What a banger!! Fantastic story, perfectly paced, and the sense of dread and doom is brilliantly set up. I just could not stop turning the pages to seWhat a banger!! Fantastic story, perfectly paced, and the sense of dread and doom is brilliantly set up. I just could not stop turning the pages to see what was going to happen next. Loved it. Eve and Charlie have just bought a run down house in a secluded part of the forest. They intend to fix it up and flip it. All goes well until one evening, a man and his family turn up at their doorstep claiming that he had lived there when he was a boy. He wants to see if they can come inside so he can show them around for nostalgia’s sake. Unbelievably so, Eve lets them in and holy crap it all goes downhill so fast and so strangely, you just can’t stop reading. Ending had quite the spin and I just did not see it coming. Do yourself a favour and read this one soon. But start it in the morning, so you can read it all the way through during decent hours and not at 3 am like I did, hehe....more
Another great one in the series. I found this second book just as engrossing as the first one. It keeps you turning the pages with a growing sense of Another great one in the series. I found this second book just as engrossing as the first one. It keeps you turning the pages with a growing sense of dread very masterfully done. I loved that we got a bit of a follow up from the butterflies of the previous book: it all tied up nicely. In this case, the FBI are trying to catch a serial killer before he strikes again. Every spring, he murders a young girl in a church and covers her in flowers. One of those girls was Chavi, Priya’s sister. When Priya starts getting flowers in the order of the murdered girls, the FBI fear she will be next. Will they be able to find him before he strikes again? My only meh about this book is that I just could not click with or like the main character, Priya. I just hated her and found her very unlikeable. I also thought the book went a bit corny at times regarding her and the relationship she developed with the FBI agents. Too much awkward lovey dovey descriptions for my taste Anyway, on to the third one!...more
Whoa what a read! Very disturbing story told in such a way that the pages can’t fly by quickly enough. There is place called The Garden. It is filled wWhoa what a read! Very disturbing story told in such a way that the pages can’t fly by quickly enough. There is place called The Garden. It is filled with beautiful butterflies and is gingerly taken care of by The Gardener. The lives of the butterflies are short lived, but they are preserved in pristine condition for eternity. Sounds delightful, yes? Well, the butterflies are kidnapped young girls and The Gardener is their captor, rapist and murderer. Welcome to The Butterfly Garden. Already bought the rest of the series it’s that good....more
Quite a clever and funny read this is. Specially the bits that touch on all the political correctness and woke silliness that has invaded this countryQuite a clever and funny read this is. Specially the bits that touch on all the political correctness and woke silliness that has invaded this country and this world. A civil servant is hired by a new department called The Ministry of Travel. Now, it is not your ordinary travel department, but a time travel one in which they snatch people from the past, and bring them to the present. Our civil servant is assigned to Graham Gore to help him integrate in our modern day society. Slowly but surely, the Ministry’s secret agenda starts to unfold and we are taken on a clever, twisty ride. A fun read with quite a lot of research thrown in there....more
Really good first novel by Stig. The story is fantastic, but it’s the writing that makes it beautiful. The descriptions are so stunning and worded so Really good first novel by Stig. The story is fantastic, but it’s the writing that makes it beautiful. The descriptions are so stunning and worded so uniquely, that you feel yourself right in the middle of that countryside with no wish to ever leave. Jack has left London and the police force to live in the quiet farmhouse his late uncle has left him. He plans on living a nice, peaceful life, and Little Sky is just the place to do so. As he gets to know the residents, he finds himself drawn into a murder that is classified as a cold case. Not knowing how dangerous the countryside can be, he finds himself dodging all sorts of tricky situations trying to make sense of what happened so many years ago. Beautifully told and with a great twist at the end, I super recommend this one and can’t wait for the next....more
