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Well, I am catching up slowly and I hope you are enjoying my reviews so far – some of these have been truly ones I won’t forget in a long time! I would love to hear what you’ve been reading and would recommend in the comment6s below too!

Audible has become quite a costly commitment for me in recent months and so I decided to take up a recommendation from my Mum and joined my local library online. Not only can I download kindle versions of book, I can also borrow audiobooks and it has been brilliant! If you want to save some pennies and support your local library at the same time, it is definitely something you should look into in your local area!

Behind Thed Seams: My Life in Rhinestones

by Dolly Parton

The Blurb]

In Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones, global superstar Dolly Parton shares, for the first time, the full story behind her lifelong passion for fashion, including how she developed her own, distinctly Dolly style, which has defied convention and endeared her to fans around the world.

Featuring behind-the-scenes stories from Dolly Parton’s life and career, and the largest reveal of her private costume archive, this gorgeously photographed book spotlights her most unforgettable looks from the 1960s to now. The sky-high heels, famous wigs, bold makeup, eye-catching stage clothes – she shares them all. Along the way, Parton discusses memorable outfits from her past, from the clothes her mother would sew out of feed sacks (including her “Coat of Many Colors”) and the bold dresses and hairdos that shook up Nashville, to the bunny suit on the cover of Playboy, evening wear at Studio 54, costumes from her most famous film and TV roles, and the daring styles that continue to entertain and inspire today.

Filled with candor, humor, and lots and lots of rhinestones, Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones is a shining tribute to one of the most beloved musicians in history, a treasured keepsake for anyone who loves Dolly Parton, and an indispensable guide to forging your own path to beauty and confidence.

What I Thought

Many people have been shocked when I tell them that Dolly Parton is one of my idols!

I had to borrow this one when I saw it pop up on my library Audiobook app and herein lies my first mistake.

While I loved the fact I got to listen to Dolly, as well as many people involved in her life who all offered their voices to their story for the audiobook, I really missed out on seeing t6he pictures!

The audio version does give you access to a PDF but it isn’t quite the same. I still loved listening to the audio version however and now just have to buy the hardback too, right?!

An absolute must read for fellow Dolly fans!

Where To Buy

My Amazon Storefront

The First Day of My Life

By Lisa Williamson

The Blurb

First Day of My Life is an intriguing story full of twists and turns from the best-selling author Lisa Williamson.

There are three sides to every story….

It’s GCSE results day. Frankie’s best friend, Jojo, is missing. A baby has been stolen. And more than one person has been lying.

Frankie’s determined to find out the truth, and her ex-boyfriend Ram is the only person who can help her. But they’re both in for a shock…everything is about to change.

What I Thought

Another book that I struggled to put down!

This was a really good coming-of-age story that gave something a little different to the norm. I enjoyed getting to see the different character perspectives and the rollercoaster ride the three friends go on, post GCSE exams.

Well written characters and a total page turner – a definite recommendation from me!

Where To Buy

My Amazon Storefront

The Gilded Ones

By Namina Forma

The Blurb

Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in Otera, a deeply patriarchal ancient kingdom, where a woman’s worth is tied to her purity, and she must bleed to prove it. But when Deka bleeds gold – the colour of impurity, of a demon – she faces a consequence worse than death. She is saved by a mysterious woman who tells Deka of her true nature: she is an Alaki, a near-immortal with exceptional gifts. The stranger offers her a choice: fight for the Emperor, with others just like her, or be destroyed…

What I Thought

I chose this to meet my fantasy reading prompt and honestly, wasn’t overly looking forward to it. While some of my favourite books are fantasy – the Harry Potter series, The Chronicles of Narnia etc. – I am very picky!

This one was a refreshing surprise however. I loved the premise and the story did not disappoint. It was interesting and different and I loved how the world slowly opened up, sharing more of it’s secrets as you read on.

On writing this review I have discovered the author has written a sequel, which makes sense as it did feel the story wasn’t yet over. While it didn’t blow me away, I enjoyed it much more than I thought and if you enjoy fantasy I think you will definitely enjoy spending some time with the gilded ones too

Where To Buy

My Amazon Storefront

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

by Anne Frank

The Blurb

A teenage girl’s diary filled with hope, strength and motivation to face what the world has to offer.

The Diary of a Young Girl is a simple and touching chronicling of a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl’s years in hiding from the Nazis during World War II. Anne Frank, the diarist, was on the cusp of adolescence when her family had to flee Germany and take shelter in the Netherlands. The Franks were forced to live for two years confined in the attic before they were captured and sent to concentration camps.

