The Ministry Of Time - Kaliene Bradley

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The Ministry Of Time - Kaliene Bradley

Speculative Fiction

Rating: 8/10

In the near future, a civil servant is offered the salary of her dreams and is, shortly afterward, told what project she’ll be working on. A recently established government ministry is gathering “expats” from across history to establish whether time travel is feasible. This is the sort of novel you fall into, only to come up for breath to eat and sleep, though you may forgo the sleep. What can I say…I was charmed.

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Hitting The Books-February 2025

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Hitting The Books-February 2025

This month’s read-a-likes are curated for the release of Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister. The story of a wife who awakens to find her husband gone with only a note left behind. She struggles with understanding the why of it all and when the truth begins to reveal itself, she will long to a return to a blissful state of ignorance. You know what they say…fool me once.

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A Lid For Every Pot...

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Romance Novels That Will Make You Swoon…

If you're a reader of Paranormal Romance, I have some news for you. We're rule breakers. Rebels. The magnetic-eyed eccentrics of the genre who won't accept society's stifling and conservative demands! We want sex, we want scandalous behaviour, and we want hot, superhuman characters to have it with. A LOT of it with. And for the icing on this yummy cake, sassy and snarky banter is a must. Is that really too much to ask? With my latest feature, I’ve got you covered. Or maybe uncovered is a better way to put it…no judgement here!

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Assistant To The Villain - Hannah Nicole Maehrer

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Assistant To The Villain - Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Fantasy/Romansy

Rating: 8/10

Job Description: Must be organized and detail oriented. Must be comfortable with arson, murder, torture and random mayhem. Must not, no matter the circumstances, scream. Must not tell your boss, “The Villain”, that he’s not all that bad. And very handsome. This charming read was mischievous and absurd, with romantic cliches peppered throughout that the author slanted in ways that rendered them hilarious!

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The Hitchcock Hotel - Stephanie Wrobel

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The Hitchcock Hotel - Stephanie Wrobel

Thriller

Rating: 7/10

“Always make the audience suffer as much as possible.” Alfred Hitchcock. Alfred Smettle is not your average Hitchcock fan. He is the owner of the Hitchcock Hotel, a rather creepy place dedicated to the Master of Suspense. Where every room has been transformed with memorabilia and guests are offered round the clock screenings of Hitchcock’s films. Hitchcock motifs are layered into this novel in brilliant ways…don’t miss my Top 20 films included in the review!

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Hidden Storyteller - Mandy Robotham

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Hidden Storyteller - Mandy Robotham

Historical Fiction

Rating: 8/10

Journalist Georgie isn’t prepared for what she finds when she returns to Germany once the war is over. The fighting might be over, but the ravages of it are plain to see. A crumbling city, hundreds of thousands of displaced souls as hungry for warmth as they are for food. With the help of a ragtag group, she might find a way to tell the story of the people and the war no one wanted. Beautifully written!

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All The Colours Of The Dark - Chris Whitaker - 2024 Top Book Pick!

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All The Colours Of The Dark - Chris Whitaker - 2024 Top Book Pick!

Fiction

Rating: 9.5/10

When Patch is abducted during a brave attempt to spare another, his best friend Saint will stop at nothing to find him. She will not sleep, or eat. She will chase the police for answers. She will never give up, never back down. When she does find him, neither will ever be the same. Following decades of friendship, this gifted author reminds us that although some things may be lost to us, more survive despite the harshest odds. Patch and Saint will take up residence in your heart, and you will be better for it. Not to be missed!

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Bang-Bang Sisters - Rio Youers - 2024 Top Book Pick!

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Bang-Bang Sisters - Rio Youers - 2024 Top Book Pick!

Thriller

Rating: 9/10

A rip-roaring, action packed crime novel starring three bandmates who moonlight as vigilantes. They find themselves caught in a trap when they follow a lead to a serial killer they have been hunting. Instead they find themselves pitted against each other in a fight to the death. They will need to find a way to flip the script; new game, new stakes, new players. I feel like if Tarantino wrote a book, it might read like this! Brilliant!

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All This & More - Peng Shepherd - 2024 Top Book Pick!

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All This & More - Peng Shepherd - 2024 Top Book Pick!

Speculative Fiction

Rating: 9/10

Marsh never imagined she would be chosen as the star of season three of All This & More. A reality show with a simple premise; each season the chosen one will have ten episodes to try and alter their life path. With quantum bubbling they can try multiple versions, moving back and forth until they land on the do over they are looking for. The possibilities seem endless to Marsh, but if life has taught us nothing else, be wary if something seems to good to be true. The reader can follow paths of their own choosing too! There are 27. I counted.

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Killer Queens...

