Tag: reviews

November Reading wrapup

November was a tough month as I struggled with work stress, caring for sickly kids and finally the death of our beloved cat, and I found myself seeking out comfort reads.

The Little Christmas Library by David M. Barnett

I was drawn to this by the combination of a local mobile library (such a fond throwback to my childhood) and the father-daughter dynamic. I found it a bit too heavy handed and clichéd about Northern England, however, this turned out to be a heartwarming story about a little community that finds friendship and romance in the mobile library that serves the run down town of Merry-le-Moors. It works better as a small town drama than a festive romance, but still an easy and enjoyable read about community and the magic of libraries.

Saving Us by Katharine Hayhoe

I’ve subscribed to Katharine Hayhoe’s newsletter for a while for updates about climate news, and decided I’d prefer to listen to Saving Us on audio because she’s such an engaging speaker. Saving Us is about how to talk to people about the climate crisis, and find common interests and connection, rather than devision and conflict. Hayhoe breaks down science in an informative and entertaining way, easily debunking common climate denial arguments, but also finding ways to connect things (nature, chocolate and sports) we care about to climate change. I found this to be an informative, pragmatic and hopeful book about climate change and what we can do about it.

Anne of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery

I had read Anne of Green Gables a few years ago and recently found a complete set second hand. The second part of Anne Shirley’s story starts when she is 17 and starting work as a teacher at the Avonlea school she recently graduated from. Anne is such a lovable character with her boundless imagination and optimism, matched perhaps only by her propensity for embarrassing mishaps. It was lovely to return to Prince Edward Island and meet up with all the inhabitants of Avonlea again.

A Midwinter’s Tail by Lili Hayward

This book will always hold a place in my heart as the last book I read with my lovely Mara cat before she passed away, and it was such a moving and gentle story. Mina is living and working in London when she receives a cryptic message from her estranged godfather asking her to look after his cat. Mina drops everything and returns to an island off the Cornish coast to care for the cat, Murr, and begins to unpack questions about her childhood, her family and identity, and finds herself joining up with the local community to save the island from developers who want to turn it into a luxury resort. The writing itself was lyrical with beautiful descriptions. A Midwinter’s Tail was such a poignant, comfort read that had so many themes that I appreciate.

Soul Comfort for Cat Lovers by Liz Eastwood

This is a short and simple book for those grieving the loss of a beloved cat, as most books about pet grief tend to focus on dogs. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed that there wasn’t a more original or meaningful daily ritual than lighting a candle to remember your pet and that the writer didn’t go into more detail on the rise of pet mediums. This is a gentle book about grief that captures the place our pets hold in our hearts and validates the grief experience, but was lacking some of the practical steps I was hoping for to help cope with grief itself.

Have a lovely week. X

September Reading Wrapup

September was a slow month for reading as the kids were off nursery with tummy bugs and colds.

Tilly and the Lost Fairy Tales by Anna James

September often has me seeking out stories with magic, and this series is such a comfort read. In the second installment of the series, Tilly and her friend Oskar, find themselves in Paris investigating some very mixed up fairy tales. This one shows turmoil at the heart of the Under Library as the book wanderers elect a new leader, the children’s old adversary returns and a new villain introduces themselves. This series is such a treat for readers with this one offering some fun and amusing fresh twists on beloved fairy tales.

Rosa by Starlight by Hillary McKay

A modern fairytale, this was much sadder than I anticipated, as orphaned Rosa has the chance to visit Venice with her neglectful aunt and uncle. One thing that I loved was the role of cats as patient and comforting childhood companions, that reminded me so much the special relationship I had with our own family pet. I did find this quite a sad story for children but one with a lovely ending full of found family and a touch of magic.

The House by the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune

I put off reading this for a long time because it was so hyped when it came out. This very much reminded me of Good Omens and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy as an unassuming social worker, Linus Baker, who has been living a predictable and lonely life is given an assignment to visit an orphanage full of extraordinary children. The story is a cosy comfort read in that it’s a slow burn romance and one where Linus’ own growth take centre stage, and there isn’t much action or adventure to drive the plot, but it does tackle some serious themes about prejudice, foster care and found families.

