"*4.5 stars*

Gretel Fernsby is in her nineties, but she’s bright as a button and sharp as a knife - she has to be, because Gretel has a secret, a secret that she’s carried with her for most of her life, one she’s determined to keep to herself.

In 1946, German born Gretel, and her mother escaped Poland for Paris, after a monumental event took place in their personal lives. Physically they may have fled their past, but psychologically, the shame and accompanying fear meant they would never really find peace.

In present day London, widowed Gretel lives in an upmarket luxury apartment block, where each apartment is worth many millions, but she likes a quiet life, rarely bothers with the neighbours (except for one lady across the landing), and she sees her son only occasionally. Her preference for privacy means there’s less chance of anyone finding out about her life during the Second World War, that is until 9 year old Henry moves into the apartment below hers!

Sequel to the hugely successful The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, All The Broken Places is a moving story about grief, guilt and complicity. Needless to say, that with John Boyne at the helm, we’re treated to a storyline full of insight, from the ugliness of life through to the purity of love. Don’t miss this one!

*I was invited to read All The Broken Places by the publisher and have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
"

"This historical fiction book centers around the lives of wild bird egg thieves, the nefarious and illegal act of egg trafficking, the obsession with egg collecting, and the lengths that someone would go to obtain an obscure and rare egg.

I expected this to be an intriguing and suspenseful story. Unfortunately, it did not end up capturing my interest. I found the dual timeline narrative to be choppy in its delivery and the beginning of the story to have an overabundance of characters that detracted from my overall enjoyment. The second half of the book was a little better than the first half but had this not been an ARC it might have ended up on my DNF shelf.

Though this was the first time that I have read a book by this author, I would still consider reading another work by her. Many other people saw this book differently and enjoyed it more than I did, and I would encourage readers to definitely check out some of their reviews.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic Publishers for the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own."

"Publishes April 8, 2025~

Whisked Through It

Belinda Bauer has quite a reputation as a crime writer, she has even been longlisted for a Booker Prize. This may have been the reason I requested a copy of her latest novel, “The Impossible Thing.� It delves into the mesmerizing world of� wait for it� egg collecting.

A valuable egg, one of thirty stolen from a dangerous Yorkshire cliff nest beginning in the 1920s, resurfaces a century later in the attic of a young man, Weird Nick. Oblivious to its worth, he lists the egg on eBay, only to have it stolen during a home invasion. Determined to recover the pilfered egg, Nick and his friend Patrick embark on a quest to find the thieves.

The story, told across two timelines, features well-developed characters and a brisk pace, making for a competent "whodunit" plot. Despite numerous positive reviews, I found the book to be slightly fluffier than I prefer. It's a good beach read, but not much more.

Thank you to Grove Atlantic, NetGalley, and Edelweiss for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review."