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Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Marriage Act in Books
Jan 22, 2023
Set in a time not too far away, this is a dark and rather creepy tale that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Would you 'upgrade' your marriage if it meant getting preferential treatment ... the best jobs, the best houses, better health care, education, etc., etc., etc.? But then what if that meant artificial intelligence was listening in to snap shots of your conversations and then analysing them to make sure you are keeping to the terms of your marriage? And if not, a scale of interventions would be put into action. Would you still do it? Well, The Marriage Act will probably make you think again!
Mr Marrs certainly gets you thinking and poses really interesting questions and dilemmas in this well plotted, perfectly paced book told from the viewpoints of his well created characters and with some great twists and turns.
Thoroughly enjoyable and quite an unsettling book that actually doesn't feel that far from becoming a reality! How many have an Alexa, Siri or similar digital voice assistant in the home or on your wrist that just sits there? I'm not a conspiracy theorist, however I imagine it wouldn't take much for a law to be passed in the name of improving the economy or society in some way, then a switch is flicked and the process would start ... definitely not beyond the realms of reality and very scary!
This is the second of Mr Marrs' books I have enjoyed and I will definitely read more in the future and thanks must go to Pan Macmillan, Macmillan and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Marriage Act.
Would you 'upgrade' your marriage if it meant getting preferential treatment ... the best jobs, the best houses, better health care, education, etc., etc., etc.? But then what if that meant artificial intelligence was listening in to snap shots of your conversations and then analysing them to make sure you are keeping to the terms of your marriage? And if not, a scale of interventions would be put into action. Would you still do it? Well, The Marriage Act will probably make you think again!
Mr Marrs certainly gets you thinking and poses really interesting questions and dilemmas in this well plotted, perfectly paced book told from the viewpoints of his well created characters and with some great twists and turns.
Thoroughly enjoyable and quite an unsettling book that actually doesn't feel that far from becoming a reality! How many have an Alexa, Siri or similar digital voice assistant in the home or on your wrist that just sits there? I'm not a conspiracy theorist, however I imagine it wouldn't take much for a law to be passed in the name of improving the economy or society in some way, then a switch is flicked and the process would start ... definitely not beyond the realms of reality and very scary!
This is the second of Mr Marrs' books I have enjoyed and I will definitely read more in the future and thanks must go to Pan Macmillan, Macmillan and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Marriage Act.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Precious You in Books
Oct 30, 2023
161 of 235
Book
Precious You
By Helen Monks Takhar
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trusting you was my first mistake. To Katherine, twenty-four-year-old Lily Lunt is a typical “snowflake.” It seems like the privileged, politically correct millennial will do whatever she can to make it big as a writer, including leveraging her family’s connections. To Lily, Katherine Ross, a career woman in her early forties, is a holdover from another era: clueless, old-fashioned, and perfectly happy to build her success on the backs of her unpaid interns.
When Lily is hired as the new intern at the magazine where Katherine is editor in chief, her arrival threatens the very foundation of the self-serving little world that Katherine has built. She finds herself obsessively drawn to Lily, who seems to be a cruel reminder of the beauty and potential she once had—things Lily uses against Katherine as she slowly begins to undermine her, sabotaging her work and turning the magazine’s new publisher against her. Is Katherine being paranoid? Or is Lily seeking to systematically destroy her life? As Katherine tries to fight back, a toxic generational divide turns explosive and long-buried secrets are exposed—with deadly consequences for both. . . .
This was such an intense read. I had so many things going round my head at the end I don’t know how to put them into words without having spoilers. It’s was a tragic end all down to one girl’s psychotic thoughts maybe that’s the wrong way to put it but I’m lost for words I think. It’s a slow start but soon it all becomes clear. Little bit of a twisted ending!
Book
Precious You
By Helen Monks Takhar
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trusting you was my first mistake. To Katherine, twenty-four-year-old Lily Lunt is a typical “snowflake.” It seems like the privileged, politically correct millennial will do whatever she can to make it big as a writer, including leveraging her family’s connections. To Lily, Katherine Ross, a career woman in her early forties, is a holdover from another era: clueless, old-fashioned, and perfectly happy to build her success on the backs of her unpaid interns.
