Roberta Reads

The Monster MASH by Angie Fox My rating: 3 of 5 stars I’ve been a fan of Angie Fox’s Southern Ghost Hunter series for quite a while now, they’re great, lighthearted, murder mysteries, with a paranormal twist. I highly recommend them. So I was excited to read this book, but also a bit apprehensive, as it’s a very different genre to my normal reads. This story is set during a war between two sets of gods. I normally avoid books with gods and/or war in, but this is Angie Fox. The main character is a mortal doctor who has been forced to serve by treating the wounded soldiers, both mortal and immortal. I was so angry at mortals being forced to work their entire lives away, with no choice, or holidays, that it made it very difficult for me to enjoy this book. The story is well written, I didn’t notice a single error or typo (most unusual for me). The writing flows well, and the pacing is good throughout. The characters are believable, and even the people w...

A Taste of Home by Heidi Swain My rating: 4 of 5 stars TW: book begins at funeral of the mother of the main character due to cancer. Having read and enjoyed several books by Heidi Swain, I was pleased to receive a review copy of this one. I enjoyed this book. Fliss travels to the farm her mother grew up on, and finds things are not as she expects them to be. I loved the setting of the fruit farm, and I enjoyed the way Fliss and her grandfather gradually get to know one another. I also liked Eliot, he seems kind and caring. It was fun to see brief appearances from characters in previous books. As well as the more serious bits (I can’t say much without spoilers), there was plenty of light hearted parts. There were several amusing scenes, and I loved the way Fliss gradually felt more at home. I found it frustrating the way she allowed Anthony to gaslight her, and manipulate her, but I think it’s a lot harder to see when someone’s up to no good when you’...

The Cherry Tree Cafe by Heidi Swain My rating: 4 of 5 stars Audiobook Review: Narration: The Cherry Tree Cafe is narrated by Karen Cass. I enjoyed the narration, the expression and feelings of the writing come across well. The narrator does a good job of differentiating between the different characters. The male and female voices were both good. The speed and pacing were well done, with gaps in all the right places. The narration definitely adds something to the story, bringing it to life. Story: I didn’t enjoy all the betrayal, and friends keeping secrets from one another. However, I really enjoyed the good bits of the friendships. I loved the cafe, the way Jemma, Tom and Lizzie built the cafe and the crafting up. The relationship development was good, and the characters were well rounded and believable. Ella was especially delightful. The ending was somewhat abrupt, but at least there was an epilogue. I suppose it might be a little dull to get int...

Sherlock Holmes: The Empty House by Arthur Conan Doyle My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is an adaptation of a The Empty House designed for children. I enjoy murder mysteries, especially children’s ones, so I thought I might enjoy this one. I have not read the original of this particular story, but I have read several Sherlock Holmes stories. I thought this was well adapted - it has a good feel of the Sherlock Holmes books, but without being too tense and frightening. I found it very short, but the pace is good. It conveys the characters of Holmes, Watson, and Hudson really well. The illustrations are great - both expressive and amusing - whilst showing the events of the story well. I really enjoyed reading this book, and I think it would be an excellent way for children to enjoy the Sherlock Holmes story, without the darker parts that would be too frightening. I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own. View all my reviews ...

In Love & Pajamas: A Collection of Comics about Being Yourself Together by Catana Chetwynd My rating: 5 of 5 stars I’ve not read anything by Catana Chetwynd before, though I have seen the odd strip kicking around on social media. I chose this book based on how much I enjoyed those. I wasn’t disappointed! These comics are both cute and funny. Even as someone who has never been in a romantic relationship, there are so many relatable moments! The drawings themselves are lovely - so few lines express so much. In that way, they remind me of Peanuts, my first and favourite comic. The frames are clean and simple, and there aren’t even a huge number of words, but they convey so much meaning to the reader. If you’re looking for something to make you laugh, and to warm the cockles of your heart, search no longer. This book made me feel so happy. I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own. View all my reviews

