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VBT# One Little Mistake - Miranda Rijks

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Review: One Little Mistake - Miranda Rijks - November 2025 When I saw One Little Mistake come up on offer from Zooloos Book Tours, I jumped at the chance. Miranda Rijks has become one of my favourite thriller writers, and she certainly didn't disappoint with this twisty tale of friendship, betrayal, and consequences. The story kicks off at a hen's party where a group of friends are living their best lives, but the next day everything changes. Kate suddenly finds herself completely iced out by her closest friends, and she has no idea why. The truth is devastating: her secret friendship spreadsheet—where she rated each friend out of 100—has gone viral. Now everyone knows exactly what she really thinks of them. What follows is a gripping exploration of what happens when your private thoughts become public knowledge. Kate begs for forgiveness, but her friends refuse to grant it. As her perfect life spirals out of control, she discovers a painful truth: sometimes the people closes...
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Book Spotlight - Before Us - Jane E. James

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Book Spotlight: Before Us - Jane E. James - October 2025 Before Us by Jane E. James is one of those deliciously unsettling reads that makes you question everything. You know that feeling when you walk into a house and something just feels... off? That's this entire book, and I was absolutely HERE for it. The premise hooked me immediately: a family moves into 13 Rutland Terrace hoping for a fresh start, but from day one, things aren't right. The daughter won't go near the cellar. The dog is losing its mind. And then our protagonist discovers a photograph of the previous family — a family that looks eerily similar to theirs. Except the woman in the photo? She looks absolutely terrified. What follows is a spiral of suspicion, secrets, and jaw-dropping twists that had me reading way past my bedtime (sorry not sorry to my responsibilities the next day). Jane E. James knows exactly how to ratchet up the tension, and just when you think you've figured it out, she pulls the r...
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Review: The Monster and the Puppet Show - Kate Miccuci

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Review: The Monster and Puppet Show - Kate Micucci - February 2026 When I worked in the library as a Children's and Teens Librarian, I was always on the lookout for funny interactive books that I could share with my class visits. There's nothing quite like watching kids light up when they get to participate in the story, and those are the books that stick with them long after storytime ends. If I was still in the library, The Monster and Puppet Show would absolutely be one of the books on my School Visits list. Kate Micucci – yes, Lucy from The Big Bang Theory! – has created something really special here. This book immediately reminded me of the classic The Monster at the End of the Book, which featured Grover from Sesame Street. When my brother was little, that was one of his favourite books that I would read to him, and he'd giggle every single time we turned a page despite Grover's protests. The Monster and Puppet Show captures that same magic of breaking the fourt...
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Review: Together United - Written by Tami Charles , Illustrated by Bryan Collier

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Review: Together United - Written by Tami Charles and Illustrated by Bryan Collier - September 2025 There are some picture books that feel like they're giving you a warm hug while simultaneously lighting a fire in your soul, and Together United is absolutely one of them. This is the kind of book that makes you want to gather all the kids in your life, pull them close, and read it aloud with all the passion it deserves. The message is beautifully simple yet profound: by ourselves, it's hard to achieve amazing things or feel like we've made a real difference. But together, united? We can genuinely change the world. It's a lesson our tamariki need now more than ever, delivered with such warmth and conviction that it seeps right into your heart. What I love most about this book is how it balances celebrating individual strength with recognizing collective power. It doesn't diminish the importance of each child's unique voice; instead, it shows how those voices creat...
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Review: Thelma the Tiny Sea Turtle - Karen May

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Review: Thelma the Tiny Sea Turtle - Karen May - July 2011 There's something absolutely magical about a good ocean adventure, and Karen May's Thelma the Tiny Sea Turtle delivers that magic in spades. This delightful junior fiction tale captures the heart with its brave little protagonist and the big, beautiful, sometimes dangerous world she navigates. Life on the reef isn't all sunshine and coral gardens, as young Thelma discovers. When our tiny turtle hero finds herself separated from safety, she embarks on an unforgettable journey that had me instantly thinking of Finding Nemo. Just like Nemo's quest to reunite with Marlin, Thelma's adventure takes her through encounters with a colourful cast of sea creatures—some wonderfully kind and helpful, others decidedly less friendly. Karen May does a brilliant job creating a diverse underwater community that feels both realistic and entertaining. What I particularly love about this book is how it balances adventure with ...
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Review: You're Next - Tate James

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Review: You're Next - Book #3 Devil's Backbone Series - Tate James - September 2025 I finally wrapped up this trilogy by Tate James, and honestly? I'm left with complicated feelings. You're Next picks up with Jocelyn kidnapping Ashley and gaslighting her into believing the entire last year with the boys was fabricated. We also get our first real glimpse of Abigail, which was intriguing. While the series wrapped up nicely overall, this final installment ended up being my least favourite of the three—it dragged more than I would have liked, and I found myself getting frustrated in parts. True to Tate James form, the reverse harem expands as Ashley's stepbrother Nate joins the mix. This book leans heavily into the MFM dynamics with multiple threesome configurations between the characters. The spice level remains consistent with her previous work, delivering that signature heat readers expect from her books. Here's the thing: I genuinely love Tate James's writ...
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VBT# Fear of Flames - Aleatha Romig

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Review: Fear of Flames - Aleatha Romig - October 2025 Years ago, I devoured Aleatha Romig's cult thriller series and absolutely loved every page-turning moment. So when I spotted Fear the Flames available through Hambright PR, I practically pounced on it. There's something about Aleatha Romig's writing that just hooks me, and I couldn't wait to dive back into her world. I wasn't disappointed – I tore through this one faster than you can say "one more chapter." The story opens with protagonist Michelle, who writes thrillers under the pen name D.Valentine. While staying at her father's house, she hears an unsettling noise downstairs. What she discovers is absolutely devastating  her father's body and flames about to engulf everything. It's a heart-wrenching, explosive start that immediately grabbed me by the throat. Enter Fletch, also known as Arrow, who appears seemingly out of nowhere with intimate knowledge of Michelle and her family. In thi...
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