Fossend Publishing

Fossend Publishing

Friday 2 December 2016

Top five favourite books of 2016

I always like to do a short post every year in December highlighting the books that I really enjoyed reading throughout the year. All of the below books were released this year and are a in variety of genres. 



A mystery so shocking it needs to stay hidden

Carola’s life is perfect – or so it seems. Her husband, her friends, her staff don’t see the emptiness of a loveless existence. Every day is the same, until the day when she has enough. Without warning she leaves her home country of Germany to start a new life in the Canadian wilderness. 
But she is not equipped to handle the hardships of a lonely existence in a remote cabin. A five-day snowstorm brings her close to her breaking point. Searching for means to survive, she discovers the written confession of the previous cabin owner who wants to clear his conscience by admitting to a terrible sin he committed involving a girl called Rose.
When the storm subsides, Carola begins to ask questions but nobody is willing to talk. Nobody wants to tell what happened to Rose, but Carola becomes obsessed with finding out the truth.

Will Rose finally get justice? If you love mystery and suspense, with an added romance bonus, this new novel by an Amazon bestselling author will keep you turning the pages all night long.

CP: I really loved this book, it was a great mystery that pulled you in right from the start and kept you hooked throughout. It had great characters and an interesting historical storyline that connected to present day. It was one of those books that I enjoyed so much that I suffered with book loss once I had finished reading it. I’m looking forward to reading more by Helga Zeiner.


Summer Freeman returns to the waterside village of Willowbeck to rescue the Canal Boat Café, her late mother’s picturesque narrowboat, which has run into choppy waters. A family friend, Valerie, has been trying to keep things afloat, but the coffee machine is jammed, the cake offerings are paltry, and not all of the locals want to see the café succeed.
Help comes from the boat next door, in the shape of handsome wildlife photographer, Mason and his naughty Border Terrier, who are showing more than a passing interest in Summer and her adorable Bichon Frise, Latte. But is Mason being honest about himself? Or does he have something to hide?
As her life and the community of Willowbeck begin to entwine, Summer finds herself setting sail on a new adventure. Will the anchor of a steady life on land be too strong, or can Summer learn to cut loose and embrace life afloat?

CP: This book is available as one book, or as four separate novellas that make up a four book series. I live by a canal and the books appealed to me because of that. It’s an easy going story with relatable characters and heavily features life living on or by a canal, which is an interesting subject to read about. It's a nice cosy book/series to read.


Kelsey Porter returns to NYC with her world turned upside down. Her brother has betrayed her, her boyfriend is missing, and she’s left with a mysterious manuscript no one can decipher. It’s not until she goes searching for the elusive legend of Bigfoot at a Buddhist Monastery in Alaska that she finds herself, yet again, thrust into situations that are seemingly beyond her control. Why are children suddenly missing across the Pacific Northwest? Where is Desmond? Are these mysterious creatures in the woods really Yetis? It’s these questions she pursues and they bring her full circle back to Buddhist spiritual mysteries, and this time it’s not her life that hangs in the balance, but the lives of an entire civilization.

CP: My regulars will know how much I love the Kelsey Porter series and I was so excited when book three was released this year. It didn’t disappoint and it was great to catch up with Kelsey and the other regular characters and see what happened next for them. This is definitely another book that I recommend.


Seven days have passed since Naples real estate agent Megan MacKenna has heard from her twin sister, Madeline, who was vacationing on the beautiful, Caribbean island of St. Croix. Though authorities are not convinced there is a case to solve, Megan knows with all of her heart something happened to Maddy. When Megan receives a direct warning to leave the island or end up like her sister, she turns to the only person who has taken her seriously since she arrived, Gabe, a breakfast cook at a local diner. 

Undercover DEA agent, Gabriel Walker has been building his cover for months, waiting for the opportunity to work his way into the infamous Torrez crime ring. When Megan shows up asking questions and Gabe realizes her twin’s disappearance might be linked to the Torrez men, he has to convince her to go back to Florida before she becomes their next victim. 

The closer Megan gets to the truth, the more Gabe begins to suspect he is missing a huge piece of the puzzle. And someone is closing in on Megan…

CP: I was a huge fan of Sarah’s YA Harmony Run series and so I was interested to read Last Vacation, a crime/thriller. It was a fast paced read that kept me engaged, that I couldn’t put down. The characters were great and the descriptions of the setting St. Croix was fantastic. If you like this genre then it’s a great book to read. 



Curl up with this gorgeously romantic tale and let the glistening snow and the roaring fires of Stardust Lake Hotel get you in the festive spirit this Christmas. 

Piper Chesterfield lives a glamorous life travelling the world and reviewing the finest hotels. She calls nowhere home, she works alone and that’s how she likes it. For long ago Piper decided that to protect her heart she should lock it away. 

So when Piper’s next assignment brings her to the newly opened Stardust Lake Hotel for the festive season, the last person she expects to face is Gabe Whitaker, the man who broke her heart so completely she could never love again.

But Piper isn’t the only one who has been frozen in time by heartbreak. Gabe hasn’t forgotten the golden-eyed girl who disappeared from his world without a trace. 

Now fate has reunited them on Juniper island, can the magic of Christmas heal old wounds? And can this enchanting town be the one place Piper can finally call home?

CP: We finish up with a great Christmas book. You all know how much I love my Christmas books, and this one doesn’t disappoint. It has all the elements for a great Christmas book, snow, Christmas themes, ice sculptures, a great setting all wrapped up in nice romantic storyline. It all makes for perfect Christmas reading. 



I hope you all had a great 2016. Here’s looking forward to a wonderful Christmas and New Year, and have 2017. Happy reading and the bog will be back soon with more great author interviews!