When it comes to historical romance, for me, no one beats Tessa Dare and this is definitely one of her best. It sparkles with all of Dare’s usual humour and wit and the romance is hot, hot, hot. I started this on my way home from work one Thursday evening and had the whole thing finished that night. It was exactly the break from reality I needed after a long and stressful day.

THE BLURB

They call him the Duke of Ruin.
To an undaunted wallflower, he’s just the beast next door.

Wealthy and ruthless, Gabriel Duke clawed his way from the lowliest slums to the pinnacle of high society―and now he wants to get even.

Loyal and passionate, Lady Penelope Campion never met a lost or wounded creature she wouldn’t take into her home and her heart.

When her imposing―and attractive―new neighbour demands she clear out the rescued animals, Penny sets him a challenge. She will part with her precious charges, if he can find them loving homes.

Done, Gabriel says. How hard can it be to find homes for a few kittens?
And a two-legged dog.
And a foul-mouthed parrot.
And a goat, an otter, a hedgehog…

Soon, cold-hearted Gabriel, who wouldn’t know a loving home from a workhouse, is covered in cat hair, knee-deep in adorable animals, and bewitched by a shyly pretty spinster who defies his every attempt to resist. Now she’s set her mind and heart on saving him.

Not if he ruins her first.

MY REVIEW

This is the third book in the Girl Meets Duke series so there are some familiar faces from the previous books but it could easily be read as a standalone. If you are familiar with the series, this is the Penny book we’ve all been waiting for (well that I’ve definitely been waiting for). Penny is such a wonderfully unique character I think it would be difficult to not love her. She may be a lady but she avoids society preferring to stick to her close friends and the various wounded and wild animals she has rescued and brought into her home.

Gabe also makes for a suitably dashing hero. He may have come from the slums and have a reputation for ruining the aristocracy but he’s surprising sweet and protective of those around him. He may be gruff and rude at times but he’s incredibly honourable and very conscious of the importance of reputation.

Put them together and they are the perfect match. There is some wonderful banter between them and their chemistry is amazing. They just seem to compliment each other so well. If only they could overcome the usual obstacles that get in their way.

Speaking of obstacles my only slight niggle with this book is that I felt these were resolved a little too easily. I won’t go into details due to spoilers but things that were supposedly major impossible challenges to be overcome were sorted out in a couple of pages.

Who really cares about little details like that though when a story is this much fun to read. I just wish Dare would write faster so I could have the next book now. I suspect we may be getting Nicole’s book next.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy. This has in no way influenced my review.

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Review: The Possession by Michael Rutger

August 3, 2019 Ali@abookishlifeLeave a comment

I can’t remember the last time a book gave me chills the way this one did. I will admit to never really having read Stephen King so I can’t say if it’s as perfect for his fans as the cover claims but for me – who used to devour James Herbert and Dean Koontz books, was a huge fan of shows like X-Files, the Twilight Zone, Poltergeist the Legacy and pretty much any and every horror film – this was right up my street. It’s a lot of fun but so, so creepy and atmospheric. I loved it.

THE BLURB

THEY CAME LOOKING FOR ANSWERS

A group of explorers arrive in the remote town of Birchlake, Northern California, to investigate the appearance of mysterious stone walls.

WHAT THEY FOUND WERE QUESTIONS

A teenage girl has disappeared without a trace.

FOR NOT EVERYONE IS AS THEY SEEM

Soon it becomes clear that the two events may be connected in the most terrifying way. Because sometimes the walls we build end up closing us in . .

REVIEW

I didn’t realize when I started reading this that it was the second in a series but honestly it didn’t matter one bit. Yes there are a few references to the first book (which are mild spoilers if like me you plan to go back and read it later) but I didn’t really feel like I’d missed much. Hell, I was around 150 pages in before I even discovered it was the second in a series (and that was only when I was looking it up on Goodreads).

The blurb is a little lacking in detail but the series is about a team who investigate myths, urban legends and unexplained phenomena, filming it for a YouTube show. When the team’s leader and presenter, Nolan, discovers his ex wife Kristy is in a small town in Northern California investigating the disappearance of a teenage girl he convinces his team that now’s the perfect time to visit that town to look into the mystery surrounding miles of walls in the area. No one knows who built these walls but they’re incredibly old, are scattered throughout the area and often run for miles with no discernible purpose.

This is really an excuse to keep an eye on his ex (and maybe rekindle something) but as both Kristy and Nolan and his team start to experience some very strange things it seems both mysteries may be connected and there may be something very wrong in this town.

It’s a classic creepy horror story with everything that entails – think Blair Witch (dark woods, mist, deserted streets, strange noises in the middle of the night, objects turning up in places they weren’t left and a strange figure only certain people seems to see). Basically there were moments when it scared me witless and yes I did have to put it down to go check the doors were locked (more than once).

What makes it a great fun read though is how the author mixes these genuinely chilling moments with a lot of humor. One second I’d be wanting to hide under the covers and the next I’d be chuckling at a one liner. I loved the relationships between Nolan and his team (Ken, Molly and Pierre). Ken and Nolan in particular are clearly close friends with a long history and there is some great banter between them to break the tension when it all starts to get a bit much.

The story itself fascinated me too. Initially I was probably in a pretty similar place to Nolan’s team when he said walls, I mean how excited can you really get about some walls? But, the more that’s revealed about them the more intriguing it gets and it turns out these walls are a real thing (I googled). I was probably less interested in the missing teenager side of the story (sorry missing teenager) but when the things happening get increasingly strange and spooky it was definitely hard to put the book down.

I do think the first half of the book was the strongest as the mystery around what’s going on in the town, whether supernatural forces are at work or there’s a more rational and scientific explanation, keep you glued to the pages. For me the unknown is almost always scarier than known so once the reveal was made it lost a lot of the tension and on occasion wandered into the slightly bizarre and confusing. As for the ending, I think it worked but was maybe a little too easy or maybe I mean too resolved.

Regardless of this though I loved the author’s writing style and the tone of the whole book. The characters are likeable and the humor just worked for me. Was it a little slow in places? Maybe, but the other parts had enough tension and atmosphere to more than make up for it.

Overall a great read and one I’d recommend if you love a creepy horror story and don’t mind a wander into the weird. I’m off now to read the first book in the series as I think Rutger could become a favourite author.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I won a copy of this book in a Readers First Giveaway. This has in no way influenced my review.

Review: The Glass Woman by Caroline Lea

July 11, 2019 Ali@abookishlife3 Comments

The Glass Woman by Caroline Lea

This was one occasion when choosing a book based on its cover worked out so well. The Glass Woman is a truly compelling and atmospheric read. The wonderful writing weaves together historical fiction, mystery and a touch of the supernatural to create a chilling and addictive read.

THE BLURB

1686, ICELAND. AN ISOLATED, WINDSWEPT LAND HAUNTED BY WITCH TRIALS AND STEEPED IN THE ANCIENT SAGAS.

Betrothed unexpectedly to Jón Eiríksson, Rósa is sent to join her new husband in the remote village of Stykkishólmur. Here, the villagers are wary of outsiders.

But Rósa harbours her own suspicions. Her husband buried his first wife alone in the dead of night. He will not talk of it. Instead he gives her a small glass figurine. She does not know what it signifies.

The villagers mistrust them both. Dark threats are whispered. There is an evil here – Rósa can feel it. Is it her husband, the villagers – or the land itself?

Alone and far from home, Rósa sees the darkness coming. She fears she will be its next victim . . .

MY REVIEW

This was one of those books I picked up on a whim based on a very pretty cover and a blurb that made it sound like just my type of read and boy was I right. There was something so compelling about the writing that from the very first page I was hooked and more or less devoured the whole thing in a day.

The story is set in Iceland in 1686 and begins with the discovery of a woman’s body trapped in the ice off the coast. It then flashes back to six months earlier to another small settlement where young woman Rosa agrees to marry a wealthy stranger who can ensure her mother gets the food and fuel she needs to survive the harsh winter. Rosa has led a relatively sheltered life, innocent and naive she knows very little of the world and even less about her soon to be husband.

Despite this and the rumors around what happened to his first wife she leaves her home and everything she knows behind to start a new life with this man in a remote and fiercely religious community where she is made to feel like an outsider. Isolated and alone, strange things start to happen that make her question just who this man she married is, what he’s hiding, and why the village seem to be afraid of him and his strange apprentice Petur. And I think it’s probably best I stop there as if I say anymore I fear I’ll give something away and I feel it’s better you discover it for yourself.

What I can say is that it’s an intriguing mix of historical fiction, mystery and thriller but with the suggestion that there may be supernatural forces at work. The author picked the perfect setting and time period for this story and the writing is absolutely wonderful. There’s such a great sense of place and it’s very easy to imagine life in this community or in Rosa’s case on the outskirts of it. It’s a cold and forbidding place, with a real feel of remoteness and isolation. From the very start there’s a tense and chilly atmosphere and the author somehow manages to maintain this even when there’s not a lot of action.

The story is told primarily from the point of view of Rosa and follows her as she travels to this strange new place and tries to figure out what’s going on. Interspersed with this are brief chapters set after the discovery of the body, told from the point of view of husband Jon. I did prefer Rosa’s chapters but the little hints and suggestions of what’s to come from Jon do make for an addictive read.

I don’t want to go into too much detail about the characters as again I feel it’ll give too much away but I loved how complex they were and how they developed over the course of the story. No one is wholly good or bad and actually it’s very difficult to get a handle on who they really are and whether they can be trusted. Even Rosa is the typical unreliable narrator as while she’s likeable and comes across as very meek and naive for a lot of the story, she’s also intelligent and determined. She’s superstitious and seems to have an active imagination and a fondness for stories which make it hard to tell at times what is real and what’s in her head.

I did love the way the author worked folklore and mythology into the story and in particular the clash between these old ways and the strict religious beliefs that forbid any kind of superstition or traditional practices, viewing them as blasphemy or witchcraft.

Overall this may not be a fast paced, action packed read but it’s a truly compelling story that had me gripped from the very start till the very end. It was unexpected and unlike anything I’d read before and I kind of loved it.

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an advance copy via NetGalley. As always all thoughts are my own.

Review: 99% Mine by Sally Thorne

July 6, 2019July 6, 2019 Ali@abookishlife8 Comments

99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne

As a huge fan of The Hating Game I was a little nervous going into this but I needn’t have worried. It’s a very different book but is just as brilliant. It’s packed full of feels and I laughed, I got angry and I cried (a lot). Sally Thorne is now safely on my list of auto-buy authors.

THE BLURB

Crush (n.): a strong and often short-lived infatuation, particularly for someone beyond your reach . . .

Darcy Barrett has undertaken a global survey of men. She’s travelled the world, and can categorically say that no one measures up to Tom Valeska, whose only flaw is that he’s her twin brother’s best friend – oh, and that 99 percent of the time, he hasn’t seemed interested in her. That’s the problem with finding her dream man at age eight and peaking in her photography career at age twenty – ever since, she’s had to learn to settle for good enough.

When Darcy and Jamie inherit a tumble-down cottage from their grandmother, they’re left with strict instructions to bring it back to its former glory and sell the property. Darcy plans to be in an aisle seat halfway across the ocean as soon as the renovations start, but before she can cut and run, she finds a familiar face on her porch: house-flipper extraordinaire Tom’s arrived, he’s bearing power tools, and he’s single for the first time in almost a decade.

Suddenly Darcy’s considering sticking around – just to make sure her twin doesn’t ruin the cottage’s inherent magic with his penchant for chrome. She’s definitely not staying because of her new business partner’s tight t-shirts, or that perfect face that’s inspiring her to pick up her camera again. But sparks start to fly – and not just because of the faulty wiring. Soon, a one percent chance with Tom is no longer enough. This time around, Darcy’s switching things up. She’s going to make Tom Valeska 99 percent hers.

MY REVIEW

As a huge fan of the author’s first book The Hating Game (I’ve read it a LOT) this was one of my most anticipated reads of the year but I have to confess that for a fair amount of time I was too scared to read it.

I put it off and put it off, I read some of the reviews, and then I put it off some more. I think I was worried it wouldn’t be good and that it would somehow take the shine off THG. It was only receiving an ARC from Netgalley that forced me to take the plunge and I’m so glad I did as I kind of loved it.

This is not The Hating Game and if you go in expecting it to be you will be disappointed. It’s a very different story about very different characters but is just as brilliant for different reasons. For me this may not have had the same romantic spark or be an upbeat fun read but it was packed full of feels. I laughed, I smiled, I shouted at a certain overbearing brother and I cried a lot.

I suspect I am a bit of an odd bod in the number of times I cried while reading this but I just related so much to Darcy and what she went through I couldn’t help it. She seems tough as nails, independent and determined but she’s just a mass of fear, loneliness and self recriminations. She has a heart condition that means she’s used to being left behind or made to feel like a liability so she pushes everyone away to avoid being hurt.

There are very few people she trusts and one of those she relied on the most, her grandmother, has died leaving her and her twin brother her house on the stipulation they restore it before they sell it.

Weirdly I think it was Darcy’s relationship with her grandma and her grief over her loss that got to me the most in this story. I could relate so much and it absolutely broke my heart watching her try to let go. It also frustrated me no end that both her brother and romantic interest Tom couldn’t see this and stomped all over her feelings at times.

I also really liked how determined Darcy was not to let anything hold her back, and to live her life to the fullest. I liked the dynamic between her and Tom and that it was for the most part her pursuing him. It’s good to see an alpha female for once although that’s not to say Tom doesn’t turn the tables on her.

The realness of the relationship between Darcy and her brother was another highlight for me. They bicker and they squabble but deep down they depend on each other. He comes across as absolutely horrible at the start and I thought there was no way he could redeem himself but he kind of does.

The one bit I was less sure of was the romance. There are some brilliant scenes but there were also some that were a little uncomfortable and awkward. There was chemistry but at times it’s difficult to see what the attraction is. They are so different personality wise and there never seems to be a moment where they really get each other.

Thankfully for me however the other aspects of the story made up for it. Thorne’s writing is as wonderful as you would expect, warm and funny but with a little bit of an edge this time, and it was so easy to settle in to this story.

I think she’s proved with this book she’s not a one hit wonder and I look forward to whatever comes next.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC. This has in no way influenced my review.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Review: I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney

July 5, 2019 Ali@abookishlife2 Comments

I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney

As a huge fan of Feeney’s first book I was ridiculously excited about I Know Who You Are but while there’s a lot to like about it I’m afraid it didn’t quite live up to my admittedly ~~too~~ high expectations. There are some great twists and some gripping moments however the final reveal was a step too far for me.

THE BLURB

l Know Who You Are is the brilliant tale of two stories. One is about Aimee Sinclair—well-known actress on the verge of being full-on famous. If you saw her, you’d think you knew her. One day towards the near-end of her shoot on her latest film, Aimee comes home from filming to find her husband’s cell phone and wallet on the dining room table. He never goes anywhere without them. But he’s nowhere to be found. She’s not too concerned—they had a huge fight the night before. They both said things they didn’t mean. He might have done things he didn’t mean, things she can’t forget. Even though she has a history of supposedly forgetting. After all, she’s a very good actress.

The next morning she goes for her morning run and then goes to her favorite coffee shop. But her card is denied. When she calls the bank they say her account has been emptied of $10,000. She immediately suspects her husband. But they say no, it was Aimee herself who closed out the account. And thus begins a bizarre rabbit hole into which Aimee finds herself falling where nothing is at it seems.

Alternating with Aimee’s story is that of a little girl who wandered away from home. We always tell our kids not to talk to strangers or bad things will happen. Well, bad things happen.

In I Know Who You Are, Alice Feeney proves that she is a master at brilliantly complicated plots and twists after twists.

MY REVIEW

As someone who absolutely loved Alice Feeney’s first book Sometimes I Lie I was ridiculously excited to get the chance to read an advance copy of her latest one. I really love her writing, the complex characters she creates and the sudden twists that will literally leave your jaw on the floor. Unfortunately however, while there is a lot to love in this book I’m afraid the ending kind of ruined it. There are a lot of twisty thrillers around at the moment and I can understand the temptation to push the boundaries to make your story stand out with that big surprise ending but I’m afraid for me this pushed things a little too far, becoming unbelievable. It’s a pity, as up until that point there was a lot to like.

Main character Aimee Sinclair for example was wonderful as the unreliable narrator. As an actress on an upward trajectory she knows how to play a part, to show the world what they expect to see. When her husband suddenly vanishes without a trace it’s difficult to tell how she really feels about it (and possibly more importantly, whether or not she had anything to do with it) but it’s clear there were problems in the marriage. As other strange things start happening around Aimee it becomes increasingly difficult to work out what’s real and what’s not and, as she is constantly pretending, it’s hard to tell how she really feels. Consequently I was never too sure what to think about her. I think I liked her and was rooting for her but there were moments when I really had my doubts.

Interspersed with the Aimee in the present day is the story of a little girl in Ireland who wanders away from home to look at the pair of shoes she really wants in a shop window. She knows she’s not supposed to be out on her own and she’s not supposed to talk to strangers but she does and bad things happen.

This for me was the more gripping (and horrifying) part of the story. It’s often dark and occasionally very disturbing (there’s mental and physical abuse, and violence) but I found it difficult to stop reading it (although I may have skimmed over one particularly disturbing scene). It’s clear there’s some kind of connection between these events and the odd things happening to Aimee in the present but it’s pretty much impossible to figure out what.

The big reveal at the end however just didn’t work for me. I’ll try to keep this vague to avoid spoilers but while it was surprising it just wasn’t believable. I kind of wanted to just throw the book at the wall at that point.

Anyway, regardless of the ending it is a well written and gripping story so it hasn’t put me off Feeney as an author. I will still be looking out for whatever she writes next.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy. This in no way influenced my review.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Review: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

June 23, 2019 Ali@abookishlife3 Comments

THE BOOK

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she’s ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle—a shifting maze of magical rooms—enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex’s secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

MY REVIEW

As a fan of retellings I had high hopes for this book inspired by Beauty and the Beast and it did not disappoint. I did feel it was a little slow to get going but once we get to the “beasts lair” I couldn’t put it down. I loved the unique spin the author added to the story by weaving in Greek mythology (and maybe a dash of Rumpelstiltskin) and I thought it was wonderful how complex each and every one of the characters were. There’s not a single one who is wholly good or pure of heart.

Nyx makes for my favourite type of heroine. She’s strong, determined and dutiful but she’s also fierce, angry and full of hate. Her father may have raised and trained her to defeat the Gentle Lord but she doesn’t want to be the one giving up her life because of a deal her father did and she can’t help hating him and her sister who is cherished and loved. Everyone wants something from her and it seems as though no one genuinely cares about her. It’s not surprising that she falls for the first person who accepts her as she is and doesn’t want anything.

To be fair, I could kind of understand why both Ignifex (the Gentle Lord) and Shade (his shadow) were so appealing to her. Shade shows her kindness and understanding and Ignifex sees exactly who she is and values her for it. Ignifex in particular I loved, he is not what Nyx has been led to believe and I loved his humor and honesty, even if he is a little bit evil. The relationship between Nyx and Ignifex is an absolute joy to read. I do love the whole enemies to lovers trope and it is done so well in this. Neither trust the other and in fact Nyx is actively trying to destroy him. There’s lots of verbal sparring between them (including the odd death threat) but they develop a mutual understanding and acceptance. In many ways they have a lot in common.

I should also add that I loved the way the relationship between twin sisters Nyx and Astraia was portrayed. It’s a complex mix of love and hate. Nyx can’t help but feel jealous of Astraia and though she does love her, she also hates that Astraia is the chosen one, the one who is protected and cherished. This isn’t Katniss volunteering as tribute to save her sister this is Nyx being offered up as an unwilling sacrifice. Some of the most intense moments in the story are in fact those between Nyx and her sister, who is not a naive and pure as we’re led to believe.

Added to the wonderfully complex cast of characters there’s also some very beautiful writing and incredible world building. The pace is occasionally slow but the world the author creates is so detailed and vivid that it didn’t really matter, I was still hooked. I especially loved the castle, with it’s magical and impossible rooms which were at turns terrifying and wondrous.

My biggest criticism of this book is however the ending. I’m so confused. I kind of get it but don’t fully understand how they got where they did. If anyone does understand it please, please explain it to me.

Overall though I still loved it and would recommend. If the ending had been clearer it would’ve made my faves list for sure.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Review: How to be Famous by Caitlin Moran

June 18, 2019June 17, 2019 Ali@abookishlife8 Comments

How to Be Famous by Caitlin Moran

I absolutely loved How to Build a Girl so was very much looking forward to picking up How to Be Famous. Unfortunately however, while it has all of the things that made the first book so great I was a little disappointed. It’s still brutally honest, funny and main character Johanna is one of a kind but I just found my attention wandering at times.

THE BLURB

I’m Johanna Morrigan, and I live in London in 1995, at the epicentre of Britpop. I might only be nineteen, but I’m wise enough to know that everyone around me is handling fame very, very badly.

My unrequited love, John Kite, has scored an unexpected Number One album, then exploded into a Booze And Drugs Hell ™ – as rockstars do. And my new best friend – the maverick feminist Suzanne Banks, of The Branks – has amazing hair, but writer’s block and a rampant pill problem. So I’ve decided I should become a Fame Doctor. I’m going to use my new monthly column for The Face to write about every ridiculous, surreal, amazing aspect of a million people knowing your name.

But when my two-night-stand with edgy comedian Jerry Sharp goes wrong, people start to know my name for all the wrong reasons. ‘He’s a vampire. He destroys bright young girls. Also, he’s a total dick’ Suzanne warned me. But by that point, I’d already had sex with him. Bad sex.
Now I’m one of the girls he’s trying to destroy.
He needs to be stopped.

But how can one woman stop a bad, famous, powerful man?

MY REVIEW

I’m a big fan of Caitlin Moran, following her on social media & reading her columns, and when I read How to Build a Girl a couple of years ago I really loved it. I’d had one of those days that left me exhausted and emotional and How to Build a Girl somehow put me back together again. It was funny, sad and just so brutally honest and relateable it really resonated with me.

