Tag: book blog

Stacking the Shelves #80

On By Beth JonesIn Book Review3 Comments

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!

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve managed to write a Stacking the Shelves post, but unless I’m somehow missing a lot of books off of this list, I’m actually not doing too badly!

Goodreads | Waterstones

Imagine making friends with a polar bear… The Last Bear is perfect for readers of 8+, beautifully illustrated throughout by Levi Pinfold – winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal and illustrator of Harry Potter 20th anniversary edition covers.
There are no polar bears left on Bear Island. At least, that’s what April’s father tells her when his scientific research takes them to this remote Arctic outpost for six months. But one endless summer night, April meets one. He is starving, lonely and a long way from home. Determined to save him, April begins the most important journey of her life…

Goodreads | Waterstones

What if you could communicate with a whale?
Rio has been sent to live with a grandmother he barely knows in California, while his mum is in hospital back home. Alone and adrift, the only thing that makes him smile is joining his new friend Marina on her dad’s whale watching trips. That is until an incredible encounter with White Beak, a gentle giant of the sea changes everything. But when White Beak goes missing, Rio must set out on a desperate quest to find his whale and somehow save his mum.

I picked up both of Hannah Gold’s books in hardback over the past few weeks and have already read The Last Bear, which I absolutely loved. I can’t wait to read The Lost Whale!

Goodreads | Waterstones

Every night, tiny stars appear out of the darkness in little Sandy’s bedroom. She catches them and creates wonderful creatures to play with until she falls asleep, and in the morning brings them back to life in the whimsical drawings. When a mysterious new girl appears at school, Sandy’s drawings are noticed for the first time… but Morfie’s fascination with Sandy’s talent soon turns into something far more sinister.

Goodreads | Waterstones

On a school field trip to the river, Sandy wanders away from her classmates and discovers an empty turtle shell. Peeking through the dark hole, she suddenly finds herself within a magical realm. Filled with sculptures, paintings and books, the turtle’s shell is a museum of the natural world. But one painting is incomplete, and the turtle needs Sandy’s help to finish it.

I also bought and have already read Nightlights and Hicotea, a cute graphic novel duology!

Goodreads | Waterstones

The Alexandrian Society is a secret society of magical academicians, the best in the world. Their members are caretakers of lost knowledge from the greatest civilizations of antiquity. And those who earn a place among their number will secure a life of wealth, power, and prestige beyond their wildest dreams. Each decade, the world’s six most uniquely talented magicians are selected for initiation – and here are the chosen few…
– Libby Rhodes and Nicolás Ferrer de Varona: inseparable enemies, cosmologists who can control matter with their minds.
– Reina Mori: a naturalist who can speak the language of life itself.
– Parisa Kamali: a mind reader whose powers of seduction are unmatched.
– Tristan Caine: the son of a crime kingpin who can see the secrets of the universe.
– Callum Nova: an insanely rich pretty boy who could bring about the end of the world. He need only ask.
When the candidates are recruited by the mysterious Atlas Blakely, they are told they must spend one year together to qualify for initiation. During this time, they will be permitted access to the Society’s archives and judged on their contributions to arcane areas of knowledge. Five, they are told, will be initiated. One will be eliminated. If they can prove themselves to be the best, they will survive. Most of them.

My lovely friend Amy gifted me her Fairyloot copy of The Atlas Six, which is so pretty and will match the gorgeous Waterstones edition of The Atlas Paradox perfectly!

Goodreads | Waterstones

I also received my beautiful copy of Heartstopper Vol 2 from Fairyloot. What perfect timing for the Netflix show!

What have you bought or received this week?

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Review: Nightlights and Hicotea by Lorena Alvarez Gomez

On By Beth JonesIn RandomLeave a comment

Goodreads | Waterstones

Every night, tiny stars appear out of the darkness in little Sandy’s bedroom. She catches them and creates wonderful creatures to play with until she falls asleep, and in the morning brings them back to life in the whimsical drawings. When a mysterious new girl appears at school, Sandy’s drawings are noticed for the first time… but Morfie’s fascination with Sandy’s talent soon turns into something far more sinister.

I’m not entirely sure if this is a children’s book or a graphic novel, but on reflection I think this probably is aimed at children, and but has a magical, whimsical tone to it similar to Neil Gaiman stories that makes it feel applicable to a range of audiences.

