This review is a long time coming, considering I read it during my trip to Norway. Luckily, it was such a memorable read that I was able to still writThis review is a long time coming, considering I read it during my trip to Norway. Luckily, it was such a memorable read that I was able to still write a pretty decent review… I hope.
I was extremely excited about this. It’s the beginning of a well-loved Nordic Noir series which I thought would be great for me, however, I found the whole book infuriating, for many, many reasons.
My main irritation with the book, and you will probably already know if you follow my rants on Instagram, was the main character, Ari Thor. I should have given an award in my 2018 reading wrap-up for “least favourite character” because Ari Thor would have definitely won it! What an absolute tosser! I am about to swim into spoiler territory here, but it’s not essential to the crime element of the story. The biggest thing that annoyed me about Ari Thor is that he blames the entire demise of his relationship with his girlfriend on her, even though he’s the one who moved hundreds of miles away without pre-warning her. There are so many times in the novel where I just wanted to hit him. He thinks about how “ungrateful” and “rude” his girlfriend is several times because she can’t take the time out of her busy schedule (of studying for university and working in a hospital) even though if it really mattered to him, he could go visit her instead. Then everything just gets worse when he goes and cheats on her with barely a second thought. UGH. So many reviewers are calling Ari Thor their book crush but for me, he was a self-centred, obnoxious arse… sounds like my worst nightmare in a man!
My next problem with this was simply that I found the story extremely dull and slow. It wasn’t until around 100 pages in when anything even remotely exciting happened. Before that, the story is just Ari Thor complaining about his girlfriend. After this first ‘event’ happens, the book then slows its pace again for another good chunk of pages before anything more “exciting” happens. Don’t get me wrong, I sometimes absolutely love a slow paced novel, but there was nothing atmospheric about this book, the slow parts were simply just boring and didn’t bring anything to the story.
At just under 300 pages, this isn’t a long novel (although it sure felt like it) so you’d think that Jonasson would want to do a quick but efficient job of introducing us to the characters. Instead, we get a mini-memoir of each one that drags on for way too long. It also felt like he only had a couple of ideas for how a characters life was lived as there were a couple of deja-vu moments with the backstory of one character to the next.
As for the conclusion, I was bored by it. Sometimes a bad book can bring it back with a whopper of an ending but this one couldn’t even provide that.
I sometimes think I must be excessively picky because I find lots of translated books really difficult to get on with. This one felt especially clunky. Does Quentin Blakes speak English himself? There were numerous grammatical and spelling errors. Not to mention an abundance of terribly structured sentences (almost as bad as that one)!
Overall, I found nothing about this novel enjoyable and I’m amazed I even finished it. There was no atmosphere, the main character was really unlikable and the other characters added very little to make up for the bad MC, and the story was boring. It’s safe to say that I will not be continuing with the rest of this series....more
I’ve never read a book quite like This is Going to Hurt! It was equal parts hilarious, saddening, and eye-opening. I am so supportive of the NHS and iI’ve never read a book quite like This is Going to Hurt! It was equal parts hilarious, saddening, and eye-opening. I am so supportive of the NHS and it’s workers in this country, this book is proof of the amazing work doctors and nurses do for us every single day that a lot of us take for granted.
I’ve said it a million times before, but I find comedy in books really hard to connect with and I rarely laugh out loud at books. To begin with, I thought the humour in this one felt a bit forced and I was sure I wasn’t going to enjoy this as much as I’d hoped but soon enough I began really enjoying the humour and found myself outwardly laughing at some of Kay’s anecdotes. I even read some of the passages out loud to Matt, now that’s praise!
The writing in this book is really well done. It’s full of wit, sarcasm, and self-deprecating humour while also being filled with some controversial and powerful moments. Told in diary form entry this is a really easy book to speed through, even when it comes to some of the harder hitting moments.
Call me heartless, but unlike a lot of others who’ve read this book, I didn’t find myself on the edge of, or even in, tears. There is definitely a fair share of upsetting entries, so be warned but it didn’t hit me as hard as it did others.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this short read. It light-heartedly highlighted the ever-growing struggles of NHS workers while offering a humorous outlook of working as a junior doctor. I can also tell you this has put me off having kids for life!...more
I've always loved cults as a subject, but I rarely find any fictional books about them which was why I was so excited to receive this book from Titan I've always loved cults as a subject, but I rarely find any fictional books about them which was why I was so excited to receive this book from Titan Books! And I can say straight off that this book didn't disappoint me.
