The NeverEnding eBook TBR

After doing my neverending audiobook TBR post of last week, I thought I would do the same with my physical and ebook TBR (as I tend to buy or request quicker than I can read them). I will split these up in separate posts as it will be easier for my brain (it seems to want to only blog every now and again or when I feel like I have something to say) and there's one or two physical books on this list that I am kinda ashamed is still on my TBR so trying to push this post back.

So, with this, I will show off a mix of ebooks I've bought and kindly gifted by publishers (in exchange for an honest review/reaction - I know I go on about this and I feel like this goes without saying), though I sense this will be more titles I have purchased as my eproof list scares me when I try to look them over! I, hopefully, have a nice mix of titles and genres for you to see.

Plus, like before, I will put affiliate links to Bookshop UK but will put a star next to most titles I mention, so you can find out more about these titles art your leisure.

Musings over Magician’s Guild & Eye of the World

I told you guys in my 2025 Reading Resolution post that I was going to try and read books/audiobooks that I find fulfilling by not rushing or forcing myself to read them to a timetable (funny that as I’ve started a book that I need to read and review by the beginning of April for a blog tour. Oh yes, I am a walking contradiction). 

Well, I have done that with my first two reads of 2025 and I decided to slam my thoughts and feelings over these two together in one post as they are quite similar and yet, very different. They are, as you know if you have read my previous posts on here (or on any of my socials - since deleting the hellscape known as Twitter/X, I am far more active on the others!), The Magician’s Guild by Trudi Canavan* & The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan*. 

FYI, the reason both the titles above have a * is because they are affiliate links to my Bookshop.org* page so you have been warned.

eBook Review - My Sister’s Keeper

This is one of those books where it feels like every one has either read or know the vague outline of. And the author of this is one of those authors that I have been meaning to read for YEARS, but I keep putting off due to the Hype Monster that surround them and their novels. 

Yes, I am talking about My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult. 

Title and Author: My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Publisher: Hodder and Stoughtin
Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Bought
Buy From (Affiliate): uk.bookshop.org

Anna was born a Saviour Sibling for her older sister, Kate, who has acute leukaemia. When she was born, doctors took blood from umbilical cord. As she’s grown up, she has given her blood, blood marrow and now, at the end of 13, her parents want her to donate a kidney. But Anna decides to sue her parents for medical emancipation. 

Now, from the little I wrote above, you would expect this book to be really heavy and quite dark. We have a saviour sibling storyline, illness and how it affects everyone around the people who is ill (and how those in need to help can slip through the cracks), messy family relationships, a messy relationship between Anna’s lawyer and the court appointed guardian ad litem.

eProof Review - Missing White Woman

Sometimes, you crave a book as soon as you seen the cover online. It’s almost a physical reaction. This is what happened when I saw Missing White Woman by Kellye Garrett. I saw someone tweet about it with the UK cover and I became obsessed with it. I mean, LOOK AT IT! And 24 hours later, it appeared on NetGalley so, of course, I had to request and hope that I would be approved. 

Which I was (hooray!) and once I finished Kate Atkinson’s Normal Rules Don’t Apply, I jumped straight into this. 

Title and Author: Missing White Woman by Kellye Garrett

Publisher: Simon and Schuster UK

Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Gifted by UK publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction

Buy From (Affiliate): uk.bookshop.org

It was meant to be a romantic getaway in New York City. Just Breanna and her new boyfriend, Ty. They hired out an airbnb four-story house with a beautiful view of the skyline. Until Bree wakes up one morning to discover a dead woman in her foyer and Ty’s missing. Is the dead woman Janelle Becker, a recently missing dog walker that the media is reporting on and social media is a buzz over? 

A Black woman stranded in a strange city, Bree is scared. A black person involved in the white person’s disappearance/murder isn’t a good look. And she knows how the Police sees her. And until she can find Ty, the only person who can help her is an ex-best friend, a lawyer who Bree shares a complicated history with. 