The story was slightly strange but had absolutely stunning drawings and I loved seeing the characters come to life throughout. Our main character, Sandy, draws characters that seem to come to life around her. Although I’m a bit unsure, I think this story is a representation of Sandy’s imagination, and the second book is another story, another day. The mixture of whimsical, magical fantasy with the real world could be a bit confusing, but was really beautifully illustrated.

My favourite part of the story was definitely the artwork, which is just stunning and has a delightful colour scheme. I feel like this is the kind of series you’ll take from it what you want, and will be different for every reader, which I liked.

I feel like this is one I’ll keep with me and read throughout my life, and I can see the meaning changing every time I read it!

★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Review: The Last Bear by Hannah Gold

On By Beth JonesIn Book Review2 Comments

Goodreads | Waterstones

There are no polar bears left on Bear Island. At least, that’s what April’s father tells her when his scientific research takes them to this remote Arctic outpost for six months. But one endless summer night, April meets one. He is starving, lonely and a long way from home. Determined to save him, April begins the most important journey of her life…

Wow. This was everything I love about middle grade (and children’s books in general) rolled into a gorgeous little parcel and tied with a bow. Throughout reading this one, I kept thinking back to what I loved as a child and I just know I would have adored this one if I picked it up.

We follow April, an animal loving girl who travels to a remote island with her father so he can look after the weather station there. While living alone with her father on this island, she makes friends with Bear, a polar bear who isn’t meant to be on the island.

There were so many aspects of this book I adored. I loved the relationship April had with Bear, it was so sweet and moving but also made April reflect on other aspects of her life, such as climate change and her relationship with her father.

Although this one is emotional and does discuss grief, it never felt too heavy or overwhelming and felt like the perfect level for children to understand and relate to. The discussions of climate change also felt quite appropriate for children, while also being passionate and important.

The adventure aspects of the story made it so easy to escape into, and I loved being able to pick it up and fly through some pages. I honestly think this is perfect for adults and children, and I never felt like I was reading a story that wasn’t applicable to me, despite it being written for a much younger audience.

I can’t wait to read more from this author and dive into her newest release The Lost Whale. I also would like to congratulate Hannah on winning the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2022, which is so well deserved!

★★★★★
5 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Stacking the Shelves #79

On 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!

Hi all! After a good few weeks, I’ve definitely ended up buying a few more these past few days. I also visited London this week and did a little bookshop tour, which also prompted me to pick up a few books I was super excited to find!

Goodreads | Waterstones

As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn’t believe in lasting romantic relationships–but her best friend does, and that’s what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and well on her way to a happily ever after was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: Scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees.
That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor–and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanford’s reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive’s career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding…six-pack abs.
Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.

Firstly, I received this beautiful copy of The Love Hypothesis from Illumicrate. I’ve heard such good things about this book and it’s been recommended, so I’m happy to finally have a copy!

Goodreads | Waterstones

Addie and her sister are about to embark on an epic road trip to a friend’s wedding in the north of Scotland. The playlist is all planned and the snacks are packed.
But, not long after setting off, a car slams into the back of theirs. The driver is none other than Addie’s ex, Dylan, who she’s avoided since their traumatic break-up two years earlier.
Dylan and his best mate are heading to the wedding too, and they’ve totalled their car, so Addie has no choice but to offer them a ride. The car is soon jam-packed full of luggage and secrets, and with three hundred miles ahead of them, Dylan and Addie can’t avoid confronting the very messy history of their relationship…
Will they make it to the wedding on time? And, more importantly… is this really the end of the road for Addie and Dylan?

I bought this book for my mum when it first came out in paperback, and she’s read it and has now passed it on to me. We both loved The Flatshare so I’m excited to read this one too!

Goodreads

Seventh grader Tristan Strong feels anything but strong ever since he failed to save his best friend when they were in a bus accident together. All he has left of Eddie is the journal his friend wrote stories in. Tristan is dreading the month he’s going to spend on his grandparents’ farm in Alabama, where he’s being sent to heal from the tragedy. 
But on his first night there, a sticky creature shows up in his bedroom and steals Eddie’s notebook. Tristan chases after it–is that a doll?–and a tug-of-war ensues between them underneath a Bottle Tree. In a last attempt to wrestle the journal out of the creature’s hands, Tristan punches the tree, accidentally ripping open a chasm into the MidPass, a volatile place with a burning sea, haunted bone ships, and iron monsters that are hunting the inhabitants of this world. 
Tristan finds himself in the middle of a battle that has left black American folk heroes John Henry and Brer Rabbit exhausted. In order to get back home, Tristan and these new allies will need to entice the god Anansi, the Weaver, to come out of hiding and seal the hole in the sky. But bartering with the trickster Anansi always comes at a price. 