Bardugo never disappoints! This is one fantastic story that I just didn’t want it to end, truly. Luzia is a scullion in Madrid during the times of the Bardugo never disappoints! This is one fantastic story that I just didn’t want it to end, truly. Luzia is a scullion in Madrid during the times of the Inquisition. Of course she has magical abilities and she tries to keep them hidden at all costs; but her mistress catches her one day, and all hell breaks loose as she is demanded to perform for her guests. Word gets around, and powerful men come calling to use Luzia to gain favours with the king of Spain. Santangel, the servant of one of those men, starts training Luzia for a tournament, and she discovers he is not what he seems. As they develop a relationship, things start to get out of hand; and with the Inquisition at their heels, they must figure out a way to get out of the mess they were dragged into. Loved every bit of this book. Wish she would grace us with a second one....more
Clayton Stumper was abandoned at the Fellowship of Puzzlemaker’s door when he was a baby. Raised by Pippa and all the members of the Fellowship, he groClayton Stumper was abandoned at the Fellowship of Puzzlemaker’s door when he was a baby. Raised by Pippa and all the members of the Fellowship, he grows up to be a very lovely young man. When Pippa passes away, he is left with a series of puzzles that will guide him to reveal who his biological parents are and why he was given away. This is a quaint, feel good book, no doubt. Loved the puzzle aspect of it and the characters are fantastic. It reminded me a little of The Thursday Murder Club, hehe. Crossing fingers we will get sequels of some sort....more
Oh crap. Really wanted to like this but I just could not. I did not pick this one up myself, it was sent to me from a monthly book subscription I am pOh crap. Really wanted to like this but I just could not. I did not pick this one up myself, it was sent to me from a monthly book subscription I am part of, and it disappointed massively. Which is odd, because all the other picks have been brilliant! Oh well, there is always a first one, yes? Alice finds out her estranged father is on death row for a murder, and is sentenced to die in a week’s time. He claims he is innocent, so Alice being a lawyer, reluctantly sets out to investigate it further to appease her younger sister Fiona and it starts to unravel quickly. Now, I gave it two stars because the premise is solid and there a a few good twists here and there. The writing though, sucks big time. It is tediously repetitive! If I am told one more time how much Alice resents her father, my eyeballs will get lost in the back of my head from rolling my eyes so much. Also the similes and comparisons seem written by a 10 year old and they are abundant, so brace yourself. I mostly blame the editors, because it is their job to reign authors like this, and eventually dump them for lack of talent. Savage, I know, but there is so little time and so many good books to read out there to get stuck in mediocrity like Seven Days. Skip it, in the name of all that is holy....more
I really liked the main idea of this book: complete silence created by the woven silk of a particular spider. I mean, it is brilliant! The execution tI really liked the main idea of this book: complete silence created by the woven silk of a particular spider. I mean, it is brilliant! The execution though…didn’t impress me much. I found it to be very lengthy and repetitive in certain bits and I am really getting a bit fed up with all the books lately involving gay relationships. Authors are being asked to be inclusive in their books, and it feels forced most of the time, and I am just about done with it being forced down my throat. Anyway, that will make me unpopular, but it is the way I see it, so… Henry is invited to Sir Edward’s manor to try and cure his deaf daughter by the use of his auricular artefacts. Failing at this, Henry gets involved in Sir Edward’s other business venture: the magic silk woven by a particular spider that creates total and absolute silence. Henry gets a bit too involved and gets blindsided by the terrible reality of this invention. Will he wake up from this ridiculous trance and redeem himself? His character is quite pathetic, btw. All in all, it could have been better. Skip it, I say....more
Loved loved loved this book so much! Everything about it: the characters, the storyline, the friendships, the respect in which the whole Yorkshire RipLoved loved loved this book so much! Everything about it: the characters, the storyline, the friendships, the respect in which the whole Yorkshire Ripper situation was handled… It is just a brilliant read. Miv and Sharon are two 12 year olds who are best friends living during the horrific time the Yorkshire Ripper was active. Under threat of moving away from the area, Miv decides to start investigating all the suspicious people and things that might lead her to uncover the identity of the Ripper, in hopes this will settle her family, and forget about moving away. She enlists Sharon as her sidekick and off they go poking their noses everywhere. The secrets they uncover might not reveal who the serial killer is, but it will shed light on many a thing happening in their little town. Beautifully told, it makes you laugh as well as cry. All in all, it is a feel good book and I never wanted it to end. Please read it....more
