Adeline

The third in the murder mystery series, this reunites Lily Kintner with her acolyte, private detective Henry Kimball, as Lily helps an old college friend who suspects her husband is a serial killer.  Like the previous books in the series, and in the rest of his novels Peter Swanson use of plotting is immaculate, throwing incredible twists that make the story go into a direction you don't expect.  I loved coming back to the main characters, especially Lily who's a truly fascinating (unhinged and cold with her own sense of justice and loyal to her friends and family, definitely one of my favourite female characters in literature).  The side characters were all compelling and fucked up in their own way. 
A fast paged and intense mystery thriller, I hope the author will deliver more stories from this series. 

Epic fantasy following two warriors guarding the moon goddess as she tries to escape from her despotic grandsons after a life of emprisonnement.  What a stunning book this was !!  The writing was lush and evocative, with some great descriptions of a rich and original world peppered throughout the tale, with some dark and gorey elements added to it.  The structure was truly inventive, reminiscent of a theatre play from ancient times, mixing 1st/2nd/3rd point of views in a tale that was inspired by oral tradition and folklore. Each character's thoughts were detailed in italics, giving it a Greek chorus feel to it.  The characters were all compelling and complex.  Themes of family, tradition, identity, legacy, storytelling, power were expertly woven into the story.  A gorgeous and original novel, I'm looking forward to read more of Simon Jimenez's other books. 

Queer literary fiction following several acquaintances as they deal with life changing events during a hot summer weekend in London. 
Well this was an incredible read. I loved the writing style, sharp and evocative. I loved how the author painted the diversity and vividness of London, a metropole with its own beauty and ugliness.  All the characters were complex and compelling, but my favourites were definitely Rosaleen, Phil and Maggie.  The author intertwined their personal stories with important themes such as queerness, motherhood, Irish history, conservatism, pro choice, self acceptance etc.  There were some truly emotional moments that got me cried, and so many thoughts/experiences that mirrored my own, the very last sentences made me burst into tears. 
This was a truly gorgeous and emotional debut by Oisín McKenna and I'm looking forward to read his future work. 

Mystery thriller following two women meeting because of a shared history: Erin who was the last child abducted alongside her brother by a serial killer known as Father; and Harriett (whose cousins were killed by that serial killer) who tries to write a book about the victims, and wants to interview Erin as the sole survivor of the killer. 
Overall this was a solid book, The writing was goof and I really liked the plot. There was several very interesting twists that I didn't see coming and I actually liked the ending.  The two main characters were compelling, I love how they were sapphic, and the relationship developing between them was great to witness.  My main criticisms was about the pacing. Some parts felt too detailed with a lot of things told and some of the character's reactions and thoughts weren't necessary to the plot; it didn't add anything, and sometimes felt like they were flip flopping between opposing emotions too quickly. These parts felt a bit boring to read, the plot loosing its thrilling aspect that I even had some thoughts on DNF'ing it.  On the contrary I felt the Big Reveal and its explanation was a bit too rushed compared to the rest of the book.  I feel the book could have been trimmed in some parts and expanded in others.  Overall a rather good book with an interesting plot. 

Psychedelic folk horror with elements of magical realism, sci-fi and fantasy. In a world overtaken by zombie-like ghosts and constant heatwaves, three friends travel through the English countryside, each for their own reason, to a village called Almanby, a place where no one should ever go. 
Well this was such a creepy, unsettling reading experience, it felt like a delirious LSD fever dream. The author did a perfect job setting the weird and unsettling atmosphere with a pinch of Monty Pythonesque humour and surrealist passages throughout the book. The village of Almanby felt like something out of a dark fairy tale, and I loved the connection to childhood and folklore.  The characters had their own faults and annoying moments but all remained compelling in their way.  The plot was straightforward but the pacing was not, some parts felt a bit dragged out, others repetitive and the ending a bit rushed, yet all of it contributed to make this story more dizzying to read.  I did like the ending though I wished some parts were more explained, in regards to certain side characters.  Reading this book felt like I just got drunk or high, so despite some reserve this really felt like a truly original and interesting debut novel. 

