Category: Book Reviews

Book Reviews

Book Review: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

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Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you all enjoy my book review of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches.

I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will do my best to not give any spoilers in this review.

The very Secret Society of Irregular Witches Plot:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Cosy fantasy is a new genre, to me and in general really, but I loved it in this novel. It follows Mika Moon, a witch who has always been told to keep her magic a secret, as she takes up a new job as a witch tutor to three young girls. The job comes with two eccentric men, an emotional woman called Lucy, and Jamie the handsome but brooding librarian. This novel really engaged me, I loved every second of it.

The Very Secret Society of irregular Witches Characters:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

It is really hard to say anything in this category without spoiling anything! What I will say is that Mika grows as character in a really brilliant way throughout the novel and I think she helps the other characters grow a bit as well which is a nice theme to see in fantasy novels.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches Writing and Dialogue:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

As I said, this novel fits in the cosy fantasy style and I really think it worked well. It is light even in the dark, tense moments and that made it so much easier to breeze through when reading it.

The very Secret Society of Irregular Witches Overall:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I loved this book, I truly did. It was more fun than I thought it would be but the reason I didn’t give it five stars is because it just didn’t feel like a five star. I didn’t get that feeling while reading it.

Blurb/Synopsis:

A warm and uplifting novel about an isolated witch whose opportunity to embrace a quirky new family–and a new love–changes the course of her life.

As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don’t mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she’s used to being alone and she follows the rules…with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos pretending to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously.

But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and…Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he’s concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat.

As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn’t the only danger in the world, and when a threat comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn’t know she was looking for….

Book Reviews

Book Review: Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens

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Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you all enjoy my book review of Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens.

I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will try to keep this review as spoiler free as possible.

Murder Most Unladylike Plot:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

This book follows Daisy and Hazel at Deepdean school, they are friends (who definitely have small arguments) who end up embroiled in a murder mystery when they find the body of their teacher, but then it suddenly disappears. I enjoyed the slightly cosy mystery feel that this book had, it was nice to see it from a younger child’s perspective than all the adult murder mysteries I read. It was still complex and a great mystery though which made it even better.

Murder Most Unladylike Character:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The novel is written from Hazel’s perspective. I liked her because she had an organised and investigative mind, she always looked for every avenue that could be and needed to be explored. Even though she is afraid she knows what she is doing is important. In this first book in the series I did not like Daisy, she is bossy and full of herself and it really grated on me throughout the novel. I know that is her character flaw but she barely listened to Hazel’s ideas and for a whole series I think I would find that hard to continue reading.

Murder Most Unladylike Writing and Dialogue:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I think generally the writing in this book is pretty good, it feels young but that is the age range it is catered to. Otherwise I don’t have a lot to say about the writing.

Murder Most Unladylike Overall:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I gave this book four stars overall because it was an enjoyable mystery, and I am interested in reading more of the series.

Blurb/Synopsis:

1934. When Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong set up a secret detective agency at Deepdean School for Girls, they struggle to find a truly exciting mystery to investigate. (Unless you count the case of Lavinia’s missing tie. Which they don’t.)

But then Hazel discovers the body of the Science Mistress, Miss Bell – but when she and Daisy return five minutes later, the body has disappeared. Now the girls have to solve a murder, and prove a murder has happened in the first place before the killer strikes again (and before the police can get there first, naturally),

But will they succeed?

And can their friendship stand the test?

I hope you enjoyed my book review!

Book Reviews

Book Review: Mysteries of Thorn Manor by Margaret Rogerson

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Happy Monday bookish people! Today, I am bringing you my book review for the new novella set in the world of Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson.

As usual, I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will try to keep this review as spoiler free as possible.

Mysteries of Thorn Manor Plot:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

This short book is a follow up to the novel, Sorcery of Thorns, it follows Elisabeth and Nathaniel as they embark on their relationship together. In this new story the gardens and house of Thorn Manor have turned against the residents and are magically keeping them locked inside the house. I found this story extremely fun and engaging, I loved being back with the sorcery of thorns characters, it is one of my favourite books and this book still had that mystery element but in a much cosier way.

Mysteries of Thorn Manor Character:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

In this follow up you get to know the characters on a deeper level, they reveal more of their pasts. Especially Nathaniel who was very secretive in Sorcery of Thorns, it was also nice to see a lighter side to him. Elisabeth was her usual hot headed and interesting self which was great.

Mysteries of Thorn Manor Writing and Dialogue:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

There’s not much more I can say here, Margaret Rogerson is one of my favourite writers, her style of writing is engaging and magical and everything I would want in a fantasy novel.

Mysteries of Thorn Manor Overall:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I gave this book four stars overall, simply because I wanted more! Give me all the sorcery of thorns novellas, I would read them all.

Synopsis:

All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power.

Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire. Elisabeth’s desperate intervention implicates her in the crime, and she is torn from her home to face justice in the capital. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.

As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined.

I hope you all enjoyed my book review!

Book Reviews

Book Review: A Million to One by Adiba Jaigirdar

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Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today. I am excited to be bringing you my book review for A Million to One.

I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will try to keep it as spoiler free as possible.

A Million To One Plot:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I was first interested in this book because it mentions the Titanic, which is one of my biggest interests, and then when I saw that it featured four girls coming together to commit a heist I was sold. I bought it and read it the first day it came out in my local bookshop. I loved most of the elements that came together in this book, it really has that high tension dramatic twists feature that you need in this kind of book.

A Million to One Characters:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The four main characters in this book are Emilie, hannah, Violet and Josefa. I have to say I loved Josefa’s character, she was methodical and intense and really knew how to lead a group. Violet on the other hand, for me personally, I really did not get along well with her character. I thought she was antagonistic for no reason and this frustrated me to no end while reading the book.

A Million To One writing and dialogue:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I’m not sure what age range this book falls into but the writing style is a little young in the words and the pacing but at some points the actions do not match this younger age style.

A Million to One overall:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I gave this book four stars because I really enjoyed it and I was not expecting the ending.

Blurb/Synopsis:

Adiba Jaigirdar, author of one of Time‘s Best YA books of all time, gives Titanic an Ocean’s 8 makeover in a heist for a treasure aboard the infamous ship that sank in the Atlantic many years ago.

A thief. An artist. A acrobat. An actress. While Josefa, Emilie, Hinnah, and Violet seemingly don’t have anything in common, they’re united in one goal: stealing the Rubaiyat, a jewel-encrusted book aboard the RMS Titanic that just might be the golden ticket to solving their problems.

But careless mistakes, old grudges, and new romance threaten to jeopardize everything they’ve worked for and put them in incredible danger when tragedy strikes. While the odds of pulling off the heist are slim, the odds of survival are even slimmer . . .

Perfect for fans of Stalking Jack the Ripper and Girl in the Blue Coat, this high-seas heist from the author of The Henna Wars is an immersive story that makes readers forget one important detail— the ship sinks.

Book Reviews

Book Review: Love in the time of serial killers by Alicia Thompson

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Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today. I am excited to be bringing you my book review for Love in the time of serial killers by Alicia Thompson.

I will be giving star ratings to four categories and writing a little bit about each one. I will try to keep it as spoiler free as possible.

Love in the time of serial killers plot:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

This book is about Pheobe, a PhD student studying true crime who becomes suspicious of her new neighbour. I will be honest I was expecting a lot more tension from the whole ‘is he dangerous’ plotline than there actually was. For me, it ended way too quickly because I would have liked a development from this suspicion into actually trying to figure out if he is and from there the romance could bloom as they say but the book decides he isn’t dangerous only a few chapters in. I did like the PhD plotline, I mean I am also doing a PhD in crime fiction so I saw a lot of similarities between myself and Pheobe in this bit.

Love in the time of serial killers characters:

Rating: 2 out of 5.

I am actually struggling to write this bit because I can’t remember much about the characters, I wasn’t invested in them or what happened to them enough to actually remember them.

