Nicki's book blog

The Room Mates- Rachel  Sargeant- Psychological thriller Four girls arrive at University to share a flat. Each has their own backstory. Imogen known as Imo has a reason to be cautious. We know little other than that there was a stalker and a girl named Sophia but little else. Each girl starts seeing a man with binoculars watching either them or the flat dressed in a hoodie and occasionally in a car. When Amber goes missing, but her mother arrives to collect her things believing that she has gone travelling following a text from her, things really don’t add up. They have a fifth flat sharer - a man who never speaks but gets lots of parcels delivered. What is going on and who are the two strange men? This is a very different read in a good way. There is the tension of something happening in the past intermingling with the here and now. Imo’s insecurities the weirdness of Riku, and the families of the other girls is brilliantly portrayed. A twist and sec...

Escape to Giddywell Grange by Kim Nash -Romcom/dogcare Oh I loved this from the start- a real pick me up of turning life around and finding it’s real values. Madison is a highly successful woman in a PR and marketing firm. When the operations director takes some time out Madison finds the rumours are that she is to take her place. When the monday morning meeting that she has been looking forward to takes a rather different direction Maddy is left on her heels and totally bewildered. Work has been her whole life to the point of all else. Beth is her life long friend who runs “Growlers at the Grange” (I did smile at that!) who is rather different to Maddy in that she tries to put something back. (I filled up at Ron & Lettie). A book about life and its ups and downs and that material things don’t always give the greatest reward. Being a part of something small can make a greater world for those involved. A wonderful plot, brilliant characters  and ...

Ten Thousand doors Of January - Alix E.Harrow- January Scaller and her father live with the wealthy Mr Locke. This is set in the early 1900’s.  Her father travels and finds Mr Locke curios from all over the world. January is a ward of Mr Locke and he often introduces her as his adopted daughter. One of January’s great loves is reading and she devours pretty much anything she can get her hands on. When she finds a book about doors, something she has always thought held more to them than just a shape between two rooms, she is fascinated as these doors are more like portals. we are treated to not only January’s story but that of between the pages of her book Ten Thousand doors and the characters within . In their land the greatest number is ten thousand (think infinity). Mr Locke also wants to know how she knows of such things, Does his secret society have more to hide than she realises and where on earth has her father got to? It took me a little while...

  Henry’s tale-David Pipe - Literary fiction, humour, canine, coming of age If like me you love dogs and want a smile then this could be the very book for you! Henry is a (talking) Border Terrier of six months. He lives in Watford with his Mama and Papa Alan and Jenny. Alan loves his dogs and all animals whereas Jenny is more “bovvered” about her designer wardrobe and what others think of her, how she looks etc. I had to smile at some of her expressions- “Bow Jolly- they spell it funny here Alan” (beaujolais wine) which gets her personality across accurately and quickly. Henry has several friends, one of which has been left by his owners when they emigrated. I believe that this is an important point to make. Animals are a commitment and not to be taken lightly. Holidays and other things have to be arranged with care when there is livestock to consider so I am glad David brought this point in. Henry has some adventures and goes on some travels...

Ring Fenced by Zach Abrams-psychological thriller Benjamin leads several lives under various disguises. By day he is Ben a respectable banker businessman. By night he is a porn author and company owner. To his parents he is Benjie and single, to his wife his parents are Jewish and “wouldn't accept her or the children” and he is Bennie. To his girlfriend he is Jamie and untamed. A life of  many facets with clothes and even watches to reflect each persona. When his wife is being blackmailed Ben has the contacts to sort it out for her and make it go away. When his carefully separated lives begin to mingle Ben has to act smart and fast. Oh what a tangled web we weave...This is well described and researched in terms of the businesses and how Ben has acquired them. A very cleverly thought out plot and characterisations. I have just discovered that this is Zac’s first novel. Wow and respect. This comes across as a highly experienced writer with an ...

Here to Stay- Mark Edwards- psychological thriller Elliot owns a lovely large house and garden bought with the proceeds of a successful website sale. Being community spirited he opens his garden on the local open garden day and seemingly unwittingly meets Gemma who proceeds to save his life when he has an anaphylactic reaction to a sting. Their relationship progresses to the point of marriage. He knows little about her family only having met her brother who lives a short drive away. Her parents and sister Chloe are in France. We get occasional chapters about a couple doing something, we know not what, rather cloak and dagger. When Gemma asks if her parents and sister can stay “just for a couple of weeks” until they find somewhere, Elliot is pleased to help and to finally meet them. However it soon becomes clear that they are far from a normal family. Chloe is very withdrawn and possibly ill and Gemma’s parents have their own very odd agenda. Oooh!! Mark ...

Degrees of Guilt by HS Chandler -psychological thriller *trigger warning domestic abuse Maria has just killed her husband. Yes really. She can’t quite believe it has finally happened. She hit him over the head with a chair leg, one that needed repairing. She calls the police and hands herself in. Her husband was a well respected ecologist with a large on-line following.  Lottie has been called for jury service, something she is looking forward to with a mixture of anticipation, nerves and excitement. Her day to day role is that of a wife and mother to Zain and Daniyal, so socialsing is limited to toddler groups. Her husband Zain comes across as someone who not only takes her for granted but puts her down at any opportunity. Lottie is part of the jury for Maria’s trial as she has entered a not guilty plea for attempted murder. Lottie soon finds in the other jurors that there are a mixture of people, some to get on with and others to avoid. Oohh!! Thi...