~ March's Book(s) Reviewed ~

~ March's Book(s) Reviewed ~

So.... March was the month of life catching up 😅

Unfortunately I only managed to read one book this month, it was a good one at least. But yes, I didn't have nearly enough time nor head space to dedicate to reading books this month as I would have liked. I was still reading every night, just unfortunately the novels took a bit of a back seat as I was reading a lot of academic papers and then countering those heavy intellectual readings with lots of comforting fanfictions of previously read books. Fingers crossed April will allow me to get back into the novels at my usual rate!

Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier

(302 pages)

I really liked this book. It was a fairly easy read, which was something necessary for this month, and the mystery element was fun and well done. Some of the wording and themes and characterisations were a little dated, but generally still a really enjoyable read.

I gave this book 4 stars ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

~ August's Books Reviewed ~

The month started out strong with me riding a Sanderson high, then I did a thing that I objectively hate and know will 9 times out of 10 have me reading less, which is started several books at once.... as of the end of August I was reading three books at once, yet none of them were finished so none of them get included in August's round up... look forward to that in September I guess!

The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

(763 pages)

The stress I felt reading this was unreal... which is simply evidence of how good it is. It genuinely was pulling actual visceral reactions from me and I physically could not put it down at points. I know this is a shorter review than usual, but I can think of nothing else to say.

I gave this book 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

(748 pages)

An amazing conclusion to a really really good trilogy. The twists and turns of this were so well executed and completely shocking in exactly the right way. The ending in particular I never could have seen coming. If this were a spoiler review I'd be able to go on more, but for now, I leave with simply the promise that if you love fantasy novels, Sanderson novels, epic twists and/or social/religious/political commentary then you should definitely give this series a try!

I gave this book 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

(585 pages)

I was gifted this book and admit to being a little wary before committing to reading it, as a general rule books that blow up exclusively on social media tend to be a let down to me after the copious amounts of hype they've received. I'm pleased to say that was not the case with this book. If anything, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it. It was extremely uniquely written; it was emotional, clever and beautiful. The characters were all so complex and felt genuinely so real. I would say that was the highlight of this book, the characterisation. Every character you could relate to a real person. You sympathised with their decisions, or at least understood them. Like real life, there was no villains and heroes. Bad people and good people and somewhere in the middle people, sure. But also like real life, the last group was the most prevalent, and the first two groups different to each individual's opinions. I would actually really recommend this book to almost everyone I know who reads, I'm pretty sure everyone could find something in it that keeps their focus, be it the mystery, the love story, the characters....

I gave this book 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The twist of a knife by Anthony Horowitz

(373 pages)

I am like 90% sure that this was not the first book in a series, however it stood well as a stand alone book too! Like the other Horowitz book I read earlier this year, I found this novel a little slow to pick up at first, however I did get into it in the end. I found it clever and quirky and I loved the meta elements. Ultimately, it was exactly what it was advertised as - a light, humorous murder mystery - and actually, I'm not mad about taking a break for something silly every so often!

I gave this book 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio

(422 pages)

After the success of The Seven Husbands, I felt brave enough to try another recent social media favourite book. I'd seen mixed reviews over this one, however my flatmate strongly recommended it and as usual, our tastes in books aligned and it was extremely good. Despite the predictability of the plot, I was fully engaged the entire way through which speaks to how well the characters were depicted that I was willing to look past the predictability of it all just to read more about the people. In fact, I would like to make this a formal call for more people to start writing fanfictions for this novel because I want to read even more about these characters and am being denied that currently based off the limited options on ao3 (if anyone has any good recommendations please let me know!) I think, if I had read this in another month it would have received five stars, however it was let down by the fact that it was read within the same weeks as Sanderson and The Seven Husbands which meant I could not in good conscience give it full marks when the plot was just a little too easy to see coming for me. Therefore....

