Category: book reviews

Monthly TBR – March 2025

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March‘s monthly TBR had better go better than February’s. I don’t think I’ve ever DNF’d half of a reading list before. It wasn’t even anything really to do with the theme of Black History Month.

That’s why I’m not apprehensive about going into another month of topical reads. March is Women’s History Month, and I’ve been planning to pick up a few books on this topic for a while!

Shall we take a look?


Fixed Reads


Woden’s Spear

For the first time in a long time, I’ve got a blog tour coming up!

I’ve not taken part in a tour for around a year now. Initially, I didn’t want to take on the commitment whilst things were up in the air in my personal life. However, now that things have settled down, I have the ability to do the odd one or two of the tours again.

When Rachael asked for my help to fill in some spaces on a historical action adventure novel, I was persuaded. I love the genre and time period this book is set in. You’ll be hearing more on this book very soon, as I’m set to review it early next week.


A Promised Land

Given the length of this audiobook, it shouldn’t surprise you that Barack Obama’s A Promised Land is carried over into March.

Throughout February, I listened to 17 and a half hours of this 29-hour-long audio. I made a good dent. This month, I hope to finish it pretty soon!

A Promised Land was the one book on my February TBR that I thought at risk of DNFing. That it was actually one of my favourites of the month is both a surprise, but also a testament to how diverse my reading can be.


Children of Virtue and Vengeance

My second carryover from February is Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi. I’ve picked up this series for the first time in a long time.

I confess, as of this monthly TBR, I’m undecided how I feel about the book. I’m yet to feel the same spark of enthusiasm about it as I had for the first. Still, I’ll stick with it a bit longer yet. It may come to me as I get more immersed in the story.


Normal Women

One of my Women’s History Month picks for this monthly TBR is Normal Women by Philippa Gregory.

I originally discovered this book when I featured Philippa’s podcast of the same name on my blog as part of a limited series. The subject generally is a topic of interest, but the podcast episode I listened to went into some of the research Philippa undertook when writing the book. The podcast piqued my attention, and I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the book and the other broad span of topics covered.


Narratives: The Stories that Hold Women Back at Work

At 254 pages, Narratives is the shortest book on this monthly TBR. Also fitting into my Women’s History Month topical reading, I’m looking forward to seeing if I can relate to any experiences within. Naturally, I hope not. Equally though, if I’m informed on ways women can be held back at work, the better I can approach the situation.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a career woman. I love clocking out at the end of the day and getting into my PJ’s for a relaxing evening. I still have some ambition to push myself and maybe take on a leadership role in time.


Eve

The potential last Women’s History Month book on this TBR is Eve.

Leaning into some more non-fiction, Eve looks at the ways in which the female body has evolved and shaped humanity as we know it. It’s a little out of my comfort zone, but equally I’m hopeful the book includes a lot of humour and insight that keeps me engaged.


Work Book Club Pick

Lastly, I’ll be picking up one final ‘fixed read’ for our work book club. However, as of this post, that hasn’t been decided. Members had until the end of today to vote from three contenders; I’ll be looking at the results and announcing the winner to members tomorrow.

So, I can’t tell you which it is in this monthly TBR. You’ll have to stay tuned on the blog to see what it is!


Mood Reads


Calamity

I only have one mood read on March’s monthly TBR. Outside of my carryovers for the month, it’s the only book not fitting the theme of Women’s History Month that isn’t another reading commitment.

I recently got back into the series when I listened to Firefight in January. Now that I’m so close to finishing the trilogy, I want to power on and get it finished!


Summary

I have a lot of books to cover this month, but I’m optimistic I can avoid the same reading funk that spoiled February’s monthly TBR.

Here’s to a more successful reading month!

What are you planning on reading?

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Monthly Wrap-Up – February 2025

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We’re now two full months into 2025. I want to get in nice and early with my monthly wrap-up for February to update you on the books I picked up, and in some cases put down, during the last month.

One of my main reading goals for February was to pick up books around the theme of Black History Month. Not all of my books fit into this category, as they were either carryovers from January or I had to read them for other commitments. How I did with February’s TBR surprised me; there were books I wasn’t sure about that but I’ve gone on to really enjoy, yet equally there are books I thought I’d get on with, but didn’t. 

Shall we get into this monthly wrap-up so you can see just how this month has gone?

Books Read


A Darkness at Sethanon

A Darkness at Sethanon was a carryover from January‘s TBR. I was just a couple of chapters in at the point of setting this book on my February monthly TBR.

Admittedly, I didn’t get much further than that before I put it down. Although I had recapped myself on events so far in the series, I was struggling to get into it. If I’m entirely honest, I didn’t love the books before this one. They were okay to read, but I didn’t have any burning desire to pick up this last instalment. If anything, I was motivated to try so I could mark the series as complete.

However, I decided it wasn’t worth slogging through this book in order to give myself that accolade. I have now finished this series, but it has a DNF as opposed to a completion.


Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia

A few weeks ago, I started listening to Fearing the Black Body. I ended up listening to this audiobook over the course of a weekend. I didn’t expect to love this book in the way that I did. It was really interesting, and I liked how the book was broken down and considered different ideas and arguments. I wouldn’t say this book is to be taken as gospel. However, it does consider some interesting ideas on why racism could play a role in our current culture’s fat phobia.

I wouldn’t describe this as a book that I would typically read. However, I’m glad I did. It’s a good way to get an alternate perspective on things, as well as consider things from a non-racial perspective as well. In addition to the race argument, the author also offers religion as a possible source of some of the negativity around larger bodies too.


A Promised Land

The second audiobook I picked up this month, and admittedly I’m still reading as of this monthly wrap-up post, is A Promised Land by Barack Obama. If there’s one book on this TBR I thought I was at risk of DNFing, it was this one. In truth, it’s one of the books I’m enjoying the most this month.

Politics is a subject that is out of my comfort zone. My overarching opinion generally of politicians is that they don’t achieve anything for the masses. instead, they use their office to promote their own self interest. I can be forgiven for this view when you consider the amount of cronyism that gets highlighted on the news.

So far, I don’t find Barack to be your typical politician. My overall perception of Barack Obama when he was in office was that he was a decent president.

Listening to his book, I still have this view. I’ve enjoyed listening to some of his insights on what his priorities were as a president. He also covers a number of different unplanned situations he had to deal with in office.

Naturally, this book is far more involved to the likes of Michelle Obama’s Becoming in describing the politics of his life. He’s not averse to making jabs here and there against other parties and individuals, but for the most part I’m getting on with the book well.

The only reason I’m still listening to this audiobook at the end of February is because it is so long! The audiobook is just over 29 hours long. As a drafting this post, I have just under 12 and a half hours left to listen to.


In Every Mirror She’s Black

Another read I intended to complete as part of this February TBR relating to Black History Month is In Every Mirror She’s Black. A few years ago I acquired my copy of the book in a Waterstones sale after Christmas. I liked the sound of the book and I thought it was going to have something quite prominent to say when it comes to race – how seemingly different black women end up experiencing the same treatment in life.

However, having gotten a third into this book, I still couldn’t tell where the storyline was intending to take us or what message it was trying to put out. So, I decided to DNF it. I was bored. The plot was meandering between the three female perspectives and not really giving any context as to what it was trying to say. Nothing significant was happening and I wasn’t enjoying reading it.

It’s a shame, because I think it could’ve been a good book if it started to get to its point a little quicker.


The Da Vinci Code

If you are a regular reader, you will know that I host a book club at work. We meet once a month, typically towards the end of a month, and discuss a book of a members choice.

A couple of months ago, we came up with the idea of reading The Da Vinci Code. Some members had already read the book a long time ago, whereas others like myself had not read it before. It sounded like a good book for discussion, so we decided to pick that up.

I’m sorry to say that I didn’t like this one either. I read 29% of the book before I DNF this one too. Whilst I enjoyed the ideas of symbolism and the murder mystery aspect of the storyline, I felt overall that it was a very pretentious book. There is a lot of detail on symbolism and at times, I felt the narrative was talking down to me to have to explain some of it. I also found the idea of these clues being left for Robert too far-fetched.

In principle, one of the characters had approximately 15 minutes to lay down all these clues before he passed away from a fatal injury in order to point Robert to his murderer. After discussions with another book club member, there are perhaps reasons why this was plausible for the character to do given his position and preplanning for such an eventuality. However, it just felt far-fetched to me and I wasn’t a fan of the tone of the book.


Children of Virtue and Vengeance

Lastly, we get to the final book of my February TBR, Children of Virtue and Vengeance. I am still reading this book as of publishing this monthly wrap-up post, but I confess I’m not loving this one either. At this point, I don’t think it’s the fault of the book, but more to do with the fact that I’m in a reading funk.

As of this monthly wrap up post, I’m 20% into the book and I’m going to keep going with it for now. I probably not help myself in that it’s been a good number of years since I read the first book of the series. I have recapped myself on events, But leaving it so long is probably acting as a blocker helping me immerse myself back into the storyline.


Summary

It’s fair to say that reading progress in February didn’t end up going so well. Whilst I have read some enjoyable books in the month, I DNF’d three books – basically half the list!

I may need to reconsider my reading plans for March to help get myself out of whatever reading funk I’m in right now.

Thanks for reading today’s monthly wrap-up! Have you read any great books recently that you can recommend to help?

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Book Review: Becoming – Michelle Obama

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Today’s book review is a topical one given its Black History Month. It’s also a pure coincidence that timing-wise, it’s come around now for review. I read this book a couple of years ago because it was also Black History Month at the time. I’m not much of a seasonal reader, and that’s something that’s probably going to change this year. That’s why I’ve picked up the likes of Barack Obama‘s A Promised Land and Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi this month.