Needless to say when I heard Moran had written a sequel, How to Be Famous, I knew I had to read it. I felt invested in main character Johanna/Dolly and needed to know what was next for her. Unfortunately however, while it has a lot of the same humor, honesty and refreshing uniqueness to it, for me it lost a little of the relateability. It seems to lose the story at times and turn into a series of essays on feminism. When it’s in the moment and Johanna is acting it’s wonderful but there just isn’t enough of this to make a cohesive whole.

The story picks up not long after the end of How to Build a Girl (if you haven’t read it I’m not sure it really matters) with Johanna aka Dolly Wilde living what should be her best life in London, writing for a top music magazine but despite getting to meet and interview the famouses, she still feels like she’s on the outside. Her best friend and long time crush John Kite has just hit the big time and is constantly on tour, she’s not taken seriously at work and her father is having a mid life crisis and using her to relive his youth. Basically she’s miserable but rather than moping about (although there is a bit of that) she decides to take action, to become noticed through her writing. Unfortunately though while her writing does start to garner her attention a past encounter with a certain comedian results in her name on everyone’s lips for the wrong reasons.

In a lot of ways I really love Johanna, she is one of a kind, incredibly self aware and either determined or deluded, I haven’t figured out which. When she decides to do something she commits fully. Who else would decide when the man of their dreams becomes famous that the only solution is to become famous themselves. I love how she fights for what she wants and believes that it will happen. She has no doubts that she’ll get a new, better job if she quits her current one or that the letter she writes will open everyone’s eyes. She challenges and she pushes and it’s brilliant and often hilarious.

On the other side though, she’s also only 19 and despite her intention to become a “sex adventurer” fairly inexperienced and very self conscious about her appearance. This leaves her open to manipulation, wary of confrontation and easy to pressure into doing things she doesn’t really want to do. There were definitely moments when I worried for her or wanted to shout at her to run or stand up for herself.

She does however develop quite nicely over the course of the story. If How To Build a Girl was the story of her growing up and becoming someone new then How to Be Famous is about her realizing and accepting who she is, what’s important and what she’s willing to do. She has to face her fears and deal with her issues.

So far so good, so where did it go wrong for me? I’m afraid to say it was the writing. As I said, I love Caitlin Moran and think she’s a powerful voice for feminism but at times this book wandered away from fiction and into some kind of manifesto. Johanna’s job as a journalist and the letters she writes to John create the opportunity for the inclusion of articles on feminism, fame and fangirls among other things. I probably wouldn’t have minded this but it felt more like Moran writing from her pov rather than Johanna. I also felt like they were a little long-winded and this combined with the other extensive reflections on the 90’s, life in London and the music scene had my attention wandering. I’m sure there must have been a more effective way for the author to get the message across.

There’s also something very odd going on with the tenses, particularly at the start (although I may just have gotten used to it and stopped noticing). I found myself becoming confused as to when the narration was coming from. At times it’s in the moment but at others it’s almost like future Johanna reflecting back. It’s not however consistent enough to really be either so is very jarring.

I feel like I should also add a warning that this is probably not a book for the easily offended as much like the first book there’s lots of swearing and some pretty graphic and realistic sex scenes.

When it is in the moment though it does have some truly magical moments. It is a little bit slow and wandering but I do love the character development and the story. There were moments that made me laugh out loud and others that made me cry.

Overall, it was a little disappointing but I am glad I read it and would recommend if you like unique characters, feminist reads and aren’t too easily offended.

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy. This has in no way influenced my review.

Review: The Bookshop on the Shore by Jenny Colgan

June 17, 2019June 16, 2019 Ali@abookishlife8 Comments

The Bookshop on the Shore by Jenny Colgan

The Bookshop on the Shore is a wonderfully cosy, funny and sweet story about family. Colgan’s writing is as witty and warm as ever and the characters are very likeable and relateable, making this the perfect reading escape.

THE BLURB

Escape to the Scottish Highlands where a tiny bookshop perches on the edge of a loch!

Dreams start here…

Zoe, a professional child care worker, and single mother to Hari, 4, who has selective mutism, is sinking beneath the waves trying to cope by herself in London. Then her ex sister-in-law suggests she move to Scotland to help run a bookshop…

There her path crosses that of Ramsay Urquart, a widower and antiquarian bookseller, who has a band of difficult children he can’t manage. Can two very damaged people help heal each other?

MY REVIEW

It feels like forever since I’ve read a Jenny Colgan and I’d kind of forgotten just how much I love her writing. Like all of her novels there’s something very comforting about sinking into The Bookshop on the Shore and it made for perfect holiday reading. It’s a quick and easy read that’s sweet and funny but it also has some depth to it, something I wasn’t wholly expecting.

I think I was anticipating the standard romcom fare but while there is some romance in this it’s much more about family. Main character Zoe is the struggling single mother of a four year old boy with selective mutism who ends up moving to the Scottish Highlands to work in a mobile bookshop and as an au pair for Ramsey Urquart, father of three very unruly children. Parents and children are all damaged in some way and in need of help.

There’s a bit of a mystery around what happened to Ramsey’s wife who disappeared a few years ago but the story very much focuses on the initially difficult relationships between Zoe, Ramsey and the children. It’s a little reminiscent of Jane Eyre or The Sound of Music (both of which are jokingly referred to) but with a contemporary Scottish Highland setting. Zoe is no Jane or Maria but I thought she was a wonderful character. There’s something instantly likeable about her, she’s struggling but she’s absolutely devoted to son Hari and will do anything to protect him.

I loved the portrayal of the bond between mother and son and I also loved how she slowly developed relationships with each of the three Urquart children who have been allowed to run wild. There may be quite a bit of conflict between them as Zoe starts trying to set boundaries but there’s also a lot of humor which I loved.

I also really loved the setting and all of the local characters that Zoe meets. The descriptions make it easy to imagine yourself there (although as a Scot it’s probably not too much of a stretch for me) and I could certainly recognize a lot of the bookshop customers and tourists.

Where I struggled though was with Ramsey, I know he’s supposed to be mysterious and distant but I’m afraid his reserved and quiet nature meant I never really warmed to him. Even now having finished the book and understanding him more, I’m still not wholly convinced I like him and I didn’t really buy into the supposed connection between him and Zoe. He has reasons for being how he is but I’m not sure they justify some of his actions.

Thankfully however the focus isn’t too heavily on the relationship between Ramsey and Zoe but seems to be much more about the children which I loved. Patrick stole pretty much every scene and made the whole story so warm and funny.

Overall this was a wonderful read that I’d recommend to anyone looking for a cozy and warm story about families in all shapes and sizes.

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy. This in no way influenced my review.

Review: The Bride Test by Helen Hoang

June 16, 2019 Ali@abookishlife7 Comments

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang

As someone who absolutely adored The Kiss Quotient I wasn’t sure The Bride Test could possibly live up to expectations but Hoang has done it again. It’s sweet, funny and very hot. I love how she uses her own experiences and background to take a common romance trope and turn it into something so much more.

THE BLURB

Khai Diep has no feelings. Well, he feels irritation when people move his things or contentment when ledgers balance down to the penny, but not big, important emotions—like grief. And love. He thinks he’s defective. His family knows better—that his autism means he just processes emotions differently. When he steadfastly avoids relationships, his mother takes matters into her own hands and returns to Vietnam to find him the perfect bride.

As a mixed-race girl living in the slums of Ho Chi Minh City, Esme Tran has always felt out of place. When the opportunity arises to come to America and meet a potential husband, she can’t turn it down, thinking this could be the break her family needs. Seducing Khai, however, doesn’t go as planned. Esme’s lessons in love seem to be working…but only on herself. She’s hopelessly smitten with a man who’s convinced he can never return her affection.

With Esme’s time in the United States dwindling, Khai is forced to understand he’s been wrong all along. And there’s more than one way to love.

MY REVIEW

I absolutely adored The Kiss Quotient so when I heard Hoang was writing a sequel I knew I had to read it and it did not disappoint. Just like her previous book it’s sweet, funny and hot, hot, hot. Oh and if you’re wondering if you need to read the Kiss Quotient before picking this one up, you do not (there’s a little bit of crossover but the focus is very much on different characters).

This is a story about Esme and Khai (who popped up briefly in TKQ). Khai is autistic and believes he can’t feel emotion so has no intention to ever marry or have children. His mother won’t accept this however and travels to Vietnam to find him a wife. Esme is a single mother living in poverty in Hoh Chi Min city and working as a cleaner when she meets Khai’s mom. After some persuading she agrees to travel to the US to spend the Summer living with Khai in hopes that he’ll agree to marry her.

I loved that yet again Hoang took a common trope and created something very unique and unputdownable. It’s wonderful to see non standard characters, a hero with mixed heritage and autism and a heroine who is an immigrant from a background of real poverty. The way the author draws on her own background and her family history makes this feel very authentic and she covers a lot of difficult issues with sensitivity and heart.

