Tag: Book Review

#TopTenTuesday: Characters That Remind Me of Myself

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Welcome back to another Top Ten Tuesday! This meme was created by The Broke and the Bookish and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in 2018. Today’s prompt is: characters that remind me of myself. This week’s prompt is actually quite tough for me to answer and I wasn’t sure I could come up with a list. It’s not uncommon for me to stumble upon bookish characters I relate to but I am now struggling to remember exactly which books and characters I felt that way about! I’ve decided to loosely interpret this prompt, so here’s what I’ve come up with…

  • ★★★★☆
  • ★★★★☆

Roxane Gay, Hunger: A Memoir of My Body by Roxane Gay. Do real people count in this list? Because I’m counting Roxane Gay. I didn’t have the same harrowing experience as her as a child, but it’s like she plucked the thoughts and emotions right out of me in regards to how she sees, thinks and feels about her body and more importantly, how society sees and thinks we should feel about our bodies.

Hannah Martin, Maybe In Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I recognized and connected to Hannah’s character from the moment she’s introduced. We’re roughly the same age and her confusion about what she wants to do in life and trying to find the place to call home really resonated with me as someone who has moved around a lot in my life.

Unnamed Narrator, Chemistry by Wieke Wang. As an Asian girl, I related so much to how the unnamed narrator navigated her way through parental expectations, and letting herself choose her own path, rather the one expected of her. This experience is something I went through as well.

Nina Zenik, The Shadow & Bone Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. Basically, her love for food and how unabashed she was about it. I love food so much and I don’t care who knows it!

Belle, In Bed With the Beast (The Naughty Princess Club #2) by Tara Sivec. I saw myself in the quiet, nerdy book girl who has a close relationship with her family and who is so eager to please them, while also trying to find a way to step out and discover herself. I also related to how she transforms from this quiet girl to someone who takes no crap from anyone, especially when standing up for the ones she loves most.

Ariel Waters, Kiss the Girl (The Naughty Princess Club #3) by Tara Sivec. She uses her brash and bold persona to cover up her insecurities that actually really run deep, which really reminds me a lot of how I can act sometimes (okay, a lot of the times).

Daniel Gold, The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin. Daniel has a deep love for his family but he is also unable to appropriately express himself and his feelings, which is something I struggle with too sometimes. I saw myself in his quiet, serious character whose family sees as very put together.

Griffin, History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera. I saw myself in Griffin’s sentimental character, and his experience of heartbreak and loss, as well as his fear of change and letting go of the past to move forward.

Quinn, All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover. I can’t relate to what Quinn experienced in her marriage, but I did relate very much to her internal processing of her experience. It’s so easy to fake being happy and to dance the “everything-is-okay” dance, rather than to be open about your thoughts and emotions. It’s not the most positive trait but how she kept everything she was going through inside of her really reminded me of how I used to deal with my mental health.

Lois Clary, Sourdough by Robin Sloan. I could really relate to her thoughts in terms of wondering at being a part of something more; something significant and important. I think that’s what we all go through in our 20s, 30s (and well, some even longer), especially as we finish university and start looking for a job and try to find more meaning in our lives.

Wow, this was a tough one to answer! What characters remind you of yourself? If you’ve done a TTT post for today’s prompt drop your link in the comments!

Book Review: All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover

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Goodreads: All Your Perfects
Genre: Romance, Contemporary Fiction, New Adult
Rating: ★★★★½

Quinn and Graham’s perfect love is threatened by their imperfect marriage. The memories, mistakes, and secrets that they have built up over the years are now tearing them apart. The one thing that could save them might also be the very thing that pushes their marriage beyond the point of repair.All Your Perfects is a profound novel about a damaged couple whose potential future hinges on promises made in the past. This is a heartbreaking page-turner that asks: Can a resounding love with a perfect beginning survive a lifetime between two imperfect people?

The minute I started this book I knew that there was no way that I was putting it down until I read the final word. Turns out, I was very right. I started reading late Friday evening and finished the book around 4:00AM Saturday. I wasn’t prepared for the onslaught of feelings I experienced reading this, but I shouldn’t have been surprised because Colleen Hoover has a knack for eliciting those strong emotions and reactions with her stories.

