Category: books

Blogmas 2025 ⛄️ Day 21: Christmas Book Review pt 2: Murder Mystery 📚

Hi guys 👋🏻

Here is my second book review for blogmas. I have been trying my best to read as many Christmas books as I can throughout the season, and I thought I would review a couple for you.

Let’s take a look!

📚 Book Information

Title: The Christmas Clue

Author: Nicola Upson

Genre: Mystery/Detective

Pages: 192 pages 

Publication Date: 9 September 2025

Series: Stand alone book

🕯️ Why I Picked It Up

I walked past the display in my local waterstones and I just thought it looked so festive. It also sounded like a cool and unique festive read, a far cry from the usual romances.

🎁 Summary (Spoiler-Free)

Christmas Eve, 1943. Anthony and Elva Pratt arrive in a snowy English village to run a murder mystery game – and instead discover a real murder.

The Pratts had planned for festive cheer, despite the wartime shortages: with Elva’s map of the hotel and Anthony’s prop weapons to use as clues, the guests in their parlour game would move through the rooms to figure out whodunnit.

But when Anthony discovers the cook’s sister Miss Silver beaten to death, they instead find themselves investigating a shockingly real crime. The hotel manager Mr Browning is trying to keep the peace but the guests are agitated, Colonel Colman is about to take over the hotel for the war effort – and the mysterious Mrs Threadgold hasn’t been seen at all.

In games, there’s only one victim – but this is real life. Can the Pratts puzzle out this Christmas mystery before it’s too late?

❄️ What Could Have Been Better

I actually don’t know to be honest. I loved the Cluedo inspiration, the appearance of the real creators of Cluedo, the mystery element, the quaint setting, the Agatha Christie vibes. It did exactly what it said on the tin.

🎅 Christmas Spirit Rating


🎄🎄🎄.5 / 5 Christmas Trees

🧣 Who Would Enjoy This Book?

Fans of Cluedo, Fans of Agatha Christie and a well written murder mystery.

🎁 Final Thoughts

This was a great festive whodunit perfect for those who enjoy the board game Cluedo and love a good old traditional murder mystery. I love the different elements of Cluedo included in this story, featuring thr original makers of Cluedo. That was my favourite childhood board game and I loved this murder mystery written in amongst it.

4 days until Christmas!

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas 2025 ⛄️ Day 17: My Festive Reads 📚

Hi guys! 👋🏻

8 days to go!! Whattttt

Let’s take a look at my festive reads (If I get through them all haha)

I exclusively read Christmas books in November and December.

  • The Christmas Holiday by Phillipa Ashley
  • The Christmas Clue by Nicola Upson
  • The Christmas Book Hunt by Jenny Colgan (Audible)
  • The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore (Spotify)
  • Another Bloody Christmas by Jo Middleton
  • All Together For Christmas by Sarah Morgan
  • All We Want For Christmas by Phillipa Ashley
  • Christmas For Beginners by Carole Matthews
  • The Christmas Love Letter by Sue Moorcroft
  • Christmas At The Little Waffle Shack by Helen Rolfe
  • Mince Pies And Mistletoe at the Christmas Market by Heidi Swain (Reread)
  • A Scrooge Mystery by Andreina Cordani

Our final Book Club pick for 2025 and our Christmas read is ‘Another Bloody Christmas’ by Jo Middleton.

We read the first book last year for Book Club so it will be cool to read this sequel.

Have you read any of these festive reads?

What’s your favourite festive fiction?

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas 2025 ⛄️ Day 12: Christmas Book Review pt 1: Romance 📚

Hi guys 👋🏻

Here is my first book review for blogmas. I have been trying my best to read as many Christmas books as I can throughout the season, and I thought I would review a couple for you.

Let’s take a look!

📚 Book Information

Title: The Christmas Holiday

Author: Phillipa Ashley

Genre: Romance

Pages: 384

Publication Date: Nov 10th 2022

Series: Stand alone book


🕯️ Why I Picked It Up
I chose it because I loved the front cover, although its not conventional Christmas colours I do like pink and I like the cute Christmassy scene on the front.



🎁 Summary (Spoiler-Free)

Krystle didn’t have a normal childhood and longed for warm family Christmases with presents under the tree. Now she makes sure everyone else has the perfect Christmas she never had, bringing beautiful decorations to cheer as many people as possible.

With her festive business booming, she decides to celebrate by renting a secluded house in the Lakes, with a plan to make this the ultimate yuletide getaway.

But fate immediately throws a spanner in the works in the form of a broken-down car, a flooded river and Max; a man who despises Christmas.

Krystle becomes determined to show Max the joys of the holiday. She won’t take no for an answer.

Can she melt Max’s Grinch-like heart? And can he show her that life doesn’t need to go to plan to take you somewhere magical…


🌟 What I Loved

  • The festive atmosphere
  • The cute ‘Christmas Card’ cosy setting.
  • The characters were a nice mix without there being too many and it getting confusing.
  • Lots if interesting elements that added to the main story.



