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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2024 Support Debuts

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Crow Moon (A Martha Strangeways Investigation, 1) by Suzy Aspley

Published March 14th, 2024 by Orenda Books
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Hardboiled, Noir Fiction, Police Procedural, Supernatural Fiction, Crime Series

It’s a few days late, but today I’m sharing my review for the dark, beguiling and shadowy gothic thriller. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part, and Orenda for the proof copy.

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SYNOPSIS:

An investigative reporter gives up her job when her young twins are killed in a fire, but when she stumbles across the body of a missing teenager, she’s thrust into a chilling investigation that will leave no one unscathed…
 
 ‘An extraordinary debut: intriguing, unsettling, heavy on atmosphere and with a formidable leading lady … Suzy Aspley is one to watch’ Mari Hannah
 
‘A gripping piece of contemporary gothic, Crow Moon signals the arrival of a hugely promising new talent’ Kevin Wignall
 
‘A nerve-tingling thriller that both enchants and terrifies. Aspley weaves sinister folklore into a tense murder investigation that has you looking over your shoulder as you turn each page’ Eve Smith
 
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When the crow moon rises, the darkness is unleashed…
 
Martha Strangeways is struggling to find purpose in her life, after giving up her career as an investigative reporter when her young twins died in a house fire.
 
Overwhelmed by guilt and grief, her life changes when she stumbles across the body of a missing teenager – a tragedy that turns even more sinister when a poem about crows is discovered inked onto his back…

When another teenager goes missing in the remote landscape, Martha is drawn into the investigation, teaming up with DI Derek Summers, as malevolent rumours begin to spread and paranoia grows. 
As darkness descends on the village of Strathbran, it soon becomes clear that no one is safe, including Martha…
Both a nerve-shattering, enthralling and atmospheric thriller and a moving tale of grief and psychological damage, Crow Moon is a staggeringly accomplished debut and the start of an addictive, unforgettable series.

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MY REVIEW:

When the crow moon rises, the darkness is unleashed…

Dark, shadowy, eerie and beguiling, Crow Moon is an outstanding debut gothic thriller steeped in folklore, dripping with suspense and pulsing with fear. It centres around Martha Strangeways, a former investigative journalist who gave up her job following the death of her young twins in a tragic house fire. But her journalistic intrigue is awakened when she stumbles across the body of a missing teenager, his body covered in a strange poem about crows. When another teenager goes missing Martha teams up with DI Derek Summers to investigate and soon discovers there is more to this than they first thought and no one in the village of Strathbran is safe…

There’s a new queen of gothica in town. Suzy Aspley’s chilling debut is the apex of suspense writing and a spectacular start to an exciting new series. Filled with folklore, fear, loss and grief, the dark horror instantly gripped me; the atmosphere charged with dread and emotion as Aspley held me in a vice-grip, drip-feeding information and rationing the reveals to keep me guessing. The evocative imagery she draws plays an important role too, transporting me to this small village in the Scottish Highlands where whispers of witchcraft provide a dark heartbeat that lurks under the surface of this ordinary place. With each page I fell further and further into this eerie tableau of horror and mystery and was on the edge of my seat from start to finish, breathless with anticipation as I awaited the big reveal. 

“People believed there was magic in these woods, and local tourist guides still told tales of witches. They knew nothing, he thought. But the stories meant they didn’t want to be here after dark, which was just as well.”

Legend and folklore play a central role in this story and provide a lot of the story’s eerie ambience and nerve-jangling fear. When Martha discovers Fraser’s body she notices writing on him which she later learns from DI Summers that this was the second of a four verse poem called Feannag Dhubh, a strange legend that originated from the Scottish witch trials of the 17th Century about a local woman who could turn herself into a crow. As she investigates Martha finds more and more links between the ancient story, her former home and current occurrences. While she doesn’t believe in the folklore, it is clear that there is someone who does, and as the crow moon gets closer the danger escalates and there’s a race against time to find this person before it’s too late. 

