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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: The Space Between Us (The Enceladons Trilogy, Book 1) by Doug Johnstone

Published March 16th, 2023 by Orenda Books
Science Fition, Mystery, Suspense

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SYNOPSIS:

When three people suffer strokes after seeing dazzling lights over Edinburgh, then awake completely recovered, they’re convinced their ordeal is connected to the alien creature discovered on a nearby beach … an adrenaline-soaked, deeply humane, life-affirming first-contact novel from one of Scotland’s most revered authors…
 
**Selected for BBC 2 Between the Covers 2023**
 
‘All the drive, curiosity and wonder of his crime and mystery novels … science fiction gains a new author’ Derek B Miller
 
‘If you read one life-affirming book this year, make sure it’s this one’ Nina Pottell, Prima
  
‘The main characters, their lives and their struggles, are portrayed very vividly. I was straight into this, just like a thriller’ Ivo Graham on Between the Covers 
 
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Connecting will change everything…
 
Lennox is a troubled teenager with no family. Ava is eight months pregnant and fleeing her abusive husband. Heather is a grieving mother and cancer sufferer. They don’t know each other, but when a meteor streaks over Edinburgh, all three suffer instant, catastrophic strokes… 
 
…only to wake up the following day in hospital, miraculously recovered. 
 
When news reaches them of an octopus-like creature washed up on the shore near where the meteor came to earth, Lennox senses that some extra-terrestrial force is at play. With the help of Ava, Heather and a journalist, Ewan, he rescues the creature they call ‘Sandy’ and goes on the run. 
 
But they aren’t the only ones with an interest in the alien … close behind are Ava’s husband, the police and a government unit who wants to capture the creature, at all costs. And Sandy’s arrival may have implications beyond anything anyone could imagine…
 
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‘This had all the makings of a film … such relatable characters. Writing a story about a mixed-race boy in the care system and two women so brilliantly is so impressive’ Sunetra Sarker on Between the Covers

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MY REVIEW:

A trio of strangers are brought together in extraordinary circumstances in the first book of The Enceladon’s Trilogy. This is a book that’s way outside of my comfort zone, so I’d put off reading it for a while. But I’m a big fan of Doug Johnstone’s writing and I have heard so many great reviews for this book that I decided to finally take the plunge and read it for myself.

Lennox is a troubled teen without any family. Ava is eight months pregnant and trying to escape her abusive marriage. Heather has terminal cancer, is grieving her daughter and feels she’s nothing to live for. What starts out as another ordinary day in their lives becomes something exceptional, starting with a meteor that streaks over Edinburgh and causes them to have catastrophic strokes. When they wake up in hospital the next day they are somehow fully recovered. No one can explain it. 
The group then learns that an octopus-like creature has been recovered, washed up on the shore near where the meteor was. Could an extraterrestrial force be behind what happened? They set out to find out, starting with rescuing the creature, who they call ‘Sandy’. But they aren’t the only ones after Sandy and must stay one step ahead of the police, a government unit and Ava’s furious husband. 

I am so glad I finally read this book. With a large cast of characters and intricate storyline, it took me a bit of time to get into it, but once I did I was hooked and on the edge of my seat as they tried to stay one step ahead of the people chasing them and get Sandy to safety. I loved the characters in this book. Lennox, Ava and Heather are fantastic characters and compelling narrators, each having a charisma that draws you in and makes you care about them. I loved the camaraderie that they built with each other and Sandy and I was rooting for them at every step, cheering for them to succeed in evading capture and finding a safe place for Sandy. And, speaking of Sandy, they are a richly drawn and fascinating character, feeling so real that I believed their existence was possible. I adored their bond with Lennox and their scenes together were my favourite moments in the book. The eclectic cast of background characters are all equally well-written and help provide a lot of tension and drama along the way, with Ava’s husband standing out in particular as the biggest villain of the story. I hated that man. 

This book is yet more proof of what a masterful storyteller and writer Doug Johnstone is. Anything he turns his hand to is phenomenal and I’m going to read it. I was so relieved to have book two waiting to be read when I finished this one as I was left desperate to know what happened next. My review for that book will be posted as part of the blog tour tomorrow. 

