“Sometimes she craved a little danger. And that was why she had book club.”
FINALLY. I have found my first five star book of the year that wasn’t a rer“Sometimes she craved a little danger. And that was why she had book club.”
FINALLY. I have found my first five star book of the year that wasn’t a reread or non-fiction! This book is basically Desperate Housewives set in the late 80s/early 90s and the housewives started a true crime book club, only for a vampire to move in down the street... sounds awesome, right?!
It’s a hell of a lot of fun, simply unputdownable, but it also tackles some more hefty issues that were relevant at the time, like the under-appreciation of housewives, gender roles, and socio-economic divides between neighbourhoods. Wait... these are all still relevant... but even more so back then! Add in Hendrix’s unmatched talent for pop culture and his ability to make you squirm in your seat and you’ve got a book that will appeal to a LOT of readers! (I’m not kidding, one part played into one of my biggest phobias and I had to keep taking deep breaths to finish that section)
The constant references to true crime were such a blast for this true crime junkie, and I was getting increasingly jealous of their book club picks. Like why does MY book club have to gravitate towards thrillers? The housewives were all quite different in their own quirky little ways, but each of them seemed to have similar asshole husbands, and relentlessly annoying kids... Who says being a housewife is easy?!
I can’t express how much I loved this book. It was tense, creepy, hilarious, just a really bloody good time!! Thank you to @quirkbooks for the free copy! 5 stars....more
I almost can’t put into words how important, incredible and inspiring this book is. Chanel Miller is a voice for all victims. I LOVE HER. Full review I almost can’t put into words how important, incredible and inspiring this book is. Chanel Miller is a voice for all victims. I LOVE HER. Full review to come....more
“Out of the ash I rise with my red hair And I eat men like air.”
Holy crap. Believe the hype surrounding My Dark Vanessa! This is one of the best and mos“Out of the ash I rise with my red hair And I eat men like air.”
Holy crap. Believe the hype surrounding My Dark Vanessa! This is one of the best and most compelling books I’ve read all year - or perhaps, ever!
My Dark Vanessa is almost overwhelming with how relevant and powerful it is. It tells the story of Vanessa Wye, and the relationship she had with her English teacher which started when she was only 15 years old and he was almost 30 years her senior. The story goes back and forth, flitting between detailing the beginning and development of their relationship, and present day, where Vanessa is now 32 years old, and her former teacher is being accused of sexual abuse by other students.
I’m in awe that this is Russell’s debut novel - the writing is simply incredible, there were so many parts that just floored me. She deals with the topic at hand in such a raw and visceral way, at no point does she shy away. As a result, it makes for a highly uncomfortable read, but that’s exactly what it needs to be.
There are a lot of comparisons to Lolita, but I personally found MDV to be a much more enjoyable and accessible read. It’s from the viewpoint of the victim, so you’re not privy to the predator’s unsettling thoughts - although he still makes me feel ILL. This is important as it really lets you see how such a vile person can groom someone to come around to their own way of thinking. There are of course trigger warnings for sexual abuse and rape.
It’s a frustrating read at times - you want to shake Vanessa and scream “THIS ISN’T LOVE!” but once the frustration wears off, you’re just left feeling overwhelmingly sad. When I wasn’t reading this one, I was thinking about it or talking about it... and itching to get back to it. MDV will live long in the memory.
Seriously cannot recommend this one enough! It’s poignant and important, whilst also being heartbreaking and haunting ...more
“At three in the morning the blood runs slow and thick, and slumber is heavy. The soul either sleeps in blessed ignorance of such an hour or gazes abo“At three in the morning the blood runs slow and thick, and slumber is heavy. The soul either sleeps in blessed ignorance of such an hour or gazes about itself in utter despair. There is no middle ground.”
Once again, I am left speechless by King. I am without speech. I think that when a period of times passes by wherein you haven’t read much classic King, you kinda forget what he is capable of. Rereading The Shining and ‘Salem’s Lot these past two months has really reinforced for me why King is the goddamn Master.
No one writes a small town like King. The way he carefully crafts and builds a town and all its residents is incredible, and ‘Salem’s Lot is one of his best. To learn about and to become part of this small town, only to watch it disintegrate and fall victim to a dominant evil force, is one of the most addictive reading experiences! It’s a slow burner, but it really needs to be in order for King to gradually increase the dread and terror.
