Review: Empire of the Vampire

Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

SO FN GOOD.

PROS
-Violence
-Carnage
-Mayhem
-Fun, unpredictable characters
-Interesting adventures
-Lots of rep and real world issues disguised by violent vampire adventure horror story
-Dior
-Colourful insults
-No f**ks given
-Illustrations are INSANE
-Sneaky low-key LOTR references I SEE YOU

CONS
-Jumps back and forth between timelines so my precious brain got confused
-Some predictable moments/characters

Honestly this was just so much fun and it is SO GOOD to meet bloodthirsty vampires again <3 Thank you for ripping out people's throats and drinking their blood and doing horribly monstrous things.

LOVED IT.

Minus .5 of a star because I did get a little confused jumping back and forth and also because some of it I saw coming but these are minor complaints that will quite possibly vanish into a 5-star rating after further consideration of how this book made me feel (devilishly entertained).

BELIEVE THE HYPE.

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Review: Mark of Fire

Mark of Fire by Richard Phillips
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I would probably have loved this if the narrator was better.

As it was, still a solid, enjoyable fantasy with some fun characters.

I enjoyed the magic system, even though I definitely zoned out through some important bits. Did I mention the narration is pretty terrible? Inflections in all the wrong places and she can make battle scenes sound like just another dull day. So I would kinda zone out and then hear something important and be like, 'wait, what?!' and then have to rewind. So that was frustrating. This story definitely deserved a more excited narrator.

I really liked the characters, and may even go back and just read the e-book so I can get to know them better. I really liked Ty and that lil band of three so I want to go back and properly appreciate their adventures.

The names put me off to start with because you've got all these cool, fantasy-esque names and then the main heroine is named Carol?! But then I discovered Carol is the author's wife's name and I can't argue with that. There's enough creativity elsewhere for me to overlook something as little as a name or two.

The villain seems like a straight up a-hole so he made things fun!

Honestly, I really did zone out for a fair bit of the story but it was way more entertaining than I expected it to be so I'll probably go back and re-read then continue on with the series.

Highly recommend for fantasy lovers, but FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DON'T LISTEN TO THE AUDIO.

Sorry to the narrator.

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Review: Kill Your Brother

Kill Your Brother by Jack Heath
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Another fast-paced thriller from Jack Heath!

I have to admit - the three stars is more me than this book. I've seemingly become a little jaded with reading about murder, assault, rape, etc. so it just doesn't quite hit the same for me any more.

So, that in mind, let me mention all the things that are great about this story.

First, there's the unique premise: Elise can go free from her captor, but only if she murders her (also captive) brother. If that's not an original hook, I haven't read as much crime as I thought! I found the sibling dynamic was quite fascinating, especially when their true colours started coming out.

The twists were aplenty, and while I did see a few coming there were still some that kept me guessing and had me surprised. This is a rather convoluted story with many seemingly disconnected characters that somehow weave together into the same narrative.

I found Stephanie to be a really interesting character, and would have loved to explore her story more thoroughly. I didn't particularly like Elise or Callum, so Stephanie actually attracted most of my sympathy.

This book travels at a fast pace which means you do have to put some things together for yourself. Sometimes I rather missed the lack of detail, and I do feel this story could have been fleshed out further by adding more meat to the characters.

As mentioned, I've become a bit jaded with crime, so for me it was the unique aspects of the story that kept me hooked. I got a bit tired reading about some of the details of the various crimes discussed in this story, and I think that's just because of how sad it makes me that these things are still happening for real all around the world.

An excellent crime novel and a brilliant follow up to the Hangman series that should leave fans satisfied.

Personally, however, I think it's time for me to disappear back into some fantasy.

With thanks to A&U for an uncorrected proof ARC

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Review: Midnight in the Snow

Midnight in the Snow by Karen Swan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A cute lil holiday story which is utterly predictable but no less cute for it.

The story is about doco filmmaker Clover as she sets up in the enemy camp to get the real story on Kit Foley - the nemesis of the hero she featured in her most recent film. But Kit doesn't want her and her crew in his fancy Chalet, so be prepared for some chilly winter nights as they reluctantly get to know each other.

Now, obviously with this being romance they're destined to fall in love, but damn do they make things difficult! This is an excellent enemies-to-lovers story with a lot of anger and hatred. Clover is incredibly biased and naturally jumps to all the wrong conclusions which can be frustrating, but I still found it gelled well with the story. The hate between these two is deliciously strong.

I did really enjoy getting to know these characters. There's a big predictability factor and you'll have met many of these characters before in various forms, but I did really enjoy the way they shaped this story.

The sport side of things did not interest me a bit, so the fact that I held on to it all through this story and was still entertained speaks volumes about the character relationships. The dynamics were really interesting and, even though I could pretty much guess where everyone was going to end up, I enjoyed the way it played out.

So yes. Predictable, but good. This is a character-driven story and a fun enemies-to-lovers romance.

This opinion is brought to you by someone notorious for disliking romance, so be prepared to add a star or two if you're into this sappy stuff. :)

With thanks to Macmillan for an ARC to read and review

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Review: Winterset Hollow

Winterset Hollow by Jonathan Edward Durham
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Boy did I end up loving this twisted lil psychotic animal story!

I'll be thinking about this one for a while.

The plot sees three friends travelling to Addington Isle - once home to the great Edward Addington, author of Winterset Hollow. The book is a favourite of Eamon and Caroline (Caroline's boyfriend, Mark, is mostly just along for the ride) who love this innocent story of animals preparing for their annual Barley Day feast. However, upon arriving at the island, the gang discover more about their favourite book than they ever wanted to know.

At first, I felt the story was a little slow but I kept reading because the writing really drew me in. The language of this book is exquisite and I really enjoyed the sensation of playing these sentences over my mental tongue. Absolutely adored the writing and, even though I'm not one for poetry and tend to skip it in novels, I was even drawn in to the verses of Winterset Hollow scattered throughout.

As the gang arrives on the island and begins to explore, I was anxiously waiting for something to happen. Yet when it did, I was wondering if I'd confused the genre. We meet a host of characters seemingly out of a children's fairy tale and I honestly had no idea where it was going so I was a bit befuddled.

When the action picked up, however, this book grabbed hold and refused to let me go. I was completely at its mercy as I rampaged through 200 pages of carnage and mayhem and just the weirdest, most entertaining horror I've read in a long time. Something about this story really excited my inner child while slaking the bloodlust I get when I read horror. It just hit the spot.

These characters truly fascinated me, and I simply adored them. Even though most of them have a few screws loose, I just loved the way they were written. There was a depth to these characters that I wasn't expecting, and it had me hanging off every word of this story.

Some of the saves were a little too convenient, but I still found myself completely immersed in what was happening so it never really bothered me. I was just reading something so unique that some of the familiar tropes never really landed as overdone. This book was totally refreshing.

This is a truly unique work of horror, so if you're looking for something a little different in the genre, I highly recommend it. It took me all kinds of strange directions and I ended up committing so much of myself to this story. It was an absolute delight to read.

Many thanks to the author for a copy to read and review.

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Review: Flip-Flops and Murder

Flip-Flops and Murder by H.Y. Hanna
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

My first experience with cosy mystery wasn't a total flop! :D

The story follows Ellie as she travels from her home in London to a fancy resort in Florida for a holiday she's been invited on by her aunt. Only, her aunt is nowhere to be found and then a dead body turns up. What a holiday!

