Review: Kingdom of the Wicked (#1) by Kerri Maniscalco

On February 11, 2021February 7, 2021 By Beth JonesIn Book Review4 Comments

Emilia and her twin sister Victoria are streghe – witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night, Victoria misses dinner service at the family’s renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin…desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to discover who did this, and to seek vengeance at any cost—even if it means using dark magic that’s been long forbidden.
Then Emilia meets Wrath, the outlier among the seven demon brethren, always choosing duty over pleasure. He’s been tasked by his master with investigating a series of women’s murders on the island. When Emilia and Wrath’s fates collide, it’s clear this disturbing mystery will take a bewitching turn…

This book was so different to Stalking Jack the Ripper, Kerri Maniscalco’s other book series. Although of course, she couldn’t resist making this series also focused on a murder! The setting of this book is completely different, as it is set in Italy around a monastery and a restaurant, and I really enjoyed the atmosphere. I adore books about food and as the main character Emilia works in her family’s restaurant, there is no lack of food discussions. I just find that when written well, they really draw me into the story and make the book feel very real and tangible, which I loved.

After Emilia’s sister was brutally murdered, she discovered her sister had been tampering with dark magic. I really loved the magic system, which felt unique and creative with the different witches and demons across this story. The relationship Emilia had with Wrath and the other demons was so enticing and enthralling to read about. Kerri Maniscalco knows how to write a dark and mysterious love interest!

Love is the most powerful magic.

Personally, I loved the mystery element almost as much as those in the Stalking Jack the Ripper series. I didn’t guess the killer, but I wasn’t shocked to find out who the killer was, if that makes sense. I don’t tend to try to guess the killer in books like this, but it definitely did feel a little more obvious than in the Stalking Jack the Ripper series.

However, I really enjoyed the plot in general and oh my gosh, that ending was so good! It left on such a cliffhanger and I can’t wait for the next book in the series. My only complaint about this book was I just felt quite a disconnect from the characters. I think this may come from going straight from Stalking Jack the Ripper to Kingdom of the Wicked but I just felt I struggled to relate or connect to Emilia and Wrath after loving Thomas and Audrey Rose so much.

Above all else, remember that. It will always guide you where you need to go.

Overall, I enjoyed this but it was the kind of book you read and think other people will enjoy it a little more than you did. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series, it just wasn’t perfect for me!

★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

www.etsy.com/uk/shop/thebooksareverywhere

Review: The Guest List by Lucy Foley

On February 9, 2021February 9, 2021 By Beth JonesIn Book Review6 Comments

Goodreads | Waterstones

On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. It’s a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed.
As the festivities begin, resentments and petty jealousies begin to mingle with the reminiscences and well wishes. The groomsmen begin the drinking game from their school days. The bridesmaid not-so-accidentally ruins her dress. The bride’s oldest (male) friend gives an uncomfortably caring toast.
And then someone turns up dead. Who didn’t wish the happy couple well? And perhaps more important, why?

I’m not normally one to go for thrillers. But in the spirit of reading outside of my comfort zone, and after hearing so many amazing things about this author, I decided to pick it up. I bought this initially for my mum to read, who really enjoyed it and passed it on to me. I wasn’t drawn into this from the first page, but it did turn out to be a super quick and, you guessed it, thrilling read.

This book is written from the POV of many people – including the bride, the wedding planner and some of the guests who are integral to the storyline. But the clever way this is written makes it clear who is who and doesn’t leave the reader muddled at all. I admire her writing so much for this, and I thought the addition of ‘titles’ for the guests really helped (at the start of the chapter, it would say Jules – the bride, rather than just Jules, for example).

And I’m not worried about it being haunted.

The biggest issue I found with this book is I struggled to like/sympathise with almost all of the characters. There was only one, maybe two at a push, that I liked at all. The way this book is set up makes you realise that everyone is out for revenge – and has good reason to be. But unfortunately, setting the story up in that way ensures most of the characters are looked at in a really bad light. It’s really clever, but I just struggle to enjoy a book when I can’t like the main character(s). The Guest List is the kind of book that makes you see how capable anybody is of falling into the wrong crowd and doing things they will regret. It bares the darkest parts of human nature for all to see.

