Brother by Ania Ahlborn

 

Deep in the heart of Appalachia stands a crooked farmhouse miles from any road. The Morrows keep to themselves, and it's served them well so far. When girls go missing off the side of the highway, the cops don't knock on their door. Which is a good thing, seeing as to what's buried in the Morrows' backyard. 

But nineteen-year-old Michael Morrow isn't like the rest of his family. He doesn't take pleasure in the screams that echo through the trees. Michael pines for normalcy, and he's sure that someday he'll see the world beyond West Virginia. When he meets Alice, a pretty girl working at a record shop in the small nearby town of Dahlia, he's immediately smitten. For a moment, he nearly forgets about the monster he's become. But his brother, Rebel, is all too eager to remind Michael of his place…

I’ve seen this book all over Instagram, so thought I’d give it a go. Wow, this was so good, a bit effed up, but was such a good story. There were so many parts which I was shocked, there’s some rough stuff that goes on, so you may think I am mad for being so upset during some of it. My heart broke for michael, it’s not his fault he was brought into this wierd messed up family, and made to do some awful stuff, but he wants out, he doesn’t like what his ‘family’ do. Rebel, Michaels older brother, is an absolute psychopath, what a nasty nasty piece of work he is. 

I don't’ think anyone can really tell what this book is about properly without reading it, and once you have you will see its not what you would first think. Such a good read.

The Pumpkin Spice Cafe by Laurie Gilmore

 

When Jeanie's aunt gifts her the beloved Pumpkin Spice Cafe in the small town of Dream Harbor, Jeanie jumps at the chance for a fresh start away from her very dull desk job.

Logan is a local farmer who avoids Dream Harbor's gossip at all costs. But Jeanie's arrival disrupts Logan's routine and he wants nothing to do with the irritatingly upbeat new girl, except that he finds himself inexplicably drawn to her.

Will Jeanie's happy-go-lucky attitude win over the grumpy-but-gorgeous Logan, or has this city girl found the one person in town who won't fall for her charm, or her pumpkin spice lattes…

We’ve all seen this one all over Bookstagram and BookTok right? Well I grabbed it when it was 99p to see what all the fuss was about. Also I love a PSL, Autumn, and cosy small town romances. 

Wow this book was brilliant, it certainly lived up to the hype. First off we have to talk about Logan… phwoar! A sexy, plaid shirt-ed farmer. I had a very good image of him in my head. I love him, I think he’s my new book boyfriend, sorry Jeanie! He had some of my favourite scenes in the book, and some of my favourite lines too… 'Walk you home?' he nearly growled the words into her ear.  Phew is it getting hot in here??  

Anyway focus Dee, focus. I loved his character, and I loved Jeanie. She’s the type I think I’d be friends with if I lived in a little town like that, you know the likes of Stars Hollow, Serenity, Virgin River etc. There are some side characters there that I’d like to read a bit more about too, and I saw book 2 is out next year, and focuses on Noah and Hazel (and it’s set in a BOOKSHOP!!!).

Perfect book for this time of year, and I think it will be one of my favourites of 2023!

Juno Loves Legs by Karl Geary

 

Juno Loves Legs is the story of two teens labeled as delinquents. Juno and “Legs” grow up on the same housing estate in Dublin, where spirited, intelligent Juno is ostracized for her poverty and Legs is persecuted for his sexuality; they find safety only in each other. 

Set against the backdrop of Dublin in the 1980s, a place of political, social and religious change, the friends yearn for an unbound life and together they begin to fight to take up the space of who they truly are. As their defiance reverberates through their lives, the children are further alienated from their surrounding society through acts of bravery and cowardice, both their own and others’. Finding themselves as outsiders, they are feared, coveted and watched, but rarely truly seen.

Told through the eyes of Juno, we see the pair begin to navigate the political and oftentimes confusing adult world with honesty and intuition. A country emerging from a dark Catholicism into the wider world of possibilities. Who is invited into modernity and gentrification and who is left behind?

Caught between the rich depth of her intellect and the harsh reality of her life, we follow Juno as she begins to understand how divergent a life lived and a life thought can be.

Me and my pal Kath read this as a buddy read, and I loved it so so much, it gave me feels of Shuggie Bain and Young Mungo (by Douglas Stuart, which if you haven’t read yet you must now, or forever unfriend me!). The poverty Juno and Legs endure, is well seen within the story, and I couldn’t help but feel so sorry for them both. I loved Juno’s imagination though, I liked the parts where she was talking to the librarian. The love between Legs and Juno was immense, regardless of his sexuality, and there not ebing romance between them, the love they had for each other was so real, you could feel it jump at you from the pages.

There were times when I cried, so many sad things happen, and as they grow older we dive deeper into a life they don’t want to live but get pulled into. The ending was both happy and sad, and yet Mr Geary… I think it was just perfect.

In The Company of Strangers

 

She had everything she ever wanted – apart from love.

As the wife of a wealthy but cruel businessman, Mona has all her heart desires: money, friends, social status… everything aside from freedom.

