DNF. This started off really well and I loved it, but after a while it got a bit samey and boring so I left it unread for a few months. I finally cameDNF. This started off really well and I loved it, but after a while it got a bit samey and boring so I left it unread for a few months. I finally came back to it� and decided not to continue. ...more
Lolita inverted. What a hook! This book is entirely unputdownable as we consider how manipulative a young girl can be when she wants something.
Swanna Lolita inverted. What a hook! This book is entirely unputdownable as we consider how manipulative a young girl can be when she wants something.
Swanna is an interesting character, bitter, angry and curious. Her mother is selfish and whiny, leaving Swanna to her own devices, without paying much heed. As a result, Swanna starts an affair with a married man. Although he is in the wrong, it’s fascinating to look at it from the child’s side. To her, she is powerful and in control, but to readers she is naive and a victim.
Many of who remember being teenagers can relate to her actions and attitude, especially given the lack of adult supervision in her life. The book is compelling and addictive, just like Swanna is to her older lover. She makes him feel young, desired and sexy.
I did feel that it was very similar to White Oleander (one of my all-time favourite books), including the ending (which takes place much earlier in WO following Astrid’s affair with an older man), and a few other themes running throughout. Much as I loved Swanna in Love, the similarities did jar and it spoiled my overall enjoyment so I can’t give it five stars.
However, if you’ve not read White Oleander, you won’t have the same issue and can thoroughly enjoy this book on its own merit....more
I devoured this book. Creepy and cosy, but with plenty of heart and found family it ticks all of the boxes for an autumn read with which to curl up.
InI devoured this book. Creepy and cosy, but with plenty of heart and found family it ticks all of the boxes for an autumn read with which to curl up.
Inspired by a Grimm Brothers� fairytale, we are drawn into a magical world where nothing is as it seems. Our neglected protagonist Hazel is adopted by Death, who trains her to be a healer, with one catch. Sometimes she must help people die instead, because their time is up.
It’s so creative, with magic and mystery throughout and some fascinating ideas, in terms of the sickness experienced by the kingdom, the metaphor of death and the idea of The Between.
Although not really a discussion on euthanasia, it is an interesting concept and conjures up the moral dilemma of pain and suffering, versus death, asking readers to consider what is more important.
It’s perhaps not as dark as it’s pitched, making it more of a light fantasy, but it’s still excellent and the perfect balance of creepy and cosy. And cake. There’s a lot of cake! ...more
There’s something about an illustrated novel that really elevates the reading experience. Although your brain still visualises the character4.5 stars
There’s something about an illustrated novel that really elevates the reading experience. Although your brain still visualises the characters in your mind, it can concentrate on the story. When the author has created the art, it’s even better because you’re seeing everyone how they imagined them.
Hyo the Hellmaker is a young adult story of two siblings navigating a new place, and author Mina Ikemoto Ghosh weaves together Japanese culture, fantasy and humour to bring us a brilliant story.
Curses are flying about everywhere, dead bodies keep turning up and it’s all a little bit dangerous. Hyo is a complex character, but through Ikemoto Ghosh’s world building and illustrations, we see her clearly and really feel her emotions as she struggles with her task, taking us with her on this mysterious adventure.
Although pitched as YA, there’s so much depth and richness to this novel that it transcends ages and will leave readers of all ages spellbound by the author’s prose, imagination and artistry.
This book is dark, decadent and dynamic � highly recommend for fans of Manga, fantasy and mystery....more
The second book in the Variety Palace series and wowzer! I really enjoyed The Tumbling Girl but The Innocents is fantastic!
Starting with a horrificallThe second book in the Variety Palace series and wowzer! I really enjoyed The Tumbling Girl but The Innocents is fantastic!
Starting with a horrifically vivid account of the tragic deaths of 183 children, following a theatre stampede, we are immediately on edge and poised for what will come next.