“If you only shine light on your flaws, all your perfects will dim.”

All Your Perfects is a romance story of a marriage that’s full of love, miscommunication, and heartbreak. CoHo depicts a very real relationship struggle that perhaps many married couples who long to be parents can relate to. The story opens up to an uncomfortable and painfully heartbreaking situation involving Quinn and Graham. Do you believe in fate or soul mates? I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned this a few times now but being a hopeless romantic, as much as I think I don’t want to believe it, I do. I love the idea that someone(s) out there is made for you. The story alternates between then, when they first meet, how they get together and their really beautiful friendship and love. (I know I sounded really corny just then but their relationship was great, okay?) We also get the now and while the love is still there, these chapters are full of unbearable anguish, heartbreak and loneliness, as Quinn and Graham are reaching the breaking point in their marriage because they are unable to get pregnant.

This novel sheds light on an issue that isn’t normally openly discussed: infertility. Being single and falling on the side of not wanting children, I wasn’t sure that I’d be able to relate to the story or the characters. Of course that was true to a certain extent because I can’t even begin to imagine what it would feel like to continuously try and not succeed in having a baby. How people can be so insensitive to such things. How the pressure you put on yourself to make it happen can make you question your worth and your purpose. However, CoHo writes her characters, their emotions and experiences in such a way that is so palpable, it doesn’t matter what your status is or whether you want a child or not, you can feel Quinn’s anguish, fear and feelings of inadequacy, as well as Graham’s constant love, pain and longing. I actually learned a lot from reading this.

This isn’t a perfect love story between two flawless characters. While I admittedly fell in love with Graham’s character from the start, there was a point where I wanted to hurl my Kindle across the room because of something his character did, and frankly, at that point, I was sure I hated him. Quinn’s character was also so mired in her depression at not being able to conceive that it was often so painful to continue reading. But their relationship was what made them even more real. While the story ultimately ends predictably, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of it; in fact, how they endure the struggles and the very dark points, and managed to find a way back to themselves made me love this story even more. I thought CoHo did a great job tying in the missing pieces between now and then to deliver a beautiful conclusion. Let me tell you, the last 20% of the book really had my water works flowing on overtime!

This was such a touching story and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Also, can I please, please, please have a Graham in my life? K, thanks.

Have you read All Your Perfects or is it on your TBR?
Are you a CoHo fan? What’s your favourite CoHo book?

Book Review: Pride by Ibi Zoboi

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Goodreads: Pride
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Fiction, Retelling, Romance
Rating: ★★★½

Zuri Benitez has pride. Brooklyn pride, family pride, and pride in her Afro-Latino roots. But pride might not be enough to save her rapidly gentrifying neighborhood from becoming unrecognizable. When the wealthy Darcy family moves in across the street, Zuri wants nothing to do with their two teenage sons, even as her older sister, Janae, starts to fall for the charming Ainsley. She especially can’t stand the judgmental and arrogant Darius. Yet as Zuri and Darius are forced to find common ground, their initial dislike shifts into an unexpected understanding. But with four wild sisters pulling her in different directions, cute boy Warren vying for her attention, and college applications hovering on the horizon, Zuri fights to find her place in Bushwick’s changing landscape, or lose it all.

I was ready to love this book but I thought it just fell a bit short for me. Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy reading this remix of one of my favorite novels (of all time), but I couldn’t quite relate with the characters and I was left wanting a deeper connection to the story. However, I do think that Zoboi did an amazing job of illustrating Bushwick and Brooklyn, and the changing times in those neighbourhoods, and I especially appreciated how the Haitian-Dominican culture of the Benitez family was so well-woven into the storyline. It’s such an important part of Zuri Benitez’s character, and I loved that you could really feel how much pride she had in her roots and heritage. Seeing Bushwick through Zuri’s eyes brought out the vibrancy of her block and the people living in it. It’s been a while since I’ve read a re-telling of this classic, so it was exciting for me to see how Zoboi would shape the story and it was a delight to see how the various characters appeared in this remix.

