points of view, flipping from one to the other.
Meeting on a train late one evening, their lives are thrown together in the worst way possible and from there, things get better, then worse, then better again with loads of life-changing events happening to both of them over the next seven years.
I loved all the characters - most of the time - in this book. Teddy made me laugh and Natasha is just the perfect best friend to have. A book about bad timing, and historical events that actually happened, but mostly it’s about love and romance and how everything will always work out in the end.
If you love well-written contemporary fiction, with some curve balls thrown in, then I’d recommend adding this book to your TBR.
Thank you to Penguin Random House UK and Century Books for the opportunity to read and review The Last Train Home by Elle Cook.
Death Before Dishonor: An Emily Fallon Novel by Madeline Vaughn
Emily Fallon is very family-orientated, but she’s also a badass who will do almost anything to protect that family. She is very capable of looking after herself and I definitely wouldn’t want to cross her. Her enemies should be very afraid of her!
Right up until the end, I was questioning who the bad guys were. There were a lot of ‘Is it him’, and ‘actually no, it’s him’, moments and Vaughn kept the suspense going right the way through the book.
I am lucky enough to be on the Street Team for Madeline’s next book, Storm From Within, which is why I picked up this first one in the Emily Fallon series. I’ve already finished the next one and my review will be coming later this week.
If you enjoy a quick thriller with lots of twists and turns, then I’d recommend this new series.
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I really enjoyed this fast-paced military thriller and Emily, our protagonist, is a force to be reckoned with. Everything in this book surrounds the US Navy. Something has been going down and people have died, and now Emily and her friends and family need to find out what’s going on before worse happens.
Emily Fallon is very family-orientated, but she’s also a badass who will do almost anything to protect that family. She is very capable of looking after herself and I definitely wouldn’t want to cross her. Her enemies should be very afraid of her!
Right up until the end, I was questioning who the bad guys were. There were a lot of ‘Is it him’, and ‘actually no, it’s him’, moments and Vaughn kept the suspense going right the way through the book.
I am lucky enough to be on the Street Team for Madeline’s next book, Storm From Within, which is why I picked up this first one in the Emily Fallon series. I’ve already finished the next one and my review will be coming later this week.
If you enjoy a quick thriller with lots of twists and turns, then I’d recommend this new series.
All in Monte Carlo by Anna Shilling
So basically, Anna Shilling is a pen name for four women living in Monte Carlo. They tell their stories of betrayal, and setting up a book club to act as a cover whilst they put everything to rights! The characters are fictional, but the events, landmarks, hotels and casinos are true.
Much of the story seems completely over the top and melodramatic, but I think that’s how Monte Carlo works. It’s all wrapped up in its own little bubble, without any idea what is going on in the outside world, away from Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Michelin-starred restaurants!
The characters are diverse and live different lives. From businesswomen to models, to magazine editors, with one thing in common, they all live in Monte Carlo, where men seemingly have the upper hand, women go shopping and dogs are carried around in handbags!
This book is fun, busy, conniving and eye-opening and definitely worth a read. It has been left wide open for a sequel, and it seems there are many more tales to come out of Monte Carlo.
Thank you to Troubador Publishing and Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to read and review All in Monte Carlo by Anna Shilling.
funny
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I wasn’t sure about this book when I started reading it, but it just got better and better, although I’m not sure I’ve read anything like this before! After I finished it, I did a bit of Googling, and although I knew before I started that it was based on true events, I didn’t understand how the book worked.
So basically, Anna Shilling is a pen name for four women living in Monte Carlo. They tell their stories of betrayal, and setting up a book club to act as a cover whilst they put everything to rights! The characters are fictional, but the events, landmarks, hotels and casinos are true.
Much of the story seems completely over the top and melodramatic, but I think that’s how Monte Carlo works. It’s all wrapped up in its own little bubble, without any idea what is going on in the outside world, away from Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Michelin-starred restaurants!