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Felon(ish) Females In Fiction…

Gone are the days when female characters were confined to boring old stereotypes and placed into predetermined boxes. Sure, they could be a little sassy and occasionally snarky, but only within the confines of societal expectations. But guess what? Those limits are getting blasted wide open, and the ladies are unlocking a whole new level of villainy, and let me tell you, the potential for mischief and mayhem is off the charts! Damn, it’s a good time to be alive. If you haven’t done so already, it’s time to keep company with a murderess or two. Trust me, you’re safe. Probably…

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Last Murder At The End Of The World - Stuart Turton

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Last Murder At The End Of The World - Stuart Turton

Sci-Fi/Mystery

Rating: 8.5/10

If Sherlock Holmes and M. Night Shyamalan had a book baby, this would be it! The island is idyllic: 122 villagers and three scientists living in peaceful harmony. The villagers are content to be of service in sustaining their way of life; doing what they are told. Until, to their horror, one the scientists is found brutally murdered and they discover that the security system keeping a deadly fog at bay has failed. And that’s before they find out about the AI that knows all their thoughts, and might be manipulating them.

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Loose Lips - Kemper Donovan

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Loose Lips - Kemper Donovan

Mystery

Rating: 9/10

I have never really understood the whole cruise thing. Voluntarily imprisoning oneself on a slow-moving island with endless activities tailored to be “fun”, but more like a form a shared torture from my perspective. No thanks. Well, if I was looking to have my mind changed, this book had no hope of that! As with this author’s first book, I loved the wry banter, the masterful grasp and dispensation of red herrings, the eccentric cast of characters.

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Vantage Point - Sara Sligar

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Vantage Point - Sara Sligar

Fiction/Thriller

Rating: 9/10

Clara can’t remember when she learned about the family curse. There was no pomp and circumstance, nobody came out and said, Clara everyone thinks your family is irrevocably doomed. She and her brother Teddy had to figure it out on their own, piecing together the truth from the whispers around them. And once they had the whole story…all hell broke loose. One of the best last minute twists I have read in a while!

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Wrap It Up...Chapter Three...Sleuths & Such

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Books Full Of Mystery, Thrills & Chills…

My Christmas wish for you is this, let books be the gift you choose to give. To others, and to yourself. May they provide an escape, a door into a world of wonder, a glimpse at an everyday hero’s inspirational tale, a reminder that laughter is indeed the best medicine, and that words and stories are sustenance for the soul, and in our darkest moments, a soft place to land. Find a cozy spot, crack open a book and have a wonderful, joyous, and peaceful holiday season.

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Wrap It Up...Chapter Two...Fictional Finds

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Books For Those That Love The Art Of Storytelling…

My Christmas wish for you is this, let books be the gift you choose to give. To others, and to yourself. May they provide an escape, a door into a world of wonder, a glimpse at an everyday hero’s inspirational tale, a reminder that laughter is indeed the best medicine, and that words and stories are sustenance for the soul, and in our darkest moments, a soft place to land. Find a cozy spot, crack open a book and have a wonderful, joyous, and peaceful holiday season.

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Guess Who's Coming To Dinner...

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Family…With The Drama

Blue Sisters – Coco Mellors

The Mighty Red – Louise Erdrich

The Leap Year Gene – Shelley Wood

Shred Sisters – Besty Lerner

Haunt Sweet Home – Sarah Pinsker

Tell Me Everything – Elizabeth Strout

Intermezzo – Sally Rooney

Lies And Weddings – Kevin Kwan

By Any Other Name – Jodi Picoult

Wellness – Nathan Hill

The Life Impossible – Matt Haig

The Lost Story – Meg Shaffer

It All Comes Down To This – Therese Anne Fowler

Long Island Compromise – Taffy Brodesser-Akner

However Far Away – Rajinderpal S. Pal

The Same Bright Stars – Ethan Joella

Dear Edward – Ann Napolitano

The Magnificent Ruins – Nayantara Roy

The Seven Sisters – Lucinda Riley

Tell It Like It Is(n't)...

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Books With Unreliable Narrators…

The Confession - Charolette Bigland

Hitchcock Hotel - Stephanie Wrobel

First Lie Wins - Ashley Elston

The Sequel - Hean Hanff Korelitz

The Big Fix - Holly James

Presumed Guilty - Scott Turow

This Story Is A Lie - Tom Pollock

Diary Of A Murderer - Young Ha-Kim

Goodnight Beautiful - Aimee Molloy

Yellowface - R.F. Kuang

My Murder - Katie Williams

The Other People - CB Everett

The End Of The Story - A.J. Finn

Things Don't Break On Their Own - Sarah Easton Collins

The Coworker - Frieda McFadden

The Split - Kit Frick

Last Murder At The End Of The World - Stuart Turton

Silent Patient - Alex Michaelides

Dear Child - Romy Hausman