I thought the writing was done well and my favorite parts to read were Zuri’s poetry! They’re such good poems and I think they spoke more to me as a reader than the full narrative. These poems made me wish that I was listening to the audiobook because they were so powerful and I can imagine how much more impactful it would be hearing them spoken out loud.

While Zuri’s voice was quite distinct and she embodied the “Liz” character well, I often found myself getting frustrated and annoyed at her prideful behaviour. Though I understand that her attitude came from a place of fear and anger at the changes going on around her, I couldn’t help thinking that it came across as petty and spiteful a lot of the time, and that her inability to look past her fear was what made her character growth quite slow. The frustration with her attitude was what made this read less enjoyable for me. One of my favorite characters was Madrina, who reminded me of Blix, who is one of my favorite characters from Matchmaking for Beginners. They had such matronly auras that soothed, comforted and left you feeling like everything was going to be okay. Zuri’s strong bond with Madrina was also a defining trait of her character and I think ultimately it’s because of her wisdom that Zuri’s character growth really pushed forward. I was also hoping to learn more about Darius’ character and for him to have more character growth but as it is, he really felt more like just a romantic bystander in Zuri’s story, and this also took a bit out of the romance between them.

Overall, this was an enjoyable coming-of-age romance that portrayed modern day issues of socioeconomic change, class and cultural identity very well. It had a believably sweet and satisfying ending to Zuri and Darius’ story. I’m glad that I read it and I’m looking forward to reading other books by Ibi Zoboi, especially American Street!

Have you read Pride or is it on your TBR? What’d you think of it?
What are some of your favourite Pride and Prejudice retellings?

Sundays In Bed With… My #WeeklyWrapUp! [03]

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The Sundays In Bed With… meme dares to ask you what book has been in your bed this morning! This meme is hosted by Midnight Book Girl. Come share what book you’ve been you’ve spent time curled up reading in bed with, or which book you wish you had time to read today!

I’ve spent my Sunday literally in bed and even though I feel a little guilty about the on-off napping/reading, I’ve been getting such lousy sleep last week, I guess my body really needed it? To be fair, my weird ass woke up at 7:30AM (on a Sunday!) and I jumped out of bed thinking it was well into the afternoon; I hate waking up feeling so disoriented! Since I couldn’t get back to sleep, I let myself laze for a long as I wanted, browsing through bookstagram, blogs, and eventually picking up Little Darlings again. I won’t lie, this book is giving me next level anxiety feels and I’m getting frustrated with the MC, which is making it difficult to get into the book. I’m only 42% in and I don’t want to get creepy feelings when I get back in bed tonight, so I’ll leave it until tomorrow.

What are you currently reading?

It’s also that time to share my weekly wrap up! I think it’s been a pretty decent blogging week. I still haven’t really had much opportunity to diversify my blog posts outside of the regular weekly memes and occasional reviews because the work days have been long and my brain is mush by the time I get back; and I still haven’t mastered the art of writing my posts ahead of time 😅 So in case you’ve missed them, here are my posts from the past week:

First Impression Friday & The Friday 56: Little Darlings
Review: Normal People by Sally Rooney
WWW Wednesday: 24 April
Top Ten Tuesday: The First Ten Books I Reviewed
Mini Reviews Monday with A Lost Man, A Summer Friendship & Naughty Princesses!

This week I also watched Avengers: Endgame and let me tell you, my feelings were not ready to be so thoroughly fcked with. I was bawling my eyes out along with about 90% of the movie theater and when the lights came on and the credits started rolling, we all stood up and started clapping and cheering. It was a moment. After catching a morning showing, I walked through the rest of the day like a zombie–I was so emotionally drained! I had to do some major retail therapy to distract myself from my drowning emotions, so I guess that was a perk, but it didn’t really work because I couldn’t stop thinking about that ending! What a journey… Have you watched Endgame yet?

Hope everyone had a great week and a fun weekend! Can you believe it’s Sunday already? Here we go Monday… Have a great week ahead!

Book Review: Normal People by Sally Rooney

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Goodreads: Normal People
Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Panda Rating:

(4 pandas)

Connell and Marianne grow up in the same small town in rural Ireland. The similarities end there; they are from very different worlds. When they both earn places at Trinity College in Dublin, a connection that has grown between them lasts long into the following years.