I loved both Khai and Esme, he’s very sweet and thoughtful but completely clueless and she’s strong and determined but feels like an outsider. The highlight as it should be however was the chemistry between them. Every single interaction between them was a joy to read and I shipped them soooo much. I loved the clash of cultures, the misunderstandings and how considerate they were of each other. They are absolutely perfect for each other, if they can just overcome the obstacles in their way.

If I had one criticism of this book it would be similar to my criticism of the Kiss Quotient in that a lot of the drama and obstacles could have been overcome if they communicated more. Khai tells Esme that he’s autistic and that he struggles with things but not once does she look into it, something I found odd considering she was trying to understand him and be what he wanted her to be.

I also felt like his family could have stepped in to explain things to her rather than leaving her thinking she was doing something wrong. I mean Michael and Stella feature briefly but not once do they speak to Esme about how they made their relationship work. It’s frustrating.

Anyway, it is still a wonderful story and it made me both laugh and cry. I can’t wait to read what Hoang comes up with next.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an advance copy. As always all views are my own.

Review: Wolfhunter River by Rachel Caine

June 3, 2019June 2, 2019 Ali@abookishlife4 Comments

Wolfhunter River by Rachel Caine is an enjoyable read but for me was probably the weakest book in the series so far. It still has the wonderful characters and is very readable but I did think the story was a little confused. It does however start to take main character Gwen in a new direction and I think there’s a lot more great books to come in this series.

Spoiler Alert: While there are no spoilers for Wolfhunter River as this is the third book in the series there may be some very mild spoilers for books one and two from here on in.

THE BLURB

She can’t ignore a cry for help. But in this remote hunting town, it’s open season.

Gwen Proctor escaped her serial-killer husband and saved her family. What she can’t seem to outrun is his notoriety. Or the sick internet vigilantes still seeking to avenge his crimes. For Gwen, hiding isn’t an option. Not when her only mission is to create a normal life for her kids.

But now, a threatened woman has reached out. Marlene Crockett, from the remote town of Wolfhunter, is panicked for herself and her daughter. When Gwen arrives in the small, isolated rural community, Marlene is already dead—her own daughter blamed for the murder. Except that’s not the person Marlene feared at all. And Gwen isn’t leaving until she finds out who that was.

But it may already be too late. A trap has been set. And it’s poised to snap shut on everyone Gwen loves. Her stalkers are closing in. And in a town as dark as Wolfhunter, it’s so easy for them to hide…

MY REVIEW

Wolfhunter River is the third book in the Stillhouse Lake series and while I absolutely loved the first two books I have to admit that I thought second book, Killman Creek, was the end of the story. It seemed to wrap things up pretty satisfactorily leaving me wondering whether a third book was needed and where the story could possibly go next. I did consider not picking this up (I’ve found Caine has a habit of keeping series’ running longer than they should) but curiosity got the better of me and I had to know what was next for the Proctors and Sam Cade.

Unfortunately however while Wolfhunter River is an engaging and enjoyable read it lacks the punch of the first two in the series and it feels a little muddled in places. I’ve read a few reviews describing this as a sort of bridging book and I think that’s spot on.

The story picks up not long after Killman Creek and continues some of the storylines and issues from the previous books but also starts to take it in a new direction. Gwen and her family are still facing threats from associates of her serial killer ex husband and dealing with suspicion and accusations of complicity in his crimes, Gwen and Sam (brother of one of her ex husband’s victims) are trying to figure out whether they can really have a relationship, and someone from the past is making threats against them. At the same time Gwen is receiving phone calls from strangers looking for help or advice, one of which leads her to Wolfhunter River, a small town with something sinister going on.

There’s a lot going on in the story but it still manages to feel at times like there’s not much in the way of action and it becomes a little slow in places. The different storylines don’t seem to fit naturally together and it often feel like they’re competing against each other, one elbowing its way to the fore only to be shoved aside by the other a few chapters later.

That’s not to say there’s not a lot to like about this book. Caine knows how to write an engaging story and I more or less devoured this in one go. It may be a little confused in terms of plot but main character Gwen is pretty awesome and I’ve been loving watching her, and her family, develop and grow. It’s also good to see a bit more from Sam this time around, he’s an intriguing and possibly the most conflicted character.

I did get the feeling from this book that there’s a lot more to come in this series and hopefully now that the building blocks are in place it can move forward. I’m not sure I’ll stick with it but I definitely want to read the next one.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an advance copy via NetGalley. This has in no way influenced my review.