But as the Police and the social media mob close in, Bree realises that the only way to stay out of jail is to discover what happened that night. But is she going to like what she finds…?

eProof Review - The Butcher Of The Forest

Happy First Read of 2024! Fingers crossed all your have been fun and great. 

Mine? Not so much. You’ll see why in the moment in gif form and for that, I do apologise. 

Anyway, let me get all the details for you and we can get this party started!

Title and Author: The Butcher Of The Forest by Premee Mohamed

Publisher: Titan Books

Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Gifted by UK publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction.

Buy from (Affiliate): uk.bookshop.org

In the dark, fairytale-like novella, a ruthless Tyrant forces an ordinary woman into an enchanted forest to retrieve his two missing children. The enchanted forest is full of dark things and won’t let the heirs go easily. And the woman isn’t as ordinary as she’s the only person known to have gone into the forest and to have come out again, all to save a child. 

If the woman fails, all she lives will be destroyed. So, she must step carefully as one misstep could be the end of everything…

NetGalley November 2023 - Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night

You think, while I was on holiday to a warm climate, I would read warm, sunny reads. Nope. Of course not. You all have been following this blog and most of my social media outlets for how long now? I wanted for something cold, something Christmas, something murder. 

And I had an itch to read one. So, imagine my surprise after attempting to read the prologue of Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night that I powered through, even though my brain was going “You should save this for Christmas…” and “You didn’t like the previous outings with Sophie Hannah’s take on Poirot. Why would this time be any different?”

Title and Author: Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night by Sophie Hannah

Publisher: HarperCollins

Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Gifted by UK publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction

Buy From (Affiliate): uk.bookshop.org

It’s 19th December, and both Poirot and Inspector Edward Catchpool are planning their Christmas together, when a woman bursts in and begs for their help. This turns out to be Inspector Catchpool’s mother and she insists Poirot and Catchpool come to a Norfolk mansion to solve a murder and prevent another. In the safe haven of a hospital, a well liked man was murdered - hit over the head with a heavy vase - and soon, Arnold Laurier will be going to the same hospital (to the private room next to the murder scene) and his wife is convinced he will be murdered too, though she can’t explain why. 

Against both their wishes, Poirot and Catchpool go and, if they want to be home by Christmas, they will need to get their little grey cells working quickly to catch the killer and maybe prevent a second murder. 

NetGalley November 2023 - The Rosewood Hunt

Oh, the joy of going away on a well-needed holiday. Time to catch up on some much needed reading, especially for my NetGalley To Be Read List (see why I choose to do NetGalley November now?). Much needed time to escape the huge issues of real life (one was dropped on my head over 24 hours before I got on a plane. So that was fun!)

One of the things I wanted to do this month was tackle some of my older backlist. Did I do that? NOPE! I went for something a little newer (and I have loads of newer titles to tackle). But seeing as I was on holiday, I wanted to tackle some fun, light, fluffy. And after a few other titles that I picked up, read the first few pages and went “Not in the mood”, this came up and I devoured the first few chapters at breakneck speed. 

Title and Author: The Rosewood Hunt by Mackenzie Reed

Publisher: Harper360

Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Gifted via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction

Buy From (Affiliate): uk.bookshop.org

Lily Rosewood has been living with her grandmother for the past year and, over that time, the two have become close. Lily hopes one day to her grandmother with her fashion business. But when Grams suddenly and unexpectedly dies, Lily is in completely shock. And when, at the will reading with her uncle and cousin, she discovered a her grandmother’s quarter of a billion dollar fortune is missing and all three are banned for the estate, Lily doesn’t understand. 

But Gram loves her little games. So, when Lily receives a letter written in invisible ink, she begins to question why Grams would hid her fortune. And when three random teens come to Lily, all with a letter from Gram, the unlucky four are forced to team up and go on a real life treasure hunt. But treasure hunters are coming for the fortune also, and someone is willing to go to extreme lengths to get that cash…

All Hallows Read - Wicked Lovely

I keep saying that I am not a fan of books featuring fairies or the fey, and yet, here I am, reading another book featuring the Fair Folk. I thought that this might be a good read for Halloween for those among us that aren’t the biggest fan of horror. So, here we are. 

