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Thank you @simonschusteruk for #YouLoveMe by @caro

Thank you @simonschusteruk for #YouLoveMe by @carolinekepnes. It sounds totally sinister!

#BookPost

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Synopsis:
The highly anticipated new thriller in Caroline Kepnes's hit You series, now a blockbuster Netflix show . . .

Joe Goldberg is back. And he's going to start a family – even if it kills him.

Joe Goldberg is done with cities, done with the muck and the posers, done with Love. Now, he's saying hello to nature, to simple pleasures on a cosy island in the Pacific Northwest. For the first time in a long time, he can just breathe.

He gets a job at the local library – he does know a thing or two about books – and that's where he meets her: Mary Kay DiMarco. Librarian. Joe won't meddle, he will not obsess. He'll win her the old fashioned way . . . by providing a shoulder to cry on, a helping hand. Over time, they'll both heal their wounds and begin their happily ever after in this sleepy town.

The trouble is . . . Mary Kay already has a life. She's a mother. She's a friend. She's . . . busy.

True love can only triumph if both people are willing to make room for the real thing. Joe cleared his decks. He's ready. And hopefully, with his encouragement and undying support, Mary Kay will do the right thing and make room for him.

Thank you @quercusbooks for #ThePerfectLie by @jos

Thank you @quercusbooks for #ThePerfectLie by @jospainauthor. It sounds absolutely brilliant.

#BookPost
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Synopsis:
He jumped to his death in front of witnesses. Now his wife is charged with murder.

Five years ago, Erin Kennedy moved to New York following a family tragedy. She now lives happily with her detective husband in the scenic seaside town of Newport, Long Island. When Erin answers the door to Danny's police colleagues one morning, it's the start of an ordinary day. But behind her, Danny walks to the window of their fourth-floor apartment and jumps to his death.

Eighteen months later, Erin is in court, charged with her husband's murder. Over that year and a half, Erin has learned things about Danny she could never have imagined. She thought he was perfect. She thought their life was perfect.

But it was all built on the perfect lie.

Thank you Transworld for sending me this fabulous

Thank you Transworld for sending me this fabulous proof of #TheSanitorium by @sarahpearseauthor. This is a book I can't wait to read. Who else is excited about this one?

#BookPost
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Synopsis:
EVERYONE'S IN DANGER. ANYONE COULD BE NEXT.

An imposing, isolated hotel, high up in the Swiss Alps, is the last place Elin Warner wants to be. But she's taken time off from her job as a detective, so when she receives an invitation out of the blue to celebrate her estranged brother's recent engagement, she has no choice but to accept.

Arriving in the midst of a threatening storm, Elin immediately feels on edge. Though it's beautiful, something about the hotel, recently converted from an abandoned sanatorium, makes her nervous - as does her brother, Isaac.

And when they wake the following morning to discover his fiancée Laure has vanished without a trace, Elin's unease grows. With the storm cutting off access to and from the hotel, the longer Laure stays missing, the more the remaining guests start to panic.

But no-one has realized yet that another woman has gone missing. And she's the only one who could have warned them just how much danger they're all in . . .

New review: The Shape of Darkness by Laura Purcell

New review: The Shape of Darkness by Laura Purcell. Published by Raven Books on 21st January.
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I’ve been so looking forward to reading The Shape of Darkness and not only did I love it but I thought it was actually spectacular.
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This is the story of two women: Agnes Darken (what a name!), a silhouette artist in Bath; and Pearl Meers, an 11 year old girl who is using her gift as a medium to contact spirits and pay her way with her half-sister, Myrtle, and to help her father who is gravely ill. Agnes has cause to consult Pearl when the people who are sitting for their silhouettes are being murdered. Is somebody targeting Agnes and if so, why?
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This is ostensibly the story but there is so much else going on. I was totally and utterly bewitched by it from start to finish, being at turns enthralled by Agnes’ cutting skills and Pearl’s great powers. The juxtaposition between Agnes, who is probably beyond middle-aged for Victorian times, and the young Pearl is marked, each stepping forward and taking centre stage in their own environment and providing such contrast.
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I feel it’s quite hard to do justice to this wonderful book in a review. It’s so complex and intricate, so beautifully and compellingly plotted. I thought I had an idea of where it was going only to be surprised over and over (there was even a hand over the mouth moment). The characters and settings leap off the page and it wasn’t hard to imagine the grimy streets, the dark and dingy rooms lit only by candlelight, the manifestations, and even the smells. Laura Purcell really has created something so completely three-dimensional and full of atmosphere.
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With a sinister feel underlying even the most everyday scenes, The Shape of Darkness is a book I didn’t want to put down. With every page I was drawn deeper and deeper into the murky world of séances, mesmerism and murders. I thought it was an authentic and fantastic gothic read, with a plot that kept on astonishing me and characters that I will not forget.
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Thank you to the publishers for the proof copy of the book.