Alfred and Minnie team up again (albeit reluctantly) to solve the case of more deaths of those connected to the theatre. This time it seems there’s a link to the tragedy, but who is responsible?
Bridget takes one in awful historical artefact or event and creates a wonderful story, combining vivid description, with a blend of historical fact and fiction to create a truly compelling story. Although bleak at times, it’s never glorified and the balance between gruesome and romance is perfect. There’s even some humour sprinkled in, making this one of my favourite reads this year.
Any book that combines history, theatre and crime is a pretty damn easy way to please me! I look forward to the next outing for Alfred and Minnie. ...more
With so many mysteries and thrillers, it’s always fantastic to read a book that really stands out and provides a unique concept. In Zero Ri$k, bank acWith so many mysteries and thrillers, it’s always fantastic to read a book that really stands out and provides a unique concept. In Zero Ri$k, bank accounts have been hacked, but people have been given money � considering this is set at Christmas, it’s a brilliant premise and really makes you wonder what you would do in this situation�
Hayes� financial background really adds to the credibility of the story and it was never too intricate or complex for those of us who know very little about this industry. This is down to the writing style and the well-developed characters, many of whom have shady secrets, dubious dealings and questionable morals. The intrigue of the seven deadly sins element really provides an additional layer to the story, because readers will be trying to work out what the emails are hinting at, whilst also suspecting multiple characters.
I also liked that the author does not leave all reveals until the end of the book; as it is a slow burn, this is a wise decision to ensure people keep reading, because they want to know the why- as well as the whodunnit� The author also poses several questions about morality and sin, which will provoke discussion.
It is a little long for a thriller, which does affect the pace at times, but overall this is a gripping, financial thriller that really has you turning the pages and trying to work out the clues before the characters.
This book swept me up, destroyed me and then put me back together.
When I was 7, we learned about the titanic, and my teacher shared how her father waThis book swept me up, destroyed me and then put me back together.
When I was 7, we learned about the titanic, and my teacher shared how her father waved it off as a boy. Studying such a huge tragedy at such a young age was difficult, but it’s always been a fascination of mine.
Enter Maid of Steel.
What I loved about this, was that it wasn’t about the Titanic. Kate tells us a tragic love story that only involves the sinking at the very end, but this means that the tension is palpable throughout. We know someone will be on the ship, but we don’t know who or why. It’s a fantastic way to keep an audience engaged without reworking an existing story.
And oh the characters! I did care about them and couldn’t bear to think of any of them aboard the ship. Emma is fiercely independent, scarred and broken and yet she has a strong sense of justice and wants to make a difference. She was so admirable considering everything she’d been through. All the ladies who get involved with the cause are credible and represent the different demographics and beliefs of the time.
There are also little side plots that link all the characters� histories and I loved these extra layers of detail to help us understand everyone’s motivations.
Although the ship isn’t the main character, it could have had a little more airtime but I understand why the author did this, so we could focus on the aftermath, the decisions made by the characters and the consequences.
I loved it and am very excited for Kate’s next book which sounds brilliant. ...more
The best part about a series is that it often just keeps getting better and better. Although you have to accept that not everyone will make it out aliThe best part about a series is that it often just keeps getting better and better. Although you have to accept that not everyone will make it out alive.
Morgan is My Name was one of my top reads for 2022 and I’ve been eagerly anticipating Le Fay since then, desperate to see how Sophie will continue to tell this fantastic story in her own way.
It’s a non-stop magical journey, with plenty of peril, tragedy and anticipation. It’s always great to be reunited with beloved characters, and Sophie is a master storyteller that ensures each person we meet is well-defined, relatable and believable (yes even Merlin).
The romances in the book are subtle yet beautiful and everything feels so natural, ensuring a perfectly balanced story.
There are a few shocks and no doubt people will be devastated by some of the events. Yet they feel deserved and aren’t there for shock; they are necessary evils to move on the plot and enhance character development.
A beautiful, dramatic story that leaves you desperate for the next instalment. ...more
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