Beth

This book is a 4.8/ 5 stars for me. I feel conflicted about the star rating in this novel in a similar way to I do about the book love in the time of cholera and I believe deep down they are both 5 star reads for me as they both burrowed themselves inside my consciousness long after reading them. This book I haven't stopped thinking about since the last page. The story is beautifully written and not in a cliche way. Every word has been sculpted into poetry. It's such a pleasure to read. It certainly takes inspiration for the main protagonist Nomi from Holden Caulfield. Nomi's story is a coming of age story in a bleak background of a Mennonite community in Manitoba. Similar to an Amish upbringing nomi has to live in a isolated community with little prospects outside of the confines of their settlement where the fear of hell is drilled into every citizen. Before the book starts we find out that nomis mother and sister have left the community and we slowly learn it's because there inability to conform to the harsh religious rhetoric of the community leads to their excommunication. Nomi's story is heartbreaking and sad but the tale of sacrifice at the end had me reeling. This books melancholiac tone moved me deeply and nomi is a character I always felt for and cannot get out of my head. A stunningly sad yet breathtakingly beautiful story. A small book that packs an emotional punch. The bittersweet ambiguity of the ending leaves you connected irrevocably to the characters of nomi, her father and the rest of the nickel family and leaves you lost for words. I highly recommend this novel to fans of Catcher in the Rye. It has similar themes and a similar tone but personally I felt this book provided a much more tragic and heartfelt story. One I was certainly more invested in! I loved this novel and I highly recommend you give it a go!

This was a throughly enjoyable read! Sometimes rather self indulgent in tone, nevertheless Robert Webb delivers a very raw and honest expose of his early years struggling with his masculinity and sexuality. His childhood was a difficult one to say the least and this leads to confusing adolescence which in turn makes his adult life far from simplistic. His observations around masculinity and gender were deeply intriguing to me and while some of his explanations seemed rather simplistic or idealistic or overtly cynical, I throughly invested in his sentiment. I love that he is looking to re address and acknowledge the way in which masculinity and gender expectation / patriarchy or as he refers to it ‘The Trick' is letting down not just women but men. The things he discusses in this book are things I've mulled over many times myself but he can articulate them much more beautifully than me. I loved his openness about his past memories and his past mistakes. Overall an autobiography yes. But indefinitely much more more than that. I highly recommend this to any kind of reader. This is a book that will enrich anybody's mindset around gender just a little bit more. And it will definitely make you laugh at times and cry at others. So go and enjoy it! Because I can assure you I definitely did !!!

This book was somewhat of a disappointing read for me. While Beatty writes intuitively and intellectually, many of the references littered throughout this novel were simple inaccessible for me. The satire was heavily bitter as well in this novel. As a reader I also finished the novel completely confused and unsure about what the main point of it's inception really was. The novel is hugely topical and as a intellectual human being I am aware of the current state of America and how race is presented and dealt with within that country. However I only felt a vulnerability and a clarity from the author in the very last pages of the novel which I found such a shame . The novel overall was unfortunately a struggle and chore to get through as every sentence and chapter is time consuming to fathom through and make narrative sense of. This author makes you work for his plot.This novel had some real promise but I felt it tried to hard to shock and be funny and as a consequence the real raw storytelling and soul searching elements of the narrative which I would have loved were lost. I really wanted to dissect the character of bonbon and homity and marpessa but their character development and inner motivations were stifled for elements of the story to thrive that for me were either dry or ostentatious. An unfortunate 2.5, at a push a 3 out of 5 stars. I couldn't connect with the content that made this novel an award winning piece unfortunately. However it's a very current and topical novel that is very interesting and unique.

Wow. What a book?!! More chillingly relevant than ever before. It fizzes and pops with ideas and theories surrounding morality, religion, genetic engineering and socio-political agendas. It manages to subvert the current way we view the world and changes the perception of what modernity really means. I have so many things to express about this novel that I haven't enough space on this platform to discuss. But read it! Everyone read it! A more subtle dystopian that will resonate, terrify, unnerve and fascinate. Phenomenal. Just read it!

I felt the main premise of this novel was an interesting and a promising germ of an idea. However, disappointing the execution of the idea in this novel was poorly executed. The mere reversal of rape, war and terror inflicted by men on women, replicated in a dystopian future by women who have gained superior power over men by their literal electric power seemed a rather oversimplification of the complexity of power structures and human behaviour. The characters lacked any substance and I struggled to be invested in any of the main protagonists plot lines. The ending was very anticlimactic and dull. I ended the book unsure of the authors intention in creating this novel as it lacked clarity and purpose, sometimes it seemed to veer towards a feminist vein but overall the novels intent remained very unclear. Unfortunately for me this novel pales in comparison to the mighty texts that epitomise the dystopian genre such as the handmaids tale and brave new world.

This storyline is not your typical fluffy YA contemporary novel. Themes within this book span from bullying, forbidden love, interracial love and abuse. The developing romance between the two main characters Elenor and Park is also effectively drawn and nurtured throughout the book. Parts of this story I enjoyed. However the overall effect of the book; structure, character development, plot line and overall ending just didn't do enough to captivate me. Maybe it's because YA remains a genre I cannot connect emotionally with. I enjoyed Elenor and Park as characters but not enough to invest in their story or to be concerned about them throughout the story. For YA lovers I would highly recommend this book as a unique take on YA contemporary fiction that takes on underrepresented people and storylines in YA fiction. However unfortunately for me this was a cutesy but overall underwhelming read for me.

When I first started reading this book I didn't think I would be giving it such a high rating! The style of this novel was rather slow and tiresome at first, which considering it's age now makes sense. And I believed I would be able to appreciate this novel but never fall in love with it. However I was very wrong! This novel blends beautifully the lush history of the Caribbean during the time of cholera with its political and social context shown through the different class backgrounds of the two characters Fermina Daza (who is of a lower social background ) to her husband Juvenal Urbino. However the novel also in depth explores themes of fate, passion, ageing, death, fate and infidelity. The combination of both of these intriguing topics for me makes this book an extra fascinating and engaging read. Wholeheartedly my current busy schedule has made it hard for me to fully engage in this novel as I've been forced to dip in and out but some of the reflections and musings this novel created, made me certain I could fully appreciate and enjoy this book better with a re read as it's brimming with beautiful reflections on love and ageing. I love that this book had a non conventional structure as well as a non-linear time frame. And I also loved that the characters exploration is the main storyline with little plot development as those are the kind of books I love. If you enjoy any of the mentioned themes or styles of this novel, I highly recommend this one to you. A modern classic I am so pleased I got round to reading. A slow burning gem of a novel that will stick with you long after the last page!

I gave this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars. Considering I am not usually overly impressed with best seller thriller fiction I was really rather impressed with this novel. Devoid of any of the usual tired tropes, this book is a refreshing take on thriller fiction. All the characters were well developed and very intriguing and complex,especially the unsavoury ones which helped attach me better to the story. It also didn't have the usual cliche ending either, although towards the end the reveal became obvious. It's a great guilty pleasure or palette cleansing read as it's well structured and the plot points are executed well, making this novel easy to fly through. I also really enjoyed the writing style and will be looking out for any future works this author produces, as for a debut this novel was of solid quality. While I didn't adore this book or felt it was a phenomenal 5 star read, I certainly really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend this book to any thriller fans out there! Give it a go!

I'm having such a strong reading month and here is yet another very strong contender! This book is phenomenal. The main protagonist is intriguing and deeply layered as the novel develops. His inner conflict between his gratitude and his resentment of America(the land that educated and employed him) in the background of the political and social impact of the war on terror which America declared as a direction response to 9/11 was fascinating. The themes of extremism, ignorance, cultural and religious conflict and identity were so powerfully and beautifully explored in this novel. This novel seems more relevant than ever before and deals with modern day issues between extremism and religious belief(which aren't the same but in the case of Muslim believers often seem to be confused in the wake of current terrorist activity). I love the complexity of the character of Erica. Her descent into madness due to the haunting of her lost love was so intriguing for me and harked back to themes presented in past traditional and classic literature which I enjoyed. Overall a tightly backed novel with much to dig deeper into. A must re-read for me and a must read to everyone else! I will be checking out more work by this author. A highly enjoyable and highly rated book for me!

This book is profound. This book is heartbreaking. This book is phenomenal!

Gary Younge effortlessly peels back and exposes the wider issues surrounding Americas toxic relationship with guns. Picking a day at random and using only social media and the internet as leads, Gary attempts to find and report about teenagers who suffered and died at the hands of gun related crime on the same day. This book is the result. Gary powerfully and beautifully traces these seemingly unrelated deaths and manages to weave a wider narrative about why Americans just can't seem to rid themselves of guns even when their own children are daily victims of its presence. This book perfectly connects gun related crime to race, culture, geographical locations in the USA and their context. As well as the context of certain cities, the high population of youth gangs in certain cities and how societal and political agendas, economics and class play a role in victimising and alienating the teenagers mentioned in this book. It's a breathtaking book and a must read for anyone interested in gun crime in America. This book has detailed source material and notes at the end of each case which is super helpful!

I am happily going to be looking up the articles mentioned in this book after this post to really invest in the stories of the boys mentioned in this book. An amazing book.I urge you to go read! An effortless 5 stars for me!!

This book is amazing. It deals with the difficult and diverse issues concerning growing up as an immigrant in the UK. It deals with themes of sexuality masculinity gender and childhood alongside race culture and religion. And includes essays from Chinese backgrounds, mixed race backgrounds and Indian backgrounds to name only a small few. It's teeming with heart, sass and perspective and made me see the way my society works in a whole new light. Breathtaking and so important, this collection of essays is a must read. And for me a must re-read! An effortless 5 stars for me!

I absolutely loved it!!!! I think it was great because it wasn't really science-fiction, it was about the impact of war and how soldiers after the war tried to come to terms with their own war trauma.I admire Vonneguts subtlety, the alien race being a wider metaphor of Bill's own PTSD and his need to escape his mundane and scarred life . Modern authors I feel strive to do what Vonnegut managed to do so effortlessly. They pump out metaphors or elements of magical realism to emphasis a wider issue or concern of the main protagonist . However I often find that modern authors underline their points too strong and it becomes too forced. However Vonneguts tone was unrelentingly subtle yet ever present. His repetition of ‘so it goes' emphasises the repetition of death which seemed like a constant in the novel. It also subtly reminds the reader of the pain of loss and constant death Bill seems to be confronted with in his post War World.I was thoroughly impressed . Obviously his work is heavily inspired by science fiction texts. However this is not really a science fiction novel at all. It's a war novel. And it's so much more than either of those genres. It's powerful in its own merit and I urge you to read it! A full 5 stars for me.

A 4.5 star read for me. The final line and some elements of Adam's narration irritated me at points in the text and made Adam appear overly intellectually superior, bitter and stuffy at points. That's why I cannot give the full 5 stars. However overall this novel is phenomenal. It follows parents Adam (a stay at home dad with a PHD) and Emma (a nurse drowning in the NHS) who struggle to cope with their daughter Miriam's shock accident one day in which her heart suddenly stops on her school sports field. The story is woven from Adams point of view and it's poignant at times. It's contemplative, moving and beautiful. Parents should read it. Teenagers and young adults should read it. It beautifully depicts the family dynamics and conflicts between parents and teenagers.As well as the parental denial and struggle against their children's inevitable journey to adulthood. A frank and gorgeous investigation of the modern family home and the human connection.

I don't really know what to make of this novel, it certainly wasn't what I expected. The novel is extremely disjointed and there isn't much character development. The motivations of the characters aren't explained very well and I don't know whether if I gave it a re-read and took some more time to consider it, I would comprehend the novels structure and content better. I liked the exploration of Jamaican culture and race in the 1830s. I also liked the exploration of madness and the potential hereditary link of mental illness in the Antionettes. I was fascinated by the exploration of religion and voodoo within this novel. However this story has left me rather conflicted and puzzled. I had to re-read many passages to understand which character voice was coming through. The novel doesn't overtly present itself and as a reader, a lot of reflective musing is required to get the most out of this small but deeply layered story. Unfortunately only a 3 star / 3.5 star read!

This story dips and dives into the realms of folklore, fairytales and magical realism. While the beginning of the novel started of very promising the plot line seemed to run away with itself leaving me trudging through a story that no longer gripped me or seemed to be going anywhere. I thought the premise of the novel was too simplistic and the execution of the intermingling fairytale stories didn't merge successfully for me. The ending didn't really make sense to me as I had long since abandoned the effort to give this novel the benefit of the doubt. If you like the layering of fairytales into a wider story and like books that seem to get more strange and far fetched as you read on then this book is for you! But for me all of the ways the characters were connected to each other was too implausible. A 3.5/ 4 star read for me.

A 5 star read. What a gem of a novel. Only Ian McEwan could successfully pull off such an ambitious and bizarre plot line. Trudy, the estranged wife of John, attempts to murder him with the help of her brother-in-law and John's own brother Claude whom she is also having an affair with. The only spanner in the works regarding their dark plot is the witness to their scheme, the nine-month-old resident of Trudy's womb. The novel is guided along by the narration of Trudy's unborn foetus, who offers up an intellectual and engaging reflection of the novels twists and turns. A unique re-telling of Hamlet, littered with poetry and compelling drama. A fantastic and richly dark plot. I am Blown away by McEwan's elegant writing style and the way he can make a strange concept like a foetus protagonist so utterly convincing without a hint of farce. McEwan is a hugely impressive talent. Nutshell is a wickedly clever novel. A must read for any McEwan fans!!!

4 star read. This book had beautiful imagery. I loved the repeated metaphor of shadows rising and floating away. I also loved the personification of people's shadows and how they became the representation of characters inner turmoils within the novel. The world Hwang Jungeun created was bleak yet intoxicatingly mystical and alluring. The characters of Eungyo and Mujae were fascinating and their romance captivating. I loved the subtleties in this novel. A very well composed novel.

A 4.5/ 4.8 read.Just shy of a 5 star rating for me as it had an ambiguous ending and part of me was heartbroken to not find out the answers or to having the ending I wanted. But I LOVED this book. Highly intriguing. A contemporary page turner that sucks you in from quiet early on and spits you out by the end rather cruelly! I would recommend to anyone and everyone. Read this book, you will get more than you bargained for. Joanna Cannon is one to be looking out for!!

1.5 star read. Highly disappointing. Overly simplistic. Not realistic and slightly corny. This story tries to present a plot line of overcoming adversity by eating breakfast with God,Jesus and the Holy Spirit in a fictional dream world log cabin. I found this book an unsuccessful attempt at trying to make religion more contemporary and relevant in modern literature. Wasn't my cup of tea. Too far fetched for me. Maybe you can have better luck with it than I did. Good luck to all you who try!

A 4.5/4.8 star read. Only just missed out on a 5 star rating for me as I didn't have a gut reflex 5 star response. Deeply haunting and startlingly relevant read. A disturbing dystopian novel (but when is a dystopian ever anything but disturbing right?). A must read for any Feminists. Atwood writes beautiful prose and has a wickedly vivid imagination. It's a world that you become immersed and invested in. A must read novel for not just Atwood and dystopian fans but anyone who wants to read a multi-layered story that provokes many questions around morality and ethics.

5 star read! I adored this book!!!! It has everything you could ever want. It has romance, it has love triangles and even love rectangles ! It has folk tales and fantasy elements and much much more! It has captivating characters and each character is given the depth and consideration they deserve within the wider plot . It has twists and turns and shocking and heartwarming moments. Sarah Perry is such a talented writer. She is a strong contender for the future. She had beautiful prose, fantastic character development and superb plot development. I will read anything and everything she will write in the future and I urge you to do the same! If you do anything this summer....read this book!!!

I finished this book late last night and it was the first time in a while I stayed up late into the night to finish a book. I have surprised myself by enjoying this book way more than I expected. While this book starts to lead into the more darker plot of the potter series, I enjoyed learning much more about Voldemort's past. I also love Snape's secret influence over Harry in the form of a battered text book, as I am an out and proud Snape lover! This book was such a great escapism read recently and I know this book is the last book that features Hogwarts school and Harry's innocence and so I think the next book isn't going to be as much fun to read as this one for me. However I give this book a strong and sassy 4.3 out of 5 stars!

This book helped me reconnect with a beloved magical world from my childhood and re-reading it has allowed me to fall in love with the magical world all over again. I am really enjoying the beginning of my re reading of the Harry Potter collection.

This is a really thought provoking short story collection. The characters feel tangible and their struggles relatable. The themes and topics addressed in this collection have a searing sincerity about them.

The bathos of familial loss, miscarriage, marital issues spliced against sharp wit, trivial gossip and family vacations makes this collection poignant and breathtaking. A very talented writer and a very impressive debut compilation.

Raw and frank this book of short stories really dives deep into the human psyche and explores the fragile line of mortality.