Working Through My Kindle Unlimited Books
I’ve been a subscriber to Kindle Unlimited for ages, and I don’t know about you, but I’m not very organised with the books I choose on there. I tend to spot one I really like the look of, download it, then forget all about it. My Kindle is full of books (over 1500 of them last time I checked) and there are hundreds of those that I’ve never read, so why should I be surprised that it’s the same with my Kindle Unlimited (and Prime Reading) choices?
The result is, I don’t read nearly as many Kindle Unlimited books as I should do, and I certainly don’t feel I’m getting my money’s worth from my subscription. It’s all very well downloading loads of books, but if I’m not actually reading them, what’s the point?
So, as part of my plan to rein in my book-buying obsession, I decided that, for a few weeks, I would work my way through all the Kindle Unlimited and Prime Reading books I already have on my Kindle. Well, not all of them, obviously. I have twenty KU books and two Prime Reading books, so it’s not going to happen that quickly, is it? But anyway, I thought I’d make a good dent in the number at least by choosing six and finally seeing why I chose them.
So which ones did I read, and did I enjoy them? Let’s find out…
Chatterley by Cara Clare
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What if the most scandalous romance ever told was rewritten as a dark, gothic romantasy?
Sir Clifford Chatterley turned me into a vampire to prove a theory — that feral creatures like me could be domesticated, civilised, and made acceptable for his aristocratic world. He keeps me chained and starved, drowning my hunger in silver and ash while he moulds me into the perfect Progeny wife.
But his gamekeeper sees something different when he looks at me.
Oliver Mellors doesn't want to tame me. He wants to unleash me. In the dark woods beyond Wragby Hall, he teaches me to hunt. To feed. To feel. He shows me that the wildness my husband is trying to suppress isn't shameful — it's my power.
Between the lord who wants to break me and the vampire who wants to free me, I discover a hunger that has nothing to do with blood. And everything to do with taking back what's mine.
My body. My desire. My rage.
You know the story.
But you don’t know my story.
'Chatterley' by Cara Clare is a standalone, deliciously dark, gothic reimagining where Lady Chatterley has fangs, the gamekeeper knows how to use his, and burning down the patriarchy has never been so satisfying.
I’ve never read any of Cara’s books before, but I’ve grown to really like her over the last year or so, as I’ve watched her presenting the now defunct Indie Writers’ Podcast.
I wanted to support her new venture, but I admit I was a bit uncertain about reading Chatterley. Cara writes spicy books. Very spicy books. But I was so intrigued by this one that I couldn’t resist.
And I really enjoyed it! It’s the first truly dark, spicy book I’ve ever read. I think the closest I’ve got to spice before is the Jilly Cooper Rutshire series! This has a very different vibe. It’s full of lust, lore, and female rage. It’s fascinating to discover Connie’s backstory and compare the young woman she was to the creature she has become - against her will.
There’s a lot of cruelty inflicted upon Connie under the control of her husband, Sir Clifford Chatterley, so be warned about that. And if you don’t like ‘bad language’ you’d better avoid it, too. But I found this twist on a classic really fascinating, and Connie’s journey from almost (but not quite) broken creature to fierce, powerful vampire strangely uplifting. It says a lot when you’re rooting for those who want to feed off living humans!
Village School by Miss Read
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Fairacre is a village of cottages, a church and the school - and at the heart of the school, its headmistress, Miss Read.
Through her discerning eye, we meet the villagers of Fairacre and see their trials and tribulations, from the irascible school cleaner Mrs Pringle, to the young schoolchildren with their scraped knees, hopeful faces and inevitable mischief.
Miss Read takes us through the school year, beginning with the Christmas term when the bitterly cold weather challenges the school's ancient heating system, right through to the hot summer day when school is over for another year.
VILLAGE SCHOOL is an intriguing glimpse into a forgotten world and has become a true classic.
From one extreme to the other! This is the first in the Fairacre series by Miss Read, and I absolutely loved it. I’m becoming such a fan of Miss Read’s books. They’re exactly what you need to keep the modern world at bay.
This is such a gentle story of a year at the village school, where Miss Read is the head teacher. From village jumble sales to days out at the seaside, from carol concerts to interviewing candidates for a teaching position, we get to see what went on behind the scenes at this very basic but essential little building in Fairacre.
There’s a leaking roof to deal with, a lack of even rudimentary facilities, problems with the children and their families, and illness (and a romance) involving the teaching staff. It’s all part and parcel of Miss Read’s life, and she deals with it all in her no-nonsense, brisk and orderly fashion. Efficient she may be, but she also has a good helping of compassion and kindness, thank goodness. It really is like stepping back in time reading this book, and sometimes all you really want is a good dose of nostalgia, isn’t it?
Nemesis by Agatha Christie
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A letter from beyond the grave
One last request
An unsolvable crime
When Miss Marple receives a letter from the recently deceased millionaire Jason Rafiel, she’s not sure what to make of it.
Knowing her deductive skills, he challenges her to solve a crime. If she does so, she will inherit £20,000.
The only problem is that he has failed to mention who was involved, or where, and when the crime was committed. Jane Marple is intrigued.
Never underestimate Miss Marple
Since I’d just read A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie as April’s choice for the Read Christie 2026 Challenge, I was surprised and delighted to discover that I had its sequel, Nemesis on my Kindle already. See what I mean? I have so many books on my Kindle that I’ve forgotten about. Apparently, I’d downloaded this one in 2021 when it was in Prime Reading! So it was certainly about time that I read it.
I only knew the story from the television version - ITV’s Marple, starring Geraldine McEwan as Miss Marple. I didn’t really like that version, so wasn’t sure how I’d react to this book.
It was certainly not like the ITV version! This book had no nuns, no wounded soldier with amnesia and no Raymond - and that was just for starters. Basically, it was an entirely different story.
I enjoyed it a lot more than I’d enjoyed the show, even though it wasn’t my favourite Miss Marple story by a long shot. I actually enjoyed A Caribbean Mystery much more. This felt a bit clunky, somehow, especially in the set-up. The way Mr Rafiel set Miss Marple to work on this case, and the various bits and pieces he put in place to help her without telling her just felt a bit unlikely to me.
I can’t give away any of the plot, so I won’t say any more about the actual story. I’m glad I read it but it’s not one I’ll rush to read again. Even so, it’s a solid four stars from me.
The Tall Stranger by D. E. Stevenson
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Is her childhood sweetheart who he seems?
Barbie France has known Edward Steyne all her life – indeed they were childhood sweethearts. Charming, spirited, debonair, he is the ideal companion. Everyone, especially Edward, assumes they will marry one day.
But Barbie is uneasy. Edward sometimes behaves very oddly. There are his sudden, huge winnings on the race course and the strange affair of Aunt Amalie’s emerald ring. And last, but not least, Barbie is puzzled by his reaction to the handsome stranger she meets at a wedding; for suddenly easy-going Edward becomes hostile and unfriendly…
In The Tall Stranger, can Barbie discover the truth, and marry the man she loves?
I have so many books by D. E. Stevenson - either on my Kindle or in paperback - and I finally got round to reading one! As it turned out, by the time I realised I’d downloaded this as part of my Kindle Unlimited subscription, I’d already bought the paperback. It’s been republished by Dean Street Press and the new cover they’ve given it is lovely (as are all their covers in this imprint).
However, I stuck to my guns and read it on my Kindle and for my first experience of this author it was a good one. I’ll admit it starts a bit oddly, because as the book opens we’re following a woman called Nell who works for a doctor. She’s going to visit her friend, Barbie, in hospital but it’s thick fog outside and her employer insists on accompanying her. They get a bit lost in the fog and then they’re attacked by two would-be thieves and you’d honestly think the book was going to be about Nell.
But then she arrives at the hospital and we meet Barbie, who is very sick, and Nell and the doctor decide the best thing for her would be to send Barbie to her aunt’s home in the Cotswolds where she can hopefully make a full recovery.
From then on, it becomes Barbie’s story, with Nell relegated to secondary character status. It seemed a bit of a strange choice but once I’d got over that I enjoyed the story. I loved Barbie’s relationship with Aunt Amelie and didn’t trust Edward for a minute. However easy-going he seems to be I decided he wasn’t right for Barbie at all.
I liked that Barbie had a good career and that she excelled in her job. Considering this was written in the late 1950s, she was a fairly independent woman. There was a lot of talk about her having to give up her work if she married, which reminded me how much things have changed since those days. I was glad the “tall stranger” was more enlightened.
I particularly enjoyed the scenes in Scotland at a castle where one of Barbie’s clients lives. Barbie is sent there to measure up and design improvements to the home of Mrs Scott and her family. There she meets Mrs Scott’s husband and young daughter, Bet, as well as bumping into a familiar face…
There are some scenes that really did make my jaw drop, though. The whole situation with Agnes, a little child of a neighbour who appears to be thoroughly neglected was handled in a way that, today, seems incredible. I won’t say why, but it’s safe to say that it couldn’t happen that way today!
Overall, though, I found this book to be a light and easy read, with warmth, humour, and good characterisation. It’s very dated in some ways but I don’t really mind that. Early twentieth century novels have such a charm and I’ll definitely be working my way through more of them in the coming weeks and months.
Sycamore Gap by LJ Ross
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The past never stays buried for long...
Detective Chief Inspector Ryan believes he has put his turbulent history behind him. Then, in the early hours of the summer solstice, the skeleton of a young woman is found inside the Roman Wall at Sycamore Gap. She has lain undiscovered for ten years and it is Ryan's job to piece together her past.
Enquiry lines cross and merge as Ryan is forced to face his own demons and enter into a deadly game of cat and mouse with a killer who seems unstoppable.
Murder and mystery are peppered with a sprinkling of romance and humour in this fast-paced crime whodunnit set amidst the spectacular scenery of Hadrian's Wall country in Northumberland.
It was some years ago now that I read my first DCI Ryan book, Holy Island, but I remembered how much I loved it and always meant to carry on with the series. After languishing on my Kindle (and being deleted and then restored!) I finally got round to reading the sequel, Sycamore Gap.
Boy, what a fabulous story! I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a prize wimp, and reading this one night alone in bed I managed to scare the bejesus out of myself. It’s a fast-paced, twisty murder story with a lot of surprises, a creeping sense of jeopardy, growing tension, and real heart stopping moments. However, it’s also funny and a bit romantic, and you can’t help but love DCI Ryan, Phillips, McKenzie, Anna and all the other characters who make up Ryan’s world. I’m definitely moving on to the third in the series - and it won’t be such a long wait next time!
If I Had My Time Again by Linda Green
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How would you live your life differently, if you had a second chance?
Emily, Carl and Jules have all ‘gone before their time’. After dying on the same day in Halifax, West Yorkshire, they each wake up in a room in a hotel on the outskirts of town. They’re instructed to meet in the basement headquarters of film production company ‘End Credits’, where no-nonsense producer Suzi tells them their lives have been secretly filmed and they must edit their own biopic before they are able to move on.
There are only three rules: they can’t prevent their own deaths or anyone else’s, they can't kill anyone but they can make a director's cut - one change which will alter everything that comes after.
With the chance to undo their regrets and explore life’s infinite possibilities, what will they choose?
This is the first book I’ve ever read by Linda Green, but what a fantastic one to start with! I only meant to read a chapter to get the gist of it and see if I wanted to carry on with it, but I was completely hooked from the first page. I ended up reading to 46% on my Kindle that first evening, and couldn’t wait to get back to the story the following day. I read it in those two sittings and I absolutely loved it. It’s got humour, it’s chatty, it’s got great characters, a highly original premise, and a fast pace. However, it’s also deeply moving and very emotional.
Be warned that there are some sensitive subjects tackled, and the author does give trigger warnings at the beginning of the book. But if you’re feeling fine to give it a try I’d heartily recommend it.
So that’s six books read and removed from my Kindle, and my Kindle Unlimited and Prime Reading stock has finally decreased a little. I’m now trying to avoid filling it up again until I’ve read the other books!
I hope you found a story or two in here that you liked the sound of. Even if you’re not a Kindle Unlimited subscriber, you can purchase them and read them either on a device or in print. I sometimes read a Kindle Unlimited book and love it so much that I buy a copy to keep.
I’ll repeat this exercise at a later date, but for now I have other book plans!
Happy reading!
