Ad | Some books marked * were gifted in return for a review | All opinions are my own | Amazon links lead to my Amazon store – I receive a small commission when you purchase from these links which goes towards keeping the blog running but does not affect your purchase in any way | Thank you for using my links
Well this year has for sure turned a corner in terms of how much I am reading and enjoying books again. 2024 definitely started off slowly, but I have read some absolute bangers lately and can’t wait to share them with you!
It’s Summer holiday time and if you are looking for a book recommendation to read by the pool, let me help you!
The Godchild*
by Miranda Rijks
The Blurb
They were just a normal family living normal lives. Then Alicia arrived.
After her own mother mysteriously disappears, seventeen-year-old Alicia turns up on her godmother’s doorstep and asks if she can stay. Carina can’t say no to the godchild she hasn’t seen in over a decade.
And in a way, Alicia is the daughter she always wanted – she’s so smart and driven, definitely scholarship material. Carina is only too happy to help this brilliant young woman achieve her full potential.
But husband Don and children Tegan and Arthur aren’t so sure. There’s something about Alicia… Is she just too good to be true?
Then, out of the blue, sixteen-year-old Tegan is accused of a horrible crime and life for this ordinary family spirals down into chaos.
Does Alicia have anything to do with the terrible secrets that are only now being exposed? Has she set out to destroy this family? Before she can answer these questions, Carina will have to face her own troubled past, stepping out of the light and into a very, very dark place…
The Godchild – the shocking psychological thriller from the best-selling author of The Visitors and Make Her Pay.
What I Thought
Anyone who reads my reviews regularly will know that Miranda Rijks is one of my favourite authors. Her thrillers always have me on the edge of my seat and I have had many a late night when I simply can’t put down her books!
This one is no exception. A shocking psychological thriller that had me hooked from the very beginning!
The characters were great and all were well developed. Carina is a headteacher who is juggling work, a house-husband and three children, two of whom have their own issues going on. Then a teenage girl turns up on the doorstep claiming to be her god-daughter. But is she really? And can she trust her after not seeing her, or her mum, in years?
There were some parts of the story I predicted, but there were also so many twists and turns that kept me guessing throughout. The story developed well and was fast-paced, just like some of the other books I have read by Rijks.
The ending was fantastic and superbly shocking. If you love a fast-paced, un-put-downable, physiological thriller with relatable characters who have relatable issues we all face – pick this up for sure!
Buy The Godchild by Miranda Rijks
The Collective
by Alison Gaylin
The Blurb
How far would a mother go to right a wrong?
Camille Gardner is a grieving mother who, five years after her daughter’s death, is obsessed with the man she believes to be responsible.
Because Camille wants revenge.
Enter: the Collective.
A group of women who desire justice above all else.
A group of women who enact revenge on the men who have wronged them.
But as Camille gets more involved in the group she must decide whether these women are the heroes or the villains.
And if she chooses wrong, will she ever get out alive?
What I Thought
I came across this book on TikTok and the powerful cover was one I couldn’t forget easily. I finally ended up downloading it on Audible and I am so glad I did!
Camille is a grieving mother and so much of her character’s thoughts and reactions were palpable and how I could only imagine feeling in her situation. After an outburst at a public event, she is invited to join a support group on Facebook. But is this group really going to be as helpful as she thinks?
This was an intense and fast-paced read which I really enjoyed. Camille is a good main character and I felt I could understand how she felt, as I would feel the same if I were in her situation. The writing is good, with plenty of twists and turns and while I haven’t read any of this author’s other books, I will for sure be looking out for them now. Highly recommend for fellow thriller lovers!
Buy The Collective by Alison Gaylin
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
by Gabrielle Zevin
The Blurb
THE MILLION-COPY BESTSELLING PHENOMENON
This is the story of Sam and Sadie. It’s not a romance, but it is about love.
When Sam catches sight of Sadie at a crowded train station one morning he is catapulted straight back to childhood, and the hours they spent immersed in playing games.
Their spark is instantly reignited and sets off a creative collaboration that will make them superstars. It is the 90s, and anything is possible.
What comes next is a decades-long tale of friendship and rivalry, fame and art, betrayal and tragedy, perfect worlds and imperfect ones. And, above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love.
What I Thought
Well this is a BookTok favourite and I had to pick it up after seeing all the rave reviews!
This is a beautiful and engaging read. The characters are developed beautifully, the writing is phenomenal and it really does deserve all the high praise it has had. I am not a gamer but found the way gaming and game development was used really interesting and sharp. It was funny, sad, moving and everything in between. I didn’t always like the characters – but then I feel that makes it much more realistic!