This is an exquisite love story about how a person can change another person’s life – a simple yet profound realisation that unfolds beautifully over the course of the novel. It tells us how difficult it is to talk about how we feel and it tells us – blazingly – about cycles of domination, legitimacy and privilege. Alternating menace with overwhelming tenderness, Sally Rooney’s second novel breathes fiction with new life. 

CW/TW: major depression, self-harm and suicidal thoughts, depictions of physical and sexual abuse, questionable consent, bondage.

This has been difficult to review because I was so prepared to dislike it only to end up really enjoying it. After reading both of her novels, Rooney’s writing style is very clear to me — simple, not very descriptive, astute observations about people, deep shuddering thoughts, lack of punctuation for speech. It’s not for everybody, and I know when I read Conversations with Friends, it was one of the things I really disliked; I felt nothing when I was ready to feel everything! Normal People was written in the same way, her characters even had similar attributes, and yet, I still managed to enjoy it way more than I could the former. I’m not even sure I can tell you why besides the fact the characters were much more likable but I’m quite thrilled to be proven wrong about not liking this!

I’m trying hard to articulate my thoughts in a way that flows well, but I’m finding it really tough because of the mood the book has left me in. There are some mild spoilers in this review but it’s quite difficult to write something without giving away some of the interactions. So the first thing that comes to mind is that it made me feel profoundly sad and slightly depressed (the CW at the bottom of this post is no joke, especially if you’re a sensitive reader like me). I don’t think it’s bad that the book made me feel this way but please consider this when you’re deciding to read it or not. I actually liked it because of how deeply I connected to the emotions and how I came to care for them so much; I was really invested in Connell and Marianne, which made it a more difficult but enjoyable read. If you can’t tell, I had lots of contradicting thoughts and feelings about it but simply put: I really liked it and I think it will stay with me for a while.

There’s not much of a plot or storyline to the book. As I mentioned above, Rooney’s style is very simple and her writing is a contrasting mix of detachment and very deep and intense feeling. At times this was such a painful read because the story was so packed with dark and heavy emotions but there was also an apathy to the text. I often had the urge to scream or cry because of how honest the writing was. Rooney created such raw and real characters with them and I completely empathize with what they went through. They are far from perfect but that’s also part of what made them more likable.

The book follows Marianne and Connell as they go from high school in a small Irish town to college in Dublin. In their hometown, Connell is middle class and extremely popular. Marianne is rich but considered a freak and is frequently bullied. When Marianne and Connell strike up a friends-with-benefits arrangement, they both agree to not act differently in public (i.e. they continue to ignore the other’s existence) but they find solace in their relationship and realize it’s when they can most be themselves. The book is a character study of these two very dysfunctional young people who can’t step out of each other’s orbits, no matter how far apart they go, but who can never summon the courage to be honest with their feelings for each other. The nature of their on-again-off-again relationship goes through so many repetitive cycles of friendship and romance, and even though their dependency and willingness to indulge the other was often unhealthy and problematic, you can’t help but feel invested in and comforted by what they have.

They are both mired in their own depressions but for different reasons and to varying degrees. Class and social status play a defining role in their relationship, with one always feeling like they’re less adjusted, more awkward, less popular, and more alone than the other. Marianne’s is an all consuming emptiness that’s (self)perpetuated by her masochism. Unlike Connell she doesn’t seek anyone’s approval but she has deep seated issues with playing a role that confirms her own views of how she fits in. There were so many times where I felt frustrated with her character and the decisions she’d make, but at the same time, I longed to help her. I was hoping that she would’ve experienced more growth by the end, but in a way it was also fitting that she didn’t because it meant keeping the cycle going. Connell’s character was also far from perfect, but he grew a lot throughout the novel and I found I enjoyed experiencing it. Seeing him go from this awful character in high school who was so consumed by what others thought of him that he treated Marianne like trash, to confronting his depression and anxiety and learning to be more communicative was very rewarding. I don’t think he was with Marianne for the right reason — the “hero complex” was strong with this one — but I do think he was the most honest with himself with her, and that her support really helped him grow. Even if he very much used their relationship to satisfy his own ego.

