Review: Where There's Smoke

Where There's Smoke by Jodi Picoult
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Narrated by Amy Finegan
Presented by Bolinda Audio

Definitely too short, but apparently there's a novel coming soon featuring this character so that would make more sense.

I enjoyed this, but it definitely ended too soon. The focus here is on the consequences of actions, and there's definitely enough to the story that a full length novel could be had from it. Serenity is a psychic, and I liked how it was done. I'd be curious to know more about this character, though admittedly she wasn't particularly likeable.

The narrator did a great job of the characters, though the 'immersive experience' sound effects were hit and miss. Some really added to the listening experience but others - for example, the contrived sound of footsteps - seemed more gimmicky than anything. Still, it was an easy listen and the sound effects gave it something a little different.

Overall, I did enjoy this listen though it wasn't particularly memorable. An easy way to spend an hour or so, though I'd be interested in the follow up novel to add more to this short story.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

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Review: Trap Line

Trap Line by Timothy Zahn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Narrated by Greg D. Barnett
Presented by Brilliance Publishing

This was too short!

I rather enjoyed this, actually! I liked all of the aliens immediately, and the setting was great.

I actually had no idea this was a short story (sometimes I don't pay attention to those details when I request things on NetGalley) so when it ended I was waiting for it to move on to the next part of the story! There was definitely enough here to build a series out of.

The narration was brilliant, differentiating all the characters, enunciating clearly and keeping the pace nice and even. A very enjoyable listen.

An excellent short story, and as my first experience of Zahn it certainly whet the appetite!

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

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Review: Lost in Time

Lost in Time by A.G. Riddle
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Not nearly enough dinosaurs, and a little too heavy-handed on the metaphors.

Aside from that, not too bad a read.

Firstly, let me be clear - Very little time is spent in the age of dinosaurs. That's what drew me to the story, so I was a little peeved by the plot. We're supposed to be getting story about Sam - exiled to the past for a crime he didn't commit - and his daughter in the present, doing all she can to clear his name and bring him home.

But this is mostly Adeline, trying to solve the past. Sam gets a few token chapters in which he is beset by prehistoric trials, but otherwise the Triassic is a massive disappointment.

Now, obviously there's a lot of time-travel shenanigans, but for the most part it comes with rules that are (mostly) easy enough to follow. Some of it was a little too bland for my tastes, but once the mystery-solving began in earnest I did find myself yearning for an answer.

The writing's not great - prepare to be beaten over the head with the metaphors, for example - but the pace is not too bad. It definitely over-sells itself with the blurb, but eventually there's so much going on that you do get swept up in it. The ending was a little too out of place for my liking, and I felt it didn't really suit the whole story at all.

Not particularly memorable, but a fun enough time travel novel that focuses on family and doing everything we can to save them.

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Review: Immortal

Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Firstly, I'd like to thank this book for being a standalone fantasy. They are so rare these days and it's nice to just have the whole story.

The world building in this one was a bit confusing to me, there are a lot of trite messages and the romance is drilled in hard.

Aside from that, I didn't totally hate the characters and there were some interesting moments, so I still enjoyed the read.

Liyen tells the story, and it mostly revolves around her insta-love with the mighty immortal, the God of War. But she's also just become ruler of the moral kingdom of Tianxia, so her duty is to her people first.

There's a clear line between mortal and immortal, and allegedly there's a wall around the city of Tianxia and all in it serve the immortal queen. I found it hard to wrap my head around what this city was actually like, what was outside the wall, why the wall was necessary, etc. Also how big this wall was, and what the contents within were. Plus there's the immortal kingdom - in the sky - and then a Netherworld which seems to actually just be next door? So the scope of this world was very confusing to me. Admittedly, I was kind of bored by the world so that might also be on me for not paying attention.

There are politics at play, but I still didn't fully grasp it. There's mention of other immortal realms, and an Emperor, but the queen seems like the big boss here. I didn't properly understand the hierarchy, nor why there seemed to be only the queen and the God of War that were important? Like, where are all the other important gods please?

So yeah, the world was a bit of a mess to me.

It seems like that was perhaps a consequence of focusing so much on the romance - we get so many declarations of love it gets a little tiresome. He will do anything for her - WE GET IT. So the romance was a bit too full on for me. That said, I was extremely grateful we skipped the explicit sex scenes. Allusions to the deed suit me fine.

The action was decent enough to keep me interested, with plenty of fight scenes and winged devils to mix things up. There's the obligatory training montage, too.

There's also just so much of Liyen being noble to the point of me rolling my eyes. She's called out for judging before knowing, but then calls herself out on it repeatedly going forward, then calls everyone else on it. She's all about equality and giving everyone a fair go - not everyone is evil, not even the evil people. It's a beautiful message for the real world, but in a fantasy novel it makes everything kinda boring. How high can the stakes really be if there's no real evil force to challenge things? So it was a bit mediocre because of that.