Title and Author: Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Publisher: HaarperCollins

Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Bought

Buy from (Affiliate): uk.bookshop.org 

Aislinn has seen faeries all her life. She hides this secret as she knows what will happen to her if the fae discover this truth. So, she lives by three simple rules: don’t stare at the invisible faeries, don’t speak to an invisible fae and don’t attract their attention.

She thought these rules would keep her safe. But now powerful and dangerous faerie are stalking her, including Keenan, who is positive she is important to his and the Summer Court’s survival. But Aislinn isn’t going to give her humanity so easily… but it might already be too late.

Mini-Review Time!

I thought I would have got these both finished in August. I didn’t. I finished the first on the 2nd September and the other the following day, on the 3rd. And they are so far removed from each other, I felt that it should be fun to put them in a same blog post (not sure why). 

The first is Spiced Kisses by Charlie Novak, an MM low angst romance set in the lead up for Christmas and the other is The Doctor’s Widow by Daniel Hurst, sequel to The Doctor’s Wife, a domestic thriller. 

Spiced Kissses is the third book in the Kiss Me series (I haven’t read either the first or second book in this series, Strawberry Kisses and Summer Kisses - will add these to my Kindle wish list) but we follow Ben and Ianto. Ben is co-owner of the Pear Tree pub and is just trying to get through the upcoming hell known as Christmas. But when he breaks his collarbone at rugby, he finds himself spending time with Ianto, who feels guilty for the accident. Unbeknownst to either of them, they have a crush on each other… will Christmas bring this grumpy Yorkshire men and Christmas-loving Welshman together?

In The Doctor’s Widow, we pick up the story several months after the events of The Doctor’s Wife. Fern has gotten away with it. Away with murdering her adulterous husband, framing his mistress for his murder and killing the mistress’s husband to keep the truth from coming out. She just wants to put the past behind her and move on with her life. A new life with Roger, a man she is falling for. But Roger isn’t who she think he is. In fact, Roger isn’t Roger at all… 

The Doctor’s Widow was gifted by the UK publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, FYI. 

eProof Review - Open Throat

I have no idea how am going to write this write-up for Open Throat by Henry Hoke. It’s one of those books that I only came across because I saw a tweet on Twitter - sorry, X (let’s not get into my thoughts over this AWFUL rebranding) - and I went “what is this weirdness?!” 

Title and Author: Open Throat by Henry Hoke

Publisher: Picador

Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Gifted by UK publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction

Buy From (Affiliate): Bookshop.org

A mountain lion roams the drought-ridden hills of Hollywood. He is hungry but watches and protects the humans at their homeless encampment. But when he is forced to leave them, he finds himself in the heart of LA, he begins to wonder: whether he wants to eat one or be one?

Audiobook Review - The Housekeepers

One of my favourite podcasts, All About Agatha, have a saying as they read and review each Agatha Christie novel: never underestimate the help. And this couldn't be more true for The Housekeepers by Alex Hay. 

Title and Author: The Housekeepers by Alex Hay

Publisher: Headline

Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: eProof and Audiobook gifted by UK publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction

Buy From (Affiliate): Bookshop.org

When housekeeper, Mrs King, is dismissed from her role at a luscious house in Mayfair, she has a plan. A plot that has been brewing for quite some time. She plans to pull off one of the biggest heist from her former employer. And she knows who she can call on to pull it off... 

A black-market queen, an actress, a seamstress, a former housekeeper. All have a reason for the heist to work. But can they pull it off while the Mistress of the house is planning to host the biggest ball of the season?

eBook Review - HappyHead

I've been sitting on this review for a while as I'm not sure how to write it. Even now, I'm still not exactly sure how I feel about this, but I wanted to show you guys that I have read this. 

The backstory to this is the same as some of my other reads of late: I originally had an eProof from the lovely publisher via NetGalley. However, over Easter weekend, my Amazon was hacked/deleted, all my eProofs got wiped off my kindle. But, I saw this on sale for 99p, I bought it without a second thought, as this book intrigued me as soon as I first heard it. 

