Category: Book Reviews

January 2023 Wrap Up!

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Here we are! We are already one month into 2023! How scary is that! This last month was my best reading month to date! I always start off too strong when it comes to January. Every Jan I read loads of books, probably powered by the fact that it’s a new year and new possibilities, and the following months while good never match up to the power of January. Let’s dive in!

Stats

  • I read 18 books this month
  • Genre: 13 fantasy, 1 historical fiction, 1 mystery, 1 non-fiction, 1 romance and 1 sci-fi.
  • Gender of authors: 4 women, 4 men and 1 various
  • Race of authors: 7 asian authors, 5 white authors and 2 black authors
  • Age range: 12 YA and 6 adult
  • Format: 13 paperback, 3 ebook and 2 hardback

Challenges

  • Sequel: Twilight Princess Vol.2 & 5 extra volumes of The Promised Neverland
  • Tor.com: Fruiting Bodies – Kemi Ashing-Giwa-Giwa

Fruiting Bodies – Kemi Ashing-Giwa (2 stars)

Plot: An alien fungal infection has ravaged a faraway planet, turning all but six of the colonists into ravenous alarinkiri. Inyama, a mycologist, is her species’ last hope. But it’s not expertise her fellow survivors want from her.

This just fell flat for me I’m afraid. It had such a great premise but I spent most of the story trying to figure out what was going on. I was a bit confused.

Night Train to the Stars – Kenji Miyazawa (2.5 stars)

Synopsis: A collection of short stories based on animals, nature and the growing increase in technology. These stories were written from the late 1800s- early 1900s.

Overall I felt this collection was a bit lacking. Barely any stories truly grabbed me but I did enjoy delving into the mind of this author and these little worlds he has created.

  1. A Stem of Lillies – 1
  2. The Man of the Hills – 1
  3. The Wild Pear – 1
  4. Night Train to the Stars – 2
  5. The Earthgod and the Fox – 2
  6. The Bears of Kametoko – 2
  7. Tokkobe Torako -2
  8. The Red Blanket – 2
  9. The Police Chief – 2.5
  10. Ozbel and the Elephant – 3
  11. The First Deer Dance – 3
  12. Gorsch the Cellist – 3
  13. The Thirty Frogs – 3
  14. The Ungrateful Rat – 3
  15. Night of the Festival – 3
  16. March by Moonlight – 3
  17. Down in the Wood – 3
  18. The Spider, the Slug and the Racoon – 3.5
  19. General Son Ba-Yu – 4
  20. Wildcat and the Acorns – 4
  21. The Dahlias and the Crane – 4
  22. The Fire Stone – 4
  23. The Restaurant of Many Orders – 5
  24. Kenju’s Wood – 5

Legends and Lattes – Travis Baldree (3 stars)

Plot: Retired barbarian Viv decides to set up shop and create the very first cafe in the city of Thune. Little does she know she can’t truly shake off the past.

Great characters and a beautiful cosy vibe but it was let down by the very quick pace and the fact that we simply couldn’t sit in the moment with the characters. We were always jumping from one plot point to the next leading me to not connect with the novel as a whole. I would also say that the big sapphic romance that was marketing was truly underwhelming and felt like a last min addition which was disappointing. Thimble though will forever be my fave!

TLOZ: Twilight Princess Vol. 2 – Akira Himekawa (4 stars)

Can’t go into too much detail about this as it will be spoilers but this was a solid volume. Literally no critiques.

The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books – Martin Edwards (4 stars)

Synopsis: In this book Martin Edwards breaks down the history of the classic crime era sectioning into subgenre, years and influencing culture whilst also recommending some iconic classic novels.

I really enjoyed reading this. It was like one big long list of book recs as well as some really interesting components to the British publishing/writing world and beyond. There were some books that I had read plus some books already on my TBR! I love the British Library’s contribution to the crime genre.

Snow White with the Red Hair, Vol. 1 – Sorata Akiduki (4 stars)

Plot: A very loose re-telling of Snow White. Literally don’t go into this expecting Snow White.

Beautiful art, amazing characters, a protagonist you can’t help but root for! Plus a blossoming relationship between a prince and an apothecary! What I liked about this volume which I don’t see too much in manga was that each chapter was split into a different standalone story. Each story pushes the plot forward and we watch the characters grow but it was nice to see this structure over one continuous narrative.

Drifting Dragons, Vol. 1 – Taku Kuwabara (4 stars)

Plot: Follow a team of Dragon Hunters aboard their ship as we learn about them as individuals plus their interpersonal relationships. Also food is a major factor in this manga.

Probably the manga series I read this month with the best art-style. From the background design to the pictures of food. BEAUTIFUL! I really liked this more stripped back series where the focus is on the characters more than an over-arching plot. It was a big change to all the other series I was reading and it made for a nice break. I am so excited to read the next volume and see where the characters are heading next.

Children of the Whales, Vol. 1 – Abi Umeda (4.5 stars)

Plot: The world is covered by oceans of sand and 513 people live in isolation on an islandlike ship that is adrift on the sand. As he investigates an abandoned ship Chakuo — the island’s archivist — meets a mysterious girl named Rikosu. It marks the first time that an island inhabitant has made contact with someone from the outside world. Chakuro wonders if it is a sign that a new world awaits.

This was super, super good. The art was beautiful, the setting was unlike something I have ever seen and that ending was IMPACTFUL. It threw me so off guard. My jaw hit the floor. I am super interested to see where the rest of the series goes as we have only just scraped the surface.

The Promised Neverland, Vols. 7-11 – Kaiu Shirai (4-5 stars)

I WILL SCREAM ABOUT THIS SERIES UNTIL I AM DEAD. I literally cannot discuss too much due to spoilers but omg everyone pick this series up!

The Faraway Paladin, Vol. 1 – Mutsumi Okubashi (5 stars)

Plot: We follow a young boy who is being trained by 3 members of the undead but he soon starts to question who he is and what their stories are.

A manga I was not expecting to give 5 stars to, yet here we are. Such an underrated series with beautiful art. Found family, tragic backstories and really interesting lore!

Six of Crows – Leigh Bardugo (5 stars)

Plot: A bunch of reckless individuals with nothing to lose but a lot to gain go on an insane heist.

I mean, I think everyone knows this book let’s be honest. I can’t believe it took me this long to pick it up. I picked this up for a book group I am apart of and I am so thankful I was able to read it. All the characters were so distinct and I truly enjoyed learning and following each one. I felt that Bardugo did a great job with her more morally grey characters as well and tackling such difficult topics. I thought the plot was really engaging and I flew through the book. I did get a bit confused in the beginning and the middle of the book but that ending had me shook! Cannot wait to read the sequel.

Legendborn – Tracy Deonn (5 stars)

Plot: After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus. And that is literally all the can be said as I don’t want to spoil ANYTHING.

Now, here is another book I wish I had read way earlier! Literally everyone was talking about how amazing this book was and I knew I needed to finally see what all the hype was all about. I LOVED THIS SO MUCH!!! The lore, the magic, the exploration of grief both current but also generational. I loved Bree so much and I really enjoyed the romance in this book! I found the ending to be so incredibly powerful and I needed to read the second book ASAP.

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels – Janice Hallett (5 stars)

Plot: A true crime journalist/writer sets out to write about the Alperton Angels case and gets caught up in the conspiracies, lies and truths of what happened years ago! Told in Hallett’s iconic epistolary style.

Every January I can’t wait to sit down with the latest Janice Hallett novel and expect my brain to explode from my genius. This book was no exception. I literally read this book in 2 days. I was up late into the night to finish this book. Hallett’s brain is just so smart and talented. I found this book to be my favourite of the 3 she has written so far. The plot is so smart, the characters so interesting. I highly recommend this book.

