Category: Book Reviews

Moriarty the Patriot: Volume 1 Review

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Before he was Sherlock’s rival, Moriarty fought against the unfair class caste system in London by making sure corrupt nobility got their comeuppance. But even the most well-intentioned plans can spin out of control—will Moriarty’s dream of a more just and equal world turn him into a hero…or a monster? In the late 19th century, Great Britain rules over a quarter of the world. Nobles sit in their fancy homes in comfort and luxury, while the working class slaves away at their jobs. When young Albert James Moriarty’s upper-class family adopts two lower-class orphans, the cruelty the boys experience at his family’s hands cements Albert’s hatred of the nobility he was born into. He asks the older of the two boys—who has a genius mind and a killer instinct—to help him rid the world of evil, starting with Albert’s own family!

April 2022 Wrap Up

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So the streak I feel is slowly ending. I struggled this month and I only managed to keep my numbers up due to all the manga I have been reading recently. The month of May is going to be tough to as I have books I must read for a specific project I am doing so we shall see how next month goes.

  • I read 9 books this month
  • I DNFd 1 book this month
  • Genre: 4 fantasy, 2 mystery, 2 non-fiction and 1 historical fiction
  • Gender of authors: 5 men and 4 women
  • Race of authors: 5 white authors and 4 asian authors
  • Age range: 5 adult and 4 YA
  • Format: 5 ebook, 2 paperback, 1 hardback and 1 audiobook

Elektra by Jennifer Saint (DNF)

Unfortunately, despite me loving the author’s first book, I did not love this one. I don’t know what it was about this book but I just could not get into it. I think it was mostly down to the writing style. I didn’t find this one as engaging and I felt that I just didn’t connec to any of the characters.

The Killings at Kingfisher Hill by Sophie Hannah (3 stars)

The final book in the series. (I think. I could be wrong but I haven’t heard any news about new books) This book was fine. I had a lot of hope in the beginning as I found it to be very engaging. I really enjoyed learning about the main core family and all of their dynamics. But just as it started to get to the end the streak that the author was on plummeted with the final reveal. The ending left me feeling underwhelmed and disappointed. If the author does come out with new books I am not sure if I will pick them up.

Attack on Titan: Volume 3 by Hajime Isayama (3.5 stars)

The best volume so far. It’s great to go back and look at where everything started. I really liked all the action panels in this volume and it was great to read the more strategy focused segments. I can’t wait to get back into the lore of the titans.

Mercia’s Take by Daniel Wiles (4 stars)

A pleasant surprise as this book is very far removed from my normal reading tastes but I gave it a go and really enjoyed it. I really enjoyed the main character and I felt the author did a great job of making you root for him, I wanted to see him succeed. I also felt the author did a great job of placing you firmly in the time and place this novel is set in (1870s, Black Country). A solid book.

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Volume 1 by Kanehito Yamada (4 stars)

The first manga I have started that actually isn’t complete. As of now it only has 3 volumes out! This was a great find and I plan on continuing to read this series. I felt that not only was it beautifully illustrated, I could just stare at those panels for ages, but the message behind this series is really touching. I am invested in Frieren’s story and watching her learn and grow and I also super interested in learning more about her past.

Beasts and Beauty: Dangerous Tales by Soman Chainani (4 stars)

A fresh yet dark set of fairytale re-tellings. I really enjoyed this collection. I loved how the author switched and changed things around. I will preface and say even though people assume it’s middle grade, due to the author’s past work, it feels more YA. Also there were no quotation marks at all and that did make things confusing to read. In terms of the stories my favourites were:

  • The Little Mermaid
  • Peter Pan
  • Rapunzel

Losing It: Sex Education for the 21st Century by Sophia Smith Galer (4 stars)

Super informative. This book needs to be compulsory reading for everyone regardless of age, gender, sexuality etc. I learnt so much and also felt so validated as a woman and as a person. I will have all my friends read this book!

Moriarty the Patriot: Volume 1 by Ryosuke Takeuchi (4.5 stars)

Another manga that is still ongoing. It follows Moriarty and his journey to bring down Victorian Britain’s hierarchal system. I found the intial start to be a bit rocky but once we got to the end of the introduction of the main characters’s I was in for the ride. I did find that differentiating between Moriarty and his brother to be a bit hard as their design is relatively similar. But I thought the different stories were really engaging, I thought the messaging was super interesting and I am excited to see where the author takes this story and if we will be seeing Mr Holmes himself.

Dead Famous: An Unexpected History of Celebrity from Bronze Age to Silver Screen by Greg Jenner (5 stars)

I listened to this on audiobook to and from work and it was the highlight of my day. Greg Jenner just has a way of making even the most mundane story super entertaining and hilarious. I learnt a lot and laughed a lot. I will now be reading everything he has ever written!

The Killings of Kingfisher Hill Review

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Hercule Poirot is travelling by luxury passenger coach from London to the exclusive Kingfisher Hill estate, where Richard Devonport has summoned him to prove that his fiancée, Helen, is innocent of the murder of his brother, Frank. But there is a strange condition attached to this request: Poirot must conceal his true reason for being there. The coach is forced to stop when a distressed woman demands to get off, insisting that if she stays in her seat, she will be murdered. Although the rest of the journey passes without anyone being harmed, Poirot’s curiosity is aroused, and his fears are later confirmed when a body is discovered with a macabre note attached… Could this new murder and the peculiar incident on the coach be clues to solving the mystery of who killed Frank Devonport? And if Helen is innocent, can Poirot find the true culprit in time to save her from the gallows? 

Beast and Beauty: Dangerous Tales Review

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Twelve tales, twelve dangerous tales of mystery, magic, and rebellious hearts. Each twists like a spindle to reveal truths full of warning and triumph, truths that capture hearts long kept tame and set them free, truths that explore life… and death. A prince has a surprising awakening.  A beauty fights like a beast. A boy refuses to become prey. A path to happiness is lost… then found again.

The Atlas Six Review

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The Alexandrian Society is a secret society of magical academicians, the best in the world. Their members are caretakers of lost knowledge from the greatest civilizations of antiquity. And those who earn a place among their number will secure a life of wealth, power, and prestige beyond their wildest dreams. Each decade, the world’s six most uniquely talented magicians are selected for initiation…

When the candidates are recruited by the mysterious Atlas Blakely, they are told they must spend one year together to qualify for initiation. During this time, they will be permitted access to the Society’s archives and judged on their contributions to arcane areas of knowledge. Five, they are told, will be initiated. One will be eliminated. If they can prove themselves to be the best, they will survive. Most of them.

February 2022 Wrap Up

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Another really successful reading month but I can tell this is where my streak ends. I had a pretty solid month in terms of ratings and I am loving the books I am picking up in terms of variety. Let’s hope this continues for the rest of 2022.

  • I read 10 books this month
  • I DNFd 1 book this month
  • Genre: 6 fantasy, 2 contemporary and 2 non-fiction.
  • Gender of authors: 5 women, 4 men and 1 gender-neutral.
  • Race of authors: 4 white authors, 4 asian authors and 2 black authors
  • Age range: 5 YA, 3 adult and 2 middle grade
  • Format: 5 paperbacks, 3 ebooks, 1 audiobook and 1 hardcover

The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo (DNF)

This was a book that was on my TBR for ages and I decided to listen to this in audiobook form. Unfortunately, due to the constant stop-start of the audiobook as I only listened to it on my commute I just didn’t connect to the story. I think this is a story best read physically.

A Taste for Poison by Dr. Neil Bradbury (4 stars)

This was really good. Since working at the bookstore I have started to branch out more with the books I am reading and I wanted to start reading more non-fiction. I really liked how the book balanced the more sciencey elements alongside the true crime stories. It was reading this book that made me switch from listening to fiction audiobooks and start listening to non-fiction audiobooks. 1. Because I would be able to branch out more and 2. I wouldn’t fall into the trap as I did with the above book as much because I don’t have to follow specific characters and storylines.

The Promised Neverland Vol. 1 by Kaiu Shirai (5 stars)

Oof! This is a series I will be finishing this year, I am that invested. I had heard so many great things about this series both the anime and the manga. I did hear though that the anime’s second season to a dive compared to the first and was very rushed so this prompted me to seek the manga out instead of the show. Going into it I expected to enjoy it but boy did it live up to the hype. The storyline is amazing, the characters are great and I love the art-style.

This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki (2.5 stars)

This book unfortunately did not work out for me. I felt the book tried to cover too many things at once and then couldn’t fully commit to all the storylines. The art-style was not my favourite and I found the main character to be borderline unlikable. This was a miss for me.

Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Being Good by Louie Stowell (3 stars)

This book I enjoyed a lot more than I thought I was going to. This book was fun and an easy read.

The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin (5 stars)

THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING I WANTED AND MORE! I read the first book in Jan 2021 and while I enjoyed it I did come away a bit confused with certain elements of the world and the magic system. I was nervous going into this book as I was worried I was going to feel the same way. This series has been praised so highly I just wanted to enjoy but this book just is everything I have needed in a fantasy novel. It’s like the author had been inside my brain and wrote a book specifically on things I like in books. 10/10. I want to finish the series this year.

Demon Slayer Vol. 1 by Koyoharu Gotouge (2.5 stars)

Now this one did not slap as much. Again, this series is super hyped and I wanted to try the manga before I watched the show but I was left feeling slightly unimpressed when I read it. I didn’t feel that it was doing any brand new and I just didn’t finish the book with any strong feelings.

That being said I decided to give the show a go due to the praise I have seen on social media and the TV show I LOVE!!!!! I did struggle with the first couple of episodes which funnily enough were all the stuff mentioned in volume 1 so maybe if I had continued the manga I would have liked it more? But now I am watching the show I feel like I am going to stick with the anime instead.

Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel by Jason Reynolds (4 stars)

This was a really good and poignant graphic novel. I felt the art-style really elevated the story and I found the story to be really powerful in getting its message across. I read this book fairly quickly as I was so absorbed in the story and the main characters’ journey in that lift.

The Ultimate Discworld Companion by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Briggs (3 stars)

This was a fun book for fans of the Discworld series. I decided to read the book as I felt this would be a nice way to be able to learn more about the world without having to read all the books in the series as I just didn’t love the writing style. I loved the illustrations in this and being able to learn so much.

The Last Firefox by Lee Newbery (4 stars)

This was a super fun and exciting story about learning to believe in yourself and your capabilities. I found the writing to be super engaging and the illustrations to be beautiful. This book made me wish I had a pet fox.

The Promised Neverland Vol. 1 & 2 Review

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Life at Grace Field House has been good for Emma and her fellow orphans. While the daily studying and exams they have to take are tough, their loving caretaker provides them with delicious foods and plenty of playtime. But perhaps not everything is as it seems… Emma, Norman and Ray are the brightest kids at the Grace Field House orphanage. And under the care of the woman they refer to as “Mom,” all the kids have enjoyed a comfortable life. Good food, clean clothes and the perfect environment to learn—what more could an orphan ask for? One day, though, Emma and Norman uncover the dark truth of the outside world they are forbidden from seeing.

The Obelisk Gate Review

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This is the way the world ends… for the last time. The season of endings grows darker as civilization fades into the long cold night. Alabaster Tenring – madman, world-crusher, savior – has returned with a mission: to train his successor, Essun, and thus seal the fate of the Stillness forever. It continues with a lost daughter, found by the enemy. It continues with the obelisks, and an ancient mystery converging on answers at last. The Stillness is the wall which stands against the flow of tradition, the spark of hope long buried under the thickening ashfall. And it will not be broken.