The Retreat – Conor Kostick

Title: The Retreat
Author: Conor Kostick
Year Published: 2020
Genre: Historical
Rating: 1 star

Goodreads synopsis:

A young knight; a mysterious, dark forest; life and death choices.

A long Roman road stretches deep through an ancient forest like a dark route straight to Hades. On that road are a band of survivors returning from a failed expedition to the Holy Land. One of only a handful of knights in this army is Guibert of Rocadamour, a young noble who wants nothing more than to become a legendary hero whom people will sing songs about.
Brave but inexperienced, Guibert must make several difficult decisions as rival groups among the remnants of the army vie for his support. As they draw closer to the safety of the French border, those stark choices become a matter of life or death.

With a nightmarish setting, an assembly of striking characters and an intensely captivating story, this wonderful new novel from Conor Kostick will enthral teenage and young adult readers.

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DNF at 20%

I hate giving 1 star ratings. More than that I hate DNFing a book. I always feel like I’ve been defeated and will try my absolute hardest to finish it. I received an ARC for the audiobook version of The Retreat from Netgalley. I’m gutted that my first Netgalley ARC was such a disappointment but I cannot force myself through one more minute of this audiobook.

I’m pretty sure the audio is the reason I’ve rated this novel so poorly. Unfortunately the narration is severely lacking. For whatever reason the narrator chooses to read at SUCH a slow speed that I had to increase the speed to 1.5x for him to be talking at a more reasonable pace. I can only assume he spoke so slowly due to having an Irish accent that can be a little hard to understand but it was a huge miss for me. Not only that but the sound quality leaves a lot to be desired. It had that horrible static-y sound that some low-quality recordings have which was an issue that continued to be a problem throughout the parts I listened to.

Unfortunately the audio wasn’t the only problem I had with The Retreat. It’s not a dealbreaker for me but I don’t tend to like books written in first person and this book is a prime example of why. The writing is very simplistic and reads very much like: I did this, then I did this, then I said this. It just wasn’t fun or engaging. That said I do think I’d have enjoyed this more if I’d have been able to read it visually rather than listening to it.

Although I did quite like Guibert, ignoring his self-importance, I don’t think this is a book I’ll be trying again with.

⭐

Rating: 1 out of 5.

Top 10 Tuesday – July 5th

Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by @ThatArtsyReaderGirl.

As someone with a HUGE TBR I don’t really tend to look at upcoming books. Usually I’m about a decade behind in reading the popular stuff so for this week’s Top 10 Tuesday I had to do a bit of research but I managed to come up with 10 books that have since caught my eye!

The Atlas Paradox – Olivie Blake

A couple of weeks ago I read the Atlas Six and was absolutely gutted when I finished it to find out that the sequel hasn’t been released yet. Luckily it comes out in October so I’ll definitely be getting my hands on a copy!

The Light Pirate – Lily Brooke-Dalton

Climate change fiction has been interesting me more and more lately so as soon as I read the synopsis for The Light Pirate I knew I wanted to read it. The concept of the four different parts of the book really interests me too. Roll on December!

The Book of Gothel – Mary McMyne

When it came out I adored Disney’s Tangled so the second I saw the cover for this book I just knew I needed to read it. The cover is absolutely stunning. The concept is unique. Plus I love retellings! If McMyne can get me to actually feel sympathy for Gothel I’ll give her a round of applause. The Book of Gothel is out at the end of July.

The Awoken – Katelyn Monroe Howes

Another scifi? Of course! The Awoken is a futuristic science fiction about the ethics of cryogenics where the future outlaws anyone “awoken”, putting a target on their backs for them to be eliminated. The plot sounds so gripping to me! The Awoken is out at the end of July.

Upgrade – Blake Crouch

When I first saw a few people on Goodreads talking about Upgrade I read the synopsis and was just like eh. Then a couple of days ago when I was looking at upcoming releases I couldn’t believe I wasn’t interested the first time! It sounds so good. I’m not too sure what to expect of it but it sounds to me like maybe it’s a book about genetic modifications? Either way, I’m looking forward to it! Upgrade it out next week on the 12^th.

Dark Earth – Rebecca Scott

I’m not going to lie, it was the cover that drew me in to this one. The cover is beautiful, although I’m still unable to see a platinum blonde woman with plaits without thinking of Elsa from Frozen. Dark Earth is a fantasy set in medieval Britain that focuses on two exiled sisters. It’s out July 19^th!

