The BOOK BUBBLE Instagram reviews

So, what festive treats do we have in store for you lovely readers this month? Bookstagram is a great community and here at the Book Bubble we have been scouring the Bookstagram community for some of the best reviews on the planet.

So let’s take a look at this month’s offerings, I am sure you will not be disappointed, not only do they provide great reviews and engagement, they are also the arty ones, they support their reviews with fabulous artwork. So go take a look and it only takes a click to follow these amazing people, follow us while you’re there; https://www.instagram.com/thebookbubblemag/

Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish.

Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity’s notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn’t expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity’s recollection of what really happened the day her daughter died.

Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen’s feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife’s words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue to love her.

Toniandherbooks Rating - 5 Shiney STARS Goodreads Rating - 4.32 Stars

This book is exceptional. I am almost at a loss for words and that never happens. The plot; the characters; the nail biting final sentences of each chapter; Colleen Hoover’s thrilling writing style - everything about this book is spellbinding. I devoured this book across two nights. I was more than willing to give up sleep to know what Lowen would uncover next and if/how she would choose to act on it.

You are constantly being taken into the darkest parts of Verity’s mind, consistently questioning her motives and in disgust and disbelief at how her brain functions. But whatever way I had tried to piece the puzzle together throughout, I did NOT see that ending coming. I couldn’t sleep for a while afterwards just trying to process the phenomenon I had read. This book makes ‘Gone Girl’ seem tame.

This book is completely captivating and I was mesmerised from the first page. The pace at which Colleen Hoover writes keeps the reader completely hypnotised and desperate to know what will happen next. I need more Colleen Hoover thrillers in my life. This book is the definition of unputdownable. Such an original concept for a book and truly like nothing I’ve ever read before.

Move over ‘The Roanoke Girls’, this has become my new favourite read of 2020.

Bookstagrammer - Toniandherbooks Link to follow - https://www.instagram.com/toniandherbooks/

Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.

Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.

Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations—a search for the truth that threatens to consume him....

myshelf.and.me - 4 Shiney STARS Goodreads Rating - 4.09 Stars

This book was a whole lot of mystery stricken creepy kinda read, which I thought was a perfect pick for the month. It has elements that have you shocked and scratching your head at times but after reading it and giving in time to think over it, I would say that it is a tiny bit overhyped.

I being a mystery and psychological thriller fanatic, had figured out the plot twist to some extent, but this in no way lessens how witty this one was and I just can’t get enough of it!

It’s such a satisfying read because whatever is building up during the course meets full justice at the end as the incidents fall in place and you are able to join the dots.

Recommended for anyone looking for a spooky, chilling read with unexpected plot twists ��.

Bookstagrammer - myshelf.and.me Link to follow - https://www.instagram.com/myshelf.and.me/

Three women are brought together in an enthralling story of friendship, heartbreak, and resilience. Set at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, this is an amazing debut novel. Duty. Honor. Country. That’s West Point’s motto, and every cadet who passes through its stone gates vows to live it. But on the eve of 9/11, as Dani, Hannah and Avery face four grueling years ahead, they realize they’ll only survive if they do it together. Everyone knows Dani is going places. With athletic talent and a brilliant mind, she navigates West Point’s predominantly male environment with wit and confidence, breaking stereotypes and embracing new friends. Hannah’s grandfather, a legendary Army general, offers a stark warning about the dangers that lie ahead, but she moves forward anyway, letting faith guide her path. When she meets her soul mate at West Point, the future looks perfect, just as planned.

Wild child Avery moves fast and doesn’t mind breaking a few rules (and hearts) along the way. But she can’t outpace her self-doubt, and the harder she tries, the further it leads her down a treacherous path.

The world—of business, of love, and of war—awaits Dani, Hannah, and Avery beyond the gates of West Point. These three women know that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. But soon, that adage no longer rings true—for their future, or their friendship. As they’re pulled in different directions, will their hard-forged bond prevail or shatter?