My first London find was the first book in the Tristan Strong series, which I’ve heard really good things about but I’ve never managed to pick up because it’s not usually sold here in the UK.

Goodreads

Eva Evergreen is determined to earn the rank of Novice Witch before her thirteenth birthday. If she doesn’t, she’ll lose her magic forever. For most young witches and wizards, it’s a simple enough test:
One: Help your town, do good all around.
Two: Live there for one moon, don’t leave too soon.
Three: Fly home by broomstick, the easiest of tricks.
The only problem? Eva only has a pinch of magic. She summons heads of cabbage instead of flowers and gets a sunburn instead of calling down rain. And to add insult to injury, whenever she overuses her magic, she falls asleep.
When she lands in the tranquil coastal town of Auteri, the residents expect a powerful witch, not a semi-magical girl. So Eva comes up with a plan: set up a magical repair shop to aid Auteri and prove she’s worthy. She may have more blood than magic, but her “semi-magical fixes” repair the lives of the townspeople in ways they never could have imagined. Only, Eva’s bit of magic may not be enough when the biggest magical storm in history threatens the town she’s grown to love. Eva must conjure up all of the magic, bravery, and cleverness she can muster or Auteri and her dreams of becoming a witch will wash away with the storm.

I also found another American release which my friend recommended to me. It looks so cute and gives me Kiki’s Delivery Service vibes, so I can’t wait to pick it up!

Goodreads

Devastating, hopeful, hopeless, playful . . . in words and illustrations, Ingrid left behind a painful farewell in her journal for Caitlin. Now Caitlin is left alone, by loss and by choice, struggling to find renewed hope in the wake of her best friend’s suicide. With the help of family and newfound friends, Caitlin will encounter first love, broaden her horizons, and start to realize that true friendship didn’t die with Ingrid. And the journal which once seemed only to chronicle Ingrid’s descent into depression, becomes the tool by which Caitlin once again reaches out to all those who loved Ingrid–and Caitlin herself.

I’ve read a few books by Nina LaCour and I absolutely love her writing. Hold Still is one I’m yet to pick up, so I couldn’t help grab it when I saw it!

What have you bought or received this week?

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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March Wrap-Up

On By Beth JonesIn Wrap-Ups + TBRs4 Comments

Hi all! I read 11 books in March, which is slightly less than I’d like but I definitely think there are times when reading sadly needs to take a backseat, and this was one of those months. Sadly I think the next couple of months will also be lower reading months, but sometimes life is just like that!

Books I Read in March

Review | Goodreads | Waterstones

★★★
3 out of 5 stars

Review | Goodreads | Waterstones

Edinburgh is a city filled with magical creatures. No one can see them… until Ramya Knox.
As she is pulled into her family’s world of secrets and spells, Ramya sets out to discover the truth behind the Hidden Folk with only three words of warning from her grandfather: Beware the Sirens.
Plunged into an adventure that will change everything, Ramya is about to learn that there is more to her powers than she ever imagined.

★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

Review | Goodreads | Waterstones

Helen has it all…
Daniel is the perfect husband.
Rory is the perfect brother.
Serena is the perfect sister-in-law.
And Rachel? Rachel is the perfect nightmare.
When Helen, finally pregnant after years of tragedy, attends her first antenatal class, she is expecting her loving architect husband to arrive soon after, along with her confident, charming brother Rory and his pregnant wife, the effortlessly beautiful Serena. What she is not expecting is Rachel.
Extroverted, brash, unsettling single mother-to-be Rachel, who just wants to be Helen’s friend. Who just wants to get know Helen and her friends and her family. Who just wants to know everything about them. Every little secret…

★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

Review | Goodreads | Waterstones

Between bullies at school and changes at home, Charlie Challinor finds life a bit scary. And when he’s made guardian of a furry fox cub called Cadno, things get a whole lot scarier.
Because Cadno isn’t just any fox: he’s a firefox – the only one of his kind – and a sinister hunter from another world is on his trail.
Swept up into an unexpected adventure to protect his flammable friend, Charlie’s going to need to find the bravery he never thought he had, if he’s going to save the last firefox . . .