Although a little far fetched at times, this book was super fast paced (at least, definitely after around 150 pages), and I couldn’t put it down. It was full of action with creepy undertones, set on an island in the middle of nowhere as a storm is brewing. It felt dark and haunting and definitely left me a little creeped out at times! Although some of the plot twists were a little underwhelming (or I guessed were they were going), others left me thoroughly shocked and made me realise what the author was capable of pulling off.

I have my own ghosts. I carry them with me wherever I go.

Overall, this was a great, entertaining thriller that I didn’t want to put down. It’s definitely one of those books that show the journey is just as important as the ending – and wow, that journey was a rollercoaster! Although not quite for me in places, I can see why this book (and author!) have had so much attention recently. It is certainly well deserved!

CW: drug use, drinking, bullying, self harm (graphic), suicidal thoughts, sexual assault, eating disorder, drowning, cheating, emotional abuse/manipulation

★★★★
3.5 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

January Wrap-Up + February TBR

On February 8, 2021February 6, 2021 By Beth JonesIn Wrap-Ups + TBRs2 Comments

Hello and welcome back to another post! I’m here today with my January wrap-up and February TBR. Not only did I complete my (very short) TBR, I also managed to read a grand total of fourteen books! That’s more than I read in any month in 2020, and I’m very happy about it. Other than being in lockdown again and therefore not at work, I don’t really know how I’ve managed to do it. But I’m not going to complain!

Books I Read in January

Review | Goodreads

Review | Goodreads | Waterstones

Recklessly loyal.
That’s how seventeen-year-old Arden Huntley has always thought of herself. Caring for her loved ones is what gives Arden purpose in her life and makes her feel like she matters. But lately she’s grown resentful of everyone—including her needy best friend and her absent mom—taking her loyalty for granted.
Then Arden stumbles upon a website called Tonight the Streets Are Ours, the musings of a young New York City writer named Peter, who gives voice to feelings that Arden has never known how to express. He seems to get her in a way that no one else does, and he hasn’t even met her.
Until Arden sets out on a road trip to find him.
During one crazy night out in New York City filled with parties, dancing, and music—the type of night when anything can happen, and nearly everything does—Arden discovers that Peter isn’t exactly who she thought he was. And maybe she isn’t exactly who she thought she was, either.

Review | Goodreads | Waterstones

Olivia and her twin brother, Aidan, are heading alone back to Earth following the virus that completely wiped out the rest of their crew, and their family.
Nathan is part of a community heading in the opposite direction. But on their journey Nathan’s ship is attacked and most of the community killed. Only a few survive.
Their lives unexpectedly collide. Nathan and Vee are instantly attracted to each other, deeply, head over heels – like nothing they have ever experienced.
But not everyone is pleased. And surrounded by rumours, deception – even murder – is it possible to live out a happy ever after . . . ?

Review | Goodreads | Waterstones

Internationally bestselling author of The Time Traveler’s Wife, Audrey Niffenegger, and graphic artist Eddie Campbell, of such seminal works as From Hell by Alan Moore, collaborate on a wonderfully bizarre collection that celebrates and satirizes love of all kinds. With 16 different stories told through illustrated prose or comic panels, the couple explores the idiosyncratic nature of relationships in a variety of genres from fractured fairy tales to historical fiction to paper dolls. With Niffenegger’s sharp, imaginative prose and Campbell’s diverse comic styles, Bizarre Romance is the debut collection by two of the most important storytellers of our time.

Review | Goodreads | Waterstones

Born into an oppressive colonialist society, Creole heiress Antoinette Cosway meets a young Englishman who is drawn to her innocent sensuality and beauty. After their marriage, disturbing rumours begin to circulate, poisoning her husband against her. Caught between his demands and her own precarious sense of belonging, Antoinette is driven towards madness.
This is a fully annotated edition of Jean Rhys’s late literary masterpiece, which was inspired by Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, and is set in the lush, beguiling landscape of Jamaica in the 1830s.

