Review - The Intrigue by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

 

 

 Title: The Intrigue

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Pages: 325

Publisher: Del Rey 

Release Date: 14th July 2026

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic and Velvet Was the Night comes a sizzling noir about desire, danger, and greed, in which seduction is the ultimate con. 
 
Handsome con artist Ulises has long charmed lonely women via letters to steal their money, but money is hard to come by in 1940s Mexico. Ulises knows his looks won't last forever, and he's desperate to get his hands on a real fortune. 
 
He thinks he's found it when he captivates his newest correspondent, Perla, the owner of a small-town boardinghouse in picturesque Veracruz. But when he meets her, he finds something he didn't expect. The woman has a niece, Inés, who is as observant as she is desperate to escape her aunt’s household. 
 
When Inés discovers Ulises' true intentions, she wants in on the scheme. They’ll convince her aunt that Ulises is a great catch, Perla will marry him, and her money will vanish. Easy, fast and clean. 
 
But Perla is not the desperate, silly spinster Ulises imagines. She harbors secrets. And although Ulises does not believe in true romance, Inés is more alluring than he bargained on. Suddenly, a simple plan may become perilously complicated. 
 
Venture into the streets of a small town where the patina of convention and good manners conceals a cauldron of avarice and lust. 

  

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My Review:

  *I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey* 

 

Ulises is a con artist down on his luck. After a con that went wrong, Ulises is running out of money. Using his tried and tested technique of charming, lonely women through love letters, Ulises decides to pay one of his marks a visit. 

Perla is the owner of a boardinghouse in a small town. Never married, Perla spent her youth caring for her parents. 

Perla has a niece, Inés, who was born out of wedlock to Perla's younger and now deceased sister. Inés longs to escape the small town and doesn't turn Ulises in when she discovers his scheme. Instead, Inés offers to help Ulises steal Perla's money. 

 

Having read several of the author's previous books and enjoyed them, I was looking forward to reading this new one. 

Inés and Ulises were interesting protagonists. They were both morally grey characters. I empathised more with Inés and hoped her situation would improve. 

The setting of Mexico in the 1940s was interesting, especially a small town where everyone knew everyone else.  

The plot was good overall and held my attention, but the pacing was a little off and not that much actually happened. I also found the events a bit predictable. 

 I'm a little disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more. 

 

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. 

 

 

Review - The Barbecue at No. 9 by Jennie Godfey

  

 

Title: The Barbeque at No. 9

Author: Jennie Godfrey

Pages: 371

Publisher: Penguin

Release Date: 12th February 2026

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

 Set over 12 hours in 1985 the residents of Delmont Close are preparing a neighbourhood barbecue to watch the biggest music event in Live Aid. A day that will end having touched the lives of millions and changed the lives of all in Delmont Close. 
 
Hosted by the Gordon family, Lydia whose idols are Princess Di and Delia Smith, is determined to put on a show that will impress all. As the neighbours flood in, all the secrets that have been kept locked tight come rushing out. 
 
Rita, a new resident from Australia, harbours a shocking event in her past, Steve a young Falklands veteran battles his own demons, and Hanna, the Gordon's young teenage daughter prepares to flee to hide a shocking truth. 
 
The Barbecue at No.9 explores the nature of family and friendship, who we were and how far we have come. Jennie Godfrey returns to her powerful theme of how we are more united in our humanity than divided by our differences. All written with Godfrey’s signature wit, warmth and bite and, if possible, The Barbecue at No.9 surpasses the power and emotional impact of The List of Suspicious Things. 

 

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My Review:

 *I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK*  

 

  

The Gordon family are hosting a barbecue to celebrate Live Aid and have invited their neighbours at Delmont Close. 

There are several people in the Close hiding secrets, many of which will be uncovered as everyone comes together at the barbecue. 

 

Having enjoyed the author's previous book, I was intrigued to try this one. 

There were several protagonists in this novel, the main ones being Hanna (the daughter of the hosts), Steve (a veteran with PTSD), and Rita (who ran away from Australia and her life there). I liked all three and sympathised with them for different reasons. It was interesting to read as they all came together and how they interacted. 

