Nicki's book blog

  The Silver Ladies Seize the Day by Judy Leigh- Women’s fiction   Cecily Hamilton never married after the man she thought she would spend the rest of her life with went off with her best friend. Cecily at almost ninety two is one of the silver ladies, a group of friends who support each other in all life’s ups and downs. Josie has seen someone she used to know in the past who has just moved back to the village and Minnie is waiting for her sister to recover from her stroke so she can be with the love of her life who lives in America. This is a wonderful fun read of life and how friendships can get you through the bumps along the way. Judy has a wonderful writing style, putting the reader at ease and in the middle of a group of friends. There is more than friendship or camaraderie amongst the ladies, it's an understanding, a support like no other whilst accepting that we are all different and may not always agree with each other. A multi-layered plot of life, peeled away one s...

  ***************Cover reveal************ Book out 11th July 

  The House Sitter by Keri Beevis- Psychological Thriller   Nina agrees to house sit for a friend, looking after the cat. Whilst there she spies a man, Julian, in the apartments across the way with a woman. When its on the news that the woman has disappeared, Nina goes to the police however Julian has an alibi. Nina is convinced of what she saw and wants to prove it, but is she safe from Julian?. There’s a wonderful feeling of uncertainty I felt whilst reading this- to me the skill of a brilliant author. Not knowing quite what's going to happen but that feeling that there’s something about to. I admired Nina and her determination. A story with twists and turns and a surprise ending- at least it was for me.  Clever, brilliant, spellbinding. A captivating, stunning read.  For more reviews please follow me on X (formerly Twitter) @nickisbookblog --------------------------------------------------------- The House Sitter She knows what she saw. But can she prove it? After...

  Shadows of the Mind by J.R Sinclair-crime Wow! A premise unlike any other- one which is totally captivating.  When a trusted DI grabs a gun from a crime scene and then shoots his long-time colleague and then jumps in front of a vehicle to kill himself, DI Joseph Stone knows something is off, very off. What would cause someone to do this, something so out of kilter with their normal life? When there is more than one occurrence, and it possibly leads to a stage mentalist, things take a very strange turn. What is going on and how? Blimey Riley! What a book, what a premise! When you think you have come across most crime acts, something like this comes your way and blows your mind (every pun intended- read the book to find out!). How clever and well researched by the author. This must have taken some planning, I was completely blown away. Brilliant doesn't do this justice, neither does 5 stars. I’m lost for words. Wow, just wow! ---------------------------------------------------...

  The Woman Who Met Herself by Laura Pearson- Women’s Fiction Debbie works for a charity going round houses trying to get people to sign up to donate. Her husband died a year ago and she loves meeting people and despite being on her own has a very full life. Ruth has a husband and two grown sons and makes cakes for a living and despite all this is rather lonely. When Debbie knocks on Ruth’s door both women get rather a shock- they look exactly the same. This is a cracking premise and I love that a single woman has been portrayed as the busy one- life is what you make it- one life live it. It’s a story about characters and situations that neither woman ever imagined. Laura has a skill for putting the reader right into the heart of the drama and I loved Debbie especially through her self-determination. It's beautifully written, portraying the two very different women giving a very well rounded read. A wonderful read I couldn’t help but fall in love with. For more reviews please follo...

  By Your Side by Ruth Jones -general fiction Linda works at the unclaimed heirs unit at her local council. This involves dealing with the deceased who have no known family-either trying to find them, or dealing with things in their absence. She is about to be made redundant and her last case is that of Levi Norman. Levi made his home on a Scottish island and we get to know his story both through Linda's findings and in other detail.  This is such a beautiful read. One to make you love your fellow man and restores faith in human nature. It's tender and touching, captivating and entrancing. There are laughs and heart-warming moments all stunningly written. Ruth is most certainly an author to look out for -someone I've not read before (sign me up for the next book now please and I’ll be looking at the back catalogue as soon as I’ve finished typing this) and her skill has transferred brilliantly from screen to page- I’d love to see this as a TV show. A tender, emotional, deli...

The Missing Ones  by Anita Waller -crime/psychological thriller Ray Eke was a successful accountant until the day he threw his chair around the office. He suffered a breakdown and opted out of his company leaving his friend Mark to take the reins. He started litter picking voluntarily and from this the council employed him. One day whilst doing the job he loves he finds a body. When a woman then goes missing and the police begin to suspect one is linked to the other the search intensifies for both the missing woman and links to the murder. It appears the women both worked, albeit very temporarily in one case at Ray’s old accountancy firm. Ray was away in therapy when the first woman went missing but could Mark or someone else have something to do with this? Oh boy! I love Anita's novels. They are such an easy read and I find myself turning more and more, devouring the whole thing. There’s a cracking plot and wonderful characters, Ray was one I took to very quickly (think Ove type c...

When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa Ridzen Bo lives with his dog Sixten and has carers four times a day. He can do some things for himself but is getting slower and his son is concerned about him , having said it would be easier without Sixten. As any dog lover knows, this is a very hard decision and Bo is fighting against it- Sixten is his constant companion. Bo remembers when his wife was alive and his son was small and takes us through some of his memories. Oh be still my beating heart. My heart was in my mouth all the way through, desperately wanting Bo and Sixten to stay together.. Companions mean the world, whatever age or ability as has been proven and the end reflected this. It’s a beautifully descriptive read, telling of more than just Bo’s life. A reflective, powerful, emotive tale that had me in bits at the end leaving me speechless. One that blew me away and one most certainly to remember. Wow, just wow.  For more reviews please follow me on X (formerly Twitter) @nickisbo...

  This Thing Called Love by Debbie Howells - women’s fiction Bea worked in an arboretum, something she loved until she lost her job and her boyfriend on the same day. Then her flatmate wants her out in order to move her boyfriend in. She moves into her mothers but knows this is only temporary as Mother isn't something that has been done. She at long last finds out the name of her father and decides to go in search of him. Alex looks after his mother who is sadly suffering with dementia. One day he takes a break and bumps into a lovely looking woman, spilling her coffee in the process. She doesn't want to stop, however she isn't someone he can forget easily. His mother is getting worse and he thinks maybe the man she played music with may be the key to getting his mother her memories back.  A book of hope and  more. We all go through changes one way or another, sometimes of the toughest type and this shows that taking that small step can make things so, so different if we...

  The Swim by Janet Hoggarth - Women's Fiction *trigger warning- eating disorder Cordelia is undertaking a channel swim. Something she has wanted to do for a while but always having in her head her mother saying she never finishes anything. Whilst spending thirteen hours trying to keep warm and avoiding seaweed and trying not to think about sharks, she reminisces about her life. Her thoughts go from films she has watched and what was associated with them at the time and her upbringing, which had more than a little drama. It's funny, it's tragic, it's uplifting and thought provoking. A real “life” mix of emotions we all experience. I liked Cordelia and her fighting spirit and could see some of myself in her. Derek is a dream of a character, what a guy! Loved him. The friend we all need being there by our side, cheering us on whatever. A story of determination and being you, not someone else’s perception. A brilliant read.  For more reviews please follow me on X (formerly...