My latest reads – Books of 2023
With a three night girls relaxing holiday to Marrakech, in amongst the site seeing there was plenty of opportunity for soaking up a book or two whilst we soaked up the rays. Two weeks later and a five night surprise birthday trip to Palma with Stuart (no kids – dreamy!), gave me even more time to fall back in love with reading…and that’s just what I did. Remember when breaks away were just reasons to have a shag fest? No thanks, I’m good with my book. LOLS.
A mixture of cultural, thriller/crime, auto biographies and rom-com has been nourished and each gave me just what I needed, literary, at that time!
Introducing my latest reads – my books of 2023:
Ashley Cain – Strong
Not necessarily a book I would have picked myself, but having been given it as a gift, I started reading. I have followed Ashley, Saf and Azaylia’s story from the beginning so I was pleased to read more about the things that you don’t see on the IG squares. I completed this book in a day! Easy reading in terms of soaking it in, hard reading due to the nature of the personal story but uplifting to to read from the heart of a man with the strength of an ox!
Candice Braithwaite – I am your mother
I had this in my Kindle library for months and finally decided to give it a go. I wasn’t really sure what it was all about or where it would go, but after a few pages I really fell in love with Candice, she seems a real force to be reckoned with and I am always inspired by humans who stand up for what they believe. I for one felt a lot more educated after turning the last page.
Daniel Hurst – The Woman at the Door
I’ve read a few of Hurst’s books before so I was really looking forward to getting started on this one. I love a whodunnit, and this one was one with a real twist. I’m hoping that this storyline is based on fantasy and not something that really goes on on the dark web!
Rachel McClean – Deadly Wishes
Zoe Finch is West Mids police newest DI and I instantly liked her character. The storyline was a bit too back and forth for me, and there were too many people that they tried to put in the line of suspicion. I read it all the way to the end but I did find part way through that I just wanted it over so I could find out who did actually do it!
Holly Bourne – Girl Friends
I was all up for Holly Bourne’s next novel as I have loved her others. This one, I just couldn’t quite get onboard with…maybe I am way out of my ‘young author era’ now I’m middle aged. HA. It was a nice look and reminder to how female friendships were growing up, and how we grow through them but it wasn’t one of my faves.
Rachel Dove – Ten Dates
You know those books that you need at the time, Ten Dates was one of them. Ordinarily, I’d probably find it a bit slow going and dull but actually I was totally rooting for Alice and Callum. And as with all good love stories, there is a happy ever after..
Mike Gayle – Brand New Friend
If you have ever read any of my other book reviews, you will know that I am a huge Mike Gayle fan! The thing I love about Mike’s stories are the way he makes you fall in love with the characters, and how could any reader not be rooting for Rob! When his longterm girlfriend asks him to move cities, we follow the adventures of Rob trying to make friends in his thirties. And when he finally does, should he admit that it’s maybe not the gender that his girlfriend was imagining….
TM Logan – The Holiday
Seven Days. Three Families. One Holiday. This will seriously make you re-consider a summer holiday away with friends! I really enjoyed this book, in the main told by the main character Kate. The chapters were short and snappy, keeping my interest piqued throughout. The ending….well, lets just say I wasn’t expecting that.
Anna Whitehouse – Underbelly
Having been a fan of Anna/Mother Pukka’s campaigning for Flex Appeal I was thrilled when I realised she had a novel out. This one led us into the ‘real’ world – the underbelly – of social media and just how deceiving it can be. Following the story of Dylan and Lo, we go on a journey to see how two women who on the outset are poles apart – guide each other through the joys of motherhood and life, with a few twists and turns and a Tattle-esque forum thrown in for good measure. Worth a read.