Beyond the Point is a heartfelt look at how our closest friends can become our fiercest battle buddies. After all, the greatest battles we fight rarely require a uniform.

the.rach.reviews - 5 Shiney STARS Goodreads Rating - 4.14 Stars

This one is going on my list of top favorites for so many reasons. I am naturally drawn to books about 9/11, that’s how this one ended up on my list. It’s crazy how even 19 years later I can still remember everything about that day. This book celebrates strong women trying to break into a male dominated world.

It shows the strong bond of three best friends, that stands the tests of time, distance and selfishness. Dani’s story shines a light on racial injustice and what happens when all of a sudden your dreams are no longer attainable.

Avery’s story shows how your environment growing up can greatly impact you without you realizing it, I loved her growth but hated what she went through to grow. Hannah shows us that bad things happen to good people and sometimes life just simply sucks. I loved the glimpse into life at West Point and how that experience was so different for each girl and very much helped shape them into the people they became.

Bookstagrammer - the.rach.reviews Link to follow - https://www.instagram.com/the.rach.reviews/

Piranesi has lived in the House for as long as he can remember. In fact, it is his entire world; he knows nothing beyond its walls. His House is no ordinary building though: its rooms are vast, its corridors labyrinthine, its walls lined with thousands and thousands of classical Statues. The Lower Halls hold a raging ocean, the Upper Halls a cloud-filled atmosphere. Piranesi lives in reverence of the House, exploring it and documenting his findings in his journals. He has but one companion: a man called The Other, who visits him to discuss A Great and Secret Knowledge. But as Piranesi learns more about the House, he begins to uncover evidence of other people, and other places, beyond what he has always known. localgoddesslit - 5 Shiney STARS Goodreads Rating - 4.37 Stars

This is it; this is my favorite book of 2020. Originally, lyrically, and masterfully written, it had me dreaming of oceans and clouds all week. To give anything else away would be a disservice because half of the beauty of this story lies in unraveling it for yourself.

Bookstagrammer - localgoddesslit Link to follow - https://www.instagram.com/localgoddesslit/

William Fawkes, a controversial detective known as The Wolf, has just been reinstated to his post after he was suspended for assaulting a vindicated suspect. Still under psychological evaluation, Fawkes returns to the force eager for a big case. When his former partner and friend, Detective Emily Baxter, calls him to a crime scene, he’s sure this is it: the body is made of the dismembered parts of six victims, sewn together like a puppet--a corpse that becomes known as “The Ragdoll.”

Fawkes is tasked with identifying the six victims, but that gets dicey when his reporter ex-wife anonymously receives photographs from the crime scene, along with a list of six names, and the dates on which the Ragdoll Killer plans to murder them.

The final name on the list is Fawkes.

Baxter and her trainee partner, Alex Edmunds, hone in on figuring out what links the victims together before the killer strikes again. But for Fawkes, seeing his name on the list sparks a dark memory, and he fears that the catalyst for these killings has more to do with him--and his past-than anyone realizes.

pawswithprose- 5 Shiney STARS Goodreads Rating - 3.88 Stars

Ragdoll by Daniel Cole is one of my favourite thrillers and I need more people to talk about it with. Fawkes, a troubled detective is called to a crime scene where a ragdoll consisting of six different victims was found. This murder is like nothing Fawkes has come across before. With a killer always three steps ahead, the police are struggling to protect the potential victims named in a kill list. The writing is compelling, descriptive and highly engaging. I read this book at least once a year, possibly twice because if it’s complex, flawed but incredibly real characters. I’m stunned that more people don’t talk about this book because the plot is so complex and multi layered. As dark as the story is it’s perfectly balanced with real depth and very numerous moments that had me laughing out loud. If you get the chance to read this please do because it’s incredible.

