bee
“And while it's important to know how to fight your way to the top... It's always nice when there are others to help lift us up, don't you think?”
WOAH.
I am so annoyed that I haven't picked this up earlier. I have heard constant good things not just about this book but about Ann Liang in general and I was not left disappointed.
I admit I went into this blind and didn't even read the premise so you could imagine my surprise when Alice began to turn invisible. I had to pause for a second and yelled at the top of my lungs “Wait, this has magic in it?” and instantly knew I needed to eliminate all distractions and devour this book.
If You Could See The Sun should be read by everyone. This is what I'm going to start advertising to everyone at least. This book made me feel so attached to the characters. I fell in love with them so deeply. Alice and Henry are now so special to me.
This book has left an everlasting impact on me and taught me the important lesson, sometimes you will feel invisible and forgotten but the right people will never lose sight of you.
My only negative is that there isn't more of this book.
Every time I read a book from the Thriller and Mystery genre I am reminded just how much fun they are to read.
I was impressed with the level of uncertainty that surrounded the house and the characters who lived there. I tried my hardest to try to guess who the killer possibly could be but I was way off and I loved that I wasn't able to figure it out.
The atmosphere of The Simmonds House Kills was tense and nerve-racking. This is a perfect read for spooky season.
You could never make me stay in that house even if you paid me. I would also run in the opposite direction of any of the residents that live there.
What I would've loved was there to have been more scenes between Emma and Henry. I didn't feel overly attached to the romance between them because I felt like I didn't get to see it develop as much as I would've liked. However, I loved the scenes we did get and loved their interactions.
I think I also need to mention the underdog that is Tyler. He was such a fun character for me and I loved his quirkiness.
Thank you to Meaghan for providing me with this copy to review.
“You don't have to work overtime to get people to love you, Ava. Love isn't earned, it's given.”
Twisted Love was a great palette cleanser for me because I have been reading a lot of Thrillers lately so it felt like a breath of fresh air to dive into the world of Ana Huang.
I don't care what anyone says but sometimes you need to pick up a book, especially a Romance that reads like fan-fiction. It's such a great escape from reality and that's what reading is for right?
I do wish that there was more detail in some of the parts of the book where it was brushed over and mentioned what happened rather than it occurring in the book and us reading it for ourselves as readers.
However, I had great fun reading this and I think that's what matters the most.
I can't wait to get started on the rest of the series.
“Do not change the parts of yourself that you like to make others comfortable. Do not try to mold yourself to fit the standards someone else has set for us.”
WOAH.
This is another perfect example of when I read a book and get mad at myself for taking so long to read it.
Belladonna is not like anything I have ever read before. This was the perfect gothic mystery and fantasy combination for me.
The writing of Belladonna was so beautifully poetic and I found myself absolutely enthralled by the story from start to finish. I honestly could not put this book down and I was cursing myself for needing sleep because I just wanted to keep reading.
I loved the character progression of Signa and seeing her grow into herself. I was always so excited to read the interactions between her and Death. They had great chemistry and I am not afraid to admit I grew a massive crush on him...
I love books that are linked with mythology, particularly Greek mythology. There's just something about it that scratches an itch in my brain, I can't explain it.
You can tell by reading this book that the author put a lot of love and research into this. I feel like though I know a lot about mythology already, I learnt a lot just from reading.
Hades brought all the great elements that you would want when reading something like this.
This was slow-paced and action-driven which I personally don't usually enjoy but I think this was done extremely well!
Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was actually such a fun read. I know this will give him a big head but I have to say I am so glad that Wylan pushed me to pick this up.
Half Bad was such an addicting read. I found that once I began the very first chapter I struggled to put it down again. I instantly fell in love with the world-building.
I've seen a few people attempt to compare Half Bad to other books and I want to say that I don't think it's possible. I don't think there's any book or series quite like this.
This is me remaining quite cryptic when I give a review because I refuse to give any spoilers. Let's just say that the minute I started to get the feeling of the book, I was obsessed.
Half Bad is the perfect first book to a series and I can't wait to continue to emerge myself in this magical, brutal and fantastic world.