Exhilarating, tense and addictive, this is a brilliant start to what promises to be an exciting new series. Even if this doesn’t sound like your usual kind of book I recommend giving it a try. It might surprise you like it did me. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Doug Johnstone is the author of Fourteen novels, including The Great Silence, the third in the Skelfs series, which has been optioned for  In 2021, The Big Chill, the second in the series, was longlisted for the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. In 2020, A Dark Matter, the first in the series, was shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year and the Capital Crime Amazon Publishing Independent Voice Book of the Year award. Black Hearts (Book four), was published in 2022, with The Opposite of Lonely (book five) out in 2023. Several of his books have been bestsellers and award winners, and his first science fiction novel, The Space Between Us, was a BBC2 Between the Covers pick. He’s taught creative writing, been writer in residence at various institutions, and has been an arts journalist for twenty years. Doug is a songwriter and musician with five albums and three EPs released, and he plays drums for the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers. He lives in Edinburgh.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These links are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxx

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Squadpod Squadpod Reviews

SQUADPOD REVIEWS: The Murder After The Night Before by Katy Brent

Published February 1st, 2024 by HQ
Mystery, Dark Comedy, Satire, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Contemporary Romance, Adventure Ficiton

Today I’m sharing my review for the fierce and funny The Murder After The Night Before, which is one of the Squadpods Featured Books in February. Thank you HQ for my gifted copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

From the author of How to Kill Men and Get Away With It, don’t miss this wickedly witty and utterly addictive novel, perfect for fans of Bella Mackie, Dawn O’Porter and Killing Eve.

Something bad happened last night.

I’ve woken up with the hangover from hell, a stranger in my bed, and I’ve gone viral for the worst reasons.

But I can’t remember a thing…

My best friend Posey is dead. The police think it was a tragic accident. I know she was murdered.

There’s only one thing stopping me from dying of shame. I need to find a killer.

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MY REVIEW:

Molly wakes up with the hangover from hell, no memories of the night before, a stranger in her bed, and has gone viral for all the wrong reasons. And it only gets worse when her best mate and flatmate Posey is found dead. The police write it off as a tragic accident, but Molly is sure Posey was murdered and sets out to find proof. The problem is, she still can’t remember what happened the night before.

This book was quite the ride! As a fan of dark comedy thrillers such as Sweetpea and  Over My Dead Body I knew I was going to love this one. But what I didn’t expect was to devour it so quickly, how timely it would be, or how Katy Brent would leave my jaw on the floor with her unexpected twists. Opening with Molly waking up after the night she can’t remember, it jumps straight into the action and never lets go, taking the reader along for the ride beside Molly as she tries to piece together what happened the night before and who killed her best friend. It feels claustrophobic, like the walls are closing in on Molly and her world keeps shrinking as she’s increasingly alone and scared to leave the house, and there’s a climate of distrust and suspicion lingers over every page as Molly tries to figure out who she can trust. 

Brent explores some sensitive and timely topics in the book, using black humour throughout to lighten the mood. This is a story that will make you feel every emotion: heartache, rage, fear, joy, laughter. But it is never heavy or bleak and instead makes you feel the many emotions those topics should make you feel. These topics are explored alongside the mystery of Posey’s death, something that I think helps alleviate some of the weightiness of the topics. I liked that Brent included excerpts of some of the tweets surrounding both Molly’s viral incident and Posey’s death at the beginning of each chapter as it felt like I was reading a true story rather than fiction. I was completely invested in both storylines and read on tenterhooks as I tried to figure out what had really happened. 

Molly is a fantastic protagonist. She’s feisty, chaotic, volatile, sloppy and destructive. Quite frankly, this girl is a hot mess. But behind her brittle and spiky veneer is a damaged, fearful young woman who is all alone and I wanted to hug her and tell her it would be ok. She is also the epitome of an unreliable narrator as she can’t even trust her own memories, something that made her even more likeable to me as you know she’s not deliberately being duplicitous. I loved this character and was rooting for her at every step. 

Fast-paced, fierce, darkly funny, and unflinching, this addictive thriller is a must-read. Just make sure you clear your schedule before you start. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Katy is an author and award-winning journalist from the UK. She has worked on newspapers, magazines and websites since 2005, writing about popular culture. How To Kill Men and Get Away With It is her first novel.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxx

*These links are affiliate links

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Blog Tours book reviews

BLOG TOUR: The Memory of Us by Dani Atkins

Published February 15th, 2024 by Head of Zeus
Romance Novel

Today I’m delighted to be sharing my review for The Memory of Us as part of the blog tour. Thank you to Poppy from Head of Zeus for the invitation to take part and finished copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

‘A beautifully written, gripping and moving novel about the lengths we will go to for the people who mean the most to us… I was utterly captivated, from start to finish.’ – Holly Miller

If you can’t trust your head, can you trust your heart?

If she had been found moments later, Amelia’s heart would have stopped and never recovered. Instead she was taken from the desolate beach to the nearest hospital just in time to save her life. When her sister Lexi arrives from New York, Amelia’s heart is beating, but the accident has implanted a series of false memories. These memories revolve around a man named Sam, and a perfect love story that never existed.