The characters are diverse and live different lives. From businesswomen to models, to magazine editors, with one thing in common, they all live in Monte Carlo, where men seemingly have the upper hand, women go shopping and dogs are carried around in handbags!
This book is fun, busy, conniving and eye-opening and definitely worth a read. It has been left wide open for a sequel, and it seems there are many more tales to come out of Monte Carlo.
Thank you to Troubador Publishing and Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to read and review All in Monte Carlo by Anna Shilling.
The Last Line by Stephen Ronson
Considering the subject matter, The Last Line was pretty lighthearted and easy to read, John Cook, with all the best intentions, seems to tackle every situation like a bull at a gate, head down and hoping for the best! John, Margaret and Eric were brilliant characters. I loved them and everything they stood for. Take down the baddies at any cost!
Check the trigger warnings before you buy this book, but if you enjoy historical fiction, particularly WWII, then I’d thoroughly recommend it. I gather there is another book in the series on the way and I can’t wait to read that one next.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to read and review The Last Line by Stephen Ronson.
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I love reading historical fiction, particularly anything which revolves around World War II, and this was no exception. Set in a small town in Sussex, close to Brighton, John Cook fought in World War I and now, during the Second World War, he becomes part of an auxiliary unit in the countryside, ready to take on the Germans, should they manage to get across the English Channel.
Considering the subject matter, The Last Line was pretty lighthearted and easy to read, John Cook, with all the best intentions, seems to tackle every situation like a bull at a gate, head down and hoping for the best! John, Margaret and Eric were brilliant characters. I loved them and everything they stood for. Take down the baddies at any cost!
Check the trigger warnings before you buy this book, but if you enjoy historical fiction, particularly WWII, then I’d thoroughly recommend it. I gather there is another book in the series on the way and I can’t wait to read that one next.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to read and review The Last Line by Stephen Ronson.
We All Keep Secrets by Sheryl Browne, Sheryl Browne
We All Keep Secrets is written from multiple viewpoints, numerous times, often telling the same story three times over, from Ellie, the childminder and also from Jake and Megan, husband and wife. I didn’t guess what was happening at all. Just when I thought I’d got it all sussed, Browne threw another curveball, and I was back to square one.
I thoroughly recommend this book if you love a twisted psychological thriller. Check all the trigger warnings though, there are multiple and if you’re ok with them all, go out and grab yourself a copy.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review We All Keep Secrets by Sheryl Browne.
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I finished the last page of this book, placed my Kindle down and said, out loud, ‘Well that was ****** up’! I’ve never read anything quite like this, but I loved every single moment. I didn’t know what to expect when I turned a page, but I didn’t expect what happened to happen.
We All Keep Secrets is written from multiple viewpoints, numerous times, often telling the same story three times over, from Ellie, the childminder and also from Jake and Megan, husband and wife. I didn’t guess what was happening at all. Just when I thought I’d got it all sussed, Browne threw another curveball, and I was back to square one.
I thoroughly recommend this book if you love a twisted psychological thriller. Check all the trigger warnings though, there are multiple and if you’re ok with them all, go out and grab yourself a copy.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review We All Keep Secrets by Sheryl Browne.
Such a Loving Couple by Haley Smith
It’s not often books cause me to talk out loud, but this one did. A lot! Usually in relation to Freddie, who was a complete cockwomble (Google that word if you don’t know what it means, it’s my word of the moment)! It was scary how he could just essentially kidnap someone and take them into his life - and never want to let them go!
Becka was a great main character as she slowly begins to piece her life back together after an accident left her with little memory of her life before. She and Grace were probably the only decent characters though, almost everyone else was messed up with a rotten core and a twisted agenda.
I haven’t read a Hayley Smith book before, but I’m now on the lookout for more. If a decent domestic thriller is your cup of tea, then I’d start pouring now! It’s definitely worth a read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review Such A Loving Couple by Hayley Smith.
dark
tense
fast-paced
4.0
Well, this was the second ****** up book in a row that I’ve read, with such a brilliant plot that I couldn’t put it down. I was desperate to just read and read and read so I could discover how everything would pan out.
