Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts

The Apprentice by Tess Gerritsen

Cover of The Apprentice by Tess Gerritsen shown on a Kindle Paperwhite E reader. The cover shows the title and author alongside a geometric shape. To the left of the book cover is a title that reads 'review, The Apprentice by Tess Gerritsen, www.chatterfox.co.uk'

A year after the intense cat and mouse chase that culminated in the imprisonment of  Warren 'The Surgeon' Hoyt, Detective Jane Rizzoli finds herself facing a series of  murders that are uncomfortably familiar. With traits similar to the surgeons exactly what is Rizzoli dealing with- an admirer? a copy cat? or worse an Apprentice? The novel follows Rizzoli as she faces the trauma of the past and breaks down the demons that stand before her. Joined by the guarded and secretive Agent Gabriel Dean and introducing Maura Isles- can the team stop the Apprentice before they become fully qualified? 

Tender Is The Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica

Image of the front cover of the ebook version of Tender Is The Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica. The front cover is displayed on a Kindle Paperwhite which is laid on a dark blue background printed with bundles of herbs tied together. The front cover features the author's name and the book title alongside an image of a swirling red fabric that looks like a gush of blood. To the left is a title that reads 'Review, Tender is the flesh by Agustina Bazterrica, www.chatterfox.co.uk'

Excuse me whilst I collect my jaw up off the floor. Never ever has a book ending made me feel so utterly enraged, thoroughly deceived and unexpectedly shocked as this one has.
Imagine a world in which animal meat is no longer fit for human consumption. Where do we turn for our meat fix? I'll give you a clue-it's not plant based. Humans are bred for consumption. Raised like cattle with no rights. 

Eight Detectives by Alex Pavesi

Image of the front cover of the ebook version of Eight Detectives by Alex Pavesi. The front cover is displayed on a Kindle Paperwhite which is laid on a brightly coloured background that looks like a bookcase with the spines facing towards the viewer. The front cover features the author's name and the book title alongside an image of a fountain pen and some circles that are reminiscent of ink blobs. To the left is a title that reads 'Review, Eight Detectives by Alex Pavesi, www.chatterfox.co.uk'

Eight Detectives by Alex Pavesi is unlike anything I've ever read before. It's a book within a book. There's a collection of individual and stand alone murder short stories collectively known as The White Murders that are interspersed throughout the main book, Eight Detectives in such a unique way. Eight Detectives focuses on publisher, Julia and the illusive and socially withdrawn author Grant as they discuss the upcoming publication of Grant's iconic work "The White Murders". As a reader we get a short story from The White Murders followed by a chapter that involves Julia interviewing Grant discussing the short story, how we wrote it and what it meant to him at the time. It's a fantastic format and not nearly as complicated as I've made it sound.

Haven't They Grown by Sophie Hannah

Image of the front cover of the ebook version of Haven't They Grown by Sophie Hannah. The front cover is displayed on a Kindle Paperwhite which is laid on a stone coloured background printed with cactus plants. The front cover features the author's name and the book title alongside an image of some ornate front gates leading to a house. To the left is a title that reads 'Review, Haven't They Grown by Sophie Hannah, www.chatterfox.co.uk'

Beth and Flora haven't spoken in years, not since their children were little. Now the children are all grown up, well, some of them are.... Haven't They Grown by Sophie Hannah follows Beth as she attempts to unravel how and why her former best friend's children haven't aged in twelve years. Is it a web of lies and deceit? Is Beth slowly losing her sanity or are unaging children merely the tip of the iceberg? 

Days Out | Sundown Adventureland

Image of a young girl riding on a flying pig ride at Sundown Adventureland. The girl is smiling and looks very happy. To the left of the image is a title that reads 'Days Out, Sundown Adventureland, Rampton, DN22 0HX, www.chatterfox.co.uk'

Sundown Adventureland is a theme park specifically aimed at children under 10 years of age. We visit Sundown often as we're annual pass holders. It's close to where Dan's family live, making it a perfect day out for us all. Sundown is a bit of a local treasure as it's been around for many years, my grandparents can remember visiting it when it was Pets Corner and though it's changed dramatically over the years it's still owned by the same family. 

Coeliac | Wahaca, Southbank.

Image of the Gluten Free Pork Pibil Tacos available at Wahaca Southbank. The images shows a row of wraps filled with shredded pork and topped with fresh coriander and pink pickled onions. To the left of the image is a title that reads 'coeliac, wahaca, southbank, london, SE1 8XX

Prior to being diagnosed with Coeliac Disease I considered myself to be a real foodie. Once diagnosed I went on a bit of a mental health journey whilst I accepted my newly discovered food restrictions. I used to visit London often and thoroughly enjoyed the foodie culture, in particular the markets and street food vendors. Since going gluten free I've only visited London once and I was rather hesitant regarding food and chose to stick with well known restaurant chain, Wahaca. I know there is a vibrant gluten free foodie community just waiting for me to discover but whilst my confidence grows it's reassuring to know that there's a safe place to me eat when out and about in the city.