Thank you Victoria Dowd for sending me a copy of #

Thank you Victoria Dowd for sending me a copy of #TheSmartWomansGuideToMurder. I'm looking forward to reading this 'twisty, darkly comic take on the classic country house murder mystery'.
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Synopsis:
A faded country house in the middle of nowhere.

The guests are snowed in.

The murders begin.

Withering and waspish, Ursula Smart (not her real name) gate-crashes her mother’s book club at an isolated country house for a long weekend retreat. Much to Mother’s chagrin. Joining them are Mother’s best friend, Mirabelle, Aunts Charlotte and Less, and Bridget with her dog Mr Bojangles. It doesn’t matter that they’ve read Gone Girl three times this year already, this retreat is their chance to escape bustling suburbia. But someone has other ideas.

A body is found in the grounds.

Is a lone killer hunting them? Or has one of their own group embarked on a killing spree?

What they need is to stop sniping at each other long enough to solve the mystery before the killer strikes again.

What they need is a guide to survive.

A GOLDEN AGE COUNTRY HOUSE MURDER MYSTERY BROUGHT BANG UP TO DATE.
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#bookpost #crimefiction #cosycrime #murdermystery #bookblogger #bookreviewer #bookstagrammer #booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #instabooks #instareads #ilovebooks #lovereading #lovebooks #booklover #booklove #bookstoread #shortbookandscribes

The Summer Job by Lizzy Dent 🦞 The lobster says

The Summer Job by Lizzy Dent
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The lobster says you must read this book when it's published in April. I finished it last night and it's absolutely wonderful.
🦞
Review coming sometime between now and 15th April 😄

Synopsis:
Have you ever imagined running away from your life?

Well Birdy Finch didn't just imagine it. She did it. Which might've been an error. And the life she's run into? Her best friend, Heather's.

The only problem is, she hasn't told Heather. Actually there are a few other problems...

Can Birdy carry off a summer at a luxury Scottish hotel pretending to be her best friend (who incidentally is a world-class wine expert)?

And can she stop herself from falling for the first man she's ever actually liked (but who thinks she's someone else)

The Summer Job is a fresh, fun, feel-good romcom for fans of The Flatshare, Bridget Jones and Bridesmaids.
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#TheSummerJob #LizzyDent #booksread #romancefiction #debutfiction #scottishfiction #supportdebuts #bookblogger #bookreviewer #bookstagrammer #booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #instareads #instabooks #ilovebooks #lovereading #lovebooks #booklover #booklove #shortbookandscribes

New review: The Appeal by Janice Hallett. Publishe

New review: The Appeal by Janice Hallett. Published by Viper Books tomorrow.
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The Appeal is going to be a tricky book for me to review. I don’t want to give away anything that gives too much of an insight into the actual storyline or characters. It’s a small-town murder mystery based around two pivotal events: the amateur production of a play and the requirement of funds for a little girl’s potentially life-saving treatment.
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What’s so innovative about this story is it’s told almost completely in emails and messages. I must admit to being simultaneously intrigued and wary of this format as I don’t always get on with epistolary novels, but I needn’t have worried. Hallett has made this such an addictive read with a feeling akin to peeping through a window and observing the (pretty unlikeable, to be fair) characters’ behaviour both first- and second-hand, and watching their stories unfold.
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Through the various correspondence devices we learn how each character feels about the others and about the situations they find themselves in. We also learn the reason for the correspondence being collated and its relevance. We get to see it dissected and at this point the pace slows down somewhat, requiring a more considered, yet still fascinating, read.
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In The Appeal nothing and nobody is what they seem. Even the title surprised me as it has more than one meaning. I have come to the conclusion I would be a terrible detective and am hopeless at reading between the lines. Janice Hallett, however, is a masterful plotter, pulling all of the different strands together with aplomb. It gives me a headache just thinking about the planning of this novel. This is an accomplished debut novel and a compelling mystery, with a very original style. I loved it.
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Thank you to the publishers for the proof copy of the book.
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#bookreview #bookreviewer #bookblogger #bookblog #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #instareads #instabooks #ilovebooks #lovereading #lovebooks #booklover #booklove #epistolary #crimefiction #TheAppeal #JaniceHallett #shortbookandscribes