The setting was interesting, and it did feel like things were slowly building up in the lead-up to the barbeque. 

The plot was enjoyable, but I wasn't gripped or itching to read more. There were some surprises, but I wasn't very invested in what was happening. 

 

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. 

  

Review - Orange and the Bread Knife by Cheong Ye, Slin Jung (translator)

 

 

 Title: Orange and the Bread Knife

Author: Cheong Ye, Slin Jung (translator) 

Pages: 195

Publisher: Wildfire

Release Date: 11th June 2026

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

 The thrilling high-concept Korean bestseller about conforming to society's standards, where one woman decides she has HAD ENOUGH 
 
Oh Young-a, a warm-hearted schoolteacher, lives to please - smiling through people's demands, moulding her hobbies and even her heart to match what others deem to be "right". But beneath her cheerful facade, the weight of constant self-restraint festers, dragging her into a haze of depression and numbness. Desperate for relief, she turns to the Seohyang Medical Research Centre's cutting-edge four-week emotion regulation treatment, promised to sculpt her into a better version of herself. 
 
What follows is chaos - but also liberation. The treatment unravels her carefully curated control, unleashing a torrent of suppressed desires, biting truths and long buried anger. Young-a curses, speaks her mind and revels in the guilt-ridden thrill of her bad behaviour. When she seeks answers, the Centre offers none, urging her to wait it out. But why return to a life of stifling conformity? 
 
As Young-a embraces her raw, unfiltered self, she begins to dismantle the weight of the exhausting expectations and ideals imposed upon her. 
 
Why would you ever go back when freedom feels this good? 

 

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My Review: 

 *I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to NetGalley and Headline* 

 

Oh Young-a is a young woman who moulds herself to please others, to be a good teacher, friend, girlfriend, even a good person. 

However, Young-a realises that all of this people-pleasing is making her miserable. 

Young-a signs up to a medical trial that gives her the ability to be free of other people's and societies expectations of how she should behave. 

How will Young-a's life change? 

Can she go back to her old self? Will she want to? 

 

The premise of this book intrigued me, so I requested a copy. 

I found Young-a to be likeable and relatable. I felt sorry for her with the way she moulded herself to act the way other people wanted her to, but I could understand why she did it - I think all people do to an extent, but young women especially feel the pressure. 

The setting of South Korea was interesting. 

The plot was mixed for me - while I did find the topics the author discussed interesting, they didn't quite hit the mark for me and I didn't feel that I was fully engaged or invested. However, I did find this to be a unique book that did make me think. 

 

Overall, this wasn't quite for me. 

 

Review - A Bad, Bad Place by Frances Crawford

     

Title:  A Bad, Bad Place

Author: Frances Crawford

Pages: 337

Publisher: Transworld Digital

Release Date: 12th February 2026

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

 What happened to the dog walker who found the body? 
 
Glasgow, 1979. 
 
Twelve-year-old Janey won’t take her dog, Sid Vicious, for a walk. Not anymore. It’s Sid’s fault she found the murdered woman. 
 
Janey claims she can’t remember what she saw at the abandoned railway, but the police think she’s hiding something. And they’re not the only ones interested. 
 
Fear and rumour rip through the tight-knit community of Possilpark. Janey and her nana, Maggie, are dragged into the hunt for a murderer. And Maggie’s struggle to keep her beloved granddaughter safe becomes ever more desperate.  
 
Because Janey’s memories can’t stay hidden forever.  
 
And neither can the killer… 

 

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My Review: 

*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK* 

 

 

Twelve-year-old Janey is changed forever when she finds the body of a murdered young woman while out walking her dog. 

Janey tells everyone she can't remember what happened when she found the body, but the police keep asking questions. 

Maggie, Janey's grandmother, tries to help Janey, who hasn't been the same since finding the body. 

What happened that day? 

What is Janey hiding? 

 

The premise of this book intrigued me, especially as it is set in Glasgow in 1979. 

