The Tainted Khan by Taran Matharu

 Jai dreams of being a dragon rider. He dreams of freedom from the Sabine Empire and a world in which he can lead his people, the Kidara, to freedom. But even though he has his dragon, Winter, she is still growing, just as he’s still growing in his own power. And the road to victory is even more fraught than he had hoped…

Because even when he finds a tribe on the Great Steppe, they are not his people. They are the outcasts, the Tainted, and he finds that he knows little of the political intricacies that take place in these vast grasslands. He is a stranger amongst his own kind, for Jai’s uncle rules, and is loath to cede power to his nephew.

But the legionaries and Gryphon Guard of the Sabine Empire are wreaking havoc against the other tribes of the Great Steppe, and Jai is forced to learn a lifetime’s worth of knowledge in a matter of months. From levelling up his magic, to becoming a true warrior, saving the woman he loves, and strengthening his bond with Winter, Jai is a dragon rider with a massive weight on his young shoulders. And his greatest hope is that the shoulders of Winter will soon be strong enough to help carry him.

The Tainted Khan is the second book in this series which follows on from Dragon Rider and I you definitely need to read these books in order you are fighting a losing battle trying to read this book as a standalone. We are reunited with Jai and he is on a mission to take his place as the high Khan of the Kidara and he will stop at nothing to achieve this. 

Compared to the previous book this one is a lot more battle led as Jai works to bring tribes together to build the ultimate force against the Sabine Empire. Taran Matharu certainly excels in his descriptive writing and world building in this book and his relationships between characters are well developed too. I enjoyed the kinship that forms between Jai and Feng particularly. I still stick by what I said in my review of Dragon Rider in that the dragon element I expected to be more central to the storyline but this isn't the case and although Winter appears more in this book I really feel the lack of communication between Jai and Winter was a real loss to this story.

This book is a beast of a book and felt never ending but there was always something going on with Jai on his journey but I did find my attention waivering at points so I did swap to audio and found this was much more engaging and exciting. 

The shock revelation really was unexpected, I didn't even have a hint of what was going to be revealed and I was in that much shock when I heard it that I reverted straight back to my kindle to read it with my own eyes!

I did enjoy this book despite its hefty size but it is certainly one you need to set time aside to read.

Swept Away by Beth O'Leary

 

Lexi is looking for no-strings-attached fun.

Zeke is looking for love.

Neither of them were looking for a one-night stand to become their one and only lifeline.

But when they wake up after an unforgettable night together, the houseboat they stayed on has been swept out to sea. There's no signal, no steering and no sign of rescue.

And as the waves pick up and supplies run low, Zeke and Lexi realise there's much more on the line than their new relationship.

I couldn't wait to be swept away ( see what I did there!) with this book by Beth O'Leary. I have come to know and love this authors ability to write story lines from both male and female points of view in unusual forced proximity settings and this one is no exception as we join Lexi and Zeke on an extended one night stand that leaves them stranded out at sea on a boat.

As the couple face challenging and dangerous situations while they hope to be rescued they actually start to open up and not only really get to know each other but without the distractions of the real world around them they begin to help each other discover more about themselves too and I loved watching their self discovery and confidence grow. 

This is a cheeky book because just as your gently bobbing along towards the latter part of this book there is suddenly a twist that even though I am telling you there is a twist you WILL NOT see it coming! There are no clues it just pops up and bites you on the bum!

Available to purchase here

Fireflies in Winter by Eleanor Shearer

 

Nova Scotia, 1796. Cora, an orphan newly arrived from Jamaica, has never felt cold like this. In the depths of winter, everyone in her community huddles together in their homes to keep warm. So when she sees a shadow slipping through the trees, Cora thinks her eyes are deceiving her. Until she creeps out into the moonlight and finds the tracks in the snow.

Agnes is in hiding. On the run from her former life, she has learned what it takes to survive alone in the wilderness. But she can afford no mistakes. When she first spies the young woman in the woods, she is afraid. Yet Cora is fearless, and their paths are destined to cross.