★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

Review | Goodreads | Waterstones

★★★★
3.5 out of 5 stars

Review | Goodreads | Waterstones

Overachiever Luz “Lulu” Zavala has straight As, perfect attendance, and a solid ten-year plan. First up: nail her interview for a dream internship at Stanford, the last stop on her school’s cross-country college road trip. The only flaw in her plan is Clara, her oldest sister, who went off to college and sparked a massive fight with their overprotective Peruvian mom, who is now convinced that out-of-state-college will destroy their family. If Lulu can’t fix whatever went wrong between them, the whole trip—and her future—will be a waste.
Middle sister Milagro wants nothing to do with college, or a nerdy class field trip. Then a spot opens up on the trip just as her own Spring Break plans (Operation: Lose Your Virginity) are thwarted, and she hops on the bus with her glittery lipsticks, more concerned about getting back at her ex than she is about schools or any family drama. But the trip opens her eyes about possibilities she’d never imagined for herself. Maybe she is more than the boy-crazy girl everyone seems to think she is.
On a journey from Baltimore all the way to San Francisco, Lulu and Milagro will become begrudging partners as they unpack weighty family expectations, uncover Clara’s secrets, and maybe even discover the true meaning of sisterhood.

★★★
3 out of 5 stars

Review | Goodreads

Sophie is a young witch whose mother and grandmother pressure her to attend the Royal Magic Academy—the best magic school in the realm—even though her magic is shaky at best. To train for her entrance exams, Sophie is sent to relatives she’s never met.
Cousin Sage and Great-Aunt Lan seem more interested in giving Sophie chores than in teaching her magic. Frustrated, Sophie attempts magic on her own, but the spell goes wrong, and she accidentally entangles her magic with the magic of a young water dragon named Lir.
Lir is trapped on land and can’t remember where he came from. Even so, he’s everything Sophie isn’t—beloved by Sophie’s family and skilled at magic. With his help, Sophie might just ace her entrance exams, but that means standing in the way of Lir’s attempts to regain his memories. Sophie knows what she’s doing is wrong, but without Lir’s help, can she prove herself?

★★★★
4.5 out of 5 stars

Review | Goodreads | Waterstones

Upon the cliffs of a remote Scottish island, Lòn Haven, stands a lighthouse.
A lighthouse that has weathered more than storms.
Mysterious and terrible events have happened on this island. It started with a witch hunt. Now, centuries later, islanders are vanishing without explanation.
Coincidence? Or curse?
Liv Stay flees to the island with her three daughters, in search of a home. She doesn’t believe in witches, or dark omens, or hauntings. But within months, her daughter Luna will be the only one of them left.
Twenty years later, Luna is drawn back to the place her family vanished. As the last sister left, it’s up to her to find out the truth . . .

★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

Review | Goodreads | Waterstones

Bailey and Vanessa shared everything: laughter, secrets, and packets of Pop Rocks to ward off bad days. But that all changed the night Vanessa left Bailey’s, headed for home, and ended up swerving off a cliff nowhere near her house. Now Bailey, who thought she knew Vanessa better than anyone in the world, is left with a million unanswered questions, and the only person with answers is gone.
To help grieve her loss, Bailey creates a chat bot of Vanessa using years’ worth of their shared text messages and emails. The more data she uploads to the bot, the more it feels like she’s really talking to her best friend. That is, until the bot starts dropping hints that there was more going on with Vanessa than Bailey realized–a secret so big, it may have contributed to Vanessa’s death.

★★★★★
4.5 out of 5 stars

Review | Goodreads | Waterstones

For centuries, witches have maintained the climate, their power from the sun peaking in the season of their birth. But now their control is faltering as the atmosphere becomes more erratic. All hope lies with Clara, an Everwitch whose rare magic is tied to every season.
In Autumn, Clara wants nothing to do with her power. It’s wild and volatile, and the price of her magic―
In Winter, the world is on the precipice of disaster. Fires burn, storms rage, and Clara accepts that she’s the only one who can make a difference.
In Spring, she falls for Sang, the witch training her. As her magic grows, so do her feelings, until she’s terrified Sang will be the next one she loses.
In Summer, Clara must choose between her power and her happiness, her duty and the people she loves… before she loses Sang, her magic, and thrusts the world into chaos.

