On Bee's Bookshelf

Anthony Wistern is wealthy beyond imagination. Fragrant wife, gaggle of photogenic children, French chateau, Cotswold manor, plethora of mistresses, penchant for cutting moral corners, tick tick tick tick tick tick. Unfortunately for him, he’s also dead. Suddenly poised to inherit his fortune, each member of the family falls under suspicion. And that’s when the lying starts… I had painfully high expectations after “How to Kill Your Family” - and Bella did not disappoint me. Bella’s writing is the epitome of the phrase “morbidly hilarious” - this book is dark, bloody, tragic - but awkwardly, uncomfortably funny. Married couple Olivia and Anthony act as our main narrators alongside a mysterious “sleuth” - offering a jarring, eerie vibe as hear from our murder victim before anyone else. Anthony offered a strangely calm, clear, matter-of-fact storytelling that made the subject matter almost laughable with the casual nature of how he describes the events leading to his own brutal, bloody mu...

When maths teacher Zoe Swift meets the irresistibly funny and charming Jack Damon at her friends’ wedding, sparks fly faster than you can say "the square root of sixty-nine." And when Jack turns up at her school, newly recruited as a supply teacher, she can’t ignore the intense effect he has on her when their paths cross in the corridors. But Zoe is still reeling from her husband's recent jaw-dropping betrayal and adjusting to life as a single mum to two teenage kids. She's not sure if she's ready to open her heart to a fling with a younger man. As Zoe and Jack's connection grows deeper, their undeniable chemistry and Jack's steadfast support help Zoe rediscover the good things in life: her love of a good dance, the soothing power of takeout, the secret thrill of receiving a well-timed chicken emoji and the wonder of multiple orgasms… But with complicated family dynamics and co-parenting with her ex to manage, a sizeable age gap, and Jack's uncertainti...

On the top floor of an old building at the end of a cobbled alley in Kyoto lies the Kokoro Clinic for the Soul. Only a select few - those who feel genuine emotional pain - can find it. The mysterious centre offers a unique treatment for its troubled patients:  it prescribes cats as medication. Get ready to fall in love: -  Bee , an eight-year-old female, mixed breed helps a disheartened businessman as he finds unexpected joy in physical labour; -  Margot , muscly like a lightweight boxer, helps a middle-aged callcentre worker stay relevant; -  Koyuki , an exquisite white cat brings closure to a mother troubled by the memory of the rescue kitten she was forced to abandon; -  Tank  and  Tangerine  bring peace to a hardened fashion designer, as she learns to be kinder to herself; -  Mimita , the Scottish Fold kitten helps a broken-hearted Geisha to stop blaming herself for the cat she once lost. If I had to sum this book up in one word it would ...

Issy is an artist but the world doesn't know it yet. As someone who self-identifies as 'gay and depressed', Issy keeps her life in Margate small: her mum, her chinchilla, her reliable routine.  So when she is offered her dream job at an artist's studio, Issy knows it's time to open herself up to more. Moving to East London, Issy has a lot of firsts to catch up on - navigating a crush on her gorgeous housemate, dating, sex, and obsessing over her boss who she just can't seem to figure out.  As pressure mounts, people keep telling Issy she can do anything she sets her mind to. But what if her mind refuses to cooperate? "It is not possible for me to tell you that this story has a happy ending because it has not ended, it keeps going and going. But I am happy right now in this moment and I hope that my happiness shines through everything you see today." Laura Kay’s writing is like a big hug in a book, I absolutely adore her. She finds a way of taking your ...