Martha Strangeways is a compelling new protagonist. The investigative journalist lives with her teenage son, Dougie, and is still trying to wade through the darkness of her grief after losing her twins in the fire. She hasn’t worked in the time since the tragedy but can’t shake the intrigue that is sparked by the disappearance and terrible murder of her son’s friend. As someone of a similar age with sons near to Dougie’s age, I found Martha easy to connect with, and my heart broke for her after the loss of her other children. Throughout the book we also have the perspective of Fraser’s kidnapper. They are written like a murmur and the man’s desperation to rid himself of whatever haunts him is palpable. Danger radiates from him as we see he will go to perilous lengths to make that happen and this menacing villain sent chills scissoring up my spine each time he was on the page. 

So, if, like me, you enjoy stories that are hauntingly atmospheric, drenched in gothica, gleaming with malice, and radiating tension, this is for you. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Originally from the north east of England, former journalist Suzy Aspley has lived in Scotland for almost 30 years. She writes crime and short stories often inspired by the strange things she sees in the landscape around her.  She won Bloody Scotland’s Pitch Perfect in 2019 with the original idea for her debut novel and was shortlisted in the London Capital crime festival’s new voices award. In 2020, she was mentored by Jo Dickinson as part of the Hachette future bookshelf initiative. Her novel Crow Moon was also long listed this year for the Caledonia Novel Award. She’s currently working on the second book in the series featuring journalist Martha Strangeways. When she’s not writing, she’s either got her nose buried in a book, or is outside with her dogs dreaming up more dark stories.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*
*These links 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.

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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

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2024 Squadpod Squadpod Book Club Squadpod Reviews Support Debuts

SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: The Knowing by Emma Hinds

Published January 18th, 2024 by Bedford Square Publishers
Historical Fiction, Gothic Fiction, Historical Fantasy Fiction, Alternative History, LGBTQ Romance

Welcome to my review for the gorgeous gothic debut, The Knowing , which was the first Squadpod Book Club book for 2024. Thank you to Bedford Square Publishers and EDpr for the gifted copy of the book. Join us here on Instagram Live at 7.30pm tonight (22nd January) for our live discussion with the author.

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SYNOPSIS:

‘If you love Sarah Waters and dark historical fiction, you will no doubt be hooked.’ – Diva magazine

‘Vivid, visceral and utterly immersive. Extraordinary’ Liz Hyder

In the slums of 19th-century New York.

A tattooed mystic fights for her life.

Her survival hangs on the turn of a tarot card.

Powerful, intoxicating and full of suspense. The Knowing is a darkly spellbinding novel about a girl fighting for her survival in the decaying criminal underworlds.

Whilst working as a living canvas for an abusive tattoo artist, Flora meets Minnie, an enigmatic circus performer who offers her love and refuge in an opulent townhouse, home to the menacing Mr Chester Merton. Flora earns her keep reading tarot cards for his guests whilst struggling to harness her gift, the Knowing – an ability to summon the dead. Caught in a dark love triangle between Minnie and Chester, Flora begins to unravel the secrets inside their house. Then at her first public séance, Flora hears the spirit of a murdered boy prostitute and exposes his killer, setting off a train of events which put her life at risk.

The Knowing is a stunning debut inspired by real historical characters including Maud Wagner, one of the first known female tattoo artists, New York gang the Dead Rabbits, and characters from PT Barnum’s circus.

Something Powerful Is Coming.

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MY REVIEW:

Something powerful is coming… 🔮🐉💜

Darkly atmospheric, intoxicating, unapologetic and consuming, The Knowing is pure gothic escapism. This magnificent debut brought the past to life in a breathtaking story of love, passion, self-discovery, secrets, lies, betrayal and murder that is inspired by real people from history including Maud Wagner, one of the first known female tattoo artists,  New York gang the Dead Rabbits, and characters from PT Barnum’s circus.