Love in the time of serial killers writing and dialogue:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

The writing in this book was good, it was clear and well structured. I did like the pacing of it in terms of the length of the chapters.

Love in the time of serial killers overall:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

I gave this book three stars overall because it was okay, it definitely was not the worst book I have read but I don’t think it was for me.

Blurb/Synopsis:

Turns out that reading nothing but true crime isn’t exactly conducive to modern dating—and one woman is going to have to learn how to give love a chance when she’s used to suspecting the worst.

PhD candidate Phoebe Walsh has always been obsessed with true crime. She’s even analyzing the genre in her dissertation—if she can manage to finish writing it. It’s hard to find the time while she spends the summer in Florida, cleaning out her childhood home, dealing with her obnoxiously good-natured younger brother, and grappling with the complicated feelings of mourning a father she hadn’t had a relationship with for years.

It doesn’t help that she’s low-key convinced that her new neighbor, Sam Dennings, is a serial killer (he may dress business casual by day, but at night he’s clearly up to something). It’s not long before Phoebe realizes that Sam might be something much scarier—a genuinely nice guy who can pierce her armor to reach her vulnerable heart.

Book Reviews

Book Review: Death Comes to Marlow by Robert Thorogood

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Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today. I am excited to be bringing you one of my favourite reads so far this year – Death Comes to Marlow by Robert Thorogood.

As usual, I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will do my best to keep this review as spoiler free as possible.

Death Comes To Marlow Plot:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

This book is the second in the Marlow Murder Club series by Death In Paradise writer, Robert Thorogood. It has some of the best mystery elements, an expensive manor house, a locked room mystery and every suspect has an alibi. For me personally I love these types of mystery stories because it is all about the puzzle, I knew pretty much from the beginning who the murderer was but the fun for me was figuring out how they did it.

Death Comes To Marlow Characters:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The three main characters in this novel are Judith, Suzie and Becks. Three woman who, in other circumstances, should not get along as well as they do. Their relationship is started in the first book in the series but it gets developed much more in this novel. I love how each character is so different, there are parts about each of them that can grate on me but it is balanced out by their brilliant amateur detective skills.

Death Comes to Marlow Writing and Dialogue:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The writing style Thorogood uses is extremely cosy which is the style I think fits this type of mystery best, it stops the darkness of the crime overtaking the whole novel and lets it stay enjoyable.

Death Comes to Marlow Overall:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I gave this book four stars overall because I thoroughly enjoyed it, even more than the first book in the series.

Blurb/Synopsis:

It’s been an enjoyable and murder-free time for Judith, Suzie and Becks – AKA the Marlow Murder Club – since the events of last year. The most exciting thing on the horizon is the upcoming wedding of Marlow grandee, Sir Peter Bailey, to his nurse, Jenny Page. Sir Peter is having a party at his grand mansion on the river Thames the day before the wedding, and Judith and Co. are looking forward to a bit of free champagne.

But during the soiree, there’s a crash from inside the house, and when the Marlow Murder Club rush to investigate, they are shocked to find the groom-to-be crushed to death in his study.

The study was locked from the inside, so the police don’t consider the death suspicious. But Judith disagrees. As far as she’s concerned, Peter was murdered! And it’s up to the Marlow Murder Club to find the killer before he or she strikes again…

Book Reviews

Book Review: The Very Merry Murder Club by Robin Stevens and Serena Patel

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Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today. I am bringing you a book review for one of the books I read in December, The Very Merry Murder Club.

In this book review I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will do my best to not give any spoilers.

The Very Merry Murder Club Plot:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The very merry murder club is a collection of thirteen short stories set around winter and christmas with a murder/mystery element to the plot. Each of the stories in this collection are very different to each other but thoroughly enjoyable. Two of my favourites were the one about the burglar mother and the other favourite was the one about the mixed up music with two dance groups.

Because of all the different stories I can’t really comment on the characters the way I usually do in my reviews.

The Very Merry Murder Club Writing and Dialogue:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I like to judge the writing in books on the speed I read the books and in this case I flew through the book while travelling by coach to London a while back. It was so easy to just keep reading, even though each story was written by different people I hardly noticed which I think is a good sign.

