Daughter Of The Moon Goddess has to be one of the most beautiful books on my shelves. The cover art is stunning but would the story be just as gorgeous? The answer is yes, I was swept away by this magical, fantastical tale based upon the legend of the Chinese moon goddess in which the story of a young girl, Xingyin whose struggles to free her mother leads to a battle with the most powerful immortal in the realm. ⁣ ⁣ I buddy read this with bestie Janel from @keeperofpages as we were both keen to see whether we should preorder the second book in this incredible new duology. Although it took a while for me to feel settled with the story and world, that is to be expected with the creation of any new epic fantasy. ⁣ ⁣ From the very beginning I appreciated the grit, determination and bravery of our female lead, Xingyin as she confronts a number of extraordinary and deadly creatures but remains hellbent on her mission - freeing her mother, no matter the personal cost to herself. ⁣ ⁣ Perhaps predictably so, there is a semi love triangle/romance element to this novel and I was concerned that it would overshadow the person that Xingyin ends up becoming through her hazardous quest. However, I was delighted to discover that this part of the story is very much an aside. Her romantic attachments do not define her as a character (or a woman!) and she doesn’t let it affect the endpoint that she desires. There are a lot of difficult decisions to be made and I was also pleased to have a few surprises or “spanners in the work,” that I wasn’t expecting. ⁣ ⁣ I really enjoyed this fresh new voice in fantasy and look forward to the next book in the series! ⁣ ⁣ Four solid stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 #bookstagram #bookreview #bookrecommendations #fourstarreview #fourstarread #daughterofthemoongoddess #suelynntan #fantasyduologies #recommendedfantasy #chinesefolklore #buddyreadswithjanel #scottishbookstagrammer #prettiestbookcover #waterstonesexclusive https://www.instagram.com/p/CgfF5fHL6nW/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Sapphires Travel "Restaurant of the Week" goes to "STK Steakhouse" Atlanta. Very Intimate Date Night Restaurant. Our server was amazing, Gave a great balance of attention and privacy. Even the manager walked to room and address each and every customer dining. Something I always appreciate. Now the food. I'm personally not a fan of blue cheese but that blue cheese butter on the warm bread with the Au Jus was a perfect combination. The Maryland Crab Cake appetizer with the sauce (sorry I don't remember what what was in it) was delicious. My Entree was "Brasied Beef Short Ribs with Mashed Potato" and the other parties Entree was "Lobster Linguine" Both were good we also ordered Mac and Cheese with Bacon and Creamed Corn. They were large enough to share and were very good. But that Creamed Corn was the standout. I could eat that by itself. I almost forgot my cocktail was a Strawberry Cheesecake Martini. Different but yummy. I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ don't expect to spend 2 star Restaurant prices. It is definitely $$$$ but it is well worth it. Highly recommend. #sapphirestravel #independenttravelagent #independenttraveladvisor #stksteakhouse #stksteakhouseatl #downtownatlanta #traveldeals #traveladvisor #travel #travelagent #traveltheworld #worldtraveler #worldtravel #fourstarreview #personaltravelagent #atlanta #atl #georgia #getaway #flashsale #ohio #cle #cleveland #downtownatl #resturantoftheweek (at Downtown Atlanta, Georgia) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cey-j8Ounzm/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

CHECK OUT @theredheadnotes REVIEW OF BE!!! I am over the moon and so excited about this review!!! It means so much and I cannot thank Jennie enough!!!! 🥰 #BookReview #readingcommunity #BookRecommendation #bookrecommendations #bookblogger #theredheadnotes #ya #youngadult #benovel #beseries #be #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #readersofinstagram #fourstars #fourstarreview #authorsofinstagram #writingcommunity #writersofinstagram #indiebooks #indiesofinstagram #indiebookblogger #mustread https://www.instagram.com/p/CaAg8rnPBpS/?utm_medium=tumblr

