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Fatal Infatuation (Almost Human – The First Trilogy Book 1) by Melanie Nowak 

Fatal Infatuation (Almost Human – The First Trilogy Book 1) 

by Melanie Nowak 

Fatal Infatuation is an extremely enjoyable read. It reminds me of The Vampire Diaries television series, which I love!

Felicity is a likeable character who is finding her feet at college. (I love that she gets a part time job at the bookstore.) Ben is a lovely character, and he takes a shine to Felicity, but unfortunately for him he doesn’t quite have the same charisma as Cain. Cain is an elder vampire on a mission to protect the town’s residents, hoping to teach new vampires how to live in peace with humans or face the consequences. Hostile vampires are led by Sindy though, and Sindy finds it more fun using humans as treats and trying to see how far she can push Cain. Felicity soon becomes enticing prey.

Felicity doesn’t realise Cain is a vampire the first few times they meet. When she discovers the truth she finds she’s less intimidated than she perhaps should be. Cain is captivated by her and Ben is keen to protect her from him.

An excellent start to a series. I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope to continue with the rest of the series soon.

** Many thanks to Melanie Nowak for my epub review copy **

Shy Felicity never expected to attract the attention of a handsome young man… or a vampire, but if she can keep them both from killing each other she’ll need all the help she can get to navigate discoveries of desire; perils of zombies and vampires; and struggles with friendship, morality and…college.

Cain is an elder vampire who displays quiet confidence even as he struggles to overcome sins of his past. Surprisingly, he found that in losing his life he gained his faith and a purpose. His mission: find the hostile vampires that inhabit this small college town, and educate them to live in peace with humans. Their leader, Sindy, is a wicked temptress who has set her sights on Felicity’s new friend Ben. She will be difficult to control, but after meeting Felicity, Cain’s most difficult task lies in controlling himself.

Happy reading!

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#FlashbackFriday November 2024

Hi, and welcome to my Flashback Friday feature!

On the first Friday of each month, I like to look back at the books I was reading the previous year during the same month.

Please do join in if you have the time, I’d love to see your posts 🙂

A big thank you to those who already join in regularly! xx

Here are my reviews from November 2023 + a link to previous November FBFs….

Do No Harm by Jack Jordan @JackJordanBooks

The Pieces of Us by Caroline Montague @CMontagueAuthor
#FlashbackFriday November 2023

happy reading!

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HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY, @MalHavardWriter The Queen of Lisbon (The Lisbon Novels Book 2) by Malcolm Havard #PublicationDay #BookPromotion @BoBookPublicity

HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY, MALCOLM HAVARD!

The Queen of Lisbon: In a city full of spies and wolfram smugglers, a ruthless killer lurks in the shadowy alleyways. (The Lisbon Novels Book 2)

by Malcolm Havard

October 1941. Lisbon is crowded. Crowded with refugees trying to get to the safety of the Americas; packed with black-market smugglers; and full of agents, spies and informers, striving for influence and advantage playing a deadly game with the lives of the sailors who pass through the city. This means the case files of Dinis Lopes, a former cop, are also full as he is now the main troubleshooter for the Portuguese dictator Salazar.

Lopes, a fundamentally good man, has problems; trapped in a loveless marriage, mourning a love affair gone sour with a Jewish refugee, Elena, and worried for the safety of his assistant and friend, Costa, he little realises he’s about to be dragged into a deadly plot that puts him and everyone he knows and loves at risk.

But then Elena sets aside her differences with Lopes. She does this to get his help in catching a killer who is stalking her fellow refugees.

OUT NOW!

Praise for Book 1, Lisbon ’41….


5.0 out of 5 stars Easy read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 October 2024

Verified Purchase

My first outing with this author, easy read, good characters, I enjoyed this book overall, looking forward to the next instalment.


5.0 out of 5 stars a great read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 October 2024

Verified Purchase

Enjoyed every minute of this thriller. Great plot and characters. Kept me guessing right to the end. A real page turner.


5.0 out of 5 stars Tense thriller, plot moves fast and historical background intriguing

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 August 2024

Verified Purchase

Really enjoyed this book. Actually, read it in a day on holiday!

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Fake Fling With The Billionaire (Mills & Boon True Love) by Rachael Stewart @rach_b52

Fake Fling With The Billionaire (Mills & Boon True Love)

by Rachael Stewart 

Fake Fling with the Billionaire is another gorgeous read by the very lovely Rachael Stewart. I don’t think I’ve disliked any of her main characters yet.

