The Bertie Project by Alexander McCall Smith

The Bertie Project by Alexander McCall Smith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 4 days

Pages -

Publisher -

Source -

Blurb from Goodreads

Once more, we catch up with the delightful goings-on in the fictitious 44 Scotland Street from Alexander McCall Smith . . .

Bertie's respite from his overbearing mother, Irene, is over. She has returned from the middle-east, only to discover that her son has been exposed to the worst evils of cartoons, movies and Irn Bru, and her wrath falls upon her unfortunate husband, Stuart. Meanwhile, Bruce has fallen in love with someone other than himself; Big Lou wants to adopt her beloved Finlay; Matthew and Elspeth host the Duke of Johannesburg for supper and Bertie decides he wants to move out of Scotland Street altogether and live with his grandmother, Nicola.

Can Irene and Stuart's marriage survive? Will Bruce's newfound love last? And will Bertie really leave Scotland Street? Find out in the next instalment of this charming, beloved series.


My Review

So this is like book eleven in the series and normally I say you can read as a standalone but I think knowing the back stories does help for this one. For me, this isn't my favourite so far but it is still enjoyable. Bruce, narcissistic, pretty, lover of noone more than himself has a new lady and he is besotted so this is a turn up for the books and could this be Bruce's karma? Bertie is still long suffering with his mother Irene as is Stuart, his dad but has Stuart finally had enough?

We catch up with the goings on with our favourite and not so favourite characters as they go about their lives and have some dramas and blips as we go. Big Lou, I really like her and would love to see her get her happy ever after.

This book we do see a wee bit of revelations, comeuppance maybe, new characters, dramas as McCall gives us normal every dayisms with a bit of flare/comedy, 3/5.

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The Elephant Girl by Henriette Gyland

The Elephant Girl by Henriette Gyland
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read -

Pages - 400

Publisher - Choc Lit

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

Peek-a-boo I see you…
When five-year-old Helen Stephens witnesses her mother’s murder, her whole world comes crumbling down. Rejected by her extended family, Helen is handed over to child services and learns to trust no-one but herself. Twenty years later, her mother’s killer is let out of jail, and Helen swears vengeance.

Jason Moody runs a halfway house, desperate to distance himself from his father’s gangster dealings. But when Helen shows up on his doorstep, he decides to dig into her past, and risks upsetting some very dangerous people.

As Helen begins to question what really happened to her mother, Jason is determined to protect her. But Helen is getting too close to someone who’ll stop at nothing to keep the truth hidden …


My Review

Helen is five years old and has Epilepsy, Helen is the only "witness" to her mothers murder however she only has fragmented confused bits of memory. Now twenty years later Helen is a different person, estranged from her family and in India. When the family reaches out, only one thing could bring her home, her mums killer is out of jail and Helen wants revenge.

The book is a bit different, our main character has always been treated poorly due to her condition which has made her keep every one at arms length. Now faced with her past she will do what she has to to get revenge for her mum. She gets into a halfway house, amidst her mission she finds herself drawn to Jason, the guy who runs the house. Jason has some shady links to his past and Helen could find herself in more trouble than she expected.

The book has some shady characters, a few threads/themes and the thing I think that maes this one different is getting a character who lives with seizures. We see how she copes, what triggers her and in turn how she keeps herself away from others, relationships and how your path can start one way and end up on a very different road.

I liked it I didn't love it, it was interesting and had a few colourful characters, this was my first read by this author, I would read her again, 3/5.

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Human Remains by Jo Callaghan Blogathon

Today is my stop for Human Remains by Jo Callaghan, book 3 in the Kat and Lock series.

Human Remains by Jo Callaghan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 384

Publisher - Simon & Schuster UK

Source - ARC

Blurb from Goodreads

The truth will always come out, but at what cost?

Fresh from successfully closing their first live case, the Future Policing Unit are called in to investigate when a headless, handless body is found on a Warwickshire farm. But as they work to identify the victim and their killer, the discovery of a second body begins to spark fears that The Aston Strangler is back. And as the stakes rise for the team, so do the tensions brewing within it.

When DCS Kat Frank is accused of putting the wrong man behind bars all those years ago, AIDE Lock – the world's first AI Detective – pursues the truth about what happened with relentless logic. But Kat is determined to keep the past buried, and when she becomes the target of a shadowy figure looking for revenge, Lock is torn between his evidence-based algorithms and the judgement of his partner, with explosive results. 

When everything hangs in the balance, it will all come down to just how much an AI machine can learn, and what happens when they do . . .


