VBT# Review - Just One Bite - Miranda Rijks - June 2026 There are some authors whose names alone are enough to make me drop everything else on my TBR pile, and Miranda Rijks is absolutely one of them. So when I saw Just One Bite popping up for a Zooloos Book Tours stop, I didn't even need to read the blurb twice , I just knew. And then there's that cover. Honestly, who can resist a gorgeous, glossy cupcake staring back at them? It's the kind of cover that makes you want to curl up with a cuppa (and probably an actual cupcake) before you've even cracked the spine. This story pulled me in from the very first page. We meet Tyler and Brittany, a glamorous "power couple" with a little daughter, Alissa. Brittany is the main breadwinner, a recognisable TV personality, but underneath the glossy exterior she's been quietly struggling since severe postnatal depression left her feeling disconnected from her own child. Their nanny, Riley, has really been the one hol...

Review: Then Things Went Dark - Bea Fitzgerald - September 2024 A theme that I have always enjoyed reading for years is reality TV in books. I became a fan of this trope after reading years ago Dead Famous by Ben Elton which was a Big Brother-themed story with a murder. Ever since then, if I come across books with a similar theme I will give them a go. In Then Things Went Dark by Bea Fitzgerald which was a book exchange gift, we have six influencers or fifteen minutes of fame stars who need to either prove themselves or redeem themselves in society, and what better way to do that than on a reality TV set on a beautiful island and with an enticing prize pool of money. This show will push these contestants into revealing their deepest darkest secrets with the hope that the world will never hear them spying on their fellow contestants. On the island, there will be friendships formed, alliances made, sleeping with one another, and backstabbing of course. Nothing is sacred when the whole ...

Review: Let Her Be - Book #6 Hush Series - Lisa Unger - July 2020 I was in one of those moods the other night where I wanted to read something, but everything I clicked on and tried was a DNF the time was clicking on and I knew If I mucked around and started a novel, I wouldn't be able to sleep as I would have been stuck right into it. So I clicked on one of the Amazon Original Stories I had. These are great little quick reads and scratch that reading itch.  I knew I would enjoy this one as well as Lisa Unger is a favorite thriller writer of mine. This book starts with introducing us to Will - he is a writer but with dark demons. He has lost the one he loved and then tried to commit suicide. Now a couple of years later, he has got his life back on track and writing and is meeting with an old friend Emily. She knew his former girlfriend Anisa who no one has seen for over a year except for the odd Instagram post. Will decides to go on a hunt for her and Emily tags along, but as h...

   Attending the Wattpad Influencer Fall 2024 Update: A Virtual Experience from New Zealand The digital age continues to bridge gaps and bring global communities closer together, and I had the pleasure of experiencing this firsthand by attending the Wattpad Influencer Fall 2024 Update via Zoom. Living in New Zealand, it's often challenging to participate in events hosted in different time zones, but thanks to the magic of virtual technology, I was able to join in and be part of an exciting gathering of writers, readers, and influencers. The event was a vibrant showcase of Wattpad’s ongoing innovations and a celebration of the incredible talent within its community. As an avid reader and book blogger, this opportunity allowed me to immerse myself in the latest updates and connect with authors whose work I’ve been eagerly following. One of the highlights of the event was a captivating Q&A session with Deanna Faison, the talented author behind the anticipated book, *Playmake...

Review: Dark Corners - Book #2 Rachel Krall Series - Megan Goldin - August 2023 We all have those favorite authors who every time they release a book, we know we will read it and enjoy it which is a bonus. For me, one of those authors is Australian author Megan Goldin. After finishing Dark Corners, I now have read all of her books to date - so hurry up Megan, you need to write a new one LOL :). Dark Corners is taken from a quote in the book that you have to watch those dark corners as that's where monsters lie and even more so they can be anywhere. The person who sits next to you on the bus, the person who lives next door to you, or even a family friend. Dark Corners takes Rachel across to the local prison in Florida as her name has come up in an investigation with prisoner Terrence Bailey. He has only had one visitor and now she is missing before she left she was told to find Rachel Krall. Rachel has never heard of either but discovers a voicemail from the missing social media i...