Rating:  4/5 Title: The Silent Patient Author: Alex Michaelides Year: 2019 Genre: Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Psychological Fiction The Silent Patient is the best-selling debut thriller by Alex Michaelides, about a woman accused of murdering her husband who refuses to talk. Alicia Berenson is the famous painter accused of murdering her husband Gabriel six years ago but refuses to speak about the events so has been moved into psychiatric care at into the Grove hospital. Her only comment on the murder has been the mysterious painting Alcestis, which depicts her and is named after ..read more

For aficionados of gripping thrillers and intricate mysteries, the world of Jack Reacher, created by the masterful Lee Child, is a literary haven. A common inquiry among both die-hard fans and curious newcomers centers around a pivotal question: “How many Jack Reacher books are there?” In this comprehensive guide, we’ll not only answer that burning question but also provide you with a complete list of titles, allowing you to embark on reading through this long-running series. The Genesis of Jack Reacher   The iconic character Jack Reacher made his debut appearance in Lee Child’s inaugura ..read more

Rating:  2.5/5 Title: Goldeneye Author: John Gardner Year: 1995 Genre: Spy/Thriller, Novelization Goldeneye by John Gardner is the 1995 novelization of the James Bond movie of the same name, which I have already reviewed here. NB: This review does contain spoilers for both the book and the movie. I had heard that John Gardner did a couple of James Bond novelizations and also had heard about the Americanisation of his novels when he was writing so I did want to see how they compared to Ian Fleming’s novels and also if they would be as good when it is a Bond movie that is the sour ..read more

Rating:  5/5 Title: Not A Diet Book Author: James Smith Year: 2020 Genre: Self Help, Health and Fitness Not A Diet Book is the debut self-help book by personal trainer and fitness influencer, James Smith. The book was written back in 2020 and I have seen it in quite a few places but when it was available on Prime Reading I decided to take a look. Also as I have recently started teaching Zumba classes at my locla leisure centre I figured I needed to take a look at my health and diet a bit more in order to improve my stamina to teach more classes in the future. I have reviewed other se ..read more

Rating:  3/5 Title: Argylle Author: Elly Conway Year: 2024 Genre: Spy/Thriller Argylle is the first in a spy novel series by Elly Conway, which was recently turned into a movie starring Henry Cavill and Dua Lipa. Having seen the trailer and also as I definitely want Henry Cavill to be cast as the next James Bond, I came across this book in my local bookshop, Blue Sheep Books, as a signed copy so decided to pick it up and read it before seeing the movie. The story starts with Vasily Federov, who is a populist politician seeking to become the next President of Russia when he promises hi ..read more

Last night (15th March), I went to see R&B superstar Ne-Yo at Resorts World Arena in Birmingham, as part of his Champagne and Roses tour. Now I will start by saying I didn’t see Ne-Yo’s support act Mario, who is another R&B singer but I’m not as much of a fan of him as Ne-Yo so I went along for the main show itself. Also Ne-Yo is an artist who for me I have found I like and listen to specific singles rather than his full albums. At the start of the show Ne-Yo got straight into some of his biggest hits with Closer, Because of You and Sexy Love all coming up very early on. His vocals we ..read more

My copy of Me Before You had some reading group questions which I decided to answer with my thoughts. Note this post does contain spoilers throughout. 1) When Lou meets Will for the first time he is less than welcoming to her, even playing a mean trick that puts her on edge. What were your first impressions of Will and Lou? Did your opinion change over the course of the book and to what extent? Our first impression of Will comes from the prologue where I thought he was a rich City boy who clearly has it all, looks, women, money and also knows he does. However when we next meet him he comes ac ..read more

Rating:  5/5 Title: Me Before You Author: Jo Jo Moyes Year: 2012 Genre: Romance Me Before You is the 2012 bestselling romance novel by Jo Jo Moyes and tells the beautiful but heart-breaking romance between two people. I had already seen the movie version a few years ago which stars Emilia Clark as Louisa Clark and Sam Clafin as Will Traynor which came out in 2016 but it was selected as my book club read which is why I now read the book version. The story begins with a short prologue which takes place two years prior to the main events. Will Traynor is a high flying City banker who has ..read more

In the vast landscape of music history, few names evoke the same level of admiration and curiosity as Shania Twain. From her chart-topping hits to her magnetic stage presence, she has captured the hearts of millions around the globe. In this blog post, we delve deeper into the life and career of the iconic artist, shedding light on some of the most intriguing questions surrounding her. Is Shania Twain Canadian? Yes, indeed! Shania Twain, born Eilleen Regina Edwards on August 28, 1965, proudly hails from Canada. Raised in the small town of Timmins, Ontario, her Canadian roots deeply influence ..read more

Rating:  5/5 Name: The Thursday Murder Club Author: Richard Osman Year: 2020 Genre: Crime, Thriller The Thursday Murder Club is the debut novel in a crime series by TV presenter, Pointless co-host Richard Osman. The Thursday Murder Club is a group of four pensioners who all live at the luxurious Cooper’s Chase retirement village and meet once a week to try to resolve cold murder cases. Joyce is the newest member and is a retired news, whilst Ibrahim is a psychotherapist who still meets patients at the village whilst Rob Ritchie is the father of boxer Jason Ritchie and is a fo ..read more