I did a brief First Impression review for this book and all my initial excitement about the cult and the characters didn't wane through the story. It was a really exciting book all the way through with plenty of creepy atmosphere, violence and thrills!
I genuinely loved the characters in this book, particularly Mother Moon. As a kind-of cult leader, she needed to be an interesting and captivating character but she went so much deeper than the standard enigmatic cult leader facade. Her character was immensely complex with a devastating backstory that helps build out both her redeeming and unredeeming (is that a word?) qualities.
10-year-old Edith is another fantastic character. I feel like a lot of authors over or underestimate just how much a child knows, but with Edith's terrible psychic night terrors, you'd expect her to be a little more clued up and I think Youers wrote the knowledge and sensibility of Edith really well.
Moving on to the story, and oh what a story it is! I didn't read reviews before going in, so I wasn't expecting a supernatural element to show it's face right from the start and to begin with, I was nervous this wasn't going to be the sort of book I had originally hoped it would be. I'm not always the biggest fan of supernatural books because they're so easy to get wrong! Luckily, while this book is strongly focused around Edith's physic powers it doesn't completely take over the story and there is plenty of real life creepy going on!
I wasn't at all disappointed by the cult aspect of the book. What I was expecting was something like a wacky cult where everyone believed in free sex, taking hallucinogenic drugs and were bloodthirsty... which I honestly wouldn't have minded so much, but what I got was so much better! The Halcyon community is a far subtler creepy cult than I imagined but it worked so well in building tension. The communities pleasant lives made for a wonderful juxtaposition to the terrible secrets Halcyon was home to.
My opinion of the writing in this one is a little hit and miss. It mostly flowed really well, making it an easy book to lose yourself in, however, there were times when a singular line cropped up that put everything out of whack. The story would be moving along as normal and then all of a sudden you're hit with "he liked the back of his balls licked" and you have to pause to recalibrate.
Overall, I absolutely loved this book! It wasn't quite a spooky as I was hoping it would be but it was thrilling and gory which is almost just as good. I wasn't expecting this one to come and be a beefy 500+ pages, so it's definitely a book you have to dedicate a good chunk of your time to, but it's well worth it! This one is wacky, unique and exciting, not to be missed by any violent thriller lover!
Thanks so much to Titan Books for sending me a copy of this book in exchange got an honest review!...more
Wow, when Janel @ Keeper of Pages offered to send me this book she did warn me that she didn’t enjoy it, but I wasn’t quite prepared for just how bad Wow, when Janel @ Keeper of Pages offered to send me this book she did warn me that she didn’t enjoy it, but I wasn’t quite prepared for just how bad this one ended up being!
Instead of making this review super negative, I’ll start off with something nice to say. To begin with, this book really did grab my attention. The pacing is fast so it’s one of those books you find difficult to put down. I wasn’t finding the story majorly exciting but it had gripped me enough to continue reading pretty quickly.
The writing in this book was also pretty decent (most of the time)! I though that most of the characters conversations were reasonably believable, which is not always an easy feat! However, after a few chapters in, when the story really begins to pick up, the writing quality suddenly becomes really, annoyingly simplistic and silly.
As for the story, to begin with I was quite interested in where the story was going, and one of the early twists actually came as a surprise for me (which gave me high hopes!) but just like with the writing, the entertainment factor falls off a cliff a few chapters in. I can’t actually believe how ridiculous and cringey this story gets. There are moments in this book that you could just imagine on a super low budget TV show with hideously bad actors – maybe YouTubers like Lele Pons?
The only exciting part of this book which I thought was quite different from other thriller mysteries gets ruined at the end with the most cliché twist of all time. I actually rolled my eyes!
There are 3 main characters in this book and we get the story through each persons POV. From the get-go I didn’t like Lisa or Ava’s characters, or their relationship as mother and daughter. Don’t you just hate the trope in thriller mysteries of no-one talking to each other about ANYTHING? I get that if the characters did share their secrets this book couldn’t exist, but Pinborough could have at least let people share some of their thoughts. It was like an alternate universe where people don’t know each other at all because they never talked to each other properly other than to talk about cute boys or the weather. It just wasn’t realistic and makes for really clunky and irritating reading.
The only character I got along with is “best friend” Marilyn, but even she became a cliché, cringey nightmare by the end of the book.
