Book Review: It’s Always the Husband – C L Taylor

Book Review: It’s Always the Husband – C L Taylor


Release date:
June 5 2025
Publisher: Avon
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: I received an E-ARC via Netgalley
Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis

The school gates have never been so dangerous…

When newly divorced Jude arrives in the small town of Lowbridge, she is soon drawn to the enigmatic Will, father to her young daughter’s best friend.

But Will’s devastating past holds questions that nobody knows the answer to – and after two tragedies tore his life apart in just a few short years, gossip and rumours abound about what really happened to the women he loved.

Because whilst one dead wife is tragic, two starts to look like murder…

Review

C L Taylor is back with a new twisty thriller, this time following Mum Jude, who finds herself strangely drawn to the Dad of her daughter’s new best friend. Through gossip with the other Mums, Jude learns about Will’s past – two tragedies and two dead wives in a short space of time. Jude soon finds that rumours are flying everywhere, what really happened to his wives, could it have been murder?

I always really enjoy C L Taylor’s books, and this was no exception. It was fast paced, gripping, and had a really interesting plot. I raced through this book in a few sittings. I don’t think I’ve ever guessed the ending to a C L Taylor book, and yet again, the surprise twist was absolutely not what I expected. This is definitely an entertaining read, and there were definitely a few spine-tingling moments that had me glued to the page.

Taylor’s characters are really interesting, and I enjoyed the way Taylor depicted the school gossip mill and the way this can affect people, especially if they are on the outside of the clique. The characters were compelling, and I enjoyed exploring their backstories. I did find Victoria to be a bit on the annoying side and was less invested in her story. Overall, I thought this was a really entertaining and engaging read, so if you’re looking for a fun thriller, definitely check out It’s Always the Husband!

 

Book Review: The Pact – Sharon Bolton

Book Review: The Pact – Sharon Bolton


Release date:
May 1st 2021
Publisher: Trapeze
Pages: 384
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: I bought a copy of this book from my local supermarket
Rating: 4.25/5 stars

Synopsis

A golden summer, and six talented teenagers are looking forward to the brightest of futures – until a daredevil game goes horribly wrong, leaving three strangers dead.

18-year-old Megan takes the blame for the crime, leaving her friends to get on with their lives. In return, they each agree to a ‘favour’, payable on her release from prison.

Twenty years later Megan is free.
It is payback time.
And her friends start disappearing, one by one . . .

Review

The Pact is a taut, gripping thriller that follows six teenagers who make a horrible mistake one night and leave three strangers dead. One of the group (Megan) decides to take the blame for what they did, allowing her friends to go on to their bright futures, but it will cost them one favour each when she is released from prison. Twenty years have gone by, and now Megan has been released. One by one, the group begins to disappear, but can they appease Megan before it’s too late?

The Pact is one of those books that you sit down to read a chapter of and before you know it, you’ve been completely sucked in and you’re still reading hours later. This book completely captivated me from start to finish. It was intensely compelling, and I just had to know what was going to happen next. I thought this was such an intriguing concept – if your friend had sacrificed everything for you, what would you do when they came back into your life to collect on a promise you made twenty years ago? Bolton executed the plot really well and there were lots of twists and surprises I didn’t expect.

Bolton has created a fascinating cast of characters, and I loved that they were all so well developed. Each of the group are living pretty differently lives, and I enjoyed seeing how the pressure of Megan returning affected them. Towards the end of the book Bolton really ramps up the suspense and I read the last few chapters on the edge of my seat. This was a really tense, twisty, thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed. If you’re looking for a story that will keep you hooked till the very end, you don’t want to miss The Pact and I am thoroughly looking forward to reading more from Sharon Bolton.

Book Review: The Mourning Necklace – Kate Foster

Book Review: The Mourning Necklace – Kate Foster


Release date:
May 27 2025
Publisher: Mantle
Pages: 303
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4.25/5 stars

Synopsis

They said I would swing for the crime and I did. I wear the rope-bruise like a necklace.

1724. In a tavern just outside Edinburgh, Maggie Dickson’s family drown their sorrows, mourning her death yet relieved she is gone. Shame haunts them. Hanged for the murder of her newborn child, passers-by avert their eyes from her cheap coffin on its rickety cart.