Coeliac | The Golden Cross, Coventry.

Image of a roast chicken dinner with vegetables, roast potatoes, yorkshire puddings and lashings of gravy. Alongside the image is a title that reads 'Coeliac, The Golden Cross, Coventry, CV1 5RF, www.chatterfox.co.uk'

We recently stayed at Bede Serviced Apartments in Coventry to attend the Freefrom and Allergy Show at the Birmingham NEC. We had a spare afternoon and decided to make the most of our child free time by heading out for a meal. Eating out when you're Coeliac is an anxiety inducing occasion that requires a lot of planning, scouring menus and reading reviews. We researched gluten free places to eat in Coventry and came across the usual chain restaurants but to my delight I chanced upon a glowing review for The Golden Cross, a 17th century pub that has an entirely gluten free kitchen- what a stroke of luck to be a twenty minute walk from somewhere that sounded so amazing!

Accommodation | Bede Serviced Apartments

An image of a made bed with white linen and burgundy accessories. Alongside the image is a title that reads 'Travel, Bede Serviced Apartments, Coventry, CV6 3BU, www.chatterfox.co.uk

We stayed at Bede Serviced apartments for 3 nights in order to attend the Allergy and Freefrom Show at the NEC Birmingham and the German Christmas Market in the city centre. The apartments are around 20 minutes from the NEC and 40 minutes from the City Centre.

Coeliac | The Stable Birmingham

Close up image of a slice of pizza. You can see the crust, the rich tomato sauce and various meat and vegetable toppings and melted cheese on top. To the left of the image is a title that reads 'coeliac, the stable, birmingham. B1 1BE, www.chatterfox.co.uk'


After a busy day at the NEC for the Allergy and Freefrom Show we headed into the city centre to visit the German Christmas Market. A quick Google of the best gluten free places to eat brought up some fabulous reviews for The Stable Birmingham so we decided to give it a try.

AD GIVEAWAY | IDentity Lingerie Silk Pyjamas

Image of a pair of emerald green silk pyjamas with gold piping. ALongside the image is a title that reads 'giveaway and review silk pyjamas by IDentity Lingerie www.chatterfox.co.uk'

Pyjamas have always been a staple in my life. There's something incredibly comforting about being at home in your nightwear. For me clothing signifies that I'm ready to face my fears and head out into the outside world. Clothes are my armour. In contrast, pyjamas are my safe place. Loungewear and nightwear signifies taking a step back from the world and retreating to the comfort of my own home. Pyjama days are a necessity for me so when IDentity Lingerie asked me to review their luxurious range of Long Silk Pyjamas I jumped at the chance.

Days Out | Peppa Pig World

Image of two excited little girls dressed in witches outfits stood in front of a Peppa Pig Mascot. To the left is a title that reads 'Days out, Peppa Pig World at Paulton's Park, Romsey, SO51 6AL www.chatterfox.co.uk'

I recently gave Paulton's Park a glowing review as it's a great family theme park but as the Peppa Pig World is such a significant part of the park and likely to be one of the main reasons for people to visit I thought it deserved a stand alone review.  As I mentioned in my Paulton's Park review, Peppa Pig World is a hefty four hour drive away for us, factor in the copious amount of toilet trips that a four year old needs and you're looking at a full days travelling- so was it worth it?

Accommodation | Room and Roof Southampton

Image of a living room area featuring a brown leather sofa, a concrete effect coffee table, a grey concrete side table and a grey concrete effect television table upon which stands a black flat screen television. There are decorative faux plants and a teal and grey asymmetric patterned  rug. To the left is a title that reads 'Travel, Room and roof apartments southampton SO16 3NF, www.chatterfox.co.uk'

We recently visited Paulton's Park to explore Peppa Pig World. Due to how far away the park is from where we live we decided to make the most of the journey and enjoy a full week away. We prefer to stay in apartments rather than hotels as having Coeliac disease can make it hard to eat out so having private catering facilities makes things easier and often cheaper. We choose Room and Roof Apartments for our stay. We stayed Monday to Friday in a one bedroom apartment. 

Days Out | Paulton's Park

Image of a young girl riding on a vintage Victorian carousel. She is sat on top of a carousel horse, holding on with one hand and screaming with excitement. To the left of the girl is a title that read 'Days out, Paulton's Park, Romsey, S051 6AL, www.chatterfox.co.uk'

We live a four hour drive away from Paulton's Park, factor in travelling with a four year old and with toilet breaks, snack stops and leg stretches you're looking at a full day travelling. I needed this theme park to be exceptional, it had to be a roaring success or the stress of the journey wouldn't have been worth it. Thankfully Paulton's Park really pulled it out the bag. We had an absolutely amazing time at this all ages, family friendly theme park.

