Tag: book

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd Review

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  • Author: Agatha Christie
  • Series: Hercule Poirot #4
  • Genre: Murder Mystery
  • No of pages: 304
  • Dates read: 01.04.19 – 04.04.19
  • Rating: 4.5 stars
  • Challenge: 2019 Sequels

There is not much I can say about this book without giving away Christie’s pure genius. So this won’t be that indepth of a review.

The first thing I would say after reading Sophie Hannah’s interpretation of Poirot, in The Monogram Murders, it makes you understand what it was about Christie’s Poirot that is unmatched and can’t be replicated no matter how hard we try. He is a great balance of knowing he is smarter than everyone else but also being humble about it. Being stern but compassionate. This balance is what makes Poirot great! It was great to dive back into the original Poirot.

I loved how everyone was framed as a suspect leaving the reader rather confused and no closer to who the actual murderer is. This also gets dragged out through a lot of the book so as you see the pages get smaller and smaller and you are reaching the end of the novel you are still wondering who it could be.

I really enjoyed the character Caroline Sheppard. I loved her ability to just gossip and not care about the consequences. While this isn’t a trait I would promote, it was very intriguing to read especially her nonchalance over causing trouble in her village. She is the person we would all be when something shocking happens, trying to know every little detail and discussing it with our friends.

One of the things I would say is that the writing is pretty basic, it was not the most exciting writing I have ever read. Thankfully, the plot makes up for the writing as the plot is incredibly masterful, so Christie can get away with the average writing style.

The next book I will be reviewing will be The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North. This book has been on my TBR list for so long and I am so happy I can finally get to this book.

March Wrap Up 2018

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Below is a list of the five books I read in March. The photo is missing Thunderhead sadly 😦

Legendary by Stephanie Garber (3 stars)

A great sequel to an amazing debut novel, though not without faults. Garber’s writing was enveloping, she welcomed you back to her world like she welcoming you back home. Yet the strucutre of the plot was a bit lacking at times.

Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman (5 stars)

A jaw-dropping sequel! It was so good I have a friend from work picking up the series just so he can read this book. The world building is the standout feature in this story and more so than ever we see our own society reflected in this novel.

The Power by Naomi Alderman (4 stars)

A pre-dystopian novel I didn’t know I needed. The multi-perspective/characters were the highlights of the story. Alot of triggers litter this book, which I list in the review but this is just a warning going into the book.

The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson (3.75 stars)

My very first arc! This was a promising debut and I will definitely pick up the next book she releases. The representation in this book stood out to me alot and I felt it was done really well. The main character was really great and I enjoyed reading her POV.

How to Adult by Stephen Wildish (3 stars)

A satirical non-fiction book I read but I don’t know how to review a book like that so I gave it an average rating. It was very funny and a quick read for March.

The Storm Crow Review

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  • Author: Kalyn Josephson
  • Series: The Storm Crow #1
  • Genre: Fantasy
  • No. of pages: 368
  • Dates read: 25.03.19 – 31.03.19
  • Rating: 3.75 stars

I did not expect to live this book as much as I did!

I received this book as an ARC in the Fairyloot December 2018 box and was quite hesitant about it. It didn’t sound like something I would normally pick up.

This book is FULL of representation! First of all, you have this really vast world with each kingdom representing parts of the world we live in this subsequently came with many POC characters. Our protagonist is a woman of colour and she is amazing. She is a really enjoyable character to view the story from. So many characters in this book are POC which is refreshing to read about. 

There are characters who are LGBT and what I liked about this book is that their sexuality wasn’t their defining feature, they are not solely placed in the story to be the gay character. We know these characters initially for their bravery or their kindness or their arrogance and it just so happens that they are gay. They are not this walking stereotype which is brill.

This book is full of powerful women and women in positions of power which is amazing to read about. Most notably the Queen of Illucia, while I hated her for her cruelty I also loved to see a cut-throat character that wasn’t a man but a woman. She was truly terrifying. Kiva was a smart, funny and incredibly powerful woman who was so fun to read about. It was just cool to see these countries run by women.

This book deals with depression and while I wouldn’t consider it the best representation, there are probably better books out there, I thought it was written well without bias and it was good to see the exploration of trauma and depression and the vicious cycle that you go through dealing with it.

The friendship between Kiva and Anthia was amazing! Those girls had each other’s backs through thick and thin and it was great to see these two women stand up and support each other through all the horror they are put through.

Ericen as a character was one that I thought I wouldn’t like. I don’t like characters we are meant to hate initially but then learn to like them later on and forgive them for shitty or selfish decisions but I felt that this was developed well in this story and the author never tried to make us want to forgive him either, he had to own up to his own bad decisions.

A couple of things I wasn’t a massive fan of was…

Caylus was a nice character but to me, he felt quite bland with a lack of personality. I found myself questioning why Anthia liked him as much as she did. Even though he is given a sad backstory I still didn’t find him that interesting.

The writing itself is pretty basic. I enjoyed her setting descriptions and when describing Anthia’s depression but when it came to normal conversations or actions I found the writing to be average. It’s definitely writing anyone could get into but I wanted to see magic within the words.

Finally, it took a while for me to get into the story. It was quite slow-going initially, but it did eventually pick up.

The next book I will be reviewing is The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie! I am a massive Agatha Christie fan. I reviewed her book, Murder on the Links, last year and LOVED IT!

The Power Review

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  • Author: Naomi Alderman
  • Series: Standalone
  • Genre: Sci-fi/Feminism
  • No. of pages: 341
  • Dates read: 19.03.19 – 24.03.19
  • Rating: 4.5 stars

I have never read a book like this before! I don’t read much science fiction but I was quite intrigued by the synopsis.

There numerous trigger warnings in this book, so please be careful if you ever decide to pick it up. I don’t mention the triggers in my review but this is my warning for triggers such as:
Rape, Sexual Assualt, Violence and Torture

POSITIVES

I loved the whole concept in general of women having this dormant power and women becoming this unstoppable force and rising up from oppression. I was also interested to see which way Naomi would go with this story. Would she go down the route of “society was changed for the better because women were now in charge” or would she go down the route of “society collapses from the rise in power.” I was very happy with the road she took.

I loved all the characters in the stories both good or evil or in-between. I felt each character introduced a new perspective to this changing world and all actions were justified in their minds as their knee-jerk reaction to these sudden changes.

I really enjoyed the multiple POV’s, I think for us to fully understand the worldwide/societal change this new phenomenon brought, we had to see it from varying characters in different parts of the world. All 4 POV’s represented certain parts of society and through them, we see how those parts responded.

Tunde was the media. Margot was the politics. Allie was the religion. Roxy was the organised crime.

I don’t normally like this dystopian novels as I get bored quite quickly but what I liked about this book is we actually witness all the small changes that lead to the quickly forming dystopian society. We are not introduced to the story halfway through like we are with books such as the “The Hunger Games” where the dystopian setting was established years ago but at the very beginning and we watch everything unravel.

The language switch was intriguing. A lot of words and phrases were used to describe men and their horrible situation, especially by the end of the book, that normally gets associated with women or references something that women go through every day and I thought it was interesting to see that switch. In which these things were being said about men instead of women. It was a weird experience to read it!

NEGATIVES

While I really enjoyed the book, I didn’t care for the ending. It didn’t pack a punch for me. A lot is left unsaid. We don’t know what happens to the characters we have invested our time into which was quite disappointing for me. I had to go to a forum on Goodreads to fully understand the ending, which when explained to me sounded really cool but I didn’t care for the execution.

Overall, I started losing momentum about 3/4 of the way through the book. If it had been a bit shorter I probably would have enjoyed the ending more than I did.

The next book I will be reviewing is an ARC I received in their December 2018 Fairyloot box. I will be reading The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson.

February Wrap Up 2018

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Bit late this time round but I couldn’t find the time to take a photo of the books I read in February.

Below is a list of the four books I reviewed in February.

Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (4 stars)

A great final instalment to one of my favourite sci-fi series. I loved the diverse cast and the dossier style format it follows but critiqued the sometimes cringe dialogue.

The Arm of the Sphinx by Josiah Bancroft (4 stars)

Another book into my 2019 sequels. I read the 1st book, Senlin Ascends, last year and it was my favourite book of 2018. I was quite nervous going into this one but I ended up throughly enjoying it!

The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah (3.5 stars)

A fresh new take on Agatha Christie’s famous Belgian detective, Hannah takes over the mantle from Christie and produces a book which has classic Christie tropes. I enjoyed this story a lot.

The Next Person You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom (4 stars)

A heart-warming story about life and death. I get emotional every time I think about this story. A quick, inspirational read that will have you thinking about life just a little bit differently.

Thunderhead Review

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  • Author: Neal Shusterman
  • Series: Arc of a Scythe #2
  • Genre: Sci-fi
  • No. of pages: 515
  • Dates read: 10.03.19 – 18.03.19
  • Rating: 5 stars (Favourite)
  • Challenge: 2019 sequels

I read the first book “Sycthe” last July and really enjoyed it! So I wasn’t sure how Shusterman was going to top it but he completely smashed it! Hit it out the park! I can’t fully comprehend what I just read!

I can’t really mention the plot as it spoils things but what I will say is that it is set a year after the conclave where it was decided between Rowan and Citra who would win the mantle of Honorable Sycthe.

THOUGHTS

The world building in this book is so intricate and detailed. I can’t believe how imaginative Shusterman is! I would not be able to think of all the things mentioned and described in this book! From the expansion of the Thunderhead to Sycthe law, I felt like if I was dropped into this world I would know how to go about my day without a hitch as it’s that detailed!

I loved the expansion of the Thunderhead, I liked getting an insight into the “brain” of this powerhouse. He reminded me of what AIDAN in the Illuminae Files could have been. I loved the humanity that the Thunderhead was given.

Greyson Tolliver was such a great addition to the story. I really enjoyed his character and I felt for him so much! He brought a lot to the story and was key to the progression of the narrative. He is not just brought in for the sake of introducing another character, Shusterman like with every single detail he includes is important to the world or the progression to the story. Greyson is key!!!!!

Citra has grown a lot on me this time! I didn’t care for her that much in Sycthe but I loved her in this book! She has so much strength and intelligence that I wish I had! She is a kind of character people look up to, she is trying her hardest in a tough political climate and is holding her own. I think it’s very fitting as she represents a lot of young women fighting for their place in society and to have their voices heard!

Speaking of political climate… the politics in this book is so raw and real and while its set in this fantastical setting and they are discussing fantastical topics, the root of the problem is very real and can be reflected in our own world and our own lives and that is scary! I see today’s politicians reflected in this book and I am not happy with what I see.

I love the development of Sycthe Curie and Citra’s friendship, it was lovely to see two powerful women supporting each other! I think that this friendship was beautiful. Women supporting women! What more could I ask for!

My only criticism for this book is I am still not sold on the romance sub-plots. This was something I found to be a problem in Sycthe. The relationships and romance are driving forces for the progression of the story but it’s the only part of the novel that I feel is under-developed and as a reader, I am not given enough time to appreciate the romance or understand, it feels rushed and that it shouldn’t be that important of driving force for the narrative progression.

The next book I plan to review is another sci-fi! Last year I read two sci-fi books this year I will be on my 3rd! Wahey! The book I will be reviewing next is The Power by Naomi Alderman!

Legendary Review

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  • Author: Stephanie Garber
  • Series: Caraval Trilogy #2
  • Genre: Fantasy/Romance
  • No. of pages: 423
  • Date read: 18.02.19 – 07.03.19
  • Rating: 3 stars
  • Challenge: 2019 sequels

Wow! Another great instalment. Initially, I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it as much as Caraval but I think it held it’s own.

THOUGHTS

I loved how colourful and descriptive Garber’s writing is. You get tossed into this magical, vibrant world that oozes mystery and this is purely down to her writing. Her writing isn’t amazing overall, there are some lines and bits of dialogue that made me cringe as they were just so cheesy and felt out of place. But her descriptive writing of clothing, places and atmosphere was really good, she is very good at world-building. I do think Garber’s writing has come on a lot since her debut novel, Caraval, I found that I enjoyed her writing a lot more this time around.

I liked how we saw an expansion of the history of the Meridian Empire. But one major factor in the story I feel should have been mentioned in the first book. I can’t say what it is as it’s a massive spoiler but it initially threw me off when it was introduced as it felt like it was an after-thought added in later to make the series seem more epic. But once I got over that it was really enjoyable to have that dynamic and higher stakes added in.

The romance in this book initially started a bit forced. I didn’t care for it at first, I felt since Scarlett was with Julian at the end of the book Donatella must also have a love interest but it actually grew on me. The romance ended up being so enjoyable to read I looked forward to seeing more of it as the book continued. This is not normally the case for me.

One negative I would say is I don’t think the plot and the progression of the novel was structured as well as Caraval was, sadly. A lot was going on, especially with the higher stake plot element added in and it did feel a bit all over the place and I found myself at the beginning of the novel a bit confused.

The ending was incredibly satisfying! I wasn’t sure on how Garber was going to end this story but I loved it, I found myself grinning from ear to ear as I was reading it. I cannot wait to read the next book which comes out very soon!

Bookish This or That Tag

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Sadly, no review this Sunday. I had a really draining week at work so I didn’t get to finish a book in time for a review. So I decided to do a quick and fun tag about some of my own bookish opinions.

Series or Standalone

See, normally I wouldn’t consider this a hard choice. I adore standalones but when it comes to choosing between series or standalones, I think that there is so much expansion that you get plot and character wise with series that you can never really get with a standalone. While I love the simpleness of one wrapped up story in one book.

My choice would be series just because you get a lot more from a series than you do a standalone.

Magic earned or Magic Born

I like both options here. I love the idea of there are some people who are born with these incredible powers and we watch them struggle with immensity of the power and the responsibilities that come with it or watch them embrace what they have and use it for good. There are many variations that come with being born with magic.

That being said I love the idea of someone working really hard to be the best at the magic that they earned. I love the idea of dedication and it makes for really interesting characters as well. Someone choosing and working towards that level of power, evil or good it makes for a more dynamic character.

My choice would be magic earned.

Enemies to Lovers or Friends to Lovers

To me, this is quite an easy choice I understand the love for enemies to lovers trope having its appeal but I absolutely love the idea of two people who have been friends for a long time realise their love for each other. I prefer that over people who have disliked even hated each other suddenly have some moment which they realise they love each other or can grow to love each other.

My choice would be friends to lovers.

Hilarious Banter or Emotional Ruin

Again, another easy decision. I don’t mind a bit of emotional ruin here and there. The occasional tears and devastation. But personally, I prefer to laugh alongside my characters, enjoying moments of happiness with them rather than moments of heartbreak.

My choice would be hilarious banter.

Love Triangle or Instalove

I’m not the biggest fan or either option here to be honest. I personally think love-triangles are a bit more dynamic and a bit more interest to the story than insta love does. You get more tension with a love triangle which is not necessarily a good thing but it makes for a more interesting read. Insta-love to me is false. I don’t believe in it, if it is posed as lust at first sight, I think it could work so you’re not playing it off as true love.

My choice would be a love triangle.

Mean Parents or Dead Parents

The dead parents trope breaks my heart. All I can think of is Harry Potter and every time I think of him as an orphan stuck in the Dursley’s house it makes me tear up. That being said I don’t like mean/abusive parents so for that…

My choice would be dead parents.

So there you go… something to fill the gap before the next review.

The Next Person You Meet in Heaven Review

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  • Author: Mitch Albom
  • Series: The Five People You Meet in Heaven Duology #2
  • Genre: Fiction
  • No. of pages: 213
  • Date read: 16.02.19 – 18.02.19
  • Rating: 4 stars

I read the previous book on holiday in Greece. It was a spur of the moment purchase and I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. I ended up loving it and that book has been one of my favourite books of all time. I was quite nervous going into this one as I was worried it wouldn’t match up to the first one. I was very stupid to have worried so much!! This book was soooo good. Just as good as the first one.

Plot: The accident that killed Eddie (the main protagonist on the first book) left a mark on Annie. It took her left hand, which needed to be surgically reattached. Injured, scarred, and unable to remember why, Annie’s life is forever changed by a guilt-ravaged mother who whisks her away from the world she knew. Bullied by her peers and haunted by something she cannot recall, Annie struggles to find acceptance as she grows. When, as a young woman, she reconnects with Paulo, her childhood love, she believes she has finally found happiness. The book starts with Annie marrying Paulo. But when her wedding night day ends in an unimaginable accident, Annie finds herself on her own heavenly journey—and an inevitable reunion with Eddie, one of the five people who will show her how her life mattered in ways she could not have fathomed.

I don’t normally read these highly inspriational books. I don’t want to they don’t appeal to me. I don’t like to self-reflect but with the meaningful messages that were introduced into this novel you can’t help but look back and view your life differently. Albom is not screaming down your throat “APPRECIATE LIFE MORE” he is just trying to help turn negative expereinces into positive ones and trying to give a level of reassurane and comfort to those who are sturggling with deep personal issues. The novel is very light and easy to read so I think this helps in Albom’s case.

I loved the character of Annie. You go on this journey with her through self-acceptance, forgiveness and heartbreak. You can;t help but fall in love or at least really like her. You can understand the grudges she holds, the anxiety she tries to deal with. I personally really connected with her.

The ending, I did not expect at all. You feel with books like this that you know where it’s going and I found it really refreshing when Albom subverted my expectations with what was going to happen next. I tried so hard not to cry on the bus!

This is the kind of book that I think everyone needs to read at least once. It’s very impactful and moving and I think everyone could learn something from it. Pick it up!!

The next book I will be reviewing is Legendary by Stephanie Garber. This book is part of my 2019 sequels challenge as it read Caraval last year and also it is part on the ONTD Reading Challenge for the month of February which is read a book that contains romance or two characters experiencing a break up.

The Monogram Murders Review

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  • Author: Sophie Hannah
  • Series: New Hercule Poirot Mysteries #1
  • Genre: Murder Mystery
  • No. of pages: 388
  • Date Read: 12.02.19 – 15.02.19
  • Rating: 3.5 stars

This was a book I was really excited for. I was really interested to see what my opinions would be on Hannah’s version of Poirot. I have only read 4 Poirot books but I have watched multiple episodes of the TV show starring David Suchet. I feel that Suchet’s portrayal is the most accurate portrayal of Poirot so I went in with that performance in mind.

PLOT:  Hercule Poirot’s quiet supper in a London coffee house is interrupted when a young woman confides to him that she is about to be murdered. She is terrified but begs Poirot not to find and punish her killer. Once she is dead, she insists, justice will have been done. Later that night, Poirot learns that three guests at a fashionable London hotel have been murdered and a cufflink has been placed in each one’s mouth. Could there be a connection with the frightened woman? While Poirot struggles to put together the bizarre pieces of the puzzle, the murderer prepares another hotel bedroom for a fourth victim. In the hands of internationally bestselling author Sophie Hannah, Poirot plunges into a mystery set in 1920s London – a diabolically clever puzzle that can only be solved by the talented Belgian detective and his ‘little grey cells’. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

POSITIVES

The plot was really interesting. I really enjoy serial killers stories and when I read the synopsis of this story I had to just pick it up. What I loved about the plot is how intricate it was. I can’t say too much as I am trying to keep this spoiler free and with murder mysteries, you can’t say too much or it will ruin the novel. Let’s just say its a very detailed plot with a lot of interestings factors raised.

The big reveal at the end was really satisfying. This is probably the first murder mystery where I had no idea who it could be. Normally, I would think as I read about who it could be but with this book I consumed it so fast I didn’t have to think about who the murderer could be. When I found out the who, how, why I thought it was done really well. All I will say is it was a very Agatha Christie ending, so if you love her kind of reveals you will love this one.

I loved the variety of female characters in this story. All the women in this story vary in some way or another. I never felt I was reading a carbon-copy of your basic 1930’s woman. They were all interesting and, like with all mysteries, had something to hide. I really enjoyed reading about incredibly layered female characters, I would have to say my favourite character was Margarent Ernst.

I enjoyed the POV of Edward Catchpool, I think he was a good choice as the main character. As someone who likes to try and figure out who the murderer could be it is advantageous to have someone straight-forward thinking like Catchpool explaining the story rather than Poirot so you can think of all the ways the murders could have happened. If you read the story through Poirot’s mind it’s not just as fun becasue you would already know the awnsers.

NEGATIVES

To be honest, I didn’t particularly care for Hannah’s version of Poirot sadly I found him to be rude and unlikable which was disappointing. Sadly, I found him to be condescending and lacking the warmth I am so used to. Overall, the portrayal was fine it was similar to Christie’s version but there were just certain elements that put me off him.

Hannah gave some unnecessary backstory to Catchpool that, if removed from the story, wouldn’t affect the progression of the plot. I didn’t really see the point in adding this character points in. They weren’t expanded enough in the story to really warrant being used at all. This may come into play for later novels as a recurring theme we see with this character but I am not so sure. It came across as points that were meant to be important for the characters development but just weren’t explained or given any detail. It just seems unnecessary.

As mentioned before, I really like the intricate and detailed plot but when it came to the big reveal at the end, it felt like there was a lack of structure in how Hannah was going to explain the motive and how the victims were killed. The explanation was a bit all over the place which led to alot of confusion.

The next book I will be reviewing is The Next Person You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom. The highly awaited sequel that has me feeling all the feelings.