Review: Sea of Tranquility

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is an Inception level conundrum!

-Emily St John Mandel writes a novel about a pandemic
-Writes new novel about a Ponzi scheme
-Pandemic hits
-Pandemic novel returns to popularity
-ESJM writes new novel about:
● Pandemics
● Characters from Ponzi scheme book
● An author who wrote a novel about a pandemic
● Which becomes more popular as a pandemic hits
● Time travel

And of course it's brilliant.

Honestly, the AUDACITY.

This is my third read from this author and I am in awe of the way she captivates me so completely. The stories never even feel that big or complicated but there is a beauty in the way they are woven and I always find myself mulling over things a lot more than usual.

Obviously, a lot of this hits home quite hard, because everyone in the world now understands what it's like to live during a pandemic. So there's a lot here that allows for reflection and some interesting diverting pathways from the basic chaos of it. I really enjoyed the way it was written - it doesn't overwhelm too much, doesn't dwell on the hardships, and provides the interesting time travel angle to distract.

Characters from other stories once again appear here, and it's a clever way to have you reading her other novels. I loved revisiting people I already knew, and it makes me want to go back and re-read those other novels in case I missed anything!

The concept of the story is really clever and the language is beautiful as always. If you've been impressed by her previous work, this one shouldn't treat you any differently.

Highly recommend.

With thanks to Macmillan for a copy

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Review: The Kaiju Preservation Society

The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was so much fun!

The author's note at the end of the book likens this story to a pop song - a catchy, fun thing that wants you to sing along to the chorus - and I think that's such a fantastic way to describe this book.

It's relatively basic in it's objective: Jamie is the newest recruit to the KPS - the Kaiju Preservation Society. The sole goal of this organisation is to preserve the lives of Kaijus in a parallel world that few people know exists. Naturally, Jamie and his team are going to encounter some difficulties. Wouldn't make much of a story otherwise, would it?

That being said, so much of the fun of this book is just exploring 'Kaiju Earth'. There's all manner of science being explained and there is a depth to the creation of this world that allows you to easily believe it. I loved hearing about the ecosystem, the biology, and how they function as keepers for these incredible creatures.

It's fairly obvious where things are going to go awry, but the spirit of the book is so good-natured that you can't be mad at any predictable moments. It's such a great, enthusiastic story and the banter of the main characters allows for a rather relaxed approach to everything. Everyone is cracking jokes and generally having a grand time, and even when things go south there is never a sense that things are truly dire.

Mostly, I loved the characters and how they interacted with each other and with this new world. There is a lot of fun to be had, but there is camaraderie and loyalty that adds depth to these relationships and it just becomes a pleasure to see how they grow.

A fun, fast read with plenty of Godzilla and other such references to keep us nerds happy. An absolute pleasure to read, and a wonderful diversion if you've hit a bit of a reading slump and you're looking for some light action to bring you back.

With thanks to Macmillan for a copy

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Review: The Thousand Eyes

The Thousand Eyes by A.K. Larkwood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This went all kinds of unexpected places and, like the first book, was a ton of fun.

Also glad the series is done in two books.

WARNING: This review may contain spoilers for the first book of the series.

This book picks up with Csorwe, Shuthmili and Tal doing their own thing after separating from Sethennai. However an expedition to a hidden temple brings all kinds of snake-y trouble and relationships are about to be seriously tested.

I really love this series for how unique and unpredictable it is. The world building is fascinating - even if it crumbled a little for me between books - and there are so many layers to the characters. There are different religions and gods are overwhelmingly present and causing mischief. The story travels such fantastic, unfamiliar paths.

There is a time jump in this book that slowed me down a little, as it was so completely unexpected. But ultimately I appreciated how much more depth came from the intervening time and it did really take the story somewhere I wasn't expecting. Things just started happening and kept on going and before long I couldn't help but be caught up in what was unfurling.

The relationships feel so very real but not so much that you lose a sense of wonder and a desire for them to grow a certain way. For example, I love the way Csorwe and Tal bicker and insult one another, but I still wanted for them to have that unbreakable friendship that is one of my favourite fantasy novel feels. Tal, in particular, was such a brilliant character. He had so many fantastic moments and was a big part in setting the tone of this series.

The writing is succinct and has a wonderful blend of cleverness, poetry and simplicity. The story never gets lost amongst pages of description, but the world still appears vibrant. I never felt like I was wading through pages to 'get to the good stuff'. Will definitely be keeping an eye out for whatever comes next from this author.

A fantastic conclusion to a well-written, unique fantasy series.

With thanks to Macmillan for a copy

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Review: The Last House on Needless Street

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Okay this was all kinds of addictive and I totally get the hype.

Less horror, though. I'd probably consider it more of a crime/thriller novel.

The story tells of Ted, his cat Olivia and his daughter, Lauren. Ted clearly has some issues, and he's still haunted by the disappearance of a young girl many years ago - a case where he was a prime suspect. Now he's just trying to live his life, but there is definitely something iffy going on.

Not gonna lie - I was pretty thrown reading chapters written by a cat.

But the uniqueness of this story dragged me in and I was so keen to get answers that I devoured the novel pretty quickly. It was fascinating and different and you basically spend the whole novel trying to work out what the heck is going on with Ted. Because you know things aren't what they seem, but you can't figure out how.

I did pick this one up expecting horror so it was a little disappointing on that front, but otherwise it was a highly addictive read and a brilliant thriller. There's plenty of tension and mystery and things that will keep you guessing, and there's plenty to unravel on the other side.

An excellent thriller and highly recommended for those looking for a fresh story with unusual protagonists.

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Review: The Queen’s Rising

The Queen’s Rising by Rebecca Ross
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hallelujah - finally, a complete fantasy story in one book!

And yes, I notice there is a sequel, but I had to double check because this beautiful story is complete so I can only imagine the next book introduces new troubles to expand on the lives of these characters just for fun more than out of necessity.

Anyhoo!

This story follows Brienna, essentially an orphan (mum dead, father's name unknown because grandpa refuses to tell) who is dumped by her grandfather at a 'passion' institute - a place where people master one of five 'passions': art, music, drama, wit or knowledge. But that's only beginning - Brienna is a girl of two continents, one of which is ruled by a tyrant king. So naturally she's going to get herself involved, and her mysterious past will somehow come to light through it all.

I really enjoyed how this was structured. At first, I felt the first part was a bit unnecessary, but when this turned out to be a complete tale it made more sense. Brienna's humble beginnings show us the importance of her 'sisters', and the mystery of her father is overshadowed by her just knuckling down and doing the work. I really enjoyed that.

Hot tip though: If you want Brienna's father to remain a mystery until it is revealed naturally in the story, DON'T READ THE FAMILY TREES AT THE START OF THE NOVEL. Honestly, who was the genius who thought it would be smart to include that at the start?!

I wasn't really keen on the budding relationship between her and Cartier, what with the whole student/teacher thing. But thankfully it wasn't too much of a focus and the story was allowed to blossom first. Brienna meets many interesting characters along her journey and I really loved the comraderie of it all - there was respect, love, admiration ... nothing too nasty or fake. The relationships seemed quite organic to me so they were fun to watch unfold.

The story is simple enough, so again I'd like to voice my appreciation for it all being contained in one book. There's no awful prolonging of battles, clues, searches or back stabbings etc. It all happens quite fast and naturally.

There were a few times I was confused by some details, and other things I felt might have been expanded on further, but they haven't stuck with me so obviously not major oversights. Mostly I just enjoyed being swept up in this story, and even though there were quite a few predictable moments and mysteries that weren't really mysteries, I never really knew where we were going to end up.

Overall, this was a fun fantasy novel that has some wonderful characters and some great moments. Highly recommend, particularly if you're someone who is tired of having to read 3+ books just to finish the story.

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Review: Her Every Fear

Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A rather addictive thriller indeed!

Full review to come

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Review: 2021 on Goodreads

2021 on Goodreads by Various
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

2021 was NOT a good reading year for me.

After smashing through a new record of 150 books in 2020, I hit a slump and managed only a mere 78 in 2021.

Plus, I got a boyfriend. Those things seriously cramp your reading time. (Totally worth it, though, right?)

I had set my goal at 80 books for the year, with the notion that less books read meant more life lived. Instead, I read less because I was having lazy lie-ins during all the lockdowns and binge-watching TV. I reset my goal to 70 halfway through the year when I was seriously behind, but did manage to pull ahead towards the end of the year with some fun reads and sneaky novellas.

Sadly, the slump meant some books just didn't quite hit the same. Ratings seemed to be a lot lower for me this year, and even ones that I really loved didn't feel like 5-star reads. That being said, I'm tempted to go back and bump some up, because they really did stay on my mind.

5-Star Reads
The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku (AA)
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Ego is the Enemy: The Fight to Master Our Greatest Opponent by Ryan Holiday
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The One Impossible Labyrinth by Matthew Reilly (AA)
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...



4-Star Reads That Should Probably Be 5
Before You Knew My Name by Jacqueline Bublitz (AA)
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Winterset Hollow by Jonathan Edward Durham
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...



I read some pretty average books, but thankfully only a few truly awful ones.

1-Star Reads
Lakesedge by Lyndall Clipstone
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakavic
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Citizen Girl by Emma McLaughlin
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...



I feel very lucky that so many people enjoy my reviews, and also enjoyed debating the merit of books in the comment sections. So thank you to all those who have interacted with me on my reviews!

Most Popular Review of 2021
The Happiest Man on Earth

Least Popular Review of 2021
Blood Charged

Active Comment Sections
To Sleep In A Sea Of Stars

The Weekend

Before You Knew My Name

Honeybee

There were quite a few books that I was looking forward to reading - some exceeded expectations, some met, some tragically failed. Then other books surprised me at how good (or bad) they were. I've chosen the most memorable to list here.

Exceeded Expectations

Review

Met (High) Expectations

Review

Failed To Meet Expectations

Review

Unexpected Delights


Surprisingly Awful


There were also a lot of books that I was keen to read that I didn't get around to, so hoping to get some of those read this year!

I had a lot of fun participating in challenges with the Aussie Readers group and doing quite a few read-a-longs with the Horror Aficionados group, my favourite of which was the October Group Read, House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. What a fantastically strange book! We had a wonderful discussion about it.

I made many more friends here on Goodreads, and have had a lot of fun reading other reviews and seeing what others have on their shelves! Thanks again for adding to my never-ending TBR pile.

Overall, not the best year of reading for me but looking forward to reading quality over quantity in 2022!

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