NetGalley Reviewer nix21230

An engaging and fascinating story written by Alina Adams building on her own experiences as a Jewish refugee from USSR and what must have been extensive research into the subject. Imagine if all history lessons were this engaging! I was amazed by the strength and determination showed by Regina throughout the story, her never wavering optimism and drive to keep on going and creating a better life for herself.  Synopsis (from the publisher): With his dying breath, Lena’s father asks his family a cryptic question: “You couldn’t tell, could you?” After his passing, Lena stumbles upon the answer that changes her life forever. As her revolutionary neighbor mysteriously disappears during Josef Stalin's Great Terror purges, 18-year-old Regina suspects that she's the Kremlin’s next target. Under cover of the night, she flees from her parents' communal apartment in 1930s Moscow to the 20th century's first Jewish state, Birobidzhan, on the border between Russia and China. Once the...

Incredibly well researched and an amazing story about family drama, secrets and manipulation. Add to that a kidnapping, murders and a war in full swing and you have a fantastic story. Notwithstanding all of this, the best part for me were the many strong women carrying the story forward and their non-wavering support for each other. Suspense and romance nicely mixed together, creating a memorable, hard to put down book which I thoroughly recommend.  This book will be released on 27 December, but you can pre-order your copy now.  #OnlyOneLie #NetGalley

A fantastic book about a life so far from the social norms that we are living with today. I really liked the research that must have underpinned this story as it was beautifully linked to real events and told in a gripping and very believable way.  The convent part is but a small part of this book as we follow Maisie from a young child living in a convent in Ireland during the war, all the way through to an old woman living in England.  This book is part of a series, the Devonshire Sagas, but all work as stand-alone. I had not read the other books in the series but will now go back and read some of the others.  Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe books for allowing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.  PS. This and all the other book in the Devonshire Sagas are currently available for free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription. #THECONVENTGIRL #NetGalley

Kate drunkenly makes it her new year's resolution to find "someone to kiss" before the year is over. With the help of her friend Julie she gets herself signed up to Tinder and starts swiping. If it only was that easy to find Mr Right! I enjoyed how the author tells the story from the view point of the three main characters Kate, Julie and Ben, allowing the reader to get to know all three of them, including the sides they are hiding from each other.  A thoroughly enjoyable read with relatable characters portraying the harshness of online dating.  I am hoping that there'll be further books where Julie will get her chance in the spotlight; it feels like hers is a really good story to come.  #SomeonetoKiss #NetGalley

Just the title of the book made me want to read it! Great choice by the author / editor / publisher / PR team. Thank you to NetGalley and HQ Digital for allowing me to review an eARC of this book.   How to Kill Men and Get Away With It by Katy Brent is using a fantastic and eye-opening mixture of events in the current world including the risks facing women of all ages every day.  Katy Brent skilfully builds on the worries present every day for women, where they feel forced to carry their keys as weapons and message each other when they've safely made it home. It is hugely entertaining in a twisted, dark way.  Kitty Collins. Influencer. Meat princesses. Killer.  #HowtoKillMenandGetAwayWithIt #NetGalley #HQStories

I requested to review this book (thanks for the approval) as the blurb and the early 'celebrity' reviews sounded very promising with reviewers mentioning it being hilarious, heart-warming, addictive, laugh-out-loud funny, and razor sharp; usually I just pick books from the Read Now section on NetGalley. Oh dear, I was feeling my age when I was reading this book. I was getting more and more annoyed by Maggie and her entitled self-centered outlook on life, the many rants, stupid decisions, and why oh why, did I need to know her search history? It's likely to be a fantastic book for some, probably of similar age as the main characters in the book, but unfortunately this wasn't one for me, sorry. I can still appreciate the effort that went into writing it, the characters that was created, and the blunt and well-paced retelling of everyday life.  #ReallyGoodActually #NetGalley

Having just read Cowboy's Christmas Heart by Leslie North, I embarked on SEAL's Christmas Daughter thinking it would be very much the same. It wasn't, and not in a bad way; it was just different.  This is not a book using Christmas as the driving part of the plot; instead we follow retired SEAL Zach as he is working a civvie case, protecting the wife and daughter of a friend of a friend. At the beginning of the story, he literally bumps into a car driven by Marissa, the woman he hasn't seen and cannot get our of his head after a one-night stand ten years ago.  I liked how Zach is working hard to get to know Marissa and the daughter which was the result of their wild night ten years ago, but still trying to stay professional for the case.  Despite her caution, Marissa supports him in protecting the next door neighbours allowing their relationship to develop.  The SEAL's Christmas Daughter is written by Katie Knight, but for some reason (publicity stunt?) also marked ...