Deep among the cedars, Cora and Agnes find a fragile place of safety. But when Agnes's past closes in, they are confronted with the dangerous price of freedom--and of love....

With evocative prose and immersive storytelling, Fireflies in Winter is a powerful novel about love--love for the wilderness in all its unforgiving beauty, and love between two women who risk everything to be together.

Fireflies in Winter is the first book I have read by Eleanor Shearer and this one was certainly a learning curve for me as I had no prior knowledge of The Maroons who were sent from Jamaica to Nova Scotia, I had to google this to get a general insight into this because the book did't so much educate me on this it prompted more of an intrigue which made me want to gather more insight.

The storyline sure is a story of resilience and survival in a dangerous and unsettled place which was felt through the pages with thanks to the author's descriptive writing style. Our main characters Cora and Agnes really are strong women but they had no choice if they wanted to survive and live a life of freedom. We also meet Thursday who I loved from our first meeting and he was the only character I found myself really drawn to and had trust in too.

This book isn't full of dramatic twists and turns, it is a gentle paced read too but for the story it is trying to tell this works well. I did find it took me quite a while to feel invested in the storyline however I do wonder if this was more so because of my lack of knowledge of the history that this book is cantered around so maybe those who have existing knowledge may find it a different reading experience. 

Dear Debbie Freida McFadden

 

Sometimes, enough is enough...

Debbie Mullen is losing it. For years, she has compiled all of her best advice into her column, Dear Debbie, where the wives of New England come for sympathy and neighborly advice. Through her work, Debbie has heard from countless women who are ignored, belittled, or even abused by their husbands. And Debbie does her best to guide them in the right direction.

Or at least, she did.

These days, Debbie's life seems to be spiraling out of control. She just lost her job. Something strange is happening with her teenage daughters. And her husband is keeping secrets, according to the tracking app she installed on his phone. Now, Debbie's done being the bigger person. She's done being reasonable and practical. It's time to take her own advice.

And now it's time for payback against all the people in her life who deserve it the most.

One thing I can always guarantee when it comes to a Freida McFadden book is that it will be quick paced and I will be completely blindsided and that was certainly the case when I sat down to read her new release Dear Debbie this morning and finished it in one greedy sitting!

I have never read another authors books whose storyline feels so unbelievably predictable only to be thrown a complete curve ball and a twist that I never see coming which bumps a 3 star read right up to a 4!

Debbie is certainly a bad ass character who will do whatever it takes to defend and protect her family in the most extreme ways, it became apparent quite early on that she is a character not to be messed with. The chapters alternate between Debbie, her husband Cooper and her friend Harley so we get to know these characters too and the brain starts looking for clues already trying to work out who we trust and whose motives we should be suspicious of.

This book is great for anyone who loves an unpredictable thriller that has revenge, long held secrets and deception at the heart of the book.

A Cottage in the Country by Katie Fforde

 

She's found her dream home but can she make her dreams a reality?

Hattie finds other people their dream homes for a living.

Surely she, of all people, has the connections and the knowledge to find her own forever home? Instead, she baffles those closest to her by choosing to pack up and move every few months from one housesitting job to the next.

Of course, that's because she knows where she wants to live. It's a beautiful house owned by a lovely old woman who'd simply love for Hattie to have it.

But nothing is ever that simple.

There's Clive who refuses to listen to his great-aunt's wishes about her house. There's Luke, Hattie's oldest friend, who just wants to see her happy. And there's Hattie herself. It might take a difficult client, an awkward teenager and a couple of dogs to help her see what really makes a house a home.

Katie Fforde has delivered another cosy wholesome read and has introduced us to Hattie who truly has a heart of gold. As well as matching people with their dream homes, thanks to her gift she also finds herself playing cupid too but all the way through this book I was just eager for Hattie to find her own love and happy place. Her nephew Xander was a lovely addition to the story and seeing him thrive and grow as a character in his new soundings was really lovely to watch. 

The couple of not so nice characters in this book helps the book to have a little more depth and not be too sickly sweet and finding that kindness always overcomes evil is always something I love.