Last • Now • Next 📚 Good morning. 😊 Tod

Last • Now • Next
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Good morning. 😊

Today I thought I'd share my #lastnownextreads with you. As you can see, it's a bright and sunny morning. Is anybody else who is homeschooling finding that their days start later and later as time goes on? 😬🤭 It was the same first time around.
📚
So to the lovely books in my photograph.
Last is #TheAppeal by Janice Hallett which will be published on Thursday by Viper Books. It is a really unusual book as it's a murder mystery in epistolary form. I found it totally addictive.

Now is #TheSummerJob by Lizzy Dent which will be published by Viking in April. I've only just started this one but it seems like lots of fun. 🦞

Next will be #TheShapeOfDarkness by Laura Purcell which is published by Bloomsbury Raven next week. I'm really excited to read it.
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Hope you have a lovely day. 👋
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#bookblogger #bookblog #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #instareads #instabooks #amreading #currentlyreading #booksread #tbrpile #tbr #ilovebooks #lovereading #lovebooks #booklover #booklove #shortbookandscribes

New review: Rescue Me by Sarra Manning. Published

New review: Rescue Me by Sarra Manning. Published by Hodder on 21st January.
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Who is being rescued here? Blossom the dog, or Will and Margot, her owners?
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As the book begins Margot is in her mid-30s and has just split up with George. He wasn’t the one but she was hopeful that he might still be someone she could settle down and have children with. She’s watched her friends do this but when will it be her turn? She decides to adopt a rescue dog and she finds herself drawn to Blossom, a nervous Staffy with who knows what kind of past. Will is a troubled man, totally eligible but has no faith in himself. He also wants to adopt Blossom and so he and Margot agree to co-pawrent(!). It’s an interesting concept and perhaps one that would suit a lot of people but you have to be able to get on with your co-pawrent, and Margot and Will butt heads quite a lot.
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The story is told in alternating chapters from both human viewpoints and through this device we see how each character sees the other as well as being privy to their own inner thoughts. I felt this really made each of them three-dimensional and made me like them even more. It brought out the fact that what we show to other people isn’t always indicative of our real self.
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Blossom is an absolute delight. She’s quite a little madam at times and knows exactly how to manipulate her two owners and often play them off against each other, the little minx. Even Blossom, though, has a back story which only sometimes she feels able to face.
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I thought Rescue Me was a book with a story that creeps up on you and slowly wraps you in a warm embrace. I came to care about the main characters and also really enjoyed the supporting cast of Margot’s friends and Will’s family. It’s a gorgeous, original read, totally heart-warming and full of all the things I love in a book.
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Thank you to the publishers for the proof copy of the book.
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#bookreview #bookreviewer #bookblogger #bookblog #bookstagrammer #booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #instareads #instabooks #dogsinbooks #dogbooks #dogfiction #ilovebooks #lovereading #lovebooks #booklover #booklove #RescueMe #SarraManning #shortbookandscribes

Rescue Me by Sarra Manning 🐾 Today is my stop o

Rescue Me by Sarra Manning
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Today is my stop on the blog tour for Rescue Me. Unfortunately, what at the weekend seemed like plenty of time to read the book has turned into not enough time. The unexpected return to home-schooling (and my constant refrain of "get on with it") means that I haven't finished reading it yet and rather than rush through it my review will be coming in a few days time.
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I can tell you that it's a delightful read about two people who would never normally have anything in common being drawn into an unlikely union over a dog named Blossom. I'm really enjoying it, it's making me smile a lot.
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Here's the synopsis for you to be going on with:
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Margot doesn't have time for love.