My Review

Guys if you haven't read book one and two PLEASE go back and read them first then come back because they are fab, you need the back story and they are pretty epic so just do it. So we open with someone plotting dastardly plans towards Kat and then onto the present day and finding of some bones, possibly human and DCS Kat Frank needs to investigate.

The interactions between Lock and Kat are absolutely one of my fave things about these books, LOCK is a machine but learning o fast it is actually scary. He can process information, scenes, stats but the human intuition and nuances escapes him. We see the short comings of AI but also the positives but the Sheldoness of the machine is an absolute fave.

As well as investigating the bones and what follows from there Kat is being scrutinised publically and online as a podcast has an old case of hers under the scope and questioning is she got it wrong. Is it linked to the new finding of bones and Kat is good but she is human and the pressure is on, cracks are showing. Add into that her son is coming home and bringing his new girlfriend home, it is stress city for Kat and folk online seem to have it in for her and someone is watching her every move and waiting.

Lots of high emotions, the pace is fast and multifactorial with different threads/stories taking place - all interlinked. I cannot wait for the next book in the story and see where it is going, Lock reminds me a bit of Vision/Jarvis from the avengers like he is good, he was created for good purposes and has a bit of Sheldon (from the Big Bang Theory) and I like all off them, echoes of but Lock is a whole new creation. Strap in folks this one will take you through a host of emotions & I didn't want to put it down, I NEEDED to know! 4/5.

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Predator: Incursion by Tim Lebbon book 1

Predator: Incursion by Tim Lebbon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 1 week

Pages - 270

Publisher - Titan

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Predator ships stream into human space in unprecedented numbers. The Colonial Marines, controlled by Weyland-Yutani, respond to the incursion, thus entering the Rage War. This terrifying assault by the Yautja cannot go unchallenged, yet the cost of combat is high. Predators are master combatants, and each encounter yields a high body count. Then when Lt. Johnny Mains and his marines—the VoidLarks—enter the fray, they discover an enemy deadlier than any could imagine. Book one in an epic trilogy that continues in INVASION and concludes in ALIENS VS. ARMAGEDDON. The universe will forever be changed.



My Review

Opening scene, xenomorph choas and then we flip to the Colonial Marines who guard earth'/space boundaries (ish) - I am the first to admit I don't describe stuff perfect but you get the jist. Anyway they clock the Predators (the ultimate fighting aliens in the movie with Arnie Schwarzenegger, they can't see us when we have mud all over us and by us I mean humans) although in the book they are referred to as Yautja. Anyway there has always been a bit of barny/murder death kill between us (marines) and them but something isn't right and soon both realise that a bigger foe is coming and our only chance may be to put our differences aside and unite.

I LOVE the alien universe and also the predator so a book that sees crossover HELLO sign me up! It does jump about a wee bit to start with and a wee bit of time jump but once you get into it and understand what the chat it it is good. I felt we had echoes of Predator 2 with Danny Glovers character, a wee bit of a mash between Bishop/Ash/Andy in one artificial human.

If you haven't come to this from the movies/franchise and this is your first dance I think you will still like it but maybe not quite appreciate it just as much as us who consume all the movies (I am still quite new to the books so playing catch up). 4.5/5 for me, I have books two and three at the ready (this is a trilogy set but there are MANY of the xeno books), I absolutely recommend and look forward to book two!

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Ten Cats & One Crazy Cat Lady by Amelia Hendrey

Ten Cats & One Crazy Cat Lady by Amelia Hendrey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 2 weeks

Pages -

Publisher - Wrate's Publishing

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

Embark on a heartwarming adventure with self-proclaimed 'crazy cat lady' and professional cat sitter, Amelia Hendrey, as she delves into the enchanting world of felines.

Encounter a cast of unforgettable cats, each loved, rescued and mourned by Amelia, who also once shared her home with ten furry companions simultaneously. Experience the laughter, joy and tears that come with caring for these remarkable creatures.

Travel with Amelia to Amsterdam, where she finds a peaceful community of cats living on a canal boat, and to Rome, where she explores a cat sanctuary nestled within ancient ruins. Back in the UK, Amelia sips tea at a London cat café and has a close encounter with a Lykoi, the fascinating 'werewolf cat.'

Ten Cats & One Crazy Cat Lady is a heartfelt celebration of the unconditional love that cats bring into our lives. It will leave you purring with delight and yearning for more.



My Review

Welcome to Amelia's world of cats, past and present, meet her fur babies. Each of her ten cats get their own pages and cute photo to follow, from how she got them until they go over Rainbow Bridge so be prepared.