Reconnecting with old friend, Meera, introduces her to a world of glamour, parties and covert affairs. And when she meets Ali, a young man whose beautiful exterior hides the pain of his humble roots and family tragedy, Mona feels alive for the very first time.

Heady with love, Mona and Ali begin a delicate game of deceit that spirals out of control. But in a world where danger lurks on every corner, their forbidden love may not only destroy Mona’s marriage, but have tragic and long-lasting consequences.

I loved No Honor by Awais Khan, so I knew I had to buy In The Company Of Strangers. Luckily I bought one that isn’t in print anymore so it’s a bit more special!! This meant though that I didn’t want to take it on holiday with me so had to buy the ebook too. Awais knows that it took me a long time to get through this, I hardly read none on holiday apart from fits and starts on the flights, so I had to ksim back through those parts before continuing on. But once I did, I flew through it and loved it! 

The characters are all so different, but intertwine in ways I didn’t see. The Elite and the non elite, their lives are so different. I loved Mona, and rooted for her so much throughout. Were there times when I thought she was a bit much? Yeah of course, but knowing her life, the way she was treated, I just wanted her to be happy and free. I really really liked Ali, I had a perfect picture of him in my head while reading, and oh he’s just beautiful. I hated, and I mean hated, Bilal, Monas husband. What an arsehole, awful awful man.

The ending came from nowhere and struck my heart so hard, I cried, of course I did. But wow, what a punch this book delivers. Awais writes with such passion, his stories are brilliant. I can’t wait to read his new one, Someone Like Her.

Thank you for your amazing stories Awais, and for signing my book!!

The Confession by Charlotte Bigland

 

They said they killed her. But they didn't - you did.

I should never have gone to her house. But I was desperate to ask her some questions about that night. About what she saw when Joe fell from the bridge.

All I wanted was some honesty, for someone else to have seen what I saw.

I never meant to hurt her. To push her.

As she lay at the bottom of the stairs, blood pooling around her head, I knew it was the end for me too.

I kept expecting the knock on the door, the police, the handcuffs. But it never came.

On the news, they are reporting someone has come forward and confessed to her murder.

But that can't be true. Because her killer is me…

Thanks so much to InstaBookTours for including me in the tour for this one! I was excited to read it.

So the first thing I notice is that this book is kind of set in my hometown of Newcastle, with the rest being set in Manchester. I love when books are set where I’m from so it intrigued me a little more. The story gets off to a good start, what the hell happened that night when Joe ‘fell’ from the bridge? Well we go on a mission to find out. I liked the character of Ela (or Elizabeth), and was rooting for her to figure out what went on. The side characters along the way were annoying, her Step Dad Liev for one was a big pain in the backside. But they all fit in somewhere, some more than others. I was quite shocked at the ending, a twist I didn’t see coming, I thought it was going to end in a different direction. So well done to Charlotte Bigland for that!

Thanks again to InstaBookTours, Charlotte Bigland, and Embala Books for letting me read this early.

Woom by Duncan Ralston

 

The Lonely Motel holds many dark secrets... and Room 6 just might possess the worst of them all.Angel knows all about pain. His mother died in this room. He's researched its history. Today he's come back to end it, no matter the cost, once and for all.Shyla, a plus-sized prostitute, thinks the stories Angel tells her can't be true. Secrets so vile, you won't want to let them inside you.But the Lonely Motel doesn't forget. It doesn't forgive. And it always claims its victim.

HOLY SHIT…… what the actual hell was this book?! Ok so this book I’ve avoided for a while but it intrigued me too, so I thought I may as well give it a go. Wow, what the actual. This book is mad, it’s absolutely off its head nuts. The stories Angel tells Shyla are so effed up, but I think the ending is the most disturbing part. I’m not suprised Shyla thinks the stories are made up as they’re crazy! 

We go through the book with Angel telling Shyla a few different stories, all while doing things to her, she’s a prostitute. Boy oh boy was this book unlike anything i’ve read before. If you like shock and freaked out gore, this one may be for you.

Saving Noah by Lucinda Berry

Meet Noah—an A-honor roll student, award-winning swimmer, and small-town star destined for greatness. There weren’t any signs that something was wrong until the day he confesses to molesting little girls during swim team practice. He’s sentenced to eighteen months in a juvenile sexual rehabilitation center. 

His mother, Adrianne, refuses to turn her back on him despite his horrific crimes, but her husband won’t allow Noah back into their home. In a series of shocking and shattering revelations, Adrianne is forced to make the hardest decision of her life. Just how far will she go to protect her son?

So I’ve been wanting to read a Lucinda Berry book for a while so why not jump in at the deep end and start with this one. It’s a massively controversial topic and I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about it.

This book was really good, I gave it 4 stars. So I cried, not for Noah but for his mother. The way this made me feel being the mother of a 14 year old boy was awful. The way I wanted to cuddle his mum and make her be ok was there all throughout the book. I hated Noah, but I also hated what he went through after, but was it justified? It’s an awful thing to think but I would move heaven and earth to punish someone who had hurt my child.

A good book, hard storyline, and a twist I didn’t see coming!! Onto her next book….