Janey was a likeable and relatable protagonist. I really felt for her as finding the body would be horrible for anyone, but especially for someone so young. 

The novel is told from both Janey and Maggie's perspectives which was interesting. I really liked their relationship and how close they were. 

The setting of 1979 Glasgow and the community of Possilpark was interesting. I liked that the setting was reflected in the way the characters spoke, though this did take a little while to get used to. 

While the pacing was a bit off for me at times, I did enjoy the plot and the question of what happens to the dog-walkers that find bodies. 

 

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. 

 

 

Review - How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days (A Lady’s Guide, #3) by Sophie Irwin

 

 

 

 

 

Title: How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days (A Lady’s Guide, #3)

 

Author: Sophie Irwin

 

Pages: 404

 

Publisher: HarperCollins

 

Release Date: 31st July 2025

 

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

 

 Rich, handsome, and titled Lord Ashford, has every lady in England longing for his hand in marriage.

Everyone, that is, except Miss Lydia Hanworth – the only young woman Ashford wishes to marry.

Pressured into accepting Ashford’s proposal, Lydia has just ten days to free herself from her obligations before the engagement is publicly announced… what can go wrong?

 

 

  

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My Review:  

  

*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins*

Miss Lydia Hanworth wants to marry for love, but when the highly eligible Lord Ashford proposes, Lydia finds herself in a predicament. Lydia barely knows Ashford, and certainly doesn't love him, but she has no choice but to accept him.

Lydia now has ten days before the engagement announcement is made to try to convince Ashford to call it off.

Will Lydia succeed?

As a fan of the author's previous books, I was intrigued to read this one.

Lydia was a likeable and relatable protagonist. I liked her determination and wit. The barbed exchanges with Ashford were amusing, as were the lengths Lydia went to attempting to force Ashford to call the engagement off.

I liked Lydia's brother, Pip, and Ashford's cousin, Phoebe.

The plot was enjoyable and held my attention throughout. I found myself smiling several times. I liked the slight mystery element, and the the themes were interesting.

The writing was easy to follow, and I would definitely read another book by the author.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read.

 

 

Review - The Whisper of Stars by Cristin Williams

 

  

 

 Title: The Whisper of Stars

Author: Cristin Williams

Pages: 448

Publisher: Gollancz

Release Date: 6th November 2025

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

 A frozen island.

A monastery turned political prison.

A cipher inked in blood.

When anarchist poet Katya Efremova is transferred to the prison colony on Solovetsky Island, she finds an enigma among her returned possessions - a blood-stained book containing a cipher left by her murdered mother, written on the day she died.

Following her mother's clues, Katya begins to unravel a centuries-old mystery woven into the history of Solovetsky Island. Finding the island's legendary power might be the key to overthrowing the Bolshevik regime, but Katya wasn't sent to Solovetsky by chance. The head of the government's spy network is watching, and there will be no hope of a free Russia if he takes hold of the magic hidden beneath the White Sea snow.

 

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My Review: 

 *I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group*

Katya is a prisoner and enemy of the state because of her political stance. However, Katya also has a powerful magic that her enemies want to use for themselves.

When Katya is transferred to a prison on an isolated island, she finds a book amongst her returned belongings that contains an encrypted message from Katya's dead mother.

Trapped on the island, Katya will have to form an alliance with the enemy to survive long enough to uncover her mother's last message.

The premise of this book intrigued me, especially the mix of an historical Russia setting with magic thrown in.

There are three protagonists - Katya, Dima, and Natasha. I liked both Katya and Dima, and empathised with them. Natasha was not meant to be a likeable protagonist, but I did enjoy learning more about her and her motives.

The setting of 1920s Russia was interesting, as was the magic and lore in the story.

The plot was mixed for me - I enjoyed it to begin with, but after a while I found it harder to stay interested in the storyline, and was not at all invested. The pacing was a bit off for me, and I felt that some parts could have benefited from a little more fleshing out.

I'm a bit disappointed I didn't enjoy this more, but this was a case where the execution didn't quite work for me.

Overall, this was a mixed read.