Content warnings: poverty, hospitalisation of a parent, grief, mental health, abandonment, cheating, military deployment
Look, is this the best book RoContent warnings: poverty, hospitalisation of a parent, grief, mental health, abandonment, cheating, military deployment
Look, is this the best book Rowell has ever written? No. But there's just something so comforting about Rowell's voice on the page, and I'm so glad I picked this up. It's essentially a second chance romance between high school friends turned long lost friends, and the way that Rowell wove the timelines of their past and present together was fantastic.
I didn't love the military side of things, but at the same time I fully recognise that for a lot of teens in the US, the military is their only way out of their small town/dead end job.
All in all, this was perhaps a more bittersweet read than I anticipated, but it was so lovely to be back in Rowell's voice that I'm willing to forgive it. ...more
Content warnings: colonialism, genocide, massacres of Indigenous communities, death of a loved one, incarceration, racism, racial slurs
I absolutely adContent warnings: colonialism, genocide, massacres of Indigenous communities, death of a loved one, incarceration, racism, racial slurs
I absolutely adored Heiss' last book, so when I saw she was writing another historical fiction book set in 19th century Australia with a romance at the heart of it, I was SOLD. And, for the most part, I enjoyed this - as much as one can enjoy the subject matters dealt with in the course of the story.
The characters were painted with care and depth and love, and I really enjoyed the juxtaposition between the Wiradyuri characters and their fight to keep their land free of British control and the Irish convicts seeing their own fight reflected therein.
That being said, this covered a longer period of time than I anticipated and as a result the pacing sometimes felt like it jumped more than I expected it would. And I found the ending extremely abrupt. Perhaps not unexpected, but I turned the page expecting at least one or two more chapters and instead found myself reading an author's note. So. Yeah. I'm really glad I read it and it's a very powerful book. But at the same time, it wasn't what I expected it to be....more
Content warnings: domestic violence (in the past), death (in the past), cheating, possession, misogyny, forced marriage (in the past), chronic illnessContent warnings: domestic violence (in the past), death (in the past), cheating, possession, misogyny, forced marriage (in the past), chronic illness
Look, I've thoroughly enjoyed all of DeLuca's books in the past and I was very much looking forward to a romance set in a small and very haunted town. And the haunted town side of stuff was fun - I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in the series! I liked the relationship between the two leads, though there were a few too many times where the pacing felt a little...draggy?
There were also two things in regards to this that kind of drove me nuts: 1. Cassie has endometriosis to the point of infertility and yet at no point does her endometriosis actually impact her daily life; and 2. (view spoiler)[we IMMEDIATELY jump to unprotected sex because a) "oh I'm infertile, it doesn't matter" and b) they have a two line conversation about STIs. This is something that's increasingly prevalent in contemporary romance and it kind of makes me want to stick pins in my eyeballs because, like, yeah, I get that you're in love. But maybe have a LEGITIMATE conversation *before* the peen is half way in. Just saying. (hide spoiler)]
So on the whole? I liked this. But there were some niggling things that grated more than I anticipated....more
Content warnings: AIDS, HIV, death of a child, graphic animal death, gun violence, racism, terminal illness, pregnancy
I picked this up purely because Content warnings: AIDS, HIV, death of a child, graphic animal death, gun violence, racism, terminal illness, pregnancy
I picked this up purely because it's set in Lesotho and it therefore ticked a box for my Read Around the World challenge. And then I was absolutely hooked. Essentially, the author moves to Lesotho for a year as a teacher with his wife, who's an HIV researcher, and he talks about his experiences in the country over the course of that year.
It's a compelling story, and I definitely enjoyed it. I didn't anticipate some of the harder hitting aspects, particularly as McGrath and his wife often spend time with children who are growing up with HIV and AIDS, and those stories often don't have particularly happy endings.
So essentially, I laughed. I cried. I had a lot of emotions I didn't entirely foresee. And I'm so glad I gave this a shot. ...more
I was intrigued by the premise of this, and given that I know less than nothing about 19th century Ireland and IContent warnings: death, murder, blood
I was intrigued by the premise of this, and given that I know less than nothing about 19th century Ireland and I'd heard less than nothing about this case, I was intrigued to learn more about both. But at the end of the day, I just don't think there's QUITE enough here to warrant an entire book. An episode of a podcast, maybe? But a whole book? Eh.