Love the idea that ghosts have warm hands. Such a beautiful thought… Freddie is a soldier during World War I. One fateful day, during a horrific battleLove the idea that ghosts have warm hands. Such a beautiful thought… Freddie is a soldier during World War I. One fateful day, during a horrific battle, he ends up trapped under an overturned pillbox with a German soldier called Winter. Somehow, they manage to escape and a very strong bond between them emerges. During their struggle to evade other soldiers, they encounter Faland the fiddler, who is most certainly not who he seems. Winter spots him straight away, but Freddie falls head first into his trap. We then meet Laura, Freddie’s sister, who is sure Freddie is not dead, as she was suspiciously told. Laura, being a front line nurse, heads out to The No Man’s Zone to try and find out what happened to his beloved brother. This is an absolute gem of a book. You can feel the cold, the despair, the love, the longing and the horrors that World War I brought to humankind. Beautifully told, you can truly feel yourself standing there, on the dark battlefield with Freddie and Winter. Absolutely loved it....more
I mean it’s alright but not The Girl with all the Gifts alright. That one was a 5 star, btw. I found Fellside’s story to be interesting, but it went toI mean it’s alright but not The Girl with all the Gifts alright. That one was a 5 star, btw. I found Fellside’s story to be interesting, but it went too boringly deep into the paranormal. Those scenes when Jess left her body to go to The Other Place? Too many, too long and too weird. That being said, the rest of it is quite gripping. Jess finds herself in a remote prison in the Yorkshire moors called Fellside. She is there because she was charged with the murder of a small boy called Alex who was her neighbour. Apparently, she set fire to her apartment and ended up accidentally killing Alex. With no will to live and burnt to a crisp, Jess starts to hear someone trying to communicate with her; but who? It almost sounds like a small child… Go there if you like paranormal stuff. The ending is good....more
Serious “The Secret History” by Tartt vibes going on here. Instead of so much booze and drugs, it’s too much Shakespeare. Seriously though, it really Serious “The Secret History” by Tartt vibes going on here. Instead of so much booze and drugs, it’s too much Shakespeare. Seriously though, it really is too much Shakespeare. To the point that I just skipped through the endless dialogues that involved it. And who speaks amongst each other like that? No one, that’s who. Now that I have gotten that out of the way, the book is pretty good. Story is about a group of theatre students (obsessed with Shakespeare, of course) that are good friends until they are not. One of them gets murdered, and it all unravels pretty quick. Lies, betrayal, jealousy, treachery… you name it. Ending is fab, with a great twist that you kinda see it coming, and are pleased to confirm after the last page. Definitely read it, and be patient with the endless Bard situation going on in there....more
This is the kind of book that makes me love reading and adore books. It’s the kind of book I wish I had written. It is PHENOMENAL! I just did not wantThis is the kind of book that makes me love reading and adore books. It’s the kind of book I wish I had written. It is PHENOMENAL! I just did not want it to end and am crossing all fingers we will get a sequel -there is material there for one, so…pretty please??? Cassie is a New York bookseller that gets gifted The Book of Doors by Mr Webber (possibly my favourite character). At a first glance, it is a peculiar book, but Cassie is just not prepared for what it can do. You see, The Book of Doors is a magical book. One that actually does magic. What does it do? Well, “Any door is every door.” It turns out, The Book of Doors is not the only one of its kind. Slowly but surely, we start meeting people who own other books, as well as bookkeepers, librarians, and assassins who will do anything to get their hands on all of the books. Situation quickly unravels, but in spectacular fashion. Back and forth, forth and back. It is such a clever story! Loved all the characters and it made me long to just jump in and be part of the story. The last two chapters made me sob like a child. What a beautiful and meaningful ending, truly. Can’t wait to forget it a bit to read it all over again. On my top 10 books of all time....more