Third book in the trilogy The Wolf Den, this Historical fiction series follows the life of Amara, a prostitute from Pompei. In this last book we see her life as a concubine right up to the eruption of Vesuvius and the aftermath of this disaster. 

And here we are, the final chapter in the life of Amara. This book was definitely faster paced and shorter than the previous book but the author managed to pack yet again incredibly emotional moments, rendering the life of Ancient Romans with a gorgeous prose and great attention to details. 
The whole part with the Vesuvius explosion felt truly devastating to read, as you really feel for the people who lost their lives and homes. 
The aftermath was particularly satisfying to read and the ending was absolutely perfect. 
I would love to see a continuation of Amara's life and also of another side character I particularly loved in this series (not saying who to avoid spoilers). 
This truly makes The Wolf Den one of my favourite book series ever.

Sci-fi novel with elements of comedy and horror, it follows an office worker as his conscience is uploaded into the Slack app and how he tries to get help from his colleagues. 
I loved this weird little story specifically it's original format as it was written entirely through Slack messages. This made for a quick read, although some app/office related slang did confuse me as a European who never really used Slack.  The plot was straightforward but I did love the main mystery and the other subplots. I did feel everything resolved a bit too quick, and the ending felt a bit abrupt. I didn't laugh out loud as mentioned in one of the review on the cover but I was certainly amused and chuckled during some moments.  I have to mention the bisexual and gay representation too, as always the cherry on top. 
Overall this was a truly fun and enjoyable read. 

Book 2 in the (grim) dark fantasy series The Songs of the Drowned, The Jaguar Path returns to a Mesoamerican inspired world as characters from the previous novel deal with the aftermath of what happened two years before. 
As with the previous book, the author does a great job creating and expanding an original world building, full of violence and complex characters. The plot moved less at the beginning but picked up midway, yet remained interesting with some good twists. Focusing more on the characters in their new situation, the author did a great job showing them each as truly realistic being with their own flaws and qualities, sometimes touching sometimes irritating but always compelling. The overall themes of colonialism, sacrifice, survival, racism, religion and acculturation present in the previous was still touched upon throughout the book.  The writing is sharp and engaging with some truly gruesome sequences and great fighting scenes. The diversity with disability and queerness representation was again the cherry on top. 
I can't wait to read the next book in this story. 

Queer literary fiction following a young unnamed man nicknamed Nene, attending to Juan, a dying man in an abandoned institution in the middle of the desert. Connecting through the work of Jan Gay, an undervalued queer author and activist from the early 20th century, their rediscovery of her work and life is intercepted by archival documents and flashbacks of their personal experiences as gay men. 
Important themes on historical and scientific erasure and manipulation, rediscovering and passing on knowledge, mental illness, queer history and culture, sexuality and identity, latinidad, etc are touched upon in this book so it was an enriching experiences for me in addition to discover unknown figures of queer history. 
Structurally it's not a linear progression, but a series of vignettes depicting either the protagonists life or historical events.  The writing style also felt very eclectic in style and quite experimental with the use of cinematic screenplay-like writing or pages with just a few lines of dialogue, with an almost surreal feel to it. The desert and abandoned setting also added to this psychedelic atmosphere.
With the addition of real reproduced documents (some with redacted text) , this books more than flirts with other genres like historical fiction and non fiction, plenty of other cultural and literary references too. 
The heavy use of mixed media and eclectic writing style, in addition to the non linear structure, lack of resolved end, sometimes clunky dialogue made for a very challenging read, as it sometimes pulled me out of the story and not connected to the characters. 
Despite some personal reservations on the story itself and the structure, the themes really makes this an important and enriching book for any queer readers. 