As mentioned, there was enough to mostly hold my interest but it was also kind of forgettable. It's a happy lil fantasy romance for those who are into that kind of thing, but there's no spice in any department really.

This was my first by this author, and while I can see the merit of her writing, it wasn't really for me. But fans of fantasy romance should enjoy the love in this one.

With thanks to Harper Collins for an ARC

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Review: Never Lie

Never Lie by Freida McFadden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow this was crazy.

I had so many guesses and still did not see this coming!

In the middle of nowhere is a house once owned by psychologist Adrienne, who went missing three years ago. Now, Tricia and Ethan are caught in a blizzard while visiting the house, and Tricia stumbles across cassette tapes Adrienne made of her patients' sessions. Perhaps on the tapes Tricia will find clues as to what really happened to the Doc.

Another twisty thriller! Ethan is red flags from the start, so I never really liked him, but Tricia is likeable enough as a protagonist. I felt for her often, and was frustrated that Ethan continued doubting her and/or implying she was crazy.

There are so many layers to this mystery that even when you think you know what's happening, you don't. I kept thinking I'd solved something, only to discover I was way off. I loved it - so many books are predictable these days so it's always a delight when one has me completely at a loss!

A satisfying conclusion that absolutely caught me by surprise, and left me reeling.

Highly recommend yet another seriously good Freida McFadden thriller. The woman knows her business, that's for sure!

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Review: The Coworker

The Coworker by Freida McFadden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Highly addictive!

Natalie's coworker, Dawn, has gone missing, and Nat's investigation leads her to believe something tragic has happened. Unfortunately for Nat, she's now the number one suspect.

I really enjoyed this! I had no idea what was going on because this novel seeds everything with doubt.

Nat is an interesting character, and the first person POV makes it particularly juicy, since we don't know how much of her word we can trust. Dawn is the a-typical bully magnet who we get to know retrospectively through emails, and she's the quirky type you instantly want to befriend out of pity.

I'll admit, there were some incidences of bullying that made this a difficult read at times, but with perseverance the payoff is worth it.

This had me doubting everyone by the end, and while the conclusion may not fly with everyone I found it super satisfying.

Another great thriller by Freida McFadden - if you like her other books, this won't disappoint. Fans of twisty, psychological thrillers will likewise be entertained. Highly recommend.

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Review: The Impossible Thing

The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Narrated by Phil Dunster
Presented by Dreamscape Media

I wasn't 100% sold on the egg thing, but I trusted the author and it was well worth it!

It's a strange topic - illegal egg trade - but the author does a wonderful job bringing it to life with fantastic characters (welcome back, Patrick!) and plenty of action.

We get the dual narrative, exploring the late 1920s when the eggs were first captured, and the present day in which Patrick and his friend, Nick, are chasing a stolen egg. Patrick takes everything quite literally, which adds a delightfully humourous element, and those who have read Rubbernecker will likely appreciate his reappearance in this novel.

The egg trade is an interesting idea that doesn't come up too often in books, so it was fun to read about a topic I knew little about. That said, there's not so much information that it bogs the story down, and the action plays out at a cracking pace.

The audio was excellent - the narrator does a convincing job of each character, allowing the listener to be truly immersed in the telling. There was plenty of expression in his voice and his enunciation was clear.

This was a unique crime novel with interesting characters and a fresh topic. I'd happily recommend this to fans of crime, and of the author in general.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

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Review: Eight Lives

Eight Lives by Susan Hurley
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Some interesting twists towards the end, but it just took way too long to get there, with lots of pointless details on the way.

Plot: A talented doctor is dead, and now a bunch of randoms will tell of their involvement.

So we have multiple perspectives - the best friend, the colleague, the sister, the girlfriend, the lawyer - and they all take a nice long time to talk about themselves before you get to any of the interesting stuff. I'm sure the intention was to round out each character, but it seemed a bit unnecessary, since their part in David's story was enough to show their character on its own. I found myself skimming some of the chunky paragraphs of superfluous detail because they really bogged the story down.

Added to that, the story implies there's a mystery to solve but doesn't really give a lot of detail as to what and why we need to solve it. We know a doctor is dead. We are told each character was involved somehow. But it doesn't seem to present much of a mystery beyond what the characters aren't saying. I found it not only frustrating but confusing. It took me over half the book to work out what the point was, and even then there wasn't really a gripping argument.

Aside from the extra, pointless information, the language works a little too hard to be authentic; often lapsing into stereotypes and relying on other languages to display multiculturalism. For example, any time Ma talks we get the Vietnamese first, with the English translation in the next sentence. I understand why, but after the first few uses it seems pointless - the story has already conveyed that Ma speaks Vietnamese so adding every one of her sentences untranslated seems a waste of space. The same happened with Rosa and Italian.

Then we get Foxy, who says Aussie-isms like 'strewth!' but also British things like 'ghastly'. It seemed mis-matched to me and bothered me no end.