When Lily is hired as the new intern at the magazine where Katherine is editor in chief, her arrival threatens the very foundation of the self-serving little world that Katherine has built. She finds herself obsessively drawn to Lily, who seems to be a cruel reminder of the beauty and potential she once had—things Lily uses against Katherine as she slowly begins to undermine her, sabotaging her work and turning the magazine’s new publisher against her. Is Katherine being paranoid? Or is Lily seeking to systematically destroy her life? As Katherine tries to fight back, a toxic generational divide turns explosive and long-buried secrets are exposed—with deadly consequences for both. . . .
This was such an intense read. I had so many things going round my head at the end I don’t know how to put them into words without having spoilers. It’s was a tragic end all down to one girl’s psychotic thoughts maybe that’s the wrong way to put it but I’m lost for words I think. It’s a slow start but soon it all becomes clear. Little bit of a twisted ending!
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Last Girl To Die in Books
Aug 29, 2022
I have read one of Helen Field's books from the DI Callanach series (One For Sorrow) and it was absolutely brilliant so I thought I'd be on to a winner with The Last Girl to Die and whilst it's not as good as One For Sorrow, it's still a great read. This is a standalone so no worries about missing out on anything.
Sadie is a private investigator from Canada hired by Adriana's family to find her and it doesn't take her long to locate her body. She is a bit of a maverick and makes some questionable decisions which only serves to stir up the local constabulary and community in her quest to find out who the killer is. All is definitely not what it seems and soon Sadie has a list of suspects as long as her arm and at risk of becoming a target herself.
Helen Fields uses all manner of skills to immerse you into this story from myths, legends and folklore to her vivid descriptions of the Island of Mull, well fleshed our characters and a pace that moves along well and whilst I felt some of the situations Sadie put herself into as being a tad dubious, it did work with her character.
The Last Girl to Die is full of tension and unease which ramps up towards an ending I wasn't expecting at all ... I love it when that happens ... and I would recommend to others who enjoy dark mysteries that keep you guessing.
Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for enabling me to read The Last Girl to Die and share my thoughts.
Sadie is a private investigator from Canada hired by Adriana's family to find her and it doesn't take her long to locate her body. She is a bit of a maverick and makes some questionable decisions which only serves to stir up the local constabulary and community in her quest to find out who the killer is. All is definitely not what it seems and soon Sadie has a list of suspects as long as her arm and at risk of becoming a target herself.
Helen Fields uses all manner of skills to immerse you into this story from myths, legends and folklore to her vivid descriptions of the Island of Mull, well fleshed our characters and a pace that moves along well and whilst I felt some of the situations Sadie put herself into as being a tad dubious, it did work with her character.
The Last Girl to Die is full of tension and unease which ramps up towards an ending I wasn't expecting at all ... I love it when that happens ... and I would recommend to others who enjoy dark mysteries that keep you guessing.
Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for enabling me to read The Last Girl to Die and share my thoughts.
Laura Doe (1350 KP) rated To Sir Phillip, With Love (Bridgertons, #5) in Books
Jan 8, 2022
The Bridgerton stories just get better and better. This one has definitely been my favourite so far, but I think that might be because Eloise was my favourite female Bridgerton anyway.
I wondered how Julia Quinn was planning on replacing the Lady Whistledown’s Society Paper excerpts at the start of the chapters after she retired, but having excerpts from Eloise’s letters seemed like the perfect replacement throughout this book. It really gave an insight into Eloise’s thoughts at each of the important points in her life when she was writing to someone she loved.
As much as it was difficult to read about Phillip and his struggles to control his temper, it was very well done and knowing the background behind his temper helped to understand his character too. I was glad that from the moment Eloise entered his life he tried to be a better father to his children and also appeared a lot calmer than he was at first. This is the opposite to the previous books where most of the men seems to become angry quite quickly at their future wives as they’re “infuriating” before it quickly turns into love. So it was quite nice to have it a different way where he didn’t frequently fly into a rage over something that his wife had said.