REVIEW FOR WOMEN DON’T OWE YOU PRETTY BY FLORENCE GIVEN ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Overall, I found its book to be an excellent introduction to feminism and the issues surrounding the patriarchy. It is not intended to be a textbook or an in-depth examination of the topic, rather it is designed to open discussion and encourage change and self-reflection. The book covers a range of topics, including the patriarchy and the effect of the male gaze, recovering from trauma, learning to love yourself first, and red flags in relationships. The book is written in a friendly and accessible manner and is a thoroughly enjoyable read. I loved her open discussion of the topics with little bits of humour, and the illustrations inside are amazing! I'm definitely going to check out Florence's merch. One quotation in particular made me extremely emotional: 'Imagine all of the past versions of yourself... they are so proud of you.' This being said, I couldn't give this book five stars. The book doesn't say anything ground-breaking, which is absolutely fine, but I did also find it a little repetitive towards the end. There were a few parts that didn't sit right with me, not necessarily because of any of the content, but the way it was written. For example, Florence discusses racism, but even in this discussion the style of writing seemed to suggest a sense of otherness. The book constantly mentions 'Black people', 'people of colour', 'trans people', and mentions 'read more books by people of colour'. It appears that she is assuming these people won't read the book, that only white females will read it? Perhaps that is me nitpicking, but it just didn't quite sit right with me from her position of privilege, especially when she talks so much about it. She also talks a lot about her personal experience. I understand why she did this, but I did feel that perhaps it created a sense of disconnection in some parts. #womendontoweyoupretty #florencegiven #feminism #feministbooks #booksonfeminism #bookreview #fourstarreview #fourstarbookreview https://www.instagram.com/p/CSPqvseLK2U/?utm_medium=tumblr

4 Stars for Sarah Morgan's One Summer in Paris

4 Stars for Sarah Morgan’s One Summer in Paris

To celebrate their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, Grace has planned the surprise of a lifetime for her husband—a romantic getaway to Paris. But she never expected he’d have a surprise of his own: he wants a divorce. Reeling from the shock but refusing to be broken, a devastated Grace makes the bold decision to go to Paris alone.  Audrey, a young woman from London, has left behind a…

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New review for Relentless on goodreads #relentless #scottmullins #fourstarreview

Check out Kelly Lacey’s #bookreview for The Fall by Rachael Blok @MsRachaelBlok @AriesFiction @soph_ransompr #VirtualBookTour #BookTwt #Thriller #Fourstarreview

Check out Kelly Lacey’s #bookreview for The Fall by Rachael Blok @MsRachaelBlok @AriesFiction @soph_ransompr https://amzn.to/3NYVDm6 #VirtualBookTour #BookTwt #Thriller #Fourstarreview

The Fall by Rachael Blok Thank you to Sophie Random, at Ransom PR for the opportunity to be on the virtual book tour and for the gifted digital copy. All reviews are my own and come from the heart with honesty.  Review by Kelly Lacey  Having read Under The Ice by Rachael Blok and making it my book of the year for 2018. I am perplexed as to how I have missed the other books in the series.  The…

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*** UPDATES for the movie THE LOST CITY OF Z: Special London Movie Screening, Win Amazon Expedition and Movie Review with Rob mentioned. GEOVATION UK: Go to an exclusive screening of THE LOST CITY OF Z with a panel discussion on Thursday, March 16th 2017 at Picture House Central LONDON/UK at 05:30pm. Before the film screening there will be a discussion about Percy Fawcett’s journeys into the Amazon with a panel of key experts in the practice of exploration including David Grann, the author of the book. More info/tickets: https://geovation.uk/lost-city-z-exclusive-screening-panel-discussion-16-march/ INTREPID TRAVEL: Ever dreamed of exploring the Amazon? To celebrate the release of the film THE LOST CITY OF Z we've teamed up with StudioCanal to give one lucky winner (only for UK residents) the chance to win an exploration into the Amazon. Enter here: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/uk/lost-city-of-z-competition/?utm_campaign=lead&utm_medium=inclusion&utm_source=ordnance&utm_content=comp AVOIR ALIRE: Charlie Hunnam is lucky enough to be supported by a ROBERT PATTINSON of unfailing loyalty (the former Twilight premier continues to dazzle us after already IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCES in The Rover , Maps to the Stars , Cosmopolis and Life ). Read the whole FourStarReview: http://www.avoir-alire.com/the-lost-city-of-z-la-critique-du-film

Maze Runner (Maze Runner # 1) By: James Dashner Published: October 6, 2009 Pages: 374 Date Read: March 2015 My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis:

If you ain’t scared, you ain’t human. When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone. Nice to meet ya, shank. Welcome to the Glade. Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive. Everything is going to change. Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying. Remember. Survive. Run.

