Alison

Utterly beautiful from start to finish.

Oh, January.

I loved you, and I wanted so badly to love you more.

I think what made this four instead of five stars for me was that it left me wanting more, but not in a deliberate way.

The story was slow to start, and while I'm usually a fan of the slow reveal, this was a bit too much. The plot didn't really kick into gear until about a third of the way in.

That said - when it did pick up - wow.

What immediately caught me when I read this blurb was the idea of doors. Anyone who is a reader, who loves stories, knows - and is painfully in love with - the thought of stumbling across their own door. Most everyone has heard of the door to Narnia, but what if there were endless doors to endless worlds? I wanted this idea to be fleshed out more, especially as January discovered her own powers, rather than focusing on a quest to one particular door. I also feel like the idea of order vs chaos, restriction vs creativity could have been explored much more deeply.

All in all, I loved this book, but with caveats. I feel like it was an origin story, painting a broad canvas for what could be a much more detailed and developed narrative in the future.

Sequel...? Please?

I was worried that a) this wouldn't live up to the hype, and b) it was a cynical cash grab by an author with no real story to tell, but who wanted to capitalise on the success of the recent TV series.

I was very wrong, and very glad to be.

I have been a fan of The Handmaid's Tale for many many years, but this book has overtaken it in my estimation. I prefer The Testaments, because although it has the same well-drawn dystopian world, insightful social commentary, and beautiful prose as The Handmaid's Tale, The Testaments has the added benefit of a cracking story with irresistible momentum. It's less slice-of-life, and more traditional plot-driven adventure.

As with the first novel, this one suddenly seems eerily plausible, and terrifyingly possible. I hope for all our sakes that it stays firmly in the realm of fiction.

While I'll admit I'm a sucker for a good time-travel story, this one definitely manages to stand on its own two feet without the added benefit of my inherent bias.

Without giving too much away, technology has advanced to the point where soldiers can be broken down into light, and transmitted to the front lines of the war at great speed. Dietz, a soldier who joined up to ‘be a hero' and avenge her loved ones, finds that being part of the Light Brigade has unintended and soul-shattering implications.

I loved this. LOVED it. Dietz is the perfect combination of naive, confused and increasingly jaded to make the entire story ring true. The character development is spot-on, and the cutting commentary on personal freedoms / corporate imperialism / social status hits all those “here but for the grace of god...” buttons. I can see why the comparisons to Starship Troopers and Old Man's War are there - the same message of the futility of war and the same black humour permeates, but the final takeaway is quite different.

I feel like I need a second read to completely get my head around all the twisty, mobius-strip aspects of the plot, but I thoroughly enjoyed it regardless. Would recommend for anyone who enjoys well-written military Sci-Fi with a heart, character development and non-linear plots.

Oh, this book. This beautiful book.

I devoured this in one night, glass of wine in hand, reading out particularly breathtaking paragraphs to my husband.

I was blown away by the author's debut novel (The Age of Miracles) for its balance of fantastic premise and characterisation with brilliant writing. This book is skewed more toward the writing end of the spectrum, but an amazing read nonetheless.

The Dreamers is a lush, dreamy (no pun intended), extravagent excursion into gorgeous prose. It's the velvety dark chocolate of books. While the framing of the story and the plot caught - and held - my interest, it was the turn of phrase and writing style that had me savouring every page.

Recommended for anyone who enjoys rich, indulgent experiences with beautiful language.

One of those stories that makes you want to re-read it immediately upon finishing.

A great idea and solid plotting let down by inconsistent, occasionally weak writing.

Maggie Stiefvater's prose lends itself so well to this book. It's gorgeous yet just off-kilter enough to make you feel that sense of unreality that comes with dreams.

If I had to sum up this book in one word, it would be ‘charming'.

The premise - that there exist beings whose job it is to create coincidences to serve some grander plan - doesn't try too hard to be the focus of the book. It's explained well enough to serve the purposes of the story, without getting bogged down in the why and how of things. (I also loved the little bits we learn about imaginary friends). At it's core, this is a story about people (or ‘people'), their personalities, relationships, and what makes them who they are.

While the main character's determinedly introspective denseness ups the slappability rating a few times, for the most part, it's a nice, easy story with characters that you want to like. An almost-romcom with some philosophical does-free-will-exist seasoning, the story never quite manages to be truly surprising while still being satisfying.

An enjoyable popcorn-slash-beach read with intelligence, humour and heart.

I found this a really frustrating book to read (and review) because it was almost - almost! - something amazing. It had occasional glimmers of greatness, and came so close to being brilliant, but ultimately was let down by the writing. The author falls into the trap of overly-descriptive purple prose, especially in the early stages of the novel. While not a deal-breaker, it was jarring enough to make me constantly aware of it and wish that there had been tighter editing.

On the plus side, the story and setup was interesting enough to keep me reading despite the shortcomings of the writing style. The plot, while not being sparklingly original (strong nods to Dune and Red Rising, amongst others), was executed well enough to keep the story moving and the pages turning. The hints of mystery in the worldbuilding, the political machinations and the alien cultures were a great hook, and will see me coming back for the next installment. (What can I say, I'm a sucker for that ancient-alien-lost-civilisation stuff).

A strong debut, especially given the age of the author. I will be reading the rest of the series and watching his future career with interest.

A surprisingly forgettable read, given the blurb and the author's previous works.

Wow.

I'll start this review with two caveats; one, I'm not usually a fan of the mystery genre, and two, I'm often (perhaps unfairly) suspicious of books that are the latest ‘must read'.

Nonetheless, I have to say that Jane Harper's debut is stunning. I can think of no other way to describe it. It grabbed me from the opening lines and didn't let go until the end; I devoured it in one sitting. I already know this is a solid contender for best book of the year for me, simply because it's so rare for me to be completely captivated in that way.

The writing in this book is lush, atmospheric, and beautiful. You can almost feel the heat of the drought radiating off the pages. Harper has an incredible talent for descriptive, emotive writing, without falling into the trap of being overly wordy or resorting to purple prose. Aaron Falk's character - and, in fact, every character - is so well drawn that you can't help but see real, living, breathing people. Aaron's character is central to the story and ties the various plot threads together in a way that seems natural and unforced. The plot itself is tight and well-paced, with just enough misdirection and false clues to keep things interesting.

I loved this. Loved it, loved it, loved it. If you enjoy mysteries - or even if you don't - you should definitely give this a try.

A beautifully written, heart-wrenching, completely captivating novel. I only wish I could give it more than five stars.

Great idea, but the execution was sadly lacking. The writing was rough in places, the characters and their motivations made no sense, and the plot doesn't actually end up going anywhere (seriously, WTF was that ending? And on that note, where was the build-up of tension, the plot progression?). I felt like the author didn't quite know what kind of story he was trying to write here, so what we ended up with was one of those unfortunate this-happened-this-happened-this-happened-the-end plodding reads, with a bit of arbitrary wuv story tossed into the mix without actually making any sense in context of the story or the characters.

Like most people who were greatly anticipating reading Armada, I was a huge fan of Ready Player One. I know that expectation can often lead to disappointment, but I couldn't help hoping that Ernest Cline would be able to recapture that same magic that made Ready Player One feel so fresh and fun.

Unfortunately, Armada fell flat for me. Very flat. Not only was the story paper-thin, the characters were one-dimensional and the writing was extremely average. It read like nothing so much as the fan-fiction that a fourteen-year-old boy would write about how one day his amazing gamer skills are going to save the world, because he's awesome, and screw all you haters. The plot barely made sense and the main character seemed to be a thinly-disguised stand-in for the author himself. Other characters may as well be made out of cardboard for how much genuine personality they show.

There's something rather unsettling about feeling like you're reading an author's private fantasies dressed up as story. I could have forgiven it if the story had something else to reedem it, some great twist or deeper story revealed as the book progressed, but there was just more “HEY AREN'T VIDEO GAMES AWESOME AND AREN'T I AWESOME FOR WRITING ABOUT THEM”.

Disappointing.

This is one of those books that, upon finishing, you instantly realise that you're going to have to read again to pick up on all the layers of meaning you missed the first time around.

I was sceptical about the marketing comparison to American Gods, but Scott Hawkins has managed to capture that same sort of feeling while weaving a cracking story with just enough twists, mysteries, and out-and-out WTF moments to make it un-put-downable. But it's the characters that really make this book shine - the questions of what power can do to you, how it can change you, how we deal with love, loss, and family.

I love a book where you can tell that the author has put thought into the consequences of actions and how things work; nothing is handwaved away or glossed over. Like the fact that time slowing around you doesn't mean you can move super-fast, because air molecules will get in your way and super-heat you (much like a spacecraft on re-entry). Or that turning invisible may be possible, but because the light receptors in your eyes are also transparent you'll end up blind. One of the characters quite derisively comments at one point that there's no such thing as magic; the internal logic that Hawkins builds up in his world is strong enough that you'll believe that's true, because everything makes sense without needing that handwave.

I loved this. Loved it. I'll be buying a physical copy because I simply must own it, and must reread it, and must get everyone I know who loves books to read this book.

I was so excited for this book after reading the plot summary. Mysterious sky-ships! Adventure! Political intrigue! War! Comparisons with Stardust and TFiOS!

Sadly, the story didn't live up to any of that. Not even close. This was one of those books that felt like it spent the entire duration of story stuck in the intitial set-up, with no character or meaningful plot development leading to a quick not-quite-resolution tacked on the end. There's no tension, and nothing to make us care about any of what's happening - we are skimmed from event to event in a rapid-fire “this happens then this happens and this happens” sequence without ever really developing any deep understanding of the world, the characters, or their motivations, beyond the flat this-is-the-bad-guy / this-is-the-love-interest labels stuck hastily on the cardboard cutouts that pass for characters.

It's especially frustrating because there are the seeds of a great story in there. Certainly the initial chapters showed lots of promise, but unfortunately it deteriorated rapidly from there.

When I finish a book knowing less about the world and its magic system / internal logic than I started with then something has gone badly wrong somewhere. What's the deal with singing magic? Canwrs? Magonia's political factions? Breath? What's the political history of the city, the war, the crops, and why don't we ever SEE any of this other than in vague exposition dumps from moustache-twirling villians?

Although I know this is supposed to have a sequel, it should still be able to stand on its own as a completely story and it fails that test for me. I won't be wasting any time on the next one.

I read this in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it. A fresh new take on several ideas that have been done to death (time travel / Orwellian dystopias) backed up with very solid writing made for a book that I'll definitely be re-reading in the future (no pun intended). The world-building is excellent; I love reading a story where the internal logic of the world is strong enough that the little ways that life would be affected have been taken into consideration, from things like the day-to-day difficulties of crossing roads all the way up to broader issues such as political beliefs and societal norms.

The only (small) issue I had was that I didn't feel that the sense of menace from ‘The Society' was established well enough; other than the school interview and the few appearances of police, there wasn't much to create a sense of threat, especially as we're seeing the world from the point of view of a character who's supposed to be completely marginalised. The ease with which several of the main characters hack in and out of government systems to completely change incredibly high-level data certainly didn't help with the Orwellian atmosphere for which the author was aiming.

Still, it's a minor quibble with what was otherwise a cracking read. I'm very much looking forward to a sequel.

An fascinating exploration of an interesting philosophical idea. I only wish more time had been given to exploring some of the issues that were raised during the story. The ending felt rather abrupt, and I was left with more questions than answers (which is, perhaps, appropriate enough given the subject matter).

Annihilation was one of those books that I wanted to like a lot more than I actually did. On the surface it seemed to have everything: interesting premise, great worldbuilding, fabulous writing, and a slew of recommendations from both friends and authors whose work I admire.

...and yet.

I just didn't connect with this story. I'm not sure whether it's the frame of mind I was in when I read it, the fact that I had very high expectations, or something about the writing that I can't quite put my finger on (perhaps the disconnect of the nameless protagonists?). Either way, while I can stand back and say that technically I guess it's a very well-written book, it just didn't grab me. At no point did I feel invested in the story or the characters, and each plot revelation got little to no reaction from me.

Three out of five stars because it was interesting enough that I read to the end, but not good enough for me to recommend to others or want to re-read.

I stumbled across this book purely by chance, and the thought that I came so close to never finding it was enough to cause me to have a “how many other utterly amazing books are out there that I've just completely overlooked?!” crisis.

I saw Rebecca Mascull's next book listed on Netgalley and, liking the sound of the summary, decided to flick through The Visitors first to get a feel for her writing style. That was all it took. I devoured it in one sitting. The writing is lush and gorgeous, and while the story is a mashup of genres that sound like they shouldn't work together Mascull weaves them together to create something fresh and new.

Also, on a purely shallow note, I adore the cover.

Highly recommended. I'm very much looking forward to Song of the Sea Maid.

I can't help but feel sympathy for authors whose first (or second, or third) book was a smash hit. Any subsequent novels are inevitably going to be judged – usually harshly - against their older, more popular sibling. So let's get this out of the way first:

Q: Is At the Water's Edge another Water for Elephants?
A: No.

Of course, the question that should be asked is: “is this a well-crafted novel with excellent character development and a captivating plot?”

The answer to that question is a resounding yes.

When I read the synopsis for this novel I'll admit I was sceptical. In reality the blurb massively overplays the importance of the Loch Ness Monster story. It's basically used as a backdrop, as is the war; while there are gems of historical detail used here and there to flesh out the setting (ladies drawing lines up the backs of their legs in the absence of stockings is one that I always love in this time period), it's never the focus of the story. The focus is squarely on Maddie - a rich, spoiled, American socialite - and her attempts to work out who she really is and what she really wants from life. While the main strength of the novel for me was in its incredibly well-written and developed characters, the plot did slowly build tension and the last quarter of the novel became a genuine page-turner.

I have to admit enjoyed this book more than I expected to, especially given the strong dash of romance. Well worth a read.

It's taken me a while to decide what I wanted to say about this book. The easy part: read it. If you haven't read it already, readitreaditreadit.

The Girl With All the Gifts is one of those extremely rare books that didn't just tick all the boxes for me - it exceeded my expectations in all of the ways that matter. Writing style? Incredible; tight yet descriptive, emotive and sometimes beautiful prose. Setting? Fascinating; a new take on an overdone (and often terrible) genre, where there is solid, carefully explained science behind what's happening instead of the usual “Zombies, because... zombies!” handwave. Story? Gripping, with great momentum and enough mystery to keep you turning pages in the hope of finding answers.

And the characters... what can I say. Melanie has depth, spirit, and an incredibly strong voice. You can't help but care for her. All of the characters are real people with their own stories, feelings, and journeys; they are complicated, they grow and change and learn, and are much more than simply objects for moving the plot forward.

This has become an instant favourite for me, and in definitely in the running for my favourite book of the year. Highly, highly recommended.

I found myself trying to describe this book to someone and settled on “Real Housewives meets Lord of the Flies meets Lost in evening gowns”. When a plane full of teenage beauty queens crashes on a deserted (or “deserted”) island with no food, water, or tinted moisturiser, they have to find a way to survive - and escape - while practising the big pageant opening number, dealing with a ship full of buff pirates, and trying not to go completely bonkers in the process.

In Beauty Queens Libba Bray deftly satirises the whole beauty industry and our culture of body-shaming women for corporate profit. She makes no attempts to hide that this is the main thrust of the novel; for this reason the characters could be better described as charicatures than people, and the plot is a little thin in parts. If subtlety is what you're after you won't find it here, but this book is still a hilarious, light-hearted read. Recommended.

Touch is very much the spiritual successor to Claire North's first book, The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August. In Harry, the main character lives his life over and over again, learning and growing from his many experiences and mistakes through his lifetimes. In Touch, Kepler is a being who lives by jumping from host to host, experiencing many different lives by inhabiting these ‘skins'. In both books there's the sense of the characters being somewhat other, outside of normal life, to the point where normal people are considered almost irrelevant - yet still loved, and lovingly observed, which leads to some wonderful explorations of humanity and human nature.

Like Harry before it, I loved Touch. Claire North has the rare gift of an amazing writing style combined with unique ideas and great storytelling, which leads to books that tick all the boxes for me (literary character-driven stories with swirls of sci-fi / fantasy? YES PLEASE). It was the characters and the introspective nature of the narrative that made this for me more so than the plot - which tended to slow down at times - but the meandering journey through Kepler's past and thoughts combined with slow reveals about his nature was fascinating and thoroughly rewarding.

A highly original story from an immensely talented author, Touch is a dark, thoughtful, confronting book, and an amazing read for all of those reasons. Very highly recommended.

Fairfold is a modern town full of everyday people, including Hazel and her brother Ben. It also happens to be the last place on Earth where humans still coexist with the Fae. Tourists travel huge distances to hear the stories and see the legendary Fae prince who has slept in a glass coffin in the woods for generations. But the fae in Fairfold aren't friendly, especially to outsiders; if you meet them, you must always be polite, never accept any food or drink, and never, ever, go into the woods on a full moon night. Hazel knows all these rules, has grown up knowing these rules, just as she grew up knowing that the sleeping prince in the woods would never wake up.

Until one day, he does. And suddenly nothing Hazel thought she knew is true, and she must fight to find the truth about - and save - the town, the prince, her brother, and herself.

I can still remember that moment growing up when I discovered faerie tales. I mean -real- faerie tales; those sinister, scary, and sometimes bloody stories that involved cruel fae and harsh lessons, not the sanitised Disney versions that have replaced them. The Darkest Part of the Forest follows in the best traditions of those original faerie stories - the fae are inhuman, beautiful yet terrifying, twisting words and bargains, completely unpredictable and not to be trusted. There's something utterly fascinating about this type of fae, and Holly Black does a great job of intertwining the traditional stories with the modern world.

The central mystery of the story kept me engaged all the way through, and I found myself unable to put the book down until I'd read just a little more... a little more... in my quest for answers. Although this is a YA title the romance isn't overpowering; while present, it's more of a sidestory than the central focus of the novel. Holly Black's writing is wonderfully tight and evocative, and this is definitely the strongest work that I've read from her.

All in all a fantastic book - I'm very much looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next.