I listened to this on audible, and it allowed me to follow the story without being so hyper-focused on all the clues that I was solving as I went. I enjoyed kind of just relaxing back into the chill vibe of the story. The narrator had this perfect 'sweet lil old lady' vibe going that suited the story perfectly. *chef's kiss*

Ellie is so friggin wholesome but at the same time she really does stick her nose into everything! Like, one minute she's becoming BFFs with EVERYONE SHE SPEAKS TO, but then the body turns up and she spends the rest of the book running around accusing everyone of nefarious deeds to their faces XD I found it hilarious actually. How these people still liked her is the real mystery here.

There's also a parrot, and a cat, so if you're into mischievous animals you'll appreciate them.

I was never hugely invested in the characters or the story, but all the same it was just really easy listening. I think I'd have been bored if I'd read it, but listening made it a lot easier to enjoy.

Doubtful I'll continue the series, but I did enjoy my first taste of cosy mystery.

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Review: The Girl in the Tree

The Girl in the Tree by Şebnem İşigüzel
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book was so dull I literally fell asleep listening to it.

Plot: ... oh, wait. I don't think there is one. It's basically just a girl in a tree rambling about her family for a ridiculously long time.

I opted for the audio on this one and honestly I don't think it really made a difference- I zoned out instead of having to just skim a whole lot. I'm not joking about falling asleep - I must have dozed through at least 20min of this book and still didn't feel like I'd missed anything.

The problem is that it's just a billion or so anecdotes from this girl's life featuring her two best friends, her mother, grandmother, aunts, etc. and all the details of their tiresome lives. Only it's not told in any logical kind of order - it's just the girl talking about whatever random thought she has next. A large part of the story focuses on how this one time a teacher told her she was a terrible writer and honestly I couldn't help but agree with the teacher. Maybe that's why this book was written so terribly? To lend it authenticity? Intentional or not, it did not work for me at all.

It flits between a bunch of random times in the past as well as the present where she's up a tree and flirting with this dude who works nearby. Their relationship is obviously important to the story but I just did not care one bit.

And that right there pretty much sums up my entire feelings about this book: I DID NOT CARE.

There are some dark themes about political unrest and defining freedom and all manner of violence and abuse, but they just could not hook me. I feel like the meat of a good story is here but the narrator ruins it by never letting you sit in those moments and feel anything. She just jumps straight back into that one time a teacher told her she was a terrible writer.

The bonus star is for the potential, and a ray of hope for people who have more patience than me. But for me it was mind-numbingly boring from start to finish.

If you're not hooked on the style after the first 50 pages, you may not want to bother. It honestly doesn't get much more dynamic, and there's no real chronology to it so if you're not interested straight away you're unlikely to become interested later.

I hope others get more out of it than I did, though.

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Review: Lakesedge

Lakesedge by Lyndall Clipstone
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Eugh, this ended up being so disappointing.

The blurb promises darkness, monsters, gods. What we get is pieces of other people's stories woven together by a really thin premise: a 'corruption' is taking over and only Leta has the power to save the world.

*eyeroll*

So here we have: Beauty and the Beast and The Secret Garden, with a little bit of SJM's A Court of Thorns and Roses thrown in for good measure. Leta is forced to stay at this horrible mansion with all of its luxuries under the watchful glare of its mysterious, monstrous lord. Rowan is of course the brooding, misunderstood monster who really just needs love to cure all of his ails.

Everything about this book frustrated me.

I think we're supposed to be impressed by how fearless and headstrong Violeta is but honestly she annoyed me so much. She keeps doing stupid things because she selfishly believes she's the only one capable of doing anything, and she totally smothers her brother under the pretext of 'protecting' him. She argues about everything and yet somehow everyone is impressed by her? (view spoiler)[For example, everyone was so surprised and impressed she gave up her magic to save her brother? But I'm just like, of course she did?? Since when could magic ever be more important than your brother's life?! (hide spoiler)]

Rowan also did nothing for me because he's your typical control freak who likes to just yell at people to not do things but never actually explain anything, all while awkwardly hitting on Leta then pushing her away in an endless cycle.

The story is so ridiculously repetitive and pointless. Basically, there's a 'corruption' that the gang needs to fix. But it's just constantly the same thing: corruption is bad -> ritual to combat corruption -> ritual goes wrong -> corruption is still bad -> ritual -> goes wrong -> REPEAT ENDLESSLY.

PLUS the bonus of: I really like him -> but he's a monster -> but he's just misunderstood - but he'd never want me -> so I'm totally not into him -> but I like him a lot -> but he's a monster -> not really though -> ETC FOR ETERNITY.

Kill me now.

This whole thing was pointless and painful and repetitive and didn't deliver any of the darkness I was hoping for.

I'm so bummed.

If you're into that whole, 'mysterious brooding monster man falls for Perfectly Ordinary yet Feisty Female' trope you're gonna love this trash. Personally, I felt like so much of this story was just done better elsewhere.

Definitely won't be reading the inevitable sequel.

With thanks and apologies to Macmillan for sending me a copy

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Review: The Final Girl Support Group

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars from me.

I didn't like these ladies quite as much as the Vampire Hunter Book Club ladies, but they still provided some fun times. Less creepy, more violent. Happy days for the Final Girls!

The story revels in 90s slasher film references and introduces a group of 'final girls' - the girls who conquered the murderer at the end of their relevant killing spree and came out on top. Only now someone is after them again, all at once, and they'll have to use everything they learnt from their past experiences to stay alive.

There are many familiar stories here, so if you're a fan of horror films like Scream, Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, etc. then you will likely have a lot of fun matching familiar characters to their real-world fictional counterparts. Still, even without picking up all the references this is still an enjoyable, chaotic story.

I really enjoyed Lynette's character, not because I liked her - actually, I despised her a fair bit for being so cowardly - but because of how real her behaviour seemed. Hendrix gives full respect to trauma in that he delves into how it might change a person. Lynette is paranoid and constantly terrified, and it means her behaviour is completely understandable, even if she's not the hero you'd prefer her to be. Honestly, she's kind of pathetic.

The other characters are fun, which means its a little sad they're not fleshed out as much as I'd have liked. You still grow to understand their characters, but there were too many of them with too little screen time to get a proper idea of who they were and what drove them until the story was almost over. I also couldn't work out their ages? I got the impression right at the start that they were older, but they seem to act pretty spry still so I have no idea what age group these people were in.

The action came hard and fast and had plenty of variety with a good dose of mayhem. It was unpredictable so I was swept up in it and never really had an idea of who was behind it all. I guess I was too busy keeping up to look for clues, which made it more enjoyable for me.

The plot wasn't quite as solid as I would have liked, though it was still clear and easy to follow. I enjoyed how all of the characters had their own stories, but even though I knew they were based on films from our world, I wanted to know more about these girls and their stories. It felt like there was so much focus on Lynette and her experiences that everyone else kind of got skimmed over. It wasn't a deal-breaker, but it left me pretty curious and unsatisfied.

That being said, it was a highly addictive read from start to finish so overall it won me over.

Not quite the same calibre as The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires but definitely still an enjoyable read with plenty of chaos and mayhem to keep you on the edge of your seat.

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Review: The Cat Who Saved Books

The Cat Who Saved Books by Sōsuke Natsukawa
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Still not a cat person.

The story is about Rintaro Natsuki, who has just lost his grandfather. He's a bit of an outcast because of his hermit ways, so once his grandfather passes he decides to skip school (no one will miss him) and instead seeks refuge at Natsuki Books - his grandfather's secondhand bookstore. It's a solid plan until a talking cat shows up and asks Natsuki to help him rescue some books.