My Review: At first this book wasn’t even on my radar, the movie was about to come out and all I knew was that it was based on a YA novel. While I enjoyed The Hunger Games I was not interested in reading another distopian YA novel. I ended up renting the movie to watch with my kids and enjoyed it. I looked up the books on Amazon and the series was priced right so I got it. The differences between novel and movie was not too great. One difference that I did find was that the Gladers attitude towards newbies was a little too mean and harsh. You would think that they would be used to Newbies arriving to the Glade and being scared and confused, maybe their age and the fact that they are all teenagers made them a little immature, maybe that would explain it. I also found that the book starts off a liitle slow, but once it picks up the action kicks in and while I had seen the movie I was still locked in and turning pages. I liked the end of the novel better then the movie, and look foward to reading The Scorch Trials. This time I will be sure to read the novel before watching the movie.

The Bread The Devil Knead was definitely on my radar to read at some point but when it was shortlisted for the @womensprize I knew I had to prioritise it sooner. I have to admit, I was anticipating that it would be a five star read for me and it didn’t quite meet that mark but I still found it an affecting and powerful story that’s difficult to forget. ⁣ ⁣ This is the tale of Alethea Lopez, a woman who is almost 40 years old, managing a boutique, independent and not afraid to speak her mind. However, behind closed doors she has had an abusive upbringing, is now in a violent, abuse relationship with her partner and finds solace and comfort in an affair with her boss. Through Alethea’s eyes, we find out pieces of her life story that has made her the woman she is today and discover who she wants to be in the future. ⁣ ⁣ There are parts of this novel that are truly horrendous - ALL the trigger warnings for childhood abuse and domestic violence. It wasn’t an easy read but it’s certainly an important and thought provoking one. I loved the setting, the Trinidadian creole and the insight into Alethea’s life that made me root for her as a character. ⁣ ⁣ As a woman, it’s important to note that Alethea is strong, determined and independent but she has (and still continues to suffer) from abuse. So many women are thought of as weak when they stay with their partner through physical abuse but so often, we don’t know the story behind why they stay. Alethea’s story is devastating, brutal, real and raw. ⁣ ⁣ So what stopped me from giving it five stars? I think it was the ending. Without giving too much away, I think it all seemed to be wrapped up a little too neatly. I was relieved, of course for certain events but then I thought, is that realistic? Just my opinion and I would still heartily recommend this book as a fantastic work of literary fiction. ⁣ ⁣ Four solid stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 ⁣ #bookstagram #scottishbookstagrammer #bookreview #bookreviewer #recommendedreading #thebreadthedevilknead #lisaallenagostini #womensprizeforfiction #womensprizeshortlist2022 #mustreadnovels #domesticviolenceawareness #fourstarread #fourstarreview #booksthatmakeyouthink https://www.instagram.com/p/CfJ_kw_LPjV/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Mrs England was the second book I’ve read by Stacey Halls and I went into it with slight trepidation to be honest, having liked but not loved her first novel, The Familiars. However I was delighted to find myself completely engrossed and thoroughly entertained in the narrative from the very beginning right through to the end. ⁣ ⁣ This is the story of Ruby who secures a post at the home of Charles and Lilian England to look after their three children. As time goes by, Ruby begins to feel uncomfortable with the situation in the home, more specifically with the questionable behaviour of the peculiar Mrs England. Ruby finds out quite soon that she must fight and conquer her own personal demons if she is to have a chance of preventing history repeating itself. ⁣ ⁣ Mrs England is historical fiction at its most fantastic. I was completely immersed in the 1900’s alongside our intriguing female lead with a couple of juicy little mysteries to capture and hold my attention. I did manage to work out a little of what was going on behind the scenes but there were still enough surprises to keep me reading on. ⁣ ⁣ Was everything resolved just how I would like? Perhaps not and without giving too much away, I found the reaction (or lack of reaction, should that be?) to an incident by Ruby quite perplexing. However, it was still a great read that I would highly recommend to fans of the author and any new to her work. ⁣ ⁣ Four solid stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 ⁣ ⁣ #bookstagram #bookstagramuk #bookreview #bookreviewer #mrsengland #staceyhalls #historicalfiction #ukhistoricalfiction #fourstarreview #fourstarread #secondtimelucky #beautifulbooks #scottishbookstagrammer #bookswithamystery https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd3e_g_gEcj/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I’ve really enjoyed Beth O’Leary’s books although it took me a bit longer than I’d have liked to get to The Switch and The Road Trip. Whilst I loved The Switch, I didn’t have the same connection to The Road Trip so I was delighted that I seemed to gobble up her latest read, The No Show as enthusiastically as I did. ⁣ ⁣ Believe me when I say you want to go into The No Show knowing as little as possible about the storyline. I’m definitely not a spoiler kind of gal, so I’ll let you know the bare minimum. It’s about three very different women - Siobhan, a passionate life coach, Miranda, a tree surgeon is treated like “one of the guys,” in a very male dominated profession and Jane, a volunteer in a charity shop, soft spoken and full of self doubt. All three women get stood up by the same man on the worst night possible - Valentine’s Day. ⁣ ⁣ The reader is party to each woman’s story as we get to know them all following their disastrous dates. We also meet the man in question, Joseph Carter as he negotiates his relationships with the three women. ⁣ ⁣ Seems quite fluffy and light on the outside right? Well if you know me, you’ll know that I don’t often do fluffy and light in my fiction, there has to be an extra something that will hold my interest and give me a reason to keep turning those pages. ⁣ ⁣ The No Show had my attention from the start and continued to intrigue me as the narrative dug a little deeper. I think I fell in love with the characters first and foremost as I found them all to have that magic substance where I cared about what was going to happen to them in their lives. As for the romance side, that’s always a bit more difficult to sell to me, but the author managed it wonderfully well (considering I’m probably one of the most critical romance readers out there!). Highly recommended for fans of the author and the genre. ⁣ ⁣ Four solid stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 ⁣ ⁣ #bookstagram #bookreview #bookreviewer #thenoshow #betholearyauthor #quercusbooks #readingonmykindle #fourstarread #fourstarreview #contemporaryfiction #unforgettablestories #memorablereads #readthisbook #booksthatsurprisedme #notatypicalromance https://www.instagram.com/p/Cdqr2_bohBc/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

The Lost Ones is a debut novel by @anitafrank that I’ve been chomping at the bit to read. Not only was it shortlisted for both the Goldsboro Books Glass Bell award and the Historical Writers Association Debut Crown award but this captivating story has everything I could want in a piece of Gothic fiction - secrets, intrigue, mystery, thrills and more than a few spine tingling moments. ⁣ ⁣ In combination with all this, let’s throw in some strange noises, terrifying ghostly activity and a housekeeper that very much reminded me of Mrs Danvers in Rebecca and you’ve got yourself a book that is both compelling and very difficult to put down! ⁣ The story is set in 1917 and our female protagonist, Stella Marcham who is grieving for the loss of her fiancé during the war comes to support and stay at her pregnant sister Madeleine’s home while her husband is away. This home is the property of Madeleine’s husband Hector and his difficult mother in law still resides there along with her companion and a housekeeper, Mrs Henge.⁣ ⁣ It’s not long before Stella becomes aware of the tragic history of the house by means of small footprints, crying at night and disturbing poltergeist activity. However, she will soon find out that everyone in the house has secrets. Secrets they would rather not be revealed. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this novel. The whole atmosphere was written with such electricity and the plot seemed to bounce off the pages with its hypnotic energy. The characters were beautifully drawn and I was transported straight into Stella’s world immediately and for every single word until the end. I can’t wait to read whatever this author writes next! Four stunning stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #fourstarreview #fourstarreads #thelostones #anitafrank #gothicfiction #historicalfiction #bookstagrammer #readthisbook https://www.instagram.com/p/CRW3_ZkLIxK/?utm_medium=tumblr

I’ve read a few books by Fredrik Backman now and even had the pleasure of interviewing him when I had my blog for his novel My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry. As a writer, Backman is delightfully funny, quirky and really manages to get to the heart of the story he’s telling. ⁣ ⁣ This was the same with Anxious People which I was lucky to buddy read with my gorgeous bestie @emmasbookishcorner It follows a bank robbery that isn’t really a bank robbery and some anxious people that are thrown together in unprecedented circumstances and emerge changed and more thoughtful as a result. ⁣ ⁣ As with all of his novels so far, the characters are just beautifully realised. The author uses such a diverse group of individuals but manages to make each one shine in their own special way. There is humour, thought-provoking moments, surprising instances, gratitude and humility but more than that, I felt as a reader very intimately close to each one of them, as if I knew them personally. ⁣ ⁣ Backman’s writing is so fluid, absorbing and easy to sink into that it was a pleasure to be back in one of his novels again. It’s extraordinary the ground he covers in such a short space of time and I really admired what he was trying to say within and outside of the novel. I think it’s safe to say that he’s now one of my favourite authors and I’m excited to read the books still on my backlist. ⁣ ⁣ Four solid stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 ⁣ #bookstagram #bookworm #bookreview #bookreviewer #fourstarread #fourstarreview #fredrikbackman #anxiouspeople #buddyreads #buddyreadswithemma #readingwithmyfriends #memorablereads #booklover https://www.instagram.com/p/CcLstW1LccE/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I feel like the year of 2022 has so far been the year of buddy reads and of getting round to those books that have been on my shelf for ages and I just haven’t got round to yet! Luckily Laura from @tangentsbb and Claire from @youcantbeatagoodbook were there to persuade me to read The Intoxicating Mr Lavelle. To be honest, I didn’t need that much persuading anyway 🤣⁣ ⁣ This wonderful piece of historical fiction is the tale of two brothers, Benjamin and Edgar Bowen who embark together on a Grand Tour of Europe, strongly encouraged by their overbearing mother who is desperate for them to meet people of “quality.” ⁣ ⁣ However, the tour doesn’t quite go to plan when they come across a stranger, the aforementioned Mr Lavelle who is the complete antithesis of the people their mother was hankering for them to meet. Horace Lavelle is seductive, loud, ambivalent and devil may care and soon Benjamin becomes entranced by both his way of living and indeed, his way of thinking. This fated meeting between the three men has the staggering effect of changing all their lives forever. ⁣ ⁣ I really enjoyed this story, particularly as the author took us between cities/countries. It felt as if with each chapter, the reader was embarking on a brand new adventure with very little clues as to where they were going to end up. There are unlikeable characters in abundance but they were fascinating, richly drawn and captured my attention from the minute they were written on the page. ⁣ ⁣ I’m definitely keen to read more from Neil Blackmore and am already eyeing up his novel The Dangerous Kingdom Of Love.⁣ ⁣ Four solid stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 ⁣ ⁣ #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookreview #bookreviewer #buddyreads #theyearofbuddyreads #theintoxicatingmrlavelle #neilblackmore #lgbtfiction #historicalfiction #memorablereads #fourstarreview #fourstarread #recommendedreads #gorgeousbooks https://www.instagram.com/p/CcD6A5lrzMN/?utm_medium=tumblr

This Woven Kingdom was my first book from my @illumicrate box subscription and I really hoped that the story inside would match the beauty of this exclusive edition. I’ve read some Tahereh Mafi before, most notably her YA Shatter Me series many years ago so I was also looking forward to re-visiting her as an author. Furthermore, I was lucky enough to buddy read this with bestie @keeperofpages and yes, I can confirm that not only is there a gorgeous story but it’s the first in a series that I’m excited to continue. ⁣ ⁣ This Woven Kingdom focuses on a young woman called Alizeh who works her fingers to the bone as a servant/general dogsbody but is actually the rightful heir to an ancient jinn kingdom forced to hide themselves due to general prejudice against their kind. The prince and heir to the throne Kamran, is aware of the prophecies regarding the death of the king but cannot quite believe when he meets Alizeh by chance one day that she will uproot his would forever. ⁣ ⁣ Okay, so you might be able to see where this is going and I understand that - it might be slightly predictable in terms of relationships that may or may not form. However, it is the character development of our female lead and the gentle introduction into a fantasy world that I appreciated the most.⁣ ⁣ This novel is the first in a trilogy so setting the scene and adequately preparing the reader (whilst not giving too much away) is crucial. This Woven Kingdom had just the right level of intrigue and surprise to ensure that the reader is keen to continue and remembers to come back for the second part. I can only hope that the author doesn’t keep us waiting too long, I’m excited to see where Alizeh’s journey is going to take her. ⁣ ⁣ Four solid stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 ⁣ ⁣ #bookstagram #bookstagramuk #fantasynovels #bookreview #bookreviewer #fourstarread #fourstarreview #thiswovenkingdom #taherehmafi #fantasyauthors #femaleauthorsrock #fantasyseries #fantasytrilogy #givefantasyachance #buddyreads #buddyreadswithjanel #readingwithfriends #beautifulbooks #illumicrateexclusives https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbf0_I2LA-s/?utm_medium=tumblr