Tink's Book Reviews

No matter how far you go, home is where the heart is... Beth Williams hasn’t been home for ten years. After falling pregnant at sixteen, she ran away from the imposing Scottish estate where she grew up rather than risk her family’s disapproval, working hard to build a life for herself and daughter Isabelle  but now she’s finally returning to Glendale Hall.   When Beth gets a call to say that her Grandmother has taken a turn for the worst, she knows within her heart that she must go back home, even though there are a million other things she would rather do. When she arrives, nothing has changed. The house is the sam e since she left it at sixteen and  even her parents attitude towards her.    Though when she finds out that the once loved village where she spent most of her time as a teen, will slowly come to an end, Beth must quickly think up a way on being able to restore the Glendale village and spirit back to its original self.   Dre...

Montauk, Long Island, 1938.  For three months, this humble fishing village will serve as the playground for New York City’s wealthy elite. Beatrice Bordeaux was looking forward to a summer of reigniting the passion between her and her husband, Harry.  Instead, tasked with furthering his investment interest in Montauk as a resort destination, she learns she’ll be spending twelve weeks sequestered with the high society wives at The Montauk Manor—a two-hundred room seaside hotel—while Harry pursues other interests in the city.  Beatrice has everything life has to offer. The wonderful house, expensive clothes, fancy dining and the perfect husband. So when she goes holidaying to Montauk with Harry, there's only one more thing she needs to complete the happy ending.   As the months pass by, so do the cocktails in the sun, gossip amongst holiday makers and plans for the less fortunate, summer guests.   But Beatrice longs for the simple things in life, she wan...

It's springtime at St. Vladimir's Academy and Rose is close to graduation, but since making her first Strigoi kills, things haven't felt quite right. She's having dark thoughts, behaving erratically, and worst of all . . . might be seeing ghosts. Consumed by her forbidden love with her tutor Dimitri and protecting her best friend, the Moroi princess Lissa, Rose is in no state to see the deadly threat that will change her entire world - and make her choose between the two people she loves most. Rose is back at St. Vlad's for her third year, but not without a dark cloud looming over her shoulder. But now with the loss of her best friend, Rose must now navigate her way through her guardian graduation, but is it that simple?  Dimitri is there to help her along the way, but how much longer can they go trying ignoring the only thing they want?..Each other.  Though there's bigger problems at stake when Rose starts seeing strange things and Adrian is the only p...

After calling off her engagement, Hayley, the Wynthorpe Hall housekeeper, wants nothing more than to return to her no-strings fun-loving self, avoiding any chance of future heartbreak. Little does she know, Wynbridge’s latest arrival is about to throw her plan entirely off course . . . Moving into Wynthorpe Hall to escape the town’s gossip, Hayley finds herself immersed in the eccentric Connelly family’s festive activities as they plan to host their first ever Winter Wonderland. Hayley hasn't had the best of luck going for her in her life, but when she manages to bag herself the hunkiest man in town; Gavin,  as her husband to be, things finally start to turn around for her.  Until once again, everything is ruined for her when she finds Gavin with his trousers round his ankles and a woman between his legs in the pub toilets.  Keen to make a fresh start and to hide her troubled past, Hayley moves into Wynbridge Hall with the  lovely Connolly family an...

Once a year the infamous Master Legend hosts Caraval - open only to those who have been invited.  This year the week long game is on Legend's glittering Isla de los Soenos, where the winding streets are an elaborate snow-covered maze and the people are never who they seem to be.  At midnight on the first day, the show beings and the visitors become players. Each of them vying for the coveted prize: a single wish.  Scarlett has only one wish in life, to finally be able to visit the legendary Caraval with her younger sister Donatella. So when Tella suddenly goes missing Scarlett knows there's only one place and once place only where she will have fled to.  Caraval is the greatest mystery this side of Trisda, where anything goes and anything can happen. If you win all your dreams will come true with just one wish from Legend, the grand carnival master - the man who everyone knows but has never been seen.  Though Scarlett can't ...