I gave this book 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

~September & October's Books Reviewed~

So, as one might be able to guess, it's been two rather slow months of reading... or rather there was a period of slowness in the middle as in theory I read one book in September, had a moment and then read two very quickly at the end of October. Rather than having two very mini posts though, I felt it was better to have one at least vaguely substantial one! So yes, here is September and October combined!

Bewitched by Laura Thelssa

(443 pages)

Objectively, and subjectively, crap. I try not to unreasonably bash on books since I know that just because I didn't enjoy it doesn't mean others wouldn't, and vice versa. For example, I know that many of the books I love and have reread several times are objectively not that great, and similarly, having looked at this book on Goodreads I know lots of people love this book and the authors style. I, unfortunately, am not one of them. I really didn't enjoy any of the characters, nor their relationships, and the plot wasn't nearly engaging enough for me to forget about that. As such, I would easily say this was the worst book I've read in a long time (or certainly the least enjoyable reading experience I've had). That being said, if you're into supernatural romances and willing to look past some morally grey situations then you might enjoy this more than me. It is 100% an 18+ book (you have been warned), and also, I really struggled with the dubious consent throughout it in regards to the main relationship, just to also put that warning out there. I think based off this review it can be no surprise to anyone that...

I gave this book 1 star ⭐

Four Seasons in Japan by Nick Bradley

(326 pages - hardback)

I'm contrast to the previous book (which can maybe be blamed for my break in traditional literature for a hot minute there), I really really enjoyed this book! It was rather different from the usual books I'd pickup, but I'd seen it recommended everywhere and I have to say it was everything I was needing from a book in this grey autumnal time. It was really gentle and comforting and just all around gentle. I did find the ending a little sudden, and I was waiting for the two storylines to become a little more interwoven to be honest (or at least the two principal characters from the two storylines - although I understand that they realistically couldn't actually, I was just waiting for a bit of a plot twist in the reveal of the characters I think - I realise that isn't very clear but I don't want to spoil it for anyone!). However, like I said, I truly loved this book, I wish I had read it quicker, or at least all in one go rather than starting and then accidentally taking an extended break from it because then I think it could even have been in contention for a full five star rating! I would really recommend this book to the majority of people, I've recommended it already to both my mother and my flatmate, two people with very different tastes in books generally, so that should be testament to the overall easy feeling and gorgeous prose of this book that I think makes it very accessible and enjoyable to a large audience.

I gave this book 4 stars ⭐⭐️⭐️⭐️

Yellowface by Rebecca F. Kuang

(322 pages - hardback)

I finished this book and felt weirdly chilled and illeasy. It definitely freaked me out in a very subtle manner. It is incredibly well written and you have no way of knowing who to root for, or even what to believe at times. It raises so many important moral questions, especially around racism and xenophobia, as well as around ownership and intellectual property. I think that's in many ways why it left you feeling weirdly uncomfortable at points as it forced you to confront a lot of unfairness and the corrupt nature of society that is still so prevalent and ingrained. I also especially enjoyed it for its setting in the publishing world which is obviously my own industry. It was largely very accurate about a lot of the technical sides of the industry, however I am thankful to say that my experiences on the other side of the industry from Juniper have not been nearly as fraught or riddled with controversy!

I gave this book 4.5 stars ⭐⭐️⭐️⭐️🌗

~April's Books Reviewed~

April was significantly better than March, but I'm still definitely taking a little longer than standard to get through books. That being said, all the books I did read this month I highly enjoyed!

Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz

(546 pages)

This was a lovely way to start off the month. The format was a little hard to get into at first, but once I got in the way of it, I found the concept of a murder mystery book within another murder mystery interesting. The story was simple to follow and the characters compelling enough to keep reading about, if a little predictable at times. There were also perhaps slightly too many characters, certainly at the start. It felt that a lot of the mystery of the murder mystery came down to my inability to keep track of the characters at points! However, overall I did really enjoy this book, it was a very gentle reintroduction to reading after the failure of March and I would recommend this to anyone who was wanting an easy book that is a bit of fun and simple enough of a plot line to not fully pay attention to at points.

