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Sam, book reviewer at The Cosy Wombat

Welcome to the warren

Hello friends! I'm Sam, the reader behind The Cosy Wombat – a cosy little corner for book reviews, a good cup of strong black tea (no sugar, please) and a warm blankie.

I read mostly literary fiction, crime and thrillers, but I'm open to all genres. Always happy to be distracted by a good story, and my very large TBR pile.

Settle in - let's get cosy!

Find me on Instagram @thecosywombat

Latest Reviews

9 reviews found

Whistler

Whistler

by Ann Patchett

Literary Fiction
5/5
19 July 2026

A tender, intimate celebration of platonic love between two soulmates whose enduring bond survives more than 40 years apart.

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Three Reasons for Revenge

Three Reasons for Revenge

by Dervla McTiernan

Thriller
3.5/5
12 July 2026

A tense and gripping standalone thriller set in Melbourne — three mysterious packages, a missing university student, and a sexual assault allegation against a prominent psychologist.

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The Wedding People

The Wedding People

by Alison Espach

Literary Fiction
4.25/5
5 July 2026

Not your usual romantic comedy — The Wedding People is messy, sad and very, very human. A real page-turner with surprising emotional depth.

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John of John

John of John

by Douglas Stuart

Literary Fiction
5/5
4 July 2026

A powerful, emotional and uplifting novel about the unbearable weight of loneliness and longing — set on the breathtaking, unforgiving Isle of Harris.

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The Safekeep

The Safekeep

by Yael van der Wouden

Literary Fiction
5/5
22 June 2026

An exquisite debut about obsession, desire and post-War generational trauma. Shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2024 and winner of the Women's Prize for Fiction 2025.

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The Impossible Fortune

The Impossible Fortune

by Richard Osman

Crime Fiction
3/5
18 June 2026

The Thursday Murder Club are back — and this time there's a wedding, a car bombing, an enormous fortune and a missing code. Another delightfully fun outing from the King of cosy reads.

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The Things We Never Say

The Things We Never Say

by Elizabeth Strout

Literary Fiction
5/5
17 June 2026

Elizabeth Strout returns with a quietly devastating portrait of a man whose carefully constructed life is upended by a single secret — and the questions it raises about whether we ever truly know the people closest to us.

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Flesh

Flesh

by David Szalay

Literary Fiction
4.75/5
15 June 2026

The 2025 Booker Prize winner: lean, economical prose that follows the life of shy Hungarian teenager István across decades. Compulsive, unsettling and memorable.

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Heart the Lover

Heart the Lover

by Lily King

Literary Fiction
4.5/5
15 June 2026

A poignant story of first love, heartbreak, and the lasting consequences of the decisions we make when we are young.

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