I feel it is a difficult book to describe – as a non-gamer (aside from The Sims) I wouldn’t usually pick up a book where so much of the relationship and story building is based on it, but this book is so much more than that. Looking for something a bit different? Get this!
Buy Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Ten Men: A Year of Casual Sex*
by Kitty Ruskin
The Blurb
‘A no-holds-barred account of the highs and lows of being a single woman on the modern dating scene’ Sunday Times Style
TEN MEN, MANY STORIES.
At the beginning of the year, Kitty Ruskin decided it was time to embrace her sexuality, taking advantage of all the joys that being young, free and single bring and having fun, easy, no-strings sex with whomsoever she desired.
She got on the apps and started swiping. What followed was sometimes sexy, frequently funny, occasionally shocking and, sadly, all too often fraught with pain and danger. It was not the carefree adventure she had envisaged; it was something altogether darker.
Ten Men is one woman’s tale told with searing honesty. It’s an exploration of the ‘blurred lines’ that even seemingly nice guys can exploit, a meditation on the lack of clarity around consent and a call to arms to combat a culture that seems to thrive on women’s vulnerability.
What I Thought
Deciding to start a new year channeling her inner Samantha Jones (from Sex and the City), Kitty details the ten men she dates and has sex with during her 23rd trip around the sun.
This book was a lot more shocking and thought-provoking than I expected. I thought this would be more of a lighthearted look at the modern dating scene and 20 years post SATC – how women still try to ‘have sex like men’ and navigate no-strings attached sexual encounters.
While some of the authors experiences were at times fun, a bit weird and bad (in terms of the sexual enjoyment), some of the encounters were frightening and shocking. I read Kitty’s brave and honest personal accounts of these interactions with sadness and dismay. The fact that consent is still such an issue baffles me. As a mum of two boys it is something I have spoken to them about when having the birds and the bees chats on multiple occasions.
I am mot sure anything I can write could do this book justice. It is Kitty’s story and you need it read it in her words. It needs to trigger debates and change and it isn’t for me alone, to pick apart here on my blog.
At times I found the writing a little slow-paced, meaning I wasn’t reaching for it at every opportunity. The end was a little lacklustre and I thought more of the reflecting on the different situations Kitty found herself in could have maybe been held back for the end of the book. However, as I have described, this book really is a tale for our time and people need to read it to see what the modern dating scene for women can be like. As a woman, it’s scary to realise these sorts of encounters are still so prevalent and as a mum of boys, I just hope I’ve done the best job I can to ensure the boys are respectful, kind and honest in their future relationships.
Kitty’s writing style is great – it is like you are listening to a friend. As I’ve said, I’d definitely recommend a read but beware – there is a fair few trigger warnings for this one including sexual assault and suicidal ideation.
Buy Ten Men: A Year of Casual Sex by Kitty Ruskin
The One
by John Marrs
HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO TO FIND THE ONE?
A no 1 EBook bestseller and featured on Simon Mayo’s Radio 2 book club. Perfect for fans of TM Logan’s Lies and C.L. Taylor’s The Fear.
One simple mouth swab is all it takes. A quick DNA test to find your perfect partner – the one you’re genetically made for.
A decade after scientists discover everyone has a gene they share with just one other person, millions have taken the test, desperate to find true love. Now, five more people meet their Match. But even soul mates have secrets. And some are more shocking – and deadlier – than others…
What I Thought
When I said I read a lot of amazing books, I meant it! This is the second John Marrs book I have read and it did not disappoint!
I enjoy a dystopian read (think Handmaid’s Tale) and this book has an interesting premise – a DNA test has been created which can match us with ‘The One’. The book follows a group of characters who have taken the test and their ‘matches’ – but is it really as easy as a simple scientific test?
At first I will admit, my brain was a little fried with the character/chapter switches. Keeping track of who was who and with who and if they had done the test was a little tricky at first. Every chapter ends on a mini-cliffhanger, so I felt like it was quite hard to keep up. However, this settled quickly and I soon got into the stories of each individual character.
John Marrs is a fantastic thriller writer and this one is well-paced and page-turning. The small breaks as it moves onto a different character for a while really keep you guessing and you cannot put it down! A fantastic read and some good twists – definitely worth a read!
Buy The One by John Marrs
I hope you have enjoyed my reviews this month – please let me know if you have any recommendations for me to try this month in the comments below!
Take care and happy reading,
The Spoonie Mummy 
Leave a comment