Beyond the Wand by Tom Felton

In late 2001, the first adaptation of Harry Potter made its way on to the big screen. The child actors were instantly catapulted into fame. As the young villain of the piece, Tom Felton says that he never got as much press as the actors who played the main three characters, but it did, of course, change his life.

Felton had already been an actor and he walks us through the roles he had and some of the people he met on various sets. He also tells us about working behind the scenes of the Harry Potter films and gives us a lovely glimpse of many of the actors on the films, including those who have since passed away. And they are very short glimpses with very little going too far into depth. 

Read by Felton himself, this book is an interesting look at how the children of Harry Potter grew up on set but also how Felton himself changed both before and after the films. He definitely struggled afterwards but seems to have pulled himself back up by his bootstraps.

Four Stars 

This book came out October 18, 2022

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Edge of Desire by Stephanie Laurens

When Christian and Letitia were young, they were inseparable, in love. But then Christian went to serve king and country. He returned: Letitia was married. Well, life has happened and Christian is now the Marquess of Dearne and Letitia needs his help. Her husband is dead and her brother is the main suspect. 
So, the book opens with a dead husband and ends with a marriage with lots of "for romance reasons" in between. It was generally an entertaining book but there was a lot of glossing over details, etc.

Three stars

This book came out August 26, 2008

Follows Beyond Seduction

Followed by Mastered by Love

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Not Your Valentine by Jackie Lau

Some people seek the spotlight, some have it thrust upon them. Helen Tsang is among the latter. After her boyfriend broke up with her, blaming her, in a public place and it was videoed and made into a meme. It is almost a year later and she wants people to believe that she's moved on. She hasn't but she wants to get them off her back. 

So, she taps her friend Taylor, to be her fake boyfriend. They've been friends since high school and he knows her well enough to be a believable partner. 

This is a romance so the inevitable happens. Helen catches feelings. But how can Taylor even feel the same way?

Lau is an amazing writer and this book was a fast and fun read. It was just a little too fast for me. I wish we had seen more of Helen and Taylor and how they would function as a couple (not just faking it). I also wish we had seen a little bit more of Helen's friends as they feel like sequel-bait and it would be nice to get to know them a little better.

Three and a half stars

This book comes out January 24, 2023

ARC kindly provided by Kobo Originals and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett

Hallett obviously created this book as a labor of love. The codes are intricate, the story is refreshing, and the way the story is told is one I haven't read before. I would classify it as an epistolary novel since it is ostensibly told through documents. 

Unfolding in transcriptions of files taken from a found iPhone, we learn the story of Steven Smith, recently released from prison. We don't learn why he was in prison until the end of the book but it is that experience which took him away from most of his son's life, the son he is transcribing all of these events for. 

The main story revolves around a book Steven "Little Smithy" found on a bus. When he brought it into school and showed his teacher, she used the book to connect his remedial English class to the written word. She also seemed to take note of the book and tells them about a code in the book. On a field trip to visit the author's house, their teacher vanishes. Decades later, Steven is trying to figure out what actually happened but it seems to have dropped him right into danger. 

Four stars

This book comes out January 24, 2023

ARC kindly provided by Atria Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Beyond Seduction by Stephanie Laurens

In previous books in the series, Gervase keeps being called home. Finally, we, the readers, find out what it's all about.
His sisters, having seen what happened when one of their neighbors got married, are terrified. They do not want to be shipped off to some boarding school. Instead, they wreak havoc around Gervase's estate in order to keep an eye on him and who he is dating. In a moment of pique, Gervase promises to marry the next woman he sees (who fulfills a list of criteria, including him liking her (he's not stupid)) .
This is a romance novel so a woman shows up pretty darn quick. He doesn't exactly believe that she'd fit his requirements having known Madeline Gascoigne in the past but now he's at least looking at her with new eyes.
Madeline needs Gervase's help. She's not looking for a husband; she's her brother's guardian and she has to keep that estate together. But there is an electricity between them that she wants to explore.
There are the same basic beats as the rest of the books in the series: Man wants to get married, woman doesn't, they get married, but with its own little twists.

Three and a half stars

This book came out in 2007

Follows To Distraction

Followed by The Edge of Desire

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Murder Through the English Post by Jessica Ellicott

The book starts out with Edwina in her new position, that of magistrate for Walmsley Parma. In true Edwina fashion, she is nervous about being in charge but it is the last case of the day that causes her some angst. Michael and Norman had gotten into a fight and the local constable got punched in the face. 

The argument began because an unsigned letter accused Norman of spreading rumors bout Michael's service and whether or not he was really injured on the front line. An understandable reason to get upset. Not a good reason to clock Constable Gibbs. Edwina is able to clear up the misunderstanding but she is worried. She becomes even more worried when it becomes clear that there is a spate of poison pen letters being spread throughout the town. Even Beryl gets one (though, being Beryl, she is highly amused rather than any other emotion.)

When one of the recipients takes drastic measures, Constable Gibbs asks the ladies to look into who is sending the letters. Eventually the mystery will be solved, but not before there is a death. 

The ending was a little convoluted and there were a couple of phrases that were repeated a little too often but overall a nice addition to the series.

Beryl and Edwina Mystery #6

Three and a half stars

This book came out July 26, 2022

Follows Murder in an English Glade

Followed by Murder at a London Finishing School

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Murder at the Seaside Hotel by Sonia Parin

Oh. My. Lanta. This book was SOOOOOO slow. I'd estimate that half the book is just Evie coming up with wild theories about the death of a maid in a seaside hotel. And we're never really given a reason she's so involved other than the fact that the police never interviewed her (seemed like this was tongue-in-cheek) and that she didn't like that the police weren't giving this maid respect. We never really do find out why the police didn't look into the death but luckily Evie has an old friend (Inspector O'Neill) who is
willing to come down and take a look. Also involved? Evie's maid, chauffeur, and "good friend," Tom. 

Two and a half stars

This book came out July 28, 2019

Follows Murder in the Cards

Followed by Murder in the Third Act

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own