traceyroberts's reviews
635 reviews

"You Are Fatally Invited" is a debut novel by Ande Pliego.  I was really intrigued to read this after reading the synopsis.  A locked room thriller set on a remote island where a group of authors are invited to attend an exclusive writers retreat.    I felt Agatha Christie vibes and was hoping for something along the lines of "And Then There Were None" 

I thought this book had a lot of potential, having some really good twists that I didn't guess.  However there was something about the writing style that didn't quite work for me.  There are a lot of characters to keep track of and they all felt a little flat and one dimensional.  When the POVs changed I found it hard to differentiate between the characters and it became a bit of a struggle.  I also found the pacing a little uneven, dragging in places, leading me to lose focus. 

Overall though i think this book had some good twists and did keep me reading until the end.  

Thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy to read and review. 

 

Thank you to Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House and Netgalley for reaching out to me and providing access to this fantastic retelling from Irish Mythology.   

Kim Curran is a new author to me and I loved her bold writing style and exploration into The Morrigan, a complex, multi-faceted goddess from Irish Mythology.  I am a little familiar with Irish Mythology and it was refreshing to see an author bringing the stories to life on the page.  

This book opens with the Tuatha De Danaan's journey back to Ireland and their battle with the Fir Bolg to reclaim the land.  They are in turn defeated by the Milesians and driven underground.  The Morrigan however refuses to be repressed beneath the earth with the rest of her race and goes out into the world on her own.  The next part of the book features stories from the Ulster Cycle with The Morrigan meeting Queen Mebd and the great warrior, Cúchulainn. 

I found this to be a beautifully written, fierce and feminist retelling that pulls no punches.   The battle scenes are gruesome, gory and epic, definitely not for the squeamish.  The witty dialogue adds a little humor and lightens an otherwise dark and brutal tale.  

I would recommend this to fans of mythology fiction and I found it a little reminiscent of Circe by Madeline Miller.  I will certainly be looking out for future books by this author. 

Beautiful Ugly is the new slow burn thriller by Alice Feeney.   I'm a big fan of this author, her plot twists always get me and this one is no exception.   I was gripped by the story to begin with. It starts with Grady calling his wife while she is driving.  Grady has some great news about his new book to share with her.  But when she suddenly slams in her brakes as there is a woman lying in the road, Grady warns her against getting out of the car.  She ignores his warning and the last thing he hears are her footsteps as she gets out of the car and then she disappears, presumed dead.  The set up is perfect for a cat and mouse, domestic thriller.  But then this is Alice Feeney so expect the unexpected. 

I loved the island setting where Grady goes to try and concentrate on his writing with his dog, Columbo (who in my opinion is the best character).  Feeney's descriptions of Amberley are eerie and atmospheric.  The fact that it's so cut off from the mainland and has a dark history gives it a whole ominous feel.  It's the perfect setting for things to get really dark. 

Unfortunately I found the pace dragged in the second half of the book.  Grady is quite an unlikeable character and a little dull.  His actions and thoughts became repetitive and a little annoying.  I also found the twist to be a let down as for me it was just ludicrous and therefore unbelievable.  It's a shame that this book didn't quite deliver for me but I will certainly be reading the next Alice Feeney thriller. 

Thank you to Pan Macmillan for granting my request for an ARC.  

I loved Elizabeth is Missing so I was keen to read Emma Healey's new novel, Sweat. However very early on I discovered that this was going to be a completely different read, but no less complex.  The storyline is heavy, featuring abusive and toxic relationships.  So you should definitely check the trigger warnings before venturing into this one.  

I found this to be a challenging and claustrophobic read which explores the long term effects of toxic relationships and coercive control.   Despite being an uncomfortable read I found the slow burn pace to be suspenseful so I was compelled to keep reading on. 

I don't think this is a book for everyone but if you are looking for something complex and thought provoking then give this a go.

Thank you to Random House UK, Cornerstone and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy to read and review. 

On the day of her wedding to James, instead of walking down the aisle, Liv steps through a door into her past, seven years into her past. She finds herself in the old flat she shared with Kit and it's six days before he disappears, presumed dead.  Can she live those last days again and find the answers she's searched for? Could she even change the past and save Kit? And if she can save him will she still marry James, who just happens to be Kit's brother?

This is a book that really captured my attention with its poignant and unique storyline.  It dives deep into the complexities of grief, loss and learning to love again.  The time slip element added layers of mystery and intrigue that had me gripped and kept me turning the pages. 

Emma Cooper has delivered a heartfelt and thought provoking read that made me cry, laugh and all the feels inbetween. 

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for providing me with a digital advance copy to review. 

Kitty is back!! I was so excited to see a sequel to the brilliant "How To Kill Men And Get Away With It" Thank you to HQ for inviting me to read this book and providing a digital copy. 

We rejoin Kitty's story a year on from the previous book.   She's in a relationship and trying to go sober ... from murdering men.  She's even joined a therapy group to try and control her rage.  So she is trying soooooo hard but some men just deserve it.  Especially men like Blaze Bundy, an influencer spouting misogyny and encouraging violence against women.  So what's a girl to do? 

I adore Kitty Collins.  She's a sassy and fierce, vegan serial killer that you just have to root for.  Think a female Dexter in killer heels.  Her inner dialogue is razor sharp and darkly humourous.   While this is fun read there are some gruesome parts too so not for the faint hearted.  I enjoyed the humour and also the fast paced thriller aspects that kept me guessing. 

I love Katy Brent's writing style and have my fingers crossed for a third Kitty Collins book. 

Sports romance is not a genre that usually appeals to me but there was something about this one that drew me to read it.  I'm so glad I did as this is a really great book.

We follow the story of Katerina Shaw and her ambitions to be a gold medal winning Olympic skater.  Nothing is going to stand in her way and she brings childhood sweetheart Heath Rocha along for the ride.  This is a captivating read about ambition, obsession, friendship, rivalry and the lengths people will go to in order to win. 

It did take me a little while to sink into this book but when I found myself thinking about the characters when not reading, then I knew I was hooked.  I loved the writing style, especially the use of the documentary style way of moving the plot along.  I loved the drama, the tension, the heartbreak and the scandal.  I think Kat is a fantastic character.  She's fierce and determined and I enjoyed following her character development throughout this book. 

Thank you to Random House UK, Vintage and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review.  

Sue Watson has a knack of pulling the reader into the story with the very first pages.  She has done it again with her new book Wife, Mother, Liar.  I found it so addictive I had to keep reading until I'd devoured it.

This complex family drama is told from the POVs of best friends Jill and Wendy.  These two women became friends when Jill and her husband moved in next door.   The two women seemed inseparable, and did everything together, they even had babies around the same time.  But when their children go to the prom together and only one returns, we see the cracks appear in their friendship and learn the lengths a mother will go to in order to protect their child. 

I loved the alternating POVs in the telling of this story.  Both Jill and Wendy are flawed characters and both women are fiercely protective of their children.   The whole story was full of suspense as little nuggets of clues are drip fed through the narrative.  I definitely found myself on the edge of my seat as each twist and turn was revealed.

Thank you Bookouture and Netgalley for providing me with a copy to read and review.