I think the Bridgerton books are very clever, as they don’t give too much away about each sibling, making you want to read the next book to learn more about them and not just the snippets that you see of them in each book. I will be starting the next book asap!
I wondered how Julia Quinn was planning on replacing the Lady Whistledown’s Society Paper excerpts at the start of the chapters after she retired, but having excerpts from Eloise’s letters seemed like the perfect replacement throughout this book. It really gave an insight into Eloise’s thoughts at each of the important points in her life when she was writing to someone she loved.
As much as it was difficult to read about Phillip and his struggles to control his temper, it was very well done and knowing the background behind his temper helped to understand his character too. I was glad that from the moment Eloise entered his life he tried to be a better father to his children and also appeared a lot calmer than he was at first. This is the opposite to the previous books where most of the men seems to become angry quite quickly at their future wives as they’re “infuriating” before it quickly turns into love. So it was quite nice to have it a different way where he didn’t frequently fly into a rage over something that his wife had said.
I think the Bridgerton books are very clever, as they don’t give too much away about each sibling, making you want to read the next book to learn more about them and not just the snippets that you see of them in each book. I will be starting the next book asap!
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Dark (Lacey Flint #5) in Books
May 29, 2022
Lacey Flint is back for another gripping story but don't worry if you haven't read any of the series before, it doesn't matter too much as Sharon Bolton does a great job of getting you up to speed with the characters without you getting bogged down in the back story.
Lacey is a complex character with secrets some of which are highlighted in the prologue. She is strong yet vulnerable, fearless and yet fearful as the opening chapter shows when a baby is snatched and set adrift on the River Thames and a pram is thrown off a bridge. What? Why? Who would do such a despicable thing?
The dark web is buzzing with the story and threatening of more to come; the incels (involuntary celibates) have had enough and want to make sure that every woman, no matter their age, knows it. The pressure to catch those behind the terrorist movement ramps up as the attacks become ever more commonplace and when it becomes clear that Lacey herself is a target, the tension becomes palpable but who are the people behind this and how can they be stopped when every man is a potential threat?
An absolutely gripping read with a scary concept that is all too frighteningly plausible that had me swiping my screen desperate to see what happened next but not wanting it to end ... and that ending ... I hope Sharon Bolton doesn't leave it as long for the next instalment is all I can say!
Thank you to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for enabling me to read The Dark and to share my thoughts.
Lacey is a complex character with secrets some of which are highlighted in the prologue. She is strong yet vulnerable, fearless and yet fearful as the opening chapter shows when a baby is snatched and set adrift on the River Thames and a pram is thrown off a bridge. What? Why? Who would do such a despicable thing?
The dark web is buzzing with the story and threatening of more to come; the incels (involuntary celibates) have had enough and want to make sure that every woman, no matter their age, knows it. The pressure to catch those behind the terrorist movement ramps up as the attacks become ever more commonplace and when it becomes clear that Lacey herself is a target, the tension becomes palpable but who are the people behind this and how can they be stopped when every man is a potential threat?
An absolutely gripping read with a scary concept that is all too frighteningly plausible that had me swiping my screen desperate to see what happened next but not wanting it to end ... and that ending ... I hope Sharon Bolton doesn't leave it as long for the next instalment is all I can say!
Thank you to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for enabling me to read The Dark and to share my thoughts.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Secret Midwife in Books
Aug 6, 2023
I find books about the Holocaust difficult to review and rate because anything that highlights and keeps the memory alive of all those who perished under that despicable regime is deserving of 5 stars from me and The Secret Midwife is no different.
Although a work of fiction, the author bases her characters on real people who went through the horrors of World War II some of whom miraculously survived when millions of others did not.