Oh this book is a proper saga. A personal “look-into” the car crash that is the Barnes family. It is a derailed train, and you get a front row seat toOh this book is a proper saga. A personal “look-into” the car crash that is the Barnes family. It is a derailed train, and you get a front row seat to see it all happen. This book will make you laugh and cry at the same time. It is such a well told story, that even at its 600+ pages, you just don’t want it to end. And what an ending!!! We get to experience the Barnes family through the years in the viewpoint of each member. We learn their personal story and their combined stories as well. How one (or many) little action and decision can shape, and utterly alter not just one life, but several. I truly don’t want to say much more to avoid giving anything away, but please, PLEASE! read this one. The pacing, the build up, the heartache and the heartbreak are too good to let it pass you by. Then you get to the ending. I am still reeling it all in....more
Thank you Araminta Hall for cleansing my palate from shoddy books! I had been having a bad reading streak and this book has redeemed me, so thank you Thank you Araminta Hall for cleansing my palate from shoddy books! I had been having a bad reading streak and this book has redeemed me, so thank you for that. Told in multiple points of view and through different media, this one kept me turning the pages and feeling like I was listening in on the neighbours’ car crash life whilst making me seriously reconsider and think through different conceptions. After several years of a “happy marriage”, Mel finally leaves Cole, who seems to be THE perfect guy. He then moves to the country side where he meets Lennie. A relationship starts to build; but is everything and everyone as they seem? Then, two young women go missing near Cole’s location whilst doing a hike for violence against women, so things start to rapidly unravel. The twist at the end is just brilliant, so do pick this one up. This is definitely a “book club” book with much to discuss about modern feminism and the innate condition the opposite sex have concerning violence towards women. A 10 out of 10 for me....more
Ugh. Where to begin? The main idea that what makes you nostalgic can be your downfall, seemed quite unique and interesting. Now, the execution of saidUgh. Where to begin? The main idea that what makes you nostalgic can be your downfall, seemed quite unique and interesting. Now, the execution of said idea -aka the whole book!- is an utter disaster. The plot constantly rambles around the attraction between the two main characters, Adam and Rao, and it tends to get quite boring. None of them are likeable, as it gets too repetitive. As we get near the end, it is disgracefully stretched and overly complicated, to the point that makes me wonder if the writers were paid by the page or what. This book is a hard pass for me. What a waste of time! Maybe it is my fault for not having checked, the authors’ bio (both of them!) and realising that they both refer to themselves as “they.” Yeah. Cancel me if you must, but I do not participate in other peoples delusions. I tend to stay away, as I should’ve done with this book....more
My, what a grim read this is! By the end, I came to dread it, lol. Eve and Dinah are just two girls who are taken from their home when they were littleMy, what a grim read this is! By the end, I came to dread it, lol. Eve and Dinah are just two girls who are taken from their home when they were little by “Uncle.” Them, alongside Elizabeth and Noah, live under constant physical and mental abuse from this despicable man. That is until one day, they’re all found brutally murdered and there is only one survivor left to tell their story. That survivor is Dinah. This is one of the most depressing reads I have read in a long time! Don’t get me wrong, it is perfectly set because you end up feeling such despair; but it is a downer for sure....more
Ugh. Didn’t even finish this one. Got halfway through before quitting on it. It’s like watching a Korean show: all over the place, dialogue is choppy, Ugh. Didn’t even finish this one. Got halfway through before quitting on it. It’s like watching a Korean show: all over the place, dialogue is choppy, plot is just nonexistent, characters are bizarre, and it feels more like this book intends to be a life lesson sort of thing and…well, it’s just really boring. Not a great end/start of the year, so it can only get better from here. On to something else! ...more
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