'Happiness can be found in the darkest of places if one remembers to turn on the light'
Hi Guys 👋🏻
It’s time for another book review.
I want to start doing more of these this year and I think I might try and do a review, on a book I have read, at the end of each month.
So, here is January’s edition and it’s a great start.
Until Next Time,
Roseanne 🙂
I thought that for Day Two I would do a little book review. I an going to do a fee of these, as part of Blogmas, throught December as I am trying to read plenty of festive books.
Let’s take a look!
This lovely, cosy festive read takes us on the trip back to Beth’s hometown of Glendale, and more specifically Glendale Hall, the family home.
She fled at the age of 16 due to her pregnancy being rejected by her family.
She is now back or Christmas, 10 years after she fled, to see her ill grandmother.
What I particularly enjoyed about this book is how endearing the characters are, their characterisation is really nicely developed and you instantly like them, feel for them and are rooting for them. They are very real characters with a fluffy romantic edge.
And because you have this ease with the characters, you find yourself quickly immersed into the book and turning the pages feverishly, digesting more and more of the Glendale cosyness.
The story is very enjoyable and is written with a lovely festive feel that makes you ready for the christmas season, itching to put up your own decorations, see lights around the town and make a hot chocolate or six.
I couldn’t put it down.
So, apparently this is the part of the review that I’m supposed to write something I didnt like as much about the book… (Boo!)
… I knew what was probably going to happen in the end…???
My question is…Does it matter if you predict or don’t predict the ending when the journey to it is so enjoyable though?!
I’m really clutching at straws here because I bloody loved the book and am now on book 3!
So, if you want to get into the Christmas spirit, feel cosy, festive and ready to enjoy all things Christmassy then grab a hot chocolate and cosy down with this absolutely gorgeous seasonal delight.
Any festive book recommendations are welcome!
23 days until Christmas 🦌
Until next time,
Roseanne 🙂
𝕆𝕟𝕖 𝕝𝕖𝕗𝕥 𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕧𝕖 & the Crime/Detective Books Series.
By Helen Phifer
I stumbled across Helen Phifers books whilst browsing on the Kindle app, on my phone.
Now, I totally get the merits of a Kindle but I am defaintly team ‘Physical Book’. However, when I discovered her books I couldn’t resist and they were only available as a Kindle download.
I was hooked immediatly and here I am, three separate, stand alone detective series later and I am still throroughly enjoying her books.
Heres a general review of her books as a whole. The most recent that I have read being ‘One Left Alive’
‘One Left Alive’ is part of her newest series ‘Detective Morgan Brookes Series’.
Her books are Crime and Thriller Novels and its no suprise that they are bestselling.
They are gripping from the get go. The horrific murder/s that gets the ball rolling, in the beginning of the book, will both horrify and intrigue you in equal measure. You will have to find out what has happened and you won’t put the book down until you do.
If, like me, you are a horror fan then Helen’s books will be right up your street. There are always moments of pure, on the edge, ‘oh my god, I don’t want to read on but I must’ moments that will keep you hungrily reading until the end.
(They are not for the squeamish readers amoung us!)
The characters are so relatable and are ‘normal’ people, and even with the strong police element, they and the storylines, aren’t overly complicated. Its quite fascinating to look into the police process. I love police dramas on TV, such as Line of Duty, and its almost like reading a episode.
And as I said, the investigation is easy to follow, but it always keeps you on your toes and is never predictable.
With regard to the characters, I like how you are following ‘the story’ but also their story too. You are always rooting for them to succeed both professionally and personally.
As soon as I read and finish one I always want more, so thank goodness there are a few in each series. The second book of this series is in preorder already.
I was genuinely gutted when I got to the last book in her ‘Annie Graham’ series. Gutted.
ᴍʏ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴀʟʟ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
I hope you liked this review! I am going to try and do a review for each different genre that I read.
I recently reviewed the childrens fantasy series ‘The Land of Stories’ by Chris Colfer, (any Disney lovers young and old will love this series) So, check that review out here.
As always any book recommendations are ALWAYS welcome.
🄷🄰🄿🄿🅈 🅁🄴🄰🄳🄸🄽🄶
Until Next Time,
Roseanne 🙂
🌟 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕃𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕠𝕗 𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕤 🌟
By Chris Colfer
ᴛʜɪꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋꜱ ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ ɪꜱ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄᴀʟ, ᴘᴇʀꜰᴇᴄᴛ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ (& ʙɪɢ) ᴀᴅᴠᴇɴᴛᴜʀᴇʀꜱ ᴀᴍᴏɴɢ ᴜꜱ.
ᴛʜᴏꜱᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴇꜱᴄᴀᴘᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴀ ʟᴀɴᴅ ᴏꜰ ᴡᴏɴᴅᴇʀ, ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ, ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ, ᴇxᴄɪᴛᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴅᴠᴇɴᴛᴜʀᴇ.
ᴡɪᴛʜ ʟᴏᴀᴅꜱ ᴏꜰ ʀᴇꜰᴇʀᴇɴᴄᴇꜱ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ʟᴏᴠᴇᴅ ꜰᴀɪʀʏᴛᴀʟᴇꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀꜱ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ’ᴛ ʜᴇʟᴘ ʙᴜᴛ ɢᴇᴛ ʟᴏꜱᴛ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ Qᴜᴇꜱᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜɪɴ.