Joan: A Novel of Joan of Arc – Katherine J. Chen

Joan is actually out today! I don’t actually know much about Joan of Arc but what I do know is that I definitely want to read a historical fiction retelling of the story of the legendary woman herself. I imagine Joan to feel full of fighting, war and hardships for her but I’m really interested to see how Chen handles it.

Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six – Lisa Unger

I’ve never read a locked-room mystery before and always enjoy a thriller set in an eerie secluded place. As soon as I read the description I knew this book would be something that would grip me. It’s out at the beginning of November.

Stay Awake – Megan Goldin

The description of Stay Awake is wild. I’m very curious to find out what the cause of Liv’s amnesia is. Is it insomnia? Could it be split personality or schizophrenia? None of the above? I have no idea but I do know that I want to read Stay Awake to find out! It is out in August.

Things We Do In the Dark – Jennifer Hillier

What isn’t exciting about a murder mystery full of secrets and the promise of a dark past looking to catch up with the main character? Nothing! Things We Do in the Dark sounds so enticing. Knowing that Goodreads has categorised it as a psychological thriller drew me in even more as they’re probably my favourite type of thriller. It’s out on the 19^th of this month!

Although I’m not one to keep up with new releases I think I’m going to have to keep at least one eye open this year as I saw so many amazing looking books when I was looking for entries for this list!

July TBR

I was genuinely surprised that I read all but one (I’m in the middle of the last one) of the books on my last TBR since making a list of books to read isn’t usually how I choose what to read next. I did appreciate not having to spend half an hour scrolling through my kindle books before I finally settled on something so I think I am going to keep up with doing a monthly TBR.

ARCs

I hadn’t used BookSirens in ages before last month but I’m going to try and read a couple of ARCs every month to at least *try* to keep up with new releases.

I adore books about Vikings. I’ve read a few Viking books recently but they all focus on the men. I’m excited to read a novel that focuses on shieldmaidens. I also find Norse mythology to be so so interesting so knowing that it plays a part in this story makes me all the more excited.

I saw the cover for this and couldn’t not apply for it. A PI – who happens to be a mandrill – discovers a conspiracy with werewolves at the heart of it? It sounds wacky. I’m here for it.

Around the World

I was only going to choose three Around the World books this month but since I have access to the audiobook versions of the two non-fiction books I thought sod it.

I’ve been meaning to read this Canadian children’s classic for years but never got around to it. I’ve been reading some pretty heavy books recently so this month I’d like to do a bit more chilled out feel-good reading. I thought this would be perfect for that.

I’ve been meaning to read Murakami forever so thought why not bite the bullet this month? I actually don’t know anything at all about the plot so I’m quite excited for this one.

Ancient Egypt is fascinating. I don’t know much about the various pharaohs, and I know even less about women from that time so when I saw this book I knew I had to read it.

Honestly I’m not sure what I expect this book to be. I’m hoping it leans more towards to pop culture and technology side of things rather than an economic view of it but either way I think it will be an interesting read.

Penguin Classics

I’m gutted to find out that Flowers for Algernon actually ISN’T on the Penguin Classics list like I thought. I’m still going to read it, it just isn’t as high a priority anymore.

I still can’t believe I’ve never read Pride and Prejudice. I’m going to listen to the audiobook I think as it’s a pretty long one and I know classics can lose my attention quite easily.

I read this as a kid but haven’t touched Roald Dahl in years so when I saw this on the list I was quite excited as I love the story so much.

Other Books

I’m in the middle of the second book in this series at the moment and know I want to read the last one once I’m done!

The Haunting of Hill House – Shirley Jackson

Title: The Haunting of Hill House
Author: Shirley Jackson
Year Published: 1959
Genre: Horror
Content Warnings: x
Rating: 3.5 stars

“Fear,” the doctor said, “is the relinquishment of logic, the willing relinquishing of reasonable patterns. We yield to it or we fight it, but we cannot meet it halfway.”

Goodreads Synopsis

It is the story of four seekers who arrive at a notoriously unfriendly pile called Hill House: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of a “haunting”; Theodora, the lighthearted assistant; Eleanor, a friendless, fragile young woman well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the future heir of Hill House. At first, their stay seems destined to be merely a spooky encounter with inexplicable phenomena. But Hill House is gathering its powers—and soon it will choose one of them to make its own.

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Plot

The Haunting of Hill House follows the group of temporary inhabitants of Hill House as they settle in. Within the first week eerie happenings and strangeness begins to occur within the walls of the haunted house. The paranormal activity frightens the guests – there are noises that only some can hear, sights that only some can see and the house develops a connection with one guest in particular. The paranormal happenings and the loss of sanity pair to create a dark atmosphere that shrouds the house and the entire story.