October is the optimal time to read ‘Salem’s Lot, as it means you’ll pretty much be reading it in real time. The descriptions of autumn are some of my favourite pieces of King’s writing. He just nails it. He honestly just nails this entire book in my opinion.
Prior to my reread I often thought of Ben and Susan in a negative light, like “oh Salem’s Lot is awesome, shame about some of the characters..” but this time around, I appreciate them more. Susan may be quite one-dimensional but I really admired the way she stood up to her mother at times. As for Ben, he isn’t the most exciting either, but he doesn’t shy away when the horrors unfold, he’s pretty badass.
And Mark Petrie!! Still one of my favourite King child characters. He goes through so much, some of his sections really bring me the feels. And shout-out to Father Callahan, as well! And Jimmy... and Matt... the whole crew basically!
I also had forgotten how chilling this book could be. Matt hearing someone upstairs... the childish giggle... the visitor at the window... the knives... I loved how spooked I felt at times!
“If he had been about five seconds slower getting out of his car and going into his apartment, he would have been The One that night.”
When we talk abo“If he had been about five seconds slower getting out of his car and going into his apartment, he would have been The One that night.”
When we talk about the most prolific and horrifying serial killers, such as Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer etc, we should be adding another name to the list - Israel Keyes.
Prior to the hype around this book, and seeing that Last Podcast on the Left had covered him across a few episodes, I really had never heard of this guy before, which baffles me! Keyes was a true monster, evil incarnate. Some of the details of his crimes left me feeling sick to my stomach and incredibly uneasy before bedtime.
Well-written true crime books are hard to come by, which is why I choose to mostly get my true crime fix through podcasts, but American Predator is one of the best I’ve read. It’s informative and detailed, without becoming dry and tedious. Callahan tells the story of Israel Keyes by starting at what is technically the end, by kicking it off with his arrest. And this works really well, as the narrative is told in such a manner where you learn the crimes in a similar order to law enforcement.
Something I found quite alarming was the control that Keyes had over the investigation, as well as the stubbornness of prosecutor Kevin Feldis, who forced his position as interrogator when really this should have been left to those who had more experience. But hey, the criminal justice system be fucked up sometimes!
All in all, a fantastic true crime novel. This junkie would recommend adding it to your TBR! 5 stars....more
“The poets brace themselves for imminent, overeducated poverty.”
Samantha Heather Mackey couldn’t be more of an outsider in her small, highly selective“The poets brace themselves for imminent, overeducated poverty.”
Samantha Heather Mackey couldn’t be more of an outsider in her small, highly selective MFA program at New England’s Warren University. She is utterly repelled by the rest of her fiction writing cohort - a clique of unbearably twee rich girls who call each other “Bunny”. But everything changes when Samantha receives an invitation to the Bunnies’ fabled “Smut Salon”...
Wickedly funny and deliciously dark, Bunny is a messed up fever dream that I did not want to wake up from!!
It’s best to know as little as possible before starting this one. I really had no clue what was coming, and it was a helluva ride! It gets very dark and pretty brutal at times, there are some violent scenes. However, this contrasts nicely with Awad’s often hilarious writing and the saccharine characters in their beautifully patterned dresses and heart-shaped sunglasses.
There’s lots of “what the fuck just happened” moments and at times when I think back over it, I’m still unsure exactly what was going on at points. This would certainly benefit from a reread in the future! However, Bunny lives up to its reputation of a book described as “The Heathers meets The Craft” - I truly can’t come up with a better selling point than that! I’ve also seen it described as “The Secret History meets Jennifer’s Body”, which also seems absolutely perfect!
Set at an Ivy League university in New England, this ticks a number of boxes in terms of location for me. It’s a book that also seemingly pokes fun at prestigious MFA programs and I feel like Awad has a lot of fun with that!
It won’t be a hit for everyone, but I’m a tad obsessed with this book and would recommend giving it a shot if it appeals to you in any way! One of the most unique and enjoyable books I’ve read this year. 4.5 stars....more
“He realised how trivial onscreen deaths were. They never got it right, couldn’t replicate the true gut-churning horror of real life.”
Desperate studen“He realised how trivial onscreen deaths were. They never got it right, couldn’t replicate the true gut-churning horror of real life.”
Desperate student filmmakers break into Crawford Manor for an unauthorised night shoot.
The best damn horror book I’ve read in a while! I devoured it in 24 hours and even stayed up until 2am cos I just. couldn’t. stop. And I never do that!!