Determined to help her sister, Lexi enlists the help of Nick, a local vet who bears a striking resemblance to Sam. Together, Lexi and Nick recreate and photograph Amelia’s dream dates in the hopes of triggering her true memories.

But as love starts to stir between Lexi and Nick, they must navigate a complex web of emotions. How can Lexi fall for Amelia’s dream man without hurting her sister?

Filled with breathtaking romance, heart-wrenching emotion, the magic of destiny and the power of sisterhood, The Memory of Us is a must-read for fans of Holly Miller and Colleen Hoover.

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MY REVIEW:

Amelia is found on a desolate beach on a frigid January night wearing nothing but her nightgown. She’s unconscious, not breathing and verging on hypothermia. If the men had found her just a few moments later she’d never have recovered. But they were able to get her heart beating again and she’s rushed to the nearest hospital.
In New York Lexi is woken by the call no-one wants to receive and quickly packs before racing to the airport to get on a plane and fly to her sister’s side. When she arrives, Amelia is conscious but not acting like herself and asking for her husband, Sam. Only Sam doesn’t exist. 

I knew The Memory of Us was going to be a book I loved within the first few pages. A story about memories, true love, and unbreakable bonds, it didn’t start out how I expected and adrenaline coursed through my veins as I read the gripping prologue. That tension was only compounded by fear and foreboding as Lexi flew to be by her sister’s side, and while that high level of apprehension did ease, the book continued to hold my attention and I was totally immersed and invested. The sisters share a strong and unique bond, which is a central part of the storyline, and you can feel it keenly as Lexi desperately tries to help her sister even at the cost of her own happiness. 

Dani Atkins is an author I’ve been aware of for a long time and I’ve got a number of her books on my kindle. But, shamefully, this is the first time I’ve read one of them. Why did I wait so long? This book is beautifully written, evocative and moving with very real and relatable characters that I found easy to root for. Their emotions leapt from the pages and I felt like I lived every moment alongside the characters, particularly Lexi who I formed the strongest bond with. I loved her relationship with Amelia and could feel how torn she was in so many of the decisions she was having to make. I also really believed in the love between Lexi and Nick. He was a dreamy love interest and it would have been a surprise if Lexi hadn’t fallen for him. Yes, it was predictable they would fall in love, but it was also well written and I wanted them to have their happy ever after. 

Heartrending, hopeful and uplifting, The Memory of Us is a wonderful story that warms you from the inside like hot chocolate on a cold day. Highly recommended.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Dani Atkins was born in London in 1958, and grew up in North London. She moved to rural Hertfordshire in 1985, where she has lived in a small village ever since with her family. Although Dani has been writing for fun all her life, Fractured was her first novel. She has since written The Story of Us.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org*| Amazon*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

xr:d:DAF59OEHKjA:58,j:1331231617571643992,t:24020710

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews

BLOG TOUR: Token by Beverlery Kendall

Published February 15th, 2024 by Simon & Schuster UK
Romance Novel, Contemporary Fiction

Today is my stop on the blog tour for this sizzling second-chance romance. Thank you to Sara at Simon & Schuster UK for the invitation to take part and the gifted proof.

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SYNOPSIS:

A sexy, whip-smart, enemies to lovers romcom that’s fresh and topical, tackling racism and tokenism as experienced by a young Black woman in the cutthroat world of Publicity.

‘A funny, satisfying read full of sparkling banter and thoughtful social commentary’ Shauna Robinson, author of Must Love Books

‘The most delicious blend of a *very* heated novel, the dynamics of an age old and rock-solid friendship, the complexities that come with being a Black woman in any workspace and a romance that could melt any heart. Token had me rapt from the very first page with it’s humour and intelligence – I absolutely adored it’  Ore Agbaje-Williams, author of The Three of Us

‘Brimming with angst, banter, and a fiery chemistry’ Taj McCoy, author of Zora Books Her Happy Ever After

Kennedy Mitchell is brilliant, beautiful and tired of being the only Black woman in the room.

Two years ago, she was plucked from reception for a seat at the boardroom table in the name of “representation”. Rather than play along, she and her best friend founded Token, a boutique PR agency that helps diversity-challenged companies and celebrities. With famous people getting into reputation-damaging controversies, Token is in high demand and business is booming, but when her ex shows up needing help repairing his reputation, things get even more complicated and soon Kennedy finds herself drawn into a PR scandal of her own.

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MY REVIEW:

Though New York might be known as a melting pot, Kennedy Mitchell is used to being the only Black woman in the room. And she’s had enough. So she and her best friend Aurora create Token, a PR firm that helps diversity-challenged companies and celebrities. But when her ex reaches out for help after becoming embroiled in a scandal, things take a personal turn and Kennedy soon finds herself fighting to save her own reputation.