This entire book felt really childish and silly. I definitely don’t recommend it to any well read thriller lovers. I will be giving her debut novel Behind Her Eyes are read still as I’ve been told it’s a far better book, plus I already have it on my shelves.
Thank you to Janel @ Keeper of Pages for sending this book to me!...more
As much as studying a book to its death in school did my head in, this is one of those books that I finish wishing I had a class to analyse it with. TAs much as studying a book to its death in school did my head in, this is one of those books that I finish wishing I had a class to analyse it with. There are plenty of symbolism’s and themes running throughout this little novella that I picked up on but I often wonder what I’ve missed.
Considering this book is a classic, which I usually have an innate fear of, I ended up really enjoying this hopeful but sad little story. I’ve never read a Steinbeck book before but I can already understand why he has such die-hard fans. His writing is simplistic but absolutely stunning – you completely lose yourself in the environment of his story.
I loved the characters in this book and the unconditional friendship shared between the unlikely duo of George and Lennie. I wish this one hadn’t had to end up like it did, but it presents a strong message about the American Dream and the harsh realities of life....more
I didn't love this as much as I had hoped. I was excepting more creepy, but a lot of the stories were domestic-based and that bores me...I didn't love this as much as I had hoped. I was excepting more creepy, but a lot of the stories were domestic-based and that bores me......more
I love Jackson’s writing. There is always something unsettling just below the surface of her stories. I enjoyed these shorts but I’ve preferred some oI love Jackson’s writing. There is always something unsettling just below the surface of her stories. I enjoyed these shorts but I’ve preferred some of her other work more.
I was so excited when I realised there was a second Valerie Hart novel after The Killing Lessons, because I loved that book so much. Never did I expecI was so excited when I realised there was a second Valerie Hart novel after The Killing Lessons, because I loved that book so much. Never did I expect to love this one even more! But here we are, with that teeny tiny extra half a star more on this book than the last.
What’s so strange about my love for this book is that it’s the same thing that brought The Killing Lessons down in my eyes. The sensationalism. In The Killing Lessons, the whole book felt realistic until the ending that seemed to take a dramatic turn – it felt too out of the blue that it shocked me a little and dampened my enjoyment on the book. However, this book was a crazy, Hollywood rollercoaster from page one and I lapped it up. The killers and the crimes were so outrageous I couldn’t even begin to care about how realistic it was, I was just enjoying the ride too much.
Like with the previous novel, a lot of this book focuses heavily on the characters emotional states and Black weaves these scenes so beautifully, you feel as though you’re there with the character, feeling what they feel. Again, this novel is so unlike any other crime novel I’ve read, with stunning poetic descriptions, realistic conversations, and exciting character development.
Another thing I loved so much about this novel is that it has witty moments that give you a break from all the trauma. The first book is a little darker in tone due to Valerie’s mental state, but, without giving too much away, her predicament has changed and she has more to look on the bright side about. This creates lighter, and sometimes sexier, conversations to happen throughout the book which makes the whole thing that little bit easier to digest.
My one bug-bear with LoveMurder is the fact that I guessed the bad guy from about the second time we met them. With The Killing Lessons we meet the killers straightaway, we know them while the detectives are still trying to work out who they are. With this one, the killer is left ‘in the dark’ alongside the detective’s investigation, but not for me. At the end of the day, it was still fun to see the detectives find out who it is but it would have been more fun if I had found that late in the story too.
Overall, I loved this book and I’m hoping there’s more to come in this series! If you’re looking for an emotional, dark, but also exciting and sometimes funny thriller novel, definitely consider picking this one up!...more
I’m so happy to be bringing you a review for the second book in the Sweetpea series, In Bloom! As many as you saw, a couple of weeks ago I posted my bI’m so happy to be bringing you a review for the second book in the Sweetpea series, In Bloom! As many as you saw, a couple of weeks ago I posted my big fat 5-star review for Sweetpea and was so excited to dig in to In Bloom… and I wasn’t disappointed!
Rhiannon is the best character I’ve met in a long, long time and she was just as funny, rude and psycho in this novel as she was the first. I’m so glad. She is also pregnant! She even takes a bit of an emotional turn in this book, recognising her role as a mother and the effects it will have on her child, and making her best efforts to help a friend out of trouble.