Review | Goodreads | Blackwells

A story of love and demons, family and witchcraft.
Nova Huang knows more about magic than your average teen witch. She works at her grandmothers’ bookshop, where she helps them loan out spell books and investigate any supernatural occurrences in their New England town.
One fateful night, she follows reports of a white wolf into the woods, and she comes across the unexpected: her childhood crush, Tam Lang, battling a horse demon in the woods. As a werewolf, Tam has been wandering from place to place for years, unable to call any town home.
Pursued by dark forces eager to claim the magic of wolves and out of options, Tam turns to Nova for help. Their latent feelings are rekindled against the backdrop of witchcraft, untested magic, occult rituals, and family ties both new and old in this enchanting tale of self-discovery.

Review | Goodreads

A shy teenager attempts to express how she really feels through the pastries she makes at her family’s pasteleria. A tourist from Montenegro desperately seeks a magic soup dumpling that can cure his fear of death. An aspiring chef realizes that butter and soul are the key ingredients to win a cooking competition that could win him the money to save his mother’s life.
Welcome to Hungry Hearts Row, where the answers to most of life’s hard questions are kneaded, rolled, baked. Where a typical greeting is, “Have you had anything to eat?” Where magic and food and love are sometimes one in the same.
Told in interconnected short stories, Hungry Hearts explores the many meanings food can take on beyond mere nourishment. It can symbolize love and despair, family and culture, belonging and home.

Review | Goodreads | Waterstones

Review | Goodreads | Waterstones

The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction—but assassins are getting closer to her door.
Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic.
Across the dark sea, Tané has trained all her life to be a dragonrider, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel.
Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep.

Review | Goodreads | Waterstones

Joanna Gordon has been out and proud for years, but when her popular radio evangelist father remarries and decides to move all three of them from Atlanta to the more conservative Rome, Georgia, he asks Jo to do the impossible: to lie low for the rest of her senior year. And Jo reluctantly agrees.
Although it is (mostly) much easier for Jo to fit in as a straight girl, things get complicated when she meets Mary Carlson, the oh-so-tempting sister of her new friend at school. But Jo couldn’t possibly think of breaking her promise to her dad. Even if she’s starting to fall for the girl. Even if there’s a chance Mary Carlson might be interested in her, too. Right?

Review | Goodreads | Waterstones

Tiffy Moore and Leon Twomey each have a problem and need a quick fix.
Tiffy’s been dumped by her cheating boyfriend and urgently needs a new flat. But earning minimum wage at a quirky publishing house means that her choices are limited in London.
Leon, a palliative care nurse, is more concerned with other people’s welfare than his own. Along with working night shifts looking after the terminally ill, his sole focus is on raising money to fight his brother’s unfair imprisonment.
Leon has a flat that he only uses 9 to 5. Tiffy works 9 to 5 and needs a place to sleep. The solution to their problems? To share a bed of course…
As Leon and Tiffy’s unusual arrangement becomes a reality, they start to connect through Post-It notes left for each other around the flat.
Can true love blossom even in the unlikeliest of situations?
Can true love blossom even if you never see one another?
Or does true love blossom when you are least expecting it?

Review | Goodreads | Waterstones

My name’s Archie Albright, and I know two things for certain:
1. My mum and dad kind of hate each other, and they’re not doing a great job of pretending that they don’t anymore.
2. They’re both keeping a secret from me, but I can’t figure out what.
Things aren’t going great for Archie Albright. His dad’s acting weird, his mum too, and he all he wants is for everything to go back to normal, to three months before when his parents were happy and still lived together. When Archie sees a colourful, crumpled flyer fall out of Dad’s pocket, he thinks he may have found the answer. Only problem? The answer might just lie at the end of the rainbow, an adventure away.
Together with his best friends, Bell and Seb, Archie sets off on a heartwarming and unforgettable journey to try and fix his family, even if he has to break a few rules to do it…

Review | Goodreads | Waterstones

Jake Hyde doesn’t swim—not since his father drowned. Luckily, he lives in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, which is in the middle of the desert, yet he yearns for the ocean and is determined to leave his hometown for a college on the coast. But his best friend, Maria, wants nothing more than to make a home in the desert, and Jake’s mother encourages him to always play it safe.
There’s nothing “safe” about Jake’s future—not when he’s attracted to Kenny Liu, swim team captain and rebel against conformity. And certainly not when he secretly applies to Miami University. Jake’s life begins to outpace his small town’s namesake, which doesn’t make it any easier to come out to his mom, or Maria, or the world.
But Jake is full of secrets, including the strange blue markings on his skin that glow when in contact with water. What power will he find when he searches for his identity, and will he turn his back to the current or dive headfirst into the waves?