On Palestine by Noam Chomsky and Ilan Pappe

This is a book offering an American and Israeli context for the ongoing conflict between Palestine and Israel between two somewhat controversial anti-Zionist academics, it’s a combination of transcribed dialogue, essays and speeches. Published in 2015, it’s incredibly relevant with some interesting insights into possible future scenarios for Israel and Palestine, but it did seem a bit repetitive in places.

Have a lovely week. X

August Reading Wrapup

It felt like we only had a handful of sunny days, and August was a dark and stormy month which was reflected in my reading as I found myself drawn to the mysteries, magical realism, romances and children’s adventures I normally reserve for the long, dark evenings of autumn and winter. I also thoroughly enjoyed listening to two non-fiction audiobooks last month.

Doppelganger by Naomi Klein

This book was inspired by people frequently confusing Naomi Klein (No Logo and This Changes Everything) with Naomi Wolf (The Beauty Myth), like all doppelgangers there are similarities between them, but also significant differences. Doppelganger is a fascinating snapshot in time about personal branding, influencers and authenticity, and starts with Naomi Klein reflecting on her own evolution from No Logo to present, the choices and experiences that led her down one path as she tries to understand why her doppelganger took opposite paths. I was really interested in the exploration of political diagonialism when different groups find common ground that diverge from the traditional left-right political wings, and how the right has increasingly welcomed exiles from the left, combined with the persistent failure of the left to engage with fears and suspicion around vaccinations, social media and privacy, climate change, and other divisive topics. This is such a book full of big ideas that I thoroughly enjoyed listening to on audiobook.

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo

I have a soft spot for stories about witches and magic set in the real world like Chocolat, Practical Magic and The Once and Future Witches, and this is historical fiction with a dash of magical realism. Loosely inspired by Leigh Bardugo’s Spanish Jewish ancestors who converted to Christianity to escape the Inquisition and then disappeared, the story follows a scullion, Luzia, who has a just a little bit of magic that draws the attention of ambitious patrons who use her to further their own ends. Leigh Bardugo is one of my favourite writers and while this isn’t her best work, it’s an enjoyable tale with lots of tension, a bit of romance and a couple of clever twists.

The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie

I’ve read a few Inspector Poirot mysteries but decided to try Christie’s other famous sleuth, Miss Marple. When the dead body of a young woman is found in Colonel Bantry’s library, while he calls the police, his wife calls Miss Marple to help them solve the mystery of who the victim is, who killed her and how she ended up in their library. This is a clever little mystery with plenty of suspects, a few red herrings and a reveal that I didn’t see coming but wrapped up the story very neatly.

Christmas At the Little Paris Hotel by Rebecca Raisin

A bit early for Christmas stories, but couldn’t resist this when I saw it on Netgalley. This is a romance novel about Anais, a recently divorced novelist with writer’s block and a delapidated hotel she got as part of her divorce settlement. With the help of her loyal cousin, Manon, she sets about renovating the hotel in time for its Christmas opening but soon discovers that the hotel has its own secrets and a mystery to solve. I really enjoyed the strong female friendship through this, the slow burn romance and learning about French Christmas traditions along the way. This is a lighthearted and escapist romance perfect to curl up with as the evenings draw in and the countdown to Christmas begins. Christmas At the Little Paris Hotel is out on 26th September, thanks to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and Rebecca Raisin for the advanced reading copy.

The Island at the Edge of Night by Lucy Strange

A heart pounding, nail bitingly tense middlegrade thriller, the story follows 12 year old Faye Fitzgerald when she’s sent to a reform school for wicked children on a remote and desolate island for a crime she can’t remember. This is absolutely gripping, full of mystery, twists and turns. At times, this was so tense and foreboding, it could have been written by Daphne du Maurier, and other times it reminded me of classic adventures like The Wolves of Willoughby Chase with brave children outwitting devious and cruel adults.

One Garden Against the World by Kate Bradbury

This is such a love letter to nature, and Kate Bradbury is such an inspiration to me. One Garden Against the World is about the many ways gardeners can help nature, and maybe even mitigate climate change.  This is poignant and disheartening as she battles other people’s indifference, denial and cruelty, frets about the lack of rain during record breaking heatwaves and recites grim statistics about the collapse of bird, insect and hedgehog populations, yet is also so informative and inspiring. Kate Bradbury is so full of useful advice and her reverence for nature really shines through it all. I loved all the audacious and eccentric anecdotes she shares from rescuing caterpillars before the local council gardeners mowed down nettles in the park to fattening up hedgehogs from the local rescue centre in her garden.