With the story in this book, it didn’t excite me as much as the first book did, but I think that’s only down to the fact this is the second book in such a unique series. Sweetpea stood out from the crowd in the book world for being so funny, offensive, and dark. And while In Bloom is very much the same, it’s suddenly less unique because of the first book. That’s not to say this doesn’t have a good storyline. We’re following the life of deranged Rhiannon… I mean of course the storyline is good! But, it wasn’t as fast paced and intense as the first novel. There is of course the violence and darkness that appears in Sweetpea but not nearly as much.
However, the ending of this one I found far more satisfying and sinister than the last book. I’m hoping, with all my fingers and toes crossed, that the ending has left an opening for book #3.
One thing I did love about this story was the links it pulled in from Sweetpea. You definitely couldn’t go into In Bloom without having read book #1. Firstly, there are spoilers for the entire first book, and secondly, there are loads of little inside jokes and mentions that would go straight over your head. So, if you want to read this, you need to read Sweetpea first – it’s not a standalone!
I felt like Skuse focused far more on developing the characters in this book and we got to see a little more into Rhiannon’s mind and mental state. We also got to know some secondary characters really well too, I’m worried we won’t get to see them again (if there is a book #3)… and just when I got a bit attached to them!
Overall, I loved this book! It’s a 5 star review still, but I probably preferred Sweetpea that little bit more. However, I keep finding my mind coming back to the end of this book – if we don’t get a book #3 I’ll be thinking about where Rhiannon’s story is going forever!
Thank you SO much to HQ for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review!...more
I’ve only ever read half of another Jon Ronson novel, but I knew from a few pages in that I preferred that half to this whole novel. That’s not the saI’ve only ever read half of another Jon Ronson novel, but I knew from a few pages in that I preferred that half to this whole novel. That’s not the say this one wasn’t entertaining, but the witty and awkward Jon we met in The Psychopath Test didn’t seem to translate into this book quite as well.
I really wanted to love this book but it didn’t grab me quite as much as I’d hoped. I found the plot of conspiracy theorists and the Bilderberg Group really intriguing, but it didn’t actually work so well on paper. Personally, I found the stories in this novel felt disjointed and random, where I was expecting an easy flow of stories to tell a bigger story.
Some of the characters Jon meets felt far more interesting to me than others, and so that translated into the chapters. One could hold my attention and I would read it through all in one go, others felt lacklustre and slow, so I would put the book down and splash around in the pool instead. Maybe it was just the surroundings I was in, and maybe even the fact I had read The Boy on the Bridge just before this book, but I couldn’t seem to focus my attention on this.
Don’t get me wrong, the plot was really interesting and I did learn lots of new things about conspiracy theories that I hadn’t know before. I even did some of my own research on the Bilderberg Group afterwards (I found out that The Bilderberg Group actually came to Watford when I was a child and lived there, and the whole city centre was shut down!), so the topic was something that worked for me. Plus, there were definitely some funny moments and I did get a chuckle out of a few of the scenarios and conversations that Jon got himself into.
In the end, I think I thought this book was going to be something else? I’m not really sure what I was expecting, but it wasn’t exactly what I got. My mum did say to me that she felt this was his weakest book, so I’ve got more to look forward to with his other work… of which I will be giving a shot!...more
This is one of those novels where I’m a bit conflicted about my feelings. At one moment I loved it, at another I found myself a little underwhelmed.
I This is one of those novels where I’m a bit conflicted about my feelings. At one moment I loved it, at another I found myself a little underwhelmed.
I thought the characterisation in this novel was fantastic, especially when getting to know Frank. Since the book revolves around just 2 main characters and follows each of their mindsets closely, we, as readers, get a deep insight into their thoughts, feelings and lives. I personally preferred getting to know Frank as I found his story more interesting to follow.
There is quite a bold claim on the front of this novel, that it’s “Gone Girl meets Orange is the New Black”, but I have to disagree. With that comparison, you would expect this novel to be fast-paced, clever, emotional, and witty. However, it is not all these things, and not necessarily in a bad way, I just don’t think it should be marketed that way.
This novel is very slow to get off the ground, and when it eventually does, it’s not very fast paced, more of a plod. I think the plot for this story takes a backburner to the characters. Where Frank and Miranda are so well developed and have strong, clear narratives, the actual storyline dithers a little bit and doesn’t really go very far. Of course, there is quite a definitive moment in the story but it’s mere pages from the end of the book and then isn’t given enough time to progress.
One thing I have to say is that the title of this novel is so well incorporated into the story! It works because Miranda is a captive, of course, she’s in prison, but Frank is also a captive. A captive of his emotions. I only figured this after I put the book down, but I thought it worth mentioning.
Like I said, I’m conflicted… I loved the characters and Immergut is a pro at making you become her characters, however, the story lacked for me after so much was promised.
(My final rating is 3.5 stars)
Thank you to Titan Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review....more
So I’m pretty terrible at writing reviews for literary fiction novels because I’m not particularly eloquent and I feel like you need to be for these bSo I’m pretty terrible at writing reviews for literary fiction novels because I’m not particularly eloquent and I feel like you need to be for these books! So please excuse the lack of detail in the following review…
I picked this novel up not really sure what to expect from it. I suppose I imagined a slow-moving murder-mystery with a strong focus on the characters. And guess what? This is a mystery literary fiction, so that’s exactly what I got!
This was a slow going novel, and there is never really a point (until maybe right at the end) where the pace picks up, so you slowly plod along through the story. As to be expected really, when the story is based in a run-down, slightly behind the time’s little village. However, after around 20 minutes of reading, I already found myself immersed in the story and its characters.
Before going into this book, I hadn’t realised it was the end of a trilogy. It doesn’t say anywhere on the actual book that it’s part of a series, and honestly, it read perfectly fine as a standalone novel. I think one of the things that could be benefitted from starting this series from book 1 is that connection and background information you get about some of the characters.
As with most literary fiction, this is a stunningly beautifully written book, with picturesque descriptions and in-depth, realistic characters. Kyle and his family in this novel are brutally honest portrayals of people living in small, reasonably poor towns and their family relationship was beautifully real.
In terms of the story, this was nothing revolutionary but it was interesting to watch the events unfold and see how everyone’s stories came together to conclude the murder of a villager. I can’t say the reveal of the murderer was particularly clever or surprising, but I felt the why was far more interesting.
Overall I really enjoyed this read. Although it was emotional (I cried at the end) and quite poignant, as it touches on some difficult subjects, it was still an easy book to read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Canongate Books for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review....more
I read this novel as my BookBum Club book for May!
Unfortunately, like many books I’ve read this year, this novel simply turned into another average tI read this novel as my BookBum Club book for May!
Unfortunately, like many books I’ve read this year, this novel simply turned into another average throwaway thriller. It started off exciting, with a host of mysterious characters but the further we went through the novel, there became too many branches off the main plot that became convoluted and ultimately let the end of the story down.
What I did like about this novel were the clearly defined characters. Each was well developed and the use of alternating chapters from the POV’s of Lorraine, Lexy, and Ella really gave us an insight into their thoughts and feelings. However, I didn’t particularly like any of them as characters, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. With Lorraine, obviously there was sympathy there as she was plagued with various brain tumours, but sympathy does not equal respect or likability. I found her petty and irritating. Lexy was more likeable as a character, but her self-awareness of her beauty got on my nerves. Lastly, Ella was probably my favourite and the reasons for not liking her were down to the author trying to make the different tones of voices obvious (which worked but was irritating!)
The writing isn’t amazing, but it kept me reading and the short chapters make for quick reading. The story moved swiftly, and this was one of those “just one more chapter” books. While I liked the writing, at times there were moments that felt were added just for the shock factor, like a couple of sex scene sprinkled here and there; “my lipstick smudged by the post-cock throat thrust”.
As for the story, like I said above, it started off really well and I was excited to see where Esplin was taking it. The fact that there were several characters connected to the plot made it difficult to guess what secrets they were all hiding. Unfortunately, I felt that the middle of the story dragged a little bit and we began being taken down avenues that weren’t necessary for moving the story along. While Esplin does a decent job at tying up loose ends for all these stories, it would have been an easier read without them and they were definitely only added with the aim of making the end harder to guess.
I did have my suspicions as to who the bad guy was, and I was right, but I wasn’t so sure of the why. I was pretty pumped to read the reveal and get the characters motives, but it was a bit of a let-down. The vast amount of storylines that needed to be cleared up at the end became too much and the story got silly.