One of the main frustrations I had was the epic miscommunication between the two. The misunderstandings between what they were saying and what they heard was so infuriating. Oftentimes they never really listened to each other. Yet time and again, they’d fall back together and I’d be there cheering them on; feeling hopeful that they’ve grown enough to overcome their distrust and problems, and to finally FINALLY find happiness with each other.

This would’ve been a five star read for me but several reasons, especially the ambiguous ending, brought it down to a four. Can I please reiterate how much I don’t like these types of open-ended conclusions where it feels the characters are cut off mid-thought or action? I wasn’t ready for the book to end when it did and the abruptness left me full of angst over all the ‘unfinished business’.

SPOILER THOUGHTS

In a way I do understand why Rooney left it like that because both characters, Marianne especially, still had a lot to overcome between themselves for there to be a happy ending, and that’s if there ever could be one between them. It really hurt to see how Marianne accepted the happiness that Connell brought into her life over the last several months, but was so quickly willing to let it go due in large part (I believe) to her masochism and how she feels the only time she is worth anything is if she’s feeling pain. It’s very sad, and again perpetuates the cycle between the two, but I think of how Marianne feels he won’t come back and I do believe that if Connell leaves he will find a better life for himself on the other side of the pond.

END SPOILER THOUGHTS

Sorry for the ramble 😬Have you read Normal People or Rooney’s debut, Conversations with Friends? If you read either of them, I’d be curious to know your thoughts!

#WWWWednesday: 24 April 2019

Dini @ dinipandareads5 Comments

We’ve come to the last Wednesday of April! I’ve seen a lot of people posting about trying to fit in their last few reads for the month and I am too! I think it’s been a pretty decent reading month though and I think it might even be comparable to March! Hope everyone has been going well with their April reads too! But without further ado, let’s get back to it… It’s time for another WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words, which means I’ll be talking about:

  1. What did you read last?
  2. What are you currently reading?
  3. What will you read next?

What did you read last?

Monstress, Vol. 3: Haven (Monstress #3) by Marjorie M. Liu. I discovered this gem earlier last year when I started exploring graphic novels. If you can’t tell by the name and the cover, it’s a pretty dark tale. Set in a matriarchal 1900s steam-punk Asia, the story is full of violence, magic, and supernatural monsters. While the story is still a little bit confusing, the world building is mind-blowing and the artwork by Sana Takeda is so beautifully gothic. We follow Maika Halfwolf, who’s on the run from coalition forces and who embarks on a journey to learn about her late mother’s secrets, and to learn how to cope with the monster living inside her. If you don’t mind a bit of a twisted gorey read, I would definitely recommend this to you!

What are you currently reading?

Normal People by Sally Rooney. When this book exploded on my bookstagram feed earlier this month, I was quite hesitant to pick it up because of how I felt about Rooney’s debut novel, Conversations with Friends. It was one of my least favorite reads last year and it left me feeling angry and full of discomfort, and I was sure that I wouldn’t pick up another of Rooney’s books again (a big statement, I know). So when I was facing my two-book hangover last week and picked this up on a whim, I didn’t think it would be the one to pull me in, but I was hooked from the start! It’s honestly shaping up to be one of my favorite reads so far this year, although it should come with a trigger warning for major depression, suicidal thoughts, depictions of physical and sexual abuse, and consent.

I’ve also started The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides on the side. I’m only a few chapters in but I can sense that this is going to be a thrilling and fast read that will be keeping me on my toes until the very end! This is another book that’s been very hyped everywhere, so I’m hoping it’ll live up to my expectations!

What will you read next?

One of the books I am going to stop waffling over and will definitely be picking up at the weekend is the e-ARC for Little Darlings by Melanie Golding. When I requested to read this on Netgalley, there was no mention in the description that it would a supernatural thriller, otherwise I probably wouldn’t have requested it. Supernatural horror is really not my jam. I’m not even gonna lie, I’m weak like that and I’m absolutely okay with it, so the thought of reading this is making my imagination jump from 0-100 and I’m basically just shit scared. Hopefully it won’t be as bad as I think but best believe I’ll be reading this under the full light of day and I’m aiming to finish it before sundown!

