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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