Anne manages to capture the horrors of being Jewish under the Nazi occupation through her recording of day-to-day life. Vivid, thoughtful and moving words describe the years of hunger, hardships and strained relationships between family members sharing limited space under the constant threat of discovery and subsequent arrest or death.

An important contribution to history, this honest account of life under tyranny resonates across time and around the world even today. Anne’s writing is a testimony to the human spirit’s ability to remain positive and hopeful amidst chaos and uncertainty.

What I Thought

This was my re-read of the year. I have read this book many times as a teenager but wanted to read it again – both as an adult and also as we have booked to go to Amsterdam to celebrate my 40th and my Mum’s 60th birthday (more about this trip to come!).

It definitely felt different reading this an adult. Seeing Anne’s often brutal observations on the relationship she has with her mother was more shocking to me reading now, as opposed to being a fellow teen understanding how arguments happen more often than not,,, and it is always Mum’s fault right?!

The story still breaks my heart and is one I will always carry with me. If you haven’t read it – how, why? Go do so now!

Where To Buy

My Amazon Storefront

The Switch

By Beth O’Leary

The Blurb

Ordered to take a two-month sabbatical after blowing a big presentation at work, Leena escapes to her grandmother Eileen’s house for some overdue rest. Newly single and about to turn eighty, Eileen would like a second chance at love. But her tiny Yorkshire village doesn’t offer many eligible gentlemen.

So Leena proposes a solution: a two-month swap. Eileen can live in London and look for love, and Leena will look after everything in rural Yorkshire.

But with a rabble of unruly OAPs to contend with, as well as the annoyingly perfect – and distractingly handsome – local schoolteacher, Leena learns that switching lives isn’t straightforward. Back in London, Eileen is a huge hit with her new neighbours, and with the online dating scene.

But is her perfect match nearer to home than she first thought?

What I Thought

Another warm hug of a book from Beth O’Leary!

I adored this one and it took me on a real emotional rollercoaster. I loved the two main characters, as well as many of the side ones. The author wrote about grief so very well and showed how it can affect many different areas of your life.

It made me laugh, it made me tearful and overall a great read!

Where To Buy

My Amazon Storefront

What A Way To Go

By Bella Mackie

The Blurb

Meet the Wisterns. Rich. Powerful. Morally bankrupt.

Anthony is dead. His wife and four children each have a motive.

And there’s a true crime-obsessed outsider ready to expose the killer…

With a family like this, who needs enemies?

What I Thought

Darkly funny, entertaining and full of twists.

I loved the eccentric characters Bella Mackie created for this story – however, I didn’t like any of them! It was a fun, easy read and I loved the journey.

Following on from How To Kill Your Family wasn’t going to be an easy task but Mackie managed it well with this witty, dark and pacy thriller.

Where To Buy

My Amazon Storefront

Cilka’s Journey

by Heather Morris

The Blurb

The sequel to the International Number One Bestseller The Tattooist of Auschwitz, based on a true story of love and resilience.

Her beauty saved her life – and condemned her.

Cilka was only sixteen-years-old when she was taken to Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp, in 1942. The Commandant at Birkenau, Schwarzhuber, noticed her long beautiful hair, and forced her separation from the other women prisoners.

Cilka did what she had to in order to survive Auschwitz. And yet after Russian soldiers liberated Auschwitz in 1945, Cilka was charged as a collaborator and sentenced to serve a fifteen-year sentence for ‘sleeping with the enemy’. Once again, she found herself on a brutal train journey, crammed into a carriage with many desperate women and children. This time, her destination was Siberia. She was by then only eighteen-years-old.

So began a new life of horror and brutality in a prison camp close to the Arctic Circle. But in this unimaginable darkness, this terror beyond terror, Cilka found endless resources within herself, her profound humanity and determination helping her to survive against all odds.

What I Thought

The Tattooist of Auschwitz has been one of my favourite ever reads so I was looking forward to this one – and it did not disappoint.

The story picks up the journey of Cilka, from The Tattooist. Her story did not end in Auschwitz, in fact, the nightmare was only just beginning.

This was a series of events I knew little about and hearing what happened to not only this poor woman, but so man y like her, truly broke my heart.

So many thought the liberation of the Nazi camps ended the suffering, but this simply wasn’t true. I don’t want to say too much and spoil anything but this is a must read.

Where To Buy

My Amazon Storefront

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More great reads – are there any you are thinking of picking up? Let me know in the comments below!

Take care and keep reading!