This is only Sodergren’s second novel and yet his writing reads like that of an esteemed author. He just hits all the right notes and the pace is consistent, yet exciting (until the last 50 pages when I just couldn’t put it down!) I adore how he so effortlessly combines humour with horror, I had to restrain myself from laughing out loud in a coffee shop!
A creepy manor screams out for all the cliches we have experienced so many times, yet this novel felt so FRESH and unique. The kills are incredibly original and inventive and had me grimacing on more than one occasion. AND Sodergren now has a track record of writing spunky female characters in his novels, which I am HERE FOR and there’s also great LGBTQ+ inclusion!
Honestly, if you’re a fan of slasher movies from the 1980s, you NEED this one on your tbr! It’s the perfect homage. I can not recommend it enough, I loved it even more than Sodergren’s debut The Forgotten Island.
“All wars are fought twice, the first time on the battlefield, the second time in memory.” - Viet Thanh Nguyen.
Back in school when I was selecting whi“All wars are fought twice, the first time on the battlefield, the second time in memory.” - Viet Thanh Nguyen.
Back in school when I was selecting which subjects I wanted to progress with for A-Level, my History teacher at the time tried to convince me to continue to study History. I told him that although I loved his classes, I knew we would cover more Northern Irish history and I just couldn’t face it. I had heard enough. It didn’t feel like “history” when it was still looming over our lives - relations have improved greatly, but a divide still exists.
Fast forward 15 years later and frankly I’m surprised that I even wanted to pick this up. Yet I’m glad I did because it has cemented itself as one of the best non-fiction books I’ve ever read - it was informative, accessible, and the story just felt human. Historical books can often feel like a lot of names and dates, coming across as cold and factual, but Keefe manages to narrate the story of The Troubles through focusing on a number of the key players and telling the story of the abduction and murder of Jean McConville, a widowed mother of ten who was lifted from her home one night and never seen again.
One of my main concerns about any of the books about The Troubles, including this one, was that they would be biased. And although Say Nothing primarily focuses on the IRA and the republican side of the fighting, their actions are presented factually - at no point did I feel like Keefe‘s own personal feelings toward either side were apparent. Although in the very final chapter he does highlight those who he thinks should be held accountable for the murder of McConville.
If you know nothing, or very little, about The Troubles in Northern Ireland, this is a fantastic book to start with. Or even if you feel like you already know a lot, like I did, you’ll still learn a few things.
Hands down, my favourite book of the year so far. The ease with which Keefe handled such a complex and sensitive topic has floored me. 5 stars....more
“And that’s the thing about people who mean everything they say. They think everyone else does too.”
An unlikely friendship between two young boys told“And that’s the thing about people who mean everything they say. They think everyone else does too.”
An unlikely friendship between two young boys told against the devastating backdrop of the history of Afghanistan over the last thirty years.
Oh, boy. This one really put me through the wringer. If I wasn’t wanting to batter Amir to death with said book because of his selfish childhood actions, I was sobbing crying on my knees shouting “Why, God? WHY?!” I feel like Hosseini was trying to personally destroy me with my feels.
Luckily, I read to feel my feels. Whether that’s excitement, or rage, or tension, or fear, or that moment when you actually feel a pain in your chest and you sincerely hope that your Red Bull addiction hasn’t come back to haunt you and that it’s just an emotional pain deep in your heart. So, yes, Hosseini, you may have broken me, but I loved every minute of it
The characterisation is just another level here. Within merely 30 pages I just knew that Hassan was a young boy who must be protected at all costs because he has the most pure heart and soul, and I may or may not be welling up again just thinking about him... As for Amir... we got off to a rocky start *see earlier book battering* but you were only a child and I see that in hindsight.
I was worried I wouldn’t enjoy this as I am quite ignorant when it comes to politics in Afghanistan (or any politics, tbh) and I wasn’t sure if the book leaned heavily on this. Thankfully it did not, and any time politics did play a role, the narrator (Amir) explained it in a very accessible and easily digestible manner. Which I really do appreciate!
This book is powerful and moving, and I have no doubt it will stay with me forever. My #jobis30before30 challenge has been worth it for this book alone - now a forever favourite.
One of the nicest things about this challenge is that it allows me to recommend books to my mum (she ain’t about that horror life). I shall force this one upon her so that she too can read this beautiful story about friendship, family and redemption - AND FEEL ALL THE DAMN FEELS!
