Roberta Reads

A Postcard from Italy by Alex Brown My rating: 5 of 5 stars A wonderful book. A romance, a self-discovery and a mystery all wrapped up in one. The descriptions of Italy really make you feel like you are there. Highly recommended. View all my reviews

Rosie’s Travelling Tea Shop by Rebecca Raisin My rating: 3 of 5 stars Not quite my usual fare, this was an interesting and different romantic comedy. I enjoyed it, but probably won’t read it again. The audiobook narration was good, clearly read and easy to understand, though I could have done without the continual lengthy sibilants. View all my reviews

Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal My rating: 4 of 5 stars An excellent retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in Pakistan. Well written and very readable, this book provides an interesting glimpse into another culture. I particularly enjoyed the way Mrs. Binat’s caring for her daughters (though misguided) shone through much more clearly than in the original. I’d definitely recommend to anyone wanting to enjoy a more diverse version of P&P. View all my reviews

Cogheart by Peter Bunzl My rating: 5 of 5 stars I absolutely loved this fun steampunk adventure for children (and, indeed, adults). Too many parents dying for my taste, but otherwise an excellent read. I’ll definitely be seeking out the sequel! View all my reviews

The Pet Shop at Pennycombe Bay: An uplifting story about community and friendship by Sheila Norton My rating: 3 of 5 stars Shiela Norton is a new author for me, so I borrowed this book from the library. The story is well written and enjoyable, but not quite my cup of tea (and one of the dogs dies). I probably wouldn’t recommend it to someone, unless I knew they were into this kind of story. View all my reviews

Wolves of Wisteria by Angela Pepper My rating: 3 of 5 stars An interesting magical murder mystery, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as some of the others by the same author. I think it didn’t have quite the same light hearted touch. Still a good read though. View all my reviews

Friday's Child by Georgette Heyer My rating: 5 of 5 stars A very entertaining and silly romp from Georgette Heyer View all my reviews

Geek Girl by Holly Smale My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is an excellent book. Well written. Funny. Portrays the insecurity of being a teenager well. Has a good message about people who love you can be angry with you but not hate you. The way it portrays a geek’s sudden entry into the modelling world feels realistic. The mishaps and funny situations seem like the kind of thing that could really happen. And I love Harriet, she’s a sweet, charming girl who just needs to gain some confidence to come into her own. A fun, easy to read book, whether you’re an adult or a teenager. Highly recommended, I can’t wait to read the next one. View all my reviews

The Secret Cove in Croatia by Julie Caplin My rating: 5 of 5 stars A well written book, easy to read and very enjoyable. The Secret Cove in Croatia takes us on a delightful summer cruise. The characters are generally well rounded, and the two main characters are easy to connect with. I loved Maddie. I liked the fact that she is happy to go off on her own in foreign country, though she still has a few insecurities. I definitely appreciated the way she speaks her mind. I do sometimes get a little fed up of insecure, feeble heroines, so it’s great to read one who is more confident. I really disliked Simon straight away, he’s one of those entitled people who don’t take no as no. A smarmy jerk. This opinion was then confirmed by his dangerously reckless behaviour later in the book. I quite liked Nick, though I found him to be rather pathetic and weak willed around Tara. The descriptions of the places are lovely, not too long, but really give the atmospher...

The Colonel and the Bee by Patrick Canning My rating: 4 of 5 stars The Colonel and the Bee is an interesting book, and very different from anything I’ve read before. It tells the story of Beatrix, who escapes from abusive employment in a circus, to the giant airship belonging to an enigmatic man known mostly as the Colonel. They then embark upon a hazardous adventure to find a treasure - though the Colonel’s true motives remain mysterious for most of the book. I didn’t enjoy the first part of the tale, before Bee escapes the circus. Reading about abusive relationships is really not my cup of tea. Although this book goes to darker places than I in general prefer to read about (abuse, deaths etc), it is well written, and leavened with much wit and interest. This book felt more realistic than many I read, as the majority of the characters were not wholly good or evil. They all had their faults and foibles. It was great to see Bee gain confidence and co...

A Scandalous Deception: A Regency Cozy by Lynn Messina My rating: 5 of 5 stars AUDIOBOOK REVIEW The second murder mystery in the series, A Scandalous Deception was even more fun than A Brazen Curiosity. The beginning of the audiobook felt a little slow to someone who had listened to A Brazen Curiosity recently. I felt that we spent too long in Bea’s head (both thinking about the previous story, and general thoughts) before the excitement really got started. The narration has definitely improved since A Brazen Curiosity, there are far fewer mispronunciations. There is still something a little peculiar about the way she pronounces her rs, but it took me very little time to get my ear in. As to the story itself, this is another wonderful romp of a cozy crime. I loved the plot, I loved Bea’s growing confidence, and I loved her ongoing relationship and snark with the Duke of Kesgrave. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a fun, light hearted, Regency cozy cri...

