The First Time I Saw You by Emma Cooper BLOG TOUR @ItsEmmaCooper @headlinepg #TheFirstTimeISawYou #RandomThingsTours

Lost: Six-foot-two Irish man who answers to the name Samuel McLaughlin.  

Has weak shins and enjoys show tunes. If found, please return to Sophie Williams. Before Sophie met Samuel she saw the world in grey. Before Samuel met Sophie, he never believed in love at first sight. When they first meet, something tells them they are meant to be. But fate has other ideas. Now they have lost each other and can't see a way back. But they've already changed each other's lives in more ways than they ever expected...

The First Time I Saw You by Emma Cooper is published in paperback by Headline on 9 January 2020.  My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. I am delighted to share my thoughts today as part of the #RandomThingsTours Blog Tour

I read and reviewed Emma Cooper's debut novel, The Songs of Us in September 2018. That book has stayed with me ever since.

This is what I said about how that story affected me:

" I read The Songs of Us during my holiday in Rhodes at the end of September. I rarely cry. I never cry in public.  I cried as I was reading The Songs of Us, I cried in public, sitting by the pool. There were big fat tears, some snot and a few strange looks from fellow holiday makers. This is a beautifully written, heartbreaking yet uplifting story. I fell in love with the characters immediately, and they continue to haunt me. "

I approached her second novel, The First Time I Saw You with some trepidation and a huge box of tissues. Whilst I was never a Girl Guide, I like to 'be prepared' and if my last experience was anything to go by, I would probably need them.    I did.

Oh Sophie and Samuel, how I miss you! Here are a pair of incredibly created characters who ensnared me from the beginning. They took me along their journey, and I was privy to every one of their emotions. When I turned that final page I actually felt so very sad that they wouldn't be part of my day any longer.

So, the story, and what a complicated tale of first love, lost love, missed opportunities and the power of families it is.  Sophie is a career-driven woman, still young but heading for the top. She's in America to present a potential take-over bid to a large company. Everything rests on this presentation, and she's worked damn hard to make sure that it will succeed.
Sophie is a difficult character to understand at first, however, I loved her from the very first introduction and as we slowly learn more about her, it's so easy to love her even more.

Samuel is Irish, living in America and working in IT. He and Sophie meet unexpectedly and are completely smitten by each other, at first sight. They spend a wonderful few days together, and then it ends.

I can't say why, or how, but needless to say, it's heart-breaking and so beautifully written.

What follows is the story of how Sophie and Samuel move forward. It is multi-layered and packed with the most intricate and carefully created characters who are far more than just a supporting cast. This talented author weaves a story that incorporates childhood losses, strong family relationships, tragedy and laugh out loud humour. I roared with laughter whilst spending time with Samuel and his parents; as the child of an Irish mother, I can confirm that Mrs McLaughlin is the perfect 'Irish Mammy' and Mr M is the father-in-law of dreams with a heart of kindness and understanding that betrays his brash exterior.

That's all from me about the plot, I can't mention many things as that would spoil this outstanding book for others, but I do recommend that you look out for Michael. Not since Winston in Tom Hanks' film 'Castaway' has an inanimate object made me smile so much!

Here we are; 6 January and already I have a Top Book of the Year for my list.

Wonderfully touching, heart-warming, moving and so very funny in places. This is an emotional journey of love, lost and found, and is highly recommended by me.


Emma Cooper is a former teaching assistant, who lives in Shropshire with her partner and four children. She spends her spare time writing novels, drinking wine and watching box-sets with her partner of twenty-four years, who still makes her smile every day. Emma has always wanted to be a writer – ever since childhood, she’s been inventing characters (her favourite being her imaginary friend ‘Boot’) and is thrilled that she now gets to use this imagination to bring to life all of her creations.


emmacooperauthor.wordpress.com
Twitter @ItsEmmaCooper
Author Page on Facebook
Instagram @itsemmacooper

The Home by Sara Stovell @sarahlovescrime BLOG TOUR @OrendaBooks #TheHome #BookReview

When the body of a pregnant fifteen-year-old is discovered in a churchyard on Christmas morning, the community is shocked, but unsurprised. For Hope lived in The Home, the residence of three young girls, whose violent and disturbing pasts have seen them cloistered away…

As a police investigation gets underway, the lives of Hope, Lara and Annie are examined, and the staff who work at the home are interviewed, leading to shocking and distressing revelations … and clear evidence that someone is seeking revenge.

