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“The Irish Key” by Daisy O’Shea – Book Review @Bookouture #TheIrishKey #BlogTour #BookReview @westcorkwriter #BookoutureBooksOnTour | Fictionophile
Book One of the Emerald Isles series This charming novel was set in a rural village in West Cork, on the Mizen Peninsula. Grace has run away from her handsome, wealthy, controlling, and manipulative husband. She fled with her seven year old daughter upon learning that her husband enrolled Olivia in a boarding school. Years…
“Abigail Returns” by Pauline Tait – Book Review @FB_Publishing @PTait_author #AbigailReturns #BookReview | Fictionophile
I have a blog tour coming out next month for the sequel to this book, so thought I'd better read this one first. "Abigail Returns" is the initial book in the Maren Bay series set on the picturesque Isle of Skye. First off, I have to say that the setting was idyllic. An old cottage…
Top Ten Tuesday – Unread books on my shelves that I want to read soon #TopTenTuesday #TuesdayBookBlog #BookTwitter #bookbloggers #AnticipatedReads #TBR | 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.…
“Darling Girls” by Sally Hepworth – Book Review @StMartinsPress @MacmillanUSA #DarlingGirls #BookReview @SallyHepworth | Fictionophile
As readers of Sally Hepworth know, she is a master of the plot twist. There were several in "Darling Girls", so in that respect she doesn't disappoint in the slightest. Within these pages we learned the stories of four women. Jessica - went to live at Wild Meadows when she was just four years old.…
“All We Cannot Leave Behind” by Iain Kelly – Book Review @BookGuild #AllWeCannotLeaveBehind #BookReview @IainK_Writing | Fictionophile
Wow! This latest offering by Iain Kelly really packs a punch! Two protagonists, both pitiable, damaged, and yet strong. The setting is the small suburban town of Liberton, just three miles from the centre of Glasgow. Dr. Thomas Stevenson is a veteran of WWI and he is deeply traumatized by the events and the suffering…
Top Five Tuesday: 5 books with neurodivergent characters #Top5Tuesday #TuesdayBookBlog @MeeghanReads #TopFiveTuesday | Fictionophile
Top 5 Tuesday is a weekly meme created by Bionic Bookworm, now hosted by Meeghan Reads. If you’re interested in participating, check out their blog to get the details and the prompts for each week! This week, we’re picking out books that have neurodivergent characters in recognition of Autism Awareness/Acceptance Month. So, with no further…
“The Seafarer’s Secret” by Carol Ann Collins – Book Review @BeaufortBooks @authorcacollins #TheSeafarersSecret #BookReview | Fictionophile
It was the setting that first attracted me to this novel. The Outer Banks of North Carolina - a place I visited once and long to return in person, though via fiction will have to suffice for now... The novel centers around a police chief, William Templeton who is in his thirties and is a…
“Death In A Lonely Place” by Stig Abell – Book Review @HarperFiction @HarperCollinsUK #DeathInALonelyPlace @StigAbell #BookReview | Fictionophile
Jake Jackson series #2 Written partly as an homage to detective fiction, this second installment in the Jake Jackson series has cemented my vow to pursue this series avidly. Former London police detective Jake Jackson is now firmly ensconced in his new rural home - he is a changed man. He is very fit and…
“The Murmurs” by Michael J. Malone – Book Review @OrendaBooks #TheMurmurs #BookReview @michaelJmalone1 | Fictionophile
This is not my first Michael J. Malone novel and I have come to expect quality writing and an intense reading experience. One again, I was not disappointed. I adored the Scottish settings, the pacing was spot-on, and the characters were well developed. I particularly enjoyed the twin/sibling relationship between Annie and her brother Mark.…
“The Night In Question” by Susan Fletcher – Book Review @UnionSqandCo @sfletcherauthor #TheNightInQuestion @doubledayca #BookReview | Fictionophile
"Florrie learned, long ago, that society forgets an old person was ever young." Florrie was a remarkable old lady. She has seen much in her eighty-seven years. She has loved many, travelled afar, and experienced many losses. Also... Florrie holds a secret which she has kept from everyone for over seven decades. Now, after a…