It felt like the victim's story got lost time and time again in discussions of phrenology and the detective investigating the case and the lives of various suspects into the future. And I get that we don't know a lot about the victim, but I still would have liked more of a victim-focused story... ...more
Content warnings: racism, classism, lying, cheating, death of a loved one (in the past), misogyny
4.5 stars
This was an absolute fucking delight from stContent warnings: racism, classism, lying, cheating, death of a loved one (in the past), misogyny
4.5 stars
This was an absolute fucking delight from start to finish. The whole footman plotline? Hysterical. The dynamic between them? Spectacular. The secondary characters? Delightful. I had a truly wonderful time listening to this. It was laugh-out-loud funny and heartfelt and just endlessly charming. Would recommend. ...more
Trigger warnings: mass death, war, drowning, fire, drug use, death of a spouse (in the past), miscarriage, self harm, poisoning, blackmail
I was sold tTrigger warnings: mass death, war, drowning, fire, drug use, death of a spouse (in the past), miscarriage, self harm, poisoning, blackmail
I was sold this as being a horror book set on the Titanic, and I was absolutely here for that. But while it IS set on the Titanic and it DOES have some horror elements, it's essentially just a historical fiction book split between the Titanic in 1912 and the Britannica in 1916. The horror elements took a while to show up in any kind of significant way, and I kept waiting for creepy moments to happen and for the horror vibes to really start freaking me out. And instead I just got chapter after chapter after CHAPTER of people being concerned about a baby and keeping secrets from each other.
And, like, I just didn't care??? The last...30%?...did pick up in pace and did start to get more tense and more creepy while also explaining WHY the creepiness etc was happening. But by that point it was kind of too little too late for me.
Ultimately, I think all of this is a Me Problem because I thought the book was going to be something vastly different to what I got. But yeah. This proved to be disappointing for me because I was REALLY excited about the idea of a horror book set on the Titanic, and while that's kind of what this was, it's also not in the slightest what this was. Sigh.
Merged review:
Trigger warnings: mass death, war, drowning, fire, drug use, death of a spouse (in the past), miscarriage, self harm, poisoning, blackmail
I was sold this as being a horror book set on the Titanic, and I was absolutely here for that. But while it IS set on the Titanic and it DOES have some horror elements, it's essentially just a historical fiction book split between the Titanic in 1912 and the Britannica in 1916. The horror elements took a while to show up in any kind of significant way, and I kept waiting for creepy moments to happen and for the horror vibes to really start freaking me out. And instead I just got chapter after chapter after CHAPTER of people being concerned about a baby and keeping secrets from each other.
And, like, I just didn't care??? The last...30%?...did pick up in pace and did start to get more tense and more creepy while also explaining WHY the creepiness etc was happening. But by that point it was kind of too little too late for me.
Ultimately, I think all of this is a Me Problem because I thought the book was going to be something vastly different to what I got. But yeah. This proved to be disappointing for me because I was REALLY excited about the idea of a horror book set on the Titanic, and while that's kind of what this was, it's also not in the slightest what this was. Sigh....more
Trigger warnings: aphobia, mentions of transphobia, animal death, shitty parenting, abusive relationship (in the past), miscommunication.
3.75 stars. Trigger warnings: aphobia, mentions of transphobia, animal death, shitty parenting, abusive relationship (in the past), miscommunication.
3.75 stars.
There was something generally delightful about how inclusive this was. There's all kinds of queer rep. There's racial diversity. If I remember correctly, there's at least one disabled character?? And there's a queer-platonic relationship between two of the secondary characters, which was great. Add in a Toronto setting and plenty of dancing, and I was here for this.
And yet, there was something about the awfulness of Evie's family that just didn't work for me. I totally understand her not being out, because asexuality requires explanation every damn time and sometimes it's just easier to...not. But they were SO aggressively awful that I honestly didn't know why she hadn't cut herself off from them completely.
So all in all, this was lovely but there was something about it that held me at arm's length.
Merged review:
Trigger warnings: aphobia, mentions of transphobia, animal death, shitty parenting, abusive relationship (in the past), miscommunication.
3.75 stars.
There was something generally delightful about how inclusive this was. There's all kinds of queer rep. There's racial diversity. If I remember correctly, there's at least one disabled character?? And there's a queer-platonic relationship between two of the secondary characters, which was great. Add in a Toronto setting and plenty of dancing, and I was here for this.