★★★★
3.5 out of 5 stars

Review | Goodreads | Waterstones

Deadly storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for generations. Floods sweep away entire villages, while bloody wars are waged over the few remaining resources. Her people believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curses them with death and despair. In an attempt to appease him, each year a beautiful maiden is thrown into the sea to serve as the Sea God’s bride, in the hopes that one day the “true bride” will be chosen and end the suffering.
Many believe that Shim Cheong, the most beautiful girl in the village—and the beloved of Mina’s older brother Joon—may be the legendary true bride. But on the night Cheong is to be sacrificed, Joon follows Cheong out to sea, even knowing that to interfere is a death sentence. To save her brother, Mina throws herself into the water in Cheong’s stead.
Swept away to the Spirit Realm, a magical city of lesser gods and mythical beasts, Mina seeks out the Sea God, only to find him caught in an enchanted sleep. With the help of a mysterious young man named Shin—as well as a motley crew of demons, gods and spirits—Mina sets out to wake the Sea God and bring an end to the killer storms once and for all.
But she doesn’t have much time: A human cannot live long in the land of the spirits. And there are those who would do anything to keep the Sea God from waking…

★★★★
3.5 out of 5 stars

I had a lot of books I just liked this month but I didn’t rate any 5 stars! My least favourite has to be The Dragon Republic and my favourite was definitely Tidesong.

How many books did you read in March? Which was your favourite?

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Stacking the Shelves #78

On 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!

Hi everyone! I’m here with another stacking the shelves post with the books I bought or received this week. I received a few beautiful editions of a new favourite this week, and I also picked up a book for myself.

Goodreads | Waterstones

From her place in the store, Klara, an Artificial Friend with outstanding observational qualities, watches carefully the behavior of those who come in to browse, and of those who pass on the street outside. She remains hopeful that a customer will soon choose her, but when the possibility emerges that her circumstances may change forever, Klara is warned not to invest too much in the promises of humans.

I picked this one up finally with a gift card that I had, as I’ve had my eye on the Waterstones exclusive paperback for a while and I’ve heard nothing but good things about this book!

Goodreads

My lovely friend Amy gifted me two copies of Gallant this week, the Illumicrate edition and the Barnes and Noble edition, with help from her friend Sam. Thank you so much to both of you, I love these copies and it’s so exciting to add to my V.E. Schwab collection!

What have you bought or received this week?

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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April TBR

On By Beth JonesIn Wrap-Ups + TBRs2 Comments

Hi all! It’s a new month, so it’s time for a new TBR! I’ll actually be doing my TBR in two separate halves this month, because I’m doing a TBR for my mini golf game on YouTube (see the video below) and I’ll also be taking part in the magical readathon which I’ll write another post about soon.

So the books mini golf picked for me to read this month are….

Goodreads | Waterstones

Hidden in the heart of the old city of Barcelona is the ‘Cemetery of Forgotten Books’, a labyrinthine library of obscure and forgotten titles that have long gone out of print. To this library, one cold morning in 1945, a man brings his 10-year-old son Daniel. Daniel is allowed to choose one book from the shelves and pulls out ‘The Shadow of the Wind’ by Julián Carax.
Captivated by the novel from its very first page, Daniel reads the book in one sitting. But he is not the only one interested in Carax. As he grows up in a Barcelona still suffering the aftershocks of a violent civil war, Daniel is haunted by the story of the author, a man who seems to have disappeared without trace after a duel in Père Lachaise cemetery.
Then one night, in the old streets of the city centre, Daniel is approached by a figure who reminds him of a character from ‘The Shadow of the wind’, a character who turns out to be the devil. This man is tracking down every last copy of Carax’s works in order to burn them. What begins as a case of literary curiosity turns into a race to find out the truth behind the life and death of Julián Carax, and to save those he left behind.

I’ve wanted to read this for a while and the prompt second hand allowed me to pick it up!

Goodreads | Waterstones

I really need to continue with this series so I’m really glad I had the excuse to pick it up with the prompt a book you’ve had for over a year.