Honestly, for a debut in the author’s second language, this was pretty good. I’d pick up another novel by her, just hopefully one with fewer storylines throughout! This is a good summer beach read....more
I took a little bit of a risk with this novel because although it was advertised as a historical fiction and mystery all wrapped up in one, I didn't gI took a little bit of a risk with this novel because although it was advertised as a historical fiction and mystery all wrapped up in one, I didn't get super positive vibes from the book cover straightaway... but I'm pleasantly surprised! What is it they say about not judging a book by it's cover again?
I loved how this novel was told through dual perspectives, one from the past and one from the future. It was interesting to watch both stories play out separately, the mysteries unfolding as different stories, until they come together in a big crescendo at the end.
I thought the story for this one, and it's characters, were pretty unique! The story is based around a historic crime rather than a current one, so (for the most part) the characters are attempting to solve the mystery of abandoned bones from 500 years ago. Until a present murder happens, and they have two unsolved mysteries to deal with!
I can imagine writing a dual plot like this is pretty difficult, but I think Alexander did well to keep you interested in both time periods. I can't say I was itching to read either past or present more than the other. As for how the plots conjoin at the end, I'm half happy, and half skeptical. I feel like the link between the two time periods is pretty flaky, but at least they did actually join together.
I found a couple of the moments in the novel a little unbelievable, and sometimes the conversations felt very fictional, however, none of this really took away from my enjoyment. I just thought "pfft yeah, right" and moved on.
Our main character Sage is a successful archaeologist! I've never come across an archaeologist in a novel before, and it's so rare to find a strong career led female character with no male superiors. (Sage does have important male colleagues, but none of them boss her around or think themselves better than her).
I loved Sage as a character. I thought she was a decent person, always responsible for her actions. Like with lots of main characters in these kinds of books, she does have some troubles, but all the way through she's actively trying to get past them, rather than wallow in self pity. I could definitely see myself reading another book with her in. As for secondary characters, I think they were all pretty well developed as people, and I enjoyed getting to know them.
I did have my suspicions about who our present day murderer was as there were only a couple of characters who weren't particularly focused on, whereas the rest were all too well known to the reader. So I did end up being right about our modern day killer, but that wasn't really an issue as I found I was more interested in why and how their motive connected to the bones down the well.
One thing to add, this is quite a romantic novel - not something I expected! If you know me and my choice in books, you know that romances icks me out and I always avoid it, so it came as a bit of a shock when it started in this dark thriller. Personally, I felt the romance was pretty cringey and a little cliche, but that could just be because I find lovey dovey things really... well, cringey and cliche!
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. Even though it deals with some very dark themes and crimes, I kind of felt this was a bit of a cosy novel, and that seemed to be exactly what I needed in this reading slump!
Thank you to Titan Books for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!...more
I requested this because I haven't read poetry in a long time and I thought the fact that this was mixed with horror would be a good reintroduction toI requested this because I haven't read poetry in a long time and I thought the fact that this was mixed with horror would be a good reintroduction to reading poetry. However, I couldn't really get onboard with this. But I'll start with a positive as say what wonderfully creepy cover art this collection has!
A lot of the imagery in this collection is rather grotesque, and some of the subjects of the poems are dark, so I understand the horror genre label. However, the poems didn't frighten me, give me the creeps or give me any other kind of horror emotion.
I think I know the reason for this, and that's because I find it really, really difficult to lose myself in poetry. I guess like with books, lots of flowery language distracts me from the story, so maybe that's where I'm going wrong with poetry, because it's often quite flowery. I do enjoy some poetry but it has to be straightforward and tell an easy to follow story. This collection... wasn't. It was flowery and filled with language that went about telling a story in confusing ways. At some points, I didn't have a clue what I was reading or what supposed to be feeling.
Example: "Mathematics are a ladder in the wild," you said, drunk. "Climb it to reach the real." - Um, I beg your pardon? What are you saying?
There were a couple of pieces in here that I did like. One being Northwest Passage which read more like a story, but for the most part, this collection was lost on me. So unfortunately, this was a 2 star read. I didn't find it that interesting and I'm glad it was only a short read.
However, this may be great for anyone who loves and connects with poetry. I can't exactly say if this is well imagined, well written poetry, because I honestly don't know - I found a lot of the metaphors and descriptions very confusing, as I've said before - but it might be worth giving a shot if you enjoy the more flowery writing.
Thanks to Netgalley and Brooklyn Arts Press for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review. Sorry I didn't like it!...more
This was one of those books that I didn’t do much research into before buying it. I had seen it described as a classic and creepy gothic nMini-review:
This was one of those books that I didn’t do much research into before buying it. I had seen it described as a classic and creepy gothic novel and that’s the only convincing I needed to get it. Unfortunately, this didn’t live up to my expectations. In the end, the cover was what I liked most about it.
Personally, I found this novel was lacking something. There’s no doubt that it has beautiful gothic imagery and themes, and that’s all well and good, but when the story doesn’t flow and leaves you wanting more, the imagery means nothing. To begin with, I was really enjoying this novel and the story of Alice, her mysterious husband, and the book of fairytales. I did feel the chapters were a little all over the place but that was all part of the parcel and I was excited to see where the story was going next.
Unfortunately, after a while, the story became a little bit lacklustre and I found my interest in the book slipping. The story was wide open, clear for you to see what was happening and what was going to happen next. Now I know with gothic novels it’s not about the twist and turns, it’s about the atmosphere, but even that wasn’t doing enough for me to fully enjoy this story. It just felt that with each chapter the story was skipping important parts of the development. In the end, I feel like I read a half-finished novel.
The scenery and characters were well developed but the story left me wanting more....more
Yep, that’s right! This seriously popular and loved book was a DNF for me. Why can’t I be normal and like what other people like? I managed to read 70Yep, that’s right! This seriously popular and loved book was a DNF for me. Why can’t I be normal and like what other people like? I managed to read 70% of this before I couldn’t take it anymore and skim read the rest… so you can’t say I didn’t give it a good shot!
From just a couple of pages in, I could already feel this one was going to disappoint. Behind Closed Doors was clearly a one-off for me, and I have resigned myself to never be sucked in by the hype of a B. A. Paris novel again. We just don’t gel.
I’ll start off by saying that right from the start, the whole story didn’t excite me, and maybe that was a telling sign for me not to pick up this book, but I hate missing out on something that’s potentially mind-blowing! I mean this book came with the slogan ‘#FORGETSLEEP’, so it certainly sounded like it was going to be gripping and exciting. The plot sounded super samey for a dedicated crime thriller reader like me, and once I actually got into the story, everything became super cheesy.
The chapters are told through alternating POV’s and from different times. First of all, we just hear from past and present Finn, but later into the story, chapters from Layla start appearing too, and that’s when things started getting really sickly over-the-top. The chapters are all very short, and so it’s definitely a quick book to get through because of this. Each one ends in it’s own mini cliff-hanger, which is clearly used to build tension to make you want to keep reading, but I was rolling my eyes at each one. It was almost painful at how cliche they were! For example: “YOU HAVE TEN DAYS” – OK Samara 🙄
But look, sometimes I can get on-board with a novel that’s got a samey plot and is cliche when the characters are interesting in a likeable or dislikeable way. Unfortunately for me, the characters in this novel were simply uninteresting in every way. Finn, for starters, is horrible person. Within a couple of pages you can already tell he’s arrogant and full of self-pity, not to mention, naive as anything. Then there’s Layla, who’s horribly selfish and childish, and at times like a comical Disney villain. As for some of the other characters, like Ellen or Harry, you don’t ever get to know them well enough to grow any attachment to them.
I skim read the ending, as said earlier, and it was an unoriginal ending to an unoriginal story. There was one particular plot device planted right near the beginning of the story that was such an eye-sore, it was almost a relief when Paris used it at the end. As for the “twist”, I could see it from a mile off. Not to mention, it didn’t make much sense? (view spoiler)[If Finn was really so in love with Layla how could he not see her in Ellen all along? I thought the whole point of Finn's character was basically to be obsessed and in love with Layla all the way through yet to believe that she could walk back into his life as another woman and him not even notice... well it didn't add up in my mind... (hide spoiler)]
Overall, this novel was overly frustrating and boring for me. I didn’t like any of it. What happened to B. A. Paris? Her first book was so well written, filled with creepiness and tension, and had an amazingly clever story… and now we’re here.
I’m clearly in the minority for this novel, and just because I didn’t enjoy it, doesn’t mean you won’t. Hence why I did a giveaway with my copy (congrats to Misty @Misty’s Book Space for winning) so someone else can enjoy it!
Thanks to HQ for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Sorry I didn’t like it!...more
I read this novel as my BookBum Club book for May! Check out this page to find out more about my very own Book Club!