And yet, there was something about the awfulness of Evie's family that just didn't work for me. I totally understand her not being out, because asexuality requires explanation every damn time and sometimes it's just easier to...not. But they were SO aggressively awful that I honestly didn't know why she hadn't cut herself off from them completely.
So all in all, this was lovely but there was something about it that held me at arm's length....more
Content warnings: hospitalisation of a loved one, lying, death, organ donation, medical procedures, surgery
This is described as a cross between WeddinContent warnings: hospitalisation of a loved one, lying, death, organ donation, medical procedures, surgery
This is described as a cross between Wedding Crashers and Grey's Anatomy, and that hits the mark EXACTLY. I loved everything about this and I absolutely devoured it. ...more
Content warnings: death of a spouse (in the past), emotional abuse (in the past), physical injury to a child, alcohol abuse
You know that feeling when Content warnings: death of a spouse (in the past), emotional abuse (in the past), physical injury to a child, alcohol abuse
You know that feeling when you're reading really good fan fic and you have to stop and stare at the wall and be like "Goddamn, this is GOOD. Like, I don't think I've ever read an actual book with writing that makes me feel the emotions this fan fic does"? Yeah. This was that feeling in book form.
I loved every single second of this. I laughed. I cried. I kicked my little feet and giggled like a fool. I finished the book and immediately wanted to start it over again. Read it. That is all. ...more
Content warnings: homophobia, death of a parent, war, rape, religious bigotry, violence
I am left in the peculiar position of feeling that I might haveContent warnings: homophobia, death of a parent, war, rape, religious bigotry, violence
I am left in the peculiar position of feeling that I might have liked this book more than I did if I'd read it with my eyeballs and not my ears. This is not to say that I didn't like it - I did. It's a powerful story. It's an important story. But I feel like it didn't quite have the emotional impact that I anticipated it would have, and all I can think is that I listened to the audiobook and there were times when I got caught up in listening to the Nigerian accent the narrator assumed rather than the actual words she was saying??
That being said, I was still invested in the story. So...do with this information what you will. ...more
I saw this series recommended for people who like Veronica Speedwell and The Mummy (1999) so obviously I immediately Content warnings: theft, misogyny
I saw this series recommended for people who like Veronica Speedwell and The Mummy (1999) so obviously I immediately purchased both the first full book and this prequel. And it seemed sensible to start with the prequel. It was fast paced and I liked the characters and the interactions between them. The mystery/adventure/search for a missing artefact aspects of the story did at times feel a little rushed, but it's a novella so that's kind of par for the course. ...more
Content warnings: grief, death of a loved one (in the past), classism, emotional manipulation
3.5 stars
Look, I have to start with a complaint: this is Content warnings: grief, death of a loved one (in the past), classism, emotional manipulation
3.5 stars
Look, I have to start with a complaint: this is set in the 1880s. What the EVERLOVING FUCK is the cover model wearing???? It looks like something Amanda Bynes would have worn to the prom scene of an 2000s teen movie, right down to the cheesy tiara.
Anyway. The story was fine. The romance was charming. The story was, perhaps, a little less scandalous than the title promised, but on the whole I had fun with this. I don't know if I'll keep reading the series, but I'm definitely intrigued about the premise of the second one... ...more
Content warnings: death of a parent, kidnapping, theft, murder
3.5 stars
Look, it's been nearly six weeks since I finished this book and basically everyContent warnings: death of a parent, kidnapping, theft, murder
3.5 stars
Look, it's been nearly six weeks since I finished this book and basically everything about it has faded into the background other than how much I wanted to scream every time people referred to the protagonist by her full name. I will never know peace because I don't know if her surname is Yellan or if her name is Mary Ellen but poorly spelled. ...more
Content warnings: graphic medical emergencies, graphic medical procedures, graphic descriptions of death, blood, vomit, poop, pandemic, racism, classiContent warnings: graphic medical emergencies, graphic medical procedures, graphic descriptions of death, blood, vomit, poop, pandemic, racism, classism, ableism
Look, I went into this wanting to enjoy it. I kind of figured it would be an Aussie ambo's version of This Is Going To Hurt by Adam Kay - a scathing examination of the medical system with entertaining stories about patients along the way. And, like, it kind of WAS that? But it was also just deeply problematic to the point where the stories lost their entertainment value and just felt like someone with a severe case of burn out venting about their job.