Sizzling, sexy, funny, and entertaining, Token is a second-chance romance brimming with chemistry, banter, humour, drama, angst, and thought-provoking social commentary. Set against the backdrop of the ruthless world of PR, Beverley Kendall explores topical issues such as racism, sexism, and diversity in the workplace.

Kennedy and Nate are great protagonists. Kennedy is a gorgeous, smart, fierce and independent Black woman who is passionate about what her company does. While she might despair of the attitudes of some of their clients, she truly believes that they are helping make a difference in the world and I loved her scenes at work because of this. I loved her friendships with Aurora and Sahara, who were also brilliant characters in their own right. I had initially thought Nate was going to be seen only through Kennedy’s lens, so I was surprised when I discovered he was also a narrator. But I enjoyed getting a greater insight into his mind and motivations. It would have been easy for a rich, white man who has famous parents to feel like a vapid and one-dimensional character that no one would like, but Kendall managed to make Nate someone who is compelling. You can see why Kennedy is drawn to him as a person and the spark between them is red hot, making it easy to root for them as a couple.

So if you like your romances loaded with tension, wit, intelligence, and spice, then this is for you.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

BEVERLEY KENDALL has published over ten contemporary and historical romance novels. She also manages the romance review blog, Smitten by Books (smittenbybooks.com). Bev writes full-time while raising her son as a single mother. Both dual citizens of the US and Canada, they currently call Atlanta home.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2024

BOOK REVIEW: The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey

Published February 15th by Hutchinson Heinmann
Mystery, Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story

Here’s my review for a book you HAVE to read. Thank you Hutchinson Heinemann for the proof copy.

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SYNOPSIS:

THE BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK

‘To read it is to feel that little bit better about life‘
ELIZABETH DAY

‘A beautiful mystery with heart’
ROB RINDER

‘This is a heart-warming book’
EMMA HEALEY

‘A gorgeous, page-turning book’
I PAPER

Yorkshire, 1979

Maggie Thatcher is prime minister, drainpipe jeans are in, and Miv is convinced that her dad wants to move their family Down South.

Because of the murders.

Leaving Yorkshire and her best friend Sharon simply isn’t an option, no matter the dangers lurking round their way; or the strangeness at home that started the day Miv’s mum stopped talking.
Perhaps if she could solve the case of the disappearing women, they could stay after all?

So, Miv and Sharon decide to make a list: a list of all the suspicious people and things down their street. People they know. People they don’t.

But their search for the truth reveals more secrets in their neighbourhood, within their families – and between each other – than they ever thought possible.

What if the real mystery Miv needs to solve is the one that lies much closer to home?

THE PERFECT DEBUT NOVEL TO DISCUSS IN BOOK CLUBS

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MY REVIEW:

‘We’ll make a list,’ I said. ‘A list of the people and things we see that are suspicious. And then… And then we’ll investigate them.’ 

If you’ve not read The List of Suspicious Things then you need to add it to your TBR right now! A coming-of-age meets slice of life and mystery novel, this debut was a good book that became SPECTACULAR with its conclusion. So much so that I sat hugging it to my chest for ages just repeating ‘Wow’ after finishing it. 

Yorkshire, 1979. Margaret Thatcher is the new Prime Minister, mills are closing,  and a terrifying serial killer is stalking local women. It is against this bleak backdrop that The List of Suspicious Things is set, following twelve-year-old Miv as she and her best friend, Sharon, set out to find the Yorkshire Ripper in order to stop Miv’s family moving ‘down south’. But are they prepared for what they will discover?

What a book! Jennie Godfrey is a masterful storyteller and a talent to watch, crafting an unforgettable story about family, friendship, community, secrets, suspicion, and the loss of innocence. And how could this Yorkshire girl, born in 1979, resist that premise? The familiar dialect places and characters created a sense of home for me, and I loved the feelings of nostalgia it evoked. Miv is a great protagonist who I related to from the start.  She took me right back to being that age with all the same feelings and confusion about the world. I loved the child-like innocence and wide-eyed wonderment about the world that shines through in Miv’s chapters, something that is balanced by the adults’ points of view, which not only give us a greater perspective, but also help add to the sense of community that flows throughout the book. There are a number of sensitive and difficult subjects explored in this book and I liked that Godfrey handled them with honesty and compassion. One example is the  ever-looming presence of the Yorkshire Ripper. I appreciated that Godfrey focuses on the impact of his crimes and the atmosphere of fear, danger, suspicion and distrust he created rather than the man himself. 

