Compelling Story

 

I was asked by NetGalley to review this interesting story which follows on from a Place called winter but this can also be read as a standalone story. 

Set in the 50s Harry Cane had emigrated to Canada and had not seen his daughter since, but had since recieved a letter from her, he travels to Liverpool to see her. There is a bit of a cloud between them, as her father seemed to have left and she has unresoleved issues about this.

The author handles issues such as 1050s homosexuallity well  Interesting in the way Harry feels he has been left out since leaving but that nothing would have essentially changed had Harry not emigrated.

Interesting well written story. 

Due for publication March 26th 2026.

Well Written emotionasl Children's story

 

This children's book is due to be published Thursday 26th February 2026.

I recieved this as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, this a lovely read of modern day family life, bullying, children trying to understand a grown up world, with change that not everyone wants or likes, relationships between humans and animals and history of a time where pit workers relied on animals and the pits were a dangerous place for both workers and the pit ponies.

The history element was really interesting along with a grandfather and grandson relationship.

Beautifully illustrated by David Litchfield.

I found the way bi polar and dementia was tackled really well.

A really well written and good read for 9-12 year old.

What a Read

 

I was asked to review this book by NetGalley

I could not put this down and read over a very wet February afternoon. 

Imogen has been left a house in a will from someone she has not seen in about 16 years. This person was Dorothea and their had been somewhat of an impact on her lfe at the time. Imogen moves into Dorothea house with Josh her boyfriend. Too good to be true, well Imogen begins to wonder if there was a reason why she inherited this house and is there a connection with Dorothea's death. It may not be quite the fresh start Imogen and Josh were hoping for.

There are so many twists and turns in this story,  so many different angles and emotions wrapped up here.

So well written, keeps the reader guessing to its thundering end. Due for publication March 12 2026 so not long now to wait.

Beautifully Written

 

I was asked by NetGalley to review ths quite sad, eccentric but beautifully written story.

Agatha just wants to paint, but when she meets Alice  things change. Alice has dementia. Agatha for some will hate her, she is arrogant and a tough old bird. She cares really deeply for Alice and this is what makes this story so endering.

Well the ending was not what I expected one bit.

What a great debut novel. So recommended.

Due for publication April 2nd 2026

Gripping

 

I was asked by Net Galley to review this book, I honestly could not put this down and read to the thundering end. The past and present were intertwinned 

Told from two character perspective-  a teenage girl and a Detective Inspector oh holiday with their 9 year old son. 

What i took form this was a real urgency from the start- I so wanted to know what was happening and piecing together the investigation as the author drip feeds this which is addictive.

Really good story And due for publication July 23 2026

oming of age good YA book

 

I was asked by NetGalley to review this really interesting story.

I read this in one sitting, this was such a beautifully written story. I would recommend this to teenagers as I could resonate with this and growing up with happiness, as well as total confusion and pain all wrapped up in one.

This is a comimg of age book with connections to classical music and music exams 

Totally honest and such a good read recommended and due for publication July 23 2026.

Beautifully Written

 

I was asked by NetGalley to review this book

This is a beautiful story of love, loss and heartbreak. 

This is science fiction and concerns a couple and just what lengths they are prepared to do to heal. They are at the end of such a lot but yet they are on the verge of discovery.  Wow what a reflective experience and so well researched too. Recommended - but there is a wait the publication date is September 1st 2026

Totally Addictive with lots of twists

 

I  was asked to review by NetGalley wow this was dark accademia. 

I was hooked form page 1 I really could not put this down and there were so many twists in this story. 

The story is set in the present day iwithin the a Catholic girls boarding school in Yorkshire. The school is facing uncertainty of a merger with a boys school or closure. There is a dual timeline set in the 1990s. This is the setting for easily biuulied pupils and essentially how they coped in the school. This sound like two stories but there is connections and it is shocking, addictive and a great story..

There is a bit to wait for publication July 9th 2026. Recommended read.

Beautiful and Emotional

 

I was asked by NetGalley to review this really intriguing story with a dual timeline set in the 1930/40s and in the present.