Flora, the only female tattoo artist in New York, lives in the slums with her abusive tattoo artist boyfriend and reads cards for a living. She meets Minnie, a charismatic circus performer, who offers Flora a new life in her upmarket home. Still earning cards to read her keep while struggling to harness the Knowing – her gift for summoning the dead. When the Knowing begins to whisper dark secrets that some don’t want revealed it sparks a chain of events that sees Flora fighting for her life. 

Wow! What a phenomenal start to 2024’s Squadpod Book Club. This is one of those decadent reads that you want to luxuriate in and savour every word, providing a sensory experience that makes you forget the world around you and lose yourself in the one the author created. Emma Hinds has immediately secured a place on my autobuy list with this magnificent tale and I still can’t believe this is a debut. The writing is exquisite and evocative, transporting me back in time and across the ocean to Flora’s world. It was like the story had been conjured into being around me in vivid technicolour and I could  see the grimy streets, smell the stench of the slum, and hear the whispers of the dead from the shadows. From the opening pages there’s a sinister suspense that pervades every page which comes from the Knowing and the ghosts who lurk in the shadows and I loved the memorable moments where Flora’s gift takes centre stage and the atmosphere is at its darkest. It leaves shivers down your spine and I read most of the book in a sense of breathless anticipation.

“I’d learned to turn my eyes away from dark corners where spirits might lurk. The  Knowing was like having a broken bone that never healed quite right. It twinged. Occasionally the world would show and the shadows would lengthen, my breath would catch in my windpipe and my heart would lurch, but I would look away. Growing up in Five Points had knocked the truth into me: there was safety in not knowing.”

The book is filled with richly drawn characters that I loved reading. The women are strong, fierce, courageous, and inspiring who have a fire that can’t be extinguished whatever they are put through. They have the misfortune to be born in an era where men own and control them but they fight for their power and independence wherever they can. On the flip side, most of the men were vile, menacing, dominating and predatory. These are the kinds of men who see women as things, not people, and care only about power and control, using them as reasons to subject women to terrible things. Much of what is on these pages is taken from history, so of course the women who refused to be submissive or behaved in a way they didn’t like were labelled as ‘hysterical’ or ‘insane’. No matter how often I read this kind of behaviour it always enrages me. Heaven forbid women have their own thoughts and feelings. 

Unsettling, haunting, potent and mesmerising, I was bewitched by this gorgeous gothic debut. It is the kind of book that is just screaming for an adaptation and I’m going to need that to happen ASAP. An absolute must-read, I can’t recommend it highly enough. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Emma is a Queer playwright and author living and working in Manchester. She has a Masters in Creative Writing from the University of St Andrews. She focuses on historical narratives, female voices, and Queer stories. Emma’s debut novel, The Knowing, is an exploration of female trauma in the vivid and cruel world of the Victorian freak show. Her latest play, PURE, was featured in Turn On festival at Hope Mill Theatre Manchester and she was the recipient of the Artist Development grant at Hope Mill Theatre. She has written a few previous non-fiction books in her capacity as an academic (in another life she was a theologian) with an essay published, Tarantino and Theology; with Gray Matter Books and her book, Ineffable Love: Christian Themes in Good Omens; published by Darton Longman Todd. Emma uses she/her pronouns.

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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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Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2023 Squadpod Squadpod Book Club Squadpod Reviews Support Debuts Year In Review

2023 Favourites and My Year In Review

2023 has been an amazing year for reading. I’ve read a total of 113 books and there were so many that stood out that it was difficult to get my list down to just thirty.

So, here’s my 30 favourite books I’ve read this year. You can find links to my reviews by clicking on the title. Read to the end to find out my overall favourite of the year.

So Pretty by Ronnie Turner

This gothic thriller was a fantastic way to start out my reading year. Teddy Colne arrives in the small town of Rye hoping to leave his past behind him but discovers the past will always catch up to you in this dark, hypnotic and unnerving debut.
Published January 19th, 2023 by Orenda Books. Buy here.

The Drift by C. J. Tudor

C. J. Tudor is back with another unmissable heart-pounding thriller. A group of students find themselves stranded in a snowstorm while a killer rages. The start of my review perfectly sums it up: “C. J. Tudor has done it again. Chilling, tense and twisty, this is one f****d-up rollercoaster ride that packs a punch from the first page.”
Published January 19th, 2023 by Michael Joseph. Buy here*

Becoming Ted by Matt Cain

Almost a year after reading, just thinking about this book makes me smile. It follows 43-year-old Ted who is happily married to his husband of twenty years, Giles. Or so he thinks until the day Giles announces he’s leaving him and shatters his whole world. Forced to reflect on not only his relationship, but his whole life, Ted decides that maybe now is the time to finally become who he was always meant to me. Joyful, heartwarming and uplifting, this fabulous story reminds us it is never too late to follow our dreams.
Published January 19th, 2023 by Headline. Buy here*

A Lady’s Guide To Fortune Hunting by Sophie Irwin

Sassy and spirited, this feels like Jane Austen with a modern flare, following Kitty Talbot as she searches for a husband with a fortune to save her family. Perfect for fans of historical fiction and romance, this is a glorious debut.
Published May 12th, 2022 by Harper Collins UK. Buy here*

Beautiful Shining People by Michael Grothaus

Tokyo, many years in the future, and 17-year-old John, a tech prodigy, meets Neotina at a cafe late one night. The sparks are instant but both are hiding a secret that they are terrified of being discovered. Mesmerising, dreamlike and unforgettable, this is a masterpiece story for all of those who have never fit in.
Published March 16th, 2023 by Orenda Books. Buy here.

The Secrets of Hartwood Hall by Katie Lumsden

This atmospheric Victorian gothic mystery was our March Squadpod Book Club pick. It follows newly widowed Margaret Lennox as she takes up her new position as governess at Hartwood Hall and discovers a place filled with dark secrets. A phenomenal debut by an author to watch.
Published March 30th, 2023 by Michael Joseph. Buy here*

Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward

Catriona Ward did it again, scaring me silly and leaving my jaw on the floor. Best read blind, this is another original, terrifying and surprising thriller from one of the most unique voices in fiction.
Published April 20th, 2023 by Viper Books. Buy here*

Atalanta by Jennifer Saint

Jennifer Saint tells the heroic story of the only female Argonaut in this lush, atmospheric and enthralling novel, telling us the famous story of Jason and the Argonauts from a new persepective. Unmissable.
Published April 13th, 2023 by Wildfire. Buy here*

Death of a Bookseller by Alice Slater

The Squadpod Book Club pick for April was another deliciously dark debut. Death of a Bookseller tells the story of Roach, a bookseller, loner and true crime obsessive who becomes obsessed with social butterfly Laura when she starts working at the bookshop. Quirky, sinister and addictive, this grabbed me by the throat and didn’t let go until the last page. Utterly brilliant.
Published April 27th, 2023 by Hodder & Stoughton. Buy here*

Vita and the Birds by Polly Crosby

Polly Crosby shows why she’s one of my favourite authors with this mesmerising historical thriller. Vita and the Birds tells the story of two women whose lives are inextricably linked by decades-old secrets. Hauntingly atmoshpheric, luminous and unsettling, this story consumed me and was a contender for my book of the year.
Published May 25th, 2023 by HQ. Buy here*

The Fascination by Essie Fox

A deliciously dark slice of Victiorian gothic, this is a story about life’s outsiders and oddities. Filled with an eclectic cast of memorable characters, it tugged at my heart strings, made me rage and gave me hope. A gorgeous story that all historical fiction fans need to read.
Published June 22nd, 2023 by Orenda Books. Buy here.