The Secret Midwife focuses on the stories of Emelia and Aleksy. Emelia is a midwife who risks her life supporting ALL women regardless of race or religion to give birth safely. Aleksy is a doctor who tries to save his town during occupation. Unfortunately, both were discovered and transported to the hell-hole that was Auschwitz however, they continued to try and care and help their fellow prisoners despite having no resources or equipment and the ongoing risk of immediate selection and execution.
As you can imagine, this is an emotional, harrowing and heart-breaking story but it's also one of bravery and how, despite the ongoing threats, some people did everything they could to help ease the suffering of those around them and whilst Emelia, Aleksy and some of the other characters aren't real people, they and their story will stay with me for some time.
Highly recommended to those of you who enjoy reading historical fiction; this is a must read and I have to thank Amazon Publishing UK, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Secret Midwife.
Although a work of fiction, the author bases her characters on real people who went through the horrors of World War II some of whom miraculously survived when millions of others did not.
The Secret Midwife focuses on the stories of Emelia and Aleksy. Emelia is a midwife who risks her life supporting ALL women regardless of race or religion to give birth safely. Aleksy is a doctor who tries to save his town during occupation. Unfortunately, both were discovered and transported to the hell-hole that was Auschwitz however, they continued to try and care and help their fellow prisoners despite having no resources or equipment and the ongoing risk of immediate selection and execution.
As you can imagine, this is an emotional, harrowing and heart-breaking story but it's also one of bravery and how, despite the ongoing threats, some people did everything they could to help ease the suffering of those around them and whilst Emelia, Aleksy and some of the other characters aren't real people, they and their story will stay with me for some time.
Highly recommended to those of you who enjoy reading historical fiction; this is a must read and I have to thank Amazon Publishing UK, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Secret Midwife.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Midwife's Child (WW2 Resistance Series #3) in Books
May 21, 2023
The Midwife's Child is an emotional rollercoaster that although is work of fiction, it's based on things that actually happened and real people with the love story element between Maggie and Jamie being based on the true story of a Scottish Commando who met a young woman in a displaced persons camp who had survived the death march.
This is the third in this series but I think it works successfully as a standalone because whilst there are recurring characters, each book is a separate story which focusses on one of those recurring characters.
The Midwife's Child centres around Maggie, a former SOE Special Operations Executive) but now incarcerated in Auschwitz following her capture. There she finds herself working in the camp hospital where the devil incarnate, Joseph Mengele, practised his infamous experiments and where Maggie is determined to save the life of her friend Eva and new born, Leah. The end of the war is fast approaching and the Russians are getting close, Eva is too unwell to go on the forced march so she begs Maggie to save her child and reunite her with her father. A seemingly impossible task but one which Maggie vows to complete.
Told from two timelines, from her time as a doctor working in the 'hospital' at Auschwitz towards the end of the war and the period afterwards, The Midwife's Child is a story of exceptional courage, duty, love, friendship and hope and a story that I highly recommended to those of you who enjoy this genre and I have to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Midwife's Child.
This is the third in this series but I think it works successfully as a standalone because whilst there are recurring characters, each book is a separate story which focusses on one of those recurring characters.
The Midwife's Child centres around Maggie, a former SOE Special Operations Executive) but now incarcerated in Auschwitz following her capture. There she finds herself working in the camp hospital where the devil incarnate, Joseph Mengele, practised his infamous experiments and where Maggie is determined to save the life of her friend Eva and new born, Leah. The end of the war is fast approaching and the Russians are getting close, Eva is too unwell to go on the forced march so she begs Maggie to save her child and reunite her with her father. A seemingly impossible task but one which Maggie vows to complete.
Told from two timelines, from her time as a doctor working in the 'hospital' at Auschwitz towards the end of the war and the period afterwards, The Midwife's Child is a story of exceptional courage, duty, love, friendship and hope and a story that I highly recommended to those of you who enjoy this genre and I have to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Midwife's Child.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Quiet Tenant in Books
Jun 4, 2023
This is a pretty good debut and one which I enjoyed.