Have a lovely week. X

2023 in Books

I read a total of 50 books in 2023, only reaching my target on the 30th of December as I underestimated how much time and concentration I’d have left for reading during my maternity leave.

The books pictured were my Top Five favourites, these are the stories I haven’t been able to stop thinking about since I read them. There’s some interesting overlap between my favourites with ghosts and the paranormal in both Hell Bent and The Hollow Boy, environmental themes through Drive Your Plow Over The Bones of the Dead and Leila and the Blue Fox, and aging amateur sleuths investigating murders in both Drive Your Plow and The Man Who Died Twice.

Overall I read 39 fiction books and 11 non-fiction. Most of the non-fiction books I read covered parenting/child development or environmental themes.

The fiction I read ranged across genres from children’s and YA to mysteries, fantasy and science fiction, and this year I dipped into the contemporary romance genre for the first time with writers like Jenny Colgan and Sarah Morgan. I’ve always been put off by the covers and a fair dose of literary snobbery when it comes to contemporary women’s fiction but was thoroughly captivated by relatable characters and the nuanced exploration of family, friendships and romantic relationships that I found in the small sample of stories I read. I also read four translations, one translated from Polish was a surprise favourite (Drive Your Plow), while the other three were translated from Japanese.

I borrowed 26 books from the library last year, a trend that I plan to continue this year as libraries are a such a brilliant community resource.

24 for 2024

I’ve picked out 24 books from my TBR to read in 2024, though I’m a mood reader and notoriously bad at sticking to reading plans. Many of these are sequels to series I’ve already started but some are books I’ve seen recommended by other bloggers and bookstagrammers and a few have been recommended by close friends and even one from my husband who mostly reads subjects related to his career and only reads a handful of fiction books a year. Spot any favourites?

Have a lovely week. X

May Reading Wrapup

I finally felt like I hit my reading stride in May.

The Hollow Boy by Jonathan Stroud

The third book in the series but the first I was completely unfamiliar with and I was gripped from start to end. The narrator, Lucy, is off-kilter through this partly because she wants to test her extraordinary ability to connect with ghosts, and also by a new member joining the team, Holly. Lockwood and Co are invited to investigate a wave of hauntings affecting Chelsea, and find themselves teaming up with their rivals from the bigger and more prestigious Fittes agency. In the midst of the action, there’s so much going on for the characters personally as Lockwood reveals part of his past to his friends, and struggles to find the balance between being a leader and a friend; George shows his caring side and what a team player he can be when he’s not lost in his research; new girl Holly trying to fit in; and Lucy finding it easier to empathise with the dead than the living as she tests her powers to communicate with ghosts and struggles with so many teenage insecurities. A rare middle book that really stands out in the series, I found The Hollow Boy utterly compelling and thrilling.

The Creeping Shadow by Jonathan Stroud

In the 4th part of the Lockwood and Co series, Lucy has struck out on her own as an independent agent with the whispering skull but it’s not long before she’s reunited with Lockwood, George and Holly as they investigate a new mystery together, and find themselves unravelling a conspiracy that connects one of the oldest and most prestigious ghost hunting agencies with the criminal underworld that deals in stolen ghost relics. The Creeping Shadow is a creepy, thrilling and explosive adventure that sets the scene for the final part of this series.

The Empty Grave by Jonathan Stroud

One of the things that I’ve loved about the Lockwood & Co series is the different types of ghosts from apparitions to poltergeists, which adds new dangers for the characters, and the final part of this wonderful series brings new challenges for Lockwood & Co as they unravel the conspiracy and finally learn who’s responsible for weakening the barrier that separates the living from the dead. The Empty Grave was a really exciting and satisfying conclusion to the series, and is tied with The Hollow Boy as my favourite part of the series. I’m going to miss these characters, haunted London and their cosy home at Portland Row but it’s been a thrilling, chilling and utterly gripping adventure.