“Clear” by Carys Davies – Book Review @ScribnerBooks @simonschuster #CarysDavies #Clear #BookReview | Fictionophile
"Clear" was a novel that brought history to life. Rendered with empathy and beautiful prose, the author's love of language is evident. The novel takes place in 1843, when the final stages of the Scottish Clearances was taking place. John is a minister, who, along with his wife Mary are desperately poor. When he is…
Fictionophile’s MARCH 2024 Reading Wrap-Up #bookblogger #MonthlyWrapUp #Fictionophile #MarchReads | Fictionophile
March by the numbers: Total titles read: 9 Published recently: 6 Backlist titles: 3 Five star reads: 5 Debut novels: 1 Books that are part of a series: 4 Goodreads challenge: 28/120 (23%) GR NetGalley challenge: 14/50 (28%) GR Edelweiss challenge: 8/25 (32%) In March, my armchair travels took me to England (once) U.S.A. (twice)…
Fictionophile’s MARCH 2024 #BookHaul #Bookbloggers #ForthcomingTitles #TBR #AnticipatedReads | Fictionophile
This month I added NINE new review commitments to my TBR mountain. Six were publisher widgets sent to me that I couldn't resist ; One was a 'Read Now' ; and I requested two. Temptation won me over... (All book descriptions are linked to Goodreads.) I received five of these titles from NetGalley. My request…
“No Strangers Here” by Carlene O’Connor – Book Review @KensingtonBooks #NoStrangersHere #ReadingIrelandMonth24 #IrishFiction #CarleneOConnor #CountyKerryMysteries | Fictionophile
"There are no strangers here; only friends you haven't yet met." - William Butler Yeats County Kerry Mystery #1 Dimpna Wilde was one of the most unique and enchanting characters I've encountered in some time. She is diminutive in size, colossal in heart, has been dealt many crushing blows in her life, yet she remains…
“Crow Moon” by Suzy Aspley – Book Review @OrendaBooks #CrowMoon @Writer_Suzy #BookReview #BlogTour #MarthaStrangewaysInvestigation @RandomTTours | Fictionophile
"When the crow moon rises, the darkness is unleashed..." Martha Strangeways has endured many traumas in her life. She lost her family at a young age and was put into care. Most recently, she lost her three-year-old twin boys in a house fire. More loss than most people can imagine... Martha works worked as an…
“Growing Wild In The Shade” by Jean Grainger – Book Review #MagsMunroe @jeanniegrainger #ReadingIrelandMonth24 #IrishFiction #BookReview | Fictionophile
I loved the bones of Mags Munroe when I read the first book in this series, now, after reading the second instalment, I'm even more her fan. She was such an authentic character. Again, this novel follows Mags through her days . The reader is privy to her thoughts, her worries, and her delightful sense…
“The Secret of Eveline House” by Sheila Forsey – Book Review #ReadingIrelandMonth24 @PoolbegBooks @SheilaForsey #TheSecretOfEvelineHouse #BookReview | Fictionophile
An unforgettable, dual-time line story which tells the tale of the residents of an Irish house over the years. "Religion and tradition still ruled the state." 1949-50 - The Ward family took ownership of Eveline House in County Wicklow not far from Dublin. They were native Irish who met and were married in London, England.…
#FlashFiction by Andrea Rodda #EverythingYouThinkYouAre | Fictionophile
A friend of a friend wrote this short fiction piece and I thought I'd share it with my followers. Everything You Think You Are He reveals himself to me one evening as I meditate upon the star, Arcutrus (called The Dragon in some places around the world). As I sit gazing up at the sky, allowing…
Announcing the Libby Award Winners! #LibbyAwards @LibbyApp | Fictionophile
As a follow-up to my post of February 25, 2024 - I thought you might be interested in who won the first ever Libby Awards! Libby just announced the winners of its first-ever inaugural book awards, The Libbys! Showcasing titles and authors from 17 different genres, voted on by over 1700 librarians from across the…
“Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter?” by Nicci French – Book Review @HarperCollins @Morrow_PB @FrenchNicci #HasAnyoneSeenCharlotteSalter #BookReview | Fictionophile
Niall Salter is the only one of the siblings to stay in the area. He married and took over the family's landscaping business. Paul Salter, deeply affected by his mother's disappearance, took his own life five years after she was last seen... Oliver Salter is the artistic one. He too left the area for pastures…