I had so much fun with this.
The Last One To Fall was as if One Of Us Is Lying and A Good Girl's Guide To Murder had a baby and I loved every minute of it.
The Last One To Fall was a fantastic murder mystery with twists and turns that left me on the edge of my seat. It also covered some very important topics and it was done in a way that wasn't overly intense or graphic which I think was great as it is a part of the Young Adult genre.
This was another great example of the unreliable narrator which has got to be my favourite feature in Mysteries and Thrillers. I love not having a clear-cut innocent character because it makes the story feel more engaging and interesting.
I loved the characters and all of the different personalities and quirks they individually brought to the story.
The story pacing back and forth between before the murder and after it added a fantastic setting for me. I loved searching for clues along with the characters on just who the killer could be.
I'm super excited to check out more by this author.
Thank you to HQ for providing me with this copy to review.
The Fall has been on my TBR for the longest time and I went into the book with such high expectations. I'm so glad I wasn't let down.
I went into this wanting to be left on the edge of my seat the way that Thrillers usually do and The Fall had me hooked! There was no shortage of twists and turns and I loved trying to work out what happened to Caily along with the other characters. I personally really enjoy unreliable narrators because I love the idea of there being no clear innocent character so the reader is left questioning everyone.
I can wholeheartedly say that I did not see the ending coming from a mile away and that's how you know the author has done a great job!
Without giving too much detail so I don't give any spoilers, the issue that I had is that I didn't like the implication between two characters. I felt it was inappropriate and unnecessary and it made me feel slightly uncomfortable.
I think what I loved the most about this book was the characterisation and how these characters felt so real. Their struggles, their fears and their anguish throughout the book felt like it was flowing from the pages.
Thank you to Harlequin for providing me with this copy to review.
“Strange, isn't it? To love a book. When the words on the pages become so precious that they feel like part of your own history because they are. It's nice to finally have someone read stories I know so intimately.”
The Starless Sea is a book that I have had my eyes on reading for a very long time. I decided that it was time on my shelf and TBR was enough and I needed to finally pick it up. I am so glad that I did.
The first thing I want to say about this book is how beautifully written it was. Morgenstern's prose was beyond descriptive and enticing. It felt like I was reading poetry and I loved every minute of it.
As someone whose name is Bee and who loves everything to do with bees, I got a huge kick out of the link between bees and honey throughout the book. This seems silly to mention but I couldn't not say something about it.
The Starless Sea was joyful, adventurous, unique and beautiful. It was filled with fantastic characters, magical world-building and romance that had me gushing for more.
I loved every minute of this book.
I couldn't think of any better time to pick this up than now with the release of the movie for Red, White & Royal Blue. I do want to emphasise that while this was a fantastic read while I'm missing Alex and Henry, The Unlikely Heir holds its own and Callum and Oliver are both unique and special characters.
I could sit here and highlight the great tropes that are in this book in multiple paragraphs but instead, I'm going to focus on the characters.
Callum has always felt like an outsider looking in and has struggled with feeling misunderstood throughout his entire life. I truly resonated with his character and his development of learning to trust himself and stop listening to other people's perceptions of him. He had been burned by so many people before and struggled with letting others see him in all raw honesty due to fear of people leaving or seeing what he believed wasn't enough. I loved reading about his acceptance that he was free to be who he really is and that people loved him for him.
Oliver was a fantastic character, struggling with the weight of responsibility and never allowing himself to be happy as he believed that wasn't truly in the cards for him. I loved reading about his character development and self-acceptance.
This was so much fun to read and I am so glad I picked it up.
Thank you to NetGalley and Jax Calder for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
“Your trauma is something that happened to you; it's not who you are.”
You know that feeling when you read a book and you just think, ‘This book is Mine. It's everything to me'? That's exactly how I felt reading Kiss Her Once For Me.
One of my favourite movies of all time is The Proposal and I immediately felt the same feeling I do when I watch that movie when I started to read this. I'm claiming this as the queer version and I'm taking no objections.