The Very Merry Murder Club Overall:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I really enjoyed this book, it was perfect for reading in the winter months so that is why I gave it four stars.

Blurb/Synopsis:

A wintery middle grade mystery collection of short stories by thirteen of the most exciting and diverse authors in children’s books today!

Co-edited by Serena Patel, the award-winning author of the Anisha: Accidental Detective series and by Robin Stevens, author of the bestselling Murder Most Unladylike series.

Sleuthing through the snow, on a merry mysterious day, in disguise we go, investigating all the way . . .

This gorgeous Christmas hardback gift of a collection brings together thirteen of the bestselling, award-winning and exciting debut authors: Abiola Bello, Annabelle Sami, Benjamin Dean, E.L. Norry, Elle McNicoll, Dominique Valente, Joanna Williams, Maisie Chan, Nizrana Farook, Patrice Lawrence, Roopa Farooki, Serena Patel and Sharna Jackson.

Join them as part of the Very Merry Murder Club as they lead you on a snow-covered wintery journey of Christmassy crimes, festive foul play and murderously magnificent mysteries!

Book Reviews, Uncategorized

Book Review: The Magic Faraway Tree by Jacqueline Wilson

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happy Monday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today. Today I am bringing you the book review for The Magic Far-away Tree by Jacquline Wilson.

I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will try to keep this review as spoiler free as possible.

The magic faraway tree plot:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

This is a modern take on Enid Blyton’ original series, following a similar plot of a family moving to the cottage and discovering the faraway tree and the lands that appear at the top. For me there was too much that just didn’t work about this story, it comes down to the feeling and it didn’t give me the same feeling as the original series did.

The magic faraway tree characters:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

the characters follow the same idea as the original series, one older boy and two younger sisters but I felt that in this book they could have been made into more shapely characters, they felt very 2D. Silky, moon face and the people at the faraway tree were just as great as they were in the original series.

The magic faraway tree writing and dialogue:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

The writing was great in this book, it was full of the same kind of magic that you expect in childrens fantasy stories.

The magic faraway tree overall:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

overall I thought this book was fine but not as good as the original series was better.

Discover the Magic Faraway Tree and explore the amazing lands it can lead to! An irresistible new story by bestselling author Jacqueline Wilson, set in a much-loved world.

Three kids, Milo, Mia and Birdy, are on a countryside holiday when they wander into an Enchanted Wood. Among the whispering leaves, there is a beautiful tree that stands high above the rest. The Magic Faraway Tree is home to remarkable creatures including a fairy called Silky, her best friend Moonface and more. Birdy is delighted to find that fairies are real. Even her older brother and sister are soon won over by the magic of the Faraway Tree and the extraordinary places they discover above it, including the Land of Unicorns. But not every land is so much fun. Danger looms in the Land of Dragons. Will Moonface’s magic work in time to save the children?

The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton was Jacqueline Wilson’s own favourite book as a young child. Now Britain’s favourite contemporary children’s author, creator of Hetty Feather and Tracy Beaker, revisits this glorious magical world, weaving a brand-new story perfect for the next generation of young readers. Discover the magic!

that’s it for this book review I hope you all enjoyed it!

Book Reviews

Book Review: the real life murder clubs by Nicola Stow

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happy Monday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today, I am bringing you a review for the latest book I have read which is the real life murder clubs by Nicola Stow.

as usual I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one and I will try to keep this as spoiler free as possible.

The real murder clubs plot:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

This book is all about the real life cases that have been solved by amateur sleuths through the internet and it appeared at the exact moment I needed it in my research for my PhD. It is a raw and honest account of exactly what happens to the amateur sleuths involved in these stories, they can become obsessed it can take over their whole lives in a pursuit for justice. I’ll be honest I found a lot of moments In this book very emotional.

usually, I’d do a category here about characters but as this is a nonfiction book I can’t for this one.