I gave this book 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson

(490 pages)

I strangely enjoyed this book, and I do say strangely as it did fail to fully keep my attention. I didn't find myself desperate to keep reading at night, or reaching for it during the day; however I also didn't struggle to finish it or feel annoyed with the idea of continuing. Like with most books which incorporate multiple storylines or POVs, there was one obviously better one. For me this was the storyline set in the present. I found it easily the most interesting and engaging and as a result I did find myself rushing through the stories set in the past in order to return to it which did mean that the bits in the past were also a little confusing too. I would have happily read an entire novel just following the present though. So all in all, not bad at all and I would definitely still recommend to people who prefer reading more realistic novels.

I gave this book 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

(288 pages)

If I had one more person recommend this too my I might have gone mad, but you know what, they were right! This was such a good book! The concept was very clever and so so well written. It was emotional at points and also yet weirdly uplifting. I really really enjoyed it and felt that it achieved exactly what it set out too. I genuinely can't think of anything else to say other than just to strongly recommend it to everyone else too! I will say that a slight content warning should be highlighted here that the protagonist does suffer from depression and as the novel is told through her voice this is very realistically depicted.

I gave this book 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

~ February's Books Reviewed ~

This month could not quite live up to the joy that was January's in terms of books. I think, especially after ending on Blake's Atlas Series, I was a little in shock and mourning over what I could possibly read next! As a result, I started the month re-reading an old favourite, and then moved on to making my way through some of my mother's old books that I borrowed when I last visited. I enjoyed this in the sense that it broadened my reading habits, however it did mean that my general ranking books was lower this month.

All For The Game Series by Nora Sakavic

(269 & 338 & 431 pages)

Now, I understand these books are not good. They're problematic in several ways, probably in more ways than I realise. However, I unapologetically love them. The found family is everything, the representation (even though it is far from accurate) of demisexuality and mental health struggles make me emotional at points and this trilogy will remain one of my constant comfort reads. In terms of warnings, people should know that there are many inaccuracies and slightly problematic choices; it is also graphic and descriptive of torture and self harm. However, the characters and their relationships, with themselves and their relationships is beautiful, and as such I will always choose to come back to this trilogy when I want a cosy comforting read.

I gave this trilogy 5 stars ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

(428 pages)

I was excited to read this book as it is a classic that has been on my list for a while, but unfortunately I'd ultimately describe myself as underwhelmed by it. I know it was fairly recently in the news for its cultural inaccuracies anyway, but that combined with the fairly graphic sexual scenes did make me rather uncomfortable. Aside from that, I just found it a little dull and be perfectly honest. I'm glad I read it, but I cannot see myself ever re-reading it either.

I gave this book 2.5 stars ⭐ ⭐ 🌗

The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

(518 pages)

This was another book that has been on my list for a while, especially since I've heard people claiming they absolutely loved it, however, again it was far from the best book I've read recently. The concept was extremely interesting and the style and structure was totally not what I was expecting. The age gap and time jumping made some sections a bit odd or confusing or uncomfortable; and the ending was honestly a little anticlimactic. That being said, it was definitely not a bad book, and I did enjoy parts of it, I just wasn't blown away.

I gave this book 3.5 stars ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 🌗

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

(646 pages)

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book as I picked it up on a bit of a whim. Essentially, it was a mystery novel and despite life getting a little busy while reading this, it kept me hooked and coming back to it without any long breaks. There were certainly parts that were slow and also bits that were a bit clunky, but overall I found this a satisfying and very gentle read.

I gave this book 4 stars ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernières

(435 pages)

Amazingly descriptive, but not very engaging. I'm glad I managed to read it since it is another classic one, however there were times when I honestly wasn't sure I'd finish it. While reading it I was sure it was only going to get two stars, however it picked up significantly at the end so pulled itself up. I will say that it was really interesting reading about this period of time (first half of the 20th century) from the Greek and Italian perspective as I feel that is a rather understudied section of history.