But as her family pray her soul rests in peace, a figure appears at the door.

It is Maggie. She is alive.

Bruised and dazed, Maggie has little time for her family’s questions. All that matters to her is answering this will they hang her twice?

Review

The Mourning Necklace is a dark and gripping historical fiction tale from Kate Foster, author of The King’s Witches. The story follows Maggie Dickson, a young woman convicted of murdering her newborn baby. Sentenced to hang for her crime, Maggie is taken to the gallows, but survives her hanging. Maggie awakens with a string of bruises around her neck and is faced with two impossible questions: how did she survive, and will they hang her twice?

This is my second book from Kate Foster, and I enjoyed this one just as much as The King’s Witches. Foster has such a compelling writing style, and this was such a compulsively readable story that I could not put it down. Foster has a way of really bringing the sights and sounds of Edinburgh in the 1700s to life. I was hooked on this story from start to finish, even more so after I found out that the story was based on a real-life case. This made the story even more fascinating, and combined with the twists and turns that I didn’t expect, this is a book that has definitely stuck with me long after reading.

Maggie is a really interesting protagonist; she’s determined to reach her goal of living in London, despite the many hardships that get thrown at her. I thought The Mourning Necklace was an exquisitely crafted story, and I Kate Foster has definitely become an auto-buy author for me. If you’re looking for feminist historical fiction that you won’t be able to put down, this book is an absolute must-read.

Book Review: The Executioners Three – Susan Dennard

Book Review: The Executioners Three – Susan Dennard


Release date:
August 26 2025
Publisher: Daphne Press
Pages: 352
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis

Freddie Gellar didn’t mean to get half the rival high school arrested. She’d simply heard shrieks coming from the woods, so she’d called the cops like any good human would do. How was she supposed to know it was just kids partying?

Except the next day, a body is found. And while the local sheriff might call it suicide, Freddie’s instincts tell her otherwise. So, like the aspiring sleuth (and true X-Files aficionado) she is, Freddie sets out to prove there’s a murderer at large.

Review

The Executioners Three is a really fun and engaging YA paranormal mystery – it’s full of atmosphere and absolutely perfect for spooky season.

The story follows Freddie Gellar who, one night, hears screaming in the woods and calls the police. She ends up getting half the pupils from a rival high school arrested. How was she to know it was a party? Freddie is hailed as a hero and becomes an official member of the prank squad. When a body is found in the woods the following day, the police rule it a suicide, but Freddie isn’t so sure. Determined to uncover the truth, she sets out with her trusty camera to find clues, but what she uncovers is a centuries-old curse and a whole host of secrets.

This was a thoroughly entertaining read that I raced through in a few sittings. It was fast paced with a tense, creepy atmosphere. There are plenty of really eerie, spooky moments in this story, particularly in the woods. There were also lots of twists and turns (and the reveal at the end was not one I suspected at all). I really enjoyed Dennard’s writing style and I found this a really easy story to get lost in.

I thought the characters were really well done, and I really liked seeing the friendships and rivalries between the different groups. I thought the romance was well developed, and I loved the portrayal of friendship between Freddie and Divya. Freddie is a bright protagonist, and I particularly enjoyed seeing her searching for clues and unravelling the mysteries. The only reason this wasn’t a five star read for me was that I felt there were one too many 90s references. Freddie frequently mentions Lance Bass, NSYNC, The Backstreet Boys, X-Files, and her Nokia phone. After a while, these felt a little jarring and took me out of the story. Despite this I had a really terrific time with The Executioners Three so if you’re looking for a compelling paranormal mystery with a brilliant protagonist, this one is definitely a must read.

Book Review: Thirst Trap – Grainne O’Hare

Book Review: Thirst Trap – Grainne O’Hare


Release date:
June 12 2025
Publisher: Picador
Pages: 288
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 2/5 stars

Synopsis

Sometimes friends hold you together.
Sometimes they’re why you’re falling apart.
Maggie, Harley and Róise are friends on the brink of triumph, catastrophe, or maybe just finally growing up. Their crumbling Belfast houseshare has been witness to their roaring twenties, filled with questionable one-night stands and ruthless hangovers. But now fault-lines are beginning to show.