“If you expect to find people who will understand you, you will grow murderous with disappointment. The best you'll ever do is to understand yourself,“If you expect to find people who will understand you, you will grow murderous with disappointment. The best you'll ever do is to understand yourself, know what it is that you want, and not let the cattle stand in your way.”
Ingrid Magnusson is sent to jail for the murder of her ex-boyfriend, leaving her daughter, Astrid, to enter the foster care system.
White Oleander is pure poetry. The writing is absolutely exquisite - it’s one of those books where you keep pausing just to inhale really moving and poignant prose. I would happily read anything else Janet Fitch has written/will write, as she has blown me away!
The mother/daughter relationship between Ingrid and Astrid is complex, flawed and difficult. The influence that one person can hold over you is quite scary - even though Ingrid is in prison, she still exerts this weird control over Astrid from afar. Her relationship with her mother is something that Astrid struggles with, as well as the lack of a father during her youth. Fitch handles these themes and topics with a deft hand, I really didn’t want this one to end.
Following Astrid through a sequence of different foster homes is really heartbreaking, but each new home brings vibrant and strong characters, each with their own issues. Claire in particular was a standout for me, I loved the relationship that formed between her and Astrid, even though Claire herself was also a fragile soul.
I would 100% recommend this to anyone who loves reading about complicated family dynamics, in particular the frayed relationship that can exist between mothers and daughters. This book was fantastic!
I’m also still fangirling over the fact that Fitch messaged me personally on goodreads to say she enjoyed reading my reviews and was looking forward to reading more! I’ll mark that down as one of my greatest bookish moments! 4.5 stars....more
"Whomever you become, whatever you make yourself into, that is who you always were."
Tara Westover grew up in an extreme Mormon, survivalist family. Ha"Whomever you become, whatever you make yourself into, that is who you always were."
Tara Westover grew up in an extreme Mormon, survivalist family. Having never set foot in a classroom before the age of 17, Tara embarks on a road of self-discovery and self-invention through the means of obtaining an education.
Not gonna lie, I loved every minute of this book. I don't read a lot of non-fiction unless it's true crime, so this was a little outside the norm for me, but I'm really glad I gave it a shot! I must commend the audiobook narrator, Julia Whelan, in particular as she did an incredible job of bringing Tara's story to life.
You are hooked from pretty much the very first page as Tara tells you about her very conservative upbringing. Her family live in the mountains of Idaho, preparing for the end of the world. Her mother is a both a midwife and a healer, using herbs for all their aches and pains, and her father salvages junk. She doesn't have a birth certificate, she doesn't go to school and she isn't brought to the doctor if she's unwell. It's a world pretty far removed from my own and I found it absolutely fascinating. And that's before you even get to Tara's commitment to educating herself and ultimately obtaining her PhD.
Education is something I have always took for granted. I couldn't imagine growing up not knowing what the Holocaust was - Tara had not even heard of it herself until she was in college. Yet it is something that if I didn't have it, I would be an entirely different person. The majority of my life has been focused on working for and aiming for the next qualification - once I obtained my PhD I actually felt a little lost as I didn't know what I was supposed to do next? What do you do once you can technically go no further? Hearing Tara's story makes me question if I would have had the same desire and drive to educate myself if it wasn't just something that was automatically part of my life.
And Tara's story is SO incredibly inspiring. You really feel her struggles to try and maintain a relationship with her family, whilst at the same time venturing out on her own in an attempt to discover herself and what the rest of the world has to offer. Some parts are tough to read about, such as the abuse she suffered at the hands of her brother Shawn, but at no point does she appear to wallow in self-pity. She tells her story like it is, not seeking out sympathy or praise. The focus of this memoir isn't necessarily the formal education that Tara receives, but it is more about her breaking away from her family and inventing herself. I honestly felt an insane amount pride and joy when she finally got her PhD - almost as if I knew her personally, which I think shows how much you can connect with Tara during her story.
I personally was a huge fan of the writing. Some of the descriptions of the mountains and surrounding landscapes were stunning. I truly hope Tara ends up writing fiction some day as I would happily buy every single book she writes. She appears to have a knack for both storytelling and beautiful prose.
This will probably end up being on my list of top 2019 reads. I listened to this on audiobook and it was the best motivation for kicking my ass out the door to go and exercise - I just HAD to know what happened next. Highly recommend. This one gets all the stars!!!...more
“Most people go through their whole lives, without ever really feeling that close with anyone.”