The real life murder clubs writing and dialogue:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The writing in this book is incredibly moving. Written by a journalist who is completely separate to the people and stories included in this book and yet she captures the feelings they are talking about in an astonishing way.

The real life murder clubs overall:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I gave this book four stars overall because it was enjoyable in the way that something so raw and honest could be.

The story behind real-life clubs of ordinary citizens who come together to solve true crime mysteries—including the sleuths behind Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer

In 2019, Netflix had a hit with documentary series Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer. It was based on one of Canada’s most infamous crimes: the 2012 murder of thirty-three-year-old Lin Jun by his porn-star boyfriend, Luka Magnotta, in Montreal. Magnotta filmed himself killing and (apparently) eating parts of his victim; he also mailed Jun’s feet and hands to two Canadian political parties and two elementary schools.

Prior to Jun’s murder, though, Magnotta had anonymously posted online videos of himself killing kittens. Horrified Facebook sleuths worked tirelessly to uncover the kitten-killer’s identity and location. Armchair detective Deanne Thompson, a data analyst for a Vegas casino by day, spent countless hours researching Lithuanian doorknobs, among other things, to help identify items in Magnotta’s videos during her quest to unmask him.

Nicola Stow reveals the fascinating stories behind this and and similar cases in which ordinary citizens, in real-life murder clubs, as in Richard Osman’s bestselling fiction, help to investigate crimes, both recent and cold cases. Includes the cases of Casey Anthony, John Wayne Gacy, JonBenét Ramsey, Golden State Killer, Boston Marathon bombings, and many more.

that’s it for this book review I hope you all enjoyed it.

Book Reviews

Book Review: The Three Dahlias by Katy Watson

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Happy Monday bookish people! What’s better on a rainy Monday morning than a good book review about a cosy mystery.

As always in this book review I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will do my best to not include any spoilers in the book review. I hope you enjoy it!

The Three Dahlias Plot:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

This book combines some of the best elements of Golden Age Detective Fiction/ Cosy Crime genres such as the isolated location, who doesn’t love a murder mystery set in an old manor house, a close knit cast of characters, and a bunch of intriguing twists. The Three Dahlias is based on the three actresses who have, and will have, played the character of Dahlia in different shows and films throughout the years. They come together for a Dahlia convention and then actually find themselves having to work together to solve a crime. I really enjoyed this take on the murder mystery, I haven’t read many novels or actually any that come to mind with three main protagonists but it was a nice way to make the reader feel part of the group.

The Three Dahlias Characters:

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

As much as I enjoyed each of the three characters individually, I sometimes felt that when they were together in the same scenes they blended into each other and the character development wasn’t as good. However, I still enjoyed the three female main characters being the ones to try and solve the mystery.

The Three Dahlias Writing and Dialogue

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I haven’t got much to say for this category because the writing was good, it allowed me to not think about the writing at all because I was engrossed in the story and that is a sign of a good writing style.

The Three Dahlias Overall

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I gave this book four stars overall because it was an enjoyable twist on the murder mystery genre.

Blurb/Synopsis:

Three rival actresses team up to solve a murder at the stately home of the author who made them famous – only to discover the solution lies in the stories themselves. A contemporary mystery with a Golden Age feel, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Jessica Fellowes.

In attendance: the VIP fans, staying at Aldermere; the fan club president turned convention organizer; the team behind the newest movie adaptation of Davenport’s books; the Davenport family themselves – and the three actresses famous for portraying Lettice’s 1930s detective, Dahlia Lively.

National treasure Rosalind King, from the original movies. TV Dahlia for thirteen seasons, Caro Hooper. And ex-child star Posy Starling, fresh out of the fame wilderness (and rehab) to take on the Dahlia mantle for the new movie.

Each actress has her own interpretation of the character – but this English summer weekend they will have to put aside their differences, as the crimes at Aldermere turns anything but cosy.

When fictional death turns into real bodies, can the three Dahlias find the answers to the murders among the fans, the film crew, the family – or even in Lettice’s books themselves?

That’s it for this book review, I hope you all enjoyed it!