A phenomenal debut that left me reeling, everyone needs to read this book. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Jennie Godfrey  was raised in West Yorkshire and her debut novel, The List of Suspicious Things, is inspired by her childhood there in the 1970s. Jennie is from a mill-working family, but as the first of the generation born after the mills closed, she went to university and built a career in the corporate world. In 2020 she left and began to write. She is now a writer and part-time Waterstones bookseller and lives in the Somerset countryside.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*
*These links are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxx

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2024 Squadpod Squadpod Reviews

SQUADPOD REVIEWS: In the Blink of an Eye by Jo Callaghan

Published January 4th, 2024 by Simon & Schuster UK
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Police Procedural, Crime Series, Domestic Fiction, Urban Fiction, Science Fiction

I’m finally sharing my review for the brilliant In the Blink of an Eye, which was a Squadpod Reviews book. Thank you Simon & Schuster UK for sending me a copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

As seen on BBC 2’s BETWEEN THE COVERS

‘I devoured this in one sitting’ Rob Rinder, as featured on BBC 2’s Between the Covers

‘Terrifyingly timely and provocative’ Val McDermid

‘The most original crime novel you’ll read this year’ Clare Mackintosh 

In the UK, someone is reported missing every 90 seconds.
Just gone. Vanished. In the blink of an eye. 

DCS Kat Frank knows all about loss. A widowed single mother, Kat is a cop who trusts her instincts. Picked to lead a pilot programme that has her paired with AIDE (Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity) Lock, Kat’s instincts come up against Lock’s logic. But when the two missing person’s cold cases they are reviewing suddenly become active, Lock is the only one who can help Kat when the case gets personal. 

AI versus human experience. 
Logic versus instinct.
With lives on the line can the pair work together before someone else becomes another statistic? 

In the Blink of an Eye is a dazzling debut from an exciting new voice and asks us what we think it means to be human. 

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MY REVIEW:

I’m a sucker for a crime series and In the Blink of an Eye is the first book in a crime series like nothing you’ve read before.

DCS Kat Frank is picked to lead a pilot programme where she will be partnered with AIDE (Artificial Intelligence Detective Entity) Lock. Kat isn’t a fan of AI or Lock, but when the two cold cases they are investigating become active investigations and things take a personal turn, she finds Lock is the only one willing to help her. 

Fast-paced, tense, twisty and gripping, this is an exciting and original take on the familiar detective buddy trope. I’m a big fan of these kinds of books but always enjoy finding something a bit different and Jo Callaghan’s debut really does stand out from the crowd. It explores whether AI and logic are superior to human experience and gut feelings when it comes to solving crimes, the truth about loss, and what it means to be human. The story is narrated by Kat but every so often we have a section that is narrated by an unknown man who is being held captive. His terror leaps from the pages and as the story gets darker the tension goes through the roof, my heart racing as I tried to predict what would happen next. 

I’ll admit that, like Kat, I had some apprehension about a robot detective. I needn’t have worried. In Lock Jo Callaghan has created a character who is obviously AI while also breathing the right amount of life and humanity into him to make him compelling. I liked that Kat is his total opposite and is a no-nonsense detective who relies on her instincts. I related to her in many ways on a personal level and enjoyed discovering more about her backstory. I enjoyed the banter between her and Lock and watching them learn how to work together rather than being at odds. The rest of Kat’s team were equally as well written and I am looking forward to returning to the whole cast of characters in the next instalment next month. 

Thought-provoking, thrilling and addictive, In the Blink of an Eye is a strong start to what promises to be a great new series. Highly recommended. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Jo Callaghan works fulltime as a senior strategist, where she has carried out research into the future impact of AI and genomics on the workforce.She was a student of the Writers’ Academy Course (Penguin Random House), was long listed for the Myslexia Novel Writing Competition and Bath Novel Competition. After losing her husband to cancer in 2019 when she was just forty-nine, she started writing IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE, her debut crime novel. Published to critical-acclaim, it selected by Val McDermid for her New Blood panel of the best debuts of 2023 and for BBC Two’s Between the Covers Book Club. TV rights were sold in a major acquisition.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

*These are affiliate links

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Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2023 Support Debuts

BOOK REVIEW: Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati

Published March 2nd, 2023 by Michael Joseph
Historical Fiction, Fairy Tale, Greek Mythology

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SYNOPSIS:

Mother. Monarch. Murderer. Magnificent . . . meet Clytemnestra, the ancient world’s most wronged woman . . .

‘Vivid with fury, passion and strength, this is a fabulous myth retelling’ JENNIFER SAINT

‘A blaze of a novel, fiery and furious – and alight with murderous revenge’ DAILY MAIL

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She is born to a king but marries a tyrant.

She watches helplessly as he sacrifices her child to the gods.

She bides her time. She plots revenge. She knows how to play this game.

If power will not be given to her, then she will take it for herself.

She is Clytemnestra.