A gritty, dark and devastating psychological thriller, The Home is also an emotive drama and a piercing look at the underbelly of society, where children learn what they live … if they are allowed to live at all.

The Home by Sarah Stovell is published by Orenda Books in paperback on 22 January 2020. The digital book was published on 28 November 2019.  My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review.

As part of the Orenda Books Blog Tour, I'm delighted to re-share my review of this amazing book.

Praise for Sarah Stovell

‘I was immediately ensnared into the devastating and dark world of The Home and devoured it in one day … A triumph’ Holly Seddon
 

‘Gripping, sinister and utterly heartbreaking … I absolutely loved it’ Lisa Hall

‘So beautiful and haunting and ghostly and addictive and intense and sad and shocking. Just wow’ Louise Beech
 
‘A vividly disturbing, eloquent and enthralling tale … striking, thought-provoking, compulsive storytelling’ LoveReading

My Review

Fans of Sarah Stovell's previous book; Exquisite will be aware of the beauty of her prose; of how she creates the most alluring, yet insidious characters and keeps her readers gripped throughout the telling of her stories.

The Home is another superbly written story that will chill the hearts of the reader. It's a murder mystery, it's psychologically thrilling and it is heartbreakingly emotional. This author has taken three young girls and told their individual stories with finesse and compassion. It is mesmerising, unsettling and immaculately crafted.

The Home houses troubled young girls. With just three residents and situated in a desolate part of the Lake District, it's not a happy place. The staff are underpaid, the manager is in despair and the girls are broken. Hope, Lara and Annie are three of the most elegantly crafted characters that I've met in fiction for many a year.  Their inner turmoil explodes into behaviours that try the patience of the staff, and each other. Lara's silence hides secrets that are so terrible that they cannot be voiced. Annie's determination to better herself, to study and to make something of her life mirrors the brutality of her childhood. Hope's total disregard for her own safety and for the feelings of others is a reaction to the traumas she has experienced since she was just a baby.

Hope is dead. Drowned in one of the beautiful Lakes. She was pregnant, she was fifteen.  Annie was discovered alongside the body of Hope; distraught and emotional. Annie and Hope had been lovers; theirs was an innocent love that consumed both of them. They found solace and hope in each other, they had plans. These plans have been ruined and only Annie can answer the questions posed by the staff of The Home, and the police.

The Home is exquisitely written, as we have come to expect from this extremely talented author. The story touches on the darkness that engulfs the children who are let down by their families, and by society. It is dark and it is eye-opening. It can be a difficult read at times; the author doesn't shy away from issues that are all too often swept under the table and brushed over by the majority.

The story is intoxicating and riveting; I finished it in almost one sitting; it's a story that drew me in and continues to haunt me after I turned the final page.
Beautiful, visceral and uncompromising. The Home has been a long time coming, but I can assure you that it is worth every single second of the wait.

Sarah Stovell was born in 1977 and spent most of her life in the Home Counties before a season working in a remote North Yorkshire youth hostel made her realise she was a northerner at heart. 

She now lives in Northumberland with her partner and two children and is a lecturer in Creative Writing at Lincoln University. 

Her debut psychological thriller, Exquisite, was called ‘the book of the summer’ by Sunday Times.

Twitter @sarahlovescrime

A Dark Matter by Doug Johnstone @doug_johnstone BLOG TOUR @OrendaBooks #ADarkMatter #TheSkelfs #Edinburgh

Three generations of women from the Skelfs family take over the family funeral-home and PI businesses in the first book of a taut, page-turning and darkly funny new series. Meet the Skelfs: well-known Edinburgh family, proprietors of a long-established funeral-home business, and private investigators... When patriarch Jim dies, it's left to his wife Dorothy, daughter Jenny and granddaughter Hannah to take charge of both businesses, kicking off an unexpected series of events. Dorothy discovers mysterious payments to another woman, suggesting that Jim wasn't the husband she thought he was. Hannah's best friend Mel has vanished from university, and the simple adultery case that Jenny takes on leads to something stranger and far darker than any of them could have imagined. As the women struggle to come to terms with their grief, and the demands of the business threaten to overwhelm them, secrets from the past emerge, which change everything... A compelling, tense and shocking thriller and a darkly funny and warm portrait of a family in turmoil, A Dark Matter introduces a cast of unforgettable characters, marking the start of an addictive new series.