Legends and Lattes Review

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Worn out after decades of packing steel and raising hell, Viv the orc barbarian cashes out of the warrior’s life with one final score. A forgotten legend, a fabled artifact, and an unreasonable amount of hope lead her to the streets of Thune, where she plans to open the first coffee shop the city has ever seen. However, her dreams of a fresh start pulling shots instead of swinging swords are hardly a sure bet. Old frenemies and Thune’s shady underbelly may just upset her plans. To finally build something that will last, Viv will need some new partners and a different kind of resolve.

December 2022 Wrap Up

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What a year 2022 was! All of my wrap up posts are now officially up so if you want to see my year as a whole, check it out! December was an alright month reading-wise. I did move into my very first home so I was very pre-occupied with other things!

  • I read 10 books this month
  • Genre: 6 fantasy and 4 mysteries
  • Gender of authors: 4 women, 4 men and 1 various
  • Race of authors: 5 white authors, 3 asian authors and 1 various
  • Age range: 6 adult, 3 YA and 1 children’s
  • Format: 5 paperback, 3 hardback and 2 ebook

Portrait of a Murderer – Anne Meredith (DNF)

This was such a shame as I bought this book back in Dec 2021 and waited a whole year to read it! To be honest, I don’t have any criticism of the book itself, it just took a direction I didn’t expect nor did I care for. While I expect it to be a traditional murder mystery it was more of a character study of the murderer itself. Which for me, it was not what I was looking for.

Babel – R.F. Kuang (DNF)

This one actually broke my heart. I had been following the process of this book and its publication from the minute Kuang announced it. Unfortunately, I didn’t love it. I have a more detailed account of my reasons for DNFing on my wrap up posts.

The Christmas Murder Game – Alexandra Benedict (2.5 stars)

This book was about a woman who goes back to her childhood home to play the “titular” game and learn about her mothers mysterious death. This book was fine. It filled the Christmas themed gap I had which was great and I really enjoyed the main character but the story was predictable.

Marple – Various Authors (3.5 stars)

This was a really enjoyable short story collection all involving the incredible amateur detective Miss Marple created by Agatha Christie. Here are my individual ratings. My favourite story was A Deadly Wedding Day by Dreda Say Mitchell.

  • Evil in Small Places – 3
  • The Second Murder at the Vicarage – 2.5
  • Miss Marple Takes Manhattan – 3.5
  • The Unravelling – 4
  • Miss Marple’s Christmas – 4
  • The Open Mind – 4
  • The Jade Empress – 5
  • A Deadly Wedding Day – 5
  • Murder at the Villa Rosa – 2
  • The Murdering Sort – 3
  • The Mystery of the Acid Soil – 4
  • The Disappearance – 3.5

Blue Exorcist Vol. 1 – Kazue Kato (3.5 stars)

This story follows Run who finds out that his dad is Satan himself and he goes on a mission to become a Exorcist and defeat his father. I watched the anime years and years ago and was always disappointed that I never watched the second season but now I can just read the entire series!!! I felt this was a solid first volume setting up the characters and all the important plot points.

Kai and the Monkey King – Joe Todd-Stanton (4 stars)

This was a great story with beautiful art design, plot and characters. I want to own everything Joe Todd-Stanton creates!

Murder at the Theatre Royale – Ada Moncrieff (4 stars)

This is a Christmas historical murder mystery set at a theatre. I requested this on Netgalley on a whim as I really wanted to read some Christmas themed mysteries and I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did. The writing was really easy-reading, the main character was really engaging and the mystery worked so well for me. I ended up finishing this on a bus journey home and nearly missed my stop as I was so engrossed by it.

The Lost Metal – Brandon Sanderson (4 stars)

The final book in the Wax and Wayne quartet. This was also my first proper foray into understanding the Cosmere etc. I enjoyed this story, I felt everything was wrapped up nicely and I enjoyed learning about the Cosmere. That being said it did not pack a punch the way The Hero of Ages did and I knew how things would go for a lot of the characters we meet. So while I enjoyed it, it was not my favourite in the series.

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Vol. 3&4 – Kanehito Yamada (4.5/4 stars)

What a perfect way to end the year. Volume 3 was my favourite so far. I love the characters, I love the world, I love exploring Frieren’s backstory. I need to read every single one of these volumes.

The Secret of Matterdale Hall Review

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Susan Mottram lives an idyllic existence until her eighteenth birthday, when her father’s sudden death plunges the family into penury. To support her mother and younger sister, Susan takes employment as a teacher at a remote Yorkshire boarding school, Matterdale Hall, owned by the radical Dr. Claybourn and his penny-pinching wife. Susan soon discovers that all is not as it seems. Why is little Mary so silent? What really happened to Susan’s predecessor? Is anyone safe in the school’s draughty halls? Through a life-changing meeting with the beautiful and mysterious Cassandra, Susan begins to uncover the truth about Matterdale Hall, and discovers the cruelty, and love, that can lie within the human heart.

Belladonna Review

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Orphaned as a baby, nineteen-year-old Signa has been raised by a string of guardians, each more interested in her wealth than her well-being—and each has met an untimely end. Her remaining relatives are the elusive Hawthornes, an eccentric family living at Thorn Grove, an estate both glittering and gloomy. Its patriarch mourns his late wife through wild parties, while his son grapples for control of the family’s waning reputation and his daughter suffers from a mysterious illness. But when their mother’s restless spirit appears claiming she was poisoned, Signa realizes that the family she depends on could be in grave danger and enlists the help of a surly stable boy to hunt down the killer.

However, Signa’s best chance of uncovering the murderer is an alliance with Death himself, a fascinating, dangerous shadow who has never been far from her side. Though he’s made her life a living hell, Death shows Signa that their growing connection may be more powerful—and more irresistible—than she ever dared imagine.

October 2022 Wrap Up

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This was probably my best reading month to date! Super happy with myself but also super happy with the books I read.

  • I read 15 books this month
  • Genre: 6 fantasy, 4 mystery, 2 sci-fi, 1 romance, 1 thriller and 1 non-fiction.
  • Gender of authors: 8 women, 4 men and 1 duo
  • Race of authors: 6 white authors, 3 black authors, 2 Latinx author, 1 Middle Eastern author and 1 asian author.
  • Age range: 9 adult, 3 middle grade, 2 YA and 1 new adult
  • Format: 8 paperback, 5 ebook, 1 hardback and 1 audiobook

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau – Silvia Moreno-Garcia (DNF)

A re-telling of the Island of Doctor Moreau. This was super disappointing as I have loved all the other work that Moreno-Garcia has written. I was really hoping to love this but I got about 25% of the way through and I was just bored with no connection to the characters whatsoever!

Wivenhoe – Samuel Fisher (3 stars)

Following a 24hr period after a murder is committed. I will be completely honest. I was not expecting to enjoy this book. At all. It didn’t seem like it was something I would go for but oh my goodness was it good. It was intense but so raw. A true character study which I normally shy away from. I literally read this in an hour.

A Dead Djinn in Cairo – P. Djèlí Clark (3 stars)

A mystery based in an alternate Cairo where Djinn and Human live side by side. Based on what everyone said about this short story I was expecting to enjoy it more than I did. I loved the characters and the world but the plot was a bit too rushed and I felt the format was too small too tackle something so monumental.

The Girl, the Ghost and the Lost Name – Reece Carter (3 stars)

An adventure about a ghost who goes to search for her lost name and memories. This was super fun mystery. It didn’t leave a super long lasting impression on me but I did have a fun time reading it.

The Dark Fantastic: Race and the Imagination from Harry Potter to the Hunger Games – Ebony Elizabeth Thomas (4 stars)

An incredibly information look at how race is portrayed in some of the most popular YA mediums. My favourite chapter was that on Rue in the Hunger Games. This was one of my first foray’s into literary criticism and looking at race and identity in literature. As a bookseller, this is a topic I want to learn more of for when I approach recommendations and how I think when I am reading.

The Twig Man – Sana Rasoul (4 stars)

A story about a boy who tries to find his sister after she went missing a year ago. I didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Rasoul manages to pack in intensity, horror elements and the power of sibling love into a small package. I also adored Ari.

The Angel of Khan el-Khalili – P. Djèlí Clark (4 stars)

A story about a young girl who tries to save her dying sister. This was, in my opinion, the better of the two Dead Djinn Universe short stories mainly because I preferred the storyline more.

The Girl from the Other Side Vol. 1 – Nagabe (4 stars)

This follows a human and a monster who live together in a little cottage. This was perfect for halloween, spooky with loads of mystery. I felt it set up a lot of good points and established our two main characters very well. I am looking forward to the sequel.

Beautiful Darkness – Kersacoet (4 stars)

If you’re looking for a more creepier graphic novel for Halloween. This story follows a group of fairies who try to live amongst nature but it doesn’t go super well. This book is deceiving. On the outside the art is beautiful and you thinks its going to be a cute story until you slowly go through the pages and see the horror for what it is. I loved the juxtaposition of the story to the art and really enjoyed this graphic novel.

Belladonna – Adalyn Grace (4 stars)

This story follows 19 year old Signs who tries to solve the murder of her family member. I really enjoyed this story. For those who see it as promoted as YA it is more adult. I would say it’s new adult as there are some more mature themes in here that might not be appropriate for certain YA audiences. This was engaging, mysterious and beautifully gothic. I loved Signa’s dynamic with Death and the mystery itself was fun to solve. I personally didn’t guess the ending at all which I normally do.

The Lost Storyteller – Donna Barba Higuera (4 stars)

This was an amazing story filled with beautiful folklore tales, a strong female protagonist and a plot that had me on the edge of my seat. I loved the blend of Spanish and English in this story.

Thieves – Lucie Bryon (4.5 stars)

A super fun and beautifully illustrated graphic novel about romance and being true to oneself. I had a great time reading this, I loved the art-style, the characters and the plot.

House of Hunger – Alexis Henderson (4.5 stars)

I probably enjoyed this book more than her first one, The Year of the Witching. This follows a young woman who becomes a blood maid for a mysterious Countess but soon starts to unravel the mystery of the castle and the Countess herself. Beautifully gothic atmosphere, super intense, and while I sort of gathered how the story was going to play out, I just couldn’t draw my eyes away from the story. Lisavet was an amazing and alluring character that scared me but I was so intrigued by her and her backstory. That ending had me on the edge of my seat.

The ABC Murders – Agatha Christie (5 stars)

Now the last book of Miss Christie’s that I read ended up being a 1 star and was one of the worst books I have read this year and beyond. I did not enjoy it whatsoever so I was super nervous in reading this book. I was worried that my love for Christie was finally over. But then she wrote this masterpiece. One my biggest criticisms of Christie’s work is while I enjoy her characterisation of her staple characters, like Poirot and Hastings, I never really care for many of her side characters. But with this book, not only did she write a stellar plot, she also wrote some beautifully written, nuanced side characters that really brought the whole novel together in a way that her previous book didn’t.

A Master of Djinn – P. Djèlí Clark (5 stars)

Another great murder mystery novel but this time with a fantasy steampunk twist. This book is up there with the likes of Sanderson for me. The world building was immaculate, I loved the championing of female characters and also the diversity in the women and the plot was super fun to solve.

A Master of Djinn Review

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Cairo, 1912: Though Fatma el-Sha’arawi is the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, she’s certainly not a rookie, especially after preventing the destruction of the universe last summer. So when someone murders a secret brotherhood dedicated to one of the most famous men in history, al-Jahiz, Agent Fatma is called onto the case. Al-Jahiz transformed the world 50 years ago when he opened up the veil between the magical and mundane realms, before vanishing into the unknown. This murderer claims to be al-Jahiz, returned to condemn the modern age for its social oppressions. His dangerous magical abilities instigate unrest in the streets of Cairo that threaten to spill over onto the global stage. Alongside her Ministry colleagues and her clever girlfriend Siti, Agent Fatma must unravel the mystery behind this imposter to restore peace to the city – or face the possibility he could be exactly who he seems….