lollybee's reviews
164 reviews

When Shadows Fall by Alex Gray

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adventurous dark 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

3.0

DI William Lorimer has his work cut out trying to find a killer. A killer who is shooting Lorimer's retired former colleagues. 
Another enjoyable story from Alex Gray.

Swindled by S.E. Shepherd

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adventurous dark emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

It took a little while for me to get into this because the story swapped between the three main characters so much. Once I did though I enjoyed the way the author tied up all of the inter-connected events throughout the book 
Three Weddings and a Proposal by Sheila O'Flanagan

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hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Delphine is a strong, successful career woman until a tragedy occurs, leading her to question everything about herself.
A really enjoyable read with some strong female characters.
A Body at a Boarding School by Benedict Brown

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adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

An enjoyable whodunnit. 
Daughters of Castle Deverill by Santa Montefiore

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adventurous emotional hopeful slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This was a very slow burner, possibly because of the many characters and connections that were made in readiness for the third book in the series.
The Keeper of Happy Endings by Barbara Davis

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emotional hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This story has two timelines, 1940's France and present-day Boston.
Soline works with her mother making wedding dresses famed for their happy endings, when WWII changes her life forever.
Rory's dream is to own an art gallery promoting little-known artists, when she is drawn to an empty fire-damaged shop that belongs to Soline and decides to lease it from her 
While clearing out the building, Rory finds a box containing a wedding dress and a collection of letters and decides to return them to Soline and they begin to develop a friendship.
Perfectly Ordinary People by Nick Alexander

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challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Despite the great reviews for Perfectly Ordinary People, I was left feeling slightly underwhelmed. Two stories run alongside each other: Ruth in the present day and a series of cassette tapes which are Ruth's grandmother recounting life during WWII. One of the issues for me was that the chapters were so long it interrupted the flow of the story making it feel disjointed.  
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Circe by Madeline Miller

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adventurous challenging tense medium-paced

4.0

The Trouble with Goats and Sheep by Joanna Cannon

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

During the summer of 1976, Mrs Creasy goes missing from The Avenue. Ten-year-old friends Grace and Tilly decide to try and find out what has happened to her.
As they visit the houses in The Avenue, secrets from the past start to emerge and the carefull lives that the residents have built for themselves begin to crumble.
A thoroughly enjoyable read.
The Kensington Kidnap by Katie Gayle

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adventurous dark funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

A fun cozy crime novel