Book Review: The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakavic

I’m unsure how to rate this really. On the one hand it was a quick read, and I enjoyed it, but it had an awful lot of flaws. 

The basic premise is runaway Neil gets picked up by a major university Exy team, who are all a bunch of misfits just like him. Exy is some kind of made up sport that’s a cross between lacrosse and football, and while they can’t seem to play without fighting, there’s a whole lot of trouble in Neil’s past just ready to catch up with him and he’ll need his teammates help to stay hidden. 

The plot and pace were both a little all over the place, and the writing feels very ‘new writer’. There’s no nuances to it, no subtlety that could have propelled this into an exciting read, and there’s a lot of idle chit chat. There’s also only one Exy game in the whole book. I found this disappointing as that section alone was more entertaining and exciting than the rest of the book put together. There’s lots of moping around from all the characters, lots of fighting and going to random clubs without having any clear agenda as to why other than to be sexually assaulted, and there’s lots of conversations using highly derogatory and offensive terms which I was deeply offended by. But not a lot of action, or development of the plot. By 75% of the way in, nothing had really happened and the characters were acting in exactly the same way as they were in the beginning. 

Also, not being from America, all my American sports knowledge comes from watching The Mighty Ducks and Field of Dreams as a youth. So unless there’s a giant corn field with the ghost of a dad in it, or someone’s attempting a flying ‘V’, I have no clue about sports like this. I have no concept of the world of collegiate sport and how it works. As it’s not elaborated on here I sometimes didn’t really understand what was going on. Sport scholarships aren’t really a ‘thing’ here. There’s also no discussion about what Exy actually is, leaving this very open to the reader to interpret. Again this left me quite confused at times as the characters start kitting themselves out in protective gear and fling sticks around. 

I suppose the best thing about the story is the complex relationship between all the different characters. They bounce off each other well, like a massive dysfunctional family, and all have a distinct voice. Andrew in particular is incredibly interesting and complicated to understand. His apathy for the sport he’s so good at and his intense relationship with Kevin is troubling and intriguing. Hs time with Neil is especially heated and full of an undercurrent of danger and tension, and I’d be interested to see where it leads. Dan is also a great character, acting as captain it’s her job to keep the group from tearing each other apart, acting as part mother hen and part dictator. Some of the others I found to be less rounded. Renee never seems to say much, and I felt was woefully underused given that she seems to take everything in and can see right through Neil. Allison and Seth are also largely underused, with Seth just coming across as a hothead most of the time. <spoiler>This makes his death by ‘overdose’ at the end largely uninspiring and underwhelming for me, as I wasn’t particularly vested in his character. We also never see Allison’s reaction to it, which would have been far more emotive than Andrew’s group, leaving the ending incomplete for me </spoiler>. 

As I say, this was a quick read and I enjoyed it for the mix of characters. But the plot would really need to ramp up for me to consider reading the next book.

Book Review: Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss

I get where this novella was going - it’s a short but sharp examination of xenophobia and it’s ridiculously nonsensical commentaries from those who insist Britain must remain ‘British’. We follow family unit of mum, Iron Age obsessed dad and Sylvie as they join a group of university students on an ‘experimental anthropology’ expedition that sees them reenacting life in the Iron Ages on the Northumberland moors. Except this is more than just an experiment for Sylvie’s dad, who believes that this is how Britain should be, at its best. 

I just couldn’t engage at all with the writing style. It’s almost stream of conscious-like, and at times I had to reread sentences multiple times to understand what was going and who said what. It disrupted the flow of the story significantly for me, and I struggled a lot trying to connect with what was going on. I really think this would have benefitted from reading it all in one go, as there was never really a good point at which the story comes to a natural lull before the end and perhaps I might have gained more insight reading it this way. 

I liked Sylvie, and I felt sympathy for her situation as she comes across as desperately sad and scared, without anyway out of her situation because of a man who likes to hold all the power without any opposition (her father). At time’s we see her fight this, giving backhanded comments to get a rise from her father when surrounded by the university students, but it’s always comes with a later punishment. Her father comes across as extremely bitter, misogynistic and xenophobic. He clearly sees himself as a proper ‘man’s man’ who believes that women should stay in the kitchen while men go hunting, and Britain has been in decline since the introduction of other nationalities. He’s very black and white, and I think this lack of any subtle depth really didn’t help me warm to the story. 

A different read for me, that carries an interesting message, but the writing style was very off putting.

Book Review: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Eleanor really is completely fine, and I think herein lies the problem.