Today though, we’re not talking about Barack Obama or my other current reads. Instead, we are looking to Michelle Obama‘s memoir, Becoming.


Becoming – Michelle Obama

Genre: Non-Fiction/Memoir

Pages: 440

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Penguin

Publication Date: 13 Nov 2018

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟


Goodreads –  Becoming

 

An intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir; 17 million copies sold worldwide

Now in paperback featuring a new introduction by Michelle Obama, a letter from the author to her younger self, and a book club guide with 20 discussion questions and a 5-question Q&A, the intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir by the former First Lady of the United States

In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her — from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it — in her own words and on her own terms.

Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations — and whose story inspires us to do the same.

 

My Thoughts

Naturally, Michelle Obama’s life experience overlaps that of the presidency and being the first lady, but that does not define her identity. If Becoming taught me anything, it’s that Michelle didn’t want to feel bound by those restrictions and is far more than a prominent man’s right hand.

But first, we ought to go back to the beginning. Becoming tells the candid story of Michelle‘s upbringing in Southside Chicago. It covers race, naturally, as well as class differences; how she and her family fought against prejudice on a daily basis to make their own way in the world. Sadly, it’s a story I’m sure many can relate to. It’s a difficult topic to talk about, because it feels like I don’t have the authority to. As somebody who didn’t grow up in similar shoes to Michelle, I can’t imagine what it’s like to have to fight for everything you have. Even still, I was able to put myself in Michelle’s position and understand the difficulties she went through. She does a fantastic job of being able to translate her life experiences into one that everyone can imagine and sympathise with.

Of course, though, Michelle in her lifetime went from a reasonably regular life with its struggles – family, career and then having and juggling children on top, to being the First Lady. I didn’t particularly get the vibe from Becoming that Michelle didn’t like politics as much as Barack implies in A Promised land. Instead, she talks about her priority of making sure the children stayed out of the limelight and lived a normal lives themselves. She also talks about charitable works she championed whilst ‘in office’.

If her memoir tells us readers anything, it’s that Michelle is a considerate and well-rounded woman. She has excelled in every role life has thrown at her – being a woman, a career lawyer and mother, before turning her attention to charitable works and supporting youth as First Lady.


Summary

Although I’m not one for politics really, Becoming doesn’t really touch on this aspect of Michelle’s life. If you want to touch on the family of the Obama’s without the political element, Becoming is a great read. It’s also an interesting read if you want to see what hard work and determination can get you – even against the odds.

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Book Review – Illuminae: Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman

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In today’s book review, I share my thoughts on a young adult mixed-media book I really enjoyed! The best part is, Illuminae is the start of a trilogy. Therefore, fans of this first book will be pleased to know that the saga continues; book two is largely set around different characters, and book three brings them all together for an epic conclusion.

But, I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s start at the beginning…


Illuminae – Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 608

Audience: Young Adult

Publisher: Knopf Books

Publication Date: 20 Oct 2015

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟


Goodreads –  Illuminae

 

The internationally and New York Times bestselling first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy that bends the sci-fi genre into a new dimension.

Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the worst thing she’d ever been through. That was before her planet was invaded. Now, with enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra are forced to fight their way onto one of the evacuating craft, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But the warship could be the least of their problems. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their biggest threat; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady plunges into a web of data hacking to get to the truth, it’s clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: Ezra.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents, Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy.


My Thoughts


Plot

Well, I say let’s start at the beginning, but actually the book begins near the end. In the courtroom, with us readers almost as one of the jury, Kady, Ezra, and many characters we meet along the way present their case against Beitech Corporation.

Greedy corporations remain at large in this fictional world. Beitech are accused of killing and displacing many of the characters within this first book when attacking their home planet in favour of gaining resources. From there, it’s a mad scramble for civilian survival. And the clock is ticking…

Not for one moment can we accuse this novel of lacking in action. For fans of an action-driven plot, this will appeal to you for its time-pressured and high-stakes drama.

Naturally, I can’t say too much as I don’t want to give away any aspects of the storyline (either in Illuminae or in the subsequent books). Just take my word for it that it’s amazing and go and read it!


Characters

A number of characters contribute to the overall storyline within. Not only is this a multiple-perspective book, but it’s also a multiple-media book. In that regard, this appealed to me as I enjoy seeing things from a variety of perspectives. That naturally fits with this narrative and media type well. One person can’t be everywhere at once, and with so many elements going into the storyline, we need everybody’s perspective in order to paste together the final picture.

The primary perspectives are that of Kady Grant and Ezra Mason. If you enjoy teenagers who totally dig each other but you know, aren’t in a relationship, then you’ll like these pair. Personally, I liked both perspectives but not necessarily for their romance or relationship with each other. That’s not to say I wasn’t rooting for them reuniting though.

If I had to say which aspect of the book leaned most heavily towards making this a young adult book, it is the characters. This plotline could be set with much older characters and sit well in the adult genre.