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MY REVIEW:

Mother. Queen. Wronged Woman. Murderer. Heroine. It’s time for Clytemnestra to tell her story in this glorious feminist retelling. 

Before reading this book I’d only heard Clytemnestra’s story as part of the background to the stories of her sister, Helen of Troy, and her daughter Elektra. So I was excited to learn more about this strong and fascinating woman. Though she was born to a King, Clytemnestra always felt second best as the sister to Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world. She manages to find love but it is soon snatched away in a despicable act of betrayal by the cruel tyrant Agamemnon, who is determined to make her his wife at any cost. And so she becomes a woman motivated by vengeance, spending her life plotting and waiting for the perfect moment to strike. 

Exquisitely written, evocative and atmospheric, this isn’t a book you simply read, but one you step into. This phenomenal debut highlights Costanza Casati as a talent to watch and I will certainly be reading whatever she writes next. I listened to it on audiobook and I was hooked from the start. It consumed me, feeling alive as it burned with fury. And although I knew a lot of the things that happened in these myths, I was still on the edge of my seat, listening with baited breath to discover what would happen next, as if it was all new rather than a retelling, something that is a testament to Casati’s masterful storytelling. 

Now, let’s talk about  the woman at the heart of it all: the eponymous Clytemnestra. Fierce, feisty, intelligent, passionate, and unforgiving, she is a remarkable heroine who refuses to be broken or shackled by the rules of the patriarchal society. The fire inside her radiated from the page, Casati making me feel her heartache, rage, vengeance and strength so vividly that it was like it was coursing through my own veins. I wanted Agamemnon dead. Right now! I rooted for her at every step as she bided her time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike and avenge all of the betrayal. After all, revenge is a dish best served cold. And when Clytemnestra’s vengeance is served, it is glacial. 

A furious, devastating, enthralling and magnificent retelling you won’t want to put down, Clytemnestra is a must-read.

Rating: 🏹🏹🏹🏹🏹

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Costanza was born in Texas in 1995, grew up in a village in Northern Italy and lived in the UK for five years. Before moving to London, she attended a classical Liceo in Italy, where she studied Ancient Greek, and Ancient Greek literature, for five years. Costanza is a graduate of the Warwick Writing MA programme, where she studied under Sarah Moss, and currently works as a freelance journalist and screenwriter. The art and history documentary she wrote on the 16th century painter Tintoretto had over 1 million viewers. Costanza’s short fiction has appeared in the collective Nothing in the Rulebook and broadcast on RAW1251 Warwick Radio.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org*| Amazon*

Currently 99p on kindle, 5.50 on pb on amazon

*These links are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2023 Squadpod Squadpod Reviews

SQUADPOD REVIEWS: Preloved by Lauren Bravo

Published January 18th, 2024 by Simon & Schuster UK
Humorous Fiction, Parody, Literary Fiction

Today I’m sharing my review for the delightful and uplifting Preloved which was one of January’s Squadpod Reviews books. Thank you to Sara at Simon and Schuster UK for the copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

‘Lauren Bravo is one of my very favourite writers.’ Dolly Alderton

Gwen is coasting through life. She’s in her mid-thirties, perpetually single, her friends are busy procreating in the countryside and conversations with her parents seem to revolve entirely around the council’s wheelie-bin timetable.
 
And she’s lonely. But then, isn’t everyone?
 
When she’s made redundant from a job she hardly cares about, she takes herself out for a fancy dinner. There she has the best sticky toffee pudding of her life and realises she has no one to tell. She vows to begin living her life fully, reconnect with her friends and family, and finally book that dentist’s appointment. 
 
Gwen decides to start where all things get a second chance: her local charity shop. There, with the help of the weird and wonderful people and donated items bursting with untold stories, Gwen will find a way to move forward with bravery, tenacity, and more regular dental care.
 
Dazzlingly witty, Preloved is a tale about friendship, loss and being true to yourself no matter the expectations. Lovingly celebrating the enduring power and joy of charity shops.

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MY REVIEW:

I’ve always loved charity shops and so I was sold on this book the moment I read the premise. It opens with a short chapter entitled ‘Gift’ about an item that stands out among other charity shop donations, and my interest was piqued. We are then introduced to our main character, Gwen, who isn’t having a good day. She’s just been made redundant and during a fancy dinner to try and cheer herself up she comes to the realisation that she has isolated herself and has no one to tell about her redundancy or the amazing meal. But instead of wallowing in self pity, Gwen decides to do something about it and makes a list before setting out to make conscious changes to her life.