The highlight would have to be the characters. Each and every one of them felt so carefully crafted and fleshed out. They truly felt real to me and like I was able to feel their emotions and struggles through the book.
You need to give the author credit for the way we were able to read and understand Jack so profoundly without having a point of view of hers written. I think the biggest challenge of this book would have to be making out of it without falling in love with Ellie, Jack and the rest of the family. Andrew, Dylan, Katherine, the grandmas... This was such a beautiful combination of characters in one family and they never failed to have me giggling or crying.
Also, this is a tiny detail to some but as a non-binary person, it was so fantastic to see a character who was just like me.
This was my first book from this author but I think it's safe to say that after reading Kiss Her Once For Me, it won't be the last.
“Maybe friendship is being the guardian of another person's hope. Leave it with me and I'll look after it for a while if it feels too heavy for now.”
I went into Ghosts without knowing much about the book at all, besides the fact that a lot of people have said they loved and enjoyed it.
I believe that this is a perfect exploration of what dating often looks like in today's society. I also think this was a great portrayal of how it's not fun growing older, especially having to witness your loved ones growing older too and all the complications and responsibilities that come with it.
There were so many heartbreaking and heartfelt moments and I loved that it served as a reminder that we don't always need a significant other to experience a type of love that is profound. It's often around us in our friends, families and/or simply ourselves.
I can't wait to check out more works by this author.
I want to start this off by emphasising that this book touches on very heavy subjects such as abuse, sexual abuse, addiction and many more. Please don't read this memoir if those are triggering subjects for you.
This wouldn't have been an easy story to tell, or an easy story to relive so that they can write it down to share in this book so I want to commend Brittany's strength for sharing this with others.
No one should ever have to go through half of the things that Brittany did throughout her life and I have no words to describe how proud I am of them for using their voice and for sharing their story. As a victim myself, I look at her strength and it helps me remember that I'm not alone.
I can't wait to see what comes next for Brittany and I can't wait to be there to support her in any way.
Thank you to NetGalley and Zibby Books for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
“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.
It's been a while since I've read a cute romance that had me giggling and kicking my feet. I am so happy that I picked this up!
I loved that the storyline jumped between the present day and the past. It made me feel like I was watching Aspen and Rome fall in love with one another in both timelines.
Roman has to be one of my favourite male protagonists that I have read. He is so selfless and supportive. I could not think of a single red flag when it came to him. He is the definition of the perfect book boyfriend.
I loved that this book was inspired by the Taylor Swift song and I loved how sweet this story is. I also love that each chapter had a song dedicated to it.
I would've loved to have a chapter written from Rome's point of view.
Overall, this was a super sweet romance that would be great for anyone who is stuck in a reading slump or just wants a cozy romance.
Thank you to NetGalley and Parson Press for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Nowhere Child reiterated for me exactly why Thrillers would have to be one of my ultimate favourite genres.
I was hooked on this book from the very first chapter. The chapters alternated between two timelines, the present while Kim and her new-found family try to put together the pieces of what happened all those years ago and the past, where Sammy has just gone missing. The two timelines flowed together perfectly and I felt as if I was solving the mystery along with the characters.
The Nowhere Child was a compelling, fast-paced, easy-to-read Thriller with twists and turns at every corner. I never wanted to put this book down.
As an Australian, I could never not take the opportunity to support another fellow Aussie so the fact that this turned out to be as great as I hoped is such a fantastic win for me and I can't wait to check out more works by this author.
“It's one thing to be looked at, and another to be seen.”
I am still struggling to wrap my head around the fact that a story that has less than 200 pages can manage to leave such an impactful feeling on me.
Open Water explores what it is to be young and black. The fear and anxieties that come with being black in a society that is consistently failing and hurting you, especially from the people who are sworn by law and duty to protect you.
There are so many themes that are covered in such a small book, such as racism, microaggressions police brutality and many more.
As white people, we will never understand what it feels like to fear for our safety whenever a police car pulls us over or passes us by. We will never understand the pain that racism and its repercussions have had and still have on the black community. I hate that stories such as these need to be told but I am glad that it's something that people can now find comfort in knowing they are not alone.
This was a beautiful read.
”There is only one sin. and that is theft... when you tell a lie, you steal someones right to the truth.”
I think this is another perfect example of how it's nearly impossible to write a review to even begin to summarise how this book made me feel. I doubt I will be able to give it justice.
The first thing I will note is that you should definitely check out the trigger warnings before picking up The Kite Runner because it covers some very heavy subjects.
This truly was a roller coaster of emotions for me. I know that often when book lovers write reviews about books that they have read and enjoyed they will talk about how great the characters were written but for The Kite Runner, it's a whole different experience. The characters, the way they are written and developed throughout the book is in simple terms, beautiful.
I can't completely describe all my thoughts but what I will do is recommend you read it.
This isn't a book that I would usually pick up and enjoy but since I said that I would challenge myself this year by reading outside the norm for me, I figured, why not?
Let Me Tell You What I Mean is a collection of essays written over the years varying on different topics. I found Didion's way with words refreshing and I enjoyed reading her thoughts and feelings on certain subjects.
I do think I would've enjoyed this more if I had read her work previous to reading this.
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I wasn't expecting to enjoy this story as much as I did. I found myself engrossed in the pages and unable to put it down because I was so invested to see what was going to happen next.
This was such an interesting and unique idea that I hadn't seen done before. It truly plays on the idea that not everything is what it seems and false narratives told often by manipulative and/or seemingly charismatic people can have damaging effects.
And Then I Woke Up left me guessing and wanting more. I can't wait to see what else this author comes up with.
“Accepting responsibility doesn't mean accepting blame.”
~
“You can take charge of your own life without it being an admission of guilt or fault.”
Bellies would have to be one of my favourite reads of the year. I found it hard to sit down and try to find the words to explain just why this is one of my favourites so forgive me if this review doesn't do it justice.
You know when an animal trusts you when they roll onto their backs and show you their belly, the most softest and vulnerable part of their bodies. As humans, sharing your emotions, being open and laying out your deepest fears and hopes are the same. I think what is so beautiful and memorable about Bellies is that none of the characters are perfect, they each have moments where their fears manifest or come across as something hurtful. As humans, we often make mistakes or hurt people while we try to navigate our way through this world and Bellies depicted this in a way that was so raw and honest.
This book truly touched me and I know it's going to be one that I carry with me for a long time. I struggle to believe that this is only a debut when it's managed to impact me so profoundly. I can't express how excited I am to see what comes next from this author or how excited I am for everyone else to read this so I can scream from the rooftops about it. I feel that I am about to become a Bellies Marketing account.
Absolute Fantastic Read.
I think if you were to attempt to sum up this book in one word it would have to be: Intense. It felt like there was a twist at every turn and I found myself holding on to the edge of my seat to see what it would be.
This is one of those books that would be a fantastic movie. I could picture the scenes in my head as I read and found that terrifying so I can only imagine what it would be like in movie form.
I believe I would've rated this higher if the ending didn't happen the way it did. I felt like it ruined the story for me as it felt predictable.
That Night In The Woods was a fast paced, tense and thrilling read and I'm excited to see what is next from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Cemetery Dance Publications for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I'm trying to think of the right words to write a review for this book but I seem to be coming up with a blank because... how do I explain this?
I went into this with no knowledge of the book whatsoever so I was definitely taken aback by what occurs in the story and I can full-heartedly confirm that I did not predict what was going to happen... At all.
However, I do feel that had the interactions between the two main characters been paced slower, this would've had more impact and the meaning that the author was trying to portray behind the story would've come across more profoundly.
This was a head spin of a read!
This book was so intriguing and I was so excited to read it the minute I read the synopsis.
The story is told from multiple points of view from the main characters and follows two timelines to help you get a grasp on what is happening and what happened in the past to lead up to that point.
Grief is a very dark and hard thing to go through, we each have our own reactions and emotions when going through it and I personally loved that this book showed that.
I am usually great at guessing what the big reveals are in books but I was nowhere near right for this one.
This was a fun read!
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