It's a medical thing, so there's lots of jargon and while it does get broken down into layman's terms, there's so much of it that again, it slows the story down. I feel like this is another case of the author wanting to include every detail they know, rather than just what's pertinent to the story.

Aside from all these complaints, though, by the last third of the book I was indeed hooked and needing to understand what the hell was happening. There are so many layered admissions and conclusions that it's impossible to know the real answers until the last chapter. It does indeed get addictive.

So it's slow and includes a lot of pointless detail, but if you hang in there it does present some interesting twists to make it feel like the book was indeed worth your time.

Fans of medical crime/drama might enjoy this one, but patience is the key here.

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Review: Symbiote

Symbiote by Michael Nayak
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Narrated by Paul Bellantoni
Presented by Dreamscape Media

Big Venom fan here, so you call your book Symbiote and I'm gonna pay attention!

There's a virus spreading through Antarctica, and it's infecting people with murderous rage and inhuman strength.

The setup here was perfect - remote location with just enough characters that you know a decent number of them are going to die horribly. The threat of the cold lurking behind all the chaos the virus causes, and character dynamics, add some interesting plot points.

I really enjoyed the first half of the book. The suspense was meted out well and the story moved at a decent pace. We get a few different viewpoints to keep things interesting, and there are a lot of Venom-esque interjections throughout to add an extra creep factor.

I'm very curious as to how this story looks on the page, because the narrator did a brilliant job of defining those crazy symbiote asides and I wonder if it would translate as well on the physical page or if all the parentheses would drive me mad. It feels very much like a Marvel Venom story, without the 'protect the innocents' bit to make the symbiote likeable. I love Venom, so I enjoyed it a lot, but it does also feel a little too close to ripping off the character.

Towards the second half of the book, it was starting to feel like things should have already wrapped up and so it began to drag. I found my thoughts drifting a bit and even though there were still some really cool moments, ultimately I was waiting for it to finish.

The narrator had his work cut out for him with all the different voices and possessions and things and did an absolutely brilliant job of it. Some of the characters sounded a bit the same, but the different tones he used to convey the interjections and things was perfect. I'd happily trust this narrator again.

On the whole, it was an enjoyable read that was a steady 4-star until the last third or so of the book.

I'd recommend this one for horror fans and Venom fans alike.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

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Review: Colliders

Colliders by Steve Foley
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Narrated by Hank M Stewart
Presented by BooksGoSocial Audio

Could not get past the awful narration.

Maybe the story was okay, but the narrator absolutely destroyed it.

The plot is basically about how some crazy scientists opened a rip into another dimension using the Large Hadron Collider. So a bunch of monsters escape and there's some secret spy stuff and honestly I can't say I paid much more attention than that.

I think it might have been an interesting story, but it seemed very basic and the narrator just had zero time for it. He spoke in a monotone, and even at 1.75x speed he was slow and pausing too much. But then he'd jump immediately into a separate storyline without a breath and I'd get whiplash trying to work out what character we were now following.

So unfortunately this was an ultimately painful experience, and I'll be going out of my way to avoid this narrator in the future. He honestly sounded like he was just there for a paycheck - no feeling or emotion to the story, all the characters sounded the same, and he mispronounced some very basic words. UGH.

Aside from the narration, it's kind of a meh story, with a bunch of different scientists talking about the same science and then monsters. I honestly stopped really paying attention because it was all so dull.

I think if you have the opportunity to read rather than listen, then don't take my word for it. My experience was absolutely coloured by the narration so on paper this may be a better story. But if you're after a fun sci-fi romp this is probably not the one you want.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

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Review: When the Moon Hits Your Eye

When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

For a book about something as ridiculous as the moon turning to cheese, this was FANTASTIC.

I don't think many authors could pull it off, but writing the absurd and making it a great read seems to be a strength of Scalzi. He manages to present a ridiculous concept, then fills the story with immediately likeable (or loathe-able) characters that bring such immense heart that you can't help but be swept up by it all.

Almost every chapter is told by a different character, so we get a wide variety of experiences. This is probably the part that I loved the most and happens to work incredibly well for this story. Seeing the small picture - on the individual level - helps us relate to what's happening in such a pure way, that it becomes less about the absurd and more about the experience of being human.

Add to that the perfect amount of humour and a gouda-mount of cheese puns (see what I did there) and you've got yourself a special kind of silly book.

Obviously, if you're picking this one up for scientific accuracy then you're in for a rude shock, but if you're after something a little more quirky with a lot of heart, this is absolutely one to pick up.

With thanks to Macmillan and NetGalley for an ARC

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Review: By Chance or Providence

By Chance or Providence by Becky Cloonan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was so good I read it in one sitting. Not that it's particularly long!

Three short stories connected by the themes of love and tragedy. I loved each for their own reasons and each one affected me differently.

