Alice James - Grave Danger (The Lavington Windsor Mysteries #2)

 

Alice James - Grave Danger (Lavington Windsor Mysteries #2)

5⭐

Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, Mystery, Romance, Humour, Crime, Horror

Pages: 298

Format: Paperback

Publisher:  Solaris, Rebellion Publishing

Date Published: 23rd May 2023 

 

Big thanks to Alice James for sending me an e-copy of this book to read and review. 

Book Blurb: 

Agatha Raisin meets Sookie Stackhouse, with love, heartbreak and zombies.

More murder. More mayhem. More champagne.

Toni Windsor is failing at ‘happily ever after,’ but it really isn't her fault.

All she wants is true love and the perfect wardrobe, but it doesn't look like they are coming her way any time soon. Instead, there are murders to solve and zombies to raise, and she’s broken her phone again.

Worst of all, her shiny new boyfriend turns out to be a jerk; maybe dating a vampire wasn’t her best decision ever?

My Review: 

This book is even funnier and quirkier than the first one. It is also even more sarcastic and witty than the first one. Oh, and it has even more sexy vampires. What’s not to like? James’s writing is brilliant! A perfect blend of witty, crazy and humorous tones mixed with seriousness and complexity. All this makes each of the characters, especially Toni, not only fun but also portrays how complex each of them are. Basically, I am trying to say that life is complex and James writes her characters with a perfect balance of seriousness, crazy and funny. 

In the book, we follow Toni, who is asked to assist her brother in yet another murder case. There are several suspects, but no one knows who did it, not even zombie Bella after Toni raises her from the dead. On top of that, Toni has to deal with her boyfriend Oscar, who, let’s say, is getting on her nerves and pressuring her to do things she doesn’t want. She also is pushed around by Benedict, who she has to run errands for. Oh, and Toni also has to deal with the forever-growing line of people that wants to kill her…The girl can’t seem to catch a break…

This book felt both, a murder mystery and Toni trying to find her way, as well as make sense of her newfound life with vampires at such proximity. She is not only asked to find out who Bella’s murderer is but also needs to sort out her own (messy) love life and keep herself safe from vampires and other creatures that are trying to kill her, whilst also juggling whatever the Assemblage tells her to take care of. 

I loved how Toni grew as a character throughout the first two books, especially in this book. I just love her attitude and her outlook on life. I feel I could learn a thing or two from her, yet at the same time, she feels like a familiar character to whom I can relate. 

I love how the story is progressing too. There are still so many questions unanswered, but this book built such a great foundation for all of those to be answered in the next instalments. 

I am just going to go and cry about how frustrating Peter’s situation is… and laugh about Oscar…if you know, you know…#TeamPeter

Overall: Brilliantly written story, with so many great characters that I fell in love in the first instalment and don’t want to let go. Like I need the third book now! The suspense! Why did the book have to finish on such a cliffhanger!!! Honestly, can’t wait to see what crazy situations Toni will get herself into in book three. 

About the Author:

Alice lives in a converted chapel in Oxfordshire, England, with three cats and many house plants. She works as a writer, specialising in finance and travel. She was previously a journalist and TV presenter for Bloomberg before becoming press and PR director of a $1 billion US hedge fund for 18 months. That turned out to be the worst period in history for hedge funds, so she retired wounded. Alice has a degree in Maths from Bristol University – and half of a diploma in silversmithing from UCE University because it turns out that making the ladies’ version of the One Ring is a lot harder than she thought.

Alice’s first novel, Grave Secrets, is a whodunit with zombies, vampires, romance and croquet and you should definitely read it. Today.

https://www.alicejames.co.uk

Alice James - Grave Secrets (Lavington Windsor Mysteries #1)

Alice James - Grave Secrets (Lavington Windsor Mysteries #1)

4⭐

Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, Mystery, Romance, Humour, Crime, Horror

Pages: 300

Format: Paperback

Publisher:  Solaris, Rebellion Publishing

Date Published: 1st September 2020

 

Big thanks to Rebellion Publishing for sending me a copy of this book to read and review. 

Book Blurb: 

Agatha Raisin meets Sookie Stackhouse, with croquet and zombies. Toni Windsor is trying to live a quiet life in the green and pleasant county of Staffordshire. She'd love to finally master the rules of croquet, acquire a decent boyfriend and make some commission as an estate agent.

All that might have to wait, though, because there are zombies rising from their graves, vampires sneaking out of their coffins, and a murder to solve.

And it's all made rather more complicated by the fact that she's the one raising all the zombies. Oh, and she's dating one of the vampires too. Really, what's a girl meant to do?

My Review: 

This book was funny and quirky, with so many brilliantly entertaining characters. It was super hard to stop reading... A perfect book for the spooky season, as it has romance, vampires, zombies, and loads of spice….I mean who doesn’t love all that in one book? It transported me back to True Blood days…Also, I was so sad when I finished reading it because I was not emotionally prepared to say goodbye to the amazing array of characters and their sometimes rather daft adventures (in a funny and good way).

The story follows Lavington (Toni) Windsor who is a necromancer by night and a real estate agent by day. Yes, she raises the dead at night, whilst selling houses by the day. Exciting, right? That’s until she meets a very extravagant vampire Oscar who not only catches her interest but her heart too. However, knowing and loving a vampire brings Toni quite a lot of trouble and many situations that end up with loads of dead vampires…Also, it puts Toni’s life in danger more often than she would like, as well as, so many people are suddenly after her that she is kind of wishing her old quiet life back…

This book made me laugh out loud so much, but also, I was disgusted by vampire heads that were ripped off by zombies, cringed at some of the spicy scenes, and cheered Toni on when she was witty and mean to some of the big vampire ‘bosses’. Haven’t read such an entertaining and funny book in a while!

I loved Toni. She is interesting, sometimes odd, but has such a good wit and English humour that I just adored. She is also brave, stands up for herself, and doesn’t take a no for an answer. I think the humour, the wit, and the ability to make even the horrible situations that she gets herself into quite hilarious, make this book so good.

Oh, and let’s just appreciate how amazing and sweet Peter is in this book. He needs all the love from everyone…True star and hero of this story. #TeamPeter

I only wished there was more of Oscar. I felt Toni’s connection with Peter but I felt that her connection with Oscar was lacking quite a bit. It looked like Toni and Peter were a couple in this book rather than Toni and Oscar. Also, because there was so little of Oscar in this book, I felt that it was quite hard to judge his character, so hopefully, the next installment of the series will have more on him.

Overall: It is such an entertaining, fresh, funny, and witty read, featuring a cast of amazing vampires, a necromancer, zombies, some humans, and loads of silly situations, spicy times, and humour. Really recommend this book, especially if you want something entertaining but perfect for this upcoming spooky season…Or if like me you once loved True Blood…or Vampires…A perfect book to sink your teeth into if you love vampires and everything supernatural - funny, entertaining, spooky and so (very) steamy. A brilliant debut by Alice James!Honestly, I can’t wait now for the next installment in this series as I am definitely sinking my teeth into that…

About the Author:

Alice lives in a converted chapel in Oxfordshire, England, with three cats and many house plants. She works as a writer, specialising in finance and travel. She was previously a journalist and TV presenter for Bloomberg before becoming press and PR director of a $1 billion US hedge fund for 18 months. That turned out to be the worst period in history for hedge funds, so she retired wounded. Alice has a degree in Maths from Bristol University – and half of a diploma in silversmithing from UCE University because it turns out that making the ladies’ version of the One Ring is a lot harder than she thought.

Alice’s first novel, Grave Secrets, is a whodunit with zombies, vampires, romance and croquet and you should definitely read it. Today.

https://www.alicejames.co.uk/

Adam Kay - This is Going to Hurt

Adam Kay - This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor 

4.5⭐

Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir, Autobiography, Medical, STEM, Humor.

Pages:  285

Format: Paperback 

Publisher: Picador 

Date Published: 7th September 2017 

Book Blurb: 

Welcome to the life of a junior doctor: 97-hour weeks, life and death decisions, a constant tsunami of bodily fluids, and the hospital parking meter earns more than you.

Scribbled in secret after endless days, sleepless nights and missed weekends, Adam Kay's This is Going to Hurt provides a no-holds-barred account of his time on the NHS front line. Hilarious, horrifying and heartbreaking, this diary is everything you wanted to know – and more than a few things you didn't – about life on and off the hospital ward.

My Review: 

I finished this book in like 3 hours and honestly, it made me chuckle and be grossed out and sad…basically the whole spectrum of emotions and more. I also wished it was longer. Nevertheless, it was such an interesting and important book, full of sometimes very dark yet funny British Humour. 

This is Going to Hurt follows Adam Kay’s career as a junior doctor in the National Health Service from when he finishes his medical studies to when he quit the profession years later. The book is written as diary entries and each entry is from his real diaries, which he kept throughout his career as a junior doctor. Through these diary entries, we get a great glimpse and insight into his experiences as an obstetrician-gynaecologist, day-to-day emergencies, personal relationships, and hard and long hours. Most importantly his book doesn’t shy in displaying what is wrong with our National Health Services but at the same time shows that NHS are the ones that keep the country and people going, thus should be valued, cared for and protected at all costs.

I just wish I read it before watching the TV show, as I loved the TV show so much and although the book was brilliant it didn’t live up to the same expectation as the TV show did. Also, there were a few times during the book when Kay’s writing just didn’t work for me but I do believe it is because the book is written in this diary format. I still very much enjoyed the content of the book and the important messages that Adam Kay sends with this book. I also really enjoyed the fact that although Kay has seen in all, whilst being a doctor, he looks at it all with humour too, which was very refreshing to see and read. I would love to listen to the audiobook of this book as I believe I would definitely enjoy it more since it is narrated by the author.

Overall: Very interesting and important book, showing the realities of the NHS in sometimes a bit comedic and humorous way. Yet, this book sends so many important messages about how important the NHS is and how we need to take care of it and take care of people working in it. In this very rare case, I did prefer the TV adaptation of this book but I am glad I read the book too as it gave me a different perspective on what I have seen in the show. I would be reading Kay’s other books, especially if it's humour involved. 

About the Author:

Adam Kay is an award-winning comedian and writer. He previously worked for many years as a junior doctor. His first book "This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor" was a Sunday Times number one bestseller for over a year and has sold over two million copies. It has been translated into 37 languages and is a winner of four National Book Awards, including Book of the Year, and will be a major new comedy drama for the BBC.

His second book "Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas" was an instant Sunday Times number one bestseller and sold over 500,000 copies in its first few weeks.

"Dear NHS", edited by Adam Kay, was an instant Sunday Times number one with all profits donated to charity. 

https://www.adamkay.co.uk/

Marc Francis - Journal of a Husband

Mark Francis - Journal of a Husband 

5 ⭐

Genre: Humour, Comedy, Non-Fiction

Pages: 99

Format: Kindle

Publisher: Olympia Publishers 

Date Published: 23rd March 2022

Book Blurb: 

Sometimes, the differences between a man and a woman are undeniable. The clashes and misunderstandings this leads to are humorously inevitable. Follow the day-to-day challenges that men may face in this hilarious journal, explaining the realities of being a husband. Be prepared to laugh, smile and shake your head as you read about the struggles that the male mind goes through on a daily basis. In this book, you will find a husband's equivalent of the ten commandments - critical for any successful marriage. Alongside this, in a comically entertaining fashion, you will become educated on the antics husbands and wives use like ‘guilt spreading', and ‘the Jewellers/lunch trick', and you will learn the three painstaking words you never want to hear, ‘Can you just...'. 

My Review: 

What a book! A hilarious, funny and truly brilliant book about marriage from the perspective of a husband. Perfect if you want a quick and entertaining read. I giggled so much that I think my neighbours thought I am going crazy and laughing at myself whilst sitting in the garden.

In this book, the author describes some everyday situations that couples go through from a funny, hilarious and male perspective. Chapters go from a ‘hell’ of a day out in IKEA, to how to deal with a ‘devil’ that possesses a wife once a month and even covers a ridiculously long list of different types of ‘coffee’ in Starbucks. Each chapter is so funny and relatable, but contains some strong language (so be aware) and some really good British humour (that I personally adore).

I loved this book mainly because I see my partner in this book so much, which made this book even funnier and relatable (especially the IKEA bit). I actually read some of the funniest bits to my partner and he decided he’s going to read this book, too (and he doesn't usually read books). 

I just adored how real and honest this book is. It doesn’t sugarcoat life when you are in a long-term relationship/marriage. It’s just really a breath of fresh air.

One thing that made me sad about this book is that I finished it…I need more hilariousness and laughter like this in my life. I hope there is a sequel (fingers crossed) and for now I am just going to reread my Kindle copy. It’s a great afternoon read if you want something quick, funny and entertaining. Another MUST HAVE book on people's shelves and probably the easiest 5 stars I ever gave to a book!

About the Author: 

Marc Francis was born and raised in Chorley, Lancashire. He is married to his long-suffering wife, Kelly. His passion is writing comedy, and takes all his inspiration from real-life situations and observes what goes on around him.

His 2022 Debut novel “Journal of a Husband” is a collection of hilarious stories and experiences from the perspective of a Husband. His writing is raw, sweary, and a bit rude, but brutally honest and always with a warm sentiment.

https://twitter.com/MarcFrancisUK

Joe Cawley - Even More Ketchup than Salsa: The Final Dollop (More Ketchup than Salsa #2)

 

Joe Cawley - Even More Ketchup than Salsa: The Final Dollop (More Ketchup than Salsa #2)

 4 ⭐

Genre: Travel, Non-Fiction, True Story, Contemporary

Pages: 259

Format:  Kindle Book 

Favourite Quote: 'My 'freedom' also felt like it had been frozen in a perpetual state of monotony. Same thing everyday: feed the masses, smile like an idiot, then clean, sleep, rinse and repeat' (Page 16).

Book Blurb: 

The first six months of running the Smugglers Tavern had been a baptism of fire. The subsequent years were about as much fun as bobbing for apples in a vat of acid. Having swapped the tin roof of a cold British fish market for the sunny skies of Tenerife, one of Spain's holiday islands, Joe and Joy succeeded in thwarting the first wave of attacks from bungling bureaucrats, bewildered holidaymakers and their own spectacular ineptitude. What they didn’t realise was that their enemies were regrouping. Not only that, but those enemies had made camp a lot closer to home, enemies that would make their encounters with exploding gas bottles, East European squatters and big-time Charlies seem like chapters from a children's picture book.

My Review: 

Having read the first instalment of this book, I found this to be a quick, delightful, little read. It was even better than the first one! I felt engrossed in how Smugglers Tavern was doing over the years and trust me, it did not disappoint. 

I loved how the author portrays Tenerife without sugar coating the reality of running a business there. This book really shows how hard is to run a business abroad in an ever-expanding and growing holiday destination. I just loved reading the insights into the author's and Joy's experiences...The many ups and downs, the cracks and upsets...So many different emotions throughout this book! 

I also really liked that this book had less humour than the first one and was a bit darker in its mood. It very well contrasted with the first instalment, where Joe and Joy were both excited to run a bar in Tenerife. This second book, however, portrayed how the excitement turned into struggles and hard labour to keep the bar open, which also took a toll on their relationship and ambitions. 

Overall: I loved this book, even more so than the first one. Definitely recommend it to anyone who wants/ needs an easy summer read or wants a break from fiction. 

Although, before reading this book, I recommend reading the first instalment, so that you really meet the characters, get to know them and follow their story from the very beginning. It would also help to see the changing moods between the books, which really adds to the overall story of Joe and Joy in Tenerife. 

Trevor Noah - Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood

 

Trevor Noah - Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood 

 5 ⭐

Genre: Autobiography, Biography, Humour, True Story, Race.

Pages: 305

Format:  Hardback

Favourite Quote: 'You separate people into groups and make them hate one another so you can run them all' (Page 5).

Book Blurb: 

One of the comedy world's brightest new voices, Trevor Noah is a light-footed but sharp-minded observer of the absurdities of politics, race and identity, sharing jokes and insights drawn from the wealth of experience acquired in his relatively young life. A collection of eighteen personal stories, Born a Crime tells the story of a mischievous young boy growing into a restless young man as he struggles to find his place in a world where he was never supposed to exist. Born a Crime is equally the story of that young man's fearless, rebellious and fervently religious mother - a woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence and abuse that ultimately threatens her own life.

My Review: 

This is my first 5-star book of 2022 and honestly, I was completely in love with this book. It was so well written, I just couldn't put it down and will be definitely re-reading it in a near future. 

What I loved the most is that Trevor's childhood experiences, good or bad, were mixed together with snippets of the history of South Africa. It really helped me, someone, who is not familiar with South African history, to be able to understand his story and his experiences. 

I loved how this book wasn't a sugar-coated version of his childhood. The way he wrote it was really personal and all the way through the book, one minute I was crying and the next I was laughing. It was a definite emotional rollercoaster kind of book...

I knew Trevor Noah from his stand-up shows and always found him a funny and relatable comedian. His humour is not only funny but also teaches us a lot about race, languages, cultures, etc. This book, however, made me truly admire and respect him for always seeing the bright side and positivity even in the bleakest and hardest times.  

Overall: It is a MUST READ! For me, it covered some very serious topics, that I personally can relate to, including racism and wanting to be accepted and to belong somewhere. This book also gave me an in-depth view of how it was like to grow up in South Africa as a coloured person and made me realise that sometimes we take things in life for granted. This book showed the struggles, funny moments, determination of Trevor Noah, which is truly inspirational and admirable. Also, what I also admired is his love for his mum, especially for raising him to reach opportunities from a very young age.