Have you read any of these or are you planning to?
What are you currently reading? 🙂

Sundays In Bed With… My #WeeklyWrapUp! [02]

Dini @ dinipandareads4 Comments

The Sundays In Bed With… meme dares to ask you what book has been in your bed this morning! This meme is hosted by Midnight Book Girl. Come share what book you’ve been you’ve spent time curled up reading in bed with, or which book you wish you had time to read today!

Fellow book friends, I’ve been suffering heavily from an intense two book hangover and it’s all absolutely Jane Harper’s fault! After finishing The Dry, I immediately started The Lost Man as part of an instagram group read hosted by @travelingfriendsreads, and I devoured it faster than I did her debut. My whole being is basically stuck in the Australian Outback and it is with great reluctance that I even think about leaving. As a result, I’ve been heading fast into a spiraling slump and before that actually happens, I’ve tried picking up several books in the hopes that one of them will bring it to a halt! How do you get past a book hangover?! All tips and recommendations much appreciated! This Sunday I’ve been in bed with… these lovelies:

What are you currently reading?

On that note, I thought I’d share my weekly wrap up of posts from this week, just in case you missed any! It’s been a pretty mediocre blogging week, but I hope to pick up with more reviews in the coming week!

Review: The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley
Top Ten Tuesday: Rainy Day Reads
WWW Wednesday
Review: The Dry by Jane Harper

Also, before I forget, if you’re part of the bookstagram community on Instagram, I’m hosting my first international giveaway to celebrate 700 followers! I’m quite excited about it because I honestly never thought 50 people would even follow me, let alone 700 people! My mind is a little blown, and my heart is very happy! Check out my post below if you’d like to enter for a chance to win!😊Happy Sunday, book friends 🥰

Book Review: The Dry by Jane Harper

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Goodreads: The Dry
Genre: Crime, Mystery/Thriller
Rating: ★★★★★

In the grip of the worst drought in a century, the farming community of Kiewarra is facing life and death choices daily when three members of a local family are found brutally slain. Federal Police investigator Aaron Falk reluctantly returns to his hometown for the funeral of his childhood friend, loath to face the townsfolk who turned their backs on him twenty years earlier. But as questions mount, Falk is forced to probe deeper into the deaths of the Hadler family. Because Falk and Luke Hadler shared a secret. A secret Falk thought was long buried. A secret Luke’s death now threatens to bring to the surface in this small Australian town, as old wounds in bleed into new ones.

Let me start of by saying WOW I absolutely loved this book. There’s something about reading a story based in a country I used to live in for six incredible years that has struck a very nostalgic chord in me. I’m surrounded by a lot of Australians here in Bali, so it’s not like I’ve missed the accent or the people or anything like that. Granted, I was also as city as you could get living and studying in Melbourne, but reading about the outback and the environment really brought out a familiar sense of longing for a home that I’ve missed. It’s a feeling I haven’t felt in years! …And with that little bout of nostalgia out of the way, let’s get to the review! 😬

With this book, Jane Harper has written such a spectacular story that drew me in completely from the start with her riveting and hypnotic prose. It’s definitely a slow burn murder mystery, so if you’re expecting a fast paced thriller, this isn’t for you; but the journey was so worth it! What impressed me the most were her descriptions of the punishing temperatures of the Australian outback. The pervasive drought that struck Kiewarra, the small Australian farming town where the story is set, and the surrounding area has sucked all the moisture out of the ground and most of the life out of its citizens. There’s a sluggishness and desperation in the people that’s been created as a result of their environment, and never has a spotless blue sky been so agonizing and terrifying. There’s no escape from the dry heat that seeks you out through every small crack and crevice. Harper has created an almost tangible atmosphere with her vivid descriptions, which serve to add to the sense of wrongness that surrounds the town, and it is woven so brilliantly through all parts of the story.

“To look out and see not another soul between you and the horizon could be a strange and disturbing sight.”