These each have a medieval setting, which is very much my jam. The art style is also very much my jam, so this was perfect for me. The length of each story was perfect, and each was told so elegantly with no superfluous detail. Absolutely nailed the writing on this one.

And the art! Oh my, what gorgeous creatures live in these pages. The concept sketches at the back are simply DIVINE.

My only complaint is that three stories just wasn't enough - I wanted more!

This is definitely a fave, and fans of darker, medieval fantasy should enjoy this like I did.

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Review: Watersnakes

Watersnakes by Tony Sandoval
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was decent, but I feel like there was a lot of symbolism that was just lost on me.

It's a whimsical tale about two girls forming a friendship, one of whom has a bit of a teeth fetish? There's water and skeleton dogs and ethereal characters coming up from the depths.

The artwork is eerie but sweet, giving the characters elfin features, unrealistically thin figures and moist eyes. There's a dark, creepy quality to it which layers over the whimsy of the story quite well.

The story itself was interesting enough; short and sweet. I wish I hadn't read the blurb as I feel part of the story would have landed harder without foreknowledge of it.

All in all, this was a decent read to spend an hour or so with. Strange, but entertaining.

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Review: We Don't Talk About Emma

We Don't Talk About Emma by J.D. Barker
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Narrated by Piper Goodeve
Presented by RB Media

Can't say this one really did much for me.

A cop goes out to kill a man who got away with rape, only to discover he's already been bumped off. The main suspect is the girl he got away with raping, and she's fled into the belly of New Orleans.

The story gets pretty messy from here, and for some reason Nikki has zero concerns about the fact that she was at the crime scene. Instead, everyone just assumes Emma is the killer and ignores any kind of actual crime solving while they commence the manhunt. So the biggest pull this story had is immediately swept under the rug.

I'm gonna be honest - I didn't really like any of these characters. There's a lot between Nikki and Keith that makes it seem like this is a sequel, yet it's supposed to be a standalone. Not sure what's up with that. The romance between the two felt clunky and awkward and mostly pointless.

There's also a confusing cast of villains with similar personalities and the audio had most of the voices sounding the same so I found it difficult to keep straight who everyone was. I was getting names mixed up a lot and not sure where other characters were relevant.

Aside from that, there's just really not a lot to this story. It's mostly just cops chasing Emma, and a couple of creative deaths here and there to try and stay interesting.

The narration was okay, with enough inflection to keep the story clear, but as mentioned the voices all sounded the same to me so it was hard to tell people apart. I'd give this narrator another go, though, as I think it's more a fault of generic characters.

All in all, okay for a freebie but I wouldn't go out and buy it, and crime fans won't find anything special here.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

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Review: Batman vs. Robin

Batman vs. Robin by Mark Waid
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a fun read, but it serves ultimately as a prequel to DC's Lazarus Planet event.

As a consequence, the first four issues are fantastic, but the fifth jumps to the AFTER, so it's place as the final piece of the story is clunky. If you'd like the whole story, make sure you get the Lazarus Planet story alongside this one, so you can read that between issues 4 and 5.

I loved the way this plays with Batman's history with each Robin. Ultimately, it's about Bruce and Damian, but there are some great moments featuring the other Robins as well.

I do enjoy the magic side of things, though I've found it hit and miss within DC's different stories. Here, I enjoyed it, and I liked how the villains came together. It seemed logical enough for me so I was happy to be along for the ride.

The final issue makes things a bit messy and changes the tone completely, but up until that point it's a great story.

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Review: TILL THE LAST PIECE: THE PERFECT RECIPE FOR MURDER

TILL THE LAST PIECE: THE PERFECT RECIPE FOR MURDER by Kenneth Cruz
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Narrated by Dena Kouremetis
Presented by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op

Macabre Minutes #1.

This was fine I guess for a 30min free listen.

It's quick to the point, and the story is decent enough, though it's definitely easy to suss from a mile away. I feel like it's the kind of plot you read and then swear you've read before elsewhere. So it was okay, but nothing outstanding.

My biggest issue was the narrator - she was fine, but she sounded more like a lil old grandma reading a bedtime story than a vengeful young wife. I just never got into the true horror headspace of the story because I was waiting for some kind of grandma/little old lady twist.

There's not enough here to really recommend, but if you're after a short listen and you have NetGalley it's an easy way to kill 30min.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

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Review: The Prince Without Sorrow

The Prince Without Sorrow by Maithree Wijesekara
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked it, but it also wasn't as memorable as I wanted it to be.

Plot: Shakti is a badass (persecuted) witch, and Ashoka a pacifist prince. Naturally their lives entangle.

Although not all that much? I expected there to me more interaction between the two, but this book is mainly focused on Ashoka and his sibling rivalry. I enjoyed it, but it was a little tiresome after a bit and Ashoka never felt properly fleshed out to me.

Shakti was a fantastic character, and I loved that she's a bit morally grey. She makes emotional decisions that are not always smart but are always justifiable. I appreciated that. If this book had followed her a little more and given her more chance to shine, I probably would have given an extra star.

