totallytales's Reviews (1.9k)

This novel is a beautiful love letter to Copenhagen and all things hygge! Join Kate and the gang of journalists on their press trip to explore the happiest country in the world is hygge all hype or are the Danes onto something? Among the laugh-out-loud moments of this book, there are heartfelt poignant moments as the characters reevaluate their lives. Caplin's writing is magical making you feel all warm and fuzzy as she transports you through the cobbled streets of Copenhagen you soon find yourself craving your very own slice of hygge and a trip to the city. Chick lit at its very best, heartfelt, charming & thought-provoking.

Snuggle up and get absorbed in the bittersweet lives of Laurie, Jack, and Sarah as they navigate the love, loss and everything in between. This novel beautifully captures friendship, the lengths taken to protect it and the consequences when fate intervenes. Silver had me laughing, crying, shouting and page-turning until the end - an utterly enthralling love story you will not want to miss!

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books UK for sending me this in exchange for an open and honest review.

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This novel is a perfect romantic comedy with a modern twist it's hilarious, warm and predictable in all the best ways. Annie and Miranda's characters are empowering, loveable, supportive and competitive. Running a start-up company is a nightmare in itself and then Annie takes on the task of making a random stranger Instagram-famous in 30 days. This stranger is Sam; social media hating historian with two PhDs, an enormous beard, baggy jeans and a flip phone! A very reluctant Sam agrees to help Annie win her bet but only if she helps him win his girlfriend back. She promptly sets up a four-step boyfriend boot camp and starts teaching Sam how to be the ultimate boyfriend. But is he the only one with something to learn? Or can Sam teach Annie a thing or two?

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A perfect psychological thriller! Rachel wakes up on new years day in a strange room, with no memory of what happened after she greeted the hosts at the party but a feeling something terrible happened.... Intriguing from the start this novel engulfs you in Rachel's scared, vulnerable world. Her determination to find out exactly what happened calls the trust of her family and closest friends into question, who is lying? What are they hiding? Heart-racing and heart-breaking this novel is a must have read.

Thanks to Netgalley and HQ Stories for sending me this in exchange for an open and honest review.

Lana's second book was rejected by her publisher because heartbreak and bitterness aren't appealing. So Lana goes in search of a hero, a feel-good-factor; she meets Jack who offers to step in and be her fictional hero because then he gets to date her without the emotional mess. Jack has enough on his hands with his Stepmother Nancy, in the early stages of dementia, who the police deem too vulnerable to live alone. Lana broke without her advance offers to move in with Nancy to look after her and keep her safe in exchange for a place to stay. Seems everyone needs a hero, the question is what qualities really make a good one?

This novel has heart, it's not your typical boy meets girl they live happily-ever-after story. It's funny, charming but it's also thought-provoking and full of spirit. Nancy is the life and soul of the book her zest of life, the way she commands attention and her ability to bring the other characters together is a joy to read. The scenes detailing her dementia and the way society treats a declining health are poignant. This quirky read written from a struggling writers point of view is certainly worth a read and guaranteed to keep you entertained on these gloomy grey days.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for sending me this in exchange for an open and honest review.

This is a who-done-it with multiple characters, they all live on a street in Bristol, they are all watching each other and they all have strange quirks or secrets. The chapters flick between characters and are interspersed with police interview script. So you know someone is dead but you aren't sure who the victim or the murder is, the more is revealed the more you read. Sadly, this book didn't meet the high expectations I associate Lisa Jewell with (her previous novel - Then She Was Gone was one of my best reads of 2017!), I found it predictable and far-fetched. Freddie was my favourite character he was flawed but loveable. Overall it isn't a bad read, the message in the story is a good one and the closing chapters were poignant but it certainly didn't hit the mark for me.

This novel is set in the aftermath of a college shooting in Edinburgh and the narrative is between three different voices; the mother of the shooter, the mother of the first victim & the lead police investigator. Will they ever be able to make sense of this horrific event? The complexities of life are portrayed realistically by the gripping characters in their range of emotions and the heartbreaking questions they ask themselves. Askew uses a variety of writing styles from webpage excerpts, twitter updates, diary entries, and police interviews to reveal unexpected truths and highlight the predatory impact of the media. This is a brave, bold and brilliant debut and will stay with you long after you finish the last page.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for sending me this in exchange for an open and honest review.