Characters

Eleanor, the main character, was my favourite in the book. While all the other characters had their various preoccupations or character flaws, Eleanor was just a sweet, socially awkward woman who was unhappy about almost everything in her life. I felt so much sympathy, and almost pity, for her throughout the story. Dr. John Montague was another character I quite liked. He seemed to me like a nice man but was more focused on his research than anything else.

I didn’t really like Luke so much but I really wasn’t a fan of Theodora. I felt she was quite pushy and could change suddenly from friendly to cold from one moment to the next. Interestingly Hill House seemed like a character in its own right. The house had its own personality and had plenty of history and depth.

Thoughts

Up until about 75% of the way through I was prepared to give this book 4.5 or even 5 stars but the last 25% was a let down. It felt the whole book was leading to this event that was going to be spectacularly creepy but instead I felt the ending was just flat. What is most frustrating is that the events themselves could have been so creepy, they could have been the best part of the book but unfortunately I just felt it ended up being quite flat.

Aside from that, the writing is brilliant. Jackson made the house and all its strange occurrences, even the characters themselves, seem eerie. Some parts feel almost dreamlike. The darkness cloaking the house made me feel that whenever it was mentioned that something spooky was about to happen.

The pacing is slow in some parts, fast in others. Jackson had a real knack for knowing when to speed it up and slow it down without making the pacing come across as wonky. The descriptions of the house were beautifully written while still keeping that creepy feel.

The book is essentially what I expected it to be. I knew it wasn’t going to be a bad book with how much it seems everyone loves it. However I tend to find that classics often shock or wow me. I assume its due to modern literature being able to push the boat out that much further with the inclusion of language and imagery that wouldn’t have been socially acceptable at the time. Overall though I did enjoy the book and do plan on reading more of Shirley Jackson’s work in the future.

Recommended For

• Fans of classics
• Fans of horror
• Fans of gothic stories

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

June Wrap Up

Ever have one of those months where every day you wake up feeling like you’ve not slept? The summer heat will be the death of me I’m telling you! I’ve had a pretty good reading month this month. I’ve gotten around to reading some books that have been wasting away on my ever-growing TBR and have managed to find a couple of 5 star reads too!

Statistics

Total books read: 10
Favourite book: The City of Brass – S.A. Chakraborty
Least favourite book: The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitsgerald
Longest book: The City of Brass – S.A. Chakraborty
Shortest book: Mumbles of a Soul – Toyin Sebastien Ajimati
Most read genre: Literary
Audiobooks: 5
ARCs: 2

General

Fiction: 7
Non-Fiction: 3
Graphic Novels: 0
YA: 0
Children’s: 0

Challenges

100+ Years of Books: 3
Around the World: 4
Genres: 5
Penguin Classics Top 100: 2

Series

Series Started: 2
Series Continued: 1
Series Finished: 0

Ratings

1 Ratings: 0
1.5 Ratings: 0
2 Ratings: 0
2.5 Ratings: 0
3 Ratings: 4
3.5 Ratings: 2
4 Ratings: 2
4.5 Ratings: 0
5 Ratings: 2
DNF: 0
Monthly average: 3.7

Highlights

This month I’ve read some really good books. The highlights have to include The City of Brass and The Atlas Six. What can I say, I love a good fantasy series!

The City of Brass was phenomenal, I’m currently enjoying the second book in the series and enjoying it just as much as the first so far. It’s only recently I’ve read books involving djinn but the more I read the more interested I become. Plus, this features creatures from Middle Eastern mythology which I knew nothing about before but am eager to learn more.

The Atlas Six drew me in straight away. I love books about magic so this was right up my street. I connected with the characters, the plot was well-written and that bloody ending really got me. I can’t wait for the sequel to come out later this year.

Disappointments

I haven’t had any major disappointments this month but I wasn’t really a fan of The Great Gatsby. I’d already seen the film so I knew the story and knew it was one of those books where not much really goes on but I was just bored for a lot of it. Similarly One Hundred Years of Solitude had way more issues with it than I expected. I’m a little disappointed that the two classics of the month were misses for me but I’m still glad to have read them.

All Books Read

Goals

Last month I achieved two of my three goals which I’m actually really happy about.

Goal One: Read two Penguin classics
Goal Two: Read three Around the World books
Goal Three: Read three non-fiction books

I’m in the middle of the last non-fiction book that I was supposed to have read but its taking me longer than expected so I don’t mind not achieving all three.