The writing was decent enough for a debut, but I do feel it was a little flat. There's not a lot of emotional depth to the story besides hammering home the point of how badly the witches are treated.

I enjoyed it well enough, but I don't think there was enough in this one to get me to pick up the sequel.

*Buddy read with Juliette*

With thanks to Harper Collins for an ARC

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Review: The Labyrinth House Murders

The Labyrinth House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Me while reading: I mean, it's good, but it's a bit predictable.

Me at the end: HOLY HECK DID I NOT SEE THAT COMING.

Yet another Japanese locked room mystery that I really enjoyed. There are puzzles throughout, and even when I thought I knew what was happening there were parts I couldn't solve. Really kept me guessing.

Fascinating characters, fun explanations, and appropriately ghastly deaths.

Also really enjoyed the brief reference to my other current favourite Japanese Detective, Kosuke Kindaichi.

I'll definitely be looking for more in this series.

With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC

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Review: Victorian Psycho

Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Narrated by Anna Burnett
Presented by RB Media

I think this would have been better as a read, as opposed to a listen.

It's told first person by a governess, who is driven by the homicidal thoughts she tries to stifle.

Sentences transform in the middle and it can be quite disorienting when listening, but I suspect it would come across as quite clever in written form. I found it a little too strange to listen to and actually listened twice in a row as I was convinced I'd missed things. Turns out I hadn't missed much at all - the book just changes that abruptly.

Some of it was a little too bizarre for me, and it seems more like black comedy than horror. There are elements that are quite absurd and just don't fly as realistic, giving this a more satirical feel.

The audio narrator matched the book's narrator really well in my mind, and her performance was fantastic for the content. I do feel the audio format lessened my enjoyment of this book, but this was never a fault of the narrator.

I think there were some really interesting elements to this story and I can see it gathering a cult following for its bizarreness. I would be interested to read a physical copy because I feel like maybe the audio format doesn't do it justice. I'd happily recommend it to horror fans looking for something a little more unusual.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

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Review: Bright Young Women

Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a fantastic read this was!

I was unaware whose crimes this was actually based on, and I appreciated that the author chose not to name him. This is a fictional account that considers the lives he destroyed, and I think it's a powerful statement to refer to him simply as The Defendant.

The story is told by two women - Pamela, who witnessed the perpetrator leaving the crime scene after the brutal assaults and murders of her sorority sisters, and Ruth, a victim. Pamela's story switches between 2021 - 43 years later - and 1978, the year of the murders.

I enjoyed the rounded approach to the storytelling, though at times it did get a little confusing jumping back and forth. Sometimes during the 1978 chapters, Pamela would reflect as though she were writing from present day which made it even more confusing. There's also a main character that is involved for both girls, which didn't help.

Aside from trying to keep everything straight, though, this was a fantastic read. This is very much about the fallout, and the treatment of the victims. There's definitely a feminist angle, where the treatment of Pamela becomes increasingly frustrating as she's clearly intelligent yet is often treated like a 'hysterical woman'.

There's not much detail about the crimes themselves, so true crime junkies might be a little disappointed by that. I myself enjoyed the fresh perspective - the focus on the people who matter rather than the scumbag who would be better off forgotten by all.

This was a great read to get the wheels turning, and for women in particular I think it's a truly valuable read. There are parts that are quite sickening to read, but it's those parts that hammer home the impact of the book.

I really got a lot out of reading this one, and was fascinated to follow up with a little research. Some women survived and have gone on to lead courageous lives, which I think is truly inspiring.

Highly recommend this for those interested in crime stories that focus on the lives of the victims, and I think women in particular will get a lot out of the empowering subtext.

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Review: The Autumnal

The Autumnal by Daniel Kraus
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

RIDICULOUSLY GOOD.

This was done so well that I'll now be looking twice at Autumn leaves.

The story follows single mum Kat at she and her daughter, Sybil, move back to Kat's hometown after the death of her mother. People in the town are sketchy AF strange and have a weird fixation on leaves.

The suspense builds slowly but by the end it's sheer terror. The pace is perfect and there's enough flesh for the story that it never feels rushed or flat.

The art style complements the story perfectly, with Autumn colours bringing the story to life in an extra eerie way.

Everything about this made a perfect horror story for me. The pace, the characters, the art, the ending. EVERYTHING.

Really loved it, and highly recommend if you're looking for a cleverly original horror graphic novel.

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Review: Babylonia

Babylonia by Costanza Casati
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Side note: by the time I was done with this, I'd reached 104% on the audio. LOL

Narrated by Ayesha Antoine
Presented by RB Media

An excellent historical fiction that I really enjoyed, though it felt a little too long by the end of it.

Babylonia tells the story of Semiramis, a nobody who rises to become the only female ruler of the Assyrian empire.

Knowing that's how it'll end does not make this story any less enjoyable. I really enjoyed her ruthlessness, and how she was so determined to just live.

The story gives us multiple viewpoints, so we get a well-rounded story that takes into account the thoughts and opinions of those close to Semiramis and allows a glimpse into the motivations of several. I appreciated having more insider knowledge of these other characters.

The story gets brutal at times, but I liked that about it. It added a realness that this story truly benefited from.

I do think the romance side of things worked against it - I loved Semiramis climbing the ranks for power, so as soon as questions of love were raised it started to soften and I wasn't wholly convinced. At the same time, the romance was never drawing the focus away from the progression of the story, so I appreciated that.

The narrator's performance was excellent - I was entranced by her voice and its strength suited this story so much. It was easy enough to differentiate characters, even without huge variations in pitch. A brilliant job and I'd happily listen to this narrator again.

Towards the end, it did feel like it was starting to drag - like the rest of the story had been so spread out that there was more but it had to be squashed in at the end because time had run out. It felt like a cramped ending that perhaps needed more time, or just less time spent elsewhere to balance it.

Still, I was entertained throughout and would happily recommend this to fans of historical fiction.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

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Review: Body Parts: A Serial Killer’s Deadly Compulsions

Body Parts: A Serial Killer’s Deadly Compulsions by Caitlin Rother
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Firstly, this was such a fascinating read. I was both horrified and absorbed completely.

Secondly, despite this claiming to have 'new and updated information' about the first victim, that evidently wasn't present in the copy I read (from NetGalley). I had to look up further information, so I'd be curious as to what this was supposed to include. I'm glad she now has a name.

Overall, though, this was a great true crime novel. It's such a controversial case because it follows a serial killer who did horrendous things but also turned himself in. There were so many elements to this case that really made me think.

The research for this book has clearly been extensive and as a consequence we get a clear narrative, despite the confusion of the perpetrator. There are plenty of transcripts and testimonies included to authenticate what is being told, and the author lays out the facts while allowing us to relate to every person that figures in this story.

On that, it can veer into tedious at times as we get background info on almost all of the sheriffs, detectives and lawyers involved in the case (however briefly) which can make it drag a little. I don't know that these small biographies really added much for me personally, but it did add a fullness to the book I suppose.

Roughly half the book details the trial proceedings, so this may bog down some readers. Personally, I found the grey areas of the case quite fascinating, since the arguments of the lawyers were rather black and white.

At the end of the day, Wayne Adam Ford was a brutal killer and his crimes are not pretty to read about. Yet his apparent remorse over his crimes adds exploration of an element not often considered with serial killers - conscience.

I really enjoyed this read, and I'd love to check out a finished paperback copy to read the extra materials this book claimed to have.

With thanks to NetGalley for an e-ARC

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Review: The Flying Sorcerers

The Flying Sorcerers by David Gerrold
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Narrated by Patrick Lawlor
Presented by Brilliance Audio

DNF @ 67%

This one was straight up infuriating.

The plot revolves around a scientist strange magician being stranded amongst a primitive culture, where he must teach them his science strange magic so that he can build a craft to get him back to his homeland, 'up there in the sky beyond the dust cloud'.

The 'jokes' end up all being the same, where essentially some basic scientific principle of our world is described from the perspective of morons simple folk who believe magic is the source of all. And funny old Shoogar the Magician taking everything literally and getting offended about everything.

So as if that's not enough stupidity, this is such a primitive culture that, not only are women treated like slaves, they're constantly referred to as useless, stupid, pointless and only good for what they do for men. I get that the misogyny is supposed to be a 'funny' reflection of society but, jeez, give it a freaking REST now and then. I found zero humour in any of this 'ho ho ho, what a primitive sort these folks are.'

So I made it over halfway but then switched to 2.5x speed to try and get through the rest and it STILL wasn't enough. I think this is the first time I've ever DNF'd an audiobook because they're always so easy to just kinda half-listen to if they get dull, but I found this one was just too insulting to put up with. Life's too short.

The narrator did a decent job with what he had but the screeching voices just made this story all the more unbearable. Not his fault, though, so I'd easily give this narrator another go.

I guess this is for the dudes who enjoy low-brow humour and generally hate women but it was very much not for me.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

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Review: The Rhino Keeper

The Rhino Keeper by Jillian Forsberg
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Narrated by: Caroline Hewitt
Presented by: History Through Fiction

A sweet story. A little too soft for my tastes but an interesting account of a strange morsel of history.

Once upon a time, a baby Rhino crossed the sea to travel around Europe.

This is a fictional account of that very true story - Clara the Rhinoceros lived til 1758, and in her 20-odd years toured Europe in the care of a man named Douwe Mout van der Meer (had to Google that spelling lol). They visited kings and queens, and Clara's likeness was captured by painters, sculptors and other artists.

If you're yearning for more details, this book will deliver. It gives a fictionalised account of each visit Clara made while adding heart and humour to the story through the characters. You can tell Clara's story was researched meticulously by the author because a Google search of Clara will essentially provide a synopsis for this story. I like that; I enjoy reading historical fiction and, through it, learning more about true figures of history.

The narrator does a great job in differentiating the characters, and she had quite a job pulling off so many accents. I found it easy to listen to, and easy to follow the action. Some of the names are quite unusual (to this modern-day Australian, anyway) so I had to look up the spelling of some to round out my comprehension a little.

I did find it a little slow at times - Clara makes many visits, so after a while they do tend to get a little same-same. But I am an impatient reader who loves action, so the pace grated on me a little. I think those with more patience will really enjoy the rich details of this novel, and be absorbed by Clara's story.

I do recommend this one because it's such an unusual, uplifting kind of story. Despite a rather short life, Clara seems to have made quite an impact on many and I think many readers will get a lot out of learning her story.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

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Review: The Rhino Keeper

The Rhino Keeper by Jillian Forsberg
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Narrated by: Caroline Hewitt
Presented by: History Through Fiction

A sweet story. A little too soft for my tastes but an interesting account of a strange morsel of history.

Once upon a time, a baby Rhino crossed the sea to travel around Europe.

This is a fictional account of that very true story - Clara the Rhinoceros lived til 1758, and in her 20-odd years toured Europe in the care of a man named Douwe Mout van der Meer (had to Google that spelling lol). They visited kings and queens, and Clara's likeness was captured by painters, sculptors and other artists.

If you're yearning for more details, this book will deliver. It gives a fictionalised account of each visit Clara made while adding heart and humour to the story through the characters. You can tell Clara's story was researched meticulously by the author because a Google search of Clara will essentially provide a synopsis for this story. I like that; I enjoy reading historical fiction and, through it, learning more about true figures of history.

The narrator does a great job in differentiating the characters, and she had quite a job pulling off so many accents. I found it easy to listen to, and easy to follow the action. Some of the names are quite unusual (to this modern-day Australian, anyway) so I had to look up the spelling of some to round out my comprehension a little.

I did find it a little slow at times - Clara makes many visits, so after a while they do tend to get a little same-same. But I am an impatient reader who loves action, so the pace grated on me a little. I think those with more patience will really enjoy the rich details of this novel, and be absorbed by Clara's story.

I do recommend this one because it's such an unusual, uplifting kind of story. Despite a rather short life, Clara seems to have made quite an impact on many and I think many readers will get a lot out of learning her story.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

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Review: The Core

The Core by Peter V. Brett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I AM NOT OKAY.

I put this book off for a year because of the size of it, but as soon as I picked it up I was lost again in this incredible, epic world.

Everything about this series has been fantastic. The world building has been incredible, and the questions around religion and worship in particular have had me fascinated. I loved reading about the Krasians, despite them being a rather backwards, brutal people, because the nuances of their faith were so absorbing. I'm going to miss that. I'm going to miss these characters, and this world.

Beware ahead: This review will likely contain spoilers for previous books.

This book throws our heroes straight into the deep end. Arlen and Jardir - working together in an uneasy truce - have decided it's time to venture down into the Core to take care of this demon problem once and for all.

So straight up, I'm a happy girl because I LOVE Arlen and Jardir together. They're so different, but both honourable in their own ways (we'll just ignore that whole betrayal thing). They believe rather opposite things, but through the course of this book we see them start to finally understand one another a bit more. They've got a couple others along for the ride, and the group works well together.

Meanwhile, Leesha's making things happen as always in Hollow County, Abban's in a world of trouble, Inevera is plotting more plots, Ragen and Elissa are getting some decent air time, and a handful of other characters are stepping more into the spotlight here.

I do feel maybe it was a few too many perspectives - it does tend to slow the book a little and I can see how this might frustrate other readers. I think because I love the world so much, I was happy to hear a bit more about people and places and what was going down. But I did miss some characters and I wish we'd been able to spend more time with people like Abban, who has been such a crucial player in the previous books. I do think a few things were included mostly so that they could be tied up at the end. It all worked okay for me and I still blitzed through this book, but some may be frustrated by the diversion from Arlen's journey.

There's also a few things that I feel like we didn't get any kind of resolution for, but since I know there's a sequel series I'm not mad about it yet. I'm hoping a lot of my questions will be answered there while introducing a new generation. Otherwise, there's a few things that were included in this book that maybe weren't entirely necessary.

I did enjoy the array of demons we had in this book, but there were also some really badass ones that I wish we'd met before this book! The author was holding out on us, man! But the fight scenes and the creativity of the battles was just epic; the scale is always massive and there's a particular moment where a character makes an observation that really hammered that home for me.

There are just so many things about this series that I've loved. The pace has always been perfect for me, with plenty of action and horrific scenes of slaughter (both demon and human) that keep the stakes high. This is one of those series where you know no one is safe, and I loved that. The character building across the series has been brilliant, so by the end of this book (or their part in the story) you do feel like you really knew them and why they made the choices they did.

Honestly, I just can't gush about this series enough. It's been such a brilliant read and I'm so glad I started off my 2025 reading with this epic conclusion.

Really looking forward to reading The Desert Prince because I'm desperate for more of this world.

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Review: Don't Let the Forest In

Don't Let the Forest In by C.G. Drews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Holy heck this was wild. WILD.

The author has such a unique way of writing that allows for full immersion in the scenes. The similes are crafted in such a way that you can easily feel what's happening and it enhances the reading experience so much. I know not everyone will love her style, but I personally can't get enough of it!

'He was so tired of suffering because he moved through the world differently from everyone else. This wasn't only about goddamn monsters. It was about how he never seemed able to cope, how the world didn't fit against his skin, how he felt too much and hurt too often and couldn't pack his emotions into neat, palatable boxes.' - page 288

I noted this quote because it sums up the book better than I could with my own words. The plot is about two boys fighting monsters, but it's also about Andrew and his personal struggles.

More than anything, I appreciate how well the different plot points were woven together. There are monsters, there are two boys and their complicated relationship, and there is Andrew with anxiety that never lets up. Everything is connected in such a clever, seamless way that at no time did I feel like the story was slowing down or going off track. Everything moves forward towards a worthy ending.

The characters are disasters, but that's kind of why we love them. The horror is real, with terrifying monsters coming to life and committing horrific acts. The forest seeps into every page.

Like her previous books, I really loved this story for it's uniqueness and strange-yet-perfect storytelling. This one is dark, but not without its wholesome moments.

Ultimately, it was a little too depressing to get the full five stars from me, but it was brilliantly done and I highly recommend it.

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Review: Paying for It

Paying for It by Chester Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was actually way more fascinating than I expected.

This makes a big deal about being an autobiographical account of a man who regularly visits prostitutes, and it is. What I didn't expect was how considerate it was, how thoughtful an account this was of a man and the women he meets through this particular activity.

There's nothing sexy about this book. Sure, there are plenty of depictions of sex, but this is very much about the impact of the interactions, and the conversations that happen either side.

It highlights issues of shame, embarrassment, and the treatment of prostitutes as less than women. I enjoyed the way it challenged my ideas of the profession, and some pre-conceived notions about people who use prostitutes.

Chester Brown is an advocate for the women behind the profession, and the last third of my edition included copious notes on the legality of prostitution in Canada among other useful information. Comic-less pages that I found equally valuable.

Honestly, I flicked through it initially out of curiosity but it ended up captivating me and I found it to be a fantastic read. It's compassionate and will really challenge societal views.

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Review: Toxic Striving: Why Hustle and Wellness Culture Are Leaving Us Anxious, Stressed, and Burned Out—and How to Break Free

Toxic Striving: Why Hustle and Wellness Culture Are Leaving Us Anxious, Stressed, and Burned Out—and How to Break Free by Paula Freedman-Diamond
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Narrated by Stefanie Kay
Presented by Tantor Audio

This was BRILLIANT.

Loved it and would happily listen again. Plan to get a physical copy.

Everything in this book just made so much sense. It was easy to digest and logical, without forcing the reader to do an abundance of long activities and set impossible goals.

There's science behind the claims, and there are anecdotes (both personal and otherwise) to help reinforce points.

In particular, I really enjoyed the way the author wasn't claiming to have all this sorted and down pat. She emphasises that she's human like the rest of us, and sometimes that means messing up. I really liked that.

The audio was fantastic, delivering the information in a bright, easy manner. It was easy to take in and understand with this delivery, and her voice was soothing and comforting to listen to.

This just really worked for me. 2024 was a rather disappointing reading year for me so getting this one towards the end of year was a blast of fresh air to clear out all the stale reading energy. Very happy with it.

Highly recommend to those who love a good self-help book, and particularly this time of year where we all want to improve ourselves without having to set unrealistic expectations.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

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Review: The Sirens

The Sirens by Emilia Hart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Really enjoyed this one! Undertones of myth and magic but above all a story about the bond between sisters.

I loved how lyrical this was without being a pain in the ass to read haha. The words are beautiful together but the story unfolds easily. I followed along with rapt attention and enjoyed every part of it.

There's a dual narrative, and I enjoyed jumping back and forth. Some of the links between the past and present were a little hard to believe, but I enjoyed it nontheless.

This is magical realism, so it's a bit of an odd one and for that reason I think it may rub some people the wrong way. The protagonist has a strange skin condition that reacts badly to water, and that on its own raises all kinds of questions. Again, though, I really didn't mind suspending disbelief.

A few twists keep the story interesting, and the Australian setting with the history tied in was quite fascinating to me.

I just really enjoyed losing myself in the story, even though it was a little slower than my normal fare. I enjoyed taking my time with it, and enjoyed how it danced between reality and magic.

I'd recommend this one for those looking for something a little different.

With thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for an ARC

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