Setting

Illuminae is set across several intergalactic places. Thankfully for readers, it’s very obvious where things are going on with location and timestamps where applicable. The nature of the story and following that characters means that things are pretty chronological and don’t jump around too much either.

Set in our nearish future, it doesn’t feel too far-fetched. Although the idea of living in space probably feels a bit off, I think the technology available feels largely reminiscent of what we have today. It’s only a small leap for mankind – excuse the pun.

If you enjoy reading or watching science fiction, then reading Illuminae won’t be too far of a stretch. Even if you aren’t that imaginative when it comes to imagining the spaceship layout or dynamics of what’s going on, this book is very good at illustrating that for you. Literally. I remember technical diagrams of each of the ships. It makes it a very easy narrative to get on with.


Narrative Style

Told in a mixed-media format, this book is great for readers who have short attention spans or benefit from short, snappy content.

With everything from transcripts to posters and images, the action is spread across a variety of media that keeps us engaged. It’s a fun way of telling the story too. With the science-fiction slant on the narrative, it helps circumnavigate any understanding issues and makes the content more applicable to its intended younger audience.

Because of its format, I was able to read a large quantity of page count without too much effort. The constantly changing content types kept me reading on just that little bit longer and kept me engaged with the storyline throughout.


Summary

Regardless of whether you are a fan of the young adult genre, or even the science-fiction genre, I cannot recommend Illuminae enough. It’s a great introduction to reading something a little different. With plenty of action to keep readers’ attention, combined with a variety of mixed media to help with understanding and engagement, Illuminae is a fabulous start to a series I have since gone on to read voraciously and enjoy!

Have you read Illuminae or any other books by Jay Kristoff or Amie Kaufman?

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Book Review: Ship of Magic – Robin Hobb

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It’s ironic that the timing of this review coincides with my recent finish of reading Fool’s Errand. I’ve loved being back in the world of Robin Hobb’s The Realm of the Elderlings series. It’s great to be back in the world of Fitz and the Six Duchies. However, Ship of Magic and the ensuing foray into the Liveship traders series was a fun jaunt into a different side of the world!

Let’s take a look at the synopsis, and then I’ll get to my review –

 

Ship of Magic – Robin Hobb

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Pages: 880

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Publication Date: 10 Sept 2015

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

 

Goodreads – Ship of Magic

 

From the author of the classic Farseer trilogy, SHIP OF MAGIC is the first part of the Liveship Traders. Set in a land bordering the Six Duchies, Robin Hobb begins her epic tale of pirates, talking ships, magic, sea serpents, slave revolts, dashing heroes and bloody battles.

On the northernmost point of the Cursed Shores lies Bingtown, a bustling hub of exotic trade and home to a proud merchant nobility famed for its extraordinary vessels.

Only Bingtown liveships can negotiate the perilous waters of the Rain Wild River and plunder the riches found upstream, but such vessels are made from the most precious commodity in the world – a material with the ability to become sentient – and so are extremely rare.

The fortunes of one of Bingtown’s oldest families rest on the newly awakened liveship Vivacia. For Althea Vestrit, the ship is her rightful legacy. But the fate of Vivacia – and the Vestrits – may ultimately lie in the hands of the dark and charming pirate, Kennit, who lusts after such a ship and has plans of his own . . .

 

My Thoughts


Plot

I confess it took me a little while to get into the world and plot of Ship of Magic. Living and talking ships isn’t exactly a natural phenomenon. The greatest hurdle to my mind was how completely different the world was to what I’d read in The Farseer trilogy. Whilst I knew the focus moved away from the characters I was familiar with, I don’t think I expected to start again, as it were.

The Liveship Traders books are worth the investment, however. It’s a great trilogy overall, and it has quite the page count! If you like a sizeable trilogy, this is certainly for you.

Ship of Magic is the start of a trilogy of conflict and suffering. The fate of the Vestrit family lies at its heart. However, within their tale we see how their infighting impacts their community and beyond.


Characters

Unlike the Farseer trilogy which predeceases The Liveship Traders, Ship of Magic enjoys a varied cast. With multiple perspectives painting the tale of the Bingtown traders and their strife, the book has a completely different feel.

I also attribute this to why getting into Ship of Magic took longer. Characters split off quite early and so it takes a good few chapters to get a rounded view on world events.

I confess I didn’t like all the characters we get perspectives from early in the series. Malta in particular was a difficult character for me to stomach. If anyone feels the same way you’ll be glad to know her character growth arc is both fantastic and somewhat redeeming. However, in Ship of Magic she is quite a bossy madam!

It’s not the only book series I’ve gotten through this before; if you are a regular reader you’ll know how much I love A Game of Thrones. I didn’t like Sansa at the start of that one. These kinds of characters do tend to have good storylines, so they are worth reading!