“The Inheritance” by Joanna Goodman – Book Review @HarperCollins @HarperCollinsCa #JoannaGoodman #TheInheritance #BookReview | Fictionophile
"Say not you know another entirely, till you have divided an inheritance with him." Arden Moore is widowed suddenly while still in her thirties. Her lifestyle was affluent thanks to Scott, her stock broker husband, but the stock market crash saw their bank accounts dwindling. Her husband though, didn't adjust to the new reality, which…
“Still See You Everywhere” by Lisa Gardner – Book Review @GrandCentralPub #StillSeeYouEverywhere #FrankieElkin @LisaGardnerBks #BookReview | Fictionophile
The third Frankie Elkin novel "Being in a line of work where everyone lies to me has made me a firm believer that everyone lies." Frankie is courageous, lonely, wise-cracking, impulsive, driven by her demons, a recovering alcoholic, and most of all.... broken. In her forties, she shuns personal possessions and travels light. She is…
Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my spring 2024 TBR #TopTenTuesday #TuesdayBookBlog #BookTwitter #bookbloggers #AnticipatedReads #TBR | 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.…
“After Annie” by Anna Quindlen – Book Review @penguinrandom @randomhouse #AfterAnnie #AnnaQuindlen #BookReview #NetGalley | Fictionophile
"Forever was so much shorter than she'd always thought." Annie Brown died of a brain aneurysm while fixing supper. Just like that she was gone... She left a grieving husband, four young children, and a bereft best friend. She was only thirty-seven. "They were all floating in some in-between where nothing seemed real and nothing…
Teaser Tuesday – March 5, 2024 #NewBook #CrowMoon @OrendaBooks #TeaserTuesday #TuesdayBookBlog @suzystorywriter | Fictionophile
My Tuesday post where I'll 'tease' you with the cover, blurb, and first paragraph of one of the titles from my own TBR. This book is a title I received from Orenda Books viaAnne Cater (Random Things Tours) and I look forward to reading it soon. Today, Tuesday March 5th, I want to introduce one…
“Frank & Red” by Matt Coyne – Book Review #FrankAndRed @mattcoyney @HeadlineFiction @headlinepg #NetGalley | Fictionophile
It is astounding when you like a book so much that even though the year is new, you already know it will be at the top of your 2024 'best' list. "Frank & Red" is just such a book. It reminded me a bit of another favourite novel, "A Man Called Ove" by Fredrik Backman.…
Fictionophile’s FEBRUARY 2024 Reading Wrap-Up #bookblogger #MonthlyWrapUp #Fictionophile #FebruaryReads | Fictionophile
February by the numbers: Total titles read: 10 Published recently: 9 Backlist titles: 1 Five star reads: 3 Debut novels: 2 Books that are part of a series: 4 Goodreads challenge: 19/120 (16%) GR NetGalley challenge: 12/50 (24%) GR Edelweiss challenge: 4/25 (16%) In February, my armchair travels took me to England (5 times) U.S.A.…
Fictionophile’s FEBRUARY 2024 #BookHaul #Bookbloggers #ForthcomingTitles #TBR #AnticipatedReads | Fictionophile
This month I added eight new review commitments to my TBR mountain. Seven were publisher widgets sent to me that I couldn't resist... What's a girl to do? (All book descriptions are linked to Goodreads.) I received seven of these titles from NetGalley. I received a NetGalley widget to read and review this title from…
“Where They Lie” by Claire Couglan – Book Review @HarperPerennial #WhereTheyLie @Claire_Coughlan #BookReview #IrishFiction #NetGalley | Fictionophile
"Some stories demand to be told. They keep coming back, echoing down through the decades, until they find a teller." Always one to love discovering a debut novel, this one certainly delivered! "Where They Lie" tells the story of Dublin journalist Nicoletta Sarto. In 1968 she is working for the Irish Sentinel. She is ambitious…
Top Ten Tuesday – Covers/Titles with things found in nature #TBR #TopTenTuesday #TuesdayBookBlog #BookTwitter #bookbloggers #AnticipatedReads | 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.…
You Know the Oscars and the Emmys… now get ready for the Libbys! @LibbyApp #LibbyBookAwards @UproarPRagency | Fictionophile
You’ve heard of the entertainment world’s most coveted awards and of course the book community’s controversial Goodreads Choice Awards, but for the first time, Libby is stepping into the limelight to share The Libby Book Awards, literary winners from the most regarded opinions in the book world. This year marks the beginning of Libby’s inaugural…