This was such an intriguinly beautifully written story. 

Set in the days of Colonial Singapore where Dorothy is with her parents - father working for a rubber company. life is good and privilaged - with socialising and the lavish Raffles hotel. Everyone thinks Singapore will be safe as the war continues at home - Singapore will not fall.  Evacuations take place will the family be safe?

Annabel - her grandmother passes away - she has no idea she had been in Singapore. 

Then a trip to Singapore to uncover the truth and why her Grandmother never spoke of this or that she had ever been anywhere apart from England.

Well researched and due for publication February 26th 2026

Thought Provoking

 

I was asked to review this by NetGalley 

I read this today on a "snow day" 

Wow this is so well written and took me on this journey through time and space - to show how stories shape our lives- from religion to what media we consume. This seemed to me before reading that this would be super high brow but no this was so readable, thought provoking- I was mesmorised.

I learnt this book was the sequel to Into the Woods - so I will be ordering this today. 

Such a recommended book and not long to wait due for publication 29 January 2026.

 

I was asked to review this beautifully written book by the publishers via NetGalley 

Jiwon is grieving the death of her mother- she is given a chance the mystery Memory Bookshop and it is to relive the past but the there is a cavat and not without scarifice.

This is such a beautiful heartwarmimng story- it is also heartbreaking too.

We all try to hold onto the past and stuggle to move on but move on we have to despite grief.

Such a recommended read, due for publication 12 March 2026.

 

I was asked by NetGalley to review this book.

I am late to the table for Cathy Kelly but so glad I have now been introduced to this author.

The story begins with six people being invited to a retreat in Corfu Greece, run by a television therapist called Rose.

Rose has been out of TV for about 5 years so this is a big thing for Rose and her future - she needs to help the six by facing secrets and move forward positively, but Rose secrets could be exposed as she helps the six. The reader can feel for these six and Rose as the face their problems, move on with their lives. There is hope, the ability to move forward and second chances in life too

Beautifully written and a really lovely read. Due for publication 26 February - this will be a great sunbed read this summer.

 

I was asked to review this book by NetGalley - oh my goodness this has to be the authors most disturbing book yet. Haunting, disturbing and really unsettling gave me nightmares.

Jane twenty five years ago - had a terrible scary happening in a house which she fled. Fast forward twnty five years and in her now back garden she spots a white dog and needs to return it to its owners -shockingly she is standing in front of the very house she fled somw twenty five years ago!!

Jane and her stepson then try to unravel the truth - the young girl and white dog and look at what would have happened to Jane had she stayed in the said house!!

A scary story

Not due for publication until 2 July 2026- just in time for the summer holidays.

I could not put this book down and read to the terrifying end.

 

I was asked by NetGalley to review this children's book, which I did over Twixmas.

A really interesting story - told from Stanley and Martha perspective.

It is the aftermath of World War 1, the village has lost so many boys and men in the trenches, whilst those who came back are damaged.

1918- a terrible time with men not returning, women struggling, and then to cap it off - the Spanish flu which infected around one-third of the global population and causing an estimated 50 to 100 million deaths. What did not help was men returning from the front had been subjected to terrible conditions, people at home could not afford medical attention ( years before the NHS would be born). The flu essentially had a high mortality rate for young people.

Stanley and Martha social standing is poles apart but the flu brings them together - Martha from a well to do background and Stanley from the village. Martha's Grandfather was concerned for the church stain glass windows and if the Germans would bomb the church, so he did the panes, he is dead and the village males who helped to take the panes down and hide these are lying on the western front. So no one knows where they are.

Stanley is convinced that the stain glass will save his mother - who has the deadly flu and save the village. Then Stanley comes down with the flu also.

The quest is on for Martha to try to locate the panes and bring the village together.

Martha learns valuable lessons, but will she find the stain glass that the village so badly needs.

A really well written story that keeps the reader guessing, showing just how wrong people can be with social standing and prejudices.

Thank you NetGalley and Firefly Press for letting me read before publication. 

Recommended read and due for publication February 5 2026.