Review | Goodreads | Waterstones

This is a world divided by blood—red or silver. The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change. That is until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power. Fearful of Mare’s potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime. But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance—Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.

My least favourite read of the month was definitely Chasing the Stars, and my favourite was Mooncakes – I fell in love with that adorable graphic novel!

Books I Want to Read in February

Kingdom of the Wicked – Kerri Maniscalco
Rebel of the Sands – Alwyn Hamilton
Traitor to the Throne – Alwyn Hamilton
Hero of the Fall – Alwyn Hamilton
Persuasion – Jane Austen

I’m currently buddy reading Kingdom of the Wicked and the Rebel of the Sands trilogy, and I’m also hoping to read Persuasion as my classic of the month!

What did you read in January and what do you want to read in February?

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

Review: You Brought Me the Ocean by Alex Sandchez and Jul Maroh

On February 7, 2021February 1, 2021 By Beth JonesIn Book Review3 Comments

Goodreads | Waterstones

I’m here with my first ever DC graphic novel and I am so happy about it. My boyfriend Mark bought me this and Shadow of the Batgirl for me for Christmas and I was so excited to pick this up. Once I did, I couldn’t put this down and I sped through this in an evening. It is a stunning book with an absolutely beautiful muted, blue colour pallette that showcases Jake’s ability perfectly.

This book was so emotional, diverse and centers around a friendship. I really enjoyed that the friendship took such a big role in the story, as we don’t often see male/female protagonists as best friends. Jake is struggling with a lot of things in his life – being gay, wanting to apply to a different university to his best friend, and the strange blue markings on his skin. I really loved how this story begins completely normally, with Jake and his friend Maria on a hike in the desert where they live. We are introduced to Jake’s ability alongside him, in a cautious and uncertain manner, and I really enjoyed how it was weaved subtly throughout the story.

This is very much a coming-out story, and I really enjoyed reading about Jake and Kenny’s romance. The only slight disappointment for me was that this relationship felt a little insta-love, which I think is partly due to this being a graphic novel and therefore not giving quite as much space for the characters to get to know each other. However, I really liked the side-characters, and I loved how it included Jake’s relationships with his friend Maria’s parents. I related to some of the conversations he had with them so much, specifically because Maria’s dad said the same line as my friends dad said to me at an emotional time in my life, and therefore reading that scene made me cry!

Alex Sanchez on Crafting Aqualad's Coming Out Story in You Brought Me the Ocean — Copyright DC Comics 2020

The diversity in this book is absolutely brilliant, with Jake being Black, Maria being Latin, Kenny being Asian and the teacher, Mrs Archer, being Native American. There was a section at the end of the graphic novel about the characters, and it included a paragraph about Mrs Archer and how important the authors felt it was to include a Native American character. On top of the diversity, You Brought Me the Ocean explores some very heavy themes, such as homophobia, bullying, physical assault, friendship issues and loss of parents.

Overall, this felt like a perfect graphic novel to introduce me to reading DC as the superhero factor takes a backseat and is definitely subtler than you may expect. This was a quick but emotional read and I really loved it!

★★★★
4.5 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

Stacking the Shelves #36

On February 6, 2021February 18, 2021 By Beth JonesIn Stacking the ShelvesLeave a comment

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga where we share books we’ve bought or received this week. Find out more and join in here!

I’ve fallen into a bit of a trap recently of buying special edition books second-hand on Facebook, and I need to resist buying more! But I am happy with the ones I have snagged recently, including these two in the past couple of weeks.

Goodreads | Waterstones

Melody McIntyre, stage manager extraordinaire, has a plan for everything. What she doesn’t have? Success with love. Every time she falls for someone during a school performance, both the romance and the show end in catastrophe. So, Mel swears off love until their upcoming production of Les Mis is over.
Of course, Mel didn’t count on Odile Rose, rising star in the acting world, auditioning for the spring performance. And she definitely didn’t expect Odile to be sweet, and funny and care as much about the play’s success as Mel. Which means that Melody McIntyre’s only plan now is trying desperately not to fall in love.