Title and Author: HappyHead by Josh Silver

Publisher: Rock The Boat

Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Bought but I did have eProof via NetGalley in exchange for honest review/reaction

Buy From (Affiliate): Bookshop.org 

When Seb is offered a place at a radical retreat to tackle the national crisis of teenage unhappiness, he is determined to do well. But he find himself being pulled to the mysterious Finn, Seb begins to realise that there's something deeply wrong with HappyHead as the tasks that are meant to be help their wellbeing become more and more disturbing...

eProof Mini-Review - Green for Danger

I want to write a short, quick mini-review for this and one other books as I am still in the depth of Amazon doing something weird/strange to my account and me trying to figure out what is going on and trying to fix it. Because of that, I wanted to write something short of both of these reviews so you are up-to-date with all my reading. Maybe I should give myself some time off blogging, but I want to do that more over the summer/October... 

Anyway, here is the first mini-review for May. Will it be the last?

Title and Author: Green for Danger by Christianna Brand

Publisher: British Library Crime Classic

Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Gifted by US publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction

Buy From (Affiliate): Bookshop.org

Set in a military hospital during World War Two, a patient dies on the operating table. It's believed by the doctors and nurses that it was a reaction to the anesthia, but when one of the nurses is found stabbed, it's becomes clear that both these cases are murder and are connected.

Murder Month 2023 - The Edinburgh Mystery

As you guys know, I do love a good crime or thriller novel. And I seem to be going down a rabbit hole with discovering “forgotten” Golden Age crime writers. I have several on my kindle, waiting to be read (some bought, some from NetGalley for review). But when I saw this collection of crime short stories, set in Scotland, I couldn’t resist. I love Scotland and hope to revisit Edinburgh in the near future (same with Wales, truth be told) and the idea of reading Golden crime set in Scotland was too delicious to past up!

Title And Author: The Edinburgh Mystery and Other Tales of Scottish Crime Edited by Martin Edwards

Publisher: British Library and Poisoned Pen Press

Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Gifted by US publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction

Buy from (Affiliate): Bookshop.org

Murder Month 2023 - Cold Cold Bones

Title and Author: Cold Cold Bones by Kathy Reichs

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Bought

Buy from (Affiliate): Bookshop.org

I had no plans to read/audiobook Cold Cold Bones by Kathy Reichs this month. I was considering saving this for next month for some reason (either though I preordered the audiobook last year before I cancelled Audible - again. I'm back for the next four month for £3.99 - I know, I'm weak. But am going to ruin their Plus Catalogue for a while so sorry in advance for some weird reviews in the coming months), but out of nowhere, I was desperate to listen to this. 

Forensic anthropologist Dr Temperance Brennan is back in her 21st outing. And it all starts when she helps her daughter, Katy, move house after her stints in the army. Brennan thinks Katy might be suffering from PTSD, but won't say anything. But when the pair return to Brennan's home, they discover a box. With an eye in it. 

From there, bodies begin to slowly turn up that have no pattern. But Brennan can't shake the feeling that they feel awfully familiar. Like cases she's has been involved with in the past. Is she the connection between them? And, if so, the killer is taunting her, watching her, buying their time before they strike...

And when they did, she won't see it coming.

eBook Review - Listen to Me

It's been a long time since I read a Rizzoli and Isles thriller. I actually had plans for past few months to reread some older Rizzoli and Isles thrillers (Body Double, Vanish and The Mephisto Club). So, when I was on NetGalley months ago and saw that Tess Gerritsen was going to release this series's thirteen outing, I had to jump on it. I missed these characters and I am ready to return to this world and these characters... 

Title and Author: Listen to Me by Tess Gerritsen

Publisher: Bookouture

Bought, Gifted or Borrowed: eProof gifted by UK publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction.