Mystery thriller about a mother, who, one night when she's home alone with her two young children, sees an intruder in her house. Desperate, she and her children escape into an hidden room. 
The beginning was already extremely tense, the author using great imagery and words to convey the tension and danger, the heart pounding threat of being preyed upon. A little before the midway of the book, the plot goes into a direction I didn't expected (or expected later on) but I didn't mind it at all. I felt it was really interesting afterwards to see chapters with a slower pace, still underlined by tension but with a sort of surreal quality added to it that mirrored the main character's situation. The last chapters restarted the frantic tension and danger, and the ending was really satisfying for me. 
The style felt very lush and intricate with a sort of litfic quality in the writing that I absolutely loved. 
I also really liked the main character, her resilience and courage.  Throughout the novel we see flashbacks of her life, her thoughts and feelings on what is happening to her; the author perfectly exploring themes of motherhood, family, gaslighting, mental health, survival.  
Overall a stunning debut novel, a real page turning thriller with gorgeous prose, I'm looking forward to read more by Tracy Sierra. 

Buddy read with @glitterpricked

Queer literary fiction taking place in 1950s Paris where David, a young American, waiting for his fiancée Hella to come back from Spain, meets Giovanni, an Italian barman and starts an abrupt and passionate affair with him. 
This short but powerful book was an incredible dense read, dealing with themes about queerness, shame, homophobia, masculinity, misogyny, social conformity.  James Baldwin delivers each line with a sharp and compelling tone. Each line written  felt experienced and personal, as he truly understands the characters and infuses them with his own story as a queer man who lived during that era in Paris. 
Both David and Giovanni are flawed and complex characters, the author perfectly described the intricacy of someone dealing with their sexuality, gender identity, their internalised bigotry in a conventional society. Yet living in a society that condemns, if not legally, then morally, that queerness, the two  characters find themselves in Giovanni's room, a place of liberation and love, where they can be themselves and not having to be in a state of self deception. 
The dichotomy between the two, is shown literally: Giovanni is a passionate, solar being, who search for a true emotional connection but is utterly unable to live alone. He also shows himself as a very traditional Italian, with a patriarchal and misogynistic attitude.   David on the other hand, displays moment of selfishness, denial and impassiveness. His struggle with his sexuality and sense of self, his shame and self loathing, his struggle with his masculinity, his inability to accept love, dating back to his unhappy youth, did softens his flaws, making him a interesting character.    Metaphorically I also noted this opposition between the two is shown throughout different references in the book ( for example Judas/Jesus or innocence/guilt). 
Sometimes it felt as David saw himself in Giovanni, or as his mirror image, specifically the passages where he imagines what Giovanni is doing, it felt like he was living through them.  
Their secretive, whole consuming passion (une passion dévorante as we say in French), in addition to Hella's impending return and other various problems (money, unemployment, dubious relationships), makes the tension slowly escalate and the author perfectly describes this mounting dread that slowly eats away at both characters until it explodes into a tragic finale.  
This book felt very much like a photograph of its time yet it reminds us that today acceptance and respect are essential. 
This review is a mess, a more capable reviewer will probably articulate better why this book is incredible, yet I feel with this book I felt I experienced more than I read it. 

Sci-fi horror mystery where Gyre, a professional caver on a foreign planet, dives down into a strange underground cave system, monitored by Em, a woman with mysterious intentions. 
I really liked this book! The writer did a great job setting up the claustrophobic, confusing and creepy cave system.   The characters were both flawed and realistic, the tension between the two was really well rendered, each of them having their own secrets.  I also did like the sapphic angsty yearning.  The mounting tension and dread concerning the cave itself and what happened in the past was also well rendered by the author, the paranoia corrupting Gyre's mental health, like a parasite.  Some parts I struggled through, some elements felt a bit repetitive or too long, I felt like shaving some pages off could have made it more into a page turner. Also the ending felt a bit abrupt to me. 
Overall this was an incredibly solid debut novel ! 

Historical fiction taking place in 19th century Britain, where magicians and pioneers in filmmaking come together and try to create a never seen before spectacle.  
A charming little historical fiction, that touches upon a particular moment in history full of changes in the world of art, technology and spectacle , specifically for women. It was nice to see that particular era talked about. 
The magic tricks and filmmaking aspects were really interesting and I did like the parallels between these types of entertainment. The elements of magical realism felt very à propos too but I wanted to see more of it. It was great to see women having agency and wanting independence. 
The main characters were likeable though not perfect and each had their own flaws.  Although well written, I did feel the plot was a bit too straightforward, lacking in tension and everything felt too convenient. I wasn't on the edge and to be honest a bit bored at times. The romance was cute but nothing incredible, it was nice to see some queer representation in a side character. 
A charming little story, very cozy though it lacked something for me

Mystery thriller with elements of horror, this novel follows a widowed vicar and her daughter as they settle into a new village known for its martyred burnings several centuries before. 
So I quite liked this book, it's less supernatural horror then I first expected but it's a real page turner with a fast paced story and plenty of twists, some I kind of guessed early on and others I didn't. Even so, I did love the twists and the ending.  All the characters were compelling and I did like the different POVs and timelines.  The writing were engaging and sharp, the atmosphere was perfectly set up and really felt creepy and ominous. 
A very solid mystery and I'm looking forward to read more books by this author. 

 non fiction exploring the horrifying exploitation and murders of members from the Osage tribe in early 20th century Oklahoma by white Americans .
An eye opening book on a series of horrifying historical events that targeted Native Americans, it's thoroughly researched and written though some parts interested me less and felt dry to read. It's a good complement of information for anyone who saw the Martin Scorsese movie. The audiobook is well narrated, I would totally recommend in addition to a digital/physical copy that has illustrations of the different individuals involved in these events. 

I'll definitely check out the author's other books. 

4.5 stars 
Fantasy mystery where an investigator and her assistant, helped by enhancing abilities, try to solve a series of strange murders, in an empire whose external walls are threatened by terrible leviathans.  As a fan of the author's previous Foundryside trilogy (though I still need to read book 3), I was looking forward to check out his newest work. As with his previous books, this fantasy mystery was a great read, with unique world building and very compelling characters, written in an evocative and smooth style. 
I loved how the world and magic portrayed is centred around plants, brews, poison, contagion and special enhancements.  The mystery itself was really interesting and I loved seeing the characters intelligently putting the pieces together. It felt very much in the vein of a classic detective story like Sherlock Holmes but the fantasy setting and quirky characters made for an intriguing story. 
I loved the inclusion of queer characters, specifically in the mc as the author has done in his previous books. 
This was an incredible read and I'm really looking forward to read the next book in this series. 

Dystopian sci-fi action novel taking place where prisoners fight each other in gladiatorial games. 
The writing was really good, the author had a concise and evocative writing and really created a unique voice for each pov.  This book on important themes like systemic racism, the glamorisation of violence, the injustice in innocents being condemned.  The world building was great, it felt like a mix between Gladiator, Bloodsport and Escape from New York. The descriptions felt very visual and this book could definitely be turned into a movie or series.  I liked the main characters, Thurwar and Staxxx and their relationship was truly touching. 
I felt the chapters were too disconnected from each other which made the story not flow smoothly and was bothersome at times; though the abrupt ending felt write too.  Some of the side characters had only one or a couple of chapters and I would have liked to see more of their points of view, others I did not care about. Some plot points were also barely touched upon and I wished we had delved into it more because they seemed really interesting. 
The audiobook was incredibly well made, the voice actors all did a tremendous job, although the narration of the notes felt a bit awkward. 
A good book tackling some important themes, I will definitely check out the author's other works. 

Crime thriller taking place in L.A., a convict just came out of prison thanks to a retired cop trying to exonerate him, and reunites with his sick daughter. The reunion takes a turn for the worse when it coincides with a serial killer from the 70s emerging from his hibernation to hunt again. 
I loved this book, the author did a great job keeping the tension up, the short chapters with the various points of view made this a real page turner full of twists. The writing was snappy, with some comical moments and funny dialogue. I loved how the authors explored themes of parental love, true crime, wrongful convictions, the fascination for serial killers and its exploitation by Hollywood.  All the characters were quirky, memorable and compelling.  The father-daughter relation was truly the emotional core of the book and discovering it was inspired by the authors own life made it really special to read it ( I do recommend reading the afterword). 
An incredible fast paced read, I'm looking forward to read more books by this author ! 