Goodreads | Waterstones

Skandar Smith has always yearned to leave the Mainland and escape to the secretive Island, where wild unicorns roam free. He’s spent years studying for his Hatchery exam, the annual test that selects a handful of Mainlander thirteen-year-olds to train to become unicorn riders. But on the day of Skandar’s exam, things go horribly wrong, and his hopes are shattered…until a mysterious figure knocks on his door at midnight, bearing a message: the Island is in peril and Skandar must answer its call.
Skandar is thrust into a world of epic sky battles, dangerous clashes with wild unicorns, and rumors of a shadowy villain amassing a unicorn army. And the closer Skandar grows to his newfound friends and community of riders, the harder it becomes to keep his secrets—especially when he discovers their lives may all be in graver danger than he ever imagined. 

I wanted to get this one on my TBR before it comes out on April 28th, so I’m very happy to be able to get it on the list with the prompt odd page number.

Goodreads | Waterstones

Brilliant yet poor, Ramesh Kumar grew up working at his father’s tea stall in the Old City of Delhi. Now, he makes a lucrative living taking tests for the sons of India’s elite—a situation that becomes complicated when one of his clients, the sweet but hapless eighteen-year-old Rudi Saxena, places first in the All Indias, the national university entrance exams, thanks to him.
Ramesh sees an opportunity—perhaps even an obligation—to cash in on Rudi’s newfound celebrity, not knowing that Rudi’s role on a game show will lead to unexpected love, followed by wild trouble when both young men are kidnapped. 
But Ramesh outwits the criminals who’ve abducted them, turning the tables and becoming a kidnapper himself. As he leads Rudi through a maze of crimes both large and small, their dizzying journey reveals an India in all its complexity, beauty, and squalor, moving from the bottom rungs to the circles inhabited by the ultra-rich and everywhere in between.

This is the other book I wanted to read this month as it is our thriller of the month at work, and I chose it under the prompt new author.

Goodreads | Waterstones

In the early hours after Halloween of 1988, four 12-year-old newspaper delivery girls uncover the most important story of all time. Suburban drama and otherworldly mysteries collide in this smash-hit series about nostalgia, first jobs, and the last days of childhood.

And last but not least we had shortest book, and the shortest book on my physical TBR came out as the first volume of Paper Girls! Mark bought me this one for my birthday and I’ve wanted to read it for a while. I’m also glad to have a graphic novel on my TBR for April.

What would you like to read in April?

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Review: Message Not Found by Dante Medema

On By Beth JonesIn Book Review1 Comment

Goodreads | Waterstones

Bailey and Vanessa shared everything: laughter, secrets, and packets of Pop Rocks to ward off bad days. But that all changed the night Vanessa left Bailey’s, headed for home, and ended up swerving off a cliff nowhere near her house. Now Bailey, who thought she knew Vanessa better than anyone in the world, is left with a million unanswered questions, and the only person with answers is gone.
To help grieve her loss, Bailey creates a chat bot of Vanessa using years’ worth of their shared text messages and emails. The more data she uploads to the bot, the more it feels like she’s really talking to her best friend. That is, until the bot starts dropping hints that there was more going on with Vanessa than Bailey realized–a secret so big, it may have contributed to Vanessa’s death.

Thank you to Harper 360 for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I had a feeling I’d really enjoy this book, and I wasn’t wrong. It was such an interesting mix of contemporary, romance and thriller, and I couldn’t put it down. The chapters were super short and lead me to flick through the pages so quickly, I just wanted to find out where the story was going.

I really liked Bailey as a main character and her experience of grief felt real and visceral to me – although I can’t be a judge of this personally having never lost anybody as close to me as Vanessa was to Bailey. The idea of Bailey finding out what happened to Vanessa after she died, through a chat bot, was so fascinating to me and I knew I’d want to pick this up.

I did really like the aspect of the book focusing on the chat-bot, although I have to admit that I initially thought this would be much more of a thriller than a darker contemporary. I wish I’d have realised before going in that this one would be much slower, sadder and more visceral than the thriller I expected. The chat bot didn’t necessarily reveal things itself, but rather prompted Bailey to question those around her and her surroundings, which in turn revealed things about Bailey’s death.

There were a lot of underlying aspects about this book that I really enjoyed – and seeing Bailey learn more about herself throughout the book was lovely to see. There was also some great diverse rep throughout the book, and some mentions of a pin-badge that reminded me of my favourite book, The Invisible Life of Addie Larue.

I’d definitely recommend this one, just keep in mind it might be more of a heavy contemporary with thriller/mystery elements than a straight up thriller.

