The Christmas Cottage by Sarah Morgan

 

A PAINFUL SECRET

Imogen loves her job as an events organiser, and her colleagues are in awe of her. But Imogen isn’t the person she pretends to be, and she’s hiding painful truths about her past. But as long as she can keep on top of her work, Imogen can put everything else to one side.

AN ACT OF KINDNESS

And then Imogen makes a catastrophic mistake at work, and finally realises it's time to reset. When her favourite client, Dorothy, invites her to spend Christmas with her and her family, in her cottage in the Cotswolds, it sounds like the perfect way for Imogen to take stock.

FINDING HAPPINESS AT CHRISTMAS

Imogen soon settles into idyllic cottage life, especially with the prospect of a new romance on the horizon … but when long-buried secrets and unwanted faces from the past resurface, Imogen’s new peace is threatened. Will Imogen end up alone this Christmas, or can she find it in her heart to forgive and move on?

One of the first authors to come to mind when I am thinking of picking up a new Christmas book is Sarah Morgan as she really knows how to pull off a festive favourite so it was time to start reading her new release The Christmas Cottage.

Any of you who have read any books by Sarah Morgan before will know that she typically writes her stories around three women’s points of views and this time we meet Imogen, Dorothy and Sara. There seems in the beginning to be a loose connection between these women, Dorothy and Sara are mother and daughter and then Imogen works as an events organiser and does some work for Dorothy.

One thing I picked up early on in meeting all of these women is an element of sadness and a hint of loneliness so it was something that made me connect with them all straight from the offset.

For the first time reading a Sarah Morgan book I found a unexpected twist in the story that I didn’t see coming, who new going to the loo could change someone’s life so dramatically is all I will say so as not to give any spoilers away.

With a new romance looking to blossom and hidden secrets revealed meaning that so many wrongs can now be put right this really did have a heartwarming feel to the storyline. This isn’t one of those books that have a fabulously festive cover but barely a mention of anything Christmas themed inside, oh no, this book will get the festive spirit kicking off.

I was a little surprised that it ended where it did and how it did, it was a lovely hopeful and peaceful ending but I still had things to explore with Imogen’s mum and watching the logistics of how things worked out in the long run and to see how Imogen would have been greeted when she returned to work! But this all just showed show much I was invested in the story and characters and that I was just greedily wanting more!

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Ice Town by Will Dean

 

ONE WAY IN. NO WAY OUT.

'Deaf teenager goes missing in Esseberg. Mountain rescue are launching a search party but conditions hinder their efforts. The tunnel is being kept open all night as an exception.'

When journalist Tuva Moodyson reads this news alert she knows she must join the search. If this teenager is found, she will be able to communicate with him in a way no one else can.

Esseberg lies on the other side of a mountain tunnel: there is only one way in and one way out. When the tunnel closes at night, the residents are left to fend for themselves. And as more people go missing, it becomes clear that there is a killer among them ...

I have only read two books by Will Dean, The Last Passenger and The Chamber so I haven't been introduced to to Tuva Moodyson until starting Ice Town. This storyline is a slow burn and my interest wasn't piqued until chapter 20 but from then onwards I was drawn into the hunt to solve the clues that would lead to the mysterious Bear Spray Murderer.

The setting of this book couldn't have been more apt with it being cut off from the rest of the world only connected by a tunnel that isn't acceptable 24/7 and with the dark forest blanketed in deathly snow just makes this a chilling base to the plot. 

I loved the inclusion of two death characters but I wish this was explored more in the book as I can only imagine how much more scary and sinister things would feel in this situation in Ice Town when you also have a hearing impairment too.

I was certainly kept off the right path because I didn't even have a hint of suspicion for the murderer so this was an unpredictable read. I enjoyed this book and I feel like I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the previous books and had a bond with Tuva but all this has made me want to do is go and pick up all of the previous books.

A Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan

Dragons are extinct. Witches are outcast. Magic is dying. But human lust for power is immortal.

Dragon fire no longer blisters the skies over Penterra, but inside the lavish palace, life is still perilous – especially for Tamsyn. Raised in the glittering court alongside the princesses, it's her duty to be punished for their misdeeds. Treated as part of the royal family but also as the lowliest servant, Tamsyn fits nowhere. So when she is tasked with the ultimate sacrifice of pretending to be one of the true royal princesses and marry Fell, the Beast of the Borderlands, son to the great dragon slayer, Tamsyn accepts her fate even if it means tricking the deadly warrior.

The wedding night begins with unexpected passion, but ends in near violence when her trickery is exposed. Rather than start a war, Fell accepts Tamsyn as his bride … but Tamsyn isn’t what she seems. She harbours dark secrets, secrets buried so deep even she doesn’t know they exist.

For Tamsyn is more than the false wife of a man who now sees her as his enemy. And when those secrets emerge, they will ignite a flame bright enough to burn the entire kingdom to the bone.

Magic is not dead … it is only sleeping. And it will take one ordinary girl with an extraordinary destiny to awaken it.

I only found myself stepping into the Fantasy genre this year when I read Fourth Wing and having read a few from this genre now I certainly find I am more drawn to dragons so the minute I saw the cover for A Fire in the Sky I didn't hesitate in starting it straight away.

The pace of the book is slow paced but this felt fitting as it really felt like the author was concentrating on developing the readers relationship with Fell and Tamsyn and the world building ready for something bigger to come in book 2. Although the pace is slow my attention didn't waver at all I was intrigued to see if an actual relationship was going to happen between them and was eagerly awaiting where the dragons were going to fit into this storyline.

One thing this book was not was predictable and I actually loved that the author taken a completely different and unexpected approach towards the dragons which I won't say anymore on as I really don't want to give any spoilers but it did make for a fresh take on this genre that I applaud.

This was more on the romantasy that had a slight YA feel but there is also a couple of sex scenes but these were wrote really well into the storyline rather than just feeling like a bit of spice thrown in for what seems like a current trend.

I actually really enjoyed the kind of royal historical feel to this too, I had never heard of a whipping girl and was applaud by this but it just made me warm to our main character Tamsyn even more.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book and I really hope I don't have too long to wait to be reunited with Fell and Tamsyn.