This month I’m going to try again with the same goals. I’m confident I should manage it in July!

Goal One: Read two Penguin classics
Goal Two: Read three Around the World books
Goal Three: Read three non-fiction books

WWW Wednesday – 29th June

WWW Wednesday is hosted by @Taking on a World of Words

What I’m Currently Reading

I’m currently in the middle of three books. I’m still reading the End of the Megafauna. I feel like I’m making no progress in it since it isn’t what I was expecting. Don’t get me wrong, I’m enjoying it but I’m a bit disappointed that it is *solely* focused on the extinctions of the megafauna. I know that the name says this but I was hoping there would be a bit more focus on the megafauna themselves. It’s a nice book though and some of the artwork is absolutely stunning.

The Kingdom of Copper is the fiction book I’m in the middle of at the moment. I devoured The City of Brass and am adoring the Daevabad series so far. It has definitely become one of my favourite series. I’m loving being back with the characters, seeing how they are coping with various political tensions five years after the events of the first book. Finally, I’ve been listening to the audiobook of Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. I’ve actually been listening to this for MONTHS. Me and my fiancé decided to be a cute bookish couple who listens to audiobooks together. It didn’t work. I think we managed to get to about 60% before I threw the towel in and gave up. Whenever I wanted to listen to a chapter, he didn’t. Whenever he wanted to listen to a chapter, I didn’t. We finally gave up the other night and decided we’ll finish the remainder of the book separately so hopefully I’ll actually finish it this week!

What Did I Recently Finish Reading?

I finished Big Little Lies and The Girl With the Louding Voice this week. The Girl With the Louding Voice was a 5 star read that really left an impact on me. The story of Adunni and everything that poor girl went through broke my heart. It’s such a heart-wrenching, gut-punching book with the most phenomenal audio narrator I’ve ever heard.

Big Little Lies was a book I read alongside The Girl With the Louding Voice as I needed something lighter to counter it. I knew the story of Big Little Lies as I already watched the first season of the show which follows the book pretty closely. I loved the book and want to read more by Liane Moriarty as a result.

What Will I Read Next?

I’ll be writing up my July TBR in the next couple of days but I’m pretty sure the next thing I’m going to read is Anne of Green Gables. Not only will it fill a few slots in my various challenges but I’m really in the mood for something light and feel-good – hopefully Anne will provide this!

Top 10 Tuesday – 28th June

Books On My Summer 2022 To-Read List

Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by @ThatArtsyReaderGirl.

As someone who doesn’t tend to read for the seasons this is a difficult one! I don’t ever choose “beach reads” or leave books until the perfect time of year. For this week’s Top 10 Tuesday then I’ll be choosing 10 books that I hope to have finished before summer is over regardless of whether they’re particularly summery. I’m pretty sure none of the books I’ve picked actually fit a summer theme but never mind haha!

The Silence of the Girls – Pat Barker

This has been on my list forever. I feel like I’ve said a million times “this will be my next read” then disregarded it for something else. Before summer is over I’m determined to have read it!

The Hazel Wood – Melissa Albert

Another one that’s been on my list for ages. The cover drew me in the first time I saw it but I’ve just never gotten around to reading it.

The Empire of Gold – S.A. Chakraborty

I’m currently reading The Kingdom of Copper, the middle book in the Daevabad trilogy. The Empire of Gold is the final book that I know I’ll have read by the end of summer.

The End of Men – Christina Sweeney-Baird

I love dystopia books. I love books that feature a deadly infectious disease. Why have I not read The End of Men yet?

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo – Taylor Jenkins Reid

Taylor Jenkins Reid. Need I say more? Everyone seems to be obsessed while I still haven’t read anything by her. I feel like that needs to change.

Flowers for Algernon – Daniel Keyes

I’ve had my eye on the classic for ages and it also features on the Penguin Classic list so I need to read it eventually anyway.

Anne of Green Gables – L.M. Montgomery

I’ve never read Anne. I’ve never seen anything about Anne. I’ve only ever heard good things though so I feel like this will be a nice feel-good read.

Norwegian Wood – Haruki Murakami

Another author I’ve never read that I really wish I had. I’ve gone to start this book numerous times and got distracted by something else every time so I think I need to just take the time to sit and read it.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s – Truman Capote

I’ve never even seen the film but I’ve had the book sat on my kindle for so long. I can’t believe it’s 2022 and I don’t even know the plot of this classic!

