Readers First

Princess of Souls

16/09/2022 – 19:30

Not sure if this dark fantasy tale is for me..

I am not usually a fantasy reader and this book, from the first impression and the blurb, seems...

How To Kill Men And Get Away With It

02/09/2022 – 11:33

Easy, fun read but not sure the story will have much depth,

I thought the blurb sounded very amusing and frankly quite refreshing but I was a tad...

Best of Friends

23/08/2022 – 11:50

Fascinating, cathartic and ultimately very powerful story.

Really like the sound of this one and sounds like an intense and ultimately really powerful story...

Down the Sleepy River

23/08/2022 – 11:46

Gorgeous book and such a charming concept.

Wow! What a stunning looking picture book and what a fantastic concept behind it all. The...

The Last Storyteller

12/08/2022 – 17:52

Not taken with the intro but then science fiction is not my favourite genre,

I wasn’t gripped by the premise or the introduction, possibly because anything science fictionish...

Max Magic

01/08/2022 – 18:32

Would definitely entertain my niece but all these books by celebrities seem so samey.

I liked the first impression and it would definitely entertain my 10 year old niece. I couldn’t...

The World at Your Feet

27/07/2022 – 18:16

Awesome illustrations and an important message..

What a joyous book this looks with superb illustrations. My niece already has self esteem issues...

Daughter of Darkness

18/07/2022 – 18:36

YA dark magic inspired by Greece..

I don’t generally read any kind of fantasy or dark magic novels and although this one is inspired...

Waking the Witch

14/07/2022 – 18:42

A heck of a lot going on..

I was really intrigued by the premise but thought it sounded like there was quite a bit going on....

The Night Ship

16/06/2022 – 21:29

Wonderfully descriptive reimagining of an actual event..

Right from the off the prose caught my attention - it was so descriptive that I could imagine...

Bad Things Happen Here

30/05/2022 – 12:42

Quite a bit going on and some fairly deep topics for a YA novel.

The premise sounded intriguing and piqued my interest and, as I read the opening extract I...

Nightcrawling

23/05/2022 – 13:03

Hard-hitting and harrowing...

Well the opening extract was enough of an eye-opener into just how raw and frankly shocking this...

Thea and Denise

25/04/2022 – 07:22

Move over Thelma and Louise..

As a fan of Thelma and Louise I read the first impression with bated breath. Would it be a...

Black Mamba

18/04/2022 – 16:08

An ambiguous literary horror story - not for me.

I don’t read much horror and tend to find most novels that are a bit otherworldly and eerie quite...

Portable Magic

04/04/2022 – 20:36

Mystified by the first impression.. but possibly a bit deep for me..

I wasn’t sure what to expect from the premise and was a bit mystified when I read the first...

Home

29/03/2022 – 11:42

Sounds a bit deep for a YA read!

The premise didn’t appeal to me because I thought it had the potential to be overly deep and a...

A Ration Book Victory

21/03/2022 – 09:59

Wartime in the East End - a comforting saga read full of spirit and community life.

I’ve read several books in this series and usually get on well with them as I find wartime saga’s...

M is for Mummy

14/03/2022 – 14:50

Heartwarming, entertaining and wonderfully relatable.

This looks like a fantastically heartwarming read that will have lots of mum’s nodding along in...

Let's Pretend

28/02/2022 – 20:12

An expose on the dark side of celebrity culture..

I have read another fake romance story very recently so despite the premise hinting at darker...

Max Counts to a Million

07/02/2022 – 20:10

Engaging and humorous book for 9 - 11 year olds that is so relevant!

My niece had so many questions about the pandemic and in the guise of home schooling did an array...

The Quickening

31/01/2022 – 19:55

Nothing about the premise appeals..

A book set in a near future Britain isn’t ever going to be top of my wish list but when it’s a...

No Land to Light On

17/01/2022 – 19:18

Read the press coverage at the time and the opening was a little too schmaltzy for my tastes.

My heart sank a little when I read the premise for this book because I remember reading in the...

Mouth to Mouth

10/01/2022 – 07:54

If the entire story is as compelling as this opening chapter… wow!

After reading the premise I was in two minds about claiming this book but the opening made up my...

The Arc

03/01/2022 – 11:06

Not normally a hardcore romance fan.. but this one sounds different!

As someone who doesn’t typically gravitate to romance novels I am in two minds about whether to...

It Could Never Happen Here

06/12/2021 – 16:32

On the fence.. liked the premise but wasn’t impressed by the first impression which felt like it was trying too hard.

I really liked the sound of the premise and thought this sounded like a terrific contemporary...

The Silver Wolf

29/11/2021 – 19:25

Nothing about the premise appeals despite usually enjoying historical fiction.

The fact that I know absolutely nothing about the historical period and can’t even place if in...

Our Country Friends

22/11/2021 – 19:33

The definitive novel of the pandemic.. or not?

I really enjoyed the first impression and found it engrossing in a kind of surreal way,...

Remember My Name

15/11/2021 – 17:09

Ok synopsis but not been impressed with the authors last few books.

The synopsis sounds intriguing enough and the first impression was ok, if a bit long-winded...

These Days

01/11/2021 – 16:29

Enjoy reading novels set during this period and intrigued by the sisterly dynamic.

I was excited by the first impression as I always enjoy novels set during WWII right up to the...

Mothers and Daughters

18/10/2021 – 15:18

Such a readable opening that pulled you into the characters lives.

I’ve never read an Erica James novel and if you’d ask me before I read the first impression I...

A Three Dog Problem

04/10/2021 – 18:52

Cosy crime at the Palace! Highly readable and gently amusing!

Although I haven’t read the first book in this series I do have it on my list as I love the...

A Memory for Murder

20/09/2021 – 20:16

Unexpectedly gripping opening for a political thriller.

I have read a number of Anne Holt novels but none is the Selma Falck series and all of which have...

The Swift and the Harrier

07/09/2021 – 16:38

So good I claimed it!

Having loved Minette Walters first two historical fiction books about the Black Death I was...

The Cornish Captive

01/09/2021 – 13:17

Sixth in the series and the comparison to Bridgerton put me off!

I’d normally be quite tempted by a saga novel and something to lose myself in but when I saw that...

The Hiding Place

23/08/2021 – 21:56

Creepy and compelling with insight into the mother daughter bond.

I liked the opening of this book so much that I have claimed it! It sounds creepy and compelling...

A Woman Made of Snow

09/08/2021 – 21:32

An opening with plenty of intrigue that grabbed by attention.

When I read the premise I wasn’t at all sure that this would be a book for me despite enjoying...

First Impressions of hallrachel