  Historical family saga set in Mexico, the story was separate into two timelines following two men from the Sonoro family.  The first timeline followed Antonio, a poor farmer in the late 19th century, who decides to rob a train in Texas. The robbery ends in tragedy rendering Antonio a fugitive on the run looking for vengeance. This part felt very much like a western adventure full of action and tension.  The second plot followed the grandson of Antonio, a 1960s movie/music star called Jaime whose life is changed by a book on the horrible deeds of his ancestors and encounters with a strange man. This part was more of a literary mystery with a dash of magical realism. 
I really loved the evocative writing that perfectly painted a picture of Mexico in two different areas. Both of the main characters were compelling in their own ways, Antonio felt more like an antihero than Jaime. The mix in genres was refreshing and kept me interested on the characters' arcs. However, Jaime's chapters were shorter than Antonio and I did wish we saw more of his life.  I felt the pacing felt a bit too long at the end for Antonio's storyline and the tension between Jaime and his father resolved a bit too quickly for me as well.  The author took inspiration from her personal history, discussing some important themes like colonialism and racism, the weight and burden of familial history, fate and predestination and generational evil, forgiveness and redemption, poverty and wealth and privilege. 
Overall a very good book, and I'll be sure to check out this author in the future !

Horror mystery following a group of friends, made of climbers and college students as they hike to study a cliff in the middle of a strange forest. 
I really really liked this. The writer did a great job setting up the atmosphere and slowly unraveling the plot and what happened to the characters.  
spoilers ahead 


With great details, the author showed the characters loosing their minds bit by bit, each influenced differently by the strange environment: Dylan's strange bond with the rock wall, Luke's desperation over his dog disappearing and his physical injury, Clay's « visions » first using his tech then afterwards in the forest, Sydney's bafflement toward the geology of the area, etc. You can feel the dread and horror and despair mounting in the characters, as they're stuck in a looping hell, which made this a real page turner.   The valley was portrayed as a true living breathing entity of evil, that entranced and entrapped its visitors. 

I loved the author's description of the evil valley, the absence of noise, the horrible visions, the strange fauna, the glitchy forest ,the blood seeping from everywhere.  I also liked seeing how the evilness was rooted in history, with several flashbacks, showing how the forest grew from its victims.  There was some truly gruesome and gory moments that made me shiver in disgust and sick to my stomach. 
The Dyatlov pass incident's influence was minimal, mostly shown in the state the victims were discovered and the bafflement of the investigators. 

The ending was abrupt in that we didn't know how or why that valley was evil but in retrospect it wasn't a bad decision to not know too much about it, to keep the mystery showing that the valley would continue to exist no matter what. It definitely puts the chills in you.  Some of the character's reactions were a bit bafflingly dumb and the climbing lingo went a bit over my head but this was a very strong debut. 


I'm definitely looking forward to read more books by this author. 

The second book in the The Amberlough Dossier trilogy, takes place a few years after the first book that saw a fascistic political party take power in a country reminiscent of the Weimar Republic in 1920's/30's Germany.  

I won't delve into the plot to avoid spoilers but it was a joy to return into this Art Deco drenched political fantasy, full of twists,  intrigues, spies, revolutionaries, and smugglers. The diversity in this world, in terms of queer characters and POCs was truly the cherry on top. 

As with the previous book, the author describes the vivid scenes and glamorous settings with a lush and sharp prose. The action in this book takes place mostly in another part of this world, in a country more reminiscent of those in North Africa. 

It was great seeing two main characters from the previous book, Aristide and Cordelia, and a new one, Lillian (the sister of the main character from the first book, Cyril). The three points of view start separately, emphasising on the characters' personal struggles in the aftermath of the previous book. Eventually their paths cross as their actions converge to similar goals.
It felt less twisty and plot heavy than the first book, with less urgency and fear, focusing more on personal relationships and the characters's emotions.  
Despite being the middle book, I didn't feel it dragged and reading it felt like a breeze. 