Cutesy cat references, stories, love, laughter, bonding, loss Hendrey takes you through the stories of their arrival, antics and departures. That would be about the first half of the book, the second is how she takes her love of cats, visits places that offer homes/sanctuary and how she gets into her own business, cat centric.

The book also gives you the names of places she visited, that cares for cats and inspired her own path. I had to dip in and out just because reading each of the cats stories and their loss was a bit much for me, it is natural of course but the stories are back to back so I dipped in and out.

If you love cats you will enjoy this one, 4/5 from us.

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The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - < 1 day

Pages - 329

Publisher - Bookouture

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

“Welcome to the family,” Nina Winchester says as I shake her elegant, manicured hand. I smile politely, gazing around the marble hallway. Working here is my last chance to start fresh. I can pretend to be whoever I like. But I’ll soon learn that the Winchesters’ secrets are far more dangerous than my own…

Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor.

I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband.

I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out… and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late.

But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am.

They don’t know what I’m capable of…



My Review

I feel like I am the last one to the party and everyone and their granny has read this book. Millie didn't think for a second she would actually land the job as live in nanny et al for the Winchesters, the house is dripping money/class and Millie is living in her car with all kinds of baggage following her around. Get the job she does and she is determined to keep it, even if the wife blows hot and cold and seems off the scale at times. Seriously the more you read the more unhinged you see just how bad the wife is. Her kid is a brat and her husband is not only attractive but super nice and Millie can't help but find herself wondering how his wife bagged him and just how nice he is. Millie find that not is all it seems in the Winchester house but then nor is Millie dun dun duuuuuuuuun.

I read this in under a day, like maybe 7 or 8 hours, had to stop for food and an appointment but immediately picked it back up. The majority of the book we hear from Millie and maybe the last quarter we hear from the perspective of Nina (the wife).

It is shocking - an absolute page turner, normally I give themes in our reviews but to do so would give spoilers this time so apologies I cannot. If you are triggered by certain topics I would maybe check out some other reviews to prepare yourself.

I couldn't predict where it was going and felt the rug pulled a few times which is always a good thing in a book, for sure. 4.5/5 this was my first dance with McFadden and I have just bought book two!

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Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 4 days

Pages - 482

Publisher - Wildfire

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

There’s power in a book…

They call them wayward girls. Loose girls. Girls who grew up too fast. And they’re sent to the Wellwood Home in St. Augustine, Florida, where unwed mothers are hidden by their families to have their babies in secret, give them up for adoption, and most important of all, to forget any of it ever happened.

Fifteen-year-old Fern arrives at the home in the sweltering summer of 1970, pregnant, terrified and alone. Under the watchful eye of the stern Miss Wellwood, she meets a dozen other girls in the same predicament. There’s Rose, a hippie who insists she’s going to find a way to keep her baby and escape to a commune. And Zinnia, a budding musician who knows she’s going to go home and marry her baby’s father. And Holly, a wisp of a girl, barely fourteen, mute and pregnant by no-one-knows-who.

Everything the girls eat, every moment of their waking day, and everything they’re allowed to talk about is strictly controlled by adults who claim they know what’s best for them. Then Fern meets a librarian who gives her an occult book about witchcraft, and power is in the hands of the girls for the first time in their lives. But power can destroy as easily as it creates, and it’s never given freely. There’s always a price to be paid…and it’s usually paid in blood.

In Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, the author of How to Sell a Haunted House and The Final Girl Support Group delivers another searing, completely original novel and further cements his status as a “horror master” (NPR).


My Review

So I kept seeing this on Booktok and I am a total FOMO so of course I had to buy and we had a wee visit to a witch fair so time to read it. It kicks off with a young girl being driven by her furious father, she is being taken to a house for girls like her, girls with a belly of trouble. Once there she is named after a flower, you help around the house, chores, you don't tell anyone anything personal and at the end you give birth in hospital and your baby gets adopted. Each girl is coming from a different scenario but all are to hide away until their "mistake" over and then forget it happened and go to their old life. However the girls end up coming across some magic and find they can have some power, revenge and some say in their predicament and those who have harmed them, dun dun dun.

So the first 100 odd pages we are focused on the girls and their tentative relationships, little bits of their information coming forward and friendships forming. Then we have some witchcraft, magic and things go quite dark. These girls are young teens, some really young and discussions of SA, abuse of power and details, graphic in some places about births. How badly some are treated because they are pregnant out of wedlock, it can make for difficult reading.

The magic parts, especially the offerings, ooft I have a thing about some body parts so I found one particular scene quite barbaric that others may not feel it quite as bad. I think most of us as youngsters watched The Craft so anything with magic/witches will always be a draw.

This isn't my first Hendrix book and it won't be my last, 4/5.

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