A Dark Matter by Doug Johnstone is published in paperback on 23 January 2020 by Orenda Books, the digital edition was published on 23 November 2019.
My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. I'm delighted to re-share my previously published review of A Dark Matter as part of the Blog Tour today.

Praise for Doug Johnstone

‘I was addicted from the first page; gripping, gritty and darkly funny as hell’ Erin Kelly

‘A Dark Matter showcases a writer at the peak of his powers, except that with every book, Doug Johnstone just gets better’ Val McDermid

'Emotionally complex, richly layered and darkly funny. An addictive blend of Case Histories and Six Feet Under’ Chris Brookmyre

‘A fiendish mystery that is also deeply moving and laced with suitably dark humour … set to be one of the books of the year’ Mark Billingham

‘This dark but touching thriller makes for a thoroughly enjoyable slice of Edinburgh noir’ Mary Paulson-Ellis

‘A tense ride … strong, believable characters’ Kerry Hudson, Big Issue

‘Dark, engrossing, impossible to put down. By turns a crime thriller, a family saga, and a page-turner, this book has everything!’ Luca Veste

'That rare book with heart and smarts to lift it above your average crime novel’ Stuart Neville

‘I can never get enough of Doug Johnstone’s thoughtful, observant, soul-lifting writing’ Louise Beech

‘Piercing, wonderfully real and so very readable … a breath of fresh air’ LoveReading

‘This is confident, assured characterisation that carries the story brilliantly well and keeps the reader utterly immersed in the interwoven story strands’ Live & Deadly

‘A Dark Matter is further proof that Doug Johnstone is as versatile a writer as they come … there’s rhythm and music in his words’ From Belgium with Booklove

‘A thriller that begs to be read in one sitting. Highly recommend’ The Book Review Café

My Review

So, what have we here then?  A family of undertakers who carry out private investigation jobs as a sideline. Three generations of women; set in Edinburgh. It all sounds very cosy doesn't it?  A bit Hamish MacBeth maybe, especially as there's rumours of a television series.

STOP!  This couldn't be further away from the cosy mysteries that all turn out well in the end for Hamish at all.  Oh no, A Dark Matter is probably more like a cross between Trainspotting and Rebus; hard hitting, straight to the point and magnificently written.

Jim Skelf is no more. He died suddenly and the story opens at his somewhat unusual funeral. Jim has left behind two businesses; the funeral directors and a private investigation firm; sounds odd, but as Jim himself said; bereaved families often have lots of questions to be answered.

It's down to his widow Dorothy, their divorced middle-aged daughter Jenny, and her daughter Hannah to keep the business running, but Jim has left more than just the business. He's left quite a few questions of his own to be answered. Dorothy is wondering if Jim really was the man she thought he was, even though they'd been together for fifty years.  Jenny would rather be anywhere else than back in her childhood home, but needs must and she doesn't have the money to keep her flat running. Young Hannah is anxious when her room mate Mel doesn't return home and this soon becomes her first PI assignment.

Doug Johnston really is a master at his craft. His ability to portray three female characters is just stunning. Each of them, all of a different generation are really quite perfect; believable, likeable and so carefully created. There's a bit of the author in all of them too; the sweary Scot, the rock n roll drummer and the physics nerd; he carefully incorporates these themes into the story, and it's done so very well.

As Dorothy learns more about Jim, and Jenny investigates a man whose wife suspects him of cheating, the story begins to get a little darker. Along with the unexpected truths that Hannah discovers about Mel; there's a whole lot going on here.

There are some jaw-dropping, and quite shocking reveals along the way. The author deals with some issues that are rarely touched upon, and does it with a sophistication that is breath taking. 

Dark and brilliantly written, the layers are exposed, carefully and with great skill. Both the characters and the plot are convincing and kept me on my toes throughout. Deliciously chilling, with a wry humour running throughout.  A Dark Matter is toxic, unsettling and just perfect. I loved it and recommend it highly.  Bravo Mr Johnstone! 

Doug Johnstone is the author of ten novels, most recently Breakers (2018), which was longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year. Several of his books have been bestsellers and award winners, and his work has been praised by the likes of Val McDermid, Irvine Welsh and Ian Rankin. He’s taught creative writing and been writer in residence at various institutions, and has been an arts journalist for twenty years. Doug is a songwriter and musician with five albums and three EPs released, and he plays drums for the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers, a band of crime writers. He’s also player-manager of the Scotland Writers Football Club. He lives in Edinburgh.

Follow Doug on Twitter @doug_johnstone and visit his website: dougjohnstone.com.