This is a different interpretation of the 'abduction and kept prisoner' stories; it's told from the perspectives of Rachel (the captive), Cecilia (the daughter) and Emily (the bartender/love interest) but also with chapters told from the victims points of view which were particularly powerful and unsettling however, there is nothing from the killer, Aidan which I found unusual and I'm still not sure if I liked it as it did leave me with quite a lot of questions as to how and why he did what he did however, maybe that was the point?
Anyway, The Quiet Tenant is a dark story of survival in the most extreme of circumstances but it's also a story about a man who is able to project an image of goodness and normality whilst hiding who he really is from those closest to him and the small community in which he lives.
It's a bit of a slow-burner, there is a little too much description at times and there are bits that are a little beyond the realms of reality however, as you read, there is a creeping sense of tension and dread that had me hooked and desperate to know how it was all going to play out and I wasn't disappointed.
Overall, a pretty good read and I commend the author for writing a book that's not in her first language and thank you to Little Brown Book Group UK, Abacus and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Quiet Tenant.
This is a different interpretation of the 'abduction and kept prisoner' stories; it's told from the perspectives of Rachel (the captive), Cecilia (the daughter) and Emily (the bartender/love interest) but also with chapters told from the victims points of view which were particularly powerful and unsettling however, there is nothing from the killer, Aidan which I found unusual and I'm still not sure if I liked it as it did leave me with quite a lot of questions as to how and why he did what he did however, maybe that was the point?
Anyway, The Quiet Tenant is a dark story of survival in the most extreme of circumstances but it's also a story about a man who is able to project an image of goodness and normality whilst hiding who he really is from those closest to him and the small community in which he lives.
It's a bit of a slow-burner, there is a little too much description at times and there are bits that are a little beyond the realms of reality however, as you read, there is a creeping sense of tension and dread that had me hooked and desperate to know how it was all going to play out and I wasn't disappointed.
Overall, a pretty good read and I commend the author for writing a book that's not in her first language and thank you to Little Brown Book Group UK, Abacus and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Quiet Tenant.
There Are No Vampires In This Book
8.0
Rate It
Book
TARYN HAD NEVER BEEN NORMAL. She wasn't like other girls- not after that night, that thing, took...
New Adult Contemporary Romance
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2357 KP) rated Murder at Mallowan Hall in Books
Jan 22, 2025 (Updated Jan 22, 2025)
Murder in Agatha Christie’s Library
Agatha Christie and her second husband, Max Mallowan, are throwing a house party when an unexpected guest arrives in the middle of a summer storm. The man says he is a reporter who has an interview lined up with the famous author. While Agatha doesn’t remember it, she instructs Phyllida Bright, her housekeeper, to set him up in one of the guest rooms, at least for tonight. But the next morning, Phyllida finds the man dead in the library. She doesn’t think the police are up to solving the crime, so she jumps in to find a few clues for them. But who was the victim? And who would want to kill him?
Fans of Agatha Christie will get a kick out of the wink and nods in the set up. But everyone will be hooked on this mystery, which had the clues and red herrings well layered to keep me guessing until the ending. While we got to know Phyllida and a few other characters well, I did feel like we got too much of her thoughts, which slowed things down and kept us from getting to know the suspects better. Only a handful of scenes were told from someone other than Phyllida’s point of view, but when it happened, it always made sense. And one of those scenes was absolutely perfect that way. While current events don’t play a big part in this 1930’s set book, it does give us a clear picture of what life was like for servants during that time. I’m hoping to get to the next book soon.
Fans of Agatha Christie will get a kick out of the wink and nods in the set up. But everyone will be hooked on this mystery, which had the clues and red herrings well layered to keep me guessing until the ending. While we got to know Phyllida and a few other characters well, I did feel like we got too much of her thoughts, which slowed things down and kept us from getting to know the suspects better. Only a handful of scenes were told from someone other than Phyllida’s point of view, but when it happened, it always made sense. And one of those scenes was absolutely perfect that way. While current events don’t play a big part in this 1930’s set book, it does give us a clear picture of what life was like for servants during that time. I’m hoping to get to the next book soon.
