Melissa's Bookshelf

  Hello everyone! Happy Sunday 💜 What bookish items do you have in your home? I'm wanting to re-decorate, and thought book-obsessed people were the best to ask! Any tips on reading nooks, items or even books themselves can be commented below 📚🕮

  Historical fiction seems to be a niche genre these days, but after picking up Stephanie Amey's newest read I'm inclined to believe it still has a place in the bookish world. The Edge of Empire  is, admittedly, a book I wouldn't usually pick for myself to read; however, when the title was sent to me by the wonderful people at Northodox Press, I knew it was going to be worth the read. Stephanie Amey's newest book takes place in 170 AD and sees Aurelius Petrus, Optio (second in command) of Fort Bana, take on the investigation of two murdered soldiers. However, once he begins looking into the deaths of two of the Fort's own, Petrus realises something strange... The men were seemingly killed by Druids, a cult that was wiped out by Romans 100 years ago; but Petrus refuses to let sleeping dogs lie as the Optio is convinced Druids are not the cause of his men's deaths. When beginning The Edge of Empire , I wasn't completely sure what to expect as historical fictio

  Ever been on a less-than-exceptional date? Well, Olive has been on one too many and has a myriad of dating disasters to share! When I received this book to review, I was pleasantly surprised to find a comic book-style story with a hilarious main character and stunning images to go alongside. Disaster Dates and Lucky Escapes  follows the unlucky Olive, a woman who hopes for a normal, fun date, but ends up with the weirdest of both men and women. The book follows her blunders as she almost loses her mind in the world of online dating. I absolutely loved this book. It was a short, sweet look into the world of online dating and how difficult and, even how uncomfortable it can be. The comic book style of the book went so well with the story; the brilliant illustrations matched perfectly with the conversations Olive had with her friends. Not only were the images so well-done and pretty, the way the characters spoke to one another was fantastic. It felt so real and grounded, which was brill

Mystery books can sometimes be hit-and-miss, with the final twist not quite hitting home. However, A.A Chaudhuri's newest thriller, The Final Party, ticks all the right boxes - and then some. The Final Party  is a title I've been excited to read for quite some time, mainly due to Chaudhuri's two previous books, She's Mine and The Loyal Friend , being absolutely fantastic. This title sees six friends take a trip to a stunning villa in Sorrento, Italy, to celebrate one of the group's 40th birthday. However, by the end of it all one of them will be dead, and the secrets they all hold may not be as secure as they thought... What happened that fateful night in 2001? Did anyone ever find out? Will the truth come out? Chaudhuri is by far one of my favourite authors, with She's Mine  being one of my favourite crime/thriller books of all time. However, The Final Party  may have just edged itself into the top spot. The book begins at the end, with a body in the water and

Hello everyone! I have a question for you... If your favourite book had a soundtrack, what would it be? 🕮 I think mine would have to be The Witch's Heart, with the soundtrack being Soldier, Poet, King (by The Oh Hellos). While the book had quite a dark vibe, and the song is rather upbeat, it just feels right to put the two together 🎔

Hello everyone! I realise that I haven't been as attentive to my book blog as I'd like to be, so hopefully, that ends today! To get back into the flow, I decided to list five books I wish I could read again for the first time, simply because of how stunningly beautiful they were. 1. The Witch's Heart re-tells the story of Angerboda in a dark and captivating way as she falls for the Trickster Loki, and details her life as her children come into the world, and her life changes in a way she never knew. 2. She's Mine  sees a mother at a loss after her child has gone missing; but who is really to blame? Is it the fault of a seemingly inattentive mother, or has something much, much more sinister been surrounding a mother and her lost child? 3. The Last Thing to Burn  gives an insight into the horrible life of a woman who, in search of a better life, has found herself trapped in the hands of a man who wants a mother within a wife. She is miles from home and family, but can sh