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This is such a fantastic read.

I read this a couple weeks ago but didn't get the chance to review it but now with the news that Refaat Al-Areer, who wrote the first essay was martyred yesterday I feel like I need to finally write something so I can try convince others to pick this book up.

This is such an important read if you're wanting to learn and understand what is happening in Palestine and what's been happening for the past 75+ years.

May Allah grant every Palestinian who has been martyred the highest place in Jannah.

I think you can't truly write a review on something that is like this. This isn't a work of fiction or something that someone has decided to write just for fun. This isn't just a memoir of one person.

This is the story that shines a light on not just one voice but multiple voices that have been lost in the shadow of an evil man. They deserve to be heard. They deserve to be remembered.

I think it's important to note that this also showed how invalidating and harmful it is to the victims that the media and public continue after all these years to push the narrative of Bundy being handsome and using his good looks to seduce his victims. He needs to stop being glorified and the focus needs to go back on those he harmed.

This was an easy and eye-opening read. I truly am so proud of the strength it would've taken to write this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Independent Publishers Group for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was the first book that I have read by Kristi Rose and I am so happy to say that it won't be the last.

Camp Murder Club gave me One of Us Is Lying vibes and I loved it. I really enjoyed being able to follow along with the characters as they tried to find out who the killer was. I saw in someone's review that this book reminded them of The Breakfast Club with how all the characters were different on the surface but discovered how similar and alike they were underneath and I really loved that comparison.

Though there were moments where the book felt like it wasn't realistic, I found Camp Murder Club to be entertaining and fun read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I knew from the minute I first laid my eyes on this book and read the description that it was going to be a beautiful read that I had to pick it up. I am so happy to say I was right.

Song For The Living and The Dead is a moving and beautiful book that follows the lives of a Palestinian-Lebanese family and their struggles as their family is continuously displaced from their homes due to the aggression of the occupation of the Israeli army.

This book portrayed the reality of the generational trauma that has been an integral consequence of the Nakba and the ongoing bombardments carried out on Palestine by the US-funded settler colony that is Israel. It explores the devastating truth that Palestinians are treated like prisoners with no rights in their own country and the discrimination that they face daily because of where they and/or their family was born.

This is such an important read, especially in today's time as the world witnesses Israel commit atrocities against Palestine once again by displacing millions, killing thousands and contributing to the genocide that Israel has been perpetrating for the past 75+ years.

I can't wait to read more from this author.

Last Light is a great collection of spooky stories and is perfect for anyone who is looking for a chilling and suspenseful read that delves into the paranormal and the unknown.

I found these stories so immersive and I really did not want it to end. My favourite would have to have been Last Touch because it's been days since I finished this collection and I still haven't stopped thinking about it.

I think this would be a great book to pick up if you're wanting to get into the genre because each one is different and it gives you a fantastic variety to enjoy.


Thank you to NetGalley and Cranthorpe Millner Publishers for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I think this is such an important read if you are wanting to know more about the BDS and how we, as the international community, can help Palestinian's fight for liberation.

First review of the year and I wanted to make sure it was a book that had been on my radar for a while so I could set the tone.

The best way to describe this book is that it's a wild ride and if you're a slasher lover like myself, you'll probably love this!

May 2024 bring me great thrilling reads!

A book about a haunted house with queer and trans representation? Absolutely.

The characters of Withered felt so genuine and real to me from the very first page. Their struggles and their own stories were written so well and I feel that they added such a fantastic element to the story.

I loved that it touched on subjects such as grief and eating disorders and touched on it in ways that I, as a person who struggles with both, felt was authentic.

This was a great read.

Thank you to NetGalley and ECW Press for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really loved the premise of this book and I got so excited when I saw that I had been approved for an ARC.

The characters were likeable, relatable and you couldn't help but root for them. I also loved that this book gave representation to a condition that you don't see portrayed much in media.

I do feel that a lot happened in such a small amount of pages and that made me feel overwhelmed and confused. I think that due to that, it felt rushed to me at the end. This is just my personal opinion and I can see lots of people picking this up and loving it.

I'm super interested to see what comes next with this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I'm not sure what it is about this book that touches me so deeply. The movie has always been something I love so much and I am so happy that I wasn't left disappointed by picking up the book.

I have heard a lot about Nicholas Sparks works and this was the first book of his that I have read and I can happily say I can't wait to demolish all of his others.

This was so heartbreakingly real and profound. All of these characters hold such a special place in my heart. Each and every one of them bring something so unique and beautiful to the page.

