Category: All Things Books

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.

Black Lives Matter!

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I have a small platform but I know that I need to use whatever platform I have to do my bit to support the Black Lives Matter movement. I am devastated by the atrocities committed over the last couple of days, with the horrific murders of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery

I have signed petitions, shared mental health resources on my twitter, helped bring to light what is happening to my family here in the UK and I watched booktuber Bowties and Books’ Instagram story and Live of them detailing their experience protesting peacefully in Minneapolis. Tears fell down my face as I watched their story.

While there is still more I can do I thought I should do my bit to support the movement on my blog. Below are going to be petitions you can sign and places you can donate to help as much as you can.

Educate yourselves, say their name and do not forget what has happened. I am in solidarity with my black brothers and sisters.

For more places you can contact and donate please click this link which will take you to a master thread on twitter.

Why I don’t like the mention of plot twists in reviews.

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This is going to be a very niche post this week. Also, this post is all my own opinion and guaranteed if you look back at any of the reviews on Goodreads and this blog I have probably mentioned plot twists many times.

This is a newly formed opinion for me that I would like to discuss. Unless it is for trigger warning reasons, I personally am not the biggest fan of people mentioning that a book has a plot twist.

To me, a plot twist is meant to be unexpected, out of the blue, you had no idea it was going to happen. You are supposed to be in shock and taken aback at the change in plot or character. But when I see reviews and they say, “I loved the plot twist in this book, so unexpected.” I am then going into the book expecting something shocking to happen and I feel like it ruins the reveal and the twist itself as I was expecting it to happen.

Granted, you don’t know the context of the twist whether it’s a character dieing or a character revealing that they are actually working for the bad side etc. but the notion of knowing that something crazy is going to happen spoils the fun for me a bit.

Murder mysteries and thrillers are an exception, the genre is based on having twists and turns that you don’t expect. I dunno it’s hard to explain but I feel less inclined to read a book if the reviewer mentions plot twist.

That being said, as I said at the beginning of my post. If you look through my reviews and blog posts I have probably said the same thing so I am probably being a hypocrite but it’s just something I have noticed recently. I am less likely to pick up the book if a plot twist is mentioned.

Let me know what you guys think.

February Wrap Up 2020

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February was an interesting month for me. I am trying a new format with my wrap ups. If you would like to read my reviews in more detail please click the title of the book.

  • I had my first DNF of the year!
  • I continued with my challenges and read a 2nd chance book, 2 books for my ONTD challenge and I read a sequel!
  • I read 7 books, 2 of which were DNFs.
  • In terms of genre I read an two urban fantasies, a short story collection, two thrillers and three murder mysteries.
  • I read three ARCs, one library book, two were re-reads and one was a backlist book I owned.

The Last Smile in Sunder City – Luke Arnold (4 stars)

This was an ARC that I was super excited to pick up. In my opinion, it was a brilliant debut. I really enjoyed the world and loved exploring the idea of magical creatures having to survive in a world without magic. The plot was really interesting but I did at times struggle with writing style. At times it did make me cringe.

The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm – Brothers Grimm (DNF)

This was a re-read for me as well as a book for my second chance challenge. Sadly, like last time, I couldn’t get through it. Quite a lot of the stories I read I already knew so I got quite bored reading through it and I felt myself called to other books so I DNFed it.

My Sister, the Serial Killer – Oyinkan Braithwaite (3 stars)

I had mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed the short chapters, I was intrigued about Ayoola as well as the bond between the two sisters. But I felt the story could have been deeper, I felt we only really scraped the surface. It needed more depth.

I read this book for my ONTD challenge, the theme was “Read a book set in Nigeria or a book written by a Nigerian author.”

In the Crypt with a Candlestick – Daisy Waugh (DNF)

I don’t have much to say regarding this story apart from I struggled to connect with the story or characters.

Tears of the Giraffe – Alexander McCall Smith (3 stars)

I really enjoyed the multiple narratives that weaved its way through this book. It really kept pace up and the novel engaging. I enjoyed Mma Ramotswe, she is such a strong character but my criticisms fell under the lack of actual detective work and a lot of important themes that were raised but never really explored.

Murder at Enderley Hall – Helena Dixon (3 stars)

This was another ARC that I read. This was another solid book in the Miss Underhay series, I think it held up really well against the first novel which was equally just as good. I felt the pacing of this story was done really well, the “romance” in this story has me really invested which rarely happens and I felt a strong sense of Dixon maintaining a solid series-arcing plot.

The Sea of Monsters – Rick Riordan (4 stars)

Another solid sequel, while in my opinion, not as good as the first story. This one was too short and a lot of convenient things happened to push the plot forward. But it was super fun, action-packed, we were introduced to some amazing characters. But what Riordan did, that was my favourite, was building up the series-arcing plot really well which makes you want to read the next book.