I noticed this gorgeous Litjoy edition that matches my hardcover of With the Fire on High and has a beautiful under dust-jacket hidden pattern. It’s so pretty and sounds really interesting!

Goodreads | Waterstones

The year is 1926, and Shanghai hums to the tune of debauchery.
A blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city helpless in the grip of chaos. At the heart of it all is eighteen-year-old Juliette Cai, a former flapper who has returned to assume her role as the proud heir of the Scarlet Gang—a network of criminals far above the law. Their only rivals in power are the White Flowers, who have fought the Scarlets for generations. And behind every move is their heir, Roma Montagov, Juliette’s first love…and first betrayal.
But when gangsters on both sides show signs of instability culminating in clawing their own throats out, the people start to whisper. Of a contagion, a madness. Of a monster in the shadows. As the deaths stack up, Juliette and Roma must set their guns—and grudges—aside and work together, for if they can’t stop this mayhem, then there will be no city left for either to rule.

I’ve been hearing so much about this book and when I saw somebody selling the Owlcrate edition still in it’s wrapper, I couldn’t resist. It’s gold underneath the dust-jacket and so beautiful!

What have you bought this week?

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

Review: Red Queen (#1) by Victoria Aveyard

On February 5, 2021January 31, 2021 By Beth JonesIn Book Review7 Comments

Goodreads | Waterstones

This is a world divided by blood – red or silver.
The poverty-stricken Reds are commoners, living in the shadow of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.
To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from the Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.
Then Mare finds herself working at the Silver palace, in the midst of those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.

I hardly ever re-read books, but this one I knew I needed to. I read this book the first time when only this one was out, and it’s taken me a while to gather copies of the rest of the series. Now I finally own all of them, I decided to re-read the first one almost five years later. I read this (mostly) on audiobook as a test of whether I could run and listen to an audiobook at the same time, and I really enjoyed re-reading it!

I interestingly feel similarly to how I did the first time I read this book, and I quickly found I couldn’t remember much about it at all. I’m glad I couldn’t, because it gave me such an element of surprise all over again. Plot twists come out of nowhere in this book and I was constantly being surprised by them. Red Queen is very intense and has an interesting premise of a world split between ‘Reds’ (the poorer people, who do not have powers) and ‘Silvers’ (the people who hold the power, rich, have special powers). Mare Barrow, our protagonist is, somehow, a Red with special powers.

I see a world on the edge of a blade.

I really liked the concept of Red Queen. It is an elaborate game of power, of courts, of royalty. Of those with power and those forced to be a slave to them. It is a story of betrayal and family. It is intense without being daunting or overwhelming, a fantasy that is relatable and easy to read. The premise provides opportunities for some interesting and deep discussions of class divide, and I really liked how they were interwoven throughout this story. The writing was still beautiful the second time around, and I found myself able to picture the world clearly. The world-building was detailed, and allowed me to be drawn into the story and life in the palace.

As with the first time I read this book, the characters let it down for me. I find Mare makes for a good protagonist and I enjoyed reading her story and felt sympathetic towards her and her family. But again, I struggled to understand the love triangle, as the characters just felt kind of distant. I just didn’t feel close to either of the Prince’s, and I found myself rolling my eyes a little at the mention of Mare being attracted towards either of them.

Without balance, it will fall.

I’m looking forward to finally carrying on with this series and hopefully finding out more about the characters introduced to us in Red Queen. I can’t wait to see where this goes, and I feel like this story could just be the beginning…

★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

ARC Review: Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow by Benjamin Dean

On February 4, 2021January 31, 2021 By Beth JonesIn Book Review1 Comment

Goodreads | Waterstones

Thank you to Simon & Shuster and Waterstones for a copy of this book in exchange for honest review.

Happy book birthday to this beauty, which is released today!

I’ve been so excited to read this book after seeing the beautiful ARC copies going around. I was lucky enough to be part of a Zoom Q&A through work with the author, who spoke so beautifully about this book and made me so excited to read it. I picked it up almost immediately and couldn’t put it down, reading it in around 24 hours.

