Verity by Colleen Hoover #Verity #paperbackbooks #bookreview @colleenhoover @BooksSphere

 

Verity by Colleen Hoover

Published by Sphere

Publication Date:16th December 2021

Book Description:

Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish.

Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity's notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn't expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity's recollection of the night their family was forever altered.

Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already-grieving father. But as Lowen's feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife's words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue loving her . . .

My Thoughts:

Verity is another book which I have studiously avoided due to the massive hype that surrounds it. But recently I must have been experiencing a dose of FOMO and decided to read a few of the books which have been stealing the headlines of the book world during recent times - the ones which continue to make waves after a considerable amount of time - in order to find out if they're really worth it.  

Verity arrived at the top of the TBR pile as the option for a buddy read with my daughter - an interesting choice for a mother-daughter read you may think. Hmm...we wondered the same once we'd reached a few chapters in and established that the content of this book is, well...quite smutty, shall we say! (Don't worry, my daughter is in her mid-twenties, so is a young adult and it actually made for an interesting discussion regarding the type of content and us perhaps having different viewpoints based on age. Part way through I wondered whether it was because I'm middle-aged (eek! when did that happen?!) that I rolled my eyes so many times and thought "oh good grief, here we go again!" when yet another sex scene was written in detail - whatever happened to the fade to black style of writing these things?? I don't think I'm a prude,but you only need so much of that to describe the type of relationship a couple are in: OK, I understand! Move on! I'm not sorry to say that I skipped a fair amount of pages due to this. 

Anyway, I digress. The overall storyline introduces struggling author Lowen Ashleigh, who is literally at the point of being evicted from her home when she is introduced by her agent to the husband of extraordinarily successful author Verity Crawford. Her publishers have a multi-book deal set up and it has been decided that a ghost writer is needed to complete the series, as Verity herself is incapacitated following a car crash and is not in a position to write the books herself. The task falls to Lowen, who is required to work through all of Verity's notes to try to work out where she was planning on taking the final instalments of the series and writing convincing books for the publishers to take to market. As she investigates the contents of Verity's office, she discovers a manuscript hidden away which makes suggestions that the reality of Verity's life had lots of secrets hidden from her husband, some of which would completely change his view of the events leading up to Verity's car crash.

As I read through this book, it almost felt like there were two separate books going on; a mystery/thriller which (being my favoured genre) I was intrigued by, and a spicy "romance" which I felt kind of was relevant but not to the extent it kept cropping up (see my earlier comments). I kept wondering where these two vastly different stories would dovetail, and I'm still not entirely convinced that they did. I enjoyed the concept of Lowen reading Verity's manuscript - it was kind of like a book within the book, which is really clever - however I found the everyday "creepy" happenings in the story a little bit predictable and not always particularly credible. If I hadn't have been buddy reading, there were times that I possibly would have abandoned the book as it was quite repetitive in the middle section however every now and then there would be a twist or suggestion which would drag me back in to keep me engaged.

For me - and many others, I've since found out after finishing the book - the ending made the whole thing worthwhile. I found myself deliberating various facts from the manuscript and comparing them with the version of the truth that Verity's husband was living with - there is definitely still a lot to ponder over in this book once you filter out the unnecessary bits. Which side of the "Verity fence" do I sit on? I'm still not sure even now, a couple of weeks after completing the book. If you haven't already read it, I would recommend the thriller side of the storyline and if you like a smutty read this is definitely one you'll enjoy. The arguments and discussions (for which there are many forums set up online) will rumble on for the rest of time I think, however I couldn't offer more than around 3.75 stars to this book, although I do see why people press it into the hands of their friends. I, however, won't be one of them.

About the Author:

Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times and International bestselling author of multiple novels and novellas. She lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys. She is the founder of The Bookworm Box, a non-profit book subscription service and bookstore in Sulphur Springs, Texas.

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden #NetGalley #TheHousemaid #paperbackbook #bookreview @bookouture @Freida_McFadden

 

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

Published by Bookouture

Publication Date: 26th April 2022

Book Description:

“Welcome to the family,” Nina Winchester says as I shake her elegant, manicured hand. I smile politely, gazing around the marble hallway. Working here is my last chance to start fresh. I can pretend to be whoever I like. But I’ll soon learn that the Winchesters’ secrets are far more dangerous than my own…

Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor.

I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband.

I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out… and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late.

But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am.

They don’t know what I’m capable of…

My Thoughts:

Finally, this book filtered to the top of my pile! And I think one reason for this taking so long is all the hype that has surrounded it, and its sequel The Housemaid's Secret. I'm not one for following the crowd while the hype is high, it's more of a deterrent for me than a reason to jump on the bandwagon so now things are a little calmer, I felt the time was right to see whether I agree with the buzz that this book (and its author) have brought to the book world. 

This book is written from 2 points of view: the housemaid, Millie and her employer Nina Winchester. Chapters are clearly titled so it's clear whose voice we are hearing - although it would be difficult to mix things up in this respect. Millie has had a tough start in life, a fact she does not shy away from - it's made her who she is, right to her core. Nina, however, has many more layers to her character and not all of them are pleasant. Her daughter Cece is obnoxious and makes Millie's life a misery, but with the example she's been set by her mother it's not surprising that she behaves as she does. Nina's husband Andrew is charming, handsome, and Cece appears to have far more respect for him than she does her mother. 

The story takes place over a short time span of just 3 months, which when you consider all that happens within that timeframe, it's extremely intense. The rules and restrictions that Nina imposes on Millie are strict and unreasonable, leading Millie to seek friendship with the mysterious Enzo, the gardener at the property who speaks little English and keeps his distance from the house. The few words he does impart to Millie have her wondering if indeed she is safe in Nina's employment. 

I'm not going to spill any beans regarding the twists and bombshells that Freida McFadden drops into this book, but suffice to say that yes, every drop of the hype given to this book is well-deserved and earned throughout its pages. I was shocked and excited to keep on reading "just one more chapter" and stayed up far later than I should have done when I had to go to work the following day - but there are characters in this book who just get under your skin yet still manage to shock you in ways you'll never expect. 

A brilliant story - I went straight to my local library to grab the sequel to this book and read them back to back - one luxury of having left book one so long to read, I suppose! My poor bookshelves now have yet another 'must read' author queuing up for space! Freida McFadden, you're a legend!

About the Author:

New York Times, Amazon Charts, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Publisher's Weekly bestselling author Freida McFadden is a practicing physician specializing in brain injury who has penned multiple bestselling psychological thrillers and medical humor novels. Freida’s work has been selected as one of Amazon Editors’ best books of the year, and she is a winner of the International Thriller Writers Award for best paperback. Her novels have been translated into over 30 languages.

Freida lives with her family and black cat in a centuries-old three-storey home overlooking the ocean, with staircases that creak and moan with each step, and nobody could hear you if you scream. Unless you scream really loudly, maybe.

The Frequency of Us by Keith Stuart @BooksSphere @keefstuart #TheFrequencyOfUs #libraryloan

 

The Frequency of Us by Keith Stuart

Published by Sphere

Publication Date: 25th March 2021

Book Description:

In Second World War Bath, young, naïve wireless engineer Will meets Austrian refugee Elsa Klein: she is sophisticated, witty and worldly, and at last his life seems to make sense . . . until, soon after, the newly married couple's home is bombed, and Will awakes from the wreckage to find himself alone.

No one has heard of Elsa Klein. They say he was never married.

Seventy years later, social worker Laura is battling her way out of depression and off medication. Her new case is a strange, isolated old man whose house hasn't changed since the war. A man who insists his wife vanished many, many years before. Everyone thinks he's suffering dementia. But Laura begins to suspect otherwise . . .

My Thoughts:

This was a complete impulse pick at my local library recently, and probably my most successful random choice this year. I was wanting to read something different from the usual psychological thrillers I tend to gravitate towards, and this hit the spot perfectly. Completely different from anything I've read before, The Frequency of Us introduces us to a wonderful, if rather eccentric octogenarian, Will. Despite his frostiness with people, I quickly warmed to his character and loved how he tolerated young carer Laura who had been sent in by the agency to assess his ability to continue living alone in his once quite grand home, which like Will was showing considerable signs of age.

There's a dual timeline to this book which shows Will in his prime, as he meets Elsa Klein - the love of his life and the only one for him. The descriptions of Bath during the second World War are so moving and I felt quite emotional at times as the effects on the local population as German bombing raids ripped through the community and decimated whole families.

But was Will imagining his great love affair with Elsa? There are no records to prove her existence and nobody seems to have ever seen him with anyone, or even any photographs or anything to show she'd ever been there. Yet the more Laura visits him, the more she gets a feeling that there is some truth to what Will says. There's a vibe in the air, compelling her to look into what he's saying. But Laura isn't exactly the most reliable narrator and gets to the point where she doesn't know what to believe any more.

The conclusion to this book is beautiful. I'm a person who keeps an open mind when it comes to ghosts and supernatural type subjects (as you can tell, as I struggle to describe the ending but without spoiling the whole book) but I felt totally satisfied with how the story ended and even had a bit of a teary moment there for a moment. Thank you, Keith Stuart for a lovely story. It was just the right book at the right time for me - pretty ironic really! I certainly recommend this one if you have an open mind, fancy something a little sentimental and a step away from the norm.

About the Author:

Keith Stuart is a veteran journalist who has been covering video games and digital culture for over 20 years. In 2015 he wrote his first novel, A Boy Made of Blocks, which was selected for the Richard and Judy Book Club. It has sold over 200,000 copies and is translated into 24 languages. His second novel, Days of Wonder, is available in paperback, audio and ebook, and his third, The Frequency of Us, was selected for BBC2's Between the Covers series and is available in hardback, ebook and audio.

Wanderlust by Elle Everhart @ElleEverhart #Wanderlust #booktwt #bookreview @penguinrandom

 

Wanderlust by Elle Everhart

Published by Penguin RandomHouse

Publication Date: 6th July 2023

Book Description:

Two rivals. Seven countries. Could this be their chance to fall in love?

Dylan Coughlan has just won a trip around the world. The catch? Her travel partner is a random contact from her phone.

And it's Jack 'the Posho', the man she accidentally ghosted. The two couldn't be more different, and as the trip kicks off, Jack seems like he'd sooner fling himself into the sun than have a conversation with Dylan which does not bode well for her travel blog. She has to create a hit column documenting her travels...and her love life.

Dylan's willing to do anything, even if it means embellishing her budding relationship. But as the column's popularity grows, so does the bond between Dylan and Jack. There's no denying the fire burning between them.

Will Dylan finally let her heart take flight or will she and Jack come down to Earth with a bump?

My Thoughts:

My need for a lighter read hit strongly this month and having spotted a review by @JoannaLouisePar of @Jojosovertherainbowblog, this debut novel by Elle Everhart looked a promising choice. The concept of someone randomly winning a radio contest for a luxury round the world trip, but with the caveat that they would have to be accompanied by a random contact listed in their mobile phone, piqued my interest. Especially when the chosen contact turned out to be the guy she ghosted - Jack the Posho. 

I suppose the storyline is a little predictable: the whole enemies to lovers trope appears to be doing the rounds once again this summer. But for me, it's not the trope, it's how well it's written, and this is one book I did enjoy. Not only does Dylan have the whole awkward scenario of spending so much time with Jack, but her boss wants her to write a magazine series detailing their blossoming romance. But...there isn't one and Dylan's not quite sure how she's going to handle that part of the situation - I mean, she hasn't even mentioned it to Jack yet, let alone asked his permission to bring his name into things. I mean, what could possibly go wrong?!

I loved the character development as the story went along - and the descriptions of their destinations and experiences in the various locations was fun (if only we could have had Jack's photos in the book, that would have made this book perfect!). Even if the whole "will they/won't they" story has been done so many times before, I was totally involved in their personal journey as well as their travel diaries. There are two young adults here, trying to work out what they want from life as individuals even before you bring emotions into the equation. As the story evolved, I found myself cheerleading them on a personal level even more than for them as a potential couple.

To say much more than this will give too much away - but if you want a nice easy read with the opportunity to imagine yourself in some beautiful locations around the globe without the jetlag, this is one to escape into. A very strong and enjoyable debut novel - keep Elle's name on your radar, I'm sure we will be seeing a lot more from her soon.  

About the Author:

Elle Everhart writes romantic comedies featuring the internet, sarcasm, and lots of queer characters. She is a secondary English teacher in East London and, when she’s not writing or teaching, she’s hanging out with her son and obsessing over the worst shows on television. Wanderlust is her debut novel.

None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell #libraryloan #hardbackbooks #NoneOfThisIsTrue @lisajewelluk @centurybooksuk

 

None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell

Published by Century

Publication Date: 20th July 2023

Book Description:

Celebrating her 45th birthday at her local pub, podcaster Alix Summer crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie is also celebrating her 45th.