On the positive side, I'll say that it was definitely eye opening to see some of the things that people call an ambulance for. And I absolutely agree that our ambos are extremely overworked and underpaid and they deserve better.
But.
Booth spends SO much time being derogatory towards the population of south western Sydney. He's derogatory towards ethnic minorities. Towards those experiencing poverty. Towards those with disabilities. He more or less verbatim says that people with fibromyalgia are all just junkies looking for their next hit of opiates. And then at the end of the book he lets slip that one of the most impactful stories he tells in the entire book was completely fabricated???
I just... Yeah. I could see the humour he intended. I just didn't find it funny (with the exception of the Foo Fighters song titles conversation. That was great).
Essentially, this book is completely lacking in empathy and I genuinely had to stop reading to look into an invisible camera, Jim Halpert style, when he argues that the safety of modern motor vehicles is a problem because it means paramedics don't get a chance to train on really BAD accidents.
So while I fully understand that people calling an ambulance for a blocked nose or a sniffle or a paper cut or whatever is extremely frustrating and a waste of ambulance time and resources, I don't think the level of bitterness and disgust Booth has towards the general population particularly endears the reader to his arguments. ...more
Trigger warnings: shitty parenting, death of a parent (in the past), car accident, tornadoes.
This is essentially Twister But Make It Gay. Except therTrigger warnings: shitty parenting, death of a parent (in the past), car accident, tornadoes.
This is essentially Twister But Make It Gay. Except there's less cows than in Twister. I read this cover to cover in under 90 minutes and I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. The relationship was super cute, the tornado chasing was fascinating, and the action side of things was as well handled as the romance side of things. And it definitely helped that Melbourne had high winds and threatening skies while I read this!
Merged review:
Trigger warnings: shitty parenting, death of a parent (in the past), car accident, tornadoes.
This is essentially Twister But Make It Gay. Except there's less cows than in Twister. I read this cover to cover in under 90 minutes and I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. The relationship was super cute, the tornado chasing was fascinating, and the action side of things was as well handled as the romance side of things. And it definitely helped that Melbourne had high winds and threatening skies while I read this!...more
Trigger warnings: traumatic childhood, (view spoiler)[fire (in the past), death of a sibling (in the past) (hide spoiler)].
I enjoyed this more than thTrigger warnings: traumatic childhood, (view spoiler)[fire (in the past), death of a sibling (in the past) (hide spoiler)].
I enjoyed this more than the first book in the series, and I think a lot of that comes down to Diana, the bluestocking inventor and her determination to find a market for her products. The dynamic between her and Aidan was delightful, and I loved his perseverance to solve a mystery from his past. And I loved both of them realising that what they thought they needed in life isn't what they need at all.
On the whole, this was a solid way to finish out my reading in 2020.
Merged review:
Trigger warnings: traumatic childhood, (view spoiler)[fire (in the past), death of a sibling (in the past) (hide spoiler)].
I enjoyed this more than the first book in the series, and I think a lot of that comes down to Diana, the bluestocking inventor and her determination to find a market for her products. The dynamic between her and Aidan was delightful, and I loved his perseverance to solve a mystery from his past. And I loved both of them realising that what they thought they needed in life isn't what they need at all.
On the whole, this was a solid way to finish out my reading in 2020....more
Content warnings: war, genocide, death of a sibling, grief, gun violence, blood, fire, child sexual abuse, PTSD, racism, xenophobia
I absolutely flew tContent warnings: war, genocide, death of a sibling, grief, gun violence, blood, fire, child sexual abuse, PTSD, racism, xenophobia
I absolutely flew through this in like an hour and a half. It's extremely hard hitting, and while I do wish there had been slightly more dedicated to the non-US based portions of her life and also slightly more dedicated to the photography project she worked on. But on the while, this was a compelling read and I'm glad I picked it up. ...more
I don't know what I expected going into tContent warnings: murder, misogyny, racism, homophobia, mentions of drug/alcohol abuse, gaslighting, classism
I don't know what I expected going into this, but I didn't anticipate that the plot would be as murder mystery oriented as it was. Don't get me wrong, I definitely enjoyed the murder mystery! I just expected the romance would be more front and centre than it was for some reason. Which, now that I think about the Charles books I've read in the past, seems somewhat foolish.
Anyway, this was fun and I had a charming time with it, despite the murder. Would read again. ...more
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