Review: After We Fell -  Book #3 After Series - Anna Todd - July 2014 You know that feeling when you pull a book off the shelf that's been sitting there so long it's practically become part of the furniture? That was me with After We Fell by Anna Todd. It had been gathering dust since 2015 ,yes, 2015  and it finally got its moment in the sun last weekend when I packed it for my reader's retreat, determined to tackle one of my chunkiest reads. Reader, I devoured all 848 pages across a Friday afternoon and Saturday. No shame, only pride. Opening this book was like stepping into a time machine. Within a few pages I was right back in Hardin and Tessa's world, and it genuinely felt like no time had passed since I finished the second book all those years ago. There's something wonderfully nostalgic about returning to a series you loved in an earlier chapter of your life, but what made this reread particularly fascinating was how much I had changed in the decad...

Review: Who I Am - ML Rice - March 2014 You know those evenings when you're curled up with your Kindle, scrolling aimlessly because nothing quite calls to you? That was exactly where I found myself when I stumbled upon Who I Am by ML Rice. It had that quiet, unassuming quality of a book that isn't shouting for your attention and those, in my experience, are often the ones that end up meaning the most. The story centres on Devin, a military kid and a bookworm,  honestly, already my kind of character. After losing her father, Devin and her mum pick up and move to the city, the kind of upheaval that would knock anyone sideways. It's there that she meets Melanie Parker, and the two of them click instantly in that lovely, easy way that feels completely real. Best friends from the off. There's just one complication: Mel's twin brother Jason, who makes it his mission from day one to make Devin's school life miserable. What unfolds over the course of the novel is a co...

Review: Murder Interrupted - Book #1 Discovery's Murder is Forever Series -  James Patterson - January 2018 You know how sometimes a book finds you twice? That's exactly what happened with Murder Interrupted by James Patterson and I'm so glad it did. One of my reading goals for 2026 is to tackle at least one non-fiction book a month, which sounds straightforward enough until you're standing in front of your shelves (or your TBR list) completely paralysed by choice. In the end, I handed the decision over to my partner, and honestly? Best thing I could have done. He pointed me straight to this one a copy I'd nabbed at the Rotary secondhand book sale here in Tauranga back in March and off I went. Here's the funny thing though. A quick peek at Goodreads reminded me I'd actually attempted this very book back in February 2018 when it first came out. Apparently past-me wasn't feeling it, because I gave it 2 Ps which, for those who know my rating system, is a ...

Review: The Landlady - Jane E. James - May  2026 I'm curled up here with my favourite mug and a biscuit, writing this from the comfort of my own home  and goodness, never have I felt more grateful for that simple fact. One of the quiet little joys of being a bookworm is that a brilliant thriller can make you count your blessings. The Landlady by Jane E. James did exactly that. I have never had to deal with renting, unpredictable landlords, or difficult neighbours, and after reading this one I am sending the universe a heartfelt thank you. Our narrator arrives at Rose Cottage, a pretty little place on a quiet country farm, with her five-year-old daughter Lily tucked close. After time spent in a women's refuge, the pair desperately need a haven, and Mrs Skinner seems to offer just that bone-crushing hugs, homemade cakes, freshly baked bread, and cheese on the doorstep. Warm, motherly, reassuring. My own heart melted a little at that image. It felt like the ki...

Review: The Last Boy - Various Contributors - February 2026 Oh, this one got me right in the chest I'll be honest when I settled into my reading chair with a cup of tea and cracked open The Last Boy, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. Peter Pan reimaginings are a crowded space, and my inner child was feeling a little protective. You see, Hook has been a comfort film of mine for as long as I can remember. Robin Williams' Peter Banning rediscovering his inner Pan is the kind of story that wraps around you like a favourite blanket, and any new take on this world has some very big boots to fill in my heart. But within a handful of pages, I'd completely surrendered to it. Writer Dan Panosian has done something genuinely brave here. He's taken the boy who never grew up and asked the question nobody really wants to answer what if he has to? Peter is still clinging to Neverland's golden days like they're a life raft, while the world around him quiet...

Review: Close Call - Book #3 Kate Green Series - Elise Hart Kipness - August 2025 You know those moments where life gets so hectic that even your beloved books start gathering dust on the nightstand? That was me  deep in a reading slump, work absolutely swamping me, wondering if I'd ever find a story that pulled me back in. Then a gorgeous PR box landed at my door from the wonderful Elise Hart Kipness, and just like that, the slump was over. Inside was Close Call, Book #3 in the Kate Green Series, and honestly, it felt like it had been sent at exactly the right moment. The story drops us straight into the electric world of the USTA Tennis Championship and if you know me, you know I am an absolute sucker for sports woven into a thriller. Tennis in books especially has a special place in my heart; fans of Carrie Soto is Back, you'll understand the vibe completely. There's something about the high stakes of competitive sport that pairs so naturally with tension-filled storyt...