Connell and Marianne grow up in the same small town in “Most people go through their whole lives, without ever really feeling that close with anyone.”
Connell and Marianne grow up in the same small town in rural Ireland, but the similarities end there as they are from two very different worlds.
I’ve seriously been putting off writing this review because I just don’t know what to say! I feel like I can’t put into words why I loved this book - I just did. As someone who went through very similar experiences to the characters, in terms of both school and university, I felt like I was reading about the intertwined lives of two of my close friends.
There is something incredibly beautiful in its simplicity. It’s about normal people, people who you feel like you may know, living relatively normal lives. And yet it’s written in a really impactful way. When I wasn’t reading the book, I was thinking about Marianne and Connell and wondering how they were getting on... are they okay?!! *weeps*
Without giving anything anyway, I have to come to like the ending after initially being annoyed by it. I feel like it is yet another reflection of how real life just is sometimes - we don’t always grow or progress or move past our issues. More often than not, life isn’t wrapped up in a neat little bow.
Normal People is one of those books that I LOVED and yet wouldn’t necessarily recommend it to everyone. If you like the sound of a book that covers topics like mental health, socioeconomic status, and the relationship dynamics between two people who are just destined to be in each other’s lives...then yes, pick this one up!
I’m so thrilled that I enjoyed this book so much and that I can really shout about, and support, an Irish author as talented as Rooney. 5 stars!
Reread August 2021. Loved it even more than the first time!!...more
"...life had manifested the heart’s invisible furies on his face."
Forced to flee from her hometown, Catherine Goggin finds herself pregnant and alone "...life had manifested the heart’s invisible furies on his face."
Forced to flee from her hometown, Catherine Goggin finds herself pregnant and alone at just sixteen. Having settled in Dublin, she gives her newborn baby over to a hunchbacked Redemptorist nun. And so begins the story of Cyril Avery...
Reasons why you NEED this book: - it is incredibly engrossing. Once you start you won’t want to put it down! - it is laugh-out-loud funny. That Irish sense of humour! - it would be a fantastic read for #pridemonth - it tackles so many heavy issues from the oppression of the Catholic Church in Ireland to the violence and terrorism inflicted by the IRA to the HIV/AIDS crisis... it covers it all!! - the story spans for decades from Cyril’s birth to when he reaches old age and every single stage of his life is depicted in such a heartfelt and real way - it will crush your heart in the best way possible; books like this are the reason why we read in the first place.
This is truly one of those books where it’s hard to convey in a limited number of characters how brilliant it really is. Such memorable and well-written characters who are not without their flaws. They are all painfully human.
I love my country, but also recognise how backwards it can be in some regards - we’ve come a long way but there is still plenty that needs to change. Reading about the history of Ireland and the attitude towards the LGBTQ+ community in the 1960s is hard, there’s very little to be proud of - yet Boyne balances it perfectly with the right amount of humour so that it doesn’t become TOO depressing.
In a nutshell, if you haven’t read this one, you must! It’s a beautifully written epic saga laced with emotion that I will be shouting about from the rooftops for a very long time. I’m quite literally recommending it to everyone in my personal life.
And I got to buddy read it with one of my favourite people, Gemma!
The multi-generational story of the Buendía family, whose patriarch, José Arcadio Buendía, founded the town o“There is always something left to love.”
The multi-generational story of the Buendía family, whose patriarch, José Arcadio Buendía, founded the town of Macondo, a fictitious town in the country of Colombia.
I have been hesitant about writing this review as I will never be able to do this book justice - it is simply that incredible. So, please bear with my fangirling and inability to put into words how truly magical, beautiful, breathtaking and heartbreaking One Hundred Years of Solitude is.
The movement of the story over one hundred years is mesmerising. New characters are constantly being introduced as the family expands, which can be overwhelming at times, but if you have a family tree and give the book the undivided attention it deserves, the pay off is worth it. This is not one to be picked up on a whim, you need to be in the mood to peel back the layers of the Buendía family.
And a multitude of layers there are! Crazy things are constantly happening - civil wars, uprisings, hauntings, a little familial incest... This is truly a book to reread and revisit many times, as there are such a vast amount of details and events that it is impossible to remember them all.
The writing itself is unbelievable. If I was one to highlight sections of books that I loved, this entire book would be bright pink (my fave highlighter shade)! This novel reminded me in many ways of East of Eden, another all-time favourite, in the sense that history constantly repeats itself - families are sometimes doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over.
