Tag: katy watson

Monthly TBRs

August TBR!

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Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today. It is August already, finally some of the summer weather is peeking out from behind the rain clouds. My Guide Dog is very happy about that, she loves sunbathing in the garden. What goes best with the summer? Reading, obviously. So it was time to decide on my August TBR and it was difficult because I have so many books that I want to read, but I did decide eventually on these books:

The Dog Sitter Detective by Anthony Johnston

The odd thing about this one is that I have already read the second book in this series (oops!) I didn’t realise when I got the second book that it was part of a series, read it, loved it and then realised it was a series so I want to read this one quite quickly.

Love Letters To A Serial Killer by Tasha Coryell

I have recently bought this and the premise sounds really interesting so it is high on my list to read.

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

This is another book I recently got after wanting it for a really long time and I haven’t been reading much fantasy at the moment so I am hoping to get back into it with this book.

Helle and Death by Oskar Jenson

This book is one I need to read so that I can mention it in my PhD theory work, I don’t think it would be a book I would pick up otherwise but hopefully it will be a good book.

The Troublemakers by Tamsin Merchant

I LOVE this series, it is a middle grade but the series is very sweet and magical and I am excited to read this next book.

Lightlark by Alex Aster

This one I happened to pick up because I saw it on social media a lot and thought it looked interesting, I like books that include games and trials so hopefully this book will be great.

Seven Lively Suspects by Katy watson

I have actually already started this book, I read 50 pages on the way home from a family trip and I already love this series so I am looking forward to keep reading this book.

Have you read any of these books?

What books are on your August TBR?

I hope everyone has a good reading month in August!

Monthly Wrap Ups

July Wrap Up!

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Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a great day today.

July is at an end and I think it is safe to say that it was my best month for reading so far this year, both in the amount of books and my enjoyment of those books.

So, my July TBR, technically I didn’t finish it because I didn’t read the exact books I put on it BUT I did read a bunch of books so I read more books than I put on my TBR so I am going to count that as finishing it.

This was my TBR:

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

I did not read this book, it was actually in the pile for me to read next, to break up some of the mysteries I have been reading like a palate cleanser, but I didn’t get around to it.

The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley

I am currently reading this book and I have three days left of the month so I am optimistic that I will finish this book by the end of July.

A Feather So Black by Lyra Selene

I did not read this book, I didn’t even think about it this month so hopefully I will get to it soon but that time is not yet.

The Whispering Dark by Kelly Andrews

I was excited about this book but as with A Feather So Black I haven’t been drawn to fantasy at the moment so I didn’t get around to it.

The Jewelled Moth by Katherine Woodfine

I did read this book, it is the second in the series and actually I enjoyed it more than the first book.

Outside of my TBR I have also read: I finished Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood, The King’s Mother by Annie Garthwaite (the best book I have read so far this year!), The Suspect by Rob Rinder, The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz, Queen Macbeth by Val Mcdermid, and I started Seven Likely Suspects by Katy Watson as well.

So in July I read 8 books this month! I am very happy with that amount. How has your reading been this month? Any great books?

Monthly TBRs

July TBR!

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Happy Friday bookish people! How are you all today? I hope you are all doing well.

July is a busy, busy month for me so I am hoping that I will be able to get a lot of reading done. I am having an operation on the 15th which means that I will not be able to do much for at least a week or so other than read which sounds perfect to me. Then at the end of July I am going to Carlisle for the weekend and in the back of the car I will be able to read as well so hopefully I read some great books, fingers crossed for some five star reads!

What are you excited to read in July?

My July TBR:

Hunting Party by Lucy Foley

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

The Whispering Dark by Kelly Andrews

A Feather so Black by Lyra Selene

The Jeweled Moth by Katharine Woodfine

On top of this though I have a list of books I would like to read while recovering and travelling because I am optimistic that I will get lots of reading done in July:

  • The Murder Game by Tom Hindle
  • The King’s Mother by Annie Garthwaite
  • Seven Lively Suspects by Katy Watson
  • The Suspect by Rob Rinder
  • The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz
  • Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
  • The Five by Haille Rubenhold
  • Hex Appeal by Kate Johnson
Book Tags

My Top 5 Books of 2023

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Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a wonderful day today.

I am here to share with you my top five books of the year, I have to say it was a difficult choice. I read a lot of books this year that I enjoyed, and a lot of them were books that were surprising.

  1. Finale by Stephanie Garber
  2. Vera Wong’s unsolicited advice for murderers
  3. A Very Lively Murder by Katy Watson
  4. London Seance Society by Sarah Penner
  5. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

What were your favourite books you read this year?

