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Fictionophile’s JANUARY 2025 Reading Wrap-Up #bookblogger #MonthlyWrapUp #Fictionophile #JanuaryReads | Fictionophile
January by the numbers: Total titles read: 16 three of which were audiobooks Published recently: 11 Backlist titles: 5 Five star reads: 3 Blog Tours 3 Books that are part of a series: 4 Audiobooks 3 Goodreads challenge: 16/150 (10%) GR NetGalley challenge: 9/70 (13%) GR Edelweiss challenge: 1/30 (3%) In January, my armchair travels…
Fictionophile’s JANUARY 2025 #BookHaul #Bookbloggers #ForthcomingTitles #TBR #AnticipatedReads | Fictionophile
This month I added 10 new review commitments to my TBR mountain. I requested 3 titles from NetGalley and Edelweiss. Temptation won me over... I was sent 4 email invitations with 'widgets' to download books; I downloaded one 'Download Now' title from Edelweiss and I download two 'Read Now' titles from NetGalley (All book descriptions…
“The Lost House” by Melissa Larsen – Book Review @StMartinsPress @MinotaurBooks @MacmillanUSA #TheLostHouse #BookReview | Fictionophile
"Often the truth is hiding in a lie." If you are a seasonal reader, then, like me, you will relish this novel set during a frigid Icelandic winter. Agnes is a young woman who has spent the last year in debilitating pain. She had an accident that left her kneecap and lower shin shattered. Now,…
“At The Coffee Shop Of Curiosities” by Heather Webber – Book Review @torbooks @BooksbyHeather #AtTheCoffeeShopOfCuriosities #BookReview | Fictionophile
Driftwood, Alabama, is a fictional small town situated on the Gulf coast. It is the kind of small town where everyone wants to live. The ocean is near, the people are friendly, and there is an all-round good vibe. Ava Harrison is a young woman who has led a sheltered life due to her epilepsy.…
“The Blue Hour” by Paula Hawkins – #AudiobookReview #TheBlueHour @doubledayca #PaulaHawkins #BookReview | Fictionophile
A chilling crime thriller which was a slow burn. The title, "The Blue Hour" sets the tone for the book - that hour of the day that bridges the time between day and night. Mysterious and unsettling. Moody and contemplative. In this novel the setting was a character unto itself. A small and desolate Scottish…
Top Ten Tuesday – ‘New to me’ authors I discovered in 2024 #TopTenTuesday #TuesdayBookBlog #bookbloggers #GreatReads @ArtsyReaderGirl | Fictionophile
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish which is now hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. The rules are simple: Each Tuesday, Jana assigns a new topic. Create your own Top Ten list that fits that topic – putting your unique spin on it if you…
“Listen For The Lie” by Amy Tintera – #AudiobookReview #ListenForTheLie @MacmillanAudio @CeladonBooks @amytintera #BookReview | Fictionophile
A Macmillan Audio production from Celadon Books There has been SO much hype about this novel. I chose to listen to this title because many of my favourite bookbloggers included it in their best of the year lists for 2024. I can understand the hype now, but I found I didn't love it quite as…
“I’ll Tell You Everything” by Rebecca Kelley – Book Review #LakeUnionPublishing #IllTellYouEverything @rkelleywrites #BookReview #NetGalley | Fictionophile
Told alternately between the points of view of Amy Linden and Ramona Crawford, this book was difficult to review for several reasons. Firstly because I didn't care for either of these women, despite their story being a fascinating, though devastating one. Amy is happily married and the mother to a young son. She is a…
“Last Liar Standing” by Danielle M. Wong – Book Review @RAPublishing #LastLiarStanding @DanielleMWong #BookReview | Fictionophile
At first I thought this was just another thriller with an 'amnesia' trope, but once I got into it, I couldn't put it down! With myriad twists and turns, I believe that this psychological thriller will be appreciated by many fans of the genre. Veronica (Vonny) wakes in a Nevada hospital after being in a…
Top Ten Tuesday – The 10 most recent additions to my TBR #TopTenTuesday #TuesdayBookBlog #bookbloggers #AnticipatedReads #TBR @ArtsyReaderGirl | Fictionophile
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish which is now hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. The rules are simple: Each Tuesday, Jana assigns a new topic. Create your own Top Ten list that fits that topic – putting your unique spin on it if you…
“The Life Impossible” by Matt Haig – #AudiobookReview #TheLifeImpossible @matthaig1 @LibbyApp #HarperAvenue | Fictionophile
Let me just say that I'm so glad I listened to this book as opposed to reading it. The reason? The spectacular narration of Joanna Lumley. The first third of the book I enjoyed tremendously. Then the novel veered into preternatural phenomena. At this point I might have stopped reading - but Joanna Lumley's voice…
“Frankie” by Graham Norton – Book Review @HarperViaBooks #Frankie @grahnort #BookReview @HarperCollins | Fictionophile
"Frankie" was a small elderly lady living alone in Wapping. At eighty-four, and having just broken her ankle, she needs help. Her flat is tiny, gloomy, crowded with furniture, and is located in a somewhat seedy building. "Damian" is a young gay man who works for Hamilton Homecare. Unlike many of his colleagues, he truly…
“What My Sister Knew” by Nina Laurin – Book Review @GrandCentralPub #WhatMySisterKnew #BookReview | Fictionophile
Toxic twins. When they were only thirteen, Andrea and Eli lose their mom and stepdad in a house fire. One of them set the fire... which one? Eli was the popular one, the good-looking one - Andrea was the outsider, the plain girl who was bullied at school. Eli went to jail for fifteen years…
“Leave No Trace” by Jo Callaghan – Book Review @randomhouse @JoCallaghanKat @penguinrandom #LeaveNoTrace #KatAndLock #BookReview | Fictionophile
The first novel in this series, "In The Blink Of An Eye" made my favourite reads of 2024 list. "Leave No Trace" will, no doubt, make my favourites of 2025 list! My first reaction? Brilliant! I loved it, and can't wait to read the next book in the series! The characters were so well drawn…
“The Audacity of Sara Grayson” by Joani Elliott – Book Review @merylmossmedia #TheAudacityOfSaraGrayson @JoaniElliott #BookReview | Fictionophile
Sara Grayson is floundering. Recently divorced, she is employed writing verses for greeting cards. Her mother is a famous novelist who has an acclaimed fiction series loved by millions of fans which has also been adapted into film. When Sara's mother dies at the tender age of sixty-one, she makes it her final wish that…
“Into Thin Air” by Ørjan Karlsson – Book Review #BlogTour #IntoThinAir @OrendaBooks #ArcticMysteries @orjankarlsson #BookReview #NordicNoir | Fictionophile
"Into Thin Air" marks the beginning of a new Nordic Noir police procedural series. The police team of four work in the Joint Unit for Intelligence, Prevention and Investigation out of Bodø in Northern Norway. They are: Jakob Weber - a police detective in his forties who has recently lost his wife to cancer. It…
“Death In The Hills” by Kate Wells – Book Review @BoldwoodBooks @KatePoels @rararesources #DeathInTheHills #boldwoodbloggers #BlogTour #BookReview | Fictionophile
Our protagonist, Jude Gray, is a young, childless widow who now runs her large sheep farm with the help of Noah, her shepherd, and her loyal dogs, Pip and Archie - with memories of her late husband never far from her mind. When she met her husband Adam, he introduced her to his life-long friends…
Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2025 #TopTenTuesday #TuesdayBookBlog #bookbloggers #AnticipatedReads #TBR @ArtsyReaderGirl | Fictionophile
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and now hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. The rules are simple: Each Tuesday, Jana assigns a new topic. Create your own Top Ten list that fits that topic – putting your unique spin on it if you want.…
“Family Doctor” by J.M. Dalgliesh – Book Review @bookouture #FamilyDoctor #BlogTour @jmdalgliesh #BookReview #BookoutureBooksOnTour | Fictionophile
Doctor Kelly Howlett is a strong woman with a tragic history. She and her teenage daughter, Lauren, live on the Hebridean island of Jura, after tragic events conspired to end both her marriage, and a young life, in Edinburgh. Jura is a small place, and Doctor Kelly is the only physician on the island. She…
“Best Day Ever” by Kaira Rouda – Book Review #BestDayEver @KairaRouda @GraydonHouse @HarperCollinsCa #BookReview | Fictionophile
Advertising executive Paul Strom has it all. A beautiful wife, two healthy young sons, a nice house and a summer getaway cottage. He is taking his wife Mia away to the cottage for a special weekend. For the 'best day ever'. We then delve into the twisted psyche of Paul Strom. Of all the despicable…
“The Undoing of Violet Claybourne” by Emily Critchley – Book Review @Sourcebooks @EmilyMCritchley #TheUndoingOfVioletClaybourne #BookReview #HistoricalFiction | Fictionophile
This is my first read of 2025 and what a fantastic way to begin the year! The majority of this novel is set during 1938 in Thornleigh Hall, a deteriorating manor house in Oxfordshire. The house is the home of the dysfunctional Claybourne family. The second timeline is set in the year 1999 with Gillian…
Fictionophile’s Reading Challenges for 2025 #ReadingChallenges #Bookbloggers #BeatTheBacklist #AtoZReadingChallenge2025 #wian2025 | Fictionophile
I've joined in to THREE reading challenges for 2025 - this in addition to my Goodreads Reading Challenge to read 150 titles ; my NetGalley Reading Challenge to read 70 NetGalley titles ; my Edelweiss Reading Challenge to read 30 Edelweiss titles. If this sounds like a lot, remember all of my challenges count towards…
“Fallen Angel” by Jenny O’Brien – Book Review @HQstories @ScribblerJB #FallenAngel #GabyDarin #BookReview | Fictionophile
DS Gaby Darin is now settled in Pembrokeshire, Wales after a difficult work-related experience in Swansea. Gaby is working out of a police station in Llandudno. She has bought herself a small cottage that needs updating, something she cannot afford. She is shorter than the average copper, and overweight. She wears her waist-length dark hair…
Fictionophile’s SEVEN Bookish Resolutions 2025 #Fictionophile #BookishResolutions #Bookbloggers | Fictionophile
Yes, it is that time of year again... #1 - I plan to read 150 books in 2025 (this is my Goodreads challenge goal) #2 - Of those, I plan to read 50 books that were published in 2020 or earlier as part of my #BeatTheBacklist Challenge for 2025 #3 - I want to complete…
Fictionophile’s DECEMBER 2024 Reading Wrap-Up #bookblogger #MonthlyWrapUp #Fictionophile #DecemberReads | Fictionophile
December by the numbers: Total titles read: 16 six of which were audiobooks Published recently: 7 Backlist titles: 9 Five star reads: 3 Blog Tours 0 Books that are part of a series: 2 Audiobooks 6 Goodreads challenge: 152/120 (126%) - Challenge Complete! GR NetGalley challenge: Completed 74/50 (146%) GR Edelweiss challenge: Completed 33/25 (132%)…
Fictionophile’s 13 favourite reads of 2024 – #BookRecommendations #Bookbloggers #Booklovers #GreatReads #TopReadsOf2024 #Fictionophile | Fictionophile
I had the privilege of reading 152 fiction titles in the year 2024. Of these, I've whittled my favourites down to the above thirteen titles. It was a difficult task. Links to my reviews of these titles... (in no particular order) "Darling Girls" by Sally Hepworth "In the Blink of an Eye" by Jo Callaghan…
“The Answer is NO” by Fredrik Backman – Book Review #ShortStory @AmazonPub @Backmanland #BookReview | Fictionophile
I've read everything Fredrik Backman has published to date, AND, can honestly say that I'd probably enjoy it if he copied over the phone book. LOL "The Answer is NO" was a highly entertaining short story that spoke to a fact I have long known about Backman. He understands people. The protagonist, Lucas, is a…
Fictionophile’s DECEMBER 2024 #BookHaul #Bookbloggers #ForthcomingTitles #TBR #AnticipatedReads | Fictionophile
This month I added 8 new review commitments to my TBR mountain. I requested 3 titles from NetGalley. Temptation won me over... I was sent 4 email invitations with 'widgets' to download the books; AND I downloaded one 'Download Now' title from Edelweiss. (All book descriptions are linked to Goodreads.) I received six of these…
“The Fabled Earth” by Kimberly Brock – Book Review @harpermusebooks @HCFocus #TheFabledEarth #BookReview | Fictionophile
Set on a barrier island off the coast of Georgia, "The Fabled Earth" setting was reminiscent of "Where the Crawdads Sing". The landscape was well described, and the book related the history of Cumberland Island in an impressive and memorable way. Once home to the mansions of the rich who used the island as their…
“The Christmas Guest” by Peter Swanson – #AudiobookReview @HarperAudio @hooplaDigital #TheChristmasGuest #Novella | Fictionophile
I'm not sure what I expected from this Christmas themed novella, but what I got was quite a surprise. When you think Christmas in the Cotswolds you would never anticipate the plot of this chilling story. Ashley Smith, a nineteen year old university student leaves her Sacramento home to attend school in London, England. She…
“The Christmas Jigsaw Murders” by Alexandra Benedict – #AudiobookReview @Dreamscapeaudio @hooplaDigital @ak_benedict #TheChristmasJigsawMurders | Fictionophile
"Underestimate octogenarians at your peril" I quite enjoyed this cozy mystery set in the days leading up to Christmas. The fact that the protagonist was a 'curmudgeonly' octogenarian was an added bonus. Edie O'Sullivan is just barely tolerating her least favourite time of year - Christmas. She doesn't put up a tree, or celebrate in…
Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays from Fictionophile | Fictionophile
We are having a very white holiday season in Nova Scotia this year. Lots on the ground and more scheduled over the next 24 hours. I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday season. Thought you might like to see a photo of my darling grandsons playing in the snow yesterday...
“One Day in December” by Josie Silver – #Audiobookreview @BOTLibrary @RandmHouseAudio #OneDayInDecember @LibbyApp | Fictionophile
narrated by Eleanor Tomlinson and Charlie Anson What an unusual romance. It started out as a typical 'meet cute' story and evolved into a complicated and frustrating saga of missed chances, poor timing, and life mistakes. A book of friendship, especially female friendship, this novel tests the loyalty and self-sacrifice required to be a true…
“The Sea House” by Louise Douglas – Book Review @BoldwoodBooks #BoldwoodBloggers @LouiseDouglas3 #TheSeaHouse #BookReview | Fictionophile
To me, this novel seemed to be a book of two parts. The first part was quite a slow-paced women's fiction/mystery. The second part turned into a dark thriller with some disturbing scenes. Mila Shepherd is engaged to Luke, who lives in England, yet now they are living apart due to the fact that her…
“Christmas at a Highland Castle” by Rachel Barnett – Book Review @emblabooks #FestiveRead #ChristmasAtAHighlandCastle @Laura_R_Leeson #BookReview | Fictionophile
Jess grew up in the foster system, never really putting down any roots, until she met her foster mother whom she calls Aunt Vivi. Vivi owns an agency that places housekeeping staff with employers. Though Jess has aspirations to be a singer, singing gigs are hard to come by, so she takes a placement as…
“Beneath the Poet’s House” by Christa Carmen – Book Review @AmazonPub @christaqua #BeneathThePoetsHouse #BookReview | Fictionophile
Set in Providence, Rhode Island, "Under the Poet's House" introduces the reader to the rich literary history of the city. Home to no less than twenty libraries, Providence is also the home of Brown University, an Ivy League college - and coincidentally, the alma mater of our protagonist, Saoirse (pronounced Sur-Sha) White. Saoirse moves back…
“Dune House” by Eunice Mays Boyd with Elizabeth Reed Aden – Book Review @levelbestbooks #VintageMystery #DuneHouse #BookReview #HistoricalMystery | Fictionophile
It has been some time since I've read vintage mystery fiction. "Dune House" reacquainted me with it, while reminding me of some of the great writers of times past. Lark Williams was a young, fairly naive woman in her twenties. She works as a stenographer in a San Francisco law firm in the late 1940s.…
“Murder Road” by Simone St. James – #AudiobookReview @BOTLibrary @simonie_James #MurderRoad | Fictionophile
Several years ago I read "The Broken Girls" by Simon St. James and since I thoroughly enjoyed that one, I decided to give her latest novel a go. The characterization was just as sharply rendered, and the scenes vividly portrayed. In other words, the writing was top notch. April and Eddie are madly in love,…
“The Lost Ticket” by Freya Sampson – #AudiobookReview @BOTLibrary #TheLostTicket @PRHAudio | Fictionophile
If you are looking for a touching and uplifting read, then you need look no further. This is a dual timeline novel that touches upon themes of aging, betrayal, found family, and kismet. In 1962 Frank meets a beautiful red-headed artist on the 88 bus. They have an instant rapport and she gives him her…
“Trouble Island” by Sharon Short – Book Review @MinotaurBooks @StMartinsPress #TroubleIsland #BookReview | Fictionophile
In Lake Erie, a watery border between Canada and the United States, lies Trouble Island. The forty-six acre island was a stopping place for escaped slaves and military runaways fleeing the states enroute to Canada during the Civil War. Like all islands, it has seen its fair share of storms. We join the residents of…