Lauren Bravo’s fiction debut is a delightful story about loneliness, loss, anxiety, self-discovery and second chances. A story for anyone who has been clueless about where their life is going or what they are doing, it reminds us of the importance of friendship and community. Witty, heartwarming, and moving, this is a ‘slice of life’ story filled with relatable characters and observations that drew me in. Gwen comes across as a little miserable at first but I soon warmed to her. She’s isolated, lonely, struggling with severe anxiety and panic attacks and dealing with trauma, but she’s also funny, candid, trying to figure life out, and feels like someone I could be friends with. I liked that when redundancy provided her with an unwritten future she chose to write a better story for herself by making practical changes in her life, something I think we all could learn a lesson from. 

One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was how the charity shop was so deeply woven into the story. It is staffed by an eclectic group who were so much fun to read and I was taken back to my days in retail during many of the scenes, laughing or shaking my head at my memories. But what was most memorable for me was the sections between each chapter that tell the story of some of the items that find their way to the charity shop. These were fascinating and unique, capturing my heart and sparking my imagination.

Entertaining and uplifting, I highly recommend this wonderful debut. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Lauren Bravo is a freelance journalist who writes about fashion, popular culture, food, travel and feminism, for titles including Grazia, Stylist, Cosmopolitan and Sunday Times Style. She volunteers in a charity shop once a week (partly to get dibs on all the best clothes).

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BUY THE BOOK:

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

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Categories
book reviews Most Anticipated 2024 Squadpod Squadpod Book Club

SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: Frank and Red by Matt Coyne

Published February 1st, 2024 by Wildfire
Humorous Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Literary Fiction

Welcome to my review for the unmissable Frank and Red, which is February’s Squadpod Book Club pick. Join us on February 18th for a live chat with author Matt Coyne to discuss his outstanding debut. Thank you to Ollie at Wildfire for the proof copy of this book.

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SYNOPSIS:

Sometimes, the friend you need is the one you never saw coming.

‘Simply perfect’ Daily Mirror | ‘Hilariously funny… and beneath it all really quite lovely’ The Metro | Brilliant, just brilliant’ Huffington Post

Frank and Red are a mess.

Frank is a grumpy old curmudgeon. A recluse whose only company is the ‘ghost’ of his dead wife, Marcie. He is estranged from his friends, his son, and the ever-changing world beyond his front gate.

And then Red moves in next door.

Red is six. A boy struggling to adjust to the separation of his mum and dad, a new school, and the demonic school bully. Red is curious, smart, he never stops talking, and he’s got a trampoline.
From the moment Red’s blonde mop appears over the top of the fence that divides their two gardens, the unlikeliest of friendships is born.

. . . And it is a friendship that will change both of their lives forever.

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MY REVIEW:

Meet Frank and Red… a curmudgeonly old man with agoraphobia who lives with the ghost of his late wife and a friendly six-year-old boy with a very active imagination who strike up an unlikely friendship that starts over their shared garden fence. This is one of those books you know you’re going to love from the first page, capturing my heart and soul immediately and making me laugh out loud from the second page. A truly magnificent debut, it has gone straight onto my list of all-time favourite books. 

Frank and Red is a book for everyone. No matter what genre you usually read and the kind of books you usually don’t bother with, I think you will love this book and its characters. Reading it feels like a warm hug, the gorgeous story enveloping you in its arms and making everything feel better for a time. This is Matt Coyne’s first fiction book and I’m an instant fan. It’s brilliantly written, Matt Coyne filling the pages with raw honesty, cracking comedy, heartfelt emotion, insightful social commentary, and an irresistible charm. It’s one of those books you both want to devour whole and want to savour because you never want it to end and I couldn’t stop thinking about it whenever I wasn’t reading. 

What am I going to do without Frank and Red? It is impossible not to fall for these characters completely and they stole my heart from the first page. Achingly real, compelling and memorable, they come to life in vivid technicolour. Frank is a blunt, brash and bull-headed old bugger who has shut the world out ever since his wife Marcie’s death. He lives alone, apart from Marcie’s ghost, and is terrified to go beyond his front gate in case she isn’t there when he comes back. And then there’s Red, the adorable, outgoing and precocious little boy who moves in next door to Frank with his mum, Sarah, and turns Frank’s world upside down. This unlikely duo taught each other so much and I loved their friendship. It was an absolute joy to read and I’ve not stopped thinking about them since I finished the book. 

One of my favourite things about this book is how Coyne doesn’t diminish children or their experiences. Instead Coyne highlights how very real and important their stresses and emotions are whatever their age. For example, Red is trying to come to terms with his parents’ divorce, moving home and school, trying to make new friends, bullying, and his dad’s new girlfriend and her annoying twins. Coyne perfectly balances Red’s childish innocence and honesty with the weights on his shoulders, reminding us of the importance of listening to our children when they tell us their problems rather than brushing them off as unimportant compared to adult worries. 