Half A King by Joe Abercrombie

I’m not a fan of grimdark fantasy and have until now avoided Joe Abercrombie for that reason but had heard that his YA trilogy was a bit less grim than his adult fantasy stories so borrowed this from the library. Half A King is the first book in the Shattered Sea trilogy set in world inspired by the Vikings, and follows the story of Yarvi, the younger son of the King of Gettland who was born with a disfigured hand. Struggling with swordsmanship and other skills that require manual dexterity, Yarvi was training for a career in politics as the King’s minister, when he unexpectedly inherits the throne after his father and older brother are murdered. Yarvi swears to avenge them but it isn’t long before he finds himself betrayed and fighting for his own freedom and survival. This story relies heavily on some clever twists, but the writing was a bit repetitive and I found it hard to sympathise with Yarvi as his vow of vengeance seemed more about fulfilling a macho sense of honour and pride than any love for his bullying father. I enjoyed Half A King but I didn’t love it and while I’m curious to know what happens in the rest of the trilogy I’m not desperate to read it.

The Dark Archive by Genevieve Cogman

I took a break from The Invisible Library series because although it had an intriguing overarching plot as the Librarian Irene and her friends, the dragon Prince Kai, and the detective Vale, find themselves negotiating a peace treaty between the Fae and the Dragons, it lacked an overarching antagonist and villain, and was starting to seem a bit formulaic. The Dark Archive is the seventh book in The Invisible Library series, and it refreshes the storyline by resurrecting old enemies driven by vengeance to murder Irene and her friends, and destroy everything she’s achieved in the last few books, which really raises the stakes before the final book in the series.

What have you been reading lately? Have a lovely week. X

April Reading Wrapup

Been struggling to find time to update the blog, but still keeping track of my reading and felt like I finally hit my stride last month.

Our Crooked Hearts by Melissa Albert

A dark and creepy story about witchcraft, secrets and betrayal, narrated by a mother who dabbled in the occult as a teenager looking back on her biggest regrets, and her 17 year old daughter in the present as the mother’s mistakes comes back to haunt them. This was absolutely gripping, creepy and full of suspense, and made me want to get rid of all the mirrors in my house just in case there was someone watching from the other side.

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman

The second part in The Thursday Murder Club series finds the four aging amateur sleuths investigating a mugging, a diamond theft and murder. This is an ensemble cast and I simply adore them all from the four residents of the retirement village (Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim) who are still so full of life and mischief to the local police officers (Chris and Donna) who get pulled into their investigations, and even the enigmatic, hunky Polish handyman, Bogdan. I enjoyed The Man Who Died Twice even more than The Thursday Murder Club, it’s a delightful and absorbing mystery full of clever twists, suspense, humour, poignancy, friendship and even a little romance. I’m already predicting that this will be one of my Top 10 reads of the year, and I can’t wait to read the rest of this series.

The Whispering Skull by Jonathan Stroud

The second part of the ‘Lockwood and Co’ series finds our three teenage ghost hunting agents investigating the mysterious bone glass mirror rumoured to be a window into the spirit realm. This one deviated quite a bit from the TV series, which I watched before seeking out the books, and didn’t have quite as many thrills and chills as the first book, but I loved the friendship developing between the dashing Lockwood, sarcastic Lucy and curious George, that is at the heart of this series.

The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse by Charles Mackesy

I had a wobble with uncertainty and self doubt last month, and I ended up reading it in one sitting while my youngest napped in my arms, but it’s a beautifully illustrated book to dip in and out of when in need of some wisdom and comfort. Not quite a story but four companions, a boy with a lot of questions, a mole who loves cake, a wary fox and a gentle horse, travelling together, helping each other, encouraging one another to learn, grow and be themselves, and all of whom are relatable and inspiring in their own way.

Have a lovely week. X

March Reviews 📚📺

The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama

Having read Becoming (reviewed here) a few years ago, I was intrigued by Michelle Obama’s new book where she shares advice, wisdom, humour and inspiration from her life. Once again, I found Michelle Obama refreshingly and courageously candid as she describes formative experiences and watershed moments in her life, and she covers everything from knitting and the value of small steps towards reaching a goal, accepting fear without letting it dictate your decisions to friendships, parenting and marriage. I found this so easy to read, there are parts that I could relate to personally (such as having a parent with MS) and her warmth, integrity and humour all come across so clearly on the page.

Lockwood And Co (Netflix)

I had a bit of a reading slump in the middle of March, I don’t usually watch much TV but binge watched Lockwood and Co over a few days. Set in a world where for the last 50 years ghosts have become a tangible threat whose touch can kill, the story follows three snarky teenage ghost hunters solving paranormal mysteries and unravelling conspiracies with lots of humour, a moody soundtrack, found family vibes and an angsty slow burn romance.

The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud

After watching the Netflix adaption, I requested the first book in the Lockwood and Co series. Narrated by Lucy, a teenage girl who is able to see, hear and sense the kinetic residue of ghosts, when she joins the ghost hunting agency Lockwood and Co. After one case goes disasterously wrong, the team find themselves investigating a murder and take on a high risk case to save their little agency from bankruptcy. One thing that the book does slightly better than the Netflix series is capture the true horror of using children to fight ghosts to keep everyone else safe, and there are some genuinely creepy scenes in the book. Despite knowing the story from the adaption, I thoroughly enjoyed The Screaming Staircase which provides chills, thrills with some humour and cosy moments too, and I look forward to reading the rest of this series.

The Bewitching of Aveline Jones by Phil Hickes

The second book in the series finds Aveline and her mum on holiday in a little village with a history of witchcraft. Aveline has barely unpacked her suitcase when she meets a strange but fascinating little girl called Hazel who is not what she seems. The Bewitching of Aveline Jones sets a tone of unease as Aveline finds Hazel pulling her off track and torn between her loyalties to her new friend and the other people she cares about, and in many ways this is a perfect metaphor for navigating adolescent friendships with some creepy supernatural moments adding extra suspense.

Have a lovely week. X

2021 ~ My Year in Books

I fell back in love with reading in 2021, I derived so much comfort and pleasure from books, and it was the first year I’ve ever managed to reach my goal of reading 52 books. My final tally was actually 66 books and I reviewed 47 of those on the blog.

I began 2021 with a mystery, a new genre to me, and where better to start than with the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie, and Murder on the Orient Express. Agatha Christie ended up being my most read author, as I read five of her Poirot mysteries last year, though Leigh Bardugo, V.E. Schwab and Maggie Stiefvater were close behind with four books each. I started and finished reading whole series last year, binge-reading trilogies and quartets like Shadow and Bone, The Folk of the Air and The Raven Cycle.

Of the 66 books I read, three were actually re-reads. I re-read Maya Angelou’s Letter to my Daughter, as well as two of my all-time favourite novels Jamaica Inn, Daphne du Maurier’s thrilling and chilling tale of smugglers in Cornwall, and Emily Bronte’s gripping story of obsession and revenge, Wuthering Heights.

I read a real mix of fantasy, science fiction, mysteries, magical realism, children’s fiction with a few autobiographies, classics and even a parenting guide thrown in. More than any other genre I found myself drawn to and devouring Young Adult stories, and I found so many new favourite writers and books among them.

My Top 10 favourite books were comprised of stories that captured my imagination, left me wanting more and that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about. Among my favourites were fantasy stories inspired by the legends of King Arthur (Legendborn) and Owain Glyndwr (The Raven Boys), West-African folklore (Raybearer) and Arabian mythology (The Empire of Gold) as well as enemies-to-lovers romances (The Wicked King and Dance of Thieves), paranormal mysteries (Ninth House) and even a classic (Pride and Prejudice). I couldn’t put them all in order, but I tracked down hardback copies of Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo and Naomi Novik’s A Deadly Education to survive rereads and because I couldn’t possibly wait for the sequels to come out in paperback, these two were absolute highlights of my reading year.

I’m setting my goal to 52 books for 2022 as well, though this year I’m really hoping to make a bigger dent in my TBR pile (which seems to permanently hover around 40 books) though my most aniticipated books coming out this year are the concluding parts of Naomi Novik’s The Scholomance trilogy and The Inheritance Games trilogy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, and the sequel to Legendborn by Tracy Deonn.

What were your favourite books of 2021? Have a lovely week. X