Will is afraid to love.

And neither of them are expecting to fall in love with Blossom: a gentle Staffy with a tragic past, a belly made for rubbing and a head the size of a football.

After their first meeting at the rescue centre, both Margot and Will want to adopt Blossom so reluctantly agree to share custody. But Will's obsession for micro-managing and clear-cut boundaries and Margot's need to smother Blossom with affection, means that soon they have a very confused and badly behaved dog on their hands.

Can they put their differences aside to become successful "co-pawrents" and maybe even friends? And meanwhile, does Blossom have plans of her own?
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Does it sound like a book for you? If so, it's published by Hodder on 21st January in ebook, hardcover and audiobook.
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#bookpromo #RescueMe #SarraManning #bookreviewer #bookblogger #bookblog #bookstagrammer #booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #instabooks #instareads #ilovebooks #booklover #booklove #lovereading #lovebooks #dogsinbooks #dogbooks #dogfiction #shortbookandscribes

Thank you @orionbooks for #TheSilkHouse by @kayten

Thank you @orionbooks for #TheSilkHouse by @kaytenunn2. It sounds wonderful and completely my kind of thing.

#BookPost

New review: The Push by Ashley Audrain. Published

New review: The Push by Ashley Audrain. Published tomorrow by Michael Joseph.
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The Push has to be one of the most anticipated reads of 2021. I can see why. It’s quite a read.
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At its core, The Push considers motherhood and its effects. Blythe knows as soon as her daughter, Violet, is born that something isn’t right. Where is the bond that mothers and their children have? Why doesn’t she seem to be able to connect with Violet the way her husband, Fox, does? I felt so sorry for Blythe. There are such expectations put on new parents, particularly mothers, and I really felt her frustration and upset at the way things were turning out. The story also considers the effects of children on a relationship and how it doesn’t always bring a couple closer.
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Interspersed with Blythe’s story are small sections about her mother, Cecilia, and grandmother, Etta. It’s quite clear there is a history of poor mothering. Is Blythe just following in their footsteps or is Violet the terror that she appears to be? It raises the question of nature vs nurture. Are we pre-destined to behave in a certain way based on our upbringing? I did often find myself getting confused between the three mothers and having to stop and think about where their stories fitted in, but that might just have been me. It didn’t detract in any way from the read overall, just required that bit of extra consideration.
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This is a compulsive and addictive read, one that is extremely thought-provoking. It is a challenging subject matter, at times shocking and most often just plain sad. The chapters are short, making it easy to get pulled into reading just another one, and then another one. The story is full of tension and the writing is sharp and cleverly executed to give the reader doubts right up to the very end.
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The Push is quite the debut from Ashley Audrain. I understand it’s going to be adapted for film or television and I think it will translate really well. It’s dark and intense, with a sense of foreboding throughout. A compelling portrayal of a mother’s hell.
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Thank you to the publishers for the proof copy of the book.

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ShortBookandScribes **20 Very Special Reads of 2020**
ShortBookandScribes #BookReview - Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up by Alexandra Potter
ShortBookandScribes #BookReview - A Thing Called Love by Nell Carter
ShortBookandScribes #BookReview - The Glass House by Eve Chase
ShortBookandScribes #BookReview - The Push by Ashley Audrain

ShortBookandScribes #BookReview – The Shape of Darkness by Laura Purcell
ShortBookandScribes #BookReview – The Appeal by Janice Hallett
ShortBookandScribes #BookReview – Rescue Me by Sarra Manning #rescuemeblogtour
ShortBookandScribes #BookReview – The Push by Ashley Audrain
ShortBookandScribes #BookReview – A Thing Called Love by Nell Carter

Today Week Month All

ShortBookandScribes #BookReview - Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up by Alexandra Potter
ShortBookandScribes #BookReview - The Shape of Darkness by Laura Purcell
ShortBookandScribes #BookReview - A Hogmanay Kiss by Elsie McArthur
ShortBookandScribes #Giveaway of a Paperback Copy of Women of Steel by Michelle Rawlins

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