It’s not often books cause me to talk out loud, but this one did. A lot! Usually in relation to Freddie, who was a complete cockwomble (Google that word if you don’t know what it means, it’s my word of the moment)! It was scary how he could just essentially kidnap someone and take them into his life - and never want to let them go!
Becka was a great main character as she slowly begins to piece her life back together after an accident left her with little memory of her life before. She and Grace were probably the only decent characters though, almost everyone else was messed up with a rotten core and a twisted agenda.
I haven’t read a Hayley Smith book before, but I’m now on the lookout for more. If a decent domestic thriller is your cup of tea, then I’d start pouring now! It’s definitely worth a read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review Such A Loving Couple by Hayley Smith.
Snowed In by Catherine Walsh
I loved Megan and Christian, our two protagonists, who bantered their way into my heart very quickly. They were so good together, right from the beginning I knew they’d hit it off. Megan made a rapid exit from her wedding four years ago and has never been back to her home village since - until now.
Full of love, romance and family loyalties, Snowed In is a beautiful read and will leave you wanting to spend some time on Christian’s family’s farm with the newborn lambs in knitted hats!
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review Snowed In by Catherine Walsh.
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Snowed In is a cute, fun, wintery read, set in Ireland. I read most of the book, snuggled up in front of a wood burner, whilst Storm Ciaran was battering the UK. The snow, a cabin in the woods and festive Christmas cheer were much more fun than what was going on outside the window at home, so I imagined myself there instead.
I loved Megan and Christian, our two protagonists, who bantered their way into my heart very quickly. They were so good together, right from the beginning I knew they’d hit it off. Megan made a rapid exit from her wedding four years ago and has never been back to her home village since - until now.
Full of love, romance and family loyalties, Snowed In is a beautiful read and will leave you wanting to spend some time on Christian’s family’s farm with the newborn lambs in knitted hats!
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review Snowed In by Catherine Walsh.
A Holiday Romance in Ferry Lane Market by Nicola May
I love, love, love this series from Nicola May. Each book follows a different character, and with each story I read, I just fall more in love with everyone (well, almost everyone) who lives in Hartmouth. To be honest, I wasn’t sure about Sabrina at first, and it wasn’t until she decided to take on a Ferry Lane Market stall herself that I began to warm to her. But then she becomes another Nicola May character who fits in so well with all the others, and I was hooked. Of course, from that moment on, I wanted her to be happy, to find a man and a new life where she’s appreciated. Does all that happen? You’ll have to read it to find out.
This latest stunner from Nicola May can definitely be read as a standalone book, but I would recommend starting at the beginning and perhaps putting all of them on your wishlist!
Thank you to Nicola May for the opportunity to read and review A Holiday Romance in Ferry Lane Market.
funny
lighthearted
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? Yes
5.0
This weekend I headed off to Ferry Lane Market to mingle with my favourite bunch of market traders and the newcomer amongst them, Sabrina Swift. Or as she introduces herself, plain old Jilly Dickens. Sabrina, for good reason, is hiding from her real life in London and just wants to mingle with normal people and fit in with her new friends.
I love, love, love this series from Nicola May. Each book follows a different character, and with each story I read, I just fall more in love with everyone (well, almost everyone) who lives in Hartmouth. To be honest, I wasn’t sure about Sabrina at first, and it wasn’t until she decided to take on a Ferry Lane Market stall herself that I began to warm to her. But then she becomes another Nicola May character who fits in so well with all the others, and I was hooked. Of course, from that moment on, I wanted her to be happy, to find a man and a new life where she’s appreciated. Does all that happen? You’ll have to read it to find out.
This latest stunner from Nicola May can definitely be read as a standalone book, but I would recommend starting at the beginning and perhaps putting all of them on your wishlist!
Thank you to Nicola May for the opportunity to read and review A Holiday Romance in Ferry Lane Market.