The Harry Potter Christmas Tag

Who doesn’t love a Harry Potter/ Christmas themed tag?

I saw this on for books sake and was originally created by Charleigh Writes. It looks super fun so I decided to do it.

The Rules:

1 – Link back to the creator

2 – You can’t choose any Harry Potter book for any of your answers

3 – Tag however many people you wish

4 – Have fun!

How to Play Dead by Jacqueline Ward Book Review

Book Title: How to Play Dead

Author: Jacqueline Ward

My Rating: 4*

Publisher: Corvus

Publication Date: 07/11/19

Genre(s): Thriller

Pages: 352

Format Read: Ebook

Goodreads: She's watching over them. And he's watching her...

Ria Taylor is everything to everyone. Wife and mother, the centre of her family, and the manager of a refuge for women whose partners have driven them out of their own homes.

But one night, with her husband away, Ria receives a terrifyingly sinister message. Someone is watching her. Someone who seems to know everything about her. She knows what she should do - seek help, just like she tells her clients to. But Ria is the help. As events escalate, and terror takes hold, Ria must decide whether to run or hide...

October Horror Wrap Up!

Throughout October I planned to read all Horror books and I managed to read 8 books! That is the most books I have ever read over one month! I also watched quite a few scary series. This is everything I read and watched:

Mini Reviews of Susan Hill's Dolly and The Small Hand

As part of my October Horror Month I have been reading scary stories and Susan Hill has made her name in the horror genre with well known stories such as The Woman in Black and The Man in the Picture. I have read two of her horror short stories and here are the reviews.

Book Title: Dolly

Author: Susan Hill

My Rating: 3*

Publisher: Profile Books

Publication Date: 05/10/12

Genre(s): Horror

Pages: 153

Format Read: Paperback

Goodreads: The remoter parts of the English Fens are forlorn, lost and damp even in the height of summer. At Iyot Lock, a large decaying house, two young cousins, Leonora and Edward are parked for the summer with their ageing spinster aunt and her cruel housekeeper. At first the unpleasantness and petty meannesses appear simply spiteful, calculated to destroy Edward's equanimity. But when spoilt Leonora is not given the birthday present of a specific dolly that she wants, affairs inexorably take a much darker turn with terrifying, life destroying, consequences for everyone.

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson Book Review

Book Title: The Haunting of Hill House

Author: Shirley Jackson

My Rating: 4*

Publisher: Penguin Classics

Publication Date: Originally 1959

Genre(s): Horror, Classic, Gothic, Paranormal

Pages: 246

Format Read: Paperback

Goodreads: It is the story of four seekers who arrive at a notoriously unfriendly pile called Hill House: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of a "haunting"; Theodora, his lighthearted assistant; Eleanor, a friendless, fragile young woman well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the future heir of Hill House. At first, their stay seems destined to be merely a spooky encounter with inexplicable phenomena. But Hill House is gathering its powers--and soon it will choose one of them to make its own.

My October Horror Fest!

What am I going to read in October?

Throughout the month of October I am planning on only reading horror stories. I have never actually read a horror story, only watched scary films and I know the experience is going to be completely different as you can’t get a jump scare from a book but I think it’s going to be much scarier in other ways. The things you read stick with you for much longer and it will probably give me nightmares but that’s all part of the fun! This list isn’t my definite reading list for the month but it is full of possible options for what I (or you) could read that will definitely be a scare! I may even add on to the terror and watch some scary films and series. I will keep an update of all the scary books and films I dig into throughout October on my Twitter - @gemmasbookshelf.

The Last Summer by Andrée Michaud Book Review

Book Title: The Last Summer

Author: Andrée A. Michaud

My Rating: 3.5*

Publisher: No Exit Press

Publication Date: 25/01/18

Genre(s): Mystery, Crime, Thriller, YA

Pages: 318

Format Read: Paperback

Goodreads: It's the Summer of 1967. The sun shines brightly over Boundary Pond, a holiday haven on the US-Canadian border. Families relax in the heat, happy and carefree. Hours tick away to the sound of radios playing 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' and 'A Whiter Shade of Pale'. Children run along the beach as the heady smell of barbecues fills the air.

Zaza Mulligan and Sissy Morgan, with their long, tanned legs and silky hair, relish their growing reputation as the red and blonde Lolitas. Life seems idyllic.

But then Zaza disappears, and the skies begin to cloud over...

Originally written in French and translated into English, The Last Summer is a novel based in the town of Boundary where families go in the summer to enjoy their holiday. Zaza and Sissy are inseparable best friends who do everything together and know each other’s secrets and who always have the eyes of men and boys on them. However, in the year of 1967, tragedy strikes Boundary as a Zaza goes missing which changes the lives of the people of the town as the mystery unfolds of who the murderer is.

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle Book Review

Book Title: The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

Author: Stuart Turton

My Rating: 5*

Publisher: Raven Books

Publication Date: 08/02/18

Genre(s): Murder Mystery, Thriller

Pages: 505

Format Read: Paperback

Goodreads: The Rules of Blackheath

Evelyn Hardcastle will be murdered at 11:00 p.m.

There are eight days, and eight witnesses for you to inhabit.

We will only let you escape once you tell us the name of the killer.

Understood? Then let's begin...

Evelyn Hardcastle will die. Every day until Aiden Bishop can identify her killer and break the cycle. But every time the day begins again, Aiden wakes up in the body of a different guest. And some of his hosts are more helpful than others...

The Bookshelf Scavenger Hunt Book Tag!

I have seen this floating around and thought it would be fun to do! I have a LOT of books but finding some to fit these questions was actually quite difficult! 

1. Find an author’s name or title with a Z in it.

Blood ties by Sophie McKenzie.

The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick Book Review

Book Title: The Library of Lost and Found

Author: Phaedra Patrick

My Rating: 4*

Publisher: HQ

Publication Date: March 26^th 2019

Genre(s): Fiction, Mystery, Book about books

Pages: 371

Format Read: Paperback

Goodreads: Librarian Martha Storm has always found it easier to connect with books than people- though not for lack of trying. She keeps careful lists of how to help others in her superhero-themed notebook. And yet, sometimes it feels like she's invisible. All of that changes when a book of fairy tales arrives on her doorstep. Inside, Martha finds a dedication written to her by her best friend--her grandmother Zelda- who died under mysterious circumstances years earlier. When Martha discovers a clue within the book that her grandmother may still be alive, she becomes determined to discover the truth. As she delves deeper into Zelda's past, she unwittingly reveals a family secret that will change her life forever. Filled with Phaedra Patrick's signature charm and vivid characters, The Library of Lost and Found is a heart-warming and poignant tale of how one woman must take control of her destiny to write her own happy ending.

This is a lovely and uplifting book that highlights the magic of books and storytelling for people of all ages. Whether you’re a child, an adult or a great grandmother, stories bring everyone together in a world full of wonder and escapism from reality. It’s always nice to read a book about books and see how books affect people’s lives in all sorts of ways and it makes my love for books even greater if that’s possible.

Circe by Madeline Miller Book Review

Book Title: Circe

Author: Madeline Miller

My Rating: 4.5*

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Publication Date: 10/04/18

Genre(s): Mythology, Fantasy

Pages: 333

Format Read: Paperback

Goodreads: In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe has neither the look nor the voice of divinity, and is scorned and rejected by her kin. Increasingly isolated, she turns to mortals for companionship, leading her to discover a power forbidden to the gods: witchcraft.

When love drives Circe to cast a dark spell, wrathful Zeus banishes her to the remote island of Aiaia. There she learns to harness her occult craft, drawing strength from nature. But she will not always be alone; many are destined to pass through Circe's place of exile, entwining their fates with hers. The messenger god, Hermes. The craftsman, Daedalus. A ship bearing a golden fleece. And wily Odysseus, on his epic voyage home.

There is danger for a solitary woman in this world, and Circe's independence draws the wrath of men and gods alike. To protect what she holds dear, Circe must decide whether she belongs with the deities she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.

The Blogger Recognition Award!

The Blogger Recognition Award!

Thank you so much to Diana aka @thislifeasD for nominating me! This means so much to me and I really appreciate it. Diana’s blog is full of different topics including lifestyle, travel and poem and story writing! Please go and take a look at her blog here!

Killing Eve No Tomorrow Book Review

Book Title: Killing Eve No Tomorrow (book 2)

Author: Luke Jennings

My Rating: 4*

Publisher: John Murray

Publication Date: 25/10/18

Genre(s): Spy thriller, Crime

Pages: 246

Format Read: Hardback

Goodreads:

In a hotel room in Venice, where she's just completed a routine assassination, Villanelle receives a late-night call.

Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag

This blog post is a little different to my usual book reviews but I saw it on Fantastic Book Dragon and it looked fun to see how my year in reading is going so far. I set my Goodreads goal to 30 books this year but I have already read 20 books so I underestimated how many I would read and will increase it next year! 


1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2019
It has to be Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier. I have always loved the gothic genre and this book was so beautifully written and was a lot more sinister and darker than I was expecting which kept the story alive throughout. (My review).

2. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2019
Fierce Fragile Hearts by Sara Barnard was so good! I absolutely loved the first one and didn’t know if this one could live up to the standard but it was so much better than what I expected. READ THESE BOOKS! (My review).

3. New release you haven’t read yet but want to
I have heard a lot of good things about Circe by Madeline Miller and I am hoping to read

Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier Book Review

Book Title: Jamaica Inn

Author: Daphne Du Maurier

My Rating: 5*

Publisher: Virago Press

Publication Date: 2003 (first published in 1936)

Genre(s): Gothic, Mystery, Romance, Classics

Pages: 302

Format Read: Paperback

Killing Eve Codename Villanelle Book Review

Book Title: Killing Eve Codename Villanelle

Author: Luke Jennings

My Rating: 2*

Publisher: John Murray

Publication Date: 2017

Genre(s): Spy thriller, Crime

Pages: 220

Format Read: Paperback

Fierce Fragile Hearts Book Review

 Book Title: Fierce Fragile Hearts (Beautiful Broken Things #2)

Author: Sara Barnard

My Rating: 5*

Publication Date: February 7^th 2019

Genre(s): Young adult

Pages: 354

Format Read: E-book

The First Time I Died Book Review

Book Title: The First Time I Died

Author: Jo Macgregor

My Rating: 4*

Genre(s): Mystery, Thriller, Supernatural

Pages: 320

Format Read: E-book

Books I Read in 2018!

To start off this blog here are all the books I read in 2018!

I was Here by Gayle Forman                                                                  Rated 4*

Slaughter-house 5 by Kurt Vonnegut                                                      Rated 4*

King Solomon’s Mines by H. Rider Haggard                                          Rated 3*

The Road by Cormac McCarthy                                                             Rated 3*

The Carhullan Army by Sarah Hall                                                         Rated 5*

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle                          Rated 5*

Nina is not OK by Shappi Khorsandi                                                      Rated 4*

One of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus                                                  Rated 4*

Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick                                               Rated 4*

The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan                                            Rated 3*

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas                                                       Rated 5*

Geek Girl by Holly Smale                                                                       Rated 2*

Am I Normal Yet? By Holly Bourne                                                        Rated 4*

Soulmates by Holly Bourne                                                                    Rated 4*

The One We Fell in Love With by Paige Toon                                        Rated 4*

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli                     Rated 5*

Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls) by Maggie Stiefvater                     Rated 3*

Linger (The Wolves of Mercy Falls) by Maggie Stiefvater                     Rated 3*

Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls) by Maggie Stiefvater                   Rated 4*

Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Bernard                                              Rated 5*

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han                                  Rated 3*

P.S I Still Love You by Jenny Han                                                          Rated 3*

Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han                                      Rated 3*

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens                                                 Rated 4*

The Lost Art of Sinking by Naomi Booth                                               Rated 3*

 Please comment if you want a review of any of these books!