Review: Dreamland

Dreamland by Olivie Blake
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An interesting idea, with a unique protagonist, but I think it was just trying a little too hard to be artsy and delivered the story in too confusing a manner.

Anya is a wannabe film star, but so far it's mostly failed auditions. Fortunately, she knows what Hollywood takes so she finds herself in the orbit of William De Witt, renowned movie star. But it comes with a job - keep an eye on William's recluse son, Jude.

What follows is a twisted foray between 'awake' and 'asleep' with no clear explanation of anything that's happening. We get Anya's viewpoint, but also that of Jude talking to 'you'. Anya's experiencing strange things at the De Witt mansion and despite every single person in her life telling her to get out, she has to burrow deeper because she still wants to be a star.

There were some really interesting ideas here - Anya is not a particularly likeable protagonist, but we can acknowledge her drive as something familiar and while we may not like her there is a certain degree of understanding. The secrets surrounding the De Witts were intriguing, and Jude is strange enough to keep you reading. But there seems to be so much happening between the lines that it becomes almost impossible to get a clear timeline of events and work out what is happening and why.

I really love the idea of this story, but I think with that title I wanted something more whimsical, rather than 'artfully patchy so it feels like a half-forgotten dream'. It's clever writing but difficult to follow, meaning lasting impressions are mostly confusion.

I think there'll be readers who can appreciate the 'not like other books' approach, but for me it missed the mark. I enjoyed reading it throughout, but just really wanted more explanation of what was happening and why.

With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC

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Review: Colombiano

Colombiano by Rusty Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

DNF @ 10%

I got this one from NetGalley yeaaaars ago, but had a lot of download/device issues so was never able to read it. Then recently I discovered I could still access it via Kindle so I thought I'd give it a shot.

Unfortunately, I think it's just not for me. It's a big book, with my 10% read being the first 14 chapters. It's well written and intriguing, but the subject matter no longer interests me and it's too big a commitment for something I think might be a little too full on for my tastes these days.

For NetGalley's sake, I'm giving it a rating based on the little I read. I can easily see the potential of the story and what kind of themes will be tossed around. It flows well from action to more emotional scenes without stalling, and still takes time to set the scenes brilliantly.

On the whole, it's setting up to be a violent story about a boy forced to grow up too fast, aging in a world of violence and easy bloodshed. Not for me, but I can see others appreciating the hard truths in this one.

With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC

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Review: Strange Houses

Strange Houses by Uketsu
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An intriguing, ridiculously far-fetched novel, using illustrations of floor plans to supplement the mystery.

I enjoyed the read, but the concept was a little too much from the beginning, so I kept waiting for new theories to emerge.

The floor plans are a great visual tool in parts, but at other times it just seems like it wasn't a necessary inclusion. Like the previous novel, Strange Pictures, this too felt more gimmicky than clever.

That said, I did enjoy following along as more clues came to light and the mystery began to reveal itself.

It's not a strong story, but it does hold the interest and keep you invested in what happened and why. If you can suspend belief, you'll get a unique mystery to entertain you for a few hours.

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Review: The housekeepers

The housekeepers by Alex Hay
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A fun heist story with lots of moving pieces, but not a lot of depth.

This was an entertaining novel, with a lot of characters to keep track of. I enjoyed keeping up but was never really feeling an urgency to get to the conclusion - it was fun, but nothing was really driving the narrative forward at a compulsive speed.

It's almost a revenge story, with the housekeepers of the title setting out to steal everything from the wealthy home they've all taken a turn working in, and that part of it is quite delicious, because who doesn't love a good revenge story?

But while there are plenty of moving parts to the story, it still somehow falls a bit flat and just doesn't have the urgency you really want in a story like this.

Still, I quite enjoyed reading about the heist so it was an enjoyable read, if not particularly memorable.

If you're into heist stories, this has the right elements, so it's a fun story to pass the time with. However, at the end of the day there's nothing truly memorable about it. So I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to read it, but if you find yourself with a copy you shouldn't be too disappointed passing the time with it.

This was book 3 of my Advent Calendar Challenge

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Review: Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything

Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything by Alyson Stoner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fascinating exposé on the dark side of Hollywood for child actors, with the gentle inspiration to not let your past define you. Highly recommend.

This was really well written, giving a clear progression with important information along the way.

We begin with Alyson's childhood, trying to make it in Hollywood, and the demands that put on not just them as a child but their family, too. The strain between the family members while Alyson's mother went above and beyond to get Alyson in front of the right people.

This really hammers home the reality for child actors, and how little the industry works to protect them. It's very clear that there was never a time for Alyson to just embrace childhood and the silliness that comes with that, and it really makes you feel for them and others that went through a similar youth.

That said, this isn't a 'poor me' story. It's a realistic look behind the scenes where things need to be exposed.

From childhood, we grow with Alyson as they learn to navigate things and find out who they are beyond what they're told to be, and it's quite an emotional journey. There are some necessary trigger warnings that may mean this isn't for everyone, but I really enjoyed seeing the growth from the pain. Alyson is clearly a strong person who somehow beat the odds to find their own strength, resilience and, through that, their own unique voice.

I really enjoyed reading this story, and I think there's a lot here to motivate and uplift, while at the same time exposing a darker side of Hollywood that really needs a light shined on it.

A well-written biography that highlights fighting the odds to find your own voice, and be who you truly want to be. Highly recommend.

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Review: The Gifts

The Gifts by Liz Hyder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Emotionally tense with characters to love and loathe.

I wanted more answers but I think not getting them might have been part of the point.

The story is told from multiple points of view - mostly those of women, but one prominent storyline from Edward, a surgeon.

Set in 1840, this book introduces Edward as second fiddle to his best friend, Samuel, who is naturally better at everything. Edward's ambition knows no bounds and it rankles that his friend is so superior, so when a medical miracle falls in his lap he'll stop at nothing to finally show the world that he's the one they should bow down to.

Unfortunately, the 'medical miracle' is wings, sprouting from the shoulders of women. To Edward, they're scientific objects, but these women are real - living their own lives and struggling to comprehend why this has happened to them.

I loved the women of this story. They're powerful in their own unique ways, without being parodies or typical 'not like other women' women. Annie is a painter, Natalya is a storyteller, Mary is a writer and Etta is a botanist. They all have their own stories to tell.

I loved hearing about them and their exploits, and whenever their lives intersected with Edward I felt more for them and less for him.

Edward begins as something of a sympathetic creature, meaning we really feel it as he twists, becoming unrecognisable by the end. I spent so long waiting for him to wake up to himself and what was really happening.

The story does become quite heavy, and the level of unfairness may deter some readers. I found my heart feeling increasingly heavy at times, though this was tempered by Mary and her part in the story. The writing tells an important tale, but still holds a balance so that there's enough light for the tough stuff to feel worth pushing through.

All this to say that this book really made me feel things for these women, and it ended up being a strong story that really captured my attention. I was still waiting for a few answers come the conclusion, but in the end I felt satisfied.

I'd highly recommend this for fans of historical fiction with a hint of fantasy, but particularly for those looking to read about strong women dealing with terrible times.

This book was part of my Advent Calendar Challenge

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Review: The King in Yellow

The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Narrated by Stefan Rudnicki
Presented by Blackstone Audio

Very mixed feelings.

Some really interesting ideas, and some standout stories, but not entirely worth the effort.

I'm glad I had an audio copy of this one, as I was ready to give up at page 3. I switched to the audio and proceeded to enjoy the first few stories but then they just became dull and convoluted and, honestly? I tuned out a whole lot.

The first story takes a lot of work to get into, but once it takes off it becomes a wonderfully bizarre tale. The thread of the whole book is this fictional King in Yellow book that allegedly makes people go crazy, but we only every get excerpts and suggestions rather than any real idea as to what the book is about.

What we do get is a bunch of crazy people.

Some of the stories leave some great impressions, with scenes that will really stay in your mind, but others are dull and pointless from the get-go and make you wonder why they were included.

The narration was decent - great level of performance to make the stories engaging, though some of the accents and voices were a bit overwhelming at times. The delivery of all the French towards the end was brilliant, but also made it a lot harder for me to follow as I don't speak French, so I often missed what the words and phrases meant. I recommend the audio, though, if you want to read this one but are struggling within the first page or two.

I really like the idea of this collection, but ultimately it was just too much work. This one's for the erudite who want to ponder all the possible meanings and symbolism. I'd only recommend it to people who are keen to put in the work, as it takes a lot of effort to keep up with this one.

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Review: The Decagon House Murders

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

Another fun Japanese mystery with plenty of strangeness to keep you guessing.

I enjoyed the setup here, with a bunch of friends off to stay on an island where a dead genius has left behind quite a mystery.

This was a great entry for the series, introducing a fun cast of characters and uniting two strangers who will set out to solve clues from the outside. Having recently finished book four in the series, The Clock House Murders (read after, but reviewed before, this one) I am glad that I read about their coming together first here.

The group on the island start to die off one by one in mysterious circumstances, and there are plenty of clues and red herrings to set you on your way. There is plenty to keep you pondering, and the pace keeps up.

I enjoyed trying (and failing) to solve the mystery, and the detectives were a lot of fun. Definitely a strong start to the series and one I'll be continuing as they're translated!

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Review: Abyss

Abyss by Nicholas Binge
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fun, eerie lil sci-fi novella with a solid message.

I loved this and was hooked from the beginning. A dude living a dead-end life gets a job that goes from a little bit odd to full on psychotic? Yes please.

This builds the suspense brilliantly in the shorter timeframe of a novella, and works in plenty of action to keep the pace flowing. It's got some deeper messaging that I also appreciated, but it's really just a fantastically creepy story that sucks you in.

It was written well, so that even with strange things happening you don't ever feel things are unrealistic. It's got a great balance.

I really enjoyed it, to the point that I'd have happily read something longer. As it stands, it's piqued my curiosity of this author so I'll be looking out for further releases.

With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC


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Review: The Last Book Club

The Last Book Club by Joanne Rock
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Narrated by Michelle Price
Presented by Tantor Media

A fun little dual-time mystery, where a woman goes 'undercover' in a book club to try and solve the mystery of her foster sister's death a year earlier.

Admittedly, this was an audio that I did zone out of occasionally, but that was more because of the work I was doing at the time rather than the book itself. Still, as a consequence, I did miss a few details. That's on me.

The book stayed interesting - there was always something happening, or some little details popping up that you knew were either clues or red herrings that, either way, you needed to log for later. I enjoyed that - it felt like I was really invested the whole time.

However, I did find the ending a little disappointing and lacklustre. I feel like it built the mystery really well, then kind of crumbled towards the end.

The characters were appropriately despicable, though I did want more details about who they were and what they were all about. There was a lot of focus on Sophie, which left less time for the other ladies.

Narrator did a decent job, with plenty of energy in the story telling. The voices were a little trite at times, and some were hard to distinguish, but otherwise it was a decent performance.

Overall, it was a fun story that did hold my interest. It was a bit of an unsatisfying ending, but nevertheless an enjoyable listen.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

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Review: The Faraway Inn

The Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Narrated by Soneela Nankani
Presented by Macmillan

This one might have just been a little too cosy for my action-loving heart.

A young girl, Calisa, goes to help her eccentric great-aunt at The Faraway Inn for the summer, but her great-aunt doesn't want her there. Seeing the place is quite rundown, Calisa decides if she helps to fix it up, she might be allowed to stay.

For me, this was just a little too slow to start with the fantasy. There's a lot about Calisa escaping an ex, about how rundown the place is, and how handsome the local lad is. Then the great-aunt tells her she can't stay, and it becomes all about cooking and cleaning.

Some odd things happen, suggesting the magic we're really here for, but nothing really gets started in that direction for a while. I found myself waiting for something exciting to happen.

Finally, when the whimsy comes it is indeed quite sweet and fun, with quite a wholesome feel to it all.

The narration was pretty solid, if a little slow. There are a lot of characters and the narrator did a fair job of giving them all unique voices, while injecting life into the story.

The vibes are very strong cosy fantasy, where everyone dreams of settling into the routine of maintaining a magical B&B. So if you like that kinda thing, you should adore this one.

A little too slow for my personal tastes, but a wonderfully whimsical story for the cosy-fantasy-inclined.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

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Review: The Lady Killer

The Lady Killer by Masako Togawa
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Another one that missed the mark a little, but was still an enjoyable mystery.

It's broken into a couple parts - first, from the perspective of the Lady Killer himself then later from the viewpoint of a lawyer working on the case.

I really enjoyed how it started, with some interesting aspects to the murders and their strange connection to one particular man. But the murders came hard and fast until it was soon just a jumble of information with no real space or time to work out what was happening.

When I read about the lawyer and his various visits to find clues, I found it hard to follow at times. I wasn't quite sure on the logic of some of it, and other clues didn't seem to fit very well at all. Then there was the thin attachment to his own personal life, without really giving us time to be invested in him as a character. I wonder if maybe some of the emotion was lost in translation.

The solution wasn't the creative breakdown I've come to expect from Japanese detective novels, despite a plethora of strange clues and red herrings. At no point were all the dots connected clearly and cleanly - it all felt a little jumbled and stretched at the end, making for an unsatisfying conclusion.

I did still really enjoy the setup, and the nature of the murders was curious and enough to keep me interested and invested. It's not one of the strongest of the genre, but there's still enough here that I'd recommend it for fans of Japanese detective stories. The writing style is unique and always a fun experience.

With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC

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Review: Strange Pictures

Strange Pictures by Uketsu
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked this one, but it wasn't quite the clever puzzle I wanted it to be.

It's a series of linked short stories, each containing at least one illustration that suggests clues to the story.

I found, for the most part, that the illustrations didn't really have a lot to offer. It was an interesting idea, but their explanations when they came felt a little flimsy.

The story itself, though, was interesting, and I liked the way they all intertwined without you really understanding how until later.

There were some intriguing mysteries, for sure, and I enjoyed trying to puzzle them out. And while some of the explanations seemed a little off, I enjoyed thinking about the puzzles and how bizarre some of the setups were.

I'll still recommend this one for fans of strange mysteries - the gimmick with the pictures is fresh and adds something not many other books have, making it interesting just on that factor alone. It also introduces some fascinating characters, and some of the stories were wonderfully twisted.

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