Dawn
In a pre-9/11 world Ronson meets conspiracy theorists from all sides and backgrounds. With his inimitable humourous style he gives them all a voice. Everyone comes across as a bit naive and mixed up, genuinely nice people with a skewed view. I think that's probably a reflection of Ronson himself. Anyway, it's a far cry from the downright nasty conspiracies we've come to see recently and therefore a pleasure to read.
I've a soft spot for anything Alice so I was bound to be intrigued by this. It was an enjoyable read with an exciting final showdown but I had expected more from it. I wanted more Wonderland and less real life, perhaps that's how the sequel will go?
Alice was rather irritating at times, but then so was the original one. I could have done without any of the romance. A and H was icky, A and C seemed like an afterthought, O and X was kind of cute though.
The hints of the original seemed to mostly lie in people's names and there wasn't much reflection of plot (a brief flashback story shows this as a kind of belated sequel). Won't stop me reading the next one though!
It's horrifying to realise that so much of this is true as it's based on the infamous Pendle witch trials. However I was never fully captivated by the novel or the characters. A fairly enjoyable read overall but nothing special.
So turns out this is number 5 in a sequence that I've never read any of the previous of! Didn't stop me enjoying it and wanting to know whodunnit. It's one of those mysteries where the detective also has a backstory that they eek out - I assume over several books. I'll need to try to get my hands on the earlier ones!
A cute little book that seems to be much more aimed at adult readers than a child audience. Definitely the sort of thing I'd have read to my two when they were small - I'm not sure how much they'd have enjoyed it! Lovely illustrations, not done it justice reading on my phone.
Absolutely loved it! My first Agatha Christie and therefore my first Poirot. Not exactly a whodunit as I'd seen the films and knew the story (is there anyone who doesn't). Perfectly quaint, a snapshot of an age that probably was nothing like this for the majority of people, with a magnificent cast of varied characters. Hugely enjoyable escapism, I shall definitely be reading more of her work.
3.5*
A historical novel, set in Dorsetshire at the start of the Black Plague. Characters are well-written and believable and the pages turned quickly. It's a hard-hearted reader that wouldn't root for the plucky Lady Anne and her villagers. Ends rather abruptly but that doesn't bother me as I've already started the next one!
Agatha-Christie-land is my new favourite place to dwell. Full of convoluted crimes that keep me guessing until the end.
This tale is set in a quintessentially quaint English village complete with plenty of bizarre characters, any of whom could be the dastardly murderer! Oh, and there's some tempestuous romance - yes please. Particularly loved the mental cover art - what on earth was the boomerang about, did I miss that bit in a post-nightshift read? Answers on a post-card, please!
Yup, she did it again, she made me cry! Thomas writes such good characters you can't help but believe in them and when they hurt you hurt too. On The Come Up maybe doesn't have as much to say as The Hate U Give or Concrete Rose but its protagonist Bri sure has PLENTY to say! This feels like it's a pretty personal write for Thomas, a teen rapper herself, and it's well written and enjoyable. Looking forward to reading more of Thomas' work in the future.
It's obvious from reading any of Oseman's books that she really deeply understands both her characters and her readers. As well as being an entertaining examination of friendship and fame, this is a love letter to her fans.
I didn't empathise with anyone and had absolutely no “lived experience”. I'm really too old for these books and this world - I've never Tweeted or Tumblred and I followed my bands escapades in Smash Hits! Still it was enjoyable and everyone felt really real - insofar as they were insecure mishmashes of normal and weird - and, yeah, I can relate to that.
Merged review:
It's obvious from reading any of Oseman's books that she really deeply understands both her characters and her readers. As well as being an entertaining examination of friendship and fame, this is a love letter to her fans.
I didn't empathise with anyone and had absolutely no “lived experience”. I'm really too old for these books and this world - I've never Tweeted or Tumblred and I followed my bands escapades in Smash Hits! Still it was enjoyable and everyone felt really real - insofar as they were insecure mishmashes of normal and weird - and, yeah, I can relate to that.
Bravo Mrs. Christie, kept me guessing right till the end. A delightful array of red herrings, as to be expected, and plenty of secrets to be exposed. A zippy little tale with Monsieur Poirot stuck right in the middle - can he prove his innocence and catch the killer? Well, what do you think...
A strangely fun book (technically two books in one) in which a librarian and a mercenary join forces leading to a zombie uprising on a trawler. Then things get really weird...
I was hooked from the start - what an opening - and continued to enjoy Crowley's bizarre tales and grotesquely explicit descriptions. Plus there's the heart-warming theme of friendship and accepting people for who they are, even if they no longer have hearts. Not for the squeamish but anyone who likes fantasy fiction and isn't opposed to a bit of gross out horror should seek this out.
I'm actually really surprised how much I enjoyed this book, it's really not the kind of book I'd usually read - just a little too close to chick-lit. But these were intelligent, unapologetic, unique women daring to be different. I laughed out loud and wiped away a few years while I read.
I'd like to point out that my enjoyment was probably due to this being a much-needed form of escapism between some rather crummy shifts. It's entirely possible that six months ago or in six weeks time I'd give this 2 stars and a rather huffy review. Indeed it is already starting to annoy me that every voice was so middle-class, privileged, straight and white with any men seemingly two-dimensional afterthoughts.
And yes, I'm still not entirely fond of the quick switch POV thing (see Scabby Queen) but I felt it worked okay here. I found O'Porter's writing easy to read and the plot itself surprised me several times. I ended it with an urge to wear my “This is what a feminist looks like” t-shirt...
...I think I need to go back to my usual sci-fi or horror genres now, though, for a bit of a break!
This was my second read of Thomas' debut novel and, while it didn't have me sobbing like the first time, it may have been even better second time around. This time I felt I explored the characters more than the story, I liked that nobody's perfect - making them all the more believable. I think reading Concrete Rose beforehand really increased my enjoyment. And I just loved Maverick so it's good to see how far he's come and meet his family.
The plot itself is fairly simple but it's secondary to watching the protagonist grow, mature and find her voice. The novel is her protest song, full of anger and pain, but it's also a lesson about standing up for what you believe in and being proud of who you are. I think she'll be alright but if Thomas wants to write any more about this family I'll happily give it a read
A rather sweet little tale of fishing, love, whisky and Russians. I've never read any of Meyrick's books before so had no knowledge of the place or people but that didn't matter. I was quickly drawn in to the gossipy wee world of the varied characters. I may even revisit Kinloch again for some of his darker crime stories.
I was expecting something quite different, maybe a graphic novel of queer people through history? Instead I got a crash course in queer theory which often went over my head or immediately back out of it. It was not uninteresting but skimmed over so much that it was impossible to gain any depth of the subject.
All I really came away with is that nothing is truly binary and queer is what one does not what one is. When I started this book I thought I could go from someone who disliked being labelled to someone who identified as queer. But now I don't know, I feel more confused than I did at the start!
As I'm not a literary critic any book review I write comes down to, simply, “Did I enjoy it? Was it worth reading?”. With The Testaments the answer to that is a resounding “yes”. The whole novel felt like an indulgent treat, particularly crawling around inside the brain of the duplicitous Aunt Lydia. To hear all those voices tell their stories (and their secrets) was a delight. After the uncertainty of The Handmaid's Tale, The Testaments brought catharsis.
I like the way Atwood writes - the poetry of her prose. I'd read, and most likely enjoy, anything she wrote. The Testaments is literarily quite different from her The Handmaid's Tale, seeming to draw more on the style of the TV show. This is amplified by the multiple POVs flipping us to-and-fro, keeping us on our toes. I found it less bleak, dark or foreboding than its predecessor. But, perhaps now, we need hopes more than warnings.
Others question whether this novel was “necessary” - is any book? Or maybe only stand alone originals are allowed? No sequels or prequels here please!
So Atwood hints she wrote it as a response to fans requests. Does it matter? She had been jotting sequel ideas since the 90s - you don't invent a situation like Gilead and then just stop thinking about it.
Atwood says she was driven to finally write the sequel when, “Instead of going away from Gilead, we turned around and started coming back towards Gilead”.
Where The Handmaid's Tale was a warning of what may come, The Testaments serves as both reprimand and redemption.
Another lovely little twisty murder mystery. I thought I knew who'd “dunnit” a few times but, as usual, I was wrong! This was my first Colonel Race novel (and apparently the last) and I thoroughly enjoyed it - I shall be scouring the charity shops for more!
4.5* rounded up because I wish I was this cool!
I was a teenager in the '90s but only found Riot Grrl music later on in life (in fact I was at a Bikini Kill gig last week!). I wasn't a feminist then and, like Viv's friend Claudia, I found the concept kind of scary. This book (that I read after the fab film) made me want to go out and publish my own zines, to shout that this is still an issue, that women's voices need to be heard. We should be building each other up it shooting each other down.
My only issues are the romantic storyline - was it really necessary - and there could have been more queer and genderfluid characters. Other than that, great YA read.
Pure escapism and I absolutely loved it. Kept me gripped throughout and the story was completely unique. Great wee debut novel but I'm not sure he'll be able to keep it up for a series... I'm hoping to be proven wrong though.
I quite liked the structure: introduce each character in their own chapters then bring them together for the main plotline ultimately separating again as we reach the end. The writing was fine, characters had depth etc...
I just didn't really care about any of the characters or their lives. I got a little bit more involved towards the end, with the vague threat, but that soon dissipated.
A heartbreaking book, truly horrific, yet beautiful. Accessible to children and adults, relatable to anyone who has lost someone to a terminal illness or who fears this. The worst things are those we hide from ourselves.
My first Karin Slaughter (recommended by a friend), engrossing, shocking, horrific at times. An investigation into the survival of a family after the disappearance of a daughter. Some quite unbelievable and exciting escapades and some scenes that I'd rather not have read. Not for the faint hearted!
In The City there's Stark and he does a job that no one else could do, that no one else could even understand. This time the job is going to push him beyond his boundaries as he searches for someone and something before the time runs out... and, plotwise, that's all I've got to say. What else could I say about this book that won't spoil the shocks and surprises, that won't eventually detract from the enjoyment? I'll tell you I loved it - from Stark's world-weary, Marlowe-esque narration to the twisted, rancid entrails of the story that pulls you down and won't let you back up to breathe. But I gave it 5 stars, so you know that!
What it did for me, that was so special, is that it took me back, this futuristic semi-sci-fi noir called “Only Forward” kept pulling me back to my late teens in the 90s. Every time I opened the book Tori's words jumped into my head and I was singing along with the only person who understood my lost and twisted mind back then. I know I've read this before but I always forget a book unless I've read it many times, little bits of this were half-remembered but I'm sure it didn't have the same impact on me last time (I wish I'd left a review then). This time it changed who I was while I was reading it, it took me back and then it let me let myself go.
And that's why it gets 5 stars.