Buy From (Affiliate): Bookshop.org

There's something strange about Angela Rizzoli's new neighbours. They keep to themselves, the blinds in their windows are always drawn and Angela can't shake the feeling that the wife's in danger. But no one believes her, not her neighbours, not her boyfriend, not even her daughter, Detective Jane Rizzilo...

Jane can't think of her mother and her wild theories right now. She finds herself investigate the gruesome yet senseless murder of nurse Sofia Suerez. She was well liked and well respected nurse. No one has a bad word to say about her. But there's something not right, and it seems to be linked to a former patient, a daughter of a doctor Sofia worked with. Is the doctor's teenage daughter, Amy, just suffering from a string of bad luck, or is there something more sinister going on...?

More January 2023 Reading

I managed to do some more reading/audiobooking this month. Not as much as I liked, but I feel pleased over my reading so far in 2023. Will I be able to do more? Big "ha!" and "we shall see", but I did more reading (let's not mention how many books I bought/requested from publishers in the time in between...)

So, let me chat quickly about these two reads and I'll let you be on your way. Now, before I go further, I bought both of these but one of the titles (The Postscripts Murders by Elly Griffiths) was gifted to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction.

First Reads of 2023

I'm not going to review EVERYTHING I read this year, but I wanted to touch on a few things that I have read in 2023 as it feels weirdly out of my comfort zone and yet, feels perfectly normal (though am not sure why). 

I am reading collections of short stories. I don't feel like I see a lot of these in bookshops or online unless there are linked to a Brand (whether that be a successful author or a character/series) or if it's indie collection or for charity. Maybe am not looking in the right places, so if you know of an awesome collection of short stories, shout them at me as I always like to discover new authors and styles. 

So, at the time of writing this, I have read three and about to start a fourth (after that, I think I will be diving into novels - I am eyeing The Postscript Murders by Effy Griffiths and An Autobiography by Agatha Christie. I won't affiliate link them to Bookshop.org till I have read them). And I thought it would be nice to pop in, say hi, write these up SUPER quick and be on my merry way.

NetGalley November - Murder Most Royal

Ok, so my NetGalley November wasn't exactly as good as I would have liked, but I am trying to be a bit better in going "I'm not in the mood for this. Ok, will come back to that later and find something that I want to read and savour". And this was a surprise one as was going to save this for next month, in the run up for Christmas (plus, I did want to read a title that fit under indie publisher but ha-ho). 

Title and Author: Murder Most Royal by S.J. Bennett

Publisher: Zaffre

Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: eProof and Audiobook gifted by UK publisher via NetGalley in exchange for honest review/reaction

Buy From (Affiliate): Bookshop.org

December 2016. The Queen and Prince Philip arrive at Sandingham for their Christmas break, only to be told that a severed hand has been found, washed up on a beach near the estate. 

The Queen, who has a knack for solving crimes, vows not to get involved. It's Christmas and both she and Philip have terrible colds. But when she recognised the signet ring as old family friend, Edward St Cyr, the Queen realises that she might have to get involved after all. Plus, when she heard that a local woman has been a terrible victim of a hit and run, and a local man drowned while open water swimming, the Queen can't help but feel that these are all connected in some way...

Restless Truth UK Blog Tour

AHOY AHOY, LAND LOVERS! Here we are on my stop on the UK Blog tour, celebrating the release of A Restless Truth by Freya Marske! And it's a review-based tour so let's get going! 

Title and Author: A Restless Truth by Freya Marske

Publisher: Tor

Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Gifted by publisher and PR company via physical and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction

Buy From (Affiliate): Bookshop.org

In the second book in the Last Binding trilogy, Maud Blythe finds herself on the RMS Lyric, returning to England from New York. Her reason for going is because of her brother, Robin, and the cause to protect magic in the British Isles. It should be an easy trip back. 

Expect when she discovers a dead body, a bad-mouthed parrot, missing silver and jewels. She, also, meets the beautiful stranger, Violet Debenham - a magician, an actress, a scandal, a siren - all the things Maud should fear and yet, desires. As the two grow closer, they have only six days to untangle a conspiracy and solve a murder, all of which started generations ago...