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.