Urgh. Eyeroll.
The Vacancy in Room 10 is told from the viewpoints of two very different women. Both ended up at The Sycamore apartment complex, the dead-end, run-down motel-turned-apartment complex on the outskirts of Santa Fe, New Mexico, because of tragic events in their life which they had no control.
2/5
Rating: 4/5
So sweet and tenderly told. At first, I thought it might echo The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time or The Rosie Project; however, this story quickly found its own charming voice.
We meet Denny, a young man with cognitive challenges due to complications at birth. Raised with love and fierce loyalty by his Nanna Jo, Denny navigates the world with innocence, honesty, and a gentle humour that stays with you.
He gets arrested for murder. What stands out most is the purity of Denny’s perspective. It is a quiet, moving read about love, and resilience.
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.8/5)
This was my first Hannah read, and I can see why she is so widely loved. Another Life offers a quietly powerful story about second chances, grief, and finding purpose when life takes an unexpected turn.
I had always thought Kristin Hannah only wrote historical fiction, so the contemporary setting was a surprise. It was not what I expected, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters are rich, relatable, and written with care. You feel drawn into their world and invested in their healing.
A gentle, character-driven story that lingers quietly in your thoughts.
Synopsis:
Angie and her husband long to become parents, but after years of heartbreak and disappointment, their marriage begins to unravel. Following their divorce, Angie returns to her large, boisterous Italian family and helps out at the family restaurant while grappling with the grief of losing her father. At the same time, Lauren, a bright and ambitious teenager raised by an indifferent mother, is preparing for college and dreaming of a future with her boyfriend, David. When their lives intersect, a new kind of hope begins to emerge for both women.
I wanted to enjoy this, but unfortunately, Child Missing fell quite flat for me. The writing felt dry and bland. I’ve been spoiled with richly written mysteries full of twists and layered characters, this simply did not compare. The narrative was repetitive.
On the plus side, it was a quick read, so I do not feel I wasted too much time. I kept reading in the hope for a big twsist. Spoiler alert, the detectives suspected the teacher, and it was him.
Summary:
Detective Matt Holden investigates the mysterious disappearance of a young boy from a park. As the search intensifies, the case uncovers potential suspects and hidden secrets in the community. The story follows the detective’s step-by-step investigation, aiming to find the child before it is too late.
Despite the title, this book is far more about Benito Mussolini than his daughter Edda. I was hoping for an in-depth look into Edda. Instead, what I got was a long, often dry political biography of Mussolini himself.
At the halfway mark, I was still waiting for Edda’s voice to come through. By 90%, I thought we might finally focus on her... but no. The narrative continued to orbit around Mussolini’s regime, with Edda remaining more of a shadowy side figure than the main subject.
I found the book long, labour-intensive, and misleadingly titled. If you are interested in Edda as a standalone historical figure, this one will disappoint.
2/5
Oegh, meh. This one had all the ingredients for a chilling page-turner: a frozen lake, an isolated cabin, and a nameless woman shivering in the deep of night. The premise is strong, initially really enjoyed it. Could have gone in so many ways.
But it started to irritate me more than anything.
Synopsis:
A woman awakens beside a remote, frozen lake with no memory of who she is or how she got there.
Bleary‑eyed and frightened, she stumbles to a nearby house where a man named Gregg offers shelter. As a brutal winter storm traps them together, she adopts the name “Anna” after the initial on her bracelet . Strange noises, phantom footsteps, whispered voices and odd hints erode her sense of safety. Flashbacks to another woman, Adria, run parallel—hinting at hidden connections. As Anna pieces together her identity, she must decide if Gregg is protector or predator—and whether her regained memories are truth or threat.
(*Spolier* she's an author and confuses the book she is writing with real life because of a concussion.)
Follow Me: A Thriller by Elizabeth Rose Quinn
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (3.8/5)
The story started off a bit slow, and I wasn’t sure if it would hold my attention. It picked up as it went along, and I found myself keen to hear how it would all unfold. The plot was fairly standard and didn’t quite blow my hair back, but the writing was strong. It was well crafted and easy to listen to. I didn’t love it, but I enjoyed it overall.