★★★★★
4.5 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Review: The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke

On By Beth JonesIn Book Review1 Comment

Goodreads | Waterstones

Upon the cliffs of a remote Scottish island, Lòn Haven, stands a lighthouse.
A lighthouse that has weathered more than storms.
Mysterious and terrible events have happened on this island. It started with a witch hunt. Now, centuries later, islanders are vanishing without explanation.
Coincidence? Or curse?
Liv Stay flees to the island with her three daughters, in search of a home. She doesn’t believe in witches, or dark omens, or hauntings. But within months, her daughter Luna will be the only one of them left.
Twenty years later, Luna is drawn back to the place her family vanished. As the last sister left, it’s up to her to find out the truth . . .

It kind of felt like the wrong time of year to read this one, I’d have liked to have picked it up closer to Halloween if I’m honest. But I ended up picking up this one as audiobook and I really enjoyed it. I actually think, having read the final 30 pages in physical format, that the audiobook was a more accessible way to pick this up. Having a whole cast of narrators was just great for this book, as it kept the chapters distinct and easy to follow.

The haunting tale of this book was woven throughout time, and kept me interested throughout. Told between 1998 and 2021 across multiple narrators, I can see this one being impossible to put down if I’d read it physically. There’s a lot of historical references and background which I enjoyed seeing throughout the story, too.

We form stories about our lives to create meaning out of them—without meaning, they feel shapeless and without purpose.

The characters were easy to sympathise with and I enjoyed the different viewpoints of the mother and sisters, which built on my love for the family aspects. The island setting of this book was haunting and felt just perfect for the story. It was full of atmosphere and I could picture the island well, which I always appreciate from an auidobook.

I was trying to work out the secrets of this book and work out where it was going, and I honestly don’t think I’d have guessed the ending. It was a bittersweet ending which I actually really liked, as I was a little hesitant about how it would end. My only complaint would be some of the details of this book were sometimes a little far-fetched or worked out a bit too conveniently.

When something lies beyond the realm of meaning, it’s terrifying.

Overall, this was really enjoyable read and I’d definitely recommend the audiobook if you think you’d like to read it! I’d also recommend reading it around Halloween if you can.

★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Review: Lulu and Milagro’s Search for Clarity by Angela Velez

On By Beth JonesIn Book Review1 Comment

Goodreads | Waterstones

Overachiever Luz “Lulu” Zavala has straight As, perfect attendance, and a solid ten-year plan. First up: nail her interview for a dream internship at Stanford, the last stop on her school’s cross-country college road trip. The only flaw in her plan is Clara, her oldest sister, who went off to college and sparked a massive fight with their overprotective Peruvian mom, who is now convinced that out-of-state-college will destroy their family. If Lulu can’t fix whatever went wrong between them, the whole trip—and her future—will be a waste.
Middle sister Milagro wants nothing to do with college, or a nerdy class field trip. Then a spot opens up on the trip just as her own Spring Break plans (Operation: Lose Your Virginity) are thwarted, and she hops on the bus with her glittery lipsticks, more concerned about getting back at her ex than she is about schools or any family drama. But the trip opens her eyes about possibilities she’d never imagined for herself. Maybe she is more than the boy-crazy girl everyone seems to think she is.
On a journey from Baltimore all the way to San Francisco, Lulu and Milagro will become begrudging partners as they unpack weighty family expectations, uncover Clara’s secrets, and maybe even discover the true meaning of sisterhood.

Thank you to the publisher, Harper, for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I listened to this one on audiobook and it’s a great quick read for summer! The audiobook was really enjoyable despite the narrator for one of the sisters (I forget which!) being a little annoying in my opinion, but I got used to it quickly. I liked the sisters and their relationship, which felt realistic and was interesting to see change throughout the book.

I liked the road-trip/travel aspect of the book which made it feel quite summery and fun to follow. It also gave the book a clear plot, which was quick and easy to read. The ending was definitely predictable but I also rooted for the characters, so I didn’t mind too much.

The two main characters were distinct which I liked but had similarities too – I related a lot more to Lulu than Milagro but both were enjoyable to read in their own ways. The side characters were distinctly under-developed though, and I don’t really remember anything about them a week after finishing reading.

This book was enjoyable enough but didn’t blow me away, and would have been much more enjoyable for me as a younger reader. But it was a fun and summery read!

★★★
3 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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