This is an interesting enough story. We see Eleanor struggling to get by in life following an incredibly traumatic childhood. She’s socially awkward, odd and standoffish. She has no friends, no family except the omnipotent ‘Mummy’, and tends to live on the fringes of society. Then she meets Raymond, a new coworker, and they bond over helping an elderly chap recover from a broken hip. We see Eleanor learn that it’s ok not to be ok, what is it to feel affection from and for others, and she slowly grows into herself.

However, I just couldn’t warm enough to Eleanor. I found her incredibly irritating and unrealistic. She’s overly critical of pretty much everyone, while seeming to stumble through life in a dead end job that requires minimum mental stimulation. She does herself no favours by being cold towards everyone she meets. Her manner of speaking throughout the novel was over the top, and often at first detracted from the story. She also goes from feigning ignorance over various cultural references (ie SpongeBob Squarepants, Deal or No Deal), to comparing someone to the Unabomber - which didn’t feel realistic. Over time, as we learn her backstory (the blunt way she explains her time with Declan did make me feel for her) I began to warm to her personality, and sometimes she does have some funny moments, but mostly it was too little too late.

One redeeming quality was her blossoming friendship with Raymond. From abject disgust over his smoking and eating habits, this feeling changes overtime to reflect a little bit of a kindred spirit in such an incredibly warm hearted individual. His feelings of horror on learning how Eleanor has been treated by everyone just demonstrated what a lovely, gentle soul he is. To grow up in a loving environment and have a mother who so obviously adores him, it’s interesting to reflect if this is how Eleanor could have been if she were ‘normal’.

I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy this - I did, but I’m not enamoured the way others seem to have been. The plot is relatively sedate, and to be honest this feels distinctly more like a character piece rather than story driven. And when you’re not keen on the protagonist that’s always going to be a problem for me. I just can’t get into a book when I don’t enjoy the main character. I’ve read a couple of novels along similar lines lately (Convenience Store Woman and The Kiss Quotient) and I think in both cases, those protagonists were more interesting and better developed than Eleanor. I think that perhaps this novel suffered because of my recent enjoyment of those books, because it became too easy to compare them.

So yes, Eleanor, you really are completely fine.

Book Review: Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

What a weird little book.

Convenience Store Woman follows Keiko, a 36 year old Japanese woman who seems to have slipped the social ‘norms’ by working as a part time convenience store clerk for the past 18 years. She has no husband, no desire to change her job, and is shunned by a society who deem her behaviour odd, and at worst, disturbing. She speaks at times as though she’s embodying the convenience store, as though it speaks through her, and often describes herself as only truely feeling like a human being when she was ‘reborn’ a shop worker. Within the shop she feels a certain level of order and security that cannot be found outside. Here she has a manual and rules to follow that make her a valuable team member.

Keiko speaks without any real emotion, as though it’s beyond her capacity to feel empathy or comprehend how to function within the wider society outside of the convenience store. We see her emulate the dress sense of her fellow coworkers, as well as adopting their way of talking in order to ‘fit in’ and seem less of an outsider. This makes it difficult to connect with her, as she often just feels confused when confronted with difficult or awkward situations rather than having any kind of emotional response. Sometimes I felt she was like a giant void of darkness, sucking all the humanity out of herself to the point where any kind of ‘normal’ response from the people around her (such as her sister crying in front of her) begins to seem almost alien to the reader - just like it would to Keiko.

The introduction of Shiraha only furthers this disconnection from the reader, as we see Keiko struggle to understand what exactly their relationship is, and what exactly they can gain from each other. I did feel pity at one point that she couldn’t see that Shiraha was taking advantage, but I felt he wasn’t particularly well developed in the short amount of time devoted to him in the novel to really care. He just came across as mean, and insane.

A weird book that at times almost feels like a love affair to the oddballs of the world, and in particular one woman’s love for a convenience store that becomes the centre of her world.

Book Review: The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

3.5 stars. 

I’m surprised by how much I ended up enjoying what is essentially a gender reversed ‘Pretty Woman’ with an autistic female protagonist. I’m not a romance fan. And I’m certainly not a contemporary romance fan. So I went into this with a lot of trepidation but an open mind following some very favourable reviews. And for the most part it was really fun. 

Stella is the main driving force behind why I enjoyed this so much. She comes across as such a genuine individual who’s perhaps not your stereotypical romance character. She’s flawed, seen as a bit ‘odd’, with an obsession for statistics and maths. She struggles with social interactions and hates large social gatherings. Yet she’s also quirky, kind and giving. She’s described as ‘pretty’ by Michael, but more because that’s his type rather than because she’s stunningly beautiful. It’s his growing affection for Stella that drives his lust, rather than it merely being about looks. Their relationship feels open and honest, and very real. Nothing feels forced (rather the opposite, as Michael is very determined to endure Stella never feels pressurised) and is always respectful. Both of them feel so inadequate compared to the other, and I found this incredibly endearing. 