My Top Reads of 2019 #AmReading #TopBooks2019 #BookBlogger

My Top Books of 2019 

I really do love this time of the book year!

It's a chance to look back and think about what I've read over the past twelve months. 2019 was a bit of an unusual year for me in that my Blog Tour organising seemed to take over, and I didn't keep a record of how many books I read. I think it's around 100 though.

I rarely finish, or review a book that I'm not enjoying. So every book that I've reviewed, I have enjoyed. This makes picking out my favourites really difficult, and my list is long -I make no apologies for that. I would heartily recommend every book on this list.

As always, my list is split into three sections; I start with some of the 2019 books that I read in 2018. I mentioned them last year and hoped that they would be huge.

The second part is my list of  Top Books of 2019

Finally, I'll give a mention to some 2020 publications that I've read early.

I really think that 2020 is going to be another fabulous book year!

Enjoy! 

2019 Books that I predicted would be huge ...

At the end of last year, I'd read these 2019 books pre-publication, and predicted that they would do well. I'm still recommending them, twelve months later.  (click on the title for my full review).

The Flower Girls by Alice Clark Platts: published by Raven Books on 24 January 2019

The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley: published by Harper Collins on 24 January 2019

If Only I Could Tell You by Hannah Beckerman: published by Orion on 21 February 2019 

Mrs Doubler Begins Again by Seni Glaister: published by HQ on 24 January 2019

My Top Reads of 2019

My Top Reads of the year are listed in order of reading. The list contains some favourite authors who pop up year after year, and also some debuts. I think it's a great list, with something for everyone. I heartily recommend all of these books.  (click on the title for my full review)

The Puppet Show by MW Craven published by Constable on 24 January 2019, 

The Puppet Show is intelligently written, with a dash of wit and humour, and a great deal of fine and detailed crime solving. I had no idea where this would go, and the shocking and totally unexpected reveal is a wonderful thing.

The Lost Man by Jane Harper published by Little Brown on 7 February 2019

I could talk about this novel for hours, and have already recommended it to many people. It's a dark and brilliant story, told through characters who are imperfect but wonderfully created. I loved it.

Louis and Louise by Julie Cohen published by Orion on 24 January 2019

Wise, wonderful and beautifully written. Louis & Louise a brave and adventurous story of love, friendship, differences and hope.

The Closer I Get by Paul Burston published by Orenda Books on 11 May 2019 

The Closer You Get is brilliantly written, it's compulsive and twisty and the final reveal will unsettle and startle the reader. The psychological mind games played out by the characters are so accomplished.
Intelligent, gripping and compulsive. This is incredible writing that challenges the reader; complex, subtle and incredibly powerful.

Pilgrim by Louise Hall published by Mercier Books on 14 September 2018

The words are tender and gentle, despite some of the bleak and shocking events covered. We, as readers, take that journey alongside the characters. discovering more about them, and their life. Changing our judgements as we go and most of all, desperately hoping that they find their peace.
Pilgrim is at times wickedly funny and constantly deeply moving. It really is extraordinarily moving and elegantly written.  Highly recommended.

On My Life by Angela Clarke published by Mulholland Books on 11 July 2019 

With red herrings and plenty of twists and a final reveal that made me shout WHOA!, On My Life is thrilling and fast paced. Totally addictive, shocking and completely convincing. I loved it.

Worst Case Scenario by Helen Fitzgerald published by Orenda Books on 17 May 2019 

Complex and intricately woven. Worst Case Scenario is a character-led story with a middle-aged, menopausal lead character who one should love, and cheer and applaud; despite her mistakes. It's a brave and clever novel, hugely addictive, tense and hilarious, all at the same time.

Twisted by Steve Cavanagh published by Orion Books on 4 April 2019 

From the intriguing and compelling opening, through the fast-paced action that twists and turns like the narrowest of dark country lanes, right up until the shocking ending, I had no idea what would come next. Steve Cavanagh is either a genius, or completely twisted himself ..... or maybe he's both?

A Modern Family by Helga Flatland published by Orenda Books on 13 June 2019 

Flatland writes with an elegance that one just savours with the greatest of delight. There's also subtle humour and a shrewd and insightful examination of the psychology of family, and of loss.
A Modern Family is not just good, it is masterful. It is fresh and original, with a depth of vision that is breath taking

A Good Enough Mother by Bev Thomas published by Faber on 4 April 2019 

A Good Enough Mother is a remarkable novel, and I expect it to be in my top books of the year. It is intelligent, ambitious and incredibly disturbing. It is also brilliantly written, completely human and so intense. 