This book was so much fun and so beautiful. It is the epitome of a modern and diverse adventure story, and is centered around London Pride. It really transported me back to the magic of the only Pride event I have attended, which happened to be Dublin! I am so happy to be safe in the knowledge this will help so many young people learn about LGBTQIA+ relationships and diversity. Archie, the main character, is so charming and lovable, and the tone of this book draws you in immediately. I love how Archie spoke to the reader directly, it made me feel very involved in the story.

I love how Archie and his two best friends, Bell and Seb, are discovering the world of Pride, and I imagine it will teach so much to young readers who are also navigating this world for the first time. It has such a diverse cast of characters, as two of Archie’s older friends are gay, and they meet all kinds of beautiful people at Pride, including trans people, non-binary people and drag queens who help them along the way. The conversations the trio have with these people are so heart warming and accessible to the reader. Some of the other conversations that Archie has with those closer around him were also beautifully written and will stick in my head for a while to come.

This was my first middle grade book of the year, and I’m so glad it happened to be this one. Reading this gives me so much hope and excitement for the way literature is changing for children, and becoming so much more diverse. This was beautiful, emotional and full of love, and I couldn’t recommend it more.

★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

Review: The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary

On February 2, 2021January 28, 2021 By Beth JonesIn Book Review1 Comment

Goodreads | Waterstones

Tiffy Moore needs a cheap flat, and fast. Leon Twomey works nights and needs cash. Their friends think they’re crazy, but it’s the perfect solution: Leon occupies the one-bed flat while Tiffy’s at work in the day, and she has the run of the place the rest of the time.
But with obsessive ex-boyfriends, demanding clients at work, wrongly imprisoned brothers and, of course, the fact that they still haven’t met yet, they’re about to discover that if you want the perfect home you need to throw the rulebook out the window…

This was such a heartwarming read. I’ve heard some really good things about this book and have been looking forward to it for a long time – I bought it for my mum, who adored it and passed it to me a while ago! I had a feeling I would like it, but I didn’t know I’d be finding a new favourite that I just couldn’t put down.

This story follows Tiffy, who is an Assistant Editor about to move out of her ex-boyfriends flat with not much cash and nowhere to go. She ends up flatsharing (or bedsharing!) with Leon, a palliative care nurse who works nights. They share the flat, and the bed, but work opposite shifts and never expect to meet…

Remind myself that there is no saving of people —people can only save themselves.

This was a story full of strength, growth and friendship. Acceptance, love and forgiveness. It was beautiful, and it made me laugh and cry (sometimes at the same time!). There are so many stories in this, as it follows both Leon and Tiffy in alternate points of view. As well as their story sharing the flat, they have stories and lives of their own. Tiffy is recently out of an abusive relationship and is trying to find herself again. Leon is in a relationship of his own that doesn’t feel quite right somehow, and has a brother who is wrongly imprisoned.

I could not put this down. Once I got to 100ish pages, I was absolutely and utterly sucked into Tiffy and Leon’s story. I wanted to find out what happened to them and everyone else in this story, and I read the last 250 pages in two sittings and on the same day. The short and alternating chapters made it too easy to fly through, and I just loved it. At first, I found Tiffy a little annoying, and I found Leon’s chapters a little hard to read (he skips a lot of words and writes just as I imagine he thinks, with very few words!), but that quickly became easier and quicker to read.

The best you can do is help when they’re ready.

This book was so heartwarming and emotional, with depth and real characters. I really fell in love with it and the characters, and I couldn’t put it down. I would definitely recommend it and I’m looking forward to reading more by this author!

★★★★★
4.5 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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The Books are Everywhere

Month: February 2021

Review: Kingdom of the Wicked (#1) by Kerri Maniscalco

Review: The Guest List by Lucy Foley

January Wrap-Up + February TBR

Review: You Brought Me the Ocean by Alex Sandchez and Jul Maroh

Stacking the Shelves #36

Review: Red Queen (#1) by Victoria Aveyard

ARC Review: Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow by Benjamin Dean

Review: The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary