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My huge thanks to Ayo Okojie at Quercus who sent me a copy of The Christmas Eve Murders by Noelle Albright way back in 2024. I’m delighted finally to have got round to reading it and to share my review today. Already available in other formats, The Christmas Eve Murders will be published in paperback…
It has been my privilege to receive and review a few Donna Ashworth's books. You’ll find my reviews here. I have loved each one, so I was delighted when lovely Karen Stretch sent me a copy of Donna’s latest collection of poetry, Joy Chose You. It’s my very great pleasure to celebrate National Poetry Day…
With Dr H and I proposing to backpack by train around Spain in 2026, returning to Barcelona as one of the stops, I am hugely indebted to Isabelle Wilson at Headline for sending me a copy of Barcelona, Block by Block by Cierra Block. It’s my pleasure to share my review today. Barcelona, Block by…
It was my absolute pleasure to hear Justin Myers speak at the Romance Festival in Manchester a few weeks ago where he was so witty and engaging. Consequently I was thrilled to receive a signed copy of his latest book, The Glorious Dead. Published by Renegade on 18th September 2025, The Glorious Dead is available…
I had meant to review The Tiny Tycoons: CyberMental by Dolapo Adeyemi and illustrated by Sarah-Leigh Wills some weeks ago, but life (or rather a series of deaths) got the better of me! My thanks go to Ben Cameron For sending me a copy of The Tiny Tycoons: CyberMental. It’s my pleasure to share my…
My enormous thanks to Georgia Hester at Harper Collins for sending me a surprise copy of The Second Chance Cinema by Thea Weiss. It’s my pleasure to share my review today. The Second Chance Cinema will be published by HQ on 7th October 2025 and is available for purchase through the publisher links here. The…
2025 has been ‘a bit of a year’ so I haven’t been able to support authors as much as I’d have liked. However, I’m trying to rectify that a little today by inviting Janys Thornton to stay in with me and tell me a little about her latest book. I'm delighted Janys agreed to come…
When Tia Das got in touch to see if I’d like a copy of ADHD Rapped Up! by Mr G, I immediately said yes. Not only is ADHD Rapped Up! published by one of my favourite publishers of children's books, Sweet Cherry, (you’ll find many reviews of them here on Linda’s Book Bag), but my…
Anyone who knows me will also know that I adore travel, but have been rather constrained because of family duties in recent times. One of the trips I adored was when we went to the Iguazú Falls as part of an exciting tour taking in parts of South America and Antarctica. We were lucky enough…
It’s my pleasure today to share my review of The Birdcage by Eve Chase which was my U3A book group choice this month. It makes a change for me actually to have read the book in time for today's meeting! The Birdcage was published in paperback by Penguin on 13th October 2022 and is available…
I’m very lucky to be sent lots of wonderful books so it’s very rare that I actually ask for a book just for me and not for ‘work’. However, when I saw the fabulous Simon and Schuster Christmas Gift Guide contained the latest novel from a favourite author, I simply couldn’t resist requesting My Friends…
Regular visitors to Linda’s Book Bag will notice I have been rather quiet of late, following Mum’s death, but it gives me great pleasure to try out a bit of blogging again and welcome H. S Norup to the blog today to tell me all about her latest middle grade children’s book. I am a…
I so adored River Sing Me Home by Eleanor Shearer which I reviewed here, that I could not be more excited to be part of the cover reveal for her second novel, Fireflies in Winter. My huge thanks to Caitlin Raynor at Headline for inviting me to participate. Fireflies in Winter will be published by…
I have always prided myself on being entirely reliable. Hmm. We all know what pride comes before don’t we? I cannot apologise enough to Christina Marrocco for completely forgetting to post this ‘staying in’ evening yesterday when her latest book was published. Christina did everything I asked, sending me all I needed well in advance…
My huge thanks to Fiona Brownlee at Muswell Press for sending me a surprise copy of Miss Veal and Miss Ham by Vikki Heywood. It’s my pleasure to share my review of this debut story today. Miss Veal and Miss Ham was published by Muswell Press on 3rd July 2025 and is available for purchase…
My huge thanks to Harriett Collins at Simon and Schuster for sending me a surprise copy of The Next Chapter by Rebecca Ryan. I was delighted to receive it as I loved Rebecca’s previous two books, My (extra)Ordinary Life and The Philosophy of Love which you’ll find reviewed here. The Next Chapter was published by…
Once again I find myself apologizing that it has taken me far too long to get round to sharing a blog post. I’ve been meaning to ‘stay in’ with Claire Carver to chat all about her debut book for some time, but life got the better of me! Still, better late than never, it’s my…
Last year it was my absolute pleasure to attend the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize awards in London where I had the most fabulous evening. My huge thanks to Charlotte Maddox for inviting me. Today it’s my pleasure to take a look at 2025’s Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize shortlisted books and to add…
It’s with a huge apology that I welcome Michael Craig to Linda’s Book Bag today. Michael was due to appear just as Mum became very poorly and ended up in hospital before she died so it’s taken me a while to catch up. I am, however, delighted to discover more about Michael’s thriller today. Let’s…
I almost never read a book series, but the one exception is always, always, the Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw books by M. W. Craven because, quite simply, I think they are fantastic. Consequently, I was thrilled to receive a copy of the latest book, The Final Vow. My enormous thanks to Kirsteen Astor for…
My huge thanks to Rhiannon Morris at Harper Collins for sending me a copy of Bad Influence by Rosie Nixon all those months ago. It’s my pleasure finally to share my review of Bad Influence today. Bad Influence is published by HQ on 14th August 2025 and is available for purchase through the publisher links…
I'm so pleased to welcome Andrea Christodoulou to Linda's Book Bag today as her debut book sounds exactly my kind of read! I'm delighted Andrea has agreed to stay in with me and I would like to thank Graeme Williams for putting us in touch with one another. Let's find out more: Staying in with…
It's my very great pleasure to welcome Tim Walker's brand new protagonist, Arthur Whitty to Linda's Book Bag today. In the interests of complete honesty I must admit that lovely Tim provided the questions for Arthur today as life was simply too complicated for me to do so. Tim has appeared on the blog on…
My enormous thanks to author Georgina Moore for ensuring I received an early copy of River of Stars, and to Becky Mansell and/or Philippa Cotton for sending me a finished copy. I so loved Georgina’s debut The Garnett Girls (reviewed here) that I was thrilled to receive River of Stars and am delighted to share…
I've been a bit quiet on the blogging front recently whilst Mum was so poorly and following her recent death so it feels somewhat poignant that the book I am reviewing today has grief as one of its themes. My enormous thanks to Isabel Williams at Harper Collins for sending me a copy of The…
I’m a huge fan of cruise holidays, having cruised all over the world to places like Antarctica, the Galapagos Islands, Japan, Indonesia, Europe and so on. Equally, I’m a huge fan of Caroline James, who has featured here on Linda's Book Bag many times - both as an uplifting and joyous writer and as a…
When one of your favourite authors has a new book coming and you’ve been a character in another of their fabulous stories, then, regardless of the trials of life, you simply have to participate in the cover reveal. So it is with Emily Stone and I’m thrilled today to participate in sharing details of her…
I’ve considered lovely Barbara Havelocke a personal friend for some years so it gives me enormous pleasure to take part in the cover reveal for her brand new book Estella’s Fury. I loved Barbara’s first book in this gothic, historical thriller series - Estella’s Revenge - and you’ll find my review here. Let’s find out…
It’s my absolute pleasure to welcome back lovely Patricia Furstenberg to Linda’s Book Bag today. Patricia has featured here many times before but it’s been far too long since she appeared. Today we are discussing her brand new book When Secrets Bloom, so let’s find out more: Staying in with Patricia Furstenberg Welcome back to Linda's…
It was almost a year ago that lovely Justin David at Inkandescent sent me a copy of Bleeding Fabulous by Mark Ward in return for an honest review. As a teenager I babysat a little boy who had haemophilia and I was always terrified he might suffer internal bleeding so I was intrigued to read this…
It’s my pleasure today to welcome author S. J. Barratt to Linda’s Book Bag. Suzanne is a middle grade author and as someone late to reading because of my weird sight, I find I’m always enthralled by the books available to children today. Let’s find out more: Staying in with S. J. Barratt Welcome to…
My huge thanks to Jane Corry for ensuring I received a copy of her latest novel, The Stranger in Room Six in return for an honest review. It’s my pleasure to share that review today. I had originally been asked to review The Stranger in Room Six by My Weekly, but recent changes mean those…
It’s such a pleasure to feature the brand new book in the Talbot Saga Series from Allie Cresswell today. Allie has been on Linda’s Book Bag before in posts you’ll find here, and her latest book The Standing Stone on the Moor sounds absolutely brilliant and is out today, 17th June 2025. Let’s find out…
I’m a huge fan of Sue Moorcroft’s books (after all, Sue has appeared here on Linda's Book Bag more times than I have!) and had life not been so overwhelming that I didn't know if I’d be able to meet deadlines I would immediately have signed up to the recent blog tour for her brand…
My huge thanks to Rhiannon Morris at Harper Collins for originally sending me a surprise copy of The Tradwife’s Secret by Liane Child. I'm delighted that The Tradwife's Secret is my latest online review for My Weekly. Published by HQ on 22nd May 2025, The Tradwife’s Secret is available for purchase through the publisher links here. …
I’m not entirely sure if I owe thanks to Chloe Davies (I suspect so), Poppy North or Rosie Friis at Macmillan for sending me a surprise copy of A Beautiful Family by Jennifer Trevelyan, but I am very, very grateful. It’s my pleasure to share my review of A Beautiful Family today. A Beautiful Family…
It's almost four years since I first 'met' the fabulous G. D. Wright and you'll find a post here when we stayed in together. It has been my pleasure to meet Gaz in real life since, as not only his writing has gone from strength to strength, but he's a smashing man as well as…
I cannot believe it's a year since I was enthralled by Capital Crime at the fabulous Leonardo Royal Hotel, St Pauls in London. Having had such a brilliant time, I simply cannot wait for this year's event. Capital Crime is one of my favourite literary festivals because it is intimate and accessible, but equally packed…
I love the sound of the latest book in Alice Fitzpatrick's Meredith Island Mystery series and am so disappointed that life has culled most of my reading time so that I haven't been able to review. However, Alice has kindly agreed to stay in in with me and chat about it so let's find out…
My grateful thanks to Georgia Hester for sending me a surprise copy of The Spa Break by Hannah Doyle. There's nothing I need more right now so it’s my pleasure to share my review of The Spa Break today. Published by HQ on 22nd May 2025, The Spa Break is available for purchase through the…