Finlay Donovan is Killing It – Elle Cosimano

I feel like everyone is obsessed with this series so I’m desperate to see what all the fuss is about. It sounds right up my street!

City of Brass – S.A. Chakraborty

Title: City of Brass
Author: S.A. Chakraborty
Year Published: 2017
Rating: 5 stars

“Scattered minds are the enemy of magic.”

Goodreads summary:

Nahri has never believed in magic. Certainly, she has power; on the streets of 18th century Cairo, she’s a con woman of unsurpassed talent. But she knows better than anyone that the trade she uses to get by—palm readings, zars, healings—are all tricks, sleights of hand, learned skills; a means to the delightful end of swindling Ottoman nobles.

But when Nahri accidentally summons an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior to her side during one of her cons, she’s forced to accept that the magical world she thought only existed in childhood stories is real. For the warrior tells her a new tale: across hot, windswept sands teeming with creatures of fire, and rivers where the mythical marid sleep; past ruins of once-magnificent human metropolises, and mountains where the circling hawks are not what they seem, lies Daevabad, the legendary city of brass, a city to which Nahri is irrevocably bound.

In that city, behind gilded brass walls laced with enchantments, behind the six gates of the six djinn tribes, old resentments are simmering. And when Nahri decides to enter this world, she learns that true power is fierce and brutal. That magic cannot shield her from the dangerous web of court politics. That even the cleverest of schemes can have deadly consequences.

After all, there is a reason they say be careful what you wish for…

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Fantasy might not be what I read the most but its probably my favourite genre. There’s just something so exciting about getting sucked into a new world full of magic, terrifying beasts and politics. I usually don’t even really care if the plot is a bit lacking if the worldbuilding is good enough. S.A. Chakraborty has done a phenomenal job with City of Brass, the first book in the Daevabad trilogy.

The story starts in historical Cairo, focusing on young Nahri who has always known she is different to everyone else. She uses her abilities in less-than-ethical ways to survive her life in Egypt knowing she needs to save a lot to be able to leave. While the Cairo setting is interesting and full of danger for Nahri the real excitement happens in the fictional city of Daevebad, a city full of magical djinn.

The book is told from two perspectives, Nahri and Prince Alizayd, son of the king of Daevabad, but I’d say Nahri is the primary focus. Nahri is my favourite character by far, I love her. She’s a perfect example of a flawed heroine. She’s a thief. She’s a liar. She’s stubborn. She may be all of these things but her character develops so much throughout the novel while still remaining true to her character. I also enjoyed seeing her relationships with various characters develop, particularly with Dara. My favourite secondary character has to be Nisreen, Nahri’s mentor. I love how she takes no shit and seems to be the only person to put Nahri straight about her bad attitude.

The author did such a good job with the writing, the characters and the worldbuilding in this book. The second I finished it I wanted to start the second one. I had heard a lot about this series so I had high expectations going in – which is never a good thing! City of Brass easily surpassed my expectations. Ali’s introduction was perfect, Dara’s backstory slowly being told kept me wanting more and more, and the book has fucking flying carpets. What’s not to love?

I found the Middle Eastern mythological creatures to be fascinating too. Chakraborty’s descriptions of these enormous monsters were so well written. The roc was particularly monstrous, I’m hoping to see more of it in the second or third book.

I cannot praise this book enough. Anyone who is into fantasy should give it a read. The characters are all flawed and well-written. The writing style kept me engaged right from the first page. The plot is so interesting. An easy five stars and absolutely a new favourite series. I can’t wait to continue it!

A list of content warnings can be found here.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Tell Me Everything – Erika Krouse

Title: Tell Me Everything: The Story of a Private Investigation
Author: Erika Krouse
Year Published: 2022
Rating: 3.5 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

Erika Krouse has one of those faces. “I don’t know why I’m telling you this,” people say, spilling confessions. In fall 2002, Krouse accepts a new contract job investigating lawsuits as a private investigator. The role seems perfect for her, but she quickly realizes she has no idea what she’s doing. Then a lawyer named Grayson assigns her to investigate a sexual assault, a college student who was attacked by football players and recruits at a party a year earlier. Krouse knows she should turn the assignment down; her own history with sexual violence makes it all too personal. But she takes the job anyway, inspired by Grayson’s conviction that he could help change things forever–and maybe she could, too.

Over the next five years, Krouse learns everything she can about P. I. technique, tracking down witnesses and investigating a culture of sexual assault and harassment ingrained in the university’s football program. But as the investigation grows into a national scandal and a historic civil rights case, she finds herself increasingly consumed. When the case and her life both implode at the same time, she must figure out how to help win the case without losing herself.