The characters were complex with interesting backstories. There were those with the typical small town mentality, the usual assholes and douchebags, and the few good guys that made the town more bearable, which contributed to understanding what living in such a small ‘town’ would feel like; where everyone knows each other and incidents from twenty years ago are still deeply etched in memories. I found myself really invested in Aaron Falk’s character. His backstory and past connection to the town was so compelling, and it created such a well of sympathy in me for him. I just really wanted to reach out and give him a hug most of the time (lol). Also, unpopular opinion time but I also found myself liking Luke’s character. There were times I’d find reading about his attitude disturbing, but there was a magnetism and charm in the way that Harper wrote him that made his character so appealing. Both sides of Luke’s person was painted so vividly, that it was easy to understand how quickly people could demonize him, but also be so enthralled by his attention. I loved how Harper’s characters really came to life for me, and made me feel connected to them.

“He stood on shaky legs, his vision blurred, as all around the cockatoos whirled and screamed into the scorching red sky. Alone, in that monstrous wound, Falk put his face in his hands and, just once, screamed himself.”

The big reveal was something that I honestly didn’t see coming. Maybe I’m just really bad at figuring out the whodunnits in thrillers? But I think with about 80% of the thrillers I read, it’s usually pretty predictable. Even though at one point I pretty much suspected everyone Falk came into contact with, the culprit took me so much by surprised that it was refreshing to be fully thrown by it! Even if you might’ve figured out the who, I’m not sure you would’ve figured out the why. It literally had me exclaiming in shock while reading on my lunch break—you can bet my colleagues found my reactions amusing. The pace in the last 30% of the book really sped up and rapidly fed detail after detail of the reveal that had me racing through to get to the finish. In the end, the conclusion to the story was pretty satisfying and gave me a sense of peace knowing the truth of what happened, and that it would be brought to light so that after 20 years, justice could finally be served.

If it isn’t clear by now, I was completely taken with this book. The characters, the setting, and the story all made this a consuming, thrilling and unputdownable read. Harper was able to create one of the most atmospheric works I’ve ever had the pleasure to read and it’s really hard to believe this was her debut novel. It makes me so excited to find out what else she has in store for us with Force of Nature and The Lost Man (which I’m currently reading and equally loving!). I have no doubt that this will be one of my top reads this year and if all her books get the same reaction from me, it’s safe to say Jane Harper has made it onto my auto buy authors list!

Have you read The Dry or is it on your TBR? I’d love to know your thoughts!

Book Review: The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley

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Goodreads: The Hunting Party
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Rating: ★★★★☆

EVERYONE’S INVITED. 
EVERYONE’S A SUSPECT.
In a remote hunting lodge, deep in the Scottish wilderness, old friends gather for New Year.
The beautiful one
The golden couple
The volatile one
The new parents
The quiet one
The city boy
The outsider

The victim.
Not an accident – a murder among friends.

I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to finish this book because once I picked it up and the ball got rolling, I didn’t want to put it down. It didn’t take long for me to warm up to the story and I was quickly intrigued by the dynamics within this group of friends who’ve known each other since uni. The more I learned about them, the more I wanted to find out what went down. From the beginning it wasn’t difficult to sense that something wasn’t right within the group and that there was a lot of awkward tension between a few of them. This tension was only heightened as the group arrived at their holiday destination: an isolated area in the Scottish Highlands located hours away from the closest train station. The setting was painted beautifully by Lucy Foley; it was eerie and haunting, and really set the tone for a juicy thriller! Surrounded by endless snow and the wilderness, and far removed from the closest hints of civilization, you could feel how the environment added to the idea that something sinister was waiting just around the corner.

The story was told in alternating narratives between three of the friends and the two outsiders who managed the luxurious lodge. I didn’t particularly gravitate towards any of the characters because many of them had pretty nasty personalities, maybe except for Nick and Bo, as they seemed the most harmless and least nasty of the group. While not liking any of the characters would normally put me off a book, it didn’t take away any enjoyment from my reading this one. There’s something horrifying and fascinating to read about how friendships can become so bitter and competitive over time, and without any party willing to acknowledge it, it only got worse and worse.