The Little Swiss Ski Chalet by Julie Caplin My rating: 4 of 5 stars I’ve been enjoying Julie Caplin books for a little while now, so I was pleased to receive a review copy of this book. This story was a lot of fun. Mina has got into rather a rut with her life, and so she visits her godmother in Switzerland. I really enjoyed reading about Switzerland, especially the chocolate and cheese. The skiing and the scenery also made a lovely setting. The way that Luke and Mina met was very entertaining, and I loved the fact that as well as having fun together, they were supportive of one another’s dreams. If you’re looking for a fun escape, with a great atmosphere, this could be the book for you. It’s perfect for enjoying with some chocolate or cake. I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own. View all my reviews

The Dragon and Her Boy by Penny Chrimes My rating: 3 of 5 stars I haven’t read any previous books by Penny Chrimes, but I found the idea of a boy rescuing a dragon that is trapped under London appealing. The characters in this book were well rounded and (for the most part) engaging. I particularly loved the character of the dragon, she was delightful. The plot was enjoyable, a great adventure, with rescues all round. However, it was too dark for me. There was too much death for my tastes. And I found the ending horribly sad. I don’t think everyone would, but it’s not the happy ending I was hoping for. Overall, this was an exciting adventure, full of interesting characters. Just don’t expect happy endings for everyone. I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own. View all my reviews

How to Be a Hero by Cat Weldon My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is the first book I’ve read by Cat Weldon. I found the cover and description appealing, so I thought I’d give it a go. This story turned out to be a lot of fun. Two people who don’t really fit in (Whetstone and Lotta) accidentally get entangled (metaphorically) and adventures ensue. There are quite a lot of funny moments, and the fantasy plot is fun. I’m not really familiar with the Nine Worlds mythology, but it makes an excellent background for this story. In the earlier parts of the book, I noticed quite a few extraneous apostrophes - Class One’s and Class Threes have different uses for example. There is also some confusion on a name - is it Seven, or Sevenson, or Svenson, the Selfish? Other than this, I didn’t notice any errors. As this is an advance copy, hopefully these will be sorted before publication. If you’re looking for a fun (and funny) middle grade fantasy adventure, pick this o...

A Wedding in the Country by Katie Fforde My rating: 3 of 5 stars I have been a fan of Katie Fforde’s books for many years now, so I was excited to receive a review copy of A Wedding in the Country. I was slightly confused as I managed to miss the description saying that the book is set in the 60s, and so I kept expecting it to switch back to current times. I really enjoyed the friendship aspect of this book. The way the three (and eventually four) girls and David support each other is great. I didn’t enjoy the romance as much as I normally do with this author. I think it was simply that Lizzie and Hugo CHECK didn’t have enough interaction time to really convince me. It all felt rushed. However, this was dictated by the circumstances. I found the way that Lizzie was treated by everyone other than her friends really upsetting. She also seems a little passive for my liking, though she does have a quiet determination on the things that matter to her, whi...

The Dark Archive by Genevieve Cogman My rating: 5 of 5 stars I have been eagerly consuming this series since it began. I love the world so much, the concept of books connecting and holding everything together is so wonderful. So I was obviously thrilled to receive a review copy. Irene and her friends are off on another rollicking adventure, this time with a rather naive Fey along. They also pick up an additional dragon. We also *finally* get the reveal of what I figured out the moment I knew Irene was adopted. Frustratingly, she doesn’t figure it out for herself, but is told. To be fair, she has been just a tiny bit busy trying to stay alive, and keep her friends and allies safe! I really, really enjoyed this story. The plot is excellent, I feel so at home in the world (or universe), the world-building is excellent, I love the characters (Irene and Kai especially). This book in particular felt like the culmination of several things that had be...

New Arrivals at Hedgehog Hollow by Jessica Redland My rating: 4 of 5 stars I really enjoyed Finding Love at Hedgehog Hollow, so I was thrilled to receive a review copy of this book. It was a joy to return to the lovely characters and setting that I so enjoyed before. Samantha and Josh have such a lot thrown at them in this book, and there are so many emotional moments, but somehow it is written in a way that I can cope with (I normally avoid anything remotely emotional). I think it’s the fact that their love for each other remains steady, and they always support one another to make the right decisions. Importantly, they allow each other to make their own decisions, and just provide support. I absolutely love the hedgehog sanctuary, and hearing about all the patients. The cover and the little hedgehog at the top of each chapter are charming. I love the idea of the bench by the meadow. This book has two POVs, which can be confusing. However, it ...