The Tin Ring by Zdenka Fantlova

Image of the front cover of the paperback version of The Tin Ring by Zdenka Fantlova. The cover looks like it's made of cheap brown paper and has a font that looks like a typewriter. The design is simple having only the book title and author alongside an image of a dull tin ring that looks aged. To the left of the image is a title that reads 'Review The Tin Ring by Zdenka Fantlova www.chatterfox.co.uk'

Having read the Tattooist of Auschwitz and Cilka's Journey last year I was recommended this book by a friend. I borrowed her copy and it is the only physical book I've read this year. I really love my Kindle but it was wonderful to hold a physical book, there is something about well thumbed pages and that unique paper smell that makes my heart soar. It's like holding history in your hands (so thank you Susan for the experience ❤️) 

The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley

Image of the front cover of the kindle ebook version of The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley. The cover shows the book title and the author's name alongside the silhouette of a stag's head. To the left is a title that reads 'Review The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley'

The Hunting Party is set in the Scottish wilderness. A group of thirty somethings have booked the entire lodge for their annual New Year's Eve getaway. There's the 'perfect couple' with their new baby, the 'university sweethearts' that have been together since forever and the 'new couple' that are eager to please. Then there's the eternally single one. Factor in a perky hostess and a surly groundskeeper an you've got everything you need for a classic 'whodunnit'

The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Image of the front cover of the ebook version of The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave. The book cover features the book title in bold and a floral pattern surrounding it. The ebook is displayed on a Amazon Kindle Paperwhite that is laid on a pastel coloured background that features small drawers. Alongside the image is a title that reads 'Review, The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave www.chatterfox.co.uk'

The Mercies is the tale of a small coastal fishing village that suffers a great tragedy, one that disrupts the entire nature of the people that live there. An almighty storm killing almost all the men and leaving the women behind to grieve, strive and ultimately aim to survive the harsh realities of their new lives. Help arrives from foreign shores, shores that are ran by patriarchies and religious zealots. What will happen to the women of Vardo? 

Accommodation | Nox Kensington

Image of the bedroom at Nox Kensington. The bed has white bed linen and gold satin accessories. To the left of the image is a title that reads 'Travel Nox Apartments, Kensington, London W14 8BN

I am a big fan of a city break and I love to visit London. We live around 2 hours away via train and are fortunate to have a direct train route depart from the neighbouring town. Being from 'up North' means London accommodation prices always come as a shock. We look for something affordable, comfortable, clean and practical. We're not bothered by luxury when it comes to a city break as we spend most of the time out of the hotel exploring the local sights and as we travel by train we don't need to consider our parking options. I'd never heard of NOX hotels before but there are quite a few branches in the London area. We were travelling with Iris this time and had planned to spend the majority of our time around the museums so we chose to stay at the NOX Kensington branch. 

Review | The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

Image of the front cover of the ebook version of the boy in the striped pyjamas by John Boyne. The front cover is displayed on a Kindle Paperwhite which is laid on a white washed wooden background. The front cover features the author's name and the book title on a background of stripes. To the left is a title that reads 'Review, The boy in the striped pyjamas by John Boyne www.chatterfox.co.uk'

The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas is a classic must read novel so it's hard to believe that this is the first time I've read it at the grand old age of 33! I think a lot of people read this book at school alongside other classics such as Of Mice and Men, The Diary of Anne Frank and To Kill A Mockingbird- can you believe I've never read any of those? I'm starting to understand why the secondary school I attended was closed down after my year group left and ultimately demolished. The reading list seems to be severely lacking but secondary school gripes aside- is this book as powerful as I've been led to believe?

Review | Blue Ticket by Sophie MacKintosh

Image of the front cover of the ebook version of Blue Ticket by Sophie MacKintosh. The front cover is displayed on a Kindle Paperwhite which is laid on a white washed wood effect background. The front cover features the author's name and the book title alongside an image of a women looking into a mirror. To the left is a title that reads 'Review, Blue Ticket by Sophie MacKintosh, www.chatterfox.co.uk'

Blue Ticket by Sophie MacKintosh imagines a world in which your parental destiny is decided by the luck of the draw, I suppose in the real world whether we are able to have children is predetermined by genetics, health and personal fertility but imagine if it was decided literally by a draw. White ticket means your future includes children. Blue ticket means it does not. No questions, no re-draws just blind acceptance of your fate depending on the ticket drawn. What ticket would you wish to be?

29 Seconds by T M Logan

Image of the front cover of T M Logan's novel 29 Seconds. The image is of a silhouette of a person stood in the background with the books title in large print and the tagline 'how much can you lose in 29 seconds' written beneath it. There is also an emblem indicating that this book is from the same writer that wrote Lies. To the right is a title that reads 'Review, 29 seconds by T M Logan, www.chatterfox.co.uk'


Regular readers of the blog will know that I love T M Logan novels. I've read The Holiday, Lies, The Catch and now 29 seconds. This book is the second book that T M Logan wrote but each book is standalone and unrelated to the others so the order in which you read them doesn't really matter though a word of warning- don't read this one first. If I'd have read this one first I would have been significantly less likely to read any of the others. It pains me to say this but this is the one and only T. M Logan book that I've not enjoyed- so much so I almost gave up reading it!

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