I gave this book 3 stars ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

One Day by David Nicholls

(435 pages)

I could forgive the dull storyline if it weren't for the fact the protagonists were so incredibly awful. It's all well and good having flawed characters, but when they're bad enough that I find myself actively rooting against then it's usually not a good sign. I did enjoy the symbolism of the end however, even if it was highly predictable.

I gave this book 2 stars ⭐ ⭐

~ November's Books Reviewed ~

Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuinston

(418 pages)

I had wanted to read this book for AGES and I'd say it definitely lived up to my expectations - every shitty christmas romcom! And I mean that both in a bad way, and a very very good way. I unapologetically loved every second of it.

I gave this book 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Fateful Crossing by Tom Hindle

(449 pages)

Not bad, but also, not good. A little messy and therefore a bit confusing, especially as a murder mystery, messy plot holes etc can really detract from the story in my opinion. That being said, I read it quickly and it was an easy and enjoyable enough story for that to happen.

I gave this book 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Babel by R. F. Kuang

(546 pages)

Really interesting concept. I think I maybe read it a little too quickly so didn't fully appreciate it as it should have been. The commentary and insights on society and racism and xenophobia was very well done and extremely engaging which is what's going to make me say (unusually for me) that the fantasy elements were the worst bits of this book for me, and I almost felt that the same story could have been told without the "magic" and it maybe would have been even more impactful to just be commenting on language and communication in a reality that is more obviously similar to our own.

I gave this book 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Murder Game by Tom Hindle

(373 pages)

Better than the other Hindle book I read in my opinion, but still a little too "convenient" almost to be a fully successful and good murder mystery for me. Still obviously an easy and light read though, otherwise I wouldn't have picked it up after the first one.

I gave this book 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Where are the Women by Sara Sheridan

(447 pages)

I was gifted this book and it is therefore an obvious movement away from the normal sorts of books I choose to read (it is designed more similarly to a guide book or history text book). In theory, this book is extremely interesting and so so undeniably well researched. I definitely learnt a lot. However, there is a reason I don't tend to read non fiction (or fictions books like this designed to be like a guide book), and that is because I don't particularly like reading them - they always feel just like an info dump with a lack of an actual story arc to me (which I suppose is exactly what they're aiming for...)

I gave this book 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Secret History by Donna Tart

(559 pages)

It is clever. And I'm always going to appreciate a book that is the first of its genre or does something new for the first time. That being said, just because somethings the first, rarely means it's the best, and I've definitely read other dark academia style books that I've enjoyed more to be honest. I found myself skim reading sections which speaks to the fact that I perhaps didn't find it as engaging as other books.

I gave this book 3.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️🌗

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

(386 pages)

I was waring going in to this book since it has blown up, but mostly with people a little older than myself (late 30s-early 50s as far as I've seen), but I really really enjoyed this (and have now recommended it to all my reading friends my age too!)! It filled me with a righteous anger, but in a very validating way. Bits were a little predictable, but that hardly mattered when the social commentary was so much more important than the plot. I'd support a rule saying that every cis male should have to read this to be honest, it's such a peak behind the curtain at just the unintentional, but so deeply engrained micro aggressions that all us women experience, nevermind the outright moments of sexism and misogyny.

I gave this book 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Almond by Won Pyung Sohn

(252 pages)

A bit of a non story, but I strangely enjoyed it. I read the entire thing in less than an hour so hardly an intense read, but it was a very interesting perspective and commentary on people and their relationships with each other, and with themselves.

I gave this book 3.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

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

(398 pages)

Everything I wanted and/or needed. So wholesome. My only complaint actually is that I wanted more to be honest. All the characters are so so lovely and I loved their found family. T. J. Klune rarely disappoints.

I gave this book 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️