Uncategorized

My Top 15 Favourite Murder Mysteries

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Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you are all doing well today. Seeing as it is spooky season I thought it may be fun to share with you all my top 15 murder mystery books and this is one of my favourite genres to read so this was a difficult choice. Let me know if any of your favourites are on this list or if there are any you would have put on here instead.

The London Seance Society by Sarah Penner

Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco

Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

The Three Dahlias by Katy Watson

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

Dangerous Women by Hope Adams

The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

Finlay Donovon is Killing It

The Windsor Knot by S J Bennett

The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett

Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie

Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Book Reviews

Book Review: A Very Lively Murder by Katy Watson

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Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today.

Today I am bringing you my book review for A Very Lively Murder by Katy Watson.

I will be giving star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will do my best to not include any spoilers.

I hope you enjoy my book review!

A Very Lively Murder Plot:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

A Very Lively Murder is the second book in the Three Dahlias series by Katy Watson. This book follows Posy Starling, Caro Hooper and Rosalind King as they once again must team up to solve a murder mystery. In this book they are on the set of the new Dahlia Lively film, of which Posy is playing the leading lady, when it becomes clear that Rosalind is receiving death threats and then someone gets murdered.

I loved this book. I enjoyed the first one, The Three Dahlias, but I liked the second one more because I already felt as though I knew the characters and also their relationships with each other were already established too. We, as readers, were able to get stuck straight in to the murder itself. It is hard to say a lot about this book’s plot without revealing any spoilers but what I can say is that there are so many twists even I didn’t solve the mystery before the end, and that is unusual.

A Very Lively Murder Characters:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

As in the first book, the main character we follow is Posy Starling. She is an actress who wants to get the press back on her side after a difficult time as a child star. I like Posy, she is young and vibrant and it is fun to follow a character as they are finding out who they are themselves and we get to go on that journey with them. In this first book Posy felt like a leader but for me, in this second book Rosalind felt like a stronger character. More of the plot was focused around her and her backstory and I loved that we got to see more of her life.

A Very Lively Murder Writing and Dialogue:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

A Very Lively Murder Overall:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

This book was definitely a five star read for me, I am already excited for any future books from this author.

Blurb/Synopsis:

One murder mystery movie. Three Dahlias. And a whole cast of suspects…

Ex-child star Posy Starling is finally filming her dream role – Dahlia Lively in The Lady Detective movie. But things take a nightmare turn when a prop weapon is replaced with the real thing – with almost fatal consequences for her fellow Dahlia, Rosalind King. There’s something very wrong on the set of The Lady Detective – which means it’s time to call in Caro Hooper, so the three Dahlias can investigate.

In between filming scenes, signing autographs for locals, photoshoots in London, talk show appearances and jetting off to France for an impromptu party, the three Dahlias do what they do best – surrupticiously sleuth. And very soon the evidence starts to point towards one particular co-star…

But before they can prove it, another murder rocks the production. And this time, with a storm raging, the river flooded and the bridge washed out, there are no police to rely on so it’s up to the three Dahlias to stop a murderer in their tracks… before another victim is claimed.

Book Reviews

Book Review: The Three Dahlias by Katy Watson

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Happy Monday bookish people! What’s better on a rainy Monday morning than a good book review about a cosy mystery.

As always in this book review I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will do my best to not include any spoilers in the book review. I hope you enjoy it!

The Three Dahlias Plot:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

This book combines some of the best elements of Golden Age Detective Fiction/ Cosy Crime genres such as the isolated location, who doesn’t love a murder mystery set in an old manor house, a close knit cast of characters, and a bunch of intriguing twists. The Three Dahlias is based on the three actresses who have, and will have, played the character of Dahlia in different shows and films throughout the years. They come together for a Dahlia convention and then actually find themselves having to work together to solve a crime. I really enjoyed this take on the murder mystery, I haven’t read many novels or actually any that come to mind with three main protagonists but it was a nice way to make the reader feel part of the group.

The Three Dahlias Characters:

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

As much as I enjoyed each of the three characters individually, I sometimes felt that when they were together in the same scenes they blended into each other and the character development wasn’t as good. However, I still enjoyed the three female main characters being the ones to try and solve the mystery.

The Three Dahlias Writing and Dialogue

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I haven’t got much to say for this category because the writing was good, it allowed me to not think about the writing at all because I was engrossed in the story and that is a sign of a good writing style.

The Three Dahlias Overall

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I gave this book four stars overall because it was an enjoyable twist on the murder mystery genre.

Blurb/Synopsis:

Three rival actresses team up to solve a murder at the stately home of the author who made them famous – only to discover the solution lies in the stories themselves. A contemporary mystery with a Golden Age feel, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Jessica Fellowes.

In attendance: the VIP fans, staying at Aldermere; the fan club president turned convention organizer; the team behind the newest movie adaptation of Davenport’s books; the Davenport family themselves – and the three actresses famous for portraying Lettice’s 1930s detective, Dahlia Lively.

National treasure Rosalind King, from the original movies. TV Dahlia for thirteen seasons, Caro Hooper. And ex-child star Posy Starling, fresh out of the fame wilderness (and rehab) to take on the Dahlia mantle for the new movie.

Each actress has her own interpretation of the character – but this English summer weekend they will have to put aside their differences, as the crimes at Aldermere turns anything but cosy.

When fictional death turns into real bodies, can the three Dahlias find the answers to the murders among the fans, the film crew, the family – or even in Lettice’s books themselves?

That’s it for this book review, I hope you all enjoyed it!

Monthly Wrap Ups

October Wrap Up!

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Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you all had a great October! If you have seen my November TBR that I posted on Friday then you will know that my October was so busy, with my sister getting married, working towards my RDC2 and meeting a potential guide dog match (I will be posting about this on Friday if you are interested in knowing more about it).

So, my reading month in October was much better than it has been recently so that has made the month a lot more enjoyable. And now I am going to share with you which books I managed to read this month. Let me know in the comments if you have read any of these, what you thought of them and what you read in October!

October Wrap-Up!

  • Beach Read by Emily Henry – I did not read this
  • Devil Makes Three by Tori Bovelino – I did not read this one
  • Nothing more to tell by Karen M McManus – I was so excited to read this one but I didn’t manage to get around to it this month
  • Pages and Co 3 by Anna James – I did read this one and as with the rest of the series, I really enjoyed it.
  • Finale by Stephanie Garber – I did not read this
  • Belladonna by Adalyn Grace – another book I was so looking forward to reading but I didn’t get to this month
  • The Three Dahlias by Katy Watson – I did read this book and loved it
  • Miss Marple short stories collection – I read this one too
  • Once Upon A Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber – I did not read this either
  • A Fatal Crossing by Tom Hindle – I did not read this
  • Your Turn to die by sue wallman – I did not read this one either
  • European Travels for the Monstrous Gentlewoman by Theodora Goss – This book is huge, so I did not read it this month
  • Devil’s Advocate by Steve Cavanaugh – I did not read this either

outside of my October TBR I also read The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett which I also really enjoyed.

So, this month I read four books which is a great amount for me at the moment.

That’s it for my October Wrap-Up, I hope you enjoyed reading it!

Monthly TBRs

October TBR

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Happy Friday bookish people! I am happy today to be bringing you my TBR for october!

October is a busy month for me, I have my RDC2 Assessment coming up in December so a lot of work needed for that and also – my sister is getting married this month! Which is so exciting. While she is on her honeymoon I get to stay at her house and look after her cat so that will also be interesting.

I am also going to London this month for the Billy Idol concert, and while there I have been invited to a book event with Orion publishing and excited doesn’t even begin to cover my feelings for that. After the event I am getting the sleeper train home and that will be an experience I am sure.

Anyway, to do all this I am going to need some good books so here is my October TBR!

Beach Read by Emily Henry

I am quite excited to read this book, I currently have the ebook on loan from my local library.

Devil Makes Three by Tori Bovelino

This book is set in a library or school and is full of spooky plot ideas perfect for October reading.

Nothing More to tell by Karen M McManus

I have just bought this book and I am very excited to read it, I love her books and this one is perfect for my PhD.

Pages and Co by Anna James

The third book, I can’t remember right now what the title is but I enjoyed the first two and this could be a nice light read for me.

Finale by Stephanie Garber

I have read the first two books in the Caraval series and loved them but I have heard mixed things about this final book so I have been putting off reading it, maybe this month is the month.

Belladonna by Adalyn Grace

This books sounds so good and I just got this book in last month’s fairyloot box.

Three Dahlias by Katy Watson

This book has all the elements I love, an old manor house, a small cast of characters, a murder mystery I cannot wait to read it.

Marple

The new anthology of Marple short stories is another book that is right up my street, I always loved Poirot more but honestly I will take any Agatha Christie I can get.

Once Upon A Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber

I really love Stephanie Garber’s books and this one has such a beautiful cover that I can’t wait to read it.

A Fatal Crossing by Tom Hindle

A murder mystery, set on a boat. It sounds amazing.

Your Turn To Die by Sue Wallman

Her books are always so tense and psychological so I am very excited to read it in October.

European Travels for the Monstrous Gentlewomen by Theodora Goss

This book is big but I am loving historical settings at the moment.

Devil’s Advocate by Steve Cavanaugh

After reading the synopsis of this book I love the idea of a law setting in a thriller.

That’s it for my October TBR, I hope you all enjoyed it. What books are you reading in October? Have you read any of these?