Conviction by Jack Jordan

Jack Jordan is one of the best modern thriller writers and Conviction shows us why. Another unbearably tense and addictive thriller, it follows Barrister Neve Harper as she’s faced with an impossible choice: put an innocent man behind bars or everyone she loves will be killed. A nerve-shredding moral dilemma thriller, this is the kind of book you cancel plans to stay home reading.
Published June 22nd, 2023 by Simon & Schuster UK. Buy here*

One by Eve Smith

Set in a future where a catastophic climate emergency has left our world in chaos and the UK is now run by the Nazi-esque ONE Party. Everything is heavily monitored, there are consumption quotas in place. Kai Houghton, one of the ‘baby reapers’ in charge of enforcing the ONE Partie’s one child policy, recieves an alert that turns her world upside down and forces her to choose between her family and the policies she believes in. Thought-provoking, gripping and uncompromising, this is one of the best thrillers I’ve read this year.
Published July 20th, 2023 by Orenda Books. Buy here.

The Actor by Chris MacDonald

I was lucky to be one of the first bloggers to read The Actor, a riveting thriller with a bigger Oscar night controversy than Will Smith and Chris Rock. This is going to be a huge hit when it’s released in 2024.
Published January 18th, 2024 by Michael Joseph. Pre-order here*

The Good Daughter by Laure van Rensburg

Antoher Squadpod Book Club hit, The Good Daughter is the second novel from Laure van Rensburg and there’s no sign of sophmore syndrome in sight in this sensational thriller. It’s a story of cuts, indoctrination, dark secrets and trauma that sinks its claws into you at the start and doesn’t let go until it’s jaw-dropping finale. An absolute must-read.
Published August 3rd, 2023 by Michael Joseph. Buy here*

Over My Dead Body by Maz Evans

This is one of the funniest books I’ve read in a long time. Sassy and unputdownable, it follows Dr. Miriam Price as she tries to solve her own murder from beyond the grave. It’s one of those books I knew I’d love from the first page and reading it was like a big warm hug. I can’t wait to read more from Maz Evans.
Published August 3rd, 2023 by Headline. Buy here*

That Bonesetter Woman by Frances Quinn

I read this with the Historical Fiction Book Club and what a joy it was. Endurance Proudfoot is an unusual girl with an unusual dream: she wants to be a bonesetter. But that isn’t a job for girls and Durie faces an uphill struggle to prove herself in a man’s world. Thank you Frances Quinn for introducing the world to this original and wonderful heroine.
Published July 21st, 2022 by Simon & Schuster UK. Buy here*

You’d Look Better As A Ghost by Joanna Wallace

This has been a great year for darkly funny books and amazing anti-heros. You’d Look Better As A Ghost is a deliciously unhinged and hilarious thriller about a hammer-wielding murderess who was the best serial killer I’ve read since Rhiannon from the Sweetpea sereis. One of my favourite books this year.
Published September 21st, 2023 by Viper Books, Buy here*

The Birdcage Library by Freya Berry

Gorgeously gothic and eerie, this was my favourite Squadpod Book Club pick of the year. Emily Blackwood arrives at Castle Parras to begin a new comission cataloguing a collection of creatures for sale. The remote house is inhabited by a perculiar nonagerianan and haunted by the disappearance of a woman fifty years earlier. After she finds a hidden diary, Emily sets out to solve the mystery in its pages. Can she find out the truth before the darkness entraps her? A twisty puzzle that was also a contender for book of the year, this is a must for any gothic lover.
Published June 22nd, 2023 by Michael Joseph. Buy here*

Bone China by Laura Purcell

I was so mad at myself for letting this book languish on my shelves for so long. A unsettling and sinister story from the modern queen of gothic mysteries, I listened to this on audiobook and was completely enthralled as the lines between what is real, imaginary and supernatural were experly blurred. One of Ms. Purcell’s best books yet.
Published September 19th, 2019 by Raven Books. Buy here*

The Bleeding by Johana Gustawsson

This was book I wish I’d read sooner. Shamefully, it was my first time reading a book by Johana Gustawsson and I am an instant fan. She lives up to