Yet I would not freely recommend it to everyone. You’ll either love it... or want to bang your head off a wall. I can’t predict which camp anyone would fall into, all I can say is give it a chance if it sounds like a book you’d enjoy!
Thanks for the amazing buddy read @cemetery.of.forgotten.books - I am now obsessed. 5 stars....more
“Few things leave a deeper mark on a reader than the first book that finds its way into his heart.”
When Daniel Sempere is a young boy, his father brin“Few things leave a deeper mark on a reader than the first book that finds its way into his heart.”
When Daniel Sempere is a young boy, his father brings him to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books and tells him he can choose whichever book he likes. The book that Daniel chooses, The Shadow of the Wind, ignites his passion for literature and unravelling the fate of this book and its author.
I’ve been blankly staring at my review post for the last 10 minutes - I think a tumbleweed actually blew by. I really don’t know where to begin or how to even put into words how absolutely incredible this book is. When I finished this book, I just sat and cried. Not because of the outcome or the fate of our characters, but because this story was over and I’d never get to experience this for the first time again. And that’s how you know you’ve read a special book!
It’s so easy to get swept up in this story and the intimacy of getting to know a range of characters throughout numerous stages of their life. You become so deeply entrenched in the lives of this cast of characters that it almost feels like you've lost some friends when you turn the final page (I am aware there are further books in this series, but not really direct sequels?) As for the plot itself, the mystery is slowly unravelled through various tidbits from different character perspectives - and on a number of occasions I audibly GASPED and messaged fellow readers in all capitals (which you know I hate) to fangirl over how blown away I was.
The setting is so beautifully gothic that it led me to text Matthew as soon as I finished to say “please bring me to Barcelona”. Barcelona is yet another character to add to the fold. A lot of different genres are covered here: it’s a little bit creepy and dark at times, and there’s romance and mystery and it’s pretty funny at times too (thank you Fermin)! I adored how it was like story inception, a story within a story, and it was really interesting seeing all the parallels between Daniel and Carax's lives. There's just so many layers to this novel and Zafon weaves them all together so seamlessly.
This has become one of those books that I would love to push through everyone’s letterbox and tell them all to READ IT! It’s a book for book lovers in particular and so many of the passages had me swooning and in awe of Zafon’s writing. I obviously cannot directly compare the translation to the original text, but I'm going to assume that Lucia Graves has done an amazing job as the writing is simply stunning and doesn't feel like a clunky translation at all. It's a book that really reminds you why you are a reader - to get truly lost in someone else's story. Truly magical!
5 stars. Although I would give it ALL THE STARS if I could....more
"They walked through the rainy dark like gaunt ghosts, and Garraty didn't like to look at them. They were the walking dead."
On the first day of May ea"They walked through the rainy dark like gaunt ghosts, and Garraty didn't like to look at them. They were the walking dead."
On the first day of May each year, one hundred boys will take part in "The Long Walk". Breaking the rules results in warnings. More than three warnings and you'll get your ticket and you're out of the race.
I've felt for quite a while now that my top 10 Kings are pretty solid - before reading this I had about 13 or 14 left to read and none of them really seem like possible contenders (apart from maybe The Green Mile). In particular, I never thought a goddamn Bachman book would break the top 10 (we have a rocky relationship me and Bachman). And yet here we are! The Long Walk didn't just break into the top 10, but the top 5!
From the outset I thought The Long Walk would just be another dystopian novel (I say "another" quite loosely as surely this was one of the first?), but boy was I wrong. Below the surface, this book touches upon so many different themes and topics, like mortality, identity, friendship, and countless others. If you've followed my King journey you'll know that I'm a huge fan of the books in which King tackles death, grief, loss and mortality. That's kinda my wheelhouse. All of these rank in my top 10: Pet Sematary, Duma Key, Lisey's Story, Bag of Bones… and stories like The Woman in the Room and The Last Rung on the Ladder (both of these appear in Night Shift, which is also on the list). The Long Walk is heavy on both mortality and death.
King started writing this when he was eighteen. EIGHTEEN. And yet this will surpass many of the books I read in my lifetime. I'm not sure how much editing was done between his first draft and when it was actually released, but either way, this is a fascinating idea for a book. Only King could make the story of one hundred boys walking down a road so fucking nail-biting and engrossing. It is dripping with tension and dread. My heart would be racing in my chest - when some of those boys stumbled I would be screaming "GET UP" in my head!
So many King books have had an impact on me, but this has been one of the most impressive. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it or talking about it. I almost wanted to stop strangers in the street and tell them all about the amazing book I was reading. I had to settle for telling my boyfriend all about it instead - but even then he was kinda like "So?" *shrugs*… and that's the thing. The plot sounds interesting, yes, but it's the immersive experience you have when reading this one that really sticks with you. It's the characters you get to know. It's the looming black cloud of death that hangs over these boys. I cried on countless occasions during this read - death is a very real fear for me, and when I think of what these boys must have been going through, it got to be too much at times.
As for the characters themselves, King has written them all in such a way that they're very individual, with their own personalities and traits. McVries in particular stands out for me. You get the impression he may not have been the best person in the world before this experience, but he becomes a really decent guy throughout the walk, he becomes someone for our main protagonist, Garraty, to lean on. I love McVries <3 and Stebbins too!
It's a brutal read, it's heartbreaking, there are certain scenes you'll simply never forget - but ultimately, it's worth it. It also gave me one of the worst book hangovers I've ever had, I'm so thankful for podcasts and people online who will allow me to dwell in this story that King created for a little while longer. It's emotionally exhausting and physically draining, but its monumental impact will stay with me forever.
”If we were all on trial for our thoughts, we would all be hanged.”
A fictionalised retelling of the story of Grace Marks and the part that she may or ”If we were all on trial for our thoughts, we would all be hanged.”
A fictionalised retelling of the story of Grace Marks and the part that she may or may not have played in the murders of Thomas Kinnear and Nancy Montgomery. Grace was only 16 when she accused of murdering her employer and his housekeeper.
This is a fantastic mix of true crime and historical fiction! Atwood blends the two wonderfully, even including actual excerpts from reports and books, as well as pictures of the two charged with the murders. Atwood’s research and attention to detail is very apparent, although I held off on reading about the true crime case that inspired the novel until after I had finished.
The story kicks off with Grace in Kingston Penitentiary, serving her sentence for these murders. That is until Doctor Simon Jordan becomes involved in her case and tries to unlock some of the memories that she claims are hidden away. What unravels is a slow-paced yet addictive read, brimming with sex, violence and commentaries on both class and gender. And I could not get enough!
My overwhelming reaction to this book was to simply be in awe of Atwood’s writing and wit. She provides such sharp astute observations that are equally intelligent and droll - I definitely sniggered on more than a few occasions.
To summarise, Atwood is a goddamn queen. Alias Grace surpasses The Handmaid’s Tale as my favourite Atwood to date and is up there in my top 10 books of the year so far! I loved every single page! 5 stars....more
In the fall of 1993, in the quiet suburb of Harting Farms, children begin vanishing and one is found dead. Vowing to s“No retreat, baby, no surrender”
In the fall of 1993, in the quiet suburb of Harting Farms, children begin vanishing and one is found dead. Vowing to stop the Piper’s reign of terror, five boys take up the search.
There’s just something very special about coming-of-age tales, isn’t there? I think it’s because they invoke such overwhelming nostalgia and it’s a trope that most people can relate to. December Park fits nicely into the same category as Dan Simmons’ Summer of Night, Robert McCammon’s Boy’s Life, Stephen King’s IT and even his novella The Body as well.
I wouldn’t classify this one as a straight-up horror novel, it’s intention isn’t to scare or unsettle - it’s more about the relationships our main protagonist, Angelo, has formed with his father, grandfather, brother and the kids in his friendship circle. Malfi has included some really beautiful and touching scenes here, particularly between Angelo and his father. And I’m a goddamn sucker for those child-parent moments!
It’s a slow burn as the kids ride around on their bikes and try to carry out their own investigation into the serial killer in their small town - the one who has become known as The Piper. It’s not action-packed until the last quarter or so, when you simply can’t put the book down as everything comes to a head. And Malfi does actually throw in a few chilling moments in the final part as well!!
I cannot let this review pass without commenting on how fucking cool Angelo is and how much we need to be friends. He is CONSTANTLY listening to Bruce Springsteen and he loves reading horror and watching slashers, and I am trying not to be offended by sharing so much in common with a 15 year old boy. The Springsteen references just had me geeking out on another level!
I shed a few tears towards the end as well... This book really had it all for me. I can’t recommend it enough! One of my fave books of the year!...more
Johann (jobis89)
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