The writing was compelling and although this wasn’t as fast-paced a thriller as I expected it to be, it was definitely a page turner. After a certain point it wasn’t difficult to tell who the victim was, especially with all the tension and animosity this person created within the group. On the other hand, it wasn’t as obvious to me who the killer was, although many readers said that it was clear from the start. I guess I just didn’t read into all the signs enough but I was happy with trying to figure it out throughout the novel. It kept the pace going at a good speed, which otherwise might have been slightly tedious because there was a lot of backstory. While I usually like backstory to support character development, a lot of flashbacks to their uni days and much of the internal dialogue was very bitter and full of envy and made me feel squirmy. But that was probably the point!

There were some flaws with how the story concluded that left me feeling baffled, but I obviously won’t go into detail about those. I will say that those scenes were unbelievable and it was irritating to think of the book ending on such a weak note. Overall though, I think the author did a great job of bringing the storylines and the narratives together. This book really made me think about how well you really know “your people” especially when you believe you’re the one who knows them best.

Essentially I think this quote sums the story up quite well:

“But that’s the thing about old friends, isn’t it? Sometimes they don’t even realise that they no longer have anything in common. That maybe they don’t even like each other any more.”


On Friday I wrote a First Impressions post where I predicted whether I’d like this book and what I’d rate it, and I’m happy to say that I was spot on!

Have you read The Hunting Party? Did you love it or was it a let down?
Let me know in the comments below and let’s chat books 🙂

ARC Review: Don’t Even Breathe by Keith Haughton

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Goodreads: Don’t Even Breathe
Publish date: 18 April 2019
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Florida homicide detective Maggie Novak has seen hundreds of brutal murder cases, but when she is called out to investigate the charred remains of a young woman, in what appears to be a Halloween prank gone wrong, she is confronted with a twenty-year-old secret. The body is formally identified as that of school counselor Dana Cullen, but a distinguishing mark makes Maggie look again. She believes it is the body of her school friend Rita, who perished in a fire twenty years ago. Maggie’s hunt for the truth behind the murder takes her back to a cruel high school trick she’s desperate to forget. And when another body turns up, Maggie realizes she too may be the target of a sinister plot creeping toward its final act. Maggie needs emotional distance to do her job, but she’s so close to this case that she can’t even breathe. Will Maggie be able to uncover the truth of who wanted Rita dead? Or will her past mistakes catch up with her first?

Don’t Even Breathe was more of a slow burn murder mystery than a fast paced thriller. I don’t know if I would even consider this a thriller but the element of mystery was thick throughout the whole novel. The writing style was simple but engaging and it hooked me in from the first chapter; however, Maggie’s narrative was filled with heavy introspection that often times brought the pace down to a crawl. From the beginning, you get the sense that the plot is more complex than what it seems on the surface, and I was constantly left wondering how the different storylines would tie in together.

Maggie’s character was very intense. She was a typical detective, strong and determined with her focus reserved solely for work, and who allowed herself little to no time for a social life. While I found most of her relationships–whether with her boyfriend or father–to be strained and a little detached, I really enjoyed her partnership with Loomis and I thought they made a great team. His character brought a welcome levity to the story and I looked forward to the more active scenes that involved him, and less of Maggie’s inner dialogue. For much of the novel, there were hints of a terrible incident in her teen years that changed everything in her life and was (what she believed to be) the cause of all the ensuing devastation. This was so built up that when the incident was explained, I was disappointed with its execution–it was vague and patchy and fell short of my expectations.

I don’t know if I was entirely convinced of her detective work, it seemed that half the time a second party would be filling in the blanks and connecting the dots for her. But what I found most surprising (and a little irritating) was that, for as great a detective as she was claimed to be, she didn’t realize how her theory of ‘whodunit’ made very little sense. Everything clicked for me at the 80% mark and although the showdown itself felt a bit rushed, I thought Keith Houghton did a good job pulling it all together for a reveal that was a little surprising but not entirely unpredictable. It’s a good lesson in how certain acts in high school, particularly related to bullying, can spread its poison well into adulthood.

This was my first read by Keith Houghton and while it was filled with the typical elements of a detective murder mystery, I enjoyed it enough to be want to pick up another of his books. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publishers Thomas & Mercer for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

Does “Don’t Even Breathe” sound like a book you’d be interested in reading? It’s out on 18 April 2019 so be on the lookout for that awesome cover!