A few days later, they bump into each other again, this time outside Alix's children's school. Josie says she thinks she would be an interesting subject for Alix's podcast. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.

Alix agrees to a trial interview and indeed, Josie's life appears to be strange and complicated. Alix finds her unsettling but can't quite resist the temptation to keep digging.

Slowly Alix starts to realise that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it Josie has cajoled her way into Alix's life - and into her home.

Soon Alix begins to wonder who is Josie Fair really? And what has she done?

My Thoughts:

This book ranks alongside Gillian McAllister's Wrong Place Wrong Time in my top reads of this year. With a fairly small cast of characters, there are some absolute gems in there who will stir up all kinds of emotions in you from pity to curiosity, right through to some anger and resentment. And then some!

Josie and her husband Walter rarely dine out; however, Josie has received a small inheritance from her grandmother so decides they need to celebrate her birthday in style this year and chooses a nice gastropub in town. It's here she spots a small group of women, one of them also celebrating her birthday and while taking a bathroom break, she bumps into none other than the birthday girl herself, Alix. Totally out of character, she announces to Alix that they are birthday twins and thus discovers that they were actually born in the same hospital, on the same day. The moment passes and the two women return to their separate tables to continue their evening. But for Josie, that's just the start. The following day she finds herself searching online for Alix, keen to find out all she can about her, and it doesn't take long before a dangerous obsession forms.

Wow what a wild ride this book is! The more Alix talks to Josie as the subject of a new podcast she's producing, the less she seems to know about her. Nothing seems to fit together properly, and when she tries chatting to people who've known Josie over the years (including Josie's own mother) further red flags start waving frantically in her head. The story is told from both the women's points of view, which only serves to provide further questions to the reader rather than solving any of the issues raised.  

By the end of the book, all I could think is just how brilliant the story telling is and I felt quite shell shocked as I pondered how apt the title is. I do wish I had taken on board the prologue far more than I did, as there are clues in its content which I had clearly not picked up on as I eased myself into the early pages with my cuppa.

A twisty,turny tale with wonderfully horrible characters throughout - or are they??

One of my favourite page turners of the year so far.

 

About the Author:

LISA JEWELL was born in London in 1968.

Her first novel, Ralph's Party, was the best- selling debut novel of 1999. Since then she has written another twenty novels, most recently a number of dark psychological thrillers, including The Girls, Then She Was Gone, The Family Upstairs, The Family Remains and The Night She Disappeared, all of which were Richard & Judy Book Club picks.

Lisa is a New York Times and Sunday Times number one bestselling author who has been published worldwide in over thirty languages. She lives in north London with her husband and two daughters.

And So It Begins by Rachel Abbott @HeadlineFiction @RachelAbbott #AndSoItBegins #NetGalley #Bookreview #booktwt

 

And So It Begins by Rachel Abbott

Published by Headline

Publication Date: 15th November 2018

My thanks to the publishers for a review copy of this book, provided via NetGalley

Book Description:

WHO WILL BELIEVE YOUR STORY IF THE ONLY WITNESS IS DEAD?

Cleo knows she should be happy for her brother Mark. He's managed to find someone new after the sudden death of his first wife - but something about Evie just doesn't feel right...

When Evie starts having accidents at home, her friends grow concerned. Could Mark be causing her injuries? Called out to their cliff-top house one night, Sergeant Stephanie King finds two bodies entangled on blood-drenched sheets.

Where does murder begin? When the knife is raised to strike, or before, at the first thought of violence? As the accused stands trial, the jury is forced to consider - is there ever a proper defence for murder?

My Thoughts:

This book has a stunning setting in a beautiful home cut into a cliff face in Cornwall, a huge plate-glass window overlooking the sea. It's the home of local photographer Marcus North, his wife Evie and their daughter. The house comes with a tragic history, with Marcus' wife having been found dead at the bottom of the stairs while he was away on a commissioned photography trip. It took a few years before Marcus (real name Mark) could consider moving on with his life, his rather overbearing sister Cleo helping to support and steer him back on course, pushing him to focus on his photography studio.

History then appears to repeat itself, the book itself opening with detectives arriving at the property to find Mark dead in bed with his partner Evie covered in blood next to him, confessing to killing him. Detective Stephanie King was one of the first on scene both times tragic events have happened, and she can't help but think there's more to this family home than meets the eye. There's also an interesting backstory between the detectives which I think we will hear more about in future books.