Bookstagrammer - pawswithprose Link to follow - https://www.instagram.com/pawswithprose/

Kate Potter used to love Christmas. A few years ago, shewould have been wrapping her presents in September and baking mince pies on Halloween, counting down the days and hours to Christmas. But that was before Kate’s husband left for the army and never came home. Now she can hardly stand December at all. Kate can’t deny she’s lonely, yet she doesn’t think she’s ready for romance. She knows that her son, Jack, needs a Christmas to remember—just like Kate needs a miracle to help her finally move forward with her life. So she’s decided if there isn’t a miracle on its way, she’ll just have to make her own. As Kate’s advent countdown to the best Christmas ever begins, she soon realizes that even with the best laid plans, you can’t plan for the unexpected. For when the path of the loneliest woman in town crosses with that of the loneliest man, these two destined hearts might find a way to save the holiday for both of them. bookishandlegal- Not rated Goodreads Rating - 3.53 Stars

This was the October pick for my #SeasonsReadings book club! Whew…ya’ll this was the saddest holiday book I have ever read. Truly I kept thinking the book would get happier and it just kept getting sadder! So be prepared going in that this is a sad sad book.

The was essentially reading a Hallmark movie…and while I absolutely love watching cheesy holiday Hallmark movies I’m beginning to realize I don’t enjoy reading them as much as watching them. I knew from about a quarter or so into this one exactly how it was going to end. There are a few other trip ups that happen throughout, so the ending had some surprises in it…but for the most part I could have stopped reading around page 100 and still known how it would end. Even knowing basically how it was going to end I still found the book enjoyable and the build up throughout was fun to see how everything would fall together.

The romance was also sloooowwww, which I’m okay with just wasn’t expecting here. I really expected the two characters to meet around day 20 or so before Christmas and spend the whole month dating and making cute Christmas memories. They only spent time together a handful of days and really only ever went on like 1, maybe 2, dates. The relationship building was really each of the main characters with themselves and getting ready to move on to a new chapter of their lives. If you’re looking for a steamy romance keep walking…this is about as closed door as it gets (tbh there was really nothing to even close the door on).

If you like cute, easy holiday reads check this one out! If you prefer to watch your Hallmark movies instead of read them maybe skip this one.

Bookstagrammer - bookishandlegal Link to follow - https://www.instagram.com/bookishandlegal/

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions. But perhaps worst of all, this is the last Christmas Mae will be at her favorite place in the world—the snowy Utah cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born, along with two other beloved families. Mentally melting down as she drives away from the cabin for the final time, Mae throws out what she thinks is a simple plea to the universe: Please. Show me what will make me happy. The next thing she knows, tires screech and metal collides, everything goes black. But when Mae gasps awake…she’s on an airplane bound for Utah, where she begins the same holiday all over again. With one hilarious disaster after another sending her back to the plane, Mae must figure out how to break free of the strange time loop—and finally get her true love under the mistletoe.

bookishandlegal - Not rated Goodreads Rating - 3.87 Stars

Ahhh…finally a holiday book that I really really liked! I don’t know if I’m just more in the holiday spirit or if this book is just better written than other holiday ones I’ve read but I enjoyed this one so much more than other books of this genre that I’ve read! It’s got the “get sent back in time to fix my life” holiday trope that I absolutely love (looking at you 12 Dates of Christmas on Freeform).

This was such a sweet, but also quite steamy, holiday read and I loved all of it! Watching Mae and Andrew’s relationship grow and develop was so nice and I was really rooting for them the entire time. It was also really nice to see Mae work through her own personal life/work problems and figure out what would make her happy in all aspects of her life instead of having her relationship with a man magically fix all her problems. Love a good full rounded romance where it’s acknowledged that finding love doesn’t automatically make someone happy.

There are a lot of characters in this book and I don’t think they were ever fully introduced or developed enough for me to remember who was who. Often I found myself forgetting who was married to who or who was whose parent and got confused a lot, especially at the beginning. For the most part though it didn’t really matter too much to the story who the side characters were. I also wish there had been a little bit more going back in time to relive the same day to the story. Mae only went back in time like 3 times and I wish there had been just a few more times that she had to start over. But, again my favorite of this trope is 12 Dates of Christmas…so maybe I was expecting too much.

Bookstagrammer - bookishandlegal Link to follow - https://www.instagram.com/bookishandlegal/