Recent Reads Reviewed #18

The Chocolate Lovers' Christmas by Carole Matthews - 4/5

This book is perfect to devour over the festive season! The writing was wonderful, and the author really captured the ups and downs of friendship and romance. There were parts of the book that showed some grit and others which were warm and fuzzy so it was unpredictable in that sense.

My few reservations were there were too many characters to keep track of and I felt the number of pages could have been condensed a little too. I’ve never read anything by this author before, although this is actually the third book in a series and therefore I missed a few minor plot elements.

Children played a big part in the story, and this aspect was done in an endearing way. I could see this book being popular with young Mum’s as the family themes throughout were done well. Despite imperfections, I enjoyed this book very much.

The Suitcase Kid by Jacqueline Wilson - 5/5

Jacqueline Wilson, is an acclaimed British children’s author, and has always been one of my favourites. We follow Andy, a girl who is struggling with her parents’ divorce, and the disruption with living one week with her Mum’s new family, and one week with her Dad’s. The author really captures family dynamics in a realistic way. After rereading a childhood favourite, I found the story just as moving all these years later. Would recommend this book to all.

Trouble According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney - 3/5

Recently, I’ve been interested in reading books about animals, both fiction and non-fiction. I kept a few hamsters as a child; so the cover of this book intrigued me to pick it up. We follow Humphrey, the friendly hamster, who while has a big heart, gets himself into a pickle sometimes. This series I imagine would be great for children, and there’s a strong moral message in this particular book. I did find myself bored with it dragging in places, but otherwise, it was quite readable.

Christmas at the Comfort Food Cafe by Debbie Johnson - 5/5

I had so much fun reading this book, and I resonated with Becca’s point of view. The humour was absolutely excellent, really quirky and witty, I had a big smile plastered across my face while reading her jokes. The author touched on some really important subjects too such as mental health, and the difficulties of losing a family member in a very considered way. I thought the story would be fluffy chick lit, but this book was so much more than that. It’s about hope, redemption and the importance of family. This book truly captured my heart.

The Heir by Kiera Cass (The Selection #4) - 4/5

I completed The Selection series earlier this year, and this is the second to last book in the trilogy. While I have been thoroughly enjoying reading The Selection, I felt the last two books didn’t quite live up to the first three.

We follow America, in the first few books, as she enters a competition to become a princess in a dystopian world. I would most definitely recommend the series, and you can buy the complete set discounted in The Works if you are interested.

Paper Girls (Paper Girls #1) by Brian K. Vaughan - 5/5

The Paper Girls series has ignited my passion for graphic novels and the first episode did not disappoint. The vivid, ombre colour palette, and graphic illustrations are simply superb. The story of a dystopian world offers lots of twists and turns. A read I can’t recommend enough.

Dewey: The True Story of a World Famous Library Cat by Vicki Myron - 5/5

I picked this up thinking it would be one of those ‘filler’ type books for me. You know the one in between more intense, exciting reads where you want something a bit light-weight. Going into this with those expectations, I soon realised, this was an incredible, engaging and emotional read about a stray cat who found a new home in a library.

The relationship between Vicki, the cat owner and Dewey the cat touched my heart. The love for Dewey, at the library, was beautifully written. I’m definitely an animal person, and this is one of my all-time favourite animal themed reads. Maybe one of my top reads from 2019.

Have you read any festive reads recently?

Do you enjoy animal related books too? :-) Xx