“The Lost Letters of Evelyn Wright” by Clare Swatman – Book Review @BoldwoodBooks @ClareSwatman #TheLostLettersOfEvelynWright #BookReview | Fictionophile
Beth's marriage has just dissolved and she's forced into starting over. She feels betrayed and is bitter about her situation. Her cheating husband seems to have fared much better from their divorce. He lives with his girlfriend in Beth's old house... Now, for financial reasons, Beth has purchased a fixer-upper in a village a half…
Reading Ireland Month 2024 #ReadingIrelandMonth24 #IrishFiction #begorrathon24 | Fictionophile
For several years now I've participated in the Reading Ireland Month challenge hosted by Cathy over at 746 Books. Reading Ireland Month (or The Begorrathon as it is affectionately known) will return for the eighth year between Friday 1 and Sunday 31 March 2024. This year I'm not reading quite as many books for the…
“You Can’t See Me” by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir – Book Review #YouCantSeeMe #IcelandicNoir #ForbiddenIceland @OrendaBooks | Fictionophile
"You Can't See Me" is the prequel to the FORBIDDEN ICELAND series "It seems there are black sheep in every family, even those who appear perfect on the surface." The Icelandic Police team of criminal investigators include: Hörður Höskuldsson - leader of the Akranes Criminal Investigation Division. With many local connections, he is in charge…
“The Mark” by Matt Brolly – Book Review @AmazonPub @MattBrollyUK #TheMark #DetectiveLouiseBlackwell #NetGalley #BookReview | Fictionophile
DI Louise Blackwell - early forties, unmarried, and lonely. Still reeling from a severe career setback at her previous posting and the traumatic events of her past, she is only just hanging in there... She has few friends, and is driven in her quest for justice. Louise's brother Paul was recently murdered leaving his six…
“The Memory of Lavender and Sage” by Aimie K. Runyan – Book Review @harpermusebooks @aimiekrunyan #TheMemoryOfLavenderAndSage #BookReview | Fictionophile
An ode to dying towns across the globe, this lovely book centers around a tiny town in Provence, France. It is a novel of fresh starts, new beginnings, rejuvenation and community. When Tempesta's father dies unexpectedly at an early age, she is adrift. He was the glue that tied her to her rather odious grandmother…
“Killer Story” by Matt Witten – Book Review Paperback #PublicationDay @oceanviewpub #KillerStory @MattZWitten #BookReview | Fictionophile
Does the truth really set you free? After reading this author's "The Necklace" in August of last year, I was keen to read more of his work. Once again I was rewarded with an enjoyable, fast-paced, and satisfying read. Set in Boston, Massachusetts in autumn, the story maintained a good sense of place. Petra lives…
“The Framed Women of Ardemore House” by Brandy Schillace – Book Review @Hanover_Square @bschillace @HarlequinBooks #TheFramedWomenOfArdemoreHouse #BookReview | Fictionophile
I wasn't sure what to expect with this novel as I hadn't read anything by this author. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that, despite some minor misgivings in the first chapter, I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit to Netherleigh. With a neurodivergent protagonist, a very atmospheric setting, and some peculiar occurrences, there is a…
“Where Butterflies Wander” by Suzanne Redfearn – Book Review #LakeUnionPublishing #SuzanneRedfearn #WhereButterfliesWander @LUAuthors #5stars #BookReview | Fictionophile
"No matter how much you wish it, time marches on, minute by minute, day by day, leaving you stumbling on with it, along with every regret and mistake you've ever made."Although this author has written six novels, this is the first time I've read her work. Now her backlist is going on my TBR! The…
Reading Fiction – Old and New #DiscussionPost #Fictionophile #Bookbloggers | Fictionophile
Back when I was the fiction cataloguer for our local library I held the opinion that fiction books are timeless. While the non-fiction section was culled on a regular basis, either because they were no longer relevant, accurate, or timely - the fiction section, should remain somewhat static. My opinion was in the minority then,…