I am not ashamed to admit that I enjoy reading about a female character roaming around killing horrible and evil men. I think we should see more of that in books actually because I am 100% supportive of it, I don't know what anyone says.
I loved how suspenseful this was and how I didn't want to put the book down because I felt like I just had to find out what was going to happen. The twists and turns that left me guessing and gasping until the very last page.
This was such an easy, quick read and I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to attempt to get into the Thriller genre.
Thank you to Netgalley and Ashman Books for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Locked Door was my second time reading from this author and I can now say that I have definitely become a Freida McFadden truther and will be devouring everything she writes.
This gave me everything that I look for in a good Thriller. Suspense, characters that feel unreliable — including the main character and plot twists at every turn.
I can't wait to read more of her books.
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.
“And then you showed up and I started getting ideas. Maybe I didn't have to settle for slightly better than nothing. Maybe I could even be happy”
I highlighted this specific quote purely because it was one that immediately stuck out for me.
For most of my life I had convinced myself that I was the common denominator in all the bad things that would occur. I didn't believe that I would get a happy ending or anything close to it, I had accepted that I would just have to learn to be happy with whatever life threw at me. It's so refreshing to see characters that have been handed the most crappiest cards - characters that are relatable in ways that aren't ‘oh they're so quirky' or ‘they love books and i do too' but in a profound way that means something to me.
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.
This is a book that has been recommended to me more times than I can count. I went into it with no knowledge of any of the plot, besides the fact that it was sapphic. That is the best way to approach a book like this.
I'm always nervous about reading a book when I see how high of a rating it has but Last Night At The Telegraph Club lived beyond any expectations that I had. This is the perfect example of a book that deserves more hype despite having lots already.
When I'm reading historical fiction, this is what I have in mind. I want to learn about the past and read how it is incorporated into the story. This touched on identity, sexuality, race, deportation, communism and many other heavy topics. I felt like I learned so much just by reading this. I also love that it included the translations at the bottom of the pages in scenes where the characters would speak in Chinese.
The love, the self-discovery, the found family...
It's not often that a book from the Young Adult genre hits me so profoundly but I will be thinking about this book for a long time to come.
I wish I could give this more than five stars.
“In Palestine death is sudden, instant, constant, happens in between breaths.”
This was such a beautiful and memorable collection of poetry written by Mohammed El-Kurd narrating his experiences growing up living under the Israeli government's army. While, I have only recently discovered and began to understand the true beauty that is poetry, I believe this has to be one of the best that I have read. Rifqa makes you feel such strong emotions and I highly recommend everyone to take the time and pick this up.
I am forever praying for a free Palestine.
He and I are owed a love story that doesn't end in tragedy.”
Do you know that feeling of anger you feel towards yourself when you pick up a book and realise you wish you would've picked it up sooner? That was my exact feeling for this book and I knew it from the very first chapters.
The fact that this is a debut astounds me and makes me so excited for what comes next from this author. There is not one fault that I can think of when it comes to this book.
It may say fiction next to this book but the truth is that this is very much a reality for many people and I truly believe that this is such an important book for people to read.
These characters will now forever hold a very special place in my heart.
I find it difficult to try to express in words how much I love this book and how it made me feel but I don't think there are words.
This is a book I will be recommending to everyone.
“War doesn't determine who's right. War determines who remains.”
The Poppy War is a book that has been on my tbr for a long time but I'm often intimidated by fantasy because I'm worried about being confused and not understanding the story but this book? Holy. Wow. (Imagine that with multiple exclamation marks).
Not only was The Poppy War easily understandable, but it was also so much more than what it seemed to be on the surface and I had a fantastic time reading it. I honestly can't think of a single thing to fault this story. Every detail down to the characters, their stories and the overall structure and plot of this book was just a chef's kiss and sucked me in.
Rin is such a fantastic (ignore how often I say fantastic in this review okay? this book is just fantastic) protagonist and I honestly couldn't ask for someone better to lead this story. I loved how not one single character was boring or one-dimensional, they each brought something unique to the story.
This book will now be a part of me and I will make it my entire personality. I can't wait to read more of the series.
A book that truly and utterly lives up to it's hype.
“I think the truth is that everyone in the entire world is confused and nobody understands much of anything at all.”
Alice Oseman... you will forever be one of my most favourite authors.
I have said this so many times in my reviews for Oseman's other works but I absolutely love the way realism is brought into these stories. The characters are always so raw and relatable that it's so hard not to find some type of attachment or connection with them.
Every single character brought something so special to the story. They each had their own struggles that they were dealing with. This wasn't about romance or fame, this was about real life.
This book showed the point of views of the fan girl and the boy from the band. I think it was so interesting to see how both sides experienced the same things. I don't think people realise that celebrities at the end of the day do not owe us anything, especially when it comes to their personal lives. This portrayed the positives and negatives of celebrities and their fandoms perfectly.
I'm not a religious person at all and I have a very negative relationship with it due to past experiences but I do have to say that I appreciated reading about Angel and Jimmy's relationship with it.
I love that Oseman always is so diverse with her works. The two main characters are hijabi Muslim and mixed race and trans and I really deeply appreciate how she writes stories that everybody can view themselves in.
I really loved this and I would love to revisit it again in the future.
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.
This is the second book of Gillian Flynn's that I have read and I was so pleasantly surprised to see how different this was from the first. I love that this author doesn't stay in the same box and is always changing but still maintains the eerie feeling that Gone Girl had alluded.
The characters in this book are so twisted and unique in their own ways. I was struggling to pin someone down as trust worthy because I felt like every character had their own agendas and alternative motives. They were all complex and had their secrets and dark pasts.
Sharp Object was a rollercoaster. It came with so many twists and turns that left me reeling. This will definitely be a reread for me.
As the year nearly ends I am trying to mark down all the books that I have completed this year so this is why my review isn't long or detailed.
Okay I'll be honest... there were some moments when I was reading this book that I sat there and thought “what am i reading?”
I could say many things but I think I'm going to end this by saying I hate men
In the times that we are now, unfortunately, where it feels like trans rights are being stripped away from the community daily, this is a read that I recommend to everyone to pick up and read.
I've recently developed a true love for the genre that is non-fiction and it is books like this one that are real eye-openers that make me love it even more.
Shon Faye is such a fantastic writer in the way that you can feel the heart and soul she put into every single page. Faye directly calls out people in power who allow their bigotry to place in politics, the media for continuing to push harmful rhetoric and anti-trans feminists who are continuously speaking out against the basic rights of the transgender community.
I believe this is a book that everyone should read, trans and cis alike.
This is one of those books that are perfect to pick up if you're wanting a good escape to a rom com. It's one of those cliche rom-coms that are so successful at sucking you in.
I am loving the bodyguard trope at the moment and I really want to find more books that include it.
My only wish is that it wasn't so rushed. I would've loved for there to have been more moments between Harrison and Piper so the romance between them felt more authentic.
That all being said, I laughed and I enjoyed this and I think that's all that matters.
Heartstopper is such a special series to me and that's exactly why months later I am coming back to write a review so I can try convince as many people as I can to pick this up.
These characters and the stories that come along with them are special and important. I wish I had stories like this when I was younger and trying to find myself. Being able to watch as Charlie and Nick fall in love felt almost like a privilege. They are so special.
I absolutely recommend this.
editing this review and rating after finding out that this author is heavily pro israel.
Thank you to BookSirens and Michelle Mars for this Arc!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
“She's the only divine thing he's ever believed in. The only creature in this vast, cruel land who could kill him. And sometimes, in his loveliest dreams, he imagines she does.”
I am fully convinced that R.F. Kuang enjoys us being in pain. This was just the nail on the coffin. Definitely hurt more reading it after finishing the last book.
“He can't take his eyes off of her. She's the most magnificent thing he's ever seen.”
Reading from Nezha's point of view made heartbreaking moments in the book much more painful.
“She terrifies him, and he loves her so much.”
“I've only ever been loved like a Top 40 song—the latest hit, the hot new thing. Something fleeting, bubbly and fun; nothing serious. But just once, I'd like to be loved like a poignant, timeless ballad.”
out of this entire book this was the one quote that stood out to me the most. it was one of those quotes that i instantly needed to highlight because it made me feel something. i think everyone has had a thought similar to this at least once in their lives.
the overall book left me kind of disappointed because i had such high hopes for it. the idea of having a murder mystery in a content house really intrigued me and excited me to read but the characters seemed quite flat to me and one dimensional.
it also felt unrealistic at times where i was expecting more realism due to its more modern feel. however, i did enjoy reading it and there were moments of the book that had me feeling that same initial excitement when i first marked this as a to be read
I think this is a fantastic informative read that anyone who wishes to educate themselves about the socialism and anti-colonialism in the context of the Palestinian struggle for liberation.
Stephen King never fails to deliver on creepy and eery stories that leave shivers down your spine.
I can never get over the imagery you get from his books, especially when some of them are as short as this one is. I felt like I was there and that I was experiencing the same terrors the characters were.
This is the perfect story if you are struggling with a book slump or you're just wanting to introduce yourself to the world of horror in fiction.
“I've never said it to anyone before, it didn't feel like I always thought it would.” “How did you think it would feel?”“Getting it over with. Like ripping off a Band-Aid.” “And how did it feel instead?”“The reverse. Like putting a bandage on. Wrapping it tight.”
I attempted the audiobook for this and stopped it after the first few chapters because I realised that perhaps audiobooks aren't for me so I ended up just reading on my kindle as usual.
Despite how popular this book is, I was actually shocked by how much I enjoyed it. On the outside this book could seem to be viewed as just a small town romance but it ended up being about self acceptance.
Piper felt like she didn't belong anywhere and that nothing she did was ever good enough. I loved reading and seeing her journey to self love and learning that she never had to change a thing about herself, she just had to accept and understand that she has always been more than a few clicks and likes, she had people in her life who valued her as a person off-screen.
Brendan was such a good character and I found myself shouting at the universe ”when is it my turn?” because he was such a good book boyfriend with how encouraging, supportive and overall good guy he was.
This would've been a five star for me if I could have potentially gotten closure when it came to Piper and Hannah's mother and Opal, their grandmother. I'm a sucker for happy endings and this gave me one but I would've loved for it all to have been tied together in that way. I also wasn't particularly fond of the miscommunication in this book since it felt slightly out of left field when the communication had been so perfectly executed throughout the whole book except this one instance.
Overall, this was a super fun and sweet read.
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.
I've said this before in some of my previous reviews but I'll say it again because this is another perfect example of it.
I LOVE reading silly little romance books and I'm not afraid to admit it. I love the pining and the tension. I love everything about it.
You pick up books in hope of escapism and the characters and world that have been created by Holton in this book is exactly that.
This was the perfect combination of Peaky Blinders and Wuthering Heights and I loved every single minute of it.
The characters were so wonderfully chaotic and you can truly see the amount of love and thought that went into each one of them.
I had such a blast with this and I can't wait to read more by this author.
WOW.
This series has been in my TBR for the longest time and now that I've finally picked it up I am so annoyed that I hadn't sooner.
There's something so immersive and special about this book. The characters, the plot, the world building... Everything about this book is just perfection and I can't begin to express how excited I am to read the rest of the series.
Blue is so special to me and I cant wait to read more about her. I am still trying to fathom how this is my first time reading this series and just from the first book, I love all of these characters.
I can already tell that this is going to become a comfort series for me.
First five star read of the year. We are so back
If you're struggling with a book slump or are wanting to get further in your reading challenge then this is a good read for you