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Tell Me Everything can be split in two. At first glance it’s a true crime book that focuses on rape culture at a university that a horrific gangrape happened at but its much more than that. It’s also a memoir of Erika Krouse’s childhood sexual abuse and how she learned to deal with something as huge as that while having a family who didn’t care. This is a hard-hitting book for so many reasons. It had me feeling uncomfortable and sad but also inspired and hopeful.

To begin with I was a little concerned that the true crime element of the book was going to be lacking in substance due to how literary the writing is. I was a bit worried it was going to be one of those non-fiction books where you think the author should have just decided to write fiction instead. I’m glad I was proven wrong by this. Krouse is a great literary writer but the story itself definitely has the substance I was looking for. The case this book revolves around had so many layers to it. While the main focus is rape culture, Krouse doesn’t hold back from discussing the racism that occurs when the perpetrator is black or the role of sex workers in the case.

There were so many parts of the book that didn’t quite feel that they belonged but I honestly enjoyed them and found them interesting. The one that springs to mind is there is a whole part about rats and naked mole rats. I can understand if some readers would be put off by this but I enjoyed the little breaks. Aside from the random parts there were a lot of relevant sections that were full of information that wasn’t necessarily about the case. I found it very interesting to learn about the sheer amount of American Football players who end up with lasting head injuries or brain damage. It isn’t shocking but I didn’t know the figures were so high. Krouse also gives information on the first ever private investigator as well as old cases that reminded her of the case she was working on or her own childhood.

I listened to the audiobook of Tell Me Everything read by Gabra Zackman. This narrator was amazing. She reminded me so much of the woman from the Parcast True Crime podcasts. Her voice was perfect for this audiobook and definitely did make me feel like I was listening to a lengthy podcast rather than a 9 hour book!

Unfortunately Krouse doesn’t share any identifying details about the case. I understand that there are likely legal reasons for this but it really rubbed me the wrong way that the university and the rapists were allowed to keep their anonymity after such a horrendous crime was committed. I also found the structuring of the book to be quite off-putting. I know the book is part memoir but it felt like I was hearing too much from the author a lot of the time. Her personal story was so heartbreaking and really was interesting but I almost wish the book was split into two sections rather than it feeling like each part was interrupting the other. That said, Krouse’s past was horrendous. I can’t even imagine how hard it must be to grow up in a family where your own mother replies “what do you want me to do about it?” when her 4 year old daughter admits that her step-father is raping her.

I don’t know if “enjoyed” is the right word but Tell Me Everything was a very good book and is a great example of a true crime memoir. I feel like I’d have rated it higher if the structure was more to my liking but either way it’s a book I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys true crime.

A list of content warnings can be found here.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

WWW Wednesday – 22nd June 2022

WWW Wednesday is hosted by Taking on a World of Words.

Currently Reading

I’m currently reading three books. I started the audiobook for The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare last week. My idiot self, for whatever reason, thought this was going to be a relatively chilled out contemporary set in Nigeria. Oh boy. This book is anything but “relatively chilled out”. I think my heart has broken about 15 times so far and I’m certain more horrific things are gearing up to happen. I usually finish an audiobook in two or three days but this one isn’t one I can binge so it’s taking a while.

I needed another fiction book to read on my kindle so I started Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. I watched the first season of the adapted tv series a while back so I’m pretty sure I know the plot twists and everything. I’m just enjoying the drama. Finally I started End of the Megafauna: The Fate of the World’s Hugest, Fiercest, and Strangest Animals by Ross D.E. MacPhee. This has been on my TBR since it was first released in 2018 but I’ve only just got around to it. I’m not a science person so some of the information has, admittedly, gone over my head a little bit but I’ve learnt a lot already. Plus, the artwork is absolutely gorgeous. I’m hoping to have at least the two fiction books finished by the end of the week.

Recently Finished

I finished Too Pretty to Live by Dennis Brooks at the end of last week. As I’ve said previously when talking about this book. It was wild. Absolutely ridiculously insane. I loved it. True crime books can get a little tedious but this really was a ride.

Reading Next

I haven’t decided what I’m going to be reading next as the three books I’m currently reading are the last books on my monthly TBR. I might start The Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty, the second book in the Daevabad trilogy after Big Little Lies on my kindle and potentially listen to one of Taylor Jenkins Reed’s novels on audiobook after The Girl With the Louding Voice but we’ll see!