The ending definitely set up for the last book, so I'm looking forward to see how the trilogy ends. 

A collection of short stories that ranges  from weird to horror to gothic to speculative fiction. 
I really loved this collection. The author has a sharp and evocative writing that instantly captures the dark and strange atmosphere present in her stories.  The titular story is the longest of the book and really sets the tone. It's very gothic and eerie, reminiscent of authors like Shirley Jackson.  Other stories also dealt with dark, disturbing, sometimes supernatural themes in a shorter form, each time the author did a great job at constructing an interesting narrative with a distinct mood and voice.  Her protagonists are all compelling in their way, including several unhinged female characters. 
My favourite stories were : Dead Relatives, Jutland, The Pickling Jar, Resting Bitch Face, The Puckering, The Devil of Timanfaya, The birds of Nagasaki

Literary fiction following a young black British gay man, Harley who struggles with depression encounters Muddy, a bird enthusiast who changes his life for the better.  This was a lovely little book, very heavy on the characters , so the plot took a back seat. Some details and dialogues felt too superfluous and dragged the story for me specially towards the last 100 pages.  It dealt in very a thoughtful and sensitive way some important and dark themes such as mental health, depression, happiness, found family, toxic masculinity, friendship, music, queerness, prejudice, religious bigotry, homophobia and racism. I loved the relationship between the two characters, Harley and Muddy and the other members of their group of friends, just a bunch of good wholesome people, the kind of friends that anyone would wish for. There were so many great quotes that stuck with me.  While I personally would have preferred a tighter plot, this was a great and healing first novel on the power of kindness, respect and love. 

Dystopian ecological mystery drenched in a Neo Noir atmosphere and set in Los Angeles, it follows a writer, Patrick who travels to Hollywood for the movie adaptation of his novel. While California is invaded by a new trendy water brand and ravaged by wildfires, Patrick encounters the secretive and weird producers, a set full of amateurs and the main actress, a troubled starlet named Cassidy. 
I liked the dense, lush literary prose which read like a fever dream. The novel was written in a 3rd PoV where the characters thoughts and memories were shared but at random times which threw me off at first. I felt some monologues and descriptions could have been trimmed down because they were distracting and didn't add anything substantial to the plot. Some characters felt superfluous. Maybe I would have preferred a more focused look on the mystery itself, and felt the ending could have been tighter especially concerning the effect of the fake water. 
I did like the mystery in itself, the dread atmosphere, the weird and the strange behaviours , the present tangible threat of wildfires vs the ominous water brand that creeps into the everyday life. It's like you realise bit by bit that something is not quite right in that world. I did like how one of Cassidy's old tv show is used as a parallel to the mystery going in the book.  
A good book despite some pacing problems for me. 

Historical fiction with a tragicomic twist, taking place after the Athenians' failed invasion of Sicily during the Peloponnesian War. Two unemployed Syracusians, Lampo and Gelon try to direct a play by the great Euripides, using the Athenian prisoners as actors. 

I loved the writing style which was truly sharp and humorous with an Irish contemporary vernacular, the contrast making the atmosphere even more vivid and engaging. 
The plot was straightforward and it's based on real facts, but there was still a tension to it since you didn't know how the characters would end up. 
This was written in first POV of Lampo, who was compelling and flawed with a crudeness to him that you seldom see. I did wish the other characters had their own POV to see their side of the story. Also there was one of the side characters, a foreigner that had me intrigued, and I would have liked to see more of him.  The authors perfectly used the plot to talk about some important themes like the power of art and culture, as a tool of connection and freedom but also family, friendship, community and resilience. 
The ending was really emotional to read, especially the last chapter that made me teary.  Amongst all the Greek mythology and historical retellings, this novel stood out with its original voice and story.  This was a great read and debut novel from this author, I will surely check out his next books!