It's not often that books that have movie tie-ins end up being equally or somewhat subpar to one another. The Last Song is the perfect example of a beautifully written story with a stunningly produced movie.

I laughed, I cried.... this was everything.

“As Rachel Green would say, isn't that just kick-you-in-the-crotch, spit-on-your-neck fantastic?”

Spicy fake dating with fantastic banter? Sign me up!

I had so much fun with this.

This was Pretty Woman but modern and it had me absolutely hooked. It was so chaotic in the best way.

Was it cheesy and predictable at times? Yes. However, I think the important thing is that I had fun with this and I laughed.

There wasn't a character that I disliked (minus Angela) and that is a huge thing for me when it comes to reading. I thought every character was so unique in their own ways and brought something so special to the story.

I loved Lottie and Hux's interactions with their siblings. I always giggled in those moments. It was exactly like my relationship with my siblings.

The chemistry between Lottie and Hux was so intense. I'm so glad that this wasn't one of those ‘instant love' scenarios and it took a while before the romance began to kick in, despite how obvious their attraction towards one another was.

I am on the hunt for a rich husband.

Applications are now open.

This will be the fourth book of Sager's that I have read and this reminded me exactly why he is one of my favourite authors.

“I make jokes because it's easier to pretend I'm not feeling what I'm feeling than to actually feel it.”

I appreciated this story and maybe not for reasons that others might. Grief is an overwhelming and heartbreaking thing to go through, everyone deals with it in their own ways, some ways are unhealthy. Reading about Casey's way of dealing with her grief and feelings made me feel seen as I have turned to her similar way of coping before.

I don't what it is about Sager's books that hold me captive every time. I can never find the strength to put the book down once I've started them.

When I tell you that I genuinely gasped so loudly reading this.... The noise that left my mouth wasn't human.

“During those sixty seconds, I feel bright and wildly alive and finally in charge of the situation.This, I think, is what being a man must feel like.”

The reason why I didn't give this 5 stars is purely because one of the plot lines came from completely left field and I was left confused for a moment. Overall, I enjoyed this and recommend it.

Gillian Flynn is such a fantastic writer and she never fails to show me time and time again exactly why she is one of my favourite authors.

This was nothing like Gone Girl or Sharp Objects and I think that's what makes it so great. It's never the same story. Flynn always tells these amazing stories whilst maintaining the eeriness and darkness that her other works do.

Unreliable narrators are my most favourite parts of books because I love that feeling of not knowing who to trust or believe. I loved that throughout this book I was second guessing every character I came across.

This book was dark with some interesting plot twists thrown in and I loved it.

“Because, despite everything, I loved her.I didn't like her, but I loved her.And he'd underestimated me, as well. Because it's so much harder to love someone who's difficult than to love someone who's easy.”

This quote hit me so hard and I absolutely needed to include it here. Loving someone who in your heart you don't really want to love at all is so exhausting and emotionally taxing.

“I feel like I've been lost all my life until now—and somehow with you I'm just ... found.”

When I read this quote my first thought was ‘I want somebody to love me like this'. I can't express how beautiful the writing of this book is.

The Bodyguard was a book that has been in my ‘to be read' pile and a book that I have been excited to read for a long time and I can happily say that it didn't disappoint!

From the first few chapters I knew immediately that this book was special and was going to become a comfort read. It's not often you read a book that makes you angry because you didn't read it sooner. This book genuinely had me laughing out loud.

Hannah and Jack are probably one of my favourite fictional characters that I've come across and have quickly become comfort characters. They're so funny, relatable and interesting to read. Robby? I have never wanted to hurt a character more. You know an author has done an awesome job if it makes you want to protect a character and ruin another's life.

Something important that I gained from this book was that you don't owe anyone anything, you don't have to accept anybody's apology if you don't want to.

“But you don't have to be perfect to be lovable.”

I had to give this book five stars which is so rare for me and this is probably the longest review that I have done but this is genuinely such a comfort read for me. I loved it so much. I will most definitely be rereading this.

“Grief is just love asking for more time.”

***

“Grief is like rain. When you're standing in the street, drenched and freezing cold, it's hard to remember what it's like to feel warm and dry. It's hard to imagine feeling warm and dry ever again. But some people are umbrellas. And they keep away the worst of the storm.”


There is something so special about the way that Elle McNicoll writes. A lot of people turn their noses up at middle grade (I could go on a tangent on why the genre is so important and fantastic but I will save that for another time) but the way that McNicoll portrays neurodivergency is raw and honest. I have often seen television shows, movies or books represent us in unrealistic ways but I am yet to be let down by this author.

Books such as this and her debut A Kind Of Spark are important to the community, especially the usual target audience of middle grade because of the lesson behind it. We are often made to feel different, misunderstood and told that we need to change to make it in this neurotypical dominant world but the beautiful message behind Show Us Who You Are is that there is nothing wrong with being different and that if given the chance, we wouldn't change it.

The highlight for me would have to be the friendship between Adrien and Cora. Both of them have experienced the highs and the lows of being neurodivergent and I loved that they were both able to find comfort and safety in one another and advocate their right to exist just as they are.

Another fantastic read from a great author.

This will be the second book from Riley Sager that I have read and it most definitely will not be the last.

It started slow but by the time I got into the middle of this book, I was constantly on edge. There's something about books like these that just have a hold on me and I always seem to struggle to find the ability to put it down even just for a moment.

I love books where I struggle to find the main protagonists reliable. I love not knowing who to trust or who to root for.

This took me on a wild ride and I never knew what to expect. It was filled with twists and turns that I didn't see coming. I would happily read this again.

This is probably my favourite book by this author so far and I am so excited to check his other works out.

I have heard so many things about this book but I refused to look into the synopsis properly so I could go into it completely blind and I'm so glad that I did. I think I audibly yelled “oh my god is this a friends to lovers?” and immediately got excited. I'm a sucker for cliche rom-coms and I'm not afraid to admit it.

Alex and Poppy are the perfect example of best friends to lovers. Their banter and conversations were probably my favourite parts of the book. I loved how they bounced off one another.

“I love when you get weird.”“You make me weird. I'm not like this with anyone else.”

This was special to me and I had to highlight and include it for that reason. I think it's important to find someone you can be your weirdest self with.

“My point is, no one really knew me before you, Poppy. And even if . . . things change between us, you'll never be alone, okay? I'll always love you.”

The minute I read this line, I immediately highlighted it because this is so beautiful. There's something about the reassurance in these words that it makes my heart just shatter. This is such an unconditional love and it makes me buzz.

This book made me giddy and kick my feet like a love-sick teenager. This is a comfort read for me and something I would revisit in the future.

“I don't want to be anyone's puppet. The moment I let someone make my choices for me, that's when I know I've lost.”

“I kind of think regret and guilt aren't such terrible things. Not if they make us into better people.”

Good Girls Die First followed ten teenagers who had been lured to an abandoned carnival. All ten characters are different and unique in their own ways but all are keeping a secret.

This book had me on the edge of my seat waiting anxiously for what was going to happen next, which is exactly what you want when it comes to books like this.

Usually when it comes to books like these I can find the characters don't have much individuality but I was so happy to see that it wasn't the case with this book.

I found myself not being able to trust any of these characters or find any of them reliable. I believe that's also something you want when it comes to books like these.

I would definitely revisit this book again in the future.

This was a quick read once I finally put my head down and read it. I feel like this book had real promise if it delved more into the actual theme of the Fright Night and added more onto the storyline that they did.

The concept was so good for me. The idea of being in the woods with no cell phone service and people waiting to scare you? Mortifying. I went into this hoping to be on the edge of my seat and waiting for the most terrifying thing to happen next and I was left quite disappointed because I would've liked for this to have been scary rather than disturbing.

The overall storyline of Dylan and his trauma was written quite well and definitely what stood out to me. I just would've loved more detail with it.

Overall, I enjoyed this story and I'm interested to see what else this author has to offer.

“Asking for help isn't failure, it's strength. It means you trust yourself enough to be flawed and to learn. Because here's the secret: You don't have to be infallible. You don't have to know it all. No one is and no one does.”

I just wanted to share this specific quote because it really hit me and made me do some thinking. It's so important to allow yourself to be vulnerable and accept our flaws so we can receive and ask for help when needed.

The only reason I didn't rate this book higher despite loving how it was written and the characters that were represented (especially trans and nonbinary characters being the main focus for the romance aspect of the plot - which I hardly ever see in books) was the fact that I knew who was behind the killings from the get-go.

However, I still really enjoyed this book and would read again.

I have read all of Riley Sager's works now and I can say that this is definitely one of my favourites.

I loved the way the story fluctuated between current events and chapters from Maggie's father's book. The pacing of it was so so well down and It made it feel more eery and real for me.

I know the inspiration behind this was Amityville Horror but this book also gave me such The Haunting of Hill House vibes and I loved it so much. This really kept me on my toes and I was so engaged from start to finish.

”The thing with feelings is they pass. Hearts aren't designed to feel anything too intensely for too long, be it joy, sorrow, or anger. Everything passes in time. All colors fade.”

As someone who is on the autism spectrum, the books in these instalments always hold a special place in my heart.

What I love the most about these books is that it gives a fantastic representation of people on the spectrum by exploring the non-stereotypically aspects of it. The idea that people believe that all autistic people have the same characteristics and if you don't appear to fit those stereotypes that you can't be autistic will never fail to baffle me and I am so happy that was explored in this book, as well as masking.

This was so much more than a romance with the heavy and real topics it portrayed. It's about self-acceptance and learning to not be afraid of reaching out for help.

I loved reading about Anna learning to come to terms with her diagnosis and her accepting that she doesn't need to mask happiness for anyone. Reading her stand up for herself and do what's best for her was so great for me and you can tell that the author put a lot of love into it.

I couldn't give this the five stars that I was wanting to give it since I felt that the romance that was present in the book felt quite rushed and not as developed as I would've liked.

Overall, I loved this and I can see myself rereading this in the future.

“Most people say developing is linear, but for survivors it is cyclic. People grow up, victims grow around; we strengthen around the place that hurt, become older and fuller, but the vulnerable core is never gone.”

TRIGGER WARNING: sexual assault

There are no words to describe how this made me feel. It's not something you can go into lightly and as a survivor, this brought up a lot of emotions for me.

We are living in a world that is conditioned to protect abusers and rapists. Why is it that the first thought when someone speaks out about their assault is that they're lying? Why is it that the majority care more about how the rapist's life is affected than the victims?

Why is it always, what were you wearing? Did you provoke him? Why were you drinking? Why were you out alone? Rather than ask the questions you should be?

Why did he think it was okay to lay his hands on them? What gave him the right to decide what they do or don't consent to? What is it about a person drinking or having fun or wearing an outfit that might show a bit of skin that gives him the right to say, I am owed something from this?

There is power and strength in talking about subjects that society has led many of us to believe Taboo. There is power and strength in coming together as a community to heal and support one another as victims.

One of the most heartbreaking things about this book is the reminder that it isn't a work of fiction, not for Chanel, not for myself and not for the hundreds of millions of people across the world.

Chanel handled this with such grace and there are no words to describe how empowering and utterly phenomenal this memoir is, not just for me, but for many victims and supporters alike.

As heavy as this was, I am so grateful that I took the time to read it. This is extremely special to me.

Thank you, Chanel, for being our voice and for continuing to elevate others.

“Take what you want. I'll hate you for it. But I'll love you forever. I can't help but love you.”

I am writing this review devastated because this truly is a series that I never wanted to finish, with characters that I didn't want to say goodbye to.

It's not often that you read something that makes you want to put off reading because you don't want it to end. Often with a series, each book is found lacking after the first but with the Poppy War trilogy, each book got better.

I believe The Burning God was the best of the trilogy but I also said that about The Dragon Republic so I'm just going to settle on the fact that there is no bad book in this series.

The Burning God was a fantastic end to a fantastic series. I am fully convinced that R.F. Kuang is a criminal mastermind for writing something that impacted me the way that this series has. I laughed, I cried, I mourned. This was everything I wanted from a series like this and more.

The characters' progression was something that I loved the most about this book. Rin has always been a fierce and strong-willed character but in The Burning God, we got to see more of Rin's vulnerable side. It was easy to forget that underneath the all-powerful Speerly that she is, Rin is just a scared, young girl who was fighting for survival.

I could go on about this book and the entire series for hours but I think the best way to end this review is to encourage whoever I can to pick this series up. I don't think I'll ever be able to get it out of my head. This truly is special.

”I prayed for peace, quiet, certainty. And it's you. I'm in love with you.”Based on the reviews I have seen I think I am about to have an unpopular opinion but I enjoyed this way more than I did The Hating Game.I found this book so entertaining and silly and just an overall good laugh. It gave me the found family trope that I absolutely live for.Were some parts cringey? Yes. Were some parts predictable? Yes. But I laughed and that's what I was looking for when I went into this.I couldn't help but love the Parlonis and Teddy's interactions. The things she would make him do and he just took it like a champ had me giggling because of how silly and out there it was. The humour of it and Teddy's wit and banter in general is what made me enjoy this as much as I did.Something that I loved about this story was how supportive Ruthie and Teddy were towards one another. They never asked for the other to change anything about themselves. Even though I felt that the romance started off too quickly to my liking, I felt as if the romance between the two was very sweet and genuine.This was the perfect definition of a rom-com.