Ugh, this book was aDNF @ page 116
I read this novel as my BookBum Club book for May! Check out this page to find out more about my very own Book Club!
Ugh, this book was a disaster for me! I was really hoping to love it as a moody Viking murder mystery sounded really unique. Unfortunately, there was just too much wrong with this book for me to continue with it. Let me explain why…
First thing I didn’t like about this novel was the historical accuracy or the lack thereof it, should I say. Considering this was about Vikings, meaning hundreds and hundreds of years in the past, they all spoke like modern day yobs. I can fully believe that Vikings were explicit motherf*ckers but various terms they used didn’t sit right with the time period. I can’t remember (and didn’t make a note of) any quotes specifically to back up this point but think “little shit” or something similar.
Quite early on it’s also quite obvious that this is going to be a very hectic novel. It felt like a lot of people were being introduced to us in a very small amount of time which meant none of them were particularly well developed. I have a good memory for names, but when there are lots of them on characters who are immediately not very memorable, it’s quite difficult to keep up. Luckily, there is a family tree at the beginning of the book which is helpful, but it would have been even more helpful to not have so many underdeveloped characters!
Another hectic part of this novel was the plot. On one hand it felt like it was moving a mile a minute, where lots of things were happening without any explanation of time moving so it was jumping from one thing to the next, to the next. Then on the other hand, in the 116 pages I read, it really didn’t feel like the plot went anywhere... How is that possible when so much was going on?
The last thing to mention is that I didn’t find this book was particularly well written, the characters and settings weren’t described amazingly and I felt no connection to anything that was happening. Not to mention the first 30% of this book is all “grr, look how macho I am in comparison to you” and I got sick of its masculinity. I know Vikings were probably very much like that, but I feel it could have been done in a subtler way.
Overall, this was a big no for me. I’m sure it can work for other readers but I wouldn’t personally recommend this to anyone, including thriller and historical fiction lovers. There’s better fiction out there.
Thanks to BookBridgr for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review. Sorry I didn’t like it!...more
This book was definitely fast-paced, but totally unremarkable, and definitely forgettable.
I’m going to start with something nice to say about this booThis book was definitely fast-paced, but totally unremarkable, and definitely forgettable.
I’m going to start with something nice to say about this book, and that’s that it was an extremely quick read. I very rarely read a book in less than 24 hours but I managed it with this one, even through getting distracted by a series on Netflix and going out for lunch. So there’s something to say about the super fast-paced action in this one. It really did keep me glued to the pages (when I wasn’t getting distracted!) and I’m totally thankful for that as I’ve been stuck on a few lesser interesting, slower paced books recently.
The story was just ridiculous. It was soooooo unrealistic, like one of those dreadful Hollywood horror films that are so bad that they’re almost good. I enjoyed the plot but it’s hard to completely lose yourself in the story when it’s just so ridiculous. I enjoyed the edge-of-your-seat action and the gore (there was a lot of gore) but a lot of the book was extremely cliche and the whole SEAL thing was very macho-macho. I get that some people in the military like talking about the fact they’re in the military, and that they often think they’re above people because they’re in the military, but the amount of times it was mentioned in this got to the point of cringe. We get it, you’re a SEAL, you’re such a tough strong guy.
Unfortunately, the characters were forgettable in this one. They were just completely flat – had no real personality to them all the way through. Not even at the end did anyone develop further from the first moment you meet them, and they all go through a lot of shit. You’d be a changed person after enduring all that.
This book is filled with those short, punchy sentences that are so loved in these throwaway thrillers. Sure, it makes for quick reading but it gets super tedious after a while. Some pages were filled with short sentences. One after the other. All the way down the page. No real description. No real development. Just short. And punchy.
The last thing I have to say about this novel is that the synopsis needs a real good rethink. To be precise, the line “But who exactly is the hunter, and who is the hunted?” – you know from a couple of chapters in what the hell is happening. You are handed the “hunter” and the “hunted” on a silver platter at around 60 pages (which is also when all the action really starts). I came into this book with the impression that Judd (horrible name, by the way) and Cat were going to be stalked and taunted by some unknown person, for all to be revealed in a shocking revelation nearer the end of the book, but that’s not the case at all.
Overall, I did enjoy this book, but only while I was reading it. It’s not a story I’ll ever think about again. Maybe I would recommend this to someone looking for a quick, gruesome holiday read.
Thanks to Netgalley and be-ebooks for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review....more
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