From the get-go, this cat is kind of a jerk. I think there might be some translation issues, too, because it's a cute, sweet story but then things sometimes get a bit more heated than you'd expect. I think that's probably because there's a lack of English words to match the Japanese words used. Still, there's no question that this cat is a jerk in Japanese, too. He just shows up, whisks the poor kid away and says, 'goodluck, coz if you fail you'll never get home again.' Then the kid has to do all this smooth talking about how amazing books are.

Now here's one thing I did really enjoy: the books. The love for books. Natsuki is a hardcore booklover, so he speaks enthusiastically about how books can be enjoyed slow or fast, how books teach us things, and transport us, and how even though less people are reading, books have no lesser value for it. I mean, he did get pretty preachy at times (apparently it's good to hate books because it means they're teaching you something - I strongly disagree) but overall he's just a giant book nerd like the rest of us and that's something I can get behind.

For a short book, it does kind of harp on for a long time, but I think kids will get a lot out of this one. It's a really cute story about friendship, empathy, identity, and books. Featuring a cat. Who is a jerk.

It won't be deep enough for some, but this is a warm pick-me-up for people looking for something a little more fuzzy. It has some interesting ideas about books but ultimately it's about showing compassion to others and treating people (and books!) with respect. Can't complain about that message at all.

With thanks to Macmillan for a copy

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Review: The One Impossible Labyrinth

The One Impossible Labyrinth by Matthew Reilly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh man. It's really over.

What a fkn EPIC finale!

Loved every second.

***

Happy Release Day!

Finally I can share my thoughts!

Honestly, this is exactly the book I wanted and then MORE. I don't think any fan that has come this far could possibly be disappointed.

Heart-stopping moments. Tense battles. Epic puzzles. Dramatic deaths. All brought together by that insane, way-over-the-top action that we know and love as the signature of Matthew Reilly.

All of our favourites are here, battling it out once again to save humanity.

But even with the fast pace of the story, the themes of the entire series still make themselves known, and through Jack and his team we once again pause to appreciate the importance of family, friends, and loved ones in all forms. Love, loyalty, honour ... it's all here, and that's the heart of this series. That's certainly the hook I was reeled in on.

That being said, don't think the action stops for even a second!

I felt this to be an incredibly satisfying conclusion to a series I've loved from start to finish. It delivered exactly the kick I hoped for, and it tied everything up so neatly which I feel was the ending the series deserved.

Many thanks to Macmillan for an early copy

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Review: She is Haunted

She is Haunted by Paige Clark
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

So I finished this and I'm pretty sure I didn't understand any of it but I still kinda liked it? *shrugs*

Some of the stories are straight up bizarre and seem to be pointless, but others had me really sucked in and feeling real things. Pretty much all of them end awkwardly, though, so be prepared to work out all the meanings yourself.

I liked that some were long while others were nice and short. There was almost a dystopian element to some of the tales, but overall it had a very contemporary feel. The stories are about people and relationships, rather than any logical kind of action, so I think once you get used to that it's easier to appreciate.

Still, I do really loathe that 'literary fiction' usually means 'totally vague and nonsensical'.

I definitely liked some stories more than others, and some had me really scratching my head wondering what the heck I was supposed to take from it, but in the end I somehow managed to enjoy the randomness of it all.

It won't be for everyone, but for those who think themselves clever for untangling symbolism and hidden meanings, this will be a treat.

With thanks to A&U for a copy.

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Review: She Who Became the Sun

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Tragically underwhelming for a story with so much backstabbing and a side of ghosts.

The plot: Zhu is destined for Nothing, but refuses to believe this and instead takes her brother's fate of Greatness as her own. This involves pretending to be a boy and infiltrating an army. YES, it sounds like Mulan, but this is definitely not the family-friendly Disney flick we all know and love, folks.

I enjoyed Zhu's character growth, and how she was so manipulative from the very start. She suffers plenty so you do feel quite pleased when things finally start going her way, but towards the end there is a lot of arrogance which may rub the wrong way if you haven't come to love the character. I did enjoy that she always seemed pretty easy-going on the surface, and I enjoyed her joking around with people.

Ouyang was a fantastic, loathsome character. He's so easy to hate, but there's still an element of sympathy there, too. Mostly I just liked that he was kind of an evil d*ck.

The gay stuff was weird but okay whatever.

The ghosts were more weird and honestly I feel like they were just a bit pointless? They could have just been metaphoric, rather than making them literal and calling this fantasy. It really bothers me that this book was sold to me as fantasy. Aside from ghosts occasionally being present and a bit of fire here and there, this is not fantasy. What a disappointment. And the ghosts were just so wasted. They mostly just hover in the background and they never really do anything.

Then it's all padded out with these boring war moves and talk of politics and there's just too much of it weighing the story down. You get these really awesome backstabbing moments and scandals and then you have to wade through another boring battle and it just slows the momentum of the story. I just was never hooked enough to want to pick it back up.

So I guess it had some really fun moments and the characters were great but the story overall was just a bit slow and bland for my tastes. Ultimately it was disappointing, considering how much attention its been getting. Not for me, I'm afraid.

With thanks to Macmillan for a copy.

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Review: The Woods Are Always Watching

The Woods Are Always Watching by Stephanie Perkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GODDAMN THIS WAS GOOD!

Sign me up for everything this woman writes from here on out.

Two girls are going hiking. Unfortunately for these best friends, their inexperience and a few nasty secrets the woods are hiding are going to make for a bad time.

Straight away, you can feel the tension seeping in. The girls are BFFs but everyone knows misery loves company so their positive attitudes are soon transformed by pain, heat, exhaustion ... you name it. These two girls are not enjoying their first experience of hiking.

The beauty of this story is in how it takes this ordinary hiking adventure and makes it ominous. You really do get the sense that something is out there but you want to brush it off as irrational. The tension builds slow and steady until everything goes horrifically wrong and the terror latches on and refuses to let go.

The relationship between the two girls is quite fun, because you get the best friends whose friendship is tested by hardship. They're having a really tough time so its not long before they start snapping at each other and you begin to wonder if their friendship will survive the trip.

It's hard to talk too much about this one without giving things away, but safe to say I was hooked from start to finish. I was sucked into the atmosphere of this one, and it reads like a horror movie so I was easily able to see it all play out in my mind.

I'm pretty stingy with my 5-star ratings and the only thing that prevents this one getting it is the re-read-ability factor: so much of my enjoyment of this one was in the tension and not knowing what was going to happen, so I'm not sure it would hold up for a re-read. However it was a LOT of fun, so I'm gonna go ahead and call this one 4.5 stars.

Highly recommend for people wanting a short dabble in the horror genre. It's a simple, tense story filled with memorable moments that will leave you shuddering.

With thanks to Macmillan for a copy

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Review: Sistersong

Sistersong by Lucy Holland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Daaaamn, things got real weird for a hot minute there. I LIKE.

Three sisters: Keyne, who would prefer to have been born a son; Riva, scarred and self-conscious after a fire many years ago; and Sinne, the young, precocious child who dreams of love and adventure. There's also a magician, a priest and a handsome stranger, so these girls are in for some interesting times.