Utterly riveting and very very highly recommended from me. 

Breakers by Doug Johnstone published by Orenda Books on 16 May 2019 

Breakers is a triumph. It's an exploration of community, family and friendship. It is dark and it is violent and it is full of grit, yet it is also warm and funny and ultimately uplifting.

An engrossing, taut tale filled with the largest of characters; some are dreadfully evil, some are an utter delight, but all of them are crafted with the highest of precision; believable and incredibly real.

Never Be Broken by Sarah Hilary published by Headline on 16 May 2019 

Never Be Broken is captivating, ingenious and totally gripping. This author's ability to get into the mind of her characters and portray their innermost thoughts is truly spectacular. The drama of the tightly woven and highly complex murder cases along with the slow unravelling of Noah's mental state is expertly and compassionately handled. 

The Whisper Man by Alex North published by Michael Joseph on 13 June 2019 

Brilliantly paced, with a plot that is both compelling and intriguing; The Whisper Man has quite rightly been raved about by critics and fellow authors. It is chillingly creepy and so very very tense.

Probably the best serial killer novel that I'll read for the next thirty years!  Bravo Alex North.

Half A World Away by Mike Gayle published by Hodder on 13 June 2019

The author writes with wit and humour; some scenes are laugh out loud funny, but he also deals with some serious and heart wrenching issues that will make the reader reach for the tissues.
The story touches on race, social class, the care system and terminal illness and is accomplished sensitive and powerful.
A truly beautiful story about the power of love, and family

Breaking and Mending by Joanna Cannon published by Profile Books on 26 September 2019

Painfully honest, harrowing, heart-breaking and so so human. Breaking and Mending is a book that must be read by everyone who ever has any contact with our NHS.

Nothing Important Happened Today by Will Carver published by Orenda Books on 14 September 2019 

This is stylish and extraordinary writing. It's puzzling and perplexing but so damn good. There is something quite mesmerising about this story that defies genre and quite frankly, logic.

Stunning ...  this will linger in my mind forever.

The Poison Garden by Alex Marwood published by Sphere on 25 July 2019 

The Poison Garden is compulsive, gripping and very very dark. The exploration of family relationships and the quest for power is beautifully done, with characters who have depth, yet are so cold and so chilling.
Gloriously lyrical, this really is an enthralling and original story. Highly recommended by me.

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood published by Vintage on 10 September 2019

This is writing from an author who is at the very top of the game, and surely the greatest author of our time.  I applaud Atwood, I adore The Testaments. Shake off any gnawing feelings of unease you may have about this, read it for what it is; the author's answers to questions raised over thirty years. Enjoy!

The Bad Place by MK Hill published by Head of Zeus on 5 September 2019 

The Bad Place is fast paced, with an intriguing and compelling premise. The characters are excellently drawn. I loved it and can't wait to read more about Sasha Dawson

Highly recommended.

In The Absence of Miracles by Michael J Malone published by Orenda Books on 19 September 2019

I am totally and completely in awe of Michael J Malone. This story tore at my heart, it actually felt painful to read some of it and it’s only the magnificently structured plot and wonderfully created characters that made me continue at times.
In the Absence of Miracles is a story that touches the heart and will leave a long-lasting scar upon it.

A Single Thread by Tracy Chevalier published by Borough Press on 5 September 2019 

This is a novel of love and loss, highlighting the difficulties faced during that era by anyone who may have been considered different, or strange, or even evil. The historical aspects are wonderfully woven, with real life characters written in amongst the fictional ones. Winchester, and especially the Cathedral is an evocative and quite sensual setting for this bold, intelligent and quite wonderful novel.

Violet by SJI Holliday published by Orenda Books on 14 November 2019 

It's the story of a meeting, a journey and a explosive and unexpected relationship. It's dark and sometimes a little bit grimy; I felt as though I needed a wash after days of train travel, drugs, alcohol and dirty sex!  It's an exploration into the damaged mind, obsession and manipulation and will shock, and possibly horrify the reader at times.
The setting is glorious, the pace is exquisite. Violet is original, chilling and quite quite perfect.

