Alchemy: Turning Silver to Gold

Review:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

 

Mr James has done it again!  Another fantastic historical crime novel following the story of Jacob Silver.  Spanning the 20 odd years since Jacob Silver was hanged for the murders of his beloved models and his love's Sister, Rebecca. This story begins with Lizzie Weston convinced that Jacob was innocent of all the murders and may well be alive and well after she discovered his grave empty.

 

Within 3 years of setting out to clear his name, Miss Weston has convinced the police and convinced them to have him posthumously pardoned by Queen Victoria.  Unbeknownst to Lizzie and almost every other person on the planet, the Queen and Lizzie's father had their own plan to save Jacob from the hangman's noose. One that remains undiscovered for many years after both had passed away...

 

Crime is what Chris James knows, and his knowledge certainly shows with both this and the first novel in the series, Alchemy: A Perfect Murder.  I'm definitely eager to learn when the 3rd book in the series will be published.

 

This the second book in the Alchemy series gets 5/5 stars.

Original post: cafebiblioaus.booklikes.com/post/1346034/alchemy-turning-silver-to-gold

Freak Out - Ella Emerson

Review:

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

 

As I've said numerous times, I'm not a huge fan of the romance genre, even less so of "mummy porn", but I did enjoy this one...  The prequel to Ella Emerson's Freak, this novella is hot and heavy right from the start. Told from the perspective of Chelsea Davenport, a 26 year old woman who lives with her sister Abbi and was raised by her Uncle Al (who is also her boss) after her parents were killed in a car accident when she was younger.  

While at work, Chelsea is pulled into a broom cupboard by one of the mechanics, Freak Phillips, tattooed bad boy with a reputation that proceeds him.  Following this 'one-time' encounter is a whirlwind of passion, confusion and plenty of sex. 

 

Fast paced and short, I give this novella 4/5 stars.  

 

Original post: cafebiblioaus.booklikes.com/post/1340627/freak-out-ella-emerson

Help get the Caffeinated Bibliophile back online

For those of you that aren't aware, my beloved computer decided to go ad die on me back in October, which at the time caused a small panic because I spend a good portion of my time online...  Aside from the obvious inconvenience it caused as far as university study is concerned, it has also meant that I've been neglecting my Caffeinated Bibliophile email (so sorry everyone, I promise to check it very soon!).

As it stands right now, I'm limited to either using the Uni computers during open hours (but since it's summer here it wasn't an option for a while) or hitting up my mum to use hers when it's free.  While both are valid options, I really wish to get mine repaired/replaced.

Which brings me to the point of this post... I've added a donate button to the site, in the hopes of saving up enough cash to cover the costs of the repair/replacement, and just for my time in creating this blog in general, and, lets face it, a few more books and cups of coffee would be great too. So if you love what you see and would love to see more, or are just a good samaritan who'd love to help out a fellow book-lover please hit the donate button.

Thanks in advance xox

My now annual post holiday reading slump and this years challenge(s)

I don't know what it is about this time of year, but this is the second year running (that I've actually acknowledged) where I hit a reading slump as soon as it ticks over to January 1...

I don't know whether it's the heat frying my brain, or the kids being home from school, a post holiday slump or just the migraine I had on and off since Christmas eve that's thrown me off, but I'm sure I'll get back on track again soon, no doubt I'll get my reading bug back right when I start uni for the year and wont have the time.

 

On the cards for this year are the challenges I did last year (Goodreads, PopSugar & BookRiot), and a PopSugar spin-off challenge Around the Year in 52 books, but this year I will be overlapping categories within challenges instead of reading a separate book for each.  I just don't have it in me to read another 90+ books on top of Uni and my parenting duties, but I will try and at least read 52 books for the year, I figure one a week is doable, without overtaxing myself. 

 

I did pretty well on the challenges from last year, finished the PopSugar reading challenge new years eve, and had one book left (which I'm plodding through now) on the BookRiot read harder challenge, I also surpassed my Goodreads challenge of 60 by reading a total of 92 books for the year... I don't think I've read that many in a year since I was in high school, many moons ago. 

 

Original post: cafebiblioaus.booklikes.com/post/1322584/my-now-annual-post-holiday-reading-slump-and-this-years-challenge-s

Happy 2016 to you all.  May your year be filled with endless hour spent between the pages of your favourite books, new and old. 

Original post: cafebiblioaus.booklikes.com/post/1315314/post

Holiday round-up

For the first time in a few years I actually received some books for Christmas. My eldest daughter was on the case and managed to pick up a handful of books that we'll both enjoy (she definitely had ulterior motives). Four of the five books I received came from her, and the last came from my mother.

 

Going to have to pick up the remaining two Throne of Glass books too, just so I can complete the series.  Plenty of reading time over the next few weeks while we enjoy our summer break.  But before I get to them, need to finish off the last 2 books for my PopSugar 2015 reading challenge the Silmarillion by Tolkien (A book you've started but never finished) and Storm Dancer by Jay Kristoff (A book by an author with your initials).  Time to get reading!

Original post: cafebiblioaus.booklikes.com/post/1313215/holiday-round-up

The Girl on the Train

Review:

Parts of this book hit a little too close to home, which made it difficult to get through without panic attacks of my own, but I'm very glad I did.  

 

Sometimes I didn't know whether to feel sorry for Rachel, unable to conceive the child she so desired, she became depressed, losing her home, her husband, and eventually her job in the process.  But she was also a pathological liar, lying to herself, to her landlord and friend, her mother, the police, and to entwine herself with the man whose wife disappeared.

 

There's not too much more I can write about this book without giving away the plot twists... I did thoroughly enjoy the story.

 

4.5 stars

Original post: cafebiblioaus.booklikes.com/post/1310059/the-girl-on-the-train