Natasha

A beautifully written novella on the breakup of a marriage, the collapse of a partnership, self doubt turning into self belief and rediscovery. Some people criticise this because she is privileged (which she repeatedly acknowledges) and yes, her financial struggles may have been soften, but she is still allowed to feel heartbreak and loss.

I can't say I enjoyed this reading experience. It was incredibly bleak and painfully slow. The book was just too long. But I persevered and the pace definitely picked up towards the end. The true horror wasn't the monster at all. Hell is other people.

This was a pleasant surprise. I expected all bleakness and families who hate each other - it was that (lol), but it was so much more. Witty, satirical, funny, bleak (at times) but ultimately hopeful. I really enjoyed it.

Some really great stories in this collection. I loved For Sale by Owner, Money of the Dead, Hag and Special Meal (all 4.5 or 5 stars)

This is my favourite book of the series so far.

Really bleak and haunting. Didn't connect to the characters though.

Harrowing

I really did not connect to this. So disappointed. I was expecting something like The Correspondent or Remarkably Bright Creatures, but this is didactic - way more preachy and virtue signalling than I expected . Show don’t tell. I’m too cold hearted for this lol.

Yet another shocking example of injustice and corporate greed. I love that Kate Moore gives a voice to these forgotten women and tells the stories we all should know.

Loved the beginning and ending of this book. The middle dragged a bit though. It is a gory and humorous tale of a man and his demons, of love and violence; adventure and debts to repay.

This book is very polarising and I can see why. The characters are awful. The writing is clever and simmering with female rage. It made me angry and uncomfortable and terrified and worried and sad and (at times) even hopeful - and I couldn't put it down. And any book that can bring out so many emotions and stays constantly on your mind deserves five stars.

3.5 stars. Loved the premise and it started out strong, but ended up being a rather standard thriller with no jaw dropping twists. It was a good read, but my expectations were too high going into this one.

Possible spoiler: I dislike the mis/non-communication and purposeful withholding trope. Where one honest conversation could wrap things up in a cute little bow.

This is a prime example of when a book would have been so much better with better editing! It could have been 500 pages and told the exact same story. I found it frustratingly repetitive. The few driving plot points and character arcs earned this a 3 star (just tbh).

Beautifully written. Filled with longing, grief and regret.

Not my fav instalment in this series, but it was entertaining enough.

I always have a good time with Carl and her majesty Princess Donut. The characters and writing were brilliant. I didn't love the train setting, but it's probably because my brain couldn't keep track (see what I did there?) of all the lines and stations. Honestly, this series brings me so much joy. Thank you Matt and Jeff!

Twisty and disturbing. Left me feeling a bit icky tbh - but with such unlikeable characters I suppose that's expected.

Well maybe I've been glamoured by a vampire - because damn - I am enthralled. Was this the perfect book. No. But I was invested in the characters (to my poor heart's detriment) and "fark my face" was I entertained.

Another book with wasted potential. It was supposed to be magical and whimsical and romantic. But there was too much agenda, lecturing and finger wagging, and far too little whimsy. We know books are important (we are readers!), we know inclusion is important (we are readers!) we know that book banning is bad (say it with me - we are readers!). We do not need to be lectured on such things. Take us to the world of books and let us stay a while there - instead of dipping in and out. Argg - I'm in a reading slump.

I am bitterly disappointed! This premise had so much potential and I love a time travel story. There is so much more the author could have done with this concept, but in the end, the 1850 storyline lead to nothing.

The "romance" felt contrived and they had absolutely no chemistry. Insta love.

I was waiting for the fun time travel tropes to come into play - but nothing! She could have gone to another city instead of 150 years into the past and the story would have been exactly the same.

Mystery was pretty meh too.

Great mix of horror and fantasy, with a few surprising twists.

This was ok. It was a pretty standard historical fiction / romance and was 2.5 stars most of the way. The ending saved it, so I bumped it up to 3.

I needed a palate cleanser after a run of particular heavy reads. A story about running a magical inn seemed to fit the bill. I am surprised at how much I actually enjoyed this and how high stakes the story became.

This is a beautifully written epistolary novel that explores the exquisite joy and excruciating pain of family, love, work, friendship and grief. A heartbreaker and healer.

A novel about the beauty of a little life.