The sex scenes are also really full on, but never felt cringy or smutty (I’m looking at you Maas). Granted, this isn’t something I’d want read aloud to my mother, and reading it while sat in Costa Coffee with my 5 month old baby was an experience (I’m a total book prude, who knew?!). But, it felt necessary to the story. There’s clear boundaries with Stella, and lines that cannot be crossed at first, so it was kind of sexy to see Michael work around them in order to show her what love and sex should be rather than what she’s been subjected to in the past. I wouldn’t say it’s a slow burner by any means, but the romance is there, and it was believable. This was also helped by the plethora of supporting characters from Michael’s family, as they added a degree of warmth and understanding to his character and his personal insecurities that without would have made him feel very unattainable and unrealistic. 

The writing isn’t amazing. Some plot lines seemed a little too convenient or far fetched (ie everything involving Phillip and Aliza) and the ending was a little too contrived for my tastes but I think that’s my main issues with romance novels anyway. There’s not enough ‘grit’ for my personal preferences. But as far as romance novels go, this is the first I’ve really enjoyed for a long time.

Book Review: To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

I’m a slave for fads and those ‘most talked about’ lists, so obviously I had to read this. Especially as I watched the Netflix movie first (granted I haven’t watched all of it yet) and I admit it was cute. I’m not normally a fan of anything contemporary, especially YA, but this I enjoyed.

I think I liked the overall feel the most. It’s like a toasty ham and cheese sandwich. It’s comforting, friendly, with no nasty after tastes. Everything is kept sweet and innocent with lots of lovely family moments, and I enjoyed experiencing them all with Lara Jean. Yes, at times her personality was a little grating. She’s ‘too’ nice sometimes, and comes across as a pushover but then I see a lot of myself at her age reflected in her character. She’s an introvert who loves to read. I’m sure a lot of people on Goodreads can relate to that. I also liked that this isn’t so much a typical YA contemporary. The story feels like it’s as much about Lara Jeans family as it is about friends, and these important boys, in her life.

The romance elements, although obvious, are also well thought out and develop reasonably well over the course of the book. You can see the relationships grow over the course of the story and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I grew to enjoy Peter in particular. He’s charismatic and likeable. The ying to Lara Jean’s yang.

At times I did find the plot a little meandering, with a slow pace. Not much happens between Lara Jean, Peter and Josh for a long time and although I can appreciate that this was to build up various relationships, I would have liked a bit of drama or excitement along the way. Because of this, it took me longer than normal to read as I found I couldn’t invest myself in the story. I’m glad I stuck it out though, as the last third of the story really comes into its own to a rather satisfying (although very much a cliffhanger) conclusion.

It was cute, and I didn’t hate it, which is always a bonus. However, I don’t think I’ll be reading the other books in the series.

 - 3 stars

Book Review: China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan

I’m really enjoying this series. It’s fun, doesn’t take itself too seriously, and is over the top entertaining.

In China Rich Girlfriend, we follow Nick and Rachel two years after the events of [book:Crazy Rich Asians|18158562]. Nick is estranged from his family, and on the brink of marrying Rachel while still helping her in the search for her long lost father. A chance encounter between Nick’s mother and a Chinese playboy soon thrusts Rachel back into the lives of the Chinese ultra rich, and the opportunity to become embroiled in the scandals and dramas that surround these often strange and eccentric individuals.

Although this starts out by centering on Nick and Rachel, the story soon diverges to include Rachel’s extended family and friends in China. As such, we don’t see much of Nicks family, who I fell so in love with in the previous novel. In addition, the story is based almost entirely in mainland China. The introduction of so many colourful characters, after I had just got to know all of the ones in the first novel, did get a little confusing at times and I missed all of Nick’s aunties and uncles and their eccentricities. However, Carlton and Kitty Pong in particular brought enough intrigue and angst to the story to keep me entertained. Yes, some of the story is completely unrealistic and self indulgent, but I knew going into the story that it would be like this, and it’s one of the things I love about it.

In particular, I loved the slow developing relationship between Astrid, the one relative of Nick’s we do follow, Charlie and Astrid’s deteriorating marriage to Michael. Touched upon in the first book, we get an intimate look into their marriage and the rather obvious failings into a relationship that cannot be saved by throwing money at it. I think Astrid is my favourite character. She tries so desperately to mold her life around what her husband wants - sometimes at the cost of loosing a part of herself in the process, when to the outside world she comes across as effortlessly chic. She’s clearly not the right person for Michael, who has developed into a mean spirited and bitter money making businessman. He’s the perfect example of what money can do to an individual when they haven’t been taught to respect it or aren’t so casually use to having billions at their disposal.

The conclusion really ramped up the tension too, and took a plot twist I wasn’t expecting but became completely wrapped up in. I actually wish that there’d been a bit more direction and structure earlier on in the novel to take more advantage of the ending. This felt much more of an exploratory novel, introducing China to the reader much in the same way that Singapore and Hong Kong is shown to use in the first book.

That said, I can’t wait for the next book, if only to get reacquainted with Ah Ma.

 - 4 stars

Book Review: The Hoarder by Jess Kidd

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a deliciously quirky book about a cantankerous old man called Cathal Flood and his trash filled home,  his carer Maud and the family old mystery surrounding the disappearance of a local school girl and the death of Cathal’s wife.

This is very much a character driven story. Maud, our main protagonist, is perceptive and likeable. She cares about people in such a way that allows them to shine in her presence and bring out the best of their personalities. This is most obviously seen in her interactions with Cathal,  as their power struggle to reclaim Cathal’s delapidated and hostile house turns into something deeper than merely that of a carer and her charge. It’s also mirrored in her relationship with Renata, her eccentric transgender landlady, who exudes a vulnerability that only Maud can penetrate. The three of them together - although Maud is the only one to interact with the others, is powerful and deeply entertaining. All three are full of colour and character, perfectly balanced and developed well.

I also really enjoyed Maud’s interactions with the various saints she can ‘see’, who often follow her around offering illicit advice at the wrong moments - much to her chargrin. The saints presence often provided some much needed light relief to the overall story, and added a quirkiness to the book that surprised me. It’s definitely unique and unusual.

The story itself is also developed well. The mystery surrounding the house and Cathal’s family creeps up on you as an afterthought to the character development, until I was desperate for answers. The drama unfolds slowly, but with a good amount of tension and drama to propel the story to a satisfying ending.p that I didn’t see coming. There’s enough of a mystery here to draw in readers who enjoy a good secret, yet its also different enough to be enjoyed by readers who like to indulge in the paranormal and weird.

The only aspects I didn’t enjoy too much were the paragraphs dedicated to Maud’s backstory relating to her sister’s disappearance and the various dreams. I didn’t think they really added anything to the story, and rather distracted from the main plot. They didn’t really add anything to Maud’s character either, and the conclusion, in comparison to the main story, was rather lacklustre. To me, I could have done without.

That said, I can’t recommend this enough to everyone and I’m already adding Jess Kidd to my authors to look out for in the future.

 - 4 stars

Book Review: Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

4.5 stars. Easily.

This was pure escapism at its finest. Charting the lives of the Chinese super rich through the eyes of newcomer Rachel, boyfriend Nick and his various family members, this was a wonderful bit of writing that instantly transported me into another world. With backdrops such as Singapore mansions, private islands, luxury chartered planes and the wedding of the century, everything felt so over the top and luxurious. It’s a world I cannot begin to imagine inhabiting, but I really felt as though I was there experiencing everything for the first time with Rachel.

At times it felt like I was reading a gossip magazine, with the various scandals and dramas wrapped up in haute couture. It’s a wonderful guilty pleasure. All of the characters are colourful and eccentric, either steeped in the cliched ‘old money’ traditions or dripping in ostentatious over the top displays of wealth, yet they’re also unique enough to carry and support the overall story arc. In particular I liked the secondary characters Astrid, ‘the goddess’ with her not-from-money husband and Alistair, the son marrying a Taiwanese soap opera actress known as ‘Kitty Pong’. I also really liked Nick’s Ah Ma, the typical matriarch running everything behind the scenes, while displaying at outward appearance of class and icy coolness.

Nick and Rachel are supported really well with all of these secondary characters, and really it’s because of them that I continued with the story, as I found Nick and Rachel by themselves to be quite dull. There’s no real drama involved between the two, other than a predictable storyline that reaches a climax too late in the plot. However, throwing the extended family into the mix really makes them shine for their ‘ordinary’-ness. Their lack of drama highlights the absurdities of their family, and makes their love story seem quite sweet and simple by comparison. However, we all known it’s the drama and bitchiness that bring this to life.

If anything, I found the ending rather abrupt after a slow build. Some things are not concluded to my satisfaction, and above all I wanted more. However, that said I can now devour the next instalment and immerse myself back in this fabulous world.

 - 4 stars

Book Review: Lullaby by Leila Slimani

This was an easy, quick read that I picked up from my local library without any real preconceptions about what it was about, other than a small amount of buzz around it on Goodreads. I liked the cover and title and the blurb intrigued me. Louise is a nanny who’s killed two children. We learn that in the opening paragraph. What follows is a character breakdown of what led Louise to do what she did, and why.

I’ll start by saying that all of the characters in this are awful. The father is mean, self important and narcissistic. The mother is simpering, eager to please with no backbone. The children are bratty and wild. It all adds up to a less than perfect family, and I struggled to really get to grips with any of them, as they had no redeeming features. They all got under my skin - and not in a good way. The way this is told also seems quite cold in its observations. We’re told the story as if from the view point of an emotional less narrator, and I’m not sure if it was the translation or not, but it left a lot to be desired. It’s more a character assessment on the roles of nannies in France and their personal lives rather than a proper plot.

The plot itself is also odd, in that it starts at the end and backtracks to the previous months leading up to the murders. We see Louise entering the household to care for Mila and Andrew, and slowly see her unravel. Odd behaviours and thoughts begin to manifest and build. Wedged in between these chapters are small paragraphs told from other view points from after the murders - which I found jarring and confusing, as the police try to piece together what happened.

A quick read, but I’m not sure what all the fuss is about. I’ve read better.

 - 3 stars

Book Review: Out Of The Blue by Sophie Cameron

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The angel's started falling from the skies 10 days after Jaya's mother died. Determined to catch one alive, Jaya's father uproots their shattered family to Edinburgh - but Jaya's still struggling with her grief. With her family reaching crisis point, the unthinkable happens - a Being lands at Jaya's feet, and the extraordinary begins to take shape.

This is more than a story about angels, it's a story about grief, coping with loss and learning to move on. The author deals with these issues in a sensitive and compelling way, as the story weaves through Jaya's struggle with understanding her loss by building up this incredibly touching relationship between her and the Being she finds (named Teacake). It's almost as though she's learning to heal by putting all her energy and love into caring for Teacake. It actually reminded me a little of E.T. - we have Jaya hiding an other wordly being and learning to overcome a language barrier and gain their trust. However, that said this relationship is not the central aspect of the plot at all - which I found a little misleading given the blurb. It's almost as though the fantasy aspect is a sideline to a more contemporary book, involving Jaya and her friends and family, which I wasn't a massive fan of.

The descriptions of the angels (or Beings) and Edinburgh are also really beautiful. I love books set with Great Britain, and Edinburgh is such a fun, vibrant city (especially during Fringe) that it was great to see this brought to life on the page. I also loved that the Beings are a little different from the normal angel stereotype - full of colour with gold blood, and the secondary set of characters are full of diversity - although lacking any real complexity or emotional depth compared to Jaya. I think this is because the book itself is a little on the short side, and although this means the pace was good, the character's suffered as a result.

I also wasn't keen on the ending. I found it a little rushed, and also a little far fetched. However, that said the book overall was good and managed to convey some very complex emotions well. A decent read, but I think the fantasy aspect should be downplayed slightly to reach a better audience.

 - 3 stars

Book Review: The Unmumsy Mum by The Unmumsy Mum

I liked this. There’s a certain amount of solidarity you share with someone who’s gone through a similar parenting experience to yourself. I’m a seasoned mother of two (soon to be three). I know it isn’t all baking (I hate baking) and doing ‘fun’ things with chubby cheeked angels - but it’s nice to know that I’m not the only one who knows this. Parenting is hard work. It’s boring at times (ten episodes of Hey Duggee in a row is enough to drive the sanest person over the edge), and lonely. A trip to B&Q is often the only light on the horizon of an otherwise groundhog style day.

But you know what? It’s ok not be be ok all of the time. Mum guilt is real, but it’s also ok to draw a line under today and start again. I think that’s what I gained most out of this book. There’s power in the perspective and reflection, and I enjoyed reading about the good times and the bad. It’s what life is all about.

It wasn’t a perfect read. A lot of this feels rather gratuitous, and more a personal memoir for the authors’s boys (nothing wrong with that, but I found the sections where she speaks directly to her children a little grating). It’s also a little outdated now as the author has since gone on to have another child, which changes the tone of some of her comments about the baby period being over. Again though, that’s life, circumstances change and families expand. I guess it means the author will just have to write another book as a mum of three.

I’d recommend this to all newbie parents. In fact, just all parents. We’ve all been there.

The Unmumsy Mum is available to purchase now from: Amazon

 - 3 stars

Book Review: Happiness by Aminatta Forna

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a story of serendipity. The chance meeting of two strangers on Waterloo bridge caused by a fox. What follows is a story that transcends time, culture, and what it is to be truely happy.

This is a complicated tale, with an uneasy structure. It travels backwards and forwards between places and people, meaning it can be difficult to commit and get deeply involved with all of the stories. I'm not a fan of this kind of story telling normally, as I'm easily confused and distracted by multiple side stories within an overall arc. However, there is a real depth of emotion written here, that resonates throughout the whole story. At its heart is a sad tale of two lonely people hoping to connect with someone at a time in their lives when they just need to feel a deeper connection to something. That's an overlying theme here, as we see a connection not only with other people, but also something deeper and more primal.

Because of the added stories, the plot can sometimes be slow. However, I'm glad I persisted as this is wonderfully well written. Forna manages to capture the culturally rich life of London beautifully, and I found myself lapping up the colourful richness of it all. I loved getting a different perspective of capital life, that I haven't read anywhere else before.

I just wish this had been edited a bit more tightly, and some side stories maybe trimmed down, because I did find them distracting, however much I loved the writing style.

Happiness is available to purchase now from: Amazon

 - 3 stars

Book Review: Our Kind Of Cruelty by Araminta Hall

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Mike loves Verity, and will stop at nothing to prove it. It’s all a game in the end - one that Mike and Verity have been playing for years. And Mike knows that Verity will always love him, won’t she?

I’m really conflicted with regards to this review, because my opinions are a bit all over the place. On the one hand, this is a well written novel. It’s contemplative and thoughtful, scenes set up with obvious care and attention to detail, and the pacing in the first part of the book is good. The way the story is told is multilayered and deeply clever too, as we see the characters buried in a web of lies, exposing multiple betrayals, building in tension to a rapid and disturbing series of events.

Mike, the protagonist is also a really interesting character. He's got so much emotional depth, and an attitude and behaviour that are anything but black and white. He’s clearly disillusioned with the world, and his very unhealthy relationship with Verity, which is all consuming, obsessive and stalker-like.

I think my main issue here is the writing style. It’s very internal in nature, relying on character development and train of though rather than actions and descriptions. We are inside Mike’s head most the time, following his thought process and reasonings, meaning we know his character very well, but less so the other people around him. It almost makes the reader feel very detached from the situations as they develop, which removed a lot of my ability to care about what was happening.

I also found the conclusion to be completely out of tone with the rest of the book. It goes from psychological thriller to courtroom drama about two thirds in, which I wasn’t expecting, and didn’t really like. I’m not a fan of these kind of novel at all, and thought it changed the feel of the overall story.

If courtroom dramas are your thing, or very introspective character driven thrillers, you might enjoy this more than me. I just found it ok.

Book Review: The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld

Naomi is a private investigator who finds children thought lost forever. Propelled by her own lost past, she succeeds where others fail. But taking on a three year old cold case, searching for missing Madison Culver, may bring back memories best left forgotton. 

The descriptions of the wintery forests of Oregon are great, and propelled me into a lost world of bleak white snow, frostbite and survival. The author did a wonderful job of setting the scenes ahead, and I could really feel myself becoming immersed within the cold mountains with trappers and strange locals. 

The writing style is very different to other crime thrillers, with an almost lyrical and whimsical feel to it as we flit between Naomi and the ‘Snow Girl’s’ stories. The story itself is also compelling, and intriguing enough that I wanted to read on without it being overly dramatic or drawn out like a lot of crime thrillers I’ve read in the past. Because of the short length it was fast paced, and flowed well, with enough character development (from both the main and secondary characters) throughout to satisfy my growing questions. 

Naomi is a wonderful main character. Given her past, she’s remarkably resilient, level headed and without any real shadowy demons lurking beneath the surface that’s become the cliche for protagonists of this genre. Yes, she has a past. But it’s displayed in such a way as to support and strengthen the character instead of just as a plot device. It was cleverly done, and well thought out. If anything, I found her backstory a little lacking and wasn’t fully satisfied with how it was concluded. I also wasn’t overly keen on the romantic aspect to her story, which I found lacklustre. I would have preferred more interaction with Mrs Cottle, her foster mother, who seemed like a wonderful charismatic woman. 

Snow Girl I found a little harder to get to grips with because of the altered writing style that’s used for her chapters. It was more childlike and simplistic, and I found myself struggling to get any real emotional connection with her as I was confused with regards to what was going on at first. Clearly, this is just me. I did like seeing how Mr. B’s character progressed through the eyes of a child, and his growth from simple abductor to something far more complex.

I actually preferred the side story involving Danita and her lost baby. I thought it portrayed more emotions, and had more interesting characters (such as Violet, the matriarchal grandmother) than the main plot. The conclusion was utterly heartbreaking and honest, not shying away the harsh realities of real life. That said, the main conclusion itself was also incredibly tense and satisfying, hitting the right note between grief, joy and everything in between. 

Easily one of the best crime thrillers I’ve read (given my limited background in the genre), told in a unique format that raises this above novels of a similar nature. I’d be interested to read more by Denfeld.

 - 4 stars

Book Review: Killman Creek (Stillhouse Lake Book 2) by Rachel Caine

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I had some trepidations before going into this book. I'd liked but not loved the previous novel 'Stillhouse Lake', but was intrigued enough to know more. I'm glad I did. This was a great dramatic thriller with some excellent characters and plot.

This follows almost directly from where Stillhouse Lake finished. Gwen Proctor, ex-wife of serial killer Melvin Royal, is trying desperately to keep her children safe while playing the hunter and the hunted to Mel and his followers games. With the help of Sam, neighbour, sometimes lover and brother of one of Mel's last victim, she's determined to get one step ahead of the race and kill or be killed in the attempt to track Mel down.

This felt a lot more polished than its predecessor. The characters are more refined and intelligent. Gwen, far from playing the victim or merely trying to hide her children from harm, takes front seat and centre stage here. She's proactive, self assured and just so much better than before. The character development is excellent. Sam is also a strong lead. He's pragmatic, yet suffers internally with what happened to his sister and his guilt I've whether he can trust Gwen or not. It was also a masterstroke to have chapters from his POV. One of my faults with Stillhouse Lake were that is was all from Gwen's perspective, and often her internal monologue got a little grating. To have another view point kept the story fresher.

That said, I was less enamoured with Lanny and Connor's storyline. I often found myself skipping chunks of their story arc so I can return to the faster paced action involving Sam and Gwen. Unfortunately I just found them both slightly irritating and gullible. I got annoyed at their lack of trust in their mother, and the easy way Connor is manipulated- although I can understand why he is. Melvin's looming presence over all the Proctor family is still abundantly clear, and keeping him largely out of the storyline other than through phone calls and texts keeps him as an enigma.

The plot itself, as mentioned, is well paced and entertaining throughout. There are plenty of twists, some which took me by surprise, and I really enjoyed the ending. Again, as with Stillhouse Lake, the use of technology in crime and blackmail was unique and very well done, taking things even further than they were previously.  The whole novel had a sort of 'Black Mirror' feel to it, especially the episode 'Shut Up and Dance' where people are blackmailed via anonymous hackers into doing various misdemeanours.

One of the best thrillers I've read in a while.

Killman Creek is available to purchase now from: Amazon

Book Review: The Vanishing Season by Joanna Schaffhausen

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

The Vanishing Season follows Ellery Hathaway, small town cop and one time serial killer victim, as she's faced with the awful truth that her past may be coming back to haunt her. Ellery was abducted on her birthday 14 years ago by a notorious serial killer. Now in a new town, where no one knows her past, for the last three years she's been receiving mysterious cards, followed by a missing person report almost like a birthday gift. Can she stop whoever it is before the next person is taken?

Ellery is a deeply flawed and interesting character. We get to see how the traumas of her past are manifesting in her present life. She's vulnerable - nailing her closest shut so she'll never be forced into one again, and she never invites a man into her home. I loved her relationship with 'Speed Bump' in particular, and it showed that although she's been through an experience few have ever come back from, she's still able to love on an emotional level. Bump in return is a wonderful little character. Although his interactions were relatively few and far between, each one was delightful - especially his liking for Reed. 

The novel itself is short at just over 200 pages, meaning the action is succinct, to the point and fast paced. However some of the character development suffers because of this. Reed, we don't know much about other than he's a workaholic with family issues. I wanted to know more about his personal relationship with Ellery, but other than a small flashback we don't see this. We also don't know much about the other towns people, meaning it wasn't too difficult to work out the ending. I also wanted to see more of Rosalie and her abusive husband. I felt that Ellery's involvement in their situation was very brief, and didn't add all that much to the plot. 

The ending felt a little rushed. There was a lot of build up, with a variety of plot developments and twist, then the conclusion took two pages. I felt a little bit let down by that, and felt the execution could have been better. Overall however, I thought this was a relatively well written novel that kept me interested all the way through.

The Vanishing Season is available to purchase now from: Amazon

 - 3 stars

Book Review: Close To Home by Cara Hunter

Close To Home follows Detective Inspector Adam Fawley and his search for missing 8 year old Daisy. As is often the case, the kidnapper may be closer to home than everyone thinks, and Adam is tasked with finding out who lying.

Adam Fawley is a dynamic leading man. He's charismatic, likable and obviously good at his job. I liked that. Too many times in novels like this we see police officers who are so incompetent its a miracle they even catch the suspects. I was happy to see this was not the case in this book.

The other characters in this were all a little annoying and unlikable. Daisy's mother doesn't seem to care that her daughter's gone missing, and her father is more concerned with 'keeping up appearances' than actually trying to find his child. As the story continues, we see why the parents are acting like this, and the reasoning behind their behaviors is explained well - but I just still didn't like them. As we see Daisy's backstory unfold and we see a precocious intelligent little girl, I couldn't even bring up any feelings for her. I had no sympathy for any of them, and that made it difficult for me to care.

The story itself is also a little all over the place with flashbacks to back fill and flesh out the main characters and develop their history and significance to the case. This meant the plot jumped around at times, and disrupted the flow of the story. I'm not a fan of this type of story telling personally. I like a more linear approach. I also would have appreciated less of the police reports which seemed to reiterate or repeat information the reader already knew, making the plot a little too long winded.

Look, I'm very picky with my contemporary thrillers. I like something a little out of the ordinary, and something that's going to really shock and surprise me. Unfortunately, I think this subject matter is very common at the moment, with a flood of novels relating to missing children etc. and I think in some parts the novel suffers because of this. I didn't find it particularly original or griping enough at all - and the ending requires a large amount of suspension in belief, and made no real sense to me.

Unfortunately not for me.

Close To Home is available to purchase now from: Amazon

2 STARS

Book Review: These Violent Delights by Victoria Namkung

There's no denying that in the current climate, this book serves a purpose. It's insightful, and promotes an area of abuse and sexual assault that is often swept under the carpet. These Violent Delights follows four women: a journalist and three victims of abuse from a former private school teacher, and their reactions following the exposure and subsequent re-exploration of their past.

The subject of  sexual abuse is sensitively approached, and clearly researched well. All the women are from different social backgrounds (although granted, they're privileged enough to go to a private school) to cover the issue that sexual assault can affect anyone and everyone. The text itself is hard-hitting and to the point. Some of the scenes where the women are retelling what happened to them is uncomfortable to read. It also doesn't shy away from the psychological damage this abuse has caused these women, and how they have each dealt with their issues in their own way - whether it be turning to drugs, denial, or religion. I would have liked to have seen some more diversity in the characters however. Yes, they come from different walks of life - but they're all middle-class, white or mixed race (Asian/American).

I also didn't adjust well to the writing style. At times I found it clinical, with an almost secondhand feel to it in its retelling of the story. The characters felt devoid of any deeper affectional behaviour, and there's not much provided to flesh out their backstories that could make me feel any attachment towards them - aside from feeling sorry for what had happened to them. In particular, I didn't care for Jane's side story with her former co-worker. It felt very out of place and didn't really fit with the overall feel of the book- although I perhaps get the meaning behind it, offering up a 'normal' relationship as a parallel to the 'relationship' the girls had with their teacher.

I understand the importance of telling this kind of story, and can grasp that the author wrote this with the best of intentions. But unfortunately this just didn't work for me because of my disinterest in the main characters.

 - 3 stars

Book Review - Gather The Daughters by Jennie Melamed

Every summer the girls run wild.

Set on an isolated island, Gather the Daughter follows a series of girls on the verge of their 'fruition', where for one last summer they'll be allowed to roam free without any boundaries or rules before marrying and becoming mothers. The island follows strict rules, or 'shan't nots' which must be obeyed, whereby women must submit to fathers, and later husbands. There also appears to be no technology, or contact with people from outside the island, known as the 'wastelands'. However, one girl witnesses something during this summer that will unravel the truth on the island, and things will never be the same.

This was disturbing, confusing and unsettling in equal measures. The plot hints at things rather than describing them explicitly, meaning the reader has to put the mysteries of the island together themselves through a series of flashbacks and current events  from the older girls narratives. I enjoyed Vanessa and Janeys narratives the most. Vanessa, as a privileged child of a wanderer has access to books and information the other girls don't. As such, she plays a pivotal role in unlocking the islands myseries, and it's the snippets of information she overhears from her father talk that I was most interested to read. I also enjoyed Janey. Her struggle with independence from the islanders, and her fight to prove the truth was endearing. I also really enjoyed her relationship with younger sister Mary. She acts more of a mother to her, and the other younger children, than their biological mothers.

Although I enjoyed the ending, I was left a little disappointed that more things weren't explained. I left the story feeling just as confused and lacking in information as i was from the start. Some explanations of why he island was like it was, and why the first wanderers came to the island would have been helpful to understand the reasoning behind their actions. I never really got any answered to any of my questions, and because of this I just can't rate it any higher.

 - 3 stars