As with many cosy romances the outcome was predictable and yet I still found myself wrapped up in the storyline. I thoroughly enjoyed A Cottage in the Country and would definitely recommend it for those who enjoy a comforting wholesome read.

My Husband's Wife by Alice Feeney

 

Eden Fox, an artist on the brink of her big break, sets off for a run before her first exhibition. When she returns to the home she recently moved into – Spyglass, an enchanting old house in the pretty seaside village of Hope Falls – nothing is as it should be. Her key doesn’t fit. A woman, eerily similar to her, answers the door. And her husband insists that this stranger is his wife.

One house. One husband. Two women. Someone is lying.

Six months earlier, a reclusive Londoner named Birdy, reeling from a life-changing diagnosis, inherits Spyglass. This unexpected gift from a long-lost grandmother brings her to Hope Falls. But then Birdy stumbles upon a shadowy London clinic that claims to be able to predict a person’s date of death, including her own. Secrets start to unravel and, as the line between truth and lies blurs, Birdy feels compelled to right some old wrongs.

Wow wow wow!

This is my first book by Alice Feeney but I am now desperate to pick up another after finishing My Husband's Wife as she weaved an intricate web of twists and turns that completely blindsided me.

This book had me hooked from the very first chapter when Eden arrives home and everything has changed, my mind started working ten to the dozen trying to come up with a rational solution for how on earth there could be what seems like two Edens and coming up with nothing but then the storyline starts weaving off again and more questions keep arising and I was mind boggled by it all but equally so intrigued to get to the bottom of this twisted turn of events.

The chapters alternate between many characters points of views but this works really well for this book because you see things through their eyes and start building pictures of people and events and soon you are suspicious of everyone.

So much happens and it is a fast paced book with what felt like no safe space to put it down and anytime I did stop I found myself drawn back to it before long with my mind working overtime.

Just when you think its all wrapped up your head is then thrown into another spin! 

If you love completely unpredictable gripping reads with a sinister undertone that will put your head in a spin trying to solve the unsolvable then this book won't disappoint. This is my first 5 star of the year.

Healing Hearts on Thistledown Lane by Holly Hepbu

 

Maura has everything she ever wanted from life – a quirky cottage in Edinburgh’s picturesque Dean Village, a thriving career as a potter and a contented relationship with her childhood sweetheart, Jamie. Never mind that the cottage is damp, her pots aren’t selling and Jamie prefers a night down the pub with his rugby mates to an evening in with her.

But everyone wishes things were just a tiny bit better, right?

When Maura reunites with Fraser Bell at a Hogmanay party, she’s instantly transported back to her school days. And when he proposes she makes ceramic ghosts to complement his city ghost tour business, she’s tempted. At first, everything goes smoothly but it’s not long before their new partnership causes problems that ripple through every aspect of Maura’s life. The ghosts go viral, so she has more orders than she can fulfil and Jamie is not thrilled that she’s spending all her time in her studio. But when Edinburgh Castle shows an interest in Maura’s work, things begin to spiral out of control.

Can Maura really have it all or will she regret wishing for more?

I have long been a fan of Holly Hepburn's books but always prefer to read them in on greedy sitting rather than the instalment releases and this book was no exception. I was enveloped into the idyllic setting of Edinburgh which the author managed to portray the beautiful surroundings and history of some of the areas. The idea of our main characters being a pottery maker and a ghost tour operator is something quite new to my reading experience and I loved this new take on a storyline. The creativity and timings of pottery making were really explored in this book which I was actually quite intrigued by. We are also taken along on the Ghost walks, so if you like a spooky telling you will enjoy these parts.

Both Maura and Fraser were characters I instantly warmed to, they had such lovable natures and both were true homebodies who love and cherish their hometowns. Ok so the romance may be rather predictable however I had no complaints with this as I was along for the journey and was rooting for these two from start to finish especially when there were some rather unforgivable romance situations that occurred within the storyline.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it is definitely one I would recommend for those who love a cutesy romance with a picturesque setting.

Available to purchase HERE