Cassie is extremely likable, and Hugo is just divine. We meet them both in Paris, the perfect place for romance!

Of course, not all is plain sailing. They both have a past they are battling to move on from and they are both in the public eye. They decide pretending to be in love might give the paparazzi something new to report. Take the heat off Cassie for a while….

It’s only temporary, and not real of course! Or B….

I absolutely loved this story!

I loved the setting and the characters (I really liked Hugo’s mother, and his father grew on me eventually). I loved being swept along as Hugo shows Cassie Paris at its finest. He’s exceptionally romantic and thoughtful. No wonder Cassie falls for him!

This book made me smile, a lot!

The epilogue brought a tear to my eye.

Beautiful!

** Many thanks to Rachael Stewart for my review copy **

Treat yourself

Happy reading!

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Of Sands and Tides: The Chronicles of Captain Georgianna Forsythe by Jan Edwards @Jancoledwards

Of Sands and Tides: The Chronicles of Captain Georgianna Forsythe

by Jan Edwards

Of Sands and Tides is completely different to what I would generally read, but I’m always happy to try something new and I have enjoyed losing myself in Georgianna’s story.

Georgianna is an interesting character leading an interesting but risky life as a special agent for the Ministry of the Arcane. She certainly isn’t one to shy away from danger! This she proves repeatedly in the eight adventures featured in this book. Each is as compelling, chilling, and suspenseful as the next. I found myself easily captivated and immersed in each case. Perfect escapism!

If you’re looking for something to help you to forget about reality for a while, then this is perfect for you.

** Many thanks to Jan Edwards for my epub review copy **

When the old god Nyarlathotep lures Captain ‘Georgi’ Forsythe – special agent for the Ministry of the Arcane — to the Valley of the Kings, the battle for her place in this world begins. Eight thrilling adventures packed into one volume, taking us from ancient Luxor to the Loch Ness of 1932. Conflicting pantheons of myth and legend plunge Captain Georgi into cosmic battles beyond wildest imagining. Will she remain a force for good or be lured into the world of chaos? The choice is hers!

Treat yourself!

Happy reading!

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#FlashbackFriday October 2024

Hi, and welcome to my Flashback Friday feature!

On the first Friday of each month, I like to look back at the books I was reading the previous year during the same month.

Please do join in if you have the time, I’d love to see your posts 🙂

A big thank you to those who already join in regularly! xx

Here are my reviews from October 2023 + a link to previous October FBFs….

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, Book 1) by Holly Jackson @HoJay92A
#FlashbackFriday October 2023

happy reading!

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Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty #PublicationDay #BookReview #NetGalley

Here One Moment

by Liane Moriarty 

I finished this book late last night and I still don’t really know how I feel about it.

I mean, it’s definitely not the best read for anyone with a serious phobia of dying or someone we love dying (not that I imagine anyone being thrilled with the idea!). I think most of us worry about dying young and hope that we will go in our sleep at a grand old age. Imagine someone literally pointing to you and predicting the cause and age of your death. That would most definitely freak me out!

Imagine being the woman who did this and having no recollection of it. Equally terrifying. There is no doubt she is a fascinating character.

There are lots of fascinating characters throughout this story, many of them affected by this lady’s predications.

It was interesting to see how they are all connected and how their lives pan out despite having differing reactions to this woman’s actions.

I can’t say there is any one wow moment though and I think that’s what I was waiting for.

There are many significant moments throughout the story though, some happy, some sad, some funny. All add up to a good psychological thriller that many people will love. Many people already have judging by the early reviews. I imagine it will be one that I will often think about. There just seemed to be something missing for me, but I can’t put my finger on what.

I guess the point is, do you believe in fate, or do you believe you could challenge fate by changing your life to swerve danger if you knew exactly what the risks were!?

A thought provoking read undoubtedly.

** Many thanks to the author and publisher for my ARC via NetGalley **

We’re all so busy, caught up in life’s moments, big and small . . .

The flight attendant working a shift on her birthday.
The mother struggling alone with two young children.
The newlyweds setting off on their tropical honeymoon .
The overworked father missing his kid’s big show.
The young man returning from his best friend’s funeral.
The ER nurse wondering what retirement will bring.