❄️ What Could Have Been Better

  • It did take me longer to read than other seasonal romances, it might have been the writing style, but I think it might be a me issue more than the book tbh 😂
  • Probably slightly predictable but most seasonal romances books are so 🤷🏼‍♀️



🎅 Christmas Spirit Rating


🎄🎄🎄.5 / 5 Christmas Trees


🧣 Who Would Enjoy This Book?

If you are a fan of a classic holiday romance, by authors such as Sarah Morgan, Heidi Swain, then you’ll love this.

Romance fans will enjoy this, its sweet and wholesome. It is a bit of a slow burn romance.

Fair warning, it is a little sad a couple of times due to a death mentioned.


🎁 Final Thoughts

Overall I really enjoyed reading it, the setting was super cosy, you could imagine being there for a magical, cosy ‘Picture postcard’ Christmas. The characters were very likeable and the story kept you interested.

13 days to go!

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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October Reads 📚

Hi guys 👋🏻

Let’s take a look at this months books.

Month Ten!

Total reads:

4

Favourite read:

‘All Wrapped Up’ by Heidi Swain

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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September Reads 📚

Hi guys 👋🏻

Let’s take a look at this months books.

Month Nine!

Total reads:

5

Favourite read:

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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The Ipswich Book Festival 📚

Hi guys 👋🏻

Last weekend I attended the inaugural Ipswich Book Festival, Chapter One…here’s how it went…

1st Stop – 12pm Talk Author ‘Tim Sullivan’

‘ The Bookseller’

This was a brilliant and funny talk from Tim Sullivan, the author of the George Cross Mystery novels. It was so interesting to hear about the writing process, where he gets his ideas from and to hear his passion for the brilliant character of George Cross. George is great, and I’m glad I managed to pick up the latest in the series (signed 😃) as well as a few that I haven’t read yet.

The Cross novels are so enjoyable to read, and the subject of Neurodivergance is well researched and beautifully represented in these exciting and gripping novels.

Tim was very funny and witty, and the team interviewing were great, so it made for a really enjoyable talk.

2nd Stop – Lunch & a spot of reading 📚

My current Book Club read 📚

Stop 3 – Time for a bit of book browsing/shopping

I had to pop into one of my favourite shops in Ipswich, and our only independent book shop,’Dial Lane Books’, on Dial Lane.

I also popped into Waterstones to use a book voucher that I conveniently found that morning. I love their buy one get one half price deal!

Stop 4 – 4pm Talk Author Wendy Holden

‘The Teacher of Auschwitz’

This talk was beautifully moving, and it was so inspiring to hear their brave stories.

In the current world, it was wonderful to hear some courageous and self less stories about humans helping each other and putting others before themselves, even in the most unthinkable situations and conditions. These are stories that now more than ever need to be heard.

Stop 5 – 4.45pm Talk John Wark and Mark Prentice

‘He’s here, he’s there’

As a lifelong Ipswich town fan, I thoroughly enjoyed John Warks talk to round off a brilliant day.

Every Ipswich town fan knows who the legend John Wark is, but I have to admit I had no idea just how much of a mark he has made on the world of football, the stats and accolades are insane, awards and lists with some of the world’s most famous footballers – formidable in Europe and the highest leagues of football in his day, he really helped put little old Ipswich Town on the map.

It was a great way to end a fantastic day, and I for one cannot wait until next years festival.

Next year, the event is proposed for the first weekend of October 2026!

https://www.ipswichbookfestival.com/

Sign up to their newsletter to keep up to date with their plans.

I wish I could do it all again this weekend 📚

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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August Reads 📚

Hi guys 👋🏻

Let’s take a look at this months books.

Month Eight!

Total Reads:

9

Favourite read:

The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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July Reads 📚

Hi guys 👋🏻

Let’s take a look at this months books.

Month Seven!

‘Book Boyfriend’ by Lucy Vine
‘The night she disappeared’ by Lisa Jewell
‘The Paris Apartment’ by Lucy Foley
‘Hotel Avocado’ by Bob Mortimer

Total Reads:

4

Favourite read:

Hotel Avocado by Bob Mortimer

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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June Reads 📚

Hi guys 👋🏻

Let’s take a look at this months books.

Month Six, we are halfway through the year!!!

‘The Split’ by Sharon Bolton
‘Funny Story’ by Emily Henry
‘Traitors Gate’ by Jeffrey Archer
‘Project Hail Mary’ by Andy Weir

(Audible) – would 100% recommend, the narrator was brilliant. It made the experience 100 times better.

Total Reads:

4

Favourite book:

Project Hail Mary & Traitors gate

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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May Reads 📚

Hi guys 👋🏻

Let’s take a look at this months books.

Month Five – let’s go!

‘The Best Summer Ever’ by Heidi Swain
‘The Boy Who Lived’ by David Holmes (Audible)
‘The Tenant’ by Freida McFadden
‘Never Lie’ by Freida McFadden
‘The Unwanted Guest’ by Shari Lapena
‘Dallergut Dream Department Store’ by Miye Lee
‘Return To The Dallergut Dream Department Store’ by Miye Lee (Audible)

Total reads:

7

Favourite book:

The Best Summer Ever by Heidi Swain

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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