Frostbite by Richelle Mead Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose...  It’s winter break at St. Vladimir’s, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy’s crawling with Guardians—including Rose’s hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. Rose is back and better than ever, though this time she's in the glistening, snowy hotel in Idaho - as far away from St Vlad's  as possible this Christmas and n othing says family like a good get together.  Unless your cold hearted mother has come to stay, your best friend is too caught up with her new boyfriend and you're split between your other best friend and instructor. Yeah, it's going to be a Christmas to remember alright.  Though when the hotel is under a deadly attack, it's up to Rose and her friends to get themselves out of the unfortunate situation that they found themselves in. But at what cos...

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead St Vladimir's Academy isn't just any boarding school - hidden away, it's a place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them.  Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess.  They've been on the run, but now they're being dragged back to St Vladimir's where the girls must survive a world of forbidden romances, a ruthless social scene and terrifying night time rituals.  But most of all, staying alive. Rose Hathaway is in a bit of trouble after being on the run with best friend Lissa. When found, they're forced back into the world of St Vladimir's but not without a catch.  To become a true guardian to the elite Moroi, Rose must do everything possible if she wants to protect Lissa. She must sacrifice a great  deal in order to serve, including her new tutor Dimitri.  But with everything threatening to get i...

Laurie is pretty sure love at first sight doesn't exist anywhere but the movies. But then, through a misted-up bus window one snowy December day, she sees a man who she knows instantly is the one.  Their eyes meet, there's a moment of pure magic...and then her bus drives away. Laurie has everything planned; the perfect flat, best job and most importantly, Sarah - her best friend. Though what she didn't plan on, was to be falling in love with a complete stranger at a bus stop and spending an entire year searching for him.  Fast forward a year later and he's stood in front Laurie, in the girls flat but as Sarah's new boyfriend. His name is Jack O'Mara and he's the best thing that's ever happened to Laurie  Sarah.  Over the span of ten years, problems arise for all three best friends, wine is shared, laughter is made and tears are shed. Though some secrets run deep and they should never resurface.  As Laurie and Jack try to overcome t...

The Man Who Didn't Call by Rosie Walsh  Imagine you meet a man, spend six glorious days together, and fall in love. And it’s mutual: you’ve never been so certain of anything.  So when he leaves for a long-booked holiday and promises to call from the airport, you have no cause to doubt him. But he doesn’t call.  Your friends tell you to forget him, but you know they're wrong: something must have happened; there must be a reason for his silence. On the 2nd June, Sarah comes to the same spot, at the same time to remember the tragedy that ruined her life. What she didn't think would happen, was that she'd fall madly in love with a complete stranger, that she's only known for seven days.  Seven wonderful, marvellous, days she'd spent cooped up with Eddie David's. Then out of nowhere, he just vanished without a trace or even a phone call.  Sarah can't shake the feeling that something is wrong; they shared life stor...

The Hygge Holiday by Rosie Blake It's autumn in Yulethorpe and everyone is gloomy. It's cold, drizzly and the skies are permagrey. The last shop on the high street - an adorable little toy shop - has just shut its doors.  Everything is going wrong for Yulethorpe this autumn. Until Clara Kristensen arrives. When Clara turns up in Yulethorpe, she had come away to escape her past, not to be suddenly running a toy store in the small sleepy village. Though that's exactly what happens.  After sitting in the local pub and witnessing the very upset and eccentric Louisa, Clare finds herself knocking on her front door and to see if she's okay. To her surprise, Louisa wasn't kidding when she left the pub and is now packing all of her belongings into a suitcase and is ready to leave for sunny Spain.  Soon  Clara has become the house sitter to a raving mad parrot known as Lady Caca who shouts profanities at everyone and a very lazy g...

One Hot Summer   by Kat French   Alice McBride’s husband Brad is super famous, totally gorgeous . . . and having an affair with his co-star. And now it’s splashed across all the newspapers. After kicking Brad out, Alice decides to rent out her beloved home for the summer. And the last person she expects to arrive at Borne Manor is a sexy cowboy called Robinson. Alice can't quite believe it when her husband, the ever so wonderful Brad McBride sits across from her at their breakfast bar and declares that the magazines are true: He's been having an affair with his co-star, Felicity-bloody-Shaw.  Hoping to re-kindle their marriage, Brad tries everything possible and so does Alice, she starts by throwing him out of Bourne Mannor along with his belongings.  Her marriage may be over and there may be a fight on her hands, but one things for certain, she won't go down without a fight to protect her lovely home. Even if she has to do it from the proximity of her gar...