ɪᴛ ɪꜱ ᴡʀɪᴛᴛᴇɴ ꜱᴏ ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ꜰɪɴᴅ ɪᴛ ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴅɪꜰꜰɪᴄᴜʟᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴘᴜᴛ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ꜰʟᴏᴡ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀꜱ ᴀᴛ ᴀɴ ᴀʟᴀʀᴍɪɴɢ ᴘᴀᴄᴇ.
ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀꜱ ᴀʀᴇ ʙᴏᴛʜ ɪᴅᴇɴᴛɪꜰɪᴀʙʟᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴏᴠᴇᴀʙʟᴇ (ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀꜱ, ꜰʀᴏɢɢʏ.. ᴀᴍ ɪ ʀɪɢʜᴛ!?!) ᴡᴇ ᴀʟʟ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴀᴄᴄᴇᴘᴛᴇᴅ ꜰᴏʀ ᴡʜᴏ ᴡᴇ ᴀʀᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇʟᴏɴɢ. ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪꜱ ᴀʟꜱᴏ ᴀ ꜱᴛʀᴏɴɢ ꜱᴇɴꜱᴇ ᴏꜰ ꜰᴀᴍɪʟʏ, ʟᴏʏᴀʟᴛʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ɢᴇɴᴇʀᴀʟʟʏ ꜱᴛᴀɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴜᴘ ꜰᴏʀ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ɪꜱ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ɪꜱ ᴀ ᴘʀᴇᴛᴛʏ ᴋɪᴄᴋᴀꜱꜱ ꜰᴇᴇʟ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀ ᴋɪᴅꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ.
ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪꜱ ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ᴡɪᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴜᴍᴏᴜʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴀᴅᴅꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴀʟʟ ʙʀɪʟʟɪᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴇxᴘᴇʀɪᴇɴᴄᴇ.
ᴀꜱ ᴀɴ ᴀᴅᴜʟᴛ ɪᴛꜱ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇ ᴀᴡᴀᴋᴇɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄʜɪʟᴅ ɪɴ ᴜꜱ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ꜰɪɴᴅꜱ ᴄᴏᴍꜰᴏʀᴛ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇꜱᴇ ᴄʟᴀꜱꜱɪᴄ ᴛᴀʟᴇꜱ. ᴡʜᴀᴛ’ꜱ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ʙᴇᴛᴛᴇʀ ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄʜʀɪꜱ ʜᴀꜱ ᴄᴇʟᴇʙʀᴀᴛᴇᴅ ʙʀɪʟʟɪᴀɴᴛʟʏ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇꜱᴇ ᴛᴀʟᴇꜱ, ꜱᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴍᴀʏ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴡᴇʟʟ ʙᴜᴛ ʜᴇ ᴀᴅᴅꜱ ꜱᴏ ᴍᴀɴʏ ʟᴀʏᴇʀꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ʏᴏᴜ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ,ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ.
ɪ ᴍʏꜱᴇʟꜰ ᴀᴍ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇꜱᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋꜱ, ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ ᴀ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴄᴏᴍꜰᴏʀᴛ ʀᴇᴀᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴇxᴄɪᴛɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ʙᴏᴏᴛ, ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ɪꜱ ɪᴅᴇᴀʟ ɪɴ ꜱᴜᴄʜ ᴀ ꜱᴛʀᴀɴɢᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴜɴᴘʀᴇᴅɪᴄᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ.
ɪ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴀʀʀʏ ᴘᴏᴛᴛᴇʀ ʟᴏᴠᴇʀ ɪɴ ᴍᴇ ʜᴇʟᴘꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇꜱᴇ ꜱᴜᴄʜ ᴀ ꜰᴜɴ ʀᴇᴀᴅ.
ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ꜱɪx ʙᴏᴏᴋꜱ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ ꜱᴛᴀʀᴛɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ‘ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀɴᴅ ᴏꜰ ꜱᴛᴏʀɪᴇꜱ: ᴛʜᴇ ᴡɪꜱʜɪɴɢ ꜱᴘᴇʟʟ’.
ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ, ᴄʜʀɪꜱ ᴄᴏʟꜰᴇʀ ʜᴀꜱ ᴡᴏɴ ᴍᴀɴʏ ᴀᴡᴀʀᴅꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ʜɪꜱ ᴡᴏʀᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ɪꜱ ᴀ ʙᴇꜱᴛꜱᴇʟʟɪɴɢ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴜᴄᴄᴇꜱꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴡᴏɴᴅᴇʀꜰᴜʟ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ.
ꜱᴏ, ᴡʜᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜʀ 8 ᴏʀ 88 ᴡʜʏ ɴᴏᴛ ʟᴇᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀꜱᴇʟꜰ ᴇꜱᴄᴀᴘᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍᴇʀꜱᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀꜱᴇʟꜰ ɪɴ ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ.
ᴍʏ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴀʟʟ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
100% ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʀᴇᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴅ
I cannot wait to read these stories to my nephews/niece & any future children I may have because they are just brilliant.
Have you read them? What do you think?
Until next time,
Roseanne 🙂
Roseanne Byford 