All strangers. All unsuspecting. Each with a life heading in a particular direction – or so they imagine.
Because an elderly woman is about to step into each of their paths. In just a few words, she will make a prediction, tying herself to all of them. And, in being bound to her, these disparate strangers will all face similar existential dilemmas. . .

Who is this woman? Is she a genuine clairvoyant? A charlatan? The answer to prayers, or a harbinger of nightmares?

What she will prove to be is an agent of chaos, fraying relationships, putting entire futures into doubt and causing the most ordered of lives to unravel in the most unexpected of ways . . .

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Bella’s Countryside Christmas by Claire Huston @ClaraVal

Bella’s Countryside Christmas

by Claire Huston

Firstly, I love that the main character in this book is called Bella 😊

Secondly, I love that Bella is such a likeable character. I warmed to her instantly. She’s a braver woman than me. There is no way I could gate-crash a wedding pretending to be someone else, although I understand her desire to help people and I’m sure Jack being quite easy on the eye helped. I do believe we just click immediately with some people. The whole situation is amusing and heart-warming. I’m surprised she left when she did.

I certainly don’t blame her for wanting to move to a cosy cottage in the countryside. Life is too short to be miserable.

Claire Huston’s description of village life sounds exactly as I would imagine it to be. Everyone knowing everyone and everything about each other. I imagine it would be comforting and somewhat annoying sometimes at the same time. I do love the sense of community though which I think has been lost in most of today’s society, unfortunately.

There are some fabulous characters throughout this book. There’s a fair to be organised, a crime to be solved which adds a bit of suspense to the story, issues with colleagues, family dynamics, festive cheer and the stress that often comes with it, and of course romance. What’s not to love!?

This book made me smile a lot and sometimes laugh out loud. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

** Many thanks to Claire Huston for my review copy **

Fleeing her heartache and horrendous job, Bella stumbles upon a December wedding in the beautiful village of Haileybrook and the spirit of the season moves her to act as a fake date to handsome stranger Jack.

Jack and Bella hit it off, but Bella has to leave in a hurry and their magical evening soon becomes nothing more than a blissful memory.

A year later, Bella is returning to Haileybrook, seeking a fresh start and a quieter life. With a new job close to her cosy cottage home, a peaceful Christmas is surely only days away.

But it’s not long before family surprises, small-town feuds and romantic drama disrupt Bella’s plans, and she has to wonder if being alone is what she really wants for Christmas …

Treat yourself….

Happy reading!

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The Dilemma by B A Paris

The Dilemma

by B A Paris

The Dilemma is the first book I’ve read by B A Paris but I hope it won’t be the last.

Livia is turning 40 and had promised herself a lavish party to celebrate. She has pretty much been planning it for 20 years and really wants it to be everything she dreamed it would be. She has her reasons.

Her husband, Adam, is more than happy to allow Livia the party of her dreams and has even arranged for an extra special surprise for her.

However, before the party begins, he suspects something which will devastate Livia if true and he battles with himself over whether to tell her before the party or not, especially as he hopes he’s wrong and all will be fine.

Livia has been keeping her own secret from Adam. Worried that her party would be ruined if she told him beforehand.

They are both avoiding the truth. Both not wanting to spoil the party for the other.

I could kind of understand both of their reasoning, although I did want to bang their heads together at times. I did really feel for Adam. I can’t even begin to imagine how I would deal with the same situation. It did make me question what I would do, and I honestly don’t know. Livia’s initial reaction was understandable, and my heart broke for her.

This is a compelling, emotional read. One I will happily recommend.

** I purchased the Kindle edition of The Dilemma on the 2nd of September 2024 so I could join in with this month’s buddy read along with my Bookstagram friends. Good choice, Lucie! **

It’s Livia’s 40th birthday and she’s having the party of a lifetime to make up for the wedding she never had. Everyone she loves will be there except her daughter Marnie, who’s studying abroad. But although Livia loves Marnie, she’s secretly glad she won’t be at the party. She needs to tell Adam something about their daughter but she’s waiting until the party is over so they can have this last happy time together.

Adam wants everything to be perfect for Livia so he’s secretly arranged for Marnie to come home and surprise her on her birthday. During the day, he hears some terrible news. He needs to tell Livia, because how can the party go on? But she’s so happy, so excited – and the guests are about to arrive.

The Dilemma – how far would you go to give someone you love a last few hours of happiness?

Happy reading!