I Wanted You To Know by Laura Pearson published by Agora Books on 3 October 2019 

Laura Pearson's emotive and astute novel is heart-breaking at times. However, it is also an ode to female relationships and it's the support and love that Jess gets from her best friend Gemma that really touched me the most. There is no doubt at all that this story line will affect all readers, and even though it's utterly devastating, it's also a beautifully written story about the love of a friend.

The Glittering Hour by Iona Grey published by Simon & Schuster on 30 May 2019 

This is an epic story of love and loss set amongst the glamour and glitz of 1920s London. The author’s ability to bring to life her characters is truly outstanding. Whilst on the surface, the life of the Bright Young Things appears to one of fun and privilege, the author cleverly incorporates the darker elements and the long-term effects of the Great War, giving the story great depth and emotion.
A beautiful love story; tender and captivating. A real treat for the reader.

The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes published by Michael Joseph on 3 October 2019 

The Giver of Stars is a huge book; not so much in page length, but in substance and in the joy that it brings to the reader. I was totally captivated by the characters, the plotting and the wonderfully created setting. This really is a book to savour slowly, it's a sweeping story that centres on female friendship and loyalty, and has a fabulous dash of romance too.
Highly recommended, it is utterly absorbing and I lost myself completely in it.

The Lies We Hide by SE Lynes published by Bookoutre on 4 December 2019

This is a smart, sophisticated and meticulously plotted story that is emotionally draining at times. With themes of domestic violence, poverty and drug abuse there's not a lot of pleasant scenes in here. However, it's also a story of hope, determination and love. The author's depiction of a mother's love and loyalty is striking and watching the relationship between Richard and Graham unfold was an absolute joy.

A truly compelling, intelligent, enthralling and satisfying read. I loved it and would recommend it highly.

Nina X by Ewan Morrison published by Fleet on 4 April 2019 

Seeing the world through Nina's eyes is often heartbreaking for her, and for the reader but there's also an element of humour and warmth that add so much depth to what could potentially be such a dark and dismal tale.
I adored this book. It is extraordinary, absorbing, disturbing and really quite marvellous.

Black Summer by MW Craven published by Constable on 12 December 2019

Flawlessly plotted with characters that almost jump from the pages with an atmospheric and almost eerie landscape setting. Black Summer is seamless and extraordinarily well written.
I can't wait to meet Poe and Tilly in the next in this amazing series. Beautifully dark and exquisitely disturbing. Truly exceptional.

Expectation by Anna Hope published by Transworld on 11 July 2019 

Expectation is the proof that Hope is one of our finest and most adaptable novelists at the moment. Her ability to create characters who worm their way into the reader's brain and are difficult to shake off is incredible.

Books to look out for in 2020 ....

I've already made a start on the 2020 books, and if the ones that I've read already are anything to go by, we are in for another outstanding book year.

Here are a few tips; books that I think will be huge next year. 

A Dark Matter and The Home are already out in ebook. However their paperback publication dates are January 2020 and as I'm a paperback reader, I've included both of these for next year.

A Dark Matter by Doug Johnstone - published 23 January 2020 by Orenda Books

Dark and brilliantly written, the layers are exposed, carefully and with great skill. Both the characters and the plot are convincing and kept me on my toes throughout. Deliciously chilling, with a wry humour running throughout.  A Dark Matter is toxic, unsettling and just perfect. I loved it and recommend it highly.  Bravo Mr Johnstone! 

The Home by Sarah Stovell - published 23 January 2020 by Orenda Books

The story is intoxicating and riveting; I finished it in almost one sitting; it's a story that drew me in and continues to haunt me after I turned the final page.
Beautiful, visceral and uncompromising. The Home has been a long time coming, but I can assure you that it is worth every single second of the wait.

It Started With A Secret by Jill Mansell - published 23 January 2020 by Headline

My review has not yet been published for this one, you'll see it in January in the Sunday Express S Magazine.  I can assure you that it's wonderful, her best book yet in my opinion

Mix Tape by Jane Sanderson  - published by Bantam Press on 23 January 2020

My review of this one will be published in January in the Sunday Express S Magazine.

It is an absolutely beautiful book that swept me back to my youth, filled with music and memories. It's heartbreaking and wonderful.


The First Time I Saw You by Emma Cooper - published 9 January 2020 in paperback by Headline
I adored this book. My review will be published here on Random Things on 6 January, as part of the Blog Tour.

So there we are; my top books of 2019, with a few tempters for you for 2020.

I hope you all have an excellent 2020, with lots of amazing books to discover. Huge thanks for continuing to read my blog and for the wonderful support that I've had over the last 12 months.