Roberta Reads

The Midnight Swan by Catherine Fisher My rating: 5 of 5 stars I enjoyed the previous two books in this series (The Clockwork Crow and The Velvet Fox), so I was expecting to enjoy this one. It exceeded my expectations! I absolutely loved this story. I loved all the usual elements, the Fae, the magic, the Crow, the couplets at the start of each chapter, but this one had so much more. I really enjoyed the fact that Tomos got to take a more active part in this book, rather than just being enchanted by the Fae, as he was in the previous two. I can’t say too much without spoilers, but the ending was wonderful, with love and happiness for all. I sincerely hope this won’t be the last book in the series, but this feels very much like all the threads have been wrapped up. If so, I’ll be looking out for Catherine Fisher’s next book with great eagerness. On another note, the covers of all three of the books in this series are enchantingly beautiful. I esp

Good Blood: A Doctor, a Donor, and the Incredible Breakthrough that Saved Millions of Babies by Julian Guthrie My rating: 4 of 5 stars I had never heard of Rh disease, despite my interest in all things medical and biological. When I came across this book, I thought it sounded fascinating. It was. This book tells the story (so far) of Rh disease - a devastating illness where a mother’s body attacks her baby, due to a blood type incompatibility, leading to miscarriages, babies dying, and children born with brain damage. It shows how an effective treatment was found, and how we still don’t understand how it really works. I found most of this book really interesting, but there were a few chapters that I found really tedious - mostly extraneous (to me) bits of James’s life. However, there weren’t many. It was so fascinating to read about the initial idea, the frustrations of trying to get funding, the medical trials, the not so legal first use, and

Extraordinary Insects by Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson My rating: 5 of 5 stars I really enjoyed this book. I’ve always loved insects, and other small things that creep and crawl, so when I saw the beautiful cover of this book, I had to read it. This book is informative, and engagingly written. It both educates and entertains. Although basically factual, there is a vein of humour running through it, and it’s so well written that it is easy to read. It neither uses too much technical language, nor talks down to the reader, or over simplifies. I think the author has done an excellent job of taking her obviously vast knowledge of the insect world, and teasing out an interesting book that is accessible to all. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful, so detailed, and unlike a lot of pictures, come across really well on my black and white kindle. As well as entertaining and informing us about the insect world, Chapter 9 covers a very important topic - h

The Saturday Morning Park Run by Jules Wake My rating: 5 of 5 stars I loved this book, it was great. Ash and Claire meet under one set of circumstances, and then they both have setbacks, and end up meeting again. I love the character development for all the characters: Claire, Ash, Hilda and Poppy especially. I loved the community feel of the story - it starts off with a few isolated people, but by the end, they’re a family, surrounded by a supportive community. There’s also plenty of humour sprinkled throughout the book. I love the way that Claire and Ash’s initial sexual chemistry turned into so much more, and the way they adapted their lives to changing priorities. The story was definitely a page turner, I really got sucked in, and couldn’t wait to see what happened next. I think that’s down to all the characters being so believable and lovable. Overall, this was a real feel good, heartwarming story, with family and community at its heart.

A Year at Appleyard Farm by Emma Davies My rating: 4 of 5 stars This book is a little different to most - it’s more like four novellas published together than one book in four sections. In fact, that is how it was originally published. There is definitely an overarching theme, but each section very much focusses on two people. I didn’t realise this in advance, and found it confusing, especially the third section (Summer), because it starts with two characters that have not even been mentioned in the previous two sections. However, I did enjoy all four sections of this book. Each one contains a lovely romance, and Appleyard Farm and the village are the setting for all four.  Autumn (the final section) was my favourite. It includes both Stephen’s character development, and such a sweet romance. It also ends with the wedding of the two characters from Winter (the first section). However, I was disappointed that although the romantic side of the

A Deadly Ride: A Charleton House Mystery by Kate P. Adams My rating: 4 of 5 stars It’s always so easy to slip back into the Charleton House world. The writing flows well, and I enjoyed the cyclemania event setting. There were a good few interesting historical bike facts thrown in. This instalment of a favourite series had all the usual touches of gentle humour, likeable characters, a charming setting, and a fun mystery. It was interesting getting to know DS Harnby a little better, whilst Joe was away. I didn’t guess who the killer was until right near the end, which makes a nice change from a lot of the cozy crimes I read. I do love the scene at the end of each book, after the murder has been solved, where Sophie and her friends all get together. If you’re looking for an easy to read cozy crime to chill out with, this is the book for you. I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own. View all my reviews

The Christmas Swap by Melody Carlson My rating: 3 of 5 stars This was a short and sweet romance. I liked West and Emma, they seemed like two genuinely nice people, but most of the rest of the characters were not really likeable. Gillian and her mother, in particular, were unkind. Gillian was manipulative, judgemental, a snob and just plain nasty. I’ve no idea why someone like Emma is still friends with her. Gillian rescued her when they were younger, but that’s no reason to put up with such a toxic “friendship”. The setting of West’s house and the town, skiing etc was well done, though a little more description would have made the various restaurants etc a little more distinguishable from one another. However, the mountains, snow and decorations in West’s house did give a nice Christmas atmosphere. I was rather disappointed that Emma and West were somehow in love after only spending a total of one day together. I think it would have been more

To the Land of Long Lost Friends by Alexander McCall Smith My rating: 4 of 5 stars I love the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, so I was very pleased to receive a copy of this book via NetGalley. It is always a great pleasure to return to Botswana, and the world of Mma Ramotswe. I love the way that she thinks, and the way conversations and thoughts often go rambling around! The mysteries are always interesting - this particular one involves friends from long ago. The characters are ones I love, and well written. They all have their own motivations, but rub along well together. I love the general attitude of kindness to others that most characters adhere to, the feeling that all people are our sisters and brothers. If you’re looking for a really relaxing, but interesting read, then this book (and this series) is the one for you. I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own. View all my reviews

Shadow in the Empire of Light by Jane Routley My rating: 1 of 5 stars This book really wasn’t to my taste. Too many horrible people - even a paedophile. Really not what I want to be reading about. I really liked the idea of Katti, Shine’s telepathic cat. I also enjoyed the Mooncats. I’d have liked to have seen a lot more of these two aspects. There were too many different characters introduced too quickly for me to keep track of. Almost none of them had enough page time for me to get to know them. The vast majority of them were nasty, and only out for themselves, just wanting to spend their time drugged, drunk and having sex. Every single character seems to look down on “the peasants”, and even Shine, who does consider them to some extent, seems to see them mostly as a mass of nameless servants. The plot itself seemed to take forever to get going, it wasn’t until three quarters of the way through that any progress was made. Unfortunately, the

The Little Cottage in Lantern Square by Helen Rolfe My rating: 3 of 5 stars I’ve read two books by this author before, one of which was great, and one of which I didn’t enjoy as much. I decided to have one more go before giving up, and I’m glad I did. This book was really enjoyable. It was relaxing to read, and there were lots of different likeable characters (as well as one I really disliked right from the start). All of them were well written and had their own stories going on. I loved Hannah, the way she was kind to everyone (except Joe!), and drew them out and got them involved in village life. I really didn’t enjoy the plot with Georgia though, she’s just such an awful person, and I found it odd that Hannah forgave her so easily, and then took so long to twig to what she was now up to. But there have to be some difficulties in a book or there wouldn’t be any plot! I’m just not a fan of reading about toxic people. The romance element of th

The Friendship List by Susan Mallery My rating: 4 of 5 stars Susan Mallery is a new author to me. I was a little concerned from the description that the story would be too emotional for me. However, although highly emotional topics are covered (including grief), somehow it is done in such a way that it is not too upsetting. Instead, I got caught up in the characters’ emotional journeys. I loved the portrayal of friendship in this book. Particularly that between Ellen and Unity, but many other great friendships are shown in this story. They are not perfect, but they all work through issues in a sensible way, and are there for each other when the chips are down. This book has a large cast of complex characters - they are very well written, all clearly distinct, three dimensional people, with their own stories and motivations. Somehow it is easy to keep track of all the characters (something I do struggle with). I think it’s because they all se

The Ship of Shadows by Maria Kuzniar My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is a great book. I really enjoyed reading this adventure, I never knew what was going to happen next! I really liked Aleja, she starts off really not fitting into her family. I think the family she finds on board the ship of shadows suits her much better. I loved the ship of shadows itself, a magical, mysterious boat that is a living legend. I particularly like that the crew is all female. I love the shadows that live there too, and I want to find out more about them. The various settings were well described, without ever feeling like you were just reading description (something I often find rather boring). It was great fun getting a sense of different locations. The story does unfortunately end on a slight cliffhanger, but don’t let that put you off! I’m really looking forward to reading the next instalment. This was an exciting adventure, full of fun and mystery. It really fee

One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London My rating: 4 of 5 stars I really enjoyed this book, it definitely kept me interested. I loved the fact that it was more about Bea’s personal journey than the romance, in spite of the fact that it was set around a romance reality tv show. There were many humorous moments, but the story was also very emotional. Bea was immediately an appealing and relatable character for me, and I thought her journey of self discovery was well shown (rather than just being written about). I really liked that fact that she struggled, but still (mostly) stuck up for herself. I loved the ending she chose for herself on the show. Overall, this was a fun and emotional story, and I’d definitely recommend it. I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own. View all my reviews

Gustavo, the Shy Ghost by Flavia Z. Dragó My rating: 4 of 5 stars This was a delightful, charming, and touching picture book (with text). It is all about a ghost who is shy, but wants to make friends. The story itself is really cute, I loved it. But what really makes this book are the wonderful illustrations. They are charming, and beautiful, and full of all sorts of delightful details. I’d imagine this would be perfect for curling up with your child and reading to them whilst they look at the pictures, then as they get older, they would learn to read it for themselves. I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own. View all my reviews

Moonchild: Voyage of the Lost and Found by Aisha Bushby My rating: 3 of 5 stars I chose this book because it’s beautiful cover is so lovely, and the story sounded interesting. I enjoyed reading about the children and their jinn. I love the idea of having an animal (but so much more than one) connected to you like that. Amira was a particularly appealing character. She was curious, adventurous, and courageous. I thought the mix of characters was great, Leo makes a nice contrast, being far more cautious and thoughtful. I found the interruptions by the narrator a little irritating at times, I just wanted to progress with the story! I think this shows how engrossing the adventure is.  I thought the world building was excellent - interesting and believable, in spite of obviously being fantastical CHECK. The illustrations inside the book are as beautiful and captivating as the cover. They really bring the story to life. SPOILER IN THIS PARAGRAPH The

Sky Pirates: Echo Quickthorn and the Great Beyond by Alex English My rating: 4 of 5 stars I really enjoyed this book, it was such a fun adventure. Echo is a brilliant character, full of energy and quick thinking. It was great to read her journey - both physical and emotional - as she escapes Lockfort and searches for her mother. All the characters were well realised, and even the main villain (King Alfons) was understandable. He was (extremely misguidedly) trying to protect his people. I thought the character development of Prince Harold was particularly good. I loved all the different places that Echo and her friends visit, you really get a sense of the different places. Each island or city seems very distinct. I feel that as well as being a lot of fun to read, there’s an important message in this story, summed up by the verse from Professor Daggerwing at the beginning of the book - that walls imprison as well as protect. If you’re looking f

Kate and Clara's Curious Cornish Craft Shop by Ali McNamara My rating: 5 of 5 stars I loved this book, it was just magical. Ali McNamara is one of those authors who writes in such a way that I feel immediately at home. Consequently, I’ve been a fan for a good few years now. This is the latest book in the St Felix series, and it’s just as brilliant (if not more so) as the rest. I thought the idea of the mysterious paintings and embroideries was beautiful, and I loved the way that it brought Kate and Jack together. The complex emotions of being disabled were well portrayed, though of course everyone has a different experience. I loved so many of the characters, Jack, Kate, Ben and Molly especially, but the secondary characters were also well realised. The friendly atmosphere of St Felix, both in the present day, and the 1950s, came across well. I hope there will be further books set here in the future. I’d recommend this book to anyone who l

The Journals of a Victorian Traveller by Martin Laurie My rating: 3 of 5 stars I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but having read several fictional books set in around this era, I thought it would be interesting to read a factual account.  I found the sections in Australia, Japan and America to be the most interesting. Here, Julia writes in long passages rather than short entries of only a few sentences. The section in India after she marries (which was in the first half) was rather dull, just continual moving about and hunting expeditions. In spite of the warning at the beginning of the book, all the killing of animals and birds was the most horrible thing. I think people who have a stronger interest in the era (mine is only mild), and an awareness perhaps of some of the important figures, may find this far more fascinating than I did. Most of the notes added by the editor (I’m not sure this is the correct term) were interesting, bu

The Garden of Forgotten Wishes by Trisha Ashley My rating: 5 of 5 stars I love Trisha Ashley books so much, and each one seems to be better than the last. They’re just a perfect blend of gentle romance and humour. I know I can settle in and enjoy hours of entertainment and happiness. The pace is gentle, but it is interesting throughout, with lots of little humorous moments that make me chuckle. I really liked Marnie right from the start, she’s had a tough time of it, but is still a lovely person. I love her snarkiness and sarcasm, it’s just brilliant. Ned took a little more getting to know, mostly down to his initial negative reaction to Marnie. However, I definitely grew to like him as the book went on, he has a good sense of humour, and is generally very kind. The scene when Mike and everyone finally turned up was hilarious. As usual with a Trisha Ashley, this book has an excellent sense of place, I definitely feel like I’m there. I love the

A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Murder by Dianne Freeman My rating: 2 of 5 stars I’m reviewing this book as I stand alone story - I have not read the previous two books in the series. I chose this book because I love cozy crime (especially historical), and I loved the title. However, it turned out not to really be my cup of tea. I liked the characters, but it just took so long for them to do anything, and their investigations seemed rather half hearted most of the time. They didn’t ask anything like enough questions of enough people. Also, I unfortunately worked out pretty near the beginning (at the incident of the steward being knocked off his horse) who the culprit was. There also wasn’t much humour, which although not essential, I very much enjoy. The historical setting sometimes seemed unrealistic, I can’t quite put my finger on why, it just didn’t ring true to me. However, I don’t know much about the Victorian Era, so it may just be me

The Broken Hearts Honeymoon: A feel-good tale that will transport you to the cherry blossoms of Tokyo by Lucy Dickens My rating: 5 of 5 stars I loved this book soooo much, I wish I could give it more than 5 stars. I love Charlotte, who, when her wedding plans fall apart shortly before the wedding, makes a brave decision, and goes on their honeymoon tour of Japan, alone. She’s such a real character, with flaws, who struggles when one of the foundations of her life is suddenly yanked out from under her. I love the way she lets herself feel sad about what has happened, but then builds herself back up again. I love that, in spite of the fact that Charlotte is having a tough time, this isn’t a sad book. This felt like a celebration, of life, of love, of the ability of humans to survive and thrive, and, of course, of Japan! Japan is a huge part of this book, it’s like a character all by itself. I love the way that as Charlotte discovers more about J