The story follows the trial of Evie, with input from Mark's sister (who appears to be jealous of all the women in his life) and their mutual friend who has her own questions about the whole situation too. The legal representatives on both sides are both excellently drawn and the twists and turns which appear throughout the book create more questions than answers right up until the end.

As regular readers of my blog will know, I love a courtroom drama so this one was an ideal read for me which had me guessing from the first page to the last. I'll definitely be reading further instalments of this series.

About the Author:

Rachel Abbott's debut thriller, Only the Innocent, was an international bestseller, reaching the number one position in the Amazon charts both in the UK and US. This was followed by the number one bestselling novels The Back Road, Sleep Tight, Stranger Child, Nowhere Child (a short novel based on the characters from Stranger Child), Kill Me Again, The Sixth Window, Come a Little Closer, The Shape of Lies, Right Behind You and Close Your Eyes. The new thriller in the Tom Douglas series - No More Lies - was released in February 2023.

In 2018 Rachel released the first book in a new series - And So It Begins. This was followed by The Murder Game in 2020 (The Invitation in the US).

Rachel's novels have now been translated into over 20 languages and have sold over 5 million copies.

In 2015 Amazon celebrated the first five years of the Kindle in the UK, and announced that Rachel was the number one bestselling independent author over the five-year period. She was also placed fourteenth in the chart of all authors. Stranger Child was the most borrowed novel for the Kindle in the first half of 2015.

Rachel now lives in Alderney - a beautiful island off the coast of France - where she devotes her time to her love of writing fiction.

Kill For Me Kill For You by Steve Cavanagh @HeadlineFiction @SteveCavanagh_ #KillForMeKillForYou

 

Kill For Me Kill For You by Steve Cavanagh

Published by Headline Fiction

Publication Date: 3rd August 2023

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Book Description:

One dark evening in New York City, two strangers meet by chance.

Over drinks, Amanda and Wendy realise they have so much in common.

They both feel alone. They both drink alone.

And they both desperately want revenge against the two men who destroyed their families.

Together, they have the perfect plan.

If you kill for me, I'll kill for you...

My Thoughts:

Having waited patiently in the reservation queue for this book at my library, I made sure I was able to call in to collect it on my way home from work on the day I received the notification to say it was available. Hardbacks aren't really my format of choice as I like to read a few pages on my commute each day where possible, but I'd heard such good reviews of this book that I wasn't prepared to wait for the paperback to hit the shelves.

In the first chapter we meet Amanda and learn about the loss of both her 6 year old daughter and her husband. We see how Amanda intends to deal with the man who she believes caused her to lose everything she held dear in her life. The man who escaped justice just because his father was able to influence the so-called "law enforcers". The story then moves to a young woman named Ruth Gelman, who is stabbed in her home by a serial attacker who police come to nickname "Mr Blue Eyes" following the statement she gives them when she wakes up in hospital. But just how do the two threads of the tale relate to one another? 

Amanda is forced, through the consequences of her need for revenge, to attend group counselling - a prospect she manages to put off right until the very last chance her legal team can scrape together for her. There she meets another young woman named "Wendy" and against all the rules of the group, they end up going for drinks after the session. It is during this session that Wendy makes a bold suggestion: they can both get the end result they want, but without any of the risk attached: Wendy will kill Amanda's target if she agrees to do the same for her. Just like the movie "Strangers on a Train".

From thereon in the story really is quite a hair raising ride. There are multiple occasions where you want to shout at the pages to warn characters against going through with their intended actions. The ripples that spread from the decisions made by these women are far-reaching and will have your eyes wide and jaw dropping by the end.  In fact, it wasn't until I sat and properly considered the events of the last few chapters that I really appreciated just how clever Mr Cavanagh's writing is in this book. Some readers have said they prefer the Eddie Flynn books, but for me this one is my favourite of the ones I've read so far from this author.

My advice is, where possible, try to read this book in decent sized chunks as I feel you'll get far more carried along by the tension and plotting than if you read it chapter by chapter.  I'm pretty sure the ending will give you a smile of satisfaction on your face once all the pieces fully register in place.

About the Author:

Steve Cavanagh is the bestselling author of the Eddie Flynn series of novels and standalone thrillers. In 2018 The Liar won the CWA Gold Dagger for crime novel of the year and 2019 saw his novel Thirteen win the Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. Every one of his novels has either won or been nominated for awards internationally.

He is a former lawyer, born and brought up in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where he still lives.