The three girls are still grieving the tragic death of their friend, Lydia, whose room remains untouched. Their last big fight hangs heavy over their heads, unspoken since the accident. And now they are all beginning to unravel.

Thirst Trap by Gráinne O’Hare is a blazing, bittersweet, bitingly funny, and painfully relatable story about the friendships that endure through the very best and the very worst of times.

Review

Thirst Trap follows the story of three women living together in Belfast. Still reeling from the death of their housemate Lydia, all three women find their lives a whirlwind of highs and lows as they attempt to find their path in life.

I want to preface this review by saying that I am not someone who reads contemporary fiction at all. I am very much a SFFH reader, but thought it might be interesting to try and read something outside my comfort zone. I can absolutely see why people would love this book, but ultimately, it just was not for me. We follow these three women as they go about their daily lives – going to work, falling in and out of relationships, dealing with hangovers and I found that it did not captivate me at all. The writing was at times quite humorous, and I did on a couple of occasions laugh out loud, but overall, I just did not connect with the characters in this one. If you love contemporary fiction and you’re a fan of authors like Sally Rooney, this is a book you are sure to fall in love with.

Book Review: Infinity Alchemist – Kacen Callender

Book Review: Infinity Alchemist – Kacen Callender


Release date:
February 6 2024
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Pages: 400
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 3/5 stars

Synopsis

For Ash Woods, practicing alchemy is a crime.

Only an elite few are legally permitted to study the science of magic―so when Ash is rejected by the Lancaster Mage’s College, he takes a job as the school’s groundskeeper instead, forced to learn alchemy in secret.

When he’s discovered by the condescending and brilliant apprentice Ramsay Thorne, Ash is sure he’s about to be arrested―but instead of calling the reds, Ramsay surprises Ash by making him an offer: Ramsay will keep Ash’s secret if he helps her find the legendary Book of Source, a sacred text that gives its reader extraordinary power.

As Ash and Ramsay work together and their feelings for each other grow, Ash discovers their mission is more dangerous than he imagined, pitting them against influential and powerful alchemists―Ash’s estranged father included. Ash’s journey takes him through the cities and wilds across New Anglia, forcing him to discover his own definition of true power and how far he and other alchemists will go to seize it.

Review

Infinity Alchemist is a YA fantasy tale that follows Ash Woods, a young man with dreams of becoming an alchemist. Rejected from the mage college, Ash has no choice but to take a job as a groundskeeper at the college. When the chance comes along for Ash to study alchemy in secret, he jumps at the chance despite knowing the risks if he is caught. Thrown together with the mysterious Ramsay Thorne, the two grow close as they embark on a quest that could change everything they know about the world.

Infinity Alchemist is an interesting read, with a really fascinating world and magic system. This is my first time reading a book from Kacen Callender and I really enjoyed Callender’s writing style. I did feel the pacing was a little uneven in the story and the plot was at times a little bit on the predictable side. The story does come to an intriguing end and I am definitely curious as to where Callender will take the story with Chaos King.

I really liked the complex and compelling characters that Callender created in this story, and there is lots of queer representation in this book which was great to see. Our main character Ash, in particular, has lots of character growth as the story progresses. Overall, this was an entertaining read and the main reason it is not higher rated was that it felt to me like the romance really overshadowed the plot of the book. The relationship developed very quickly, and it felt like it was more of a focus than the fantasy elements of the story. While I didn’t love this one, I imagine many people will, so if you’re looking for a YA fantasy with lots of romance, action, and queer representation, this series is definitely one you should try out.

Book Review: The King’s Witches – Kate Foster

Book Review: The King’s Witches – Kate Foster


Release date:
June 6 2024
Publisher: Mantle
Pages: 304
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Synopsis

The King’s Witches by Kate Foster is a gripping and beautiful historical novel, giving an unforgettable voice to the women at the heart of the real-life witch trials in sixteenth-century Scotland.

Women whisper secrets to each other; it is how we survive.

1589. Princess Anne of Denmark is betrothed to King James VI of Scotland – a royal union designed to forever unite the two countries. But first, she must pass the trial period: one year of marriage in which she must prove herself worthy of being Scotland’s new Queen. If the King and the Scottish royal court in Edinburgh find her wanting, she faces permanent exile to a convent. Determined to fulfil her duties to King and country, Anne resolves to be the perfect royal bride. Until she meets Lord Henry.

By her side is Kirsten Sorenson, her loyal and pious lady’s maid. But whilst tending to Anne’s every need, she has her own secret motives for the royal marriage to be a success . . .

Meanwhile, in North Berwick, a young housemaid by the name of Jura is dreaming of a new life. She practises the healing charms taught to her by her mother, and when she realises she is no longer safe under her master’s roof, she escapes to Edinburgh. But it isn’t long before she finds herself caught up in the witchcraft mania that has gripped not just the capital but the new queen . . .

Will Anne, Kirsten and Jura be able to save each other and, in doing so, save themselves?

Review

The King’s Witches is a beautiful and haunting historical fiction tale that centres on three women in 1589. Princess Anne of Denmark is betrothed to King James VI of Scotland. Her marriage includes a one-year trial period, and Anne is determined to do all she can to be the perfect Queen, that is, until she meets Lord Henry. Accompanying her is her lady’s maid Kirsten, who has her own secrets and her own reasons for wanting to travel to Scotland. In North Berwick, we follow housemaid Jura, a young woman gifted in healing charms. Following difficulties in her master’s home, she travels to Edinburgh only to find the city full of suspicion around witches.

This is my first read from Kate Foster, and I absolutely could not put it down. This book was incredibly captivating, and Foster’s beautiful writing style really brought the sights and sounds of Denmark and Edinburgh to life. The story was pretty quick paced, and I ended up reading this one in only a few sittings. The story felt rich with detail, and it was one of those books that I was often thinking about even when I wasn’t reading it.

The King’s Witches is an emotional tale, and I was completely engrossed in the story of these three women. Each one is excellently crafted, and I really enjoyed seeing their story unfold and how they wove together. All three women are fighting for survival and to protect those they care about. There is so much character development for all three characters, and I grew really attached to them all. One of the things I found most gripping about this tale is the way Foster infused that sense of tension and paranoia surrounding the witch trials. The women accused were treated terribly, and Foster does a brilliant job of showing how suspicion and fear can cause such mania. Overall, I thought The King’s Witches was an incredibly gripping piece of historical fiction, and I am very much looking forward to reading more from Kate Foster in the future.

Book Review: Spitting Gold – Carmella Lowkis

Book Review: Spitting Gold – Carmella Lowkis


Release date:
May 14 2024
Publisher: Transworld Publishers
Pages: 327
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Synopsis

A deliciously haunting debut for fans of Sarah Waters and Sarah Penner set in 19th-century Paris, blending gothic mystery with a captivating sapphic romance as two estranged sisters—celebrated (and fraudulent) spirit mediums—come back together for one last con.

Paris, 1866. When Baroness Sylvie Devereux receives a house call from Charlotte Mothe, the sister she disowned, she fears her shady past as a spirit medium has caught up with her. But with their father ill and Charlotte unable to pay his bills, Sylvie is persuaded into one last con.

Their marks are the de Jacquinots: dysfunctional aristocrats who believe they are haunted by their great aunt, brutally murdered during the French Revolution.

The scheme underway, the sisters deploy every trick to terrify the family out of their gold. But when inexplicable horrors start to happen to them too, the duo question whether they really are at the mercy of a vengeful spirit. And what other deep, dark secrets may come to light?

Review

Spitting Gold is a dark and gripping historical mystery that follows two sisters as they attempt one final con as spirit mediums. Their mark – an aristoricatic family who believe they’ve being haunted by a dead aunt. As the two sisters do everything they can to try and frighten the family out of their money, strange and unnerving things begin to happen. Can the duo discover the truth behind this haunting and the secrets the family so desperately want to keep?

Book Review: Eat the Ones You Love – Sarah Maria Griffin

Book Review: Eat the Ones You Love – Sarah Maria Griffin


Release date:
April 22nd 2025
Publisher: Titan Books
Pages: 288
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Synopsis

A twisted, tangled story about workplace love-affairs, and plants with a taste for human flesh

During a grocery run to her local shopping center, Shell Pine sees a ‘HELP NEEDED’ sign in a flower shop window. She’s just left her fiancé, lost her job, and moved home to her parents’ house. She has to make a change and bring some good into her life, so she goes inside and takes a chance. Shell realizes right away that flowers are just the good thing she’s been looking for, as is Neve, the beautiful florist who wrote the sign asking for help. The thing is, Neve needs help more than Shell could possibly imagine.

An orchid growing out of sight in the heart of the mall is watching them closely. His name is Baby, and the beautiful florist belongs to him. He’s young, he’s hungry, and he’ll do just about anything to make sure he can keep growing big and strong. Nothing he eats – nobody he eats – can satisfy him, except the thing he most desires. Neve. He adores her and wants to consume her, and will stop at nothing to eat the one he loves.

This is a story about possession, and monstrosity, and working retail. It is about hunger and desire, and other terrible things that grow.

Review

Eat the Ones You Love is a unique and compelling horror tale from Sarah Maria Griffin. The story follows Shell, a young woman who has moved back home following a split from her boyfriend and the loss of her job. She sees a sign advertising a job in the local florist. Shell takes the job working for the beautiful Neve in the local shopping mall. But Neve isn’t all that meets the eye – she belongs to Baby the orchid that grows in the heart of the mall and Baby’s hungry, hungry for human flesh.

This has got to be one of the most strange and unusual stories I’ve ever read. This is my second book from Sarah Maria Griffin and it was a really enjoyable read. I really liked Griffin’s prose and I thought she did a brilliant job of describing this dilapidated shopping mall that’s slowly rotting away. Griffin also builds the tension really well and I loved the tense, unsettling atmosphere in this story, particularly in the chapters from Baby’s perspective.

The characters were well crafted and I really enjoyed Shell’s story. She’s quite lost and unsure at the start of the story and develops into so much more. I also liked the way Griffin developed the relationship between Shell and Neve as the story progressed. Eat the Ones You Love is well paced and the story ended in a way that I definitely didn’t expect. This unique, slightly unhinged tale is definitely unlike anything I’ve read before so if you love creepy plants or horror books that will stick with you long after reading, you definitely need Eat the Ones You Love on your reading list.

Book Review: The Malevolent Eight – Sebastien de Castell

Book Review: The Malevolent Eight – Sebastien de Castell


Series:
The Malevolent Seven #2
Release date: May 22nd 2025
Publisher: Jo Fletcher Books
Pages: 397
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

The stakes have never been higher.

The world is teetering on the brink of annihilation. The Lords Celestine and the Lords Devilish, celestial and infernal beings locked in an age-old enmity, have at last found the perfect battlefield for their apocalyptic Great Crusade: the mortal realm.

Cade Ombra, former Glorian Justiciar turned mercenary wonderist, leads a band of emotionally unstable mages in a desperate bid to prevent the impending clash of divine and diabolical titans. Failure will leave humanity to be conscripted into an eternal war, serving as foot soldiers doomed to oblivion.

The mission seems impossible, but Cade and the Malevolent Seven aren’t exactly pacifists, so they’re determined to bring peace no matter how many people they have to kill first. With wit as sharp as their blades and a moral compass that points only toward survival, they’re ready to cut down anyone in their path to stop the war before it begins.

Review

Cade and his band of wonderists are back, and things are about to go from bad to worse. The Lords Celestine and Devilish are finally about to have the battle they’ve been itching to have for centuries, and they’re going to do it in the mortal realm. Cade and the Malevolent Seven have to do everything they can to stop this war and they might just have to kill a whole lot of people to do it.

I absolutely loved this book. This was one of my most anticipated releases for 2025 and it definitely delivered. It was fast paced with a captivating plot and I ended up racing through this one in a few days. It’s a compulsively readable story, full of de Castell’s trademark humour. There are quite a few surprise twists and this book had me gasping in surprise and laughing out loud in equal measure. There’s also a surprise crossover with de Castell’s Spellslinger series which I definitely wasn’t expecting.

The characters in this book might just be some of my favourites of all time. They’re not afraid to get their hands dirty and they’re all a little bit unhinged. Cade is a brilliant protagonist but my favourite is Corrigan – who doesn’t want to read about an angry thunder mage who tries to teach a vampire kangaroo to talk? This book is completely wild and I had the best time reading it. If you’re looking for a series that will have you entertained right to the very last page, this one is not to be missed. I loved every second of The Malevolent Eight and I cannot wait to see what Sebastien de Castell writes next.