Tag: bookwrapup

October Wrap Up 2019

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I went into October really wanting to get into the spooky vibe. I am not the biggest celebrator of Halloween as it just wasn’t something my family really celebrated but I wanted to get into the spooky spirit and I felt that the best way to do that was by reading some good spooky books. I read books with ghosts, with witches, books that had murder occur. Overall, a very successful month in terms of theme. Not so successful when it came to ratings.

A Spell for Murder by Kennedy Kerr (2.5 stars)

A fun and unique murder mystery set in Scotland where our sleuth is a witch with the power to be able to see the history of whatever object she touches. This book was average to me. The writing was not for me, it was the main reason I struggled with the book as certain things written down pulled me out of the story. A lot of potential with this series though.

A House of Ghosts by W.C. Ryan (5 stars)

A WW1 murder mystery set in an isolated manor during a stormy night. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. The atmosphere was really chilling, the POV’s were really engaging and it had me questioning until the very end.

Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu (3 stars)

A very cute graphic novel. I loved the art style and the abundance of representation and diversity but sadly I wasn’t the biggest fan of the structuring of this story. Certain things felt rushed or underdeveloped so I didn’t connect to the characters as much as I had hoped.

The Allingham Minibus by Margery Allingham (2.5 stars)

Another disappointing read for me. I don’t read many short story collections so going into it I was super excited. While there were some really good stories sadly, they were few and far between.

A Spell for Murder Review

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Another review this fine Thursday afternoon.

This is a very fitting read for the month we are in with Witches, Occult themes and a murder mystery.

Down a quiet lane in town sits a little shop full of oddities you’d probably miss if you weren’t looking for it. This is Love’s Curiosities Inc., and its owner, Temerity Love, is sought by experts all over the world for her rare and magical gift: the ability to find lost things and learn their stories. When Lost Maidens’ pretty local school teacher is found murdered by a poisoned cup of tea, a strange antique hand mirror is discovered nearby. Temerity – with the help of witchy sister Tilda, their cats Scylla and Charybdis and the lovingly eccentric local townspeople – is determined to divine the story behind the mirror and its part in Miss Molly Bayliss’ untimely death. If only grumpy out-of-towner Angus Harley of Lost Maidens Police wasn’t on the scene. Temerity can’t solve the crime without him, but he’s distracting, and in more ways than one. Can this unconventional duo solve the most mysterious murder ever to blight Lost Maidens Loch before the killer strikes again?

Click the title to read more!

September Wrap Up 2019

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Here are all the books I read in September of 2019.

Titans of History by Simon Sebag Montefiore (2 stars)

So, this book is a biography about many famous people of history and it started off pretty great. I was loving all the people included and was finding out some pretty interesting facts and then… I just got bored. The writing was boring, the closer you get to the present the more boring the “titans” chosen were and I just lost momentum with this massive book. So, I was not a fan by the end.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (5 stars)

Personally, I am a bit biased when it comes to this book. I read this series when I was younger and absolutely adored it. A couple of years later, nothing has changed. I loved Percy’s POV and his witty sense of humour and I loved just being able to be apart of this world again.

Mort by Terry Pratchett (4 stars)

I was a bit worried after reading Equal Rites as I was quite disappointed with that book. So, going into this one I was apprehensive as I didn’t want to be disappointed again. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case. This was so much fun. The world building was immaculate, I wanted to explore every facet of this part of the series and I was very sad when the book ended.

The Body on the Train by Frances Brody (4 stars)

My first ever Netgalley review! I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, the main character was an amazing female character, the plot was enticing but nothing beat the amazing atmosphere she conjured up. I felt on the edge of my seat all the way through this book.

The Body on the Train Review

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1929, London. In the darkness before dawn, a London railway porter discovers a man’s body as he unloads a special goods train from Yorkshire, all means of identification stripped away. Hitting a dead end, Scotland Yard call on indomitable sleuth Kate Shackleton, hoping her local Yorkshire knowledge and undoubted skills at winkling out information will produce the results they need. 1929, Yorkshire. Fears of unrest in the Yorkshire coalfields mean that Kate must conduct her investigation with the utmost secrecy. But when she discovers that another murder occurred around the same time as the mysterious body on the train, she is convinced there must be a connection. Using her sharp instincts and persuasive charm, she begins to uncover a web of intrigue that edges her closer to the truth. But with attempts being made on her life, Kate needs all the strength and resourcefulness she can muster, before she becomes the next victim . . .

Well, this is my very first netgalley book! I am so excited to talk to you guys about this book.

Click the title to read the full review! More on Netgalley next Monday!