Month: June 2020

Murder at the Playhouse Review

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Late Summer, 1933. After a quarrel with too-plucky-for-her-own-good amateur sleuth Kitty Underhay, dashing ex-army captain Matthew Bryant is nursing his wounds, and a tumbler of brandy, when there’s a heavy knock at the door and he finds himself arrested for murder. The body of aspiring actress Pearl Bright has been found, strangled with one of Matt’s own bootlaces, and the evidence seems to be stacked against him. The local constabulary might have locked Matt up, but before they can throw away the key, Kitty hears the news and hies to his aid, determined to prove his innocence. And when her investigations lead her to the home of retired theatre impresario Stanley Davenport, and the local amateur dramatics society, Kitty uncovers a web of deceit that stretches far beyond the stage make-up.

Why I Am No Longer Talking to White People About Race – My Thoughts!

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In February 2014, Reni Eddo-Lodge wrote about her frustration with the way discussions of race and racism in Britain were constantly being led by those who weren’t affected by it. She posted the piece on her blog, and gave it the title: ‘Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People about Race’. Her powerful, passionate words hit a nerve. The post went viral, and comments flooded in from others desperate to speak up about their own, similar experiences. Galvanised by this response, she decided to dig into the source of these feelings; this clear hunger for an open discussion. The result is a searing, illuminating, absolutely necessary exploration of what it is to be a person of colour in Britain today. Exploring issues from eradicated black history to the political purpose of white dominance, whitewashed feminism to the inextricable link between class and race, Reni Eddo-Lodge offers a new framework for how to see, acknowledge and counter racism.

May Wrap Up 2020

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The month started off pretty successful, I have a new 5 stars to the list but sadly in the latter half of the month it started to dwindle.

  • I read 6 books this month.
  • I continued with my challenge by reading 1 ONTD Challenge books, 2 sequels and 1 from my physical TBR.
  • For genre: 2 fantasy, 2 murder mystery and 2 sci-fi books.
  • For age range: 1 middle grade, 3 adult and 2 YA.
  • I read 1 ARC, 3 ebooks and 2 paperbacks.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman (3 stars)

I didn’t review this one despite reading the book in its entirety. This was down to the fact that while I enjoyed it I didn’t have enough strong opinions on this story to warrant a review. I personally preferred the movie over the book.

The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie (4 stars)

This was a really nostalgic read despite the fact I had never read it before. Reading Agatha Christie novels just makes me feel like I am on holiday soaking up the sun. This book was a massive improvement over her previous book and was a fun read though I wasn’t so sure on the ending.

The Honjin Murders by Seishi Yokomizo (5 stars and FAVOURITE)

A brilliant 5 stars! I have only read one Japanese novel and 6 volumes of manga so I was super excited to read more fiction by Japanese authors and Yokomizo did not disappoint! I am not sitting and waiting for the next book in this series to be translated and sold in England!

The Last by Hanna Jameson (3 stars)

This book gave me very mixed feelings. Some parts of it I loved and was hooked in straight away and then other elements of the story bored me and made me consider DNFing it. One thing I will say is Jameson knows how to write scenes of panic.

Finale by Stephanie Garber (2 stars)

This was a disappointing ending for what could have been a great trilogy! The writing style and the romance were good but I felt that a lot was either missing or not set up properly for a satisfying ending.

Predator’s Gold by Phillip Reeve (3 stars)

This was a very low 3 stars. Sadly, I don’t think I will continue with this series as I was quite disappointed by this novel. Unnecessary girl on girl hate, a bland protagonist and emphasis on Hester’s ugly appearance to much for my liking.

Finale Review

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It’s been two months since the last Caraval concluded, two months since the Fates have been freed from an enchanted deck of cards, two months since Tella has seen Legend, and two months since Legend claimed the empire’s throne as his own. Now, Legend is preparing for his official coronation and Tella is determined to stop it. She believes her own mother, who still remains in an enchanted sleep, is the rightful heir to the throne.
Meanwhile, Scarlett has started a game of her own. She’s challenged Julian and her former fiancé, Count Nicolas d’Arcy, to a competition where the winner will receive her hand in marriage. Finally, Scarlett feels as if she is in complete control over her life and future. She is unaware that her mother’s past has put her in the greatest danger of all. Caraval is over, but perhaps the greatest game of all has begun―with lives, empires, and hearts all at stake. There are no spectators this time: only those who will win…and those who will lose everything.

DNFs

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So, I am a huge DNFer. I believe in DNFing any book that bores you, you feel average about or for other more serious reasons. I personally refuse to continue reading a book that I lose interest in. But what I have noticed is I go about reviewing, logging and rating my DNFs quite differently to what other people do.