Books in Review: This Week’s Highlights

In this selection of Books in Review, you'll find detailed summaries, insightful reviews, and key details about each post from the week.

I've included direct links and purchasing options to help you easily locate and acquire anything that interests you.

If any post sparks your curiosity or you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. I’d be delighted to discuss these selections further or offer additional recommendations tailored to your preferences.

Enjoy exploring this week's highlights!

Book Mail:

This week, I was thrilled to receive a special delivery of book mail!

The books included are:

• Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey

• The Stitch Up by Emma Szewczak

• The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami

• Eerie Exhibits - Five Macabre Museum Tales by Victoria Williamson

Click here to read more.

Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival:

I was absolutely delighted to be invited by EDPR, alongside Harrogate International Festivals, to the 2025 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival. From the moment I stepped into Harrogate and the historic Old Swan Hotel, the place was alive with literary energy and a passion for crime fiction that never ceases to amaze me.

Click here to read more.

The Two Popes by Anthony McCarten:

⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Sin is a wound, not a stain. It needs to be treated, healed”.

I’m grateful I saw the film first, as it helped me to better visualise the people and places McCarten writes about.

Click here to read more

Balancing On The Edge: Resilience Without Burnout by Marina Bezuglova:

Burnout is something I’ve come to recognise not just professionally, but personally too.

As a nurse, I’ve felt the crushing weight of it and seen how it creeps in slowly, until suddenly, you feel like you have nothing left to give. Balancing On The Edge: Resilience Without Burnout by Marina Bezuglova landed on my reading pile at exactly the right time and it felt less like reading a book, and more like being offered a lifeline.

Click here to read more

Book Giveaway:

Who would like to win a brand new, limited edition proof copy of Among Friends by Hal Ebbott?

The wonderful team at Pan MacMillan have arranged this gorgeous book for me to give away!

Click here to read more

My Other Heart by Emma Nanami Strenner:

A poignant and beautifully written debut that explores identity, belonging, and generational grief. It follows three women across time and continents, beginning with the devastating loss of a child in an American airport. What unfolds is a quiet, powerful story about adoption, cultural heritage, and the human need for connection.

Click here to read more