I loved the relationship between the sisters, because there's a really strong bond there with lots of surface bickering. Mori and Myrdhin were a lot of fun, too, though a little bit cliche - the wise wizard who acts as a mentor for the girls, speaks in riddles and only interferes when necessary; the witch who lives in the woods and makes magic with herbs and potions.

The story is a little slow to unravel, though I was never bored - the characters were great to learn about, and the magic system was a curious thing. It was a long, sprawling story, but I never felt the pace - particularly as things get rather bizarre towards the end and the action comes hard and fast so it compensates for the length.

There were some rather frustrating moments that made things easily predictable, but all in all it was a story I followed without too many complaints. I was swept up in the Dwarf King story, too, which was a beautiful moment.

An easy read with plenty of action, diverse characters and some unpredictable moments. I found it rather addictive and definitely recommend it for those interested in YA, twisted fairytales and/or historical fiction with a touch of magic sprinkled in.

With thanks to Macmillan for an ARC

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Review: Hard Rain

Hard Rain by Irma Venter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I finally had a good audio book experience! :D

The novel is told alternately in chunks by Alex and Rana - journalist and photo journalist, respectively - and sees their love story go awry when a body washes up and Rana is the number one suspect.

I actually really enjoyed the narration of this one, and I suspect it made me appreciate the story more. Even though both Alex and Rana seem like horrible people, I found the narration allowed me to become invested in their story while remaining detached from them as characters. I could just appreciate their story unfolding without getting too worked up about them being terrible people. Plus, they were just really pleasant voices to listen to. They told the story really well.

I really enjoyed how things built up around Rana - there was definitely something suss going on but it was hard to pinpoint what that was. I really enjoyed mulling over the mystery without lingering too much on trying to solve it.

Towards the end it did begin to feel a little drawn out, and it makes me super curious about this being a series. I do feel there was enough here that it could have been a standalone, but I'm also intrigued enough by these characters - and particularly Rana's past - to continue onto another adventure with them.

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Review: The Fear Index

The Fear Index by Robert Harris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Who knew that this random thriller about finances and computers was exactly what I needed?

Here's the plot: Eccentric billionaire, Alex Hoffman, is less into making ridiculous amounts of money and more into developing the tech behind it. But when an intruder breaks into his mega-secure mansion he begins to realise someone is out to get him.

This is one of those clever books that works partially because you really don't know if Alex is entirely sane or not. He does some strange things and behaves oddly often, so when people around him begin to question if this paranoia is all just in his head, we as the reader do too.

I know absolutely nothing about the stock market or hedge funds or computers, but I never felt completely in the dark. Sure, a lot of the numbers meant nothing to me, but its all explained quite well so that the tension is still there, and still taut. The human factor keeps things dynamic; we've got Hoffman's partner, Quarry, who is definitely in it for the money; Hoffman's wife, the artist; an almost-retired cop who is far more interested in investigating Alex than finding the guy who broke into his house. Plus a host of others who have their own intriguing motivations amongst all the drama. So there was always something to get swept up in, and I actually really enjoyed the balance of all these things coming together.

There is plenty of mystery around who it is that may be setting Alex up, and I had some interesting guesses along the way without ever really figuring out what was going on. This is a fast-paced thriller that keeps the action moving too fast for you to really draw your own conclusions.

I also really loved all the Darwinian talk and how it was being related back to artificial intelligence. I was not expecting this book to delve into AI as much as it did, but found I was pleasantly surprised by that aspect.

All in all, this was a quick one to get through. It keeps the pace fast and there are plenty of vastly different yet complementary elements to the story that will easily keep you entertained. There are probably a few technological plot holes, but I'm definitely not smart enough to find them. It wasn't an unforgettable, brilliant piece of literature by any means, but it sure as heck kept me thoroughly hooked for the day it took to read it.

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Review: A Song of Flight

A Song of Flight by Juliet Marillier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A very satisfying conclusion!

WARNING: This review will contain spoilers for the previous two books in the series.

Here we go: A prince has gone missing after an attack from strange masked men and the dreaded Crow Folk, and the Swan Island warriors are tasked to investigate. Liobhan's brother, Galen, is involved, so for her it's personal. However her new relationship with Dau means they're being forced to split up for this one. Meanwhile Brocc, in the Otherworld, seeks a truce with the brutal Crow Folk that not everyone thinks is a good idea.

Honestly, this is such a PG series. It's all music and singing and dancing and frolicking about with people and beings that are just misunderstood. But in spite of all that, the lore really fascinates me. I love the Otherworld with all its strange, adorable creatures. I love the deadly, mysterious Crow Folk. I love the portals and forests and strange legends. There is so much detail and yes, it does slow down the story a tad, but it never feels like you're getting bogged down in it. I am all about action but I still never found it dull - there is just so much richness to the story.

I like that the kids are split up. Not that they're really kids - this is definitely an adult fantasy, with adult themes as opposed to YA insta-love with its magical sparks and stroking each other randomly. This shows the depths of true love quite well in the separation of Dau and Liobhan. Their feelings are profound, but they have jobs to do that come first. I really appreciated that. It was nice to see them playing to their own strengths without needing to depend on one another. Then of course we have Brocc, who is the most wholesome character I've encountered in a long time. Not a single bad bone in this guy's body - even when things are going really terribly for him. It was nice to see him challenged a bit.

The story has a lot of ground to cover but it does this well without seeming too long a tale. The variety of viewpoints helps keep things interesting, and with the constantly changing surroundings there's always something new to experience. The benefit of the author's love for detail is that you get a clear mental picture of these beautiful, magical lands with their dense forests, sparkling lakes and rocky terrain. I'd love to go exploring in a place like this!

This is the last book of the trilogy and it brings everything together really nicely. It wraps everything up neatly, but it still leaves a door to this world open.

All in all, this trilogy ended up winning my heart. This is a brilliant final instalment, and readers should be just as satisfied as I was with the way it all concludes.

With thanks to Macmillan for a copy

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Review: The Airways

The Airways by Jennifer Mills
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is a story about a ghost seeking revenge.

You would think it would be a fantastic horror story but the real horror is the pain of reading this book.

'Minds are illegible; they read the body. Wet cold prickles under the back, the shirt too thin. Bacteria hitches a ride in the air, clings to a hair in the nostril. They move, are moved, into these discomforts, go where there are openings. (Do they open things?) The body coughs, its whole length poised and racking. The eyes leave the stars and return; the body sits up, relaxes. The joint held aloft. They are in the fingers where the burn will meet the skin. In sweet smoke.'

If you appreciate that kind of writing, congratulations. You did what I could not. Have fun with this book which is full of passsages like this. You will love it.

When did 'brilliant literature' become synonymous with 'convoluted writing that goes out of its way to say everything except what it actually needs to say'? It all seems so pretentious to me. Just tell the freaking story please.

I LOVE ghost stories. THIS STORY IS ABOUT A VENGEFUL GHOST POSSESSING PEOPLE ON ITS WAY TO FIND THE MAN RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS DEMISE. It talks about themes like consent and identity and works its way into the mind of a man who thinks he's good but is actually a scumbag and it is actually full of really fascinating ideas. There was so much here to unpack and it could have been a really brilliant, entertaining story.

But, NO.

It decides instead to tell its fantastic story through long, convoluted passages and choppy imagery that remind me of all those times I filled my essays with pointless crap just to make the word count.

Also, I appreciate the importance pronouns have in helping us defining ourselves but unfortunately in the context of this book, all of the 'they' references just made an already-complicated writing style even harder to untangle. I was so lost.

This one was just not for me, folks.

I give full props to the story - the alternating chapters give us Adam's story and 'Their' story, but unfortunately They and Adam both do really, really boring things with their time so if you're not someone who enjoys books that just languish over describing boring things in a twisted manner then you will likely find yourself as frustrated as I was.

If you enjoy unravelling long, confusing passages to tease out what they're trying to say, you'll be all over this. This is for the language lovers; the people who are happy to forfeit action for pretty words. There are some really interesting themes and plenty of symbolism but if you're after a meaty story that really delves into these things you will be disappointed.

Honestly I was so excited to read this story and that just makes it all the more disappointing for me.

I hope others will appreciate it more than I did.

With thanks to Macmillan for a copy.

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Review: The Vine Witch

The Vine Witch by Luanne G. Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Bonus star for the audio!

This was a really fun story to listen to! The audio really made it for me; it was done brilliantly.

The story follows Elena, a Vine Witch who returns home after being cursed for seven years. The home she returns to used to be famous for it's amazing wine but without its trusty Vine Witch keeping things in tip top shape, the place has fallen on hard times and the new owner, Jean-Paul - a man of science - is struggling to make any kind of decent wine. Probably something to do with all the hexes he knows nothing about. Hmm.

So straight away we have quite a few interesting things - the mystery of Elena's curse (who? why?), the magic (what is a Vine Witch? What can they do? Are there other kinds of witches?), and the fun magic vs science argument (surely the answer is always BOTH).

I was really intrigued and appreciated Elena's spirit from the get-go. She's smart enough to break her own curse (no Prince Charming here) and then she has a fiery spirit that immediately lusts for revenge (it's always fun when they aren't perfectly wholesome). But she also loves what she does and has a true dedication to the art of magic and the wine-making process. She was really fun to follow because she makes some interesting choices and isn't afraid to get her hands dirty here and there.

Jean-Paul was an eh character but I really loved the science angle he brought with him. I liked that, in this world of magic and superstition, he just absolutely refuses to get caught up in it. He's a bit of an idiot about it, of course, and listens a lot more eagerly when a pretty girl is involved, but I liked the contrast of his science-loving nature against all the magic.

There's also so much French which a) warmed my Francophile heart and b) made me extra thankful for the audio. Hearing the terms out loud really enhanced the experience and the whole thing felt a lot more authentic for it. I also loved all the different accents and each character was so easy to distinguish. Honestly, the audio made this story come alive.

The magic was a lot of fun with traditional witchy things like potions, hexes and spells, but there's also a bit of randomness thrown in and there really is no limit. I would have loved to learn more about the secret society governing all these witches and the laws etc, but there are two more books in the series I believe so maybe it'll be expanded upon later.

This was just such an enjoyable read, and I'm really glad I went the audio route because I feel like maybe the story was a little thin and confusing in places but I didn't really care because I was enjoying the audio performance so much. The story itself is still quite fascinating, with lots of different elements to keep it interesting, but the romance feels a bit out of place though not unexpected.

I do recommend it to people who love to dabble in fantasy with a side of realism, and highly recommend the audio. It's a fun way to pass the time, and I'll definitely be looking into the next book in the series.

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Review: Ninth House

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Um.

LOVED IT.

✓ Magic
✓ Murder
✓ Mayhem
✓ Monsters
✓ Mystery

Plus it's just dark and twisted and gory and Alex is such a badass anti-heroine who isn't afraid to cause a little drama. Fun times!

I know a few people have said it was a slow, confusing beginning but, personally, I loved the way it all unravelled slowly and intricately. I found it to be rather clever storytelling that kept me engrossed and dying to know more, without the feeling of floundering. Plus, there was still plenty happening, and more characters being introduced. There was a lot going on, but it never felt too disjointed - it all seemed related. I am not surprised Alex was not doing too well at school though because she did not seem to go to a lot of classes throughout the duration of this story.

The content was unique and intricate, and I loved the idea of these secret societies living amongst everyone else, going about ordinary business most of the time and just occasionally doing nasty things to support their bad magic habits. Very dark, very mysterious.

Alex has some serious issues and I really enjoyed that aspect of the story - too often are our fantasy protagonists the good-doers and the perfect ones; the people who may have found themselves in tough situations but always did the right thing because they have a heart of gold. Alex's heart is definitely tarnished. She is not afraid to do bad things if she has to, and she will not feel guilty. She's made a mess of things in the past and she's probably going to make more of a mess here. But she's still trying to live up to the second chance she's been given, so there's still a ray of hope there.

The characters are a lot of fun, and there's plenty of them so you're unlikely to get bored. There's plenty happening - ghosts and monsters, rituals, murder, enchantments ... lots of fun stuff to keep you entertained and let those pages just fly by.

Honestly, I just really enjoyed how dark and twisted this was, after the lightness of the Grishaverse.

Definitely an addictive novel once I got stuck into it, and I'm keen to see where the next one takes us! Highly recommend for people looking for a darker, more grim sort of fantasy. YES PLEASE.

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Review: Loving Lizzie March

Loving Lizzie March by Susannah Hardy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lizzie March: An idiot, but an ultimately loveable idiot.

Honestly, what a trainwreck this girl is! I thought I would hate her and loathe her ridiculous, over-the-top behaviour, but somehow she managed to win me over.

Here's the lowdown: Lizzie is searching for The One, and after a one night stand with her colleague, Jake, she's pretty convinced she's found him. Then she gets the news that she's carrying his baby, and now all that's left to do is convince him of the same and they can have their Happily Ever After.

Obviously, Lizzie is slightly deluded.

I think the crazy behaviour didn't offend me as much as I expected it to because the motivations are clear, and they're very pure-hearted. Don't we all just want to be loved, and love in return? She knows what she wants and she's not afraid to go after it. Plus, she's got her bestie, Clem, saying all the things we wish we could say.

I really enjoyed how the story unravelled. It wasn't too predictable, and it went on a lovely winding journey that truly allowed Lizzie's character to grow. There were some fabulous side characters (I'm looking at you, Cherie) and Jake is such a mysterious character that you can't really tell where this whole thing with him is gonna go.

Lizzie takes everything in her stride, and even though she makes some dumb mistakes she still manages to make some power moves and you know that this is not a girl to be messed with. I started exasperated but I really did learn to love her very quickly and enjoyed her story immensely.

There are some deeper themes to this light-hearted romcom, so do be a little wary if you have triggers surrounding pregnancy/parenthood, but otherwise I do feel this a lovely, warm, quirky story that many will enjoy.

With thanks to Macmillan for an ARC

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Review: Ghostland

Ghostland by Duncan Ralston
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

4 star story but the narration was TRASH.

I decided to go the audiobook route with this one as I picked up the kindle edition as a freebie a while back and wanted something fun to listen to while at work during our most recent lockdown. I tend to miss bits and pieces with audiobooks and this narration did not help at all. Dude had such a dull voice and all the characters sounded the same.

Aside from that, though, I did rather enjoy the story. There was carnage and mayhem, and ghosts, and some unique and interesting ideas. I think it would have been much more intense if I'd read it, but listening to it in a dark store, working on my own in a deserted shopping centre, it was still sufficiently creepy.

Didn't feel particularly invested in any of the characters, but I suspect I would have appreciated Lillian more if, again, I was reading as opposed to listening. She seemed to have a lot of spunk, but being voiced by a dull adult male didn't really help her case.

Overall, it was a fun story, if a little long. Don't know that I enjoyed it enough to continue with the series, but it was a fun way to pass the time while doing monotonous tasks.


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Review: The Guilt Trip

The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Highly addictive and super twisted. Painful how deceitful these characters are, really!

The 'body' the blurb mentions is a bit slow to drop, though.

The setup: A group of five friends is about to become six, as they all travel to Portugal for Will and Ali's wedding. Ali seems perfectly nice - if a bit of a drama queen - but as their weekend away progresses, secrets and lies begin to whirl around leading to all kinds of drama.

The blurb definitely talks it up like we're gonna have a murder on our hands soon, but this is more about not really knowing who is hiding what, who's lying, who's right and wrong, etc. Rachel is our main focus point of the group and because she has her own secrets, she sees lies at every turn, which makes this kind of stressful. She jumps to all kinds of conclusions and it frustrated me so much but at the same time, I was so addicted to the drama.

Things naturally escalate, and waiting for the body the blurb promised causes some extra tension which was actually quite enjoyable. So often I'm disappointed by the ending of crime/suspense novels but this one just kept dropping so many surprises it was impossible to keep up.

The writing did seem a little harsh at times, with reveals coming so suddenly I had to re-read the sentence just to double check it meant what I thought it meant. It skimped on flow in favour of shock value, which didn't quite work for me.

The characters are all pretty average and I'm not sure that I'd really want any of them as friends, to be honest. But their drama kept this story rather interesting and I found it hard to put down.

An addictive, suspenseful novel that will keep you guessing. Highly recommend.

With thanks to Macmillan for a copy.

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Review: The Kindness Revolution: How we can restore hope, rebuild trust and inspire optimism

The Kindness Revolution: How we can restore hope, rebuild trust and inspire optimism by Hugh Mackay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

To me, reading this book felt like having a long, one-sided dinner party conversation with a fascinating older man who just wants the world to be a kinder place.

He's a bit of a rambler with a love of similes and examples, but he's got some serious wisdom which he communicates intelligently and passionately, and it's hard not to become infected by his genuine desire for all humans to share kindness.

He will look you in the eye with a gleam that says he knows about that one time you snapped when you shouldn't have, or when you ignored that little old lady who might have needed help, or how you're actually kind of a d*ck to everyone around you, and he will tell you that it is never too late to choose kindness. And the warmth of his gaze will show you that, yes, you DO have the potential to be kinder. You WILL be kinder.

This is not a book that tells you you must be a saint. That you must be good and kind 24/7. It's just asking you to try. To think before you speak, to consider other people's situations, to be more generous and forgiving rather than jumping to conclusions or holding onto anger. If you slip up, try again next time. Continue to strive for kindness, and eventually the effects will be felt, and they will cause a little ripple that spreads kindness a little further.

It's written well, it conveys its point strongly, and it will leave you with the desire to give this kindness thing a try.

I'd definitely sit next to this guy at a dinner party.

With thanks to A&U for an ARC

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Review: The Concise Laws of Human Nature

The Concise Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Honestly loved reading this book all about manipulating people. Not what I expected at all!

There was so much in this book that I found myself nodding along to, but there was more that was quite enlightening. I thought it would be motivational and inspiring but it's also actually kind of ... ruthless.

It talks about things that affect the way we react, and why we as humans behave in certain ways, but then it tells you how to manipulate people that behave in these certain ways. It shocked me a little but I enjoyed it so much more thoroughly. Because you will easily recognise toxic people from these descriptions, and it tells you how to handle these people so that they don't infect your life. It also tells you how to adjust your own behaviours and things to watch out for in yourself so that you're not toxic yourself.

It's actually a bit tricky to review! It's quite an honest sort of book, and it wants you to be the best version of yourself you can be, but it's not above calling people out on their bs and telling you to stay away from people who will never change.

I had a lot of fun reading it and pulled so many valuable lessons and quotes from it. I really do highly recommend it if you want to become a master of understanding people.

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Review: Jurassic Florida

Jurassic Florida by Hunter Shea
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I went into this expecting low quality, high quantity carnage, and really couldn't complain at all.

Polo Springs, Florida, has a lizard problem. Naturally, there's a massive storm on the way to complicate the problem. Who will make it through alive?!

Man, was this FUN. I love lizards. I love mayhem. I love crazy animal rampages. I don't really like people. So I guess this just ticked all the boxes!

There are a variety of characters grouped into different viewpoints, meaning there are plenty of options for lizard chow. There was enough to the characters for me to get a feel for them, but I was happy to never get too attached to them, either. Yes, it's possible I have some latent psychopathic tendencies. *shrugs*

The writing was clearer and far more descriptive and indulgent than I was expecting from this short little rampage, which was an added bonus. This is a talented writer having a lot of fun, and there is still a coherent story to latch onto. I really enjoyed the writing more than I expected to, so I'll definitely read more from this author.

Overall, it was just a fun crazy romp. There were some parts where it was almost too fast for me to catch what was happening, and it did end rather abruptly, but I still had a lot of fun reading it.

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Review: Shelter for the Damned

Shelter for the Damned by Mike Thorn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

DNF @ 62%

I'm finally deciding to part ways with this book.

I really wanted to get through it, as I received a copy from the author in exchange for a review.

However it's just really dragging for me and becoming such a chore to read so I'm finishing up just past the halfway mark.

The story follows delinquent Mark, who is always getting into trouble. He's a troubled boy, so when he finds a shack in the middle of nowhere that seems to call to him, he finds it hard to stay away. But evil is at work, here, and things are not going to end well for Mark and his friends ...

It's actually not a bad story. The writing is pretty decent and invocative and the characters are fleshed out well. I just found it all terribly slow and dull, and there was more about Mark's personal problems than anything particularly spooky so I just got a bit bored by it all. By the time things started getting a bit creepy, I was skimming too much to be properly affected by it.

I fully admit that I'm notoriously terrible with e-books, though, so the format definitely affected how slowly I read it, and reading it over a longer period of time may have likely influenced how drawn out the story felt.

It's probably worth a go to most horror lovers, as it seemed a unique concept to me. However be prepared for a slow build up to the horror.

With thanks to the author for a copy

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Review: Twilight: Doors X

Twilight: Doors X by Markus Heitz
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a solid 4 mysterious stars until the ending when everything was still a mystery and I was left feeling very, very confused.

It's a unique setup over the course of several books, but without knowing that this would probably be less confusing.

Plot: There's a rich man's daughter lost in an unusual system of caves, with doors that lead to strange places. A unique team of experts from different fields is sent in to find her.

The first 95 pages assembles the team and sends them into the caves until they end up in front of a bunch of doors, and this first 95 pages is identical in subsequent books in the series. What changes is the door they choose, leading to alternate stories.

Knowing this, I wasn't quite sure how it would play out, but I assumed something like a 'Choose Your Own Adventure' story spread across a series instead of just one book. It's an interesting concept, but personally I feel it didn't quite deliver.

The story is certainly mysterious - everyone has secrets, and the caves with the doors are quite fascinating. There's no telling where everyone is going to end up, and I rather liked that.

However, the delivery was messy and jumped around all over the place. The idea is that each book takes us through a different door, but that's not quite how it worked out in this one. Hopefully the second book is a little more clear cut.

I really like the idea of it, and it's quite fantastical, but it fell short in the end. There was too much confusion, and while I liked all the secrets and different personalities of the team members, even they never really came together enough for me to appreciate their individual roles.

Super curious about the second one, though, so I wonder how it will change my thoughts on this one!

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Review: City of Vengeance

City of Vengeance by D.V. Bishop
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Wowwww this took me so long to read so by the end I was kind of done with it, but it was still pretty good!

The plot involves a murder in Florence, 1536, which leads to the unravelling of plots that our officer Aldo must solve before more people get hurt.

Spoiler alert: More people get hurt.

I really liked the way the two plots twined together, though I'm still a little unsure why the second was necessary. This is a long story, and the second plot line seemed to serve no purpose other than bringing Also and Strocchi together. I enjoyed it, but it definitely made the story longer than it had to be.

At the same time, it reads as though it's been heavily edited. Some scenes are completely cut in favour of just telling us what happened in a few words, and at times it caused quite a separation from the story. It's hard to get invested when you're not properly experiencing the story.

I did enjoy the setting, and I feel it created a great image of Florence at this time. I believe those interested in historical fiction will have a lot of fun with the rich detail in this story.

An interesting story with a lot going on, and it's not afraid to detail a little blood and carnage. I enjoyed it, though don't know if I'll continue with the series. A little too political for me.

With thanks to Macmillan for a copy

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Review: Before You Knew My Name

Before You Knew My Name by Jacqueline Bublitz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A profoundly moving, heart-wrenching story that will have women nodding their heads as they ache with sadness. I felt this story in the depths of my soul.

How do I even begin to explain how brilliantly insightful this novel is?

You know the story: A girl runs away to New York and, not long after, a body turns up. The girl has been raped and murdered and now the cops have to figure out the who, and the why.

But have you ever heard the story told by the dead girl? Or by the jogger who found her? Have you ever stopped asking, 'who did it?' in favour of asking, 'who was she?'

This novel is a lament for all those who have had their futures stolen from them by violence. By getting to know the dead girl, we're forced to confront all that was lost - her hopes and dreams, the connections to others, the impact she would have made on other lives. We get to think - really think - about who she might have become.

It's a powerful exploration of all the things we generally forget to consider in favour of morbid curiosity.

There's also the feminist angle - the stark reality of women all over the world, woven into the narrative. The fragile egos we must carefully manage or risk violent retribution; the unwanted advances that can lead to spiteful words like, 'uptight' or 'tease'; saying yes because the consequence of saying no is terrifying. Walking alone, being out late, wearing specific clothing - all these things and more will have women reading this story nodding along, remembering all the times they, too, have found themselves in similar situations. Just because a situation doesn't end in violence, it doesn't become any less terrifying a situation to experience. This novel explores it all so cleverly, honestly, and with great heart.

There is certainly the mystery associated with who committed the murder and why, but this novel takes great pains to focus instead on the woman whose life was ended, and the woman whose life was altered by finding the body.

This is a book that will stay with me for a long time, and not only do I recommend it, I URGE people to read it. Particularly women, but men also. There is so much here that deserves our attention, and I will be recommending this one to everyone in the hopes that others will be moved as much as I was.

Many thanks to Allen & Unwin for an ARC

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Review: Tokyo Ever After

Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Mostly predictable, full of cliches, but also pretty stinkin' adorable.

Izumi definitely has some Lara Jean vibes, so it's hard not to get behind her. She can be ridiculous and make mistakes, but she's the first person to call out her own bs which you kind of have to appreciate.

So, here's the deal: Izumi has never known who her father is, but a clue leads her to the discovery that she's actually the daughter of Japan's crown prince. Naturally, the lost princess wastes no time before flying to Japan to get to know her father, also hoping to discover a little more about who she is and where she belongs.

Now, I am not kidding about the cliches. You have obscenely rich people doing obscenely rich people things, and you have snarky royals who look down on the 'outsider' and you have all the outsider faux pas, and there's of course the forbidden love and the goddamn 'dancing with no music' scene which BOILS MY BLOOD. But even with all of these cliches, it's not an easy story to hate. Ultimately, Izumi is just looking for somewhere to call home - somewhere she doesn't feel out of place, somewhere she can be loved for exactly who she is. And don't we all kind of want that, in the end?

I liked that angle most of all. The 'lost princess' angle was sweet but entirely predictable, whereas the stuff about race and finding a place she belonged felt more genuine and heartfelt to me. I wish more had been done with that - I think it would have made for a more authentic story.

The romance didn't do a lot for me, and I wasn't particularly horrified by the behaviours of anyone, even though the bullying was a bit much at times. It was all just too cliche and predictable for me to really feel anything. It really just wasn't anything new at all.

I liked Izumi as a character, though, and I enjoyed the closeness of her friendship with the AGG. I loved the fierce protectiveness of her mother coupled with that love that allowed Izumi her freedom. Mum just wants her daughter to be happy, and that was really beautiful to me.

Overall, it wasn't anything particularly special, but Izumi made it a cute story that I enjoyed in spite of its predictability. This will be one for the cheese-lovers; for those who love love. It's a comfort read for people who like fluff.

And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

With thanks to Macmillan for a copy      

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Review: FantasticLand

FantasticLand by Mike Bockoven
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

OH MY GOD THIS WAS SO MUCH INSANE FUN.

A+ for the audio!

This was another audio I listened to working 'Dark Store' - on my own, in a locked up retail store, in the basement of a deserted shopping centre - also, coincidentally, the day(s) that storms raged outside. COULD THE SETTING HAVE BEEN MORE PERFECT?!

Because this story begins with a storm. A storm that sees just under 400 theme park employees trapped for around 5 weeks. They've got plenty of food and water, and they're supposed to be looking after the park, but things don't quite go to the plan of the exhaustive safety manual designed for this specific kind of scenario.

The book is a series of interviews, and the good stuff starts coming hard and fast once we get to the interviews of those who found themselves as part of one of the 'tribes' that formed during the FantasticLand fiasco. I LOVED the format, and it made the audio that much more entertaining, because you get so many different voices and perspectives of what went down, and you get the classic variations that come from different people telling the same story, and I honestly didn't care that it all seemed a bit far fetched. I felt like, no matter how the situation itself came about, the way these kids dealt with everything seemed pretty real. People taking charge, people cowering, people trying to remain neutral, people just wanting to keep to themselves and stay safe, people trying to pretend it was all a bad dream.

The violence was insane, but as soon as it was told by someone who experienced it first-hand it suddenly seemed more tame, or more reasonable. I LOVED that aspect. Some of it was chilling, but more was just terrifyingly understandable.

This was such a unique, messed up story and I just loved the experience of reading/listening to it. I find myself going back through it to highlight passages that really stood out. I'll likely re-read it at some stage.

A LOT of fun, totally crazy, brilliant characters and variety. Not totally believable, but who cares when you get to have this much fun? Highly recommend.

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Review: The Perfect Family

The Perfect Family by Robyn Harding
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was super addictive and fast-paced but ultimately a little light on with the drama.

The story is about a family who seem perfect on the outside but who are all hiding secrets from one another.

As far as those secrets go, they were pretty bland. Nothing particularly new and original, so nothing particularly captivating. I was curious about them, but they all came out pretty fast so there wasn't a lot of tension in that respect.

I enjoyed how the pranking on the family started small and slowly started to escalate, but it never quite got as intense as I hoped for. It was also a bit bizarre that those responsible were called out early on but it was still somehow drawn out into a mystery? It felt a bit messy to me. I wanted this story to go so much further than it did.

The story was written well enough to draw me in and keep me reading addictively, but there just wasn't quite enough substance to leave me satisfied. A decent read, but not quite as clever as I had hoped for.

With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC.

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Review: Ego is the Enemy: The Fight to Master Our Greatest Opponent

Ego is the Enemy: The Fight to Master Our Greatest Opponent by Ryan Holiday
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was SUCH a great read, and so easy to digest!

And then Boyd concluded with words that would guide that young man and many of his peers for the rest of their lives. "To be or to do? Which way will you go?"

There are so many brilliant words of wisdom backed by the lives lived by many famous people throughout history and through to today. All of these ideas are so relevant and adaptable to every story.

The notion is simple: The only thing holding you back from being great is your Ego.

I love the way this book talks about greatness and purpose - how you don't have to have great ideas, you don't have to be a genius, you don't have to be inspired to change the world. You just have to find what YOUR purpose is. If your purpose is being an accountant, go for it - but do it to the best of your ability, and embrace everything that comes with it. Do things for the right reasons. At the core of everything, be a good person.

It will be hard to swallow for some - particularly super successful people having trouble getting out of their own way. To be honest, this is another one of those books where the people who don't appreciate what its saying are the people who probably need it most.

This book just sums everything up so intelligently. I want to talk about what the ego is and why its our enemy to give you an idea, but this book does it so well that my paraphrasing would hardly do it justice.

I loved reading this. I loved challenging my own thoughts and actions. I loved thinking about the ways I could overpower my own ego and further grow myself. I loved sharing paragraphs on Instagram (lol).

This was a mind-expanding book. I loved every second of it.

It's relatively short, too, and the chapters are brief, to the point, and use brilliant, interesting anecdotes to highlight some very insightful points.

Highly recommend, and likely to be a 2021 fave.

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Review: Love Is for Losers

Love Is for Losers by Wibke Brueggemann
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Is it weird that I relate this much to someone who is selfish, sarcastic and constantly telling people to f**k off??

The plot is this: Phoebe is a 15yr old who just lost her best friend to a boy. Suddenly Phoebe is discovering that love makes people idiots and she is not a fan. To be fair, she kind of has a point.

There's a lot to unpack here, but it's mostly just a glimpse of teenage life that so many of us can relate to. Phoebe is obviously hurt by how happy Polly is with someone who isn't her, and so we can see quite clearly how that manifests in hating love. At the same time, she's making new friends and completely oblivious about her own feelings, which she masks with sarcasm and pettiness.

Because it's written in first person in the form of a diary, we're reading a lot between the lines which I really enjoyed. It was hilarious to see Phoebe protesting about things and insisting how much she doesn't care when her actions clearly suggest otherwise. She can be quite nasty, but at the same time she's very accepting and she's able to admit her faults. She can be rude, but I found her bluntness quite refreshing. I liked that she said what she thought and was all for honest communication. She's actually a pretty decent person under all the self-pity and sarcasm.

I enjoyed getting to know the characters of the charity shop, and seeing them through Phoebe's eyes. They're actually a fun, diverse bunch and I loved how they all interacted. I also really appreciated how much Phoebe and Pat loathed each other. LOL. Those two were a lot of fun in the same room honestly.

There's a fair bit of focus on GCSEs, which I imagine many people will relate to, but I appreciated that it wasn't too full on. I felt really sad about the relationship between Phoebe and her mum so I was glad to read more about their interactions.

Kate is amazing, and I love how much she loves Phoebe. Also super grateful that her 'Scottish-ness' wasn't written out phonetically because that would have been rough.

This was such an easy read and it was fun to get caught up in it. It's got a great blend of sarcasm and sunshine, and even though Phoebe hates love, you'll find yourself rooting for love anyway.

With thanks to Macmillan for a copy

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Review: A Head Full of Ghosts

A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Not gonna lie, I'm not entirely sure what the hell just happened.

I mean, I appreciate how much it messed with my head but mostly it's just kind of a really sad story? Not really horrific or scary. Just ... sad.

The story is about the Barrett family, with particular emphasis on the 'possession' experienced by 14yr old Marjorie, from the point of view of her 8yr old sister, Merry. Marjorie is showing signs of schizophrenia, and when doctors don't seem to help their religious father turns to a local priest for help in exorcising the demon possessing his daughter. Naturally capitalism sees the incident turned into a hit TV show, and 15 years later Merry is finally opening up about how it all went down.

The angle was definitely unique. It was fascinating to read about the horrors behind the camera vs in front of the camera. Bit of a cheeky dig at reality TV there for sure, and I really enjoyed it.

It was also really cleverly told from Merry's perspective - normally I hate stories told by kids, but because this is adult Merry reflecting on her childish thoughts and feelings, it just works a lot better. Eight-year-old Merry is so innocent and naive, but we don't have to live it with her. There was something about that that made it much more entertaining for me, and also garnered a lot more sympathy. I just felt so sad when things went awry. Everyone was just doing the best they could.

There are a lot of horror cultural references which many will enjoy - I found even if I didn't entirely get the reference, I still enjoyed it. Be warned, though - many of these references come with spoilers.

I never found it particularly creepy but I was fascinated by how disturbingly fast religion sunk its claws into this family. I feel like there was a lot of substance in the themes but it was neglected in favour of allowing the reader to draw their own conclusions.

I guess, overall, it just felt emotionally lacking. Like, all the emotion generated is just sadness over how things went for this family. But I don't know that I ever really knew the characters as well as I wanted to.

It was interesting, curious, and a novel concept, and I enjoyed how much it messed with my mind. But there was something missing that kept it from being a true knockout of a novel for me. I still recommend it, though. It's definitely different, and I don't think a summary of it could possibly do it justice.

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Review: The Haunted Forest Tour

The Haunted Forest Tour by Jeff Strand
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Excuse the pun, but this really kinda went off the rails.

The idea is this: A random forest sprouts in the desert, bringing with it a host of terrifying monsters. Four years later, it's basically Monster Jurassic Park, with tourists coming from all over the world to jump in a tram that travels through the forest, stopping regularly so that all the weird and murderous wonderful creatures can be seen. Naturally, things go horribly wrong.

I really love the premise. I'm a big fan of monsters, carnage, and Jurassic Park so I was really keen to get into this one, and the opening was a lot of fun and had me pretty excited.

Sadly, it was a little too much carnage and mayhem and not enough actual substance. The monsters were coming hard and fast so I never got a clear image of any of them, and all of the characters blended together for the longest time. Even when I finally figured out who was who, I still found it really hard to get a proper image of them. Example: Lee. He began as this snooty, sceptical author in my head but then kinda morphed into an action hero?

It also majorly bothered me how important it was to the author(s) that all of the women were drooled over by the men in the story. Every woman was the object of someone's leery affection, and it just left me with the impression that at least one of these authors is clearly in need of some loving. It would have been okay if it was just one gross, pervy dude and that was his personality but it was EVERY. SINGLE. MAN.

Then of course the overall plot was pretty thin and terrible so there was nothing really driving the story other than chaos and a lot of death. Characters were introduced and killed off in the same paragraph. The explanations followed no logic. The final showdown was absolutely pathetic. Bizarre choices were made. The characters had no growth. Also kind of no personalities. There was just so much of it that left me scratching my head.

I feel like, as an action movie, this would be in the realm of films like Sharknado. Like, it is just pointless and makes absolutely no sense at all but the gratuitous violence makes it hilariously worth it.

As a book, though, it just didn't work.

So many reasons it should have worked, and so many reasons why it didn't.

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