Setting

Like The Farseer trilogy, events of Ship of Magic span geographical locations that give us an opportunity to explore the map (and differences in the people that live there). At first the populace of Bingtown and their customs seem exotic compared to the Six Duchies… and then we meet Rain Wilders.

The variety of the people and places give us plenty to dive into. Ship of Magic feels less of a ‘fill the gaps’ exercise in world-building and more of an exploration. How much more there is to discover remains to be seen!

The plot of the book very naturally allows us to split off and follow different characters across the map. That’s quite different from the earlier books in the series in that we get multiple perspectives as opposed to a single point of view.


Narrative Style

I generally prefer books with multiple points of view. So, Ship of Magic appealed to me because I get to live in so many characters heads. Admittedly, not all of them were desirable. However, as a reader who likes to discover character motives, I had plenty to chew on.

The pacing of Ship of Magic starts slowly as we are introduced to this new side of the world and its customs. I found this got quicker once the groundwork was laid and the storyline could flourish from there.


Summary

Ship of Magic builds on The Realm of the Elderlings series by taking us to new places and exploring new magic. Ship of Magic is very much a character driven tale. I enjoyed delving into the new conflicts that ebb and flow throughout the plot of the whole trilogy, but for which a solid foundation is laid out in Ship of Magic.

Have you read any books by Robin Hobb, or read any part of The Realm of the Elderlings series?

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Book Review: Daughter of the Moon Goddess – Sue Lynn Tan

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It’s been a little minute since I shared a book review with you guys. Or, rather, six weeks… It’s fair to say I’m long overdue sharing my opinion on a book! Today’s feature is Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan.

This Asian inspired fantasy was already on my radar. However, when a reader and reviewer I follow on instagram read this book with their Fable book club, I wanted to read along too!


Daughter of the Moon Goddess – Sue Lynn Tan

Genre: Asian Fantasy

Pages: 503

Audience: Young Adult

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Publication Date: 11 Jan 2022

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Goodreads – Daughter of the Moon Goddess

 

The bestselling debut fantasy inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon goddess.

A young woman’s quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm, setting her on a dangerous path where those she loves are not the only ones at risk…

THERE ARE MANY LEGENDS ABOUT MY MOTHER…

Raised far away on the moon, Xingyin was unaware she was being hidden from the Celestial Emperor – who exiled her mother for stealing the elixir of immortality. But when her magic flares and reveals her, Xingyin is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind.

Alone, powerless, and afraid, Xingyin makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. In disguise, she trains alongside the Emperor’s son, mastering archery and magic, despite the passion which flames between them.

Vowing to rescue her mother, Xingyin embarks on a quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies. But when forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, Xingyin must challenge the ruthless Emperor, leaving her torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos…

Inspired by the legend of Chang’e the Moon Goddess, this captivating debut weaves Chinese mythology into a sweeping adventure of love and family, immortals and magic.


My Thoughts


Plot

I love that the inspiration of the plot is based on Asian mythology. It’s not something I am familiar with, so it was nice to try it in a genre I already know and love – fantasy. As a result of reading both this book and its sequel, Heart of the Sun Warrior, I’d like to take a look at Asian mythology in future.

Because it’s based on mythology, the plot is fantastical in nature. However, I loved it! I love fantasy, so that’s hardly a stretch. It’s a well developed narrative and fits the ultimate page count the author developed for it. There is plenty of detail to dive into and immerse yourself into the world and the action taking place.


Characters

Firstly, I love that the main protagonist of the story is female. So often gender bias presents itself in western fantasy;  main characters are typically male. I don’t know if this is a thing in the same way with Asian mythology. Is there the same kind of gender bias? Or, maybe it’s the other way? I’m completely uninformed, so that’s something I would like to learn about.

In addition to Xingyin, we have a full cast of characters. Some help her train to become the powerful young woman she is, and others try to hold her back.

I think there is the perfect amount of side characters. Again, not being familiar with Asian mythology or even Asian literature, things like names and identities will be completely different for me to learn. They don’t fit typical norms I expect. Even still, I was able to follow exactly who is who, what their history was and what their relationship was to Xingyin.

If you love a love triangle, then Daughter of the Moon Goddess will appeal. Personally, this is not something I actively look for in my literature. I would’ve been just as happy with the book without it. However, although I’m not a fan generally, I didn’t hate it. It added tension to the narrative throughout, so even if I wasn’t rooting behind any of the individuals within the triangle, it added to the storyline well.


Setting

The various settings across this book were enchanting, and it’s inspired me to pick up more Asian fantasy in future.

The vivid descriptions made it really easy for me to imagine where we were and what was going on. Although the setting of the book is broadly unfamiliar, there was plenty enough description for me to be able to make my own interpretation. There isn’t any assumed knowledge that leaves holes in understanding.

Moving away from the physical and more towards the cultural differences portrayed this book, I enjoyed this aspect. It’s a completely different experience and perspective to read from somebody who has grown up in a different culture than I. I especially loved the emphasis and adoration of protecting one’s family. That’s something that’s important to me, so even though it doesn’t necessarily fit with my cultural norm in the same way, I found it very relatable.


Narrative Style

Daughter of the Moon Goddess was very easy to read. Although the book weighs in at over 500 pages, this narrative is accessible for teenage readers. The writing style flows nice and easily and the chapters are well broken down so that we’re not taking in too much at one time.

I read the whole of this book in just over a week, coincidentally finishing it nearly two years ago to the day of this review! Spooky…

What I really enjoyed about the narrative is that the way in which setting and plot are balanced well so that we get vivid descriptions of both without compromising on the other. Even though Asian literature and fantasy isn’t something I read a lot of, I had no trouble following where we were or what was going on.


Summary

Daughter of the Moon Goddess has inspired me to pick up more Asian literature in the future. If it’s fantasy, then even better!

Have you read any other Asian inspired fantasy that you would recommend to me based on my love of Daughter of the Moon Goddess?

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Book Review: Dear Child – Romy Hausmann

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If you’re looking for a seasonal spooky read to pick up soon, I have a good recommendation featured in today’s book review. I read Dear Child in November 2022. With the nights drawing in, it’s the perfect time to settle into reads most sinister in nature…

Dear Child is German author Romy Hausmann’s debut, and it is a great book. I really enjoyed reading this one and I’m looking forward to selling it to you in the best way I can!

Shall we take a look?

 

Dear Child – Romy Hausmann

Genre: Thriller / Mystery

Pages:  343

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Quercus Books

Publication Date: 14 May 2020

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Goodreads – Dear Child


A windowless shack in the woods. Lena’s life and that of her two children follows the rules set by their captor, the father: meals, bathroom visits, study time are strictly scheduled and meticulously observed. He protects his family from the dangers lurking in the outside world and makes sure that his children will always have a mother to look after them.

One day Lena manages to flee – but the nightmare continues. It seems as if her tormentor wants to get back what belongs to him. And then there is the question whether she really is the woman called ‘Lena’, who disappeared without a trace over thirteen years ago. The police and Lena’s family are all desperately trying to piece together a puzzle that doesn’t quite seem to fit.


My Thoughts


Plot

With plenty of storyline to cover in just 340 short pages, there is a lot going on in this book. It’s full of revelations about the mystery behind the storyline. At the same time, there is no info dumping. We’re engaged in the story from the first page, and all throughout.

I enjoyed the pacing of it too – the unveilings come throughout the novel rather than leaving it all to the end. It certainly kept me reading on, and I’m sure it will for you too! If you enjoy books that keep you guessing… well you guessed it – pick it up!

It’s hard to talk about the plot without giving anything away. I deliberately don’t want to do that here and spoil it for you… so I’m not!


Characters

From the beginning I was intrigued by the characters, dynamic and mystery behind their real identity. Are they who we think they are? That’s uncovered in the story and not something I’m going to spoil here though. What I will say is that it was an interesting conundrum as part of the narrative. I’ll leave you to fill in the blanks.

When I read psychological thrillers I often find myself ‘testing’ the narrative point of view to decide if I trust it or not. I had a field day doing this when reading Dear Child, so if that’s something you enjoy then this will appeal to you.

The book is split into three very different perspectives. I much prefer multi-perspective books myself so it appealed to me. One of the perspectives is also told by a child, Hannah. It’s not a common perspective we get a naturally, it gave me plenty of scope for testing her viewpoint. Does her naivety impact her perspective?


Setting

Events in a number of chapters take place in the cabin in the woods – an isolated and controlled environment where Lena and her family are held captive. No windows. No contact with the outside world beyond their captor. Their daily routines are controlled by him rigorously. It’s not hard to imagine the abuse that has taken place there.

The trauma both Lena and her children display are the consequences of their predicament. Whilst it’s not too graphic, there is clearly a lot that has taken place behind the scenes already so it’s still for a more mature reader.

The contrast between the real world and that setting are in stark contrast with one another, yet realistic in both cases!


Narrative Style

Dear Child is written in such a way that ‘just one more chapter’ will become a common thought. You won’t want to put it down! Combine that with the plot elements I mentioned earlier and you can see why I read this book in less than a week.

The intensity of the storyline and the way in which the story draws us readers in is incredible. Sometimes this can get literally lost in translation. However, in the case of Dear Child I wouldn’t say that is true at all!

Dear Child is an approachable narrative in terms of style and length. Whilst I wouldn’t recommend it to younger readers based on the content, in terms of style it’s suitable for anyone. It’s easy to read and digestible… and not a long book either.

 

Summary

Dear Child is a gripping thriller that I really enjoyed! With a twisty plot encapsulated in an approachable page count, it’s an ideal read for everyone to try this spooky season! 

Have you read Dear Child?

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Book Review: Assassin’s Quest – Robin Hobb

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I get to talk about one of my favourite conclusions to a mini-series, Assassin’s Quest, in today’s post.

Robin Hobb is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. If you haven’t checked out my reviews of the earlier books of the Farseer trilogy so far, here are links to my reviews of Assassin’s Apprentice and Royal Assassin here.

Now you are up to speed, let’s take a look at my thoughts on the third instalment of this trilogy, which makes up the introduction to this epic sixteen book series!


Assassin’s Quest – Robin Hobb

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Pages:  848

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Publication Date: 27 Mar 2014

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

 

Goodreads –  Assassin’s Quest


The gripping finale to Robin Hobb’s classic Farseer trilogy.

Keystone. Gate. Crossroads. Catalyst.

Fitz is about to discover the truth about the Fool’s prophecy. Having been resurrected from his fatal tortures in Regal’s dungeons, Fitz has once more foiled Regal’s attempts to be rid of him.

Now, back in his own body, and after months of rehabilitation, Fitz begins the painful and slow process of learning the ways of a man again. Under the watchful eye of Burrich, old King Shrewd’s Stablemaster, Fitz must learn to cast off the wild but carefree ways of the wolf and enter once more the human world: a world beset ever more viciously by the relentless Red Ship Raiders who are now left free to plunder any coastal town they please. But more immediately, a world in which he finds he is utterly alone.

Regal has stripped the kingdom of its riches and retired to the inland city of Tradeford. Of Verity, on his quest to find the legendary Elderings, there has been no word; Molly, Kettricken and the Fool have all vanished.

Unless Fitz can find Verity and help him in his quest, the Six Duchies will perish and there will be no safe place to live.


My Thoughts


Plot

I had no idea how this book was going to start. A lot happened at the end of Royal Assassin and Assassin’s Quest had a lot to live up to. You’ll be pleased to know it exceeded expectations! That’s the beauty of Robin Hobb. Just when you think she can’t do herself, she pulls a trump card out of her sleeve and we readers are left reeling.

Fitz did not have a great time of things in book two, and a lot of book three is shaped by those events. He has a lot to recover, physically and socially. He is not the man he was and neither is the Court he served in. With Shrewd and Verity no longer on the political scene, Regal is making his mark and rather royally making a mess of the kingdom. Fitz has to try and negotiate his way around a new way of life.

I loved the storyline of Assassin’s Quest. It has the fundamental place and setting of the books established to date, but we get to see more too. As the name of the book suggests, Fitz ends up undertaking a quest. We get to see whole new areas yet undiscovered by us readers. I loved every part of it. That’s the content I live for in fantasy. It was engaging and magical and exciting. The world revealed yet more about a past we are still discovering alongside the main characters of this storyline.

Magic. Absolute magic.


Characters

Fitz is a loveable character, but I frequently find myself asking what will happen to him. Robin Hobb doesn’t pull her punches or treat characters with any kind of favouritism. As the events in the previous book show, nobody in her universe is safe.

Fitz is an interesting character to view the world from, especially with his increasingly less subtle links to the animal kingdom. More so than previous books, his bonding with Nighteyes influences his behaviour. It’s a unique aspect to his character and I love that it’s so prominent in the narrative and in the way he’s treated.

Even though I feel precious and protective over Fitz, I do love many other characters in these books. Verity and Kettricken are firm favourites. Regal is the kind of character we love to hate. Molly and Burrich are great character-shaping supports. The list goes on!


Setting

The setting of Assassin’s Quest takes us across multiple places. That’s what I love about epic fantasy. There is a familiarity as there are places we’ve discovered and explored previously. At the same time, we also get new discoveries on top. I found it a really enjoyable balance of the two and this fit perfectly into the storyline of the book.

Robin Hobb’s descriptions are amazing – it’s one of my favourite aspects of her writing. It’s so detailed and immersive that I felt I was actually there. Equally though, it doesn’t hold up the action going on or hold the narrative back.


Narrative Style

Robin Hobb’s books are full of detail. For me, they are a slower read compared to a lot of books but they are enriching. I enjoy taking the time to immerse myself in her world. It’s worth taking time over! I’m six books into sixteen-part series as of writing this post, and I already know it’s a series I’m going to go back to again.

Assassin’s Quest, as a while package, is engaging. There’s plenty of action to keep us interested. We get a great picture of the world it’s set in. Physically, historically etc. The characters are easy to get behind and root for, or not in some cases. The way in which this is packaged up is make or break for me. If I don’t get on with a book’s writing style, regardless of everything else, it can be the difference between reading it or not.

For Assassin’s Quest, it’s the icing on the cake!


Summary

Assassin’s Quest is a great conclusion to the first mini-series of the wider Realm of the Elderlings series. I can’t wait to revisit some of these characters now I’ve read the second trilogy, The Liveship Traders.

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Sunday Summary – 15th September 2024

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Happy Sunday readers – I’m back with my usual Sunday Summary update! As always, I hope you’ve had a great week?

This week has been a little unusual in that I’ve not really stuck to the regular schedule. On Wednesday morning I took part in a charity event for work that saw me helping to cut down around 150 pine trees. on Thursday I attended one of my school friends weddings, which was really special to share with them.

Combine both of these with a busy week at work and it’s fair to say my plans have been a little affected as a result. I was still able to share my book review for Dark Matter with you, but that came later than intended. I ended up publishing that one on Friday if you’re interested to check it out!


Books Read


The Lost Apothecary

I haven’t read as much of The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner as I thought I would this week. That’s because of those aforementioned changes to my schedule, if you will.

That said, I have read around 40% of the book so far this week, bringing me up to 60% progress in total as of drafting this Sunday Summary. Thankfully, I have been able to extend my digital loan of the book and I still have opportunity to progress with it today. I’m hoping to read more of this and see what starting to unfold in the plot it’s definitely getting interesting!


Defiant

As of my last Sunday Summary update, I had just started Defiant by Brandon Sanderson. Have been listening to more of this book this week, clocking in another hour and a half of listening time.

Already I feel we are getting stuck into the action, so I’m surprised I’m not as far along as I expected given the events. I suppose that can only mean that there is plenty more of it to follow – and I’m looking forward to reading it!


Books Discovered

It’s another week of no news being good news. I’ve not seen anything new or added any new books to the reading list this week!

Thank goodness for that…


Coming Up…

I’m sticking to my slightly reduced schedule next week as it’s going to be busy at work and I need to continue on with studying for an exam.

In an attempt to share some different content with you next week, I’ll be sharing a bookish confessions post with you next week. What are your bookish confessions? You’ll have to stay tuned to see what mine are!

As usual, my last post of the week will be another Sunday summary weekly update.

That’s all for me and today’s Sunday Summary post and I hope to see you around very soon!

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Book Review: Dark Matter – Blake Crouch

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Dark Matter is a thriller novel I devoured and happily rated 5 stars. In today’s review post, I share just what I loved about it!


Dark Matter – Blake Crouch

Genre: Thriller

Pages:  342

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Publication Date: 26 July 2016

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟


Goodreads –  Dark Matter


‘Are you happy in your life?’

Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious.

Before he awakes to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits.

Before the man he’s never met smiles down at him and says, ‘Welcome back.’

In this world he’s woken up to, Jason’s life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college physics professor, but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable. Something impossible.

In this other life, Jason has created a box. Transport into infinite alternate universes – every possible outcome of his life, one behind each door. In this other life, Jason chose a door. And he stole the life he wanted.

If Jason Dessen wants his life back, he will have to find it among infinite possibilities. And he will have to battle a terrifying, seemingly unbeatable foe: himself.


My Thoughts


Plot

I really enjoyed Dark Matter for its interesting and twisty plot. If you read the synopsis after the book, you can see just how it fits so well to what happens. It’s clever in that it doesn’t really give it away either, so I’m impressed.

If I told you that the overarching plot involved some degree of quantum physics and parallel universes, your brain may instinctively want to back away and hide in the nearest hole. However, please do not let that intimidate you.

This is included in the storyline in the absolute best ways. There isn’t too much detail or advanced knowledge needed to understand the premise. In my opinion, it is balanced perfectly so that the subject is approachable by readers of all levels and not limited to science nerds of the century.

And if you enjoy the kind of rabbit hole of thinking what would happen if each of these parallel universes interact with each other, then you are going to have a field day!


Characters

I liked Jason’s character and he was interesting throughout the book. Throughout the book, we see multiple versions of Jason and what would’ve happened if he had taken different paths in life.

Developing one character to such an extent that they can uphold a main character role is enough of the challenge without then having to develop them further and think about how different they could be in different circumstances. Crouch did this very well as I found all versions of Jason intriguing to read about.

But of course, he is not the only character in this book. Although a lot of time and effort must’ve gone into developing Jason as a character, that’s not happened at the expense for the characters. There is naturally a full cast to get to know over the course of the book and how they each play their part in the overall storyline.


Setting

Even though the narrative deals in quantum physics and alternate realities, I was able to keep track of where we were throughout the book.

Dark Matter is clever in that it touches on this topic for a good deal of the narrative, but not in such a technical way to intimidate readers. If you can read books like Stephen Baxter’s The Long Earth, I’d say it’s on par with that.


Narrative Style

Dark Matter is nice and easy to read. With enough going on in the plot, the really easy to understand and follow narrative style compliments perfectly.

I read the book over the course of just over a week. I admit that it’s difficult to remember exact details given I read this book about two years ago now. At the same time, the overarching impression of my experience of the book is a great one. I loved picking this up at every opportunity I could.


Summary

If you love the idea of this kind of plotline but have reservations on the subject matter, please let me reassure you that it is well suited to readers of all levels. However, if you really can’t get yourself past the idea of trying the book, I believe there is a TV series that may be more approachable for you instead. I haven’t watched it myself, but would be inclined based on my love of the book!

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