Winnie and the Mystery of the Missing Moonstones by John S. Comeaux My rating: 5 of 5 stars When Winnie reluctantly goes on a camping trip with her brother Jerry and her father, she encounters a strange creature in the forest. She and Jerry set off on an adventure. This book is very well written, and the illustrations are beautiful. The story is entertaining and absorbing, even as an adult. I would have loved this story even more as a child. The relationship between Winnie and Jerry was a realistic sibling relationship. The squabbling and generally being extremely irritating to one another reminds me of some parts of my own childhood. Winnie’s feelings about having to go on this camping trip very much remind me of how unfair life sometimes seemed at that age. The trolls are brought to life very well, having their own characters and way of life in Mayfield (their village). The adventure that the two trolls and two children go on is well imagined and b...

If The Dress Fits by Daisy James My rating: 3 of 5 stars A well written romance, but not quite my cup of tea. I prefer reading books where the characters haven’t had all their relatives die - and I especially dislike reading books where they actually die within the book. I also found Callie’s constant shilly-shallying on whether she wants to be with Theo or not a little hard to understand - particularly the last decision. I think just a little more explanation/narrative on why she suddenly changed her mind with no extra input would have made this more believable. View all my reviews

Pecan Pies and Dead Guys by Angie Fox My rating: 4 of 5 stars Another fun, ghostly adventure. View all my reviews

Sorcery & Cecelia: or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede My rating: 4 of 5 stars A charming, and very entertaining, magical tale. I found that reading through range medium of letters between the two friends was distracting for me, as it’s not at all what I’m used to. However, this is still an excellent and enjoyable story. View all my reviews

The Rise of Miss Notley by Rachael Anderson My rating: 3 of 5 stars A fun and slightly silly Regency romance. A little different from the usual fare, and quite satisfying. View all my reviews

Murder on the Sugarland Express by Angie Fox My rating: 4 of 5 stars Another fun, quirky, easy to read murder mystery from Angie Fox. The perfect way to while away a lazy afternoon. View all my reviews

One Hundred Christmas Proposals by Holly Martin My rating: 4 of 5 stars A fun novella follow up to 100 Proposals, I actually enjoyed this more than the original, because the characters were not torturing each other through the whole book! View all my reviews

Death of a Crafty Knitter by Angela Pepper My rating: 4 of 5 stars An excellent fun, easy to read cozy crime. Very enjoyable. View all my reviews

The Ice Garden by Guy Jones My rating: 4 of 5 stars A magical tale. I really enjoyed this book. I so felt for the main character, as I’m allergic to the sun too (though not to anything like the same extent). It is nice to see a book where disability is not magically fixed, but seen as something you have to learn to live with. View all my reviews

One Summer In Paris by Sarah Morgan My rating: 5 of 5 stars I absolutely loved this book. Such a wonderful tale of inter generational friendship. View all my reviews

The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow by Katherine Woodfine My rating: 3 of 5 stars This book is a fun adventure, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone wanting such a book. However, it was just slightly too exciting for me, and had too many dead parents etc, so I won’t be continuing with the series. View all my reviews

Competence by Gail Carriger My rating: 5 of 5 stars Excellent as always. Slightly disappointing to have the stereotype of bi/pansexuals being greedy thought and not refuted (though I don’t see how it could have been, just mildly niggles). Otherwise another brilliant fun romp of a tale from my favourite author! I enjoyed this so much more on my second read. So light hearted and fun. I absolutely loved being in Percy’s head, so I’m really looking forward to Reticence. View all my reviews

The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg My rating: 4 of 5 stars Having read The Plastic Magician and loves it, and the Paper Magician trilogy being in the kindle sale, I decided to read them from the beginning. The Paper Magician is a fun and charming magical adventure. I really enjoyed, but it somehow didn’t quite measure up to The Plastic Magician. Still very much recommended though. View all my reviews

Arsenic for Tea by Robin Stevens My rating: 4 of 5 stars I very much enjoyed rereading this book. Definitely recommended to anyone (adult or child) wanting a fun murder mystery. View all my reviews

The Little Unicorn Gift Shop: A heartwarming romance with a bit of sparkle in 2018! by Kellie Hailes My rating: 4 of 5 stars A delightful surprise of a book, I enjoyed this much more than I was expecting. A lovely lighthearted romance to while away a few hours. View all my reviews

Poison by Punctuation by Kelley Kay Bowles My rating: 4 of 5 stars It was lovely to return for another murder mystery set in this high school. The fact that there’s a year between the two murders definitely makes the story more believable. I very much enjoyed seeing the ongoing relationships between the main characters, especially the quipping back and forth of quotes. The tale is easy to read and flows well, I didn’t feel jerked out of the storyline by odd bits of language. I particularly enjoyed the use of the word discombobulated. Definitely recommended if you’re looking for a cozy crime that is fun and easy to read. I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. View all my reviews

The Little Village of Happiness by Holly Martin My rating: 5 of 5 stars Holly Martin has excelled herself with this book. Such a beautiful, romantic story. I can’t wait to return to the little village of Happiness in October. Holly’s best book yet! View all my reviews