Unmissable, and unforgettable, Frank and Red is a phenomenal debut that will lift your spirits and warm your heart. I can’t recommend it highly enough. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Man vs Baby’s Matt Coyne is from Sheffield, South Yorkshire.  In September 2015, Matt’s life was turned upside down by the arrival of his son Charlie. After three months of parenthood, he logged on to social media and wrote about his experience of having to live with ‘a furious, sleep-murdering, unstable and incontinent, breasts-obsessed midget lodger’. Within days, his post about surviving the first few months of parenthood was shared by millions all over the world. 

Following this, Matt created his popular blog Man vs Baby, which now has over 370,000 followers on social media. And has written two Sunday Times bestselling books based on his parental triumphs and disasters, the first entitled: ‘Dummy’ and the second ‘Man vs Toddler’.

He has also written for The Guardian, The Telegraph and GQ Magazine and is the current Vuelio Parenting Influencer of the Year and Blogosphere Parent Influencer of the Year.

Matt lives in Sheffield with his son Charlie, his partner Lyndsay and a Jack Russell terrier with ‘issues’ called Eddie.

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Categories
Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The Trauma Cleaner by Sarah Kranostein

Published April 10th, 2018 by St Martins PR
Biography, Autobiography, True Crime

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SYNOPSIS:

Longlisted for the Wellcome Book Prize
Winner of the Victorian Prize for Literature
Winner of the Australian Book Industry Awards

A woman who sleeps among rubbish she has not put out for forty years. A man who bled quietly to death in his loungeroom. A woman who lives with rats, random debris and terrified delusion. The still life of a home vacated by accidental overdose.

Before she was a trauma cleaner, Sandra Pankhurst was many things: husband and father, drag queen, gender reassignment patient, sex worker, small businesswoman, trophy wife… But as a little boy, raised in violence and excluded from the family home, she just wanted to belong. Now she believes her clients deserve no less. Sarah Krasnostein has watched the extraordinary Sandra Pankhurst bring order and care to these, the living and the dead – and the book she has written is equally extraordinary. Not just the compelling story of a fascinating life among lives of desperation, but an affirmation that, as isolated as we may feel, we are all in this together.

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MY REVIEW:

The Trauma Cleaner is the extraordinary story of Sandra Pankhurst, who created a trauma cleaning company that takes care of a wide range of cleaning needs from hoarding to decomposition. I went into this expecting a story about a woman who cleans crime scenes but this ended up being so much more. 

Pankhurst was born male and raised in a violent home where her sexuality and gender identity was used against her. She transitioned as an adult and has worn a variety of hats, including husband, father, drag queen, sex worker, small business owner, and trophy wife, before opening her trauma cleaning business. Author Sarah Kranostein spent a few years with Sandra, interviewing her and accompanying her on a number of her cleaning jobs, something that allows her to not only tell us Sandra’s story, but that of some of her clients. 

The book is filled with lots of fascinating characters, but none are more intriguing than Sandra herself. She’s quite the character and it is impossible not to be drawn to her. She’s a complex person who has lived a life filled with sadness and trauma and there are some dark and graphic scenes in the book. She is also an unreliable narrator, though we are never sure if this is a case of outright lies or her past drug use and trauma. And although she can be selfish, she is also warmhearted and non judgemental, able to talk to anyone or put herself on any level.

Powerful, moving, funny, and compelling, this book reminds us of the importance of kindness, compassion, and human contact and connection in our lives. Highly recommended. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Sarah Krasnostein is a multi-award winning writer and critic. She is the best-selling author of The Trauma Cleaner (2017), The Believer (2021), the Quarterly Essay, Not Waving, Drowning (2022) and On Peter Carey (2023). She holds a PhD in criminal law and is admitted to legal practice in New York and Victoria.

Sarah has been awarded the Victorian Prize for Literature, the Australian Book Industry Award for General Non-Fiction, the Victorian Premier’s Prize for Non-Fiction, the Dobbie Literary Award, and the Douglas Stewart Prize for Non-Fiction at the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards. She was a finalist for the Walkley Book Award, the National Biography Award, the Melbourne Prize for Literature and the Wellcome Book Prize (UK). In 2022, she was awarded the Pascall Prize for Arts Criticism.

Sarah is a regular contributor to The Monthly and The Saturday Paper. Her work can be found in a variety of publications in Australia, America, and the UK including The Guardian, Tablet Magazine, Longreads, Literary Hub, The Jewish Quarterly, Meanjin and Oxford Handbooks Online as well as various academic journals. She has lectured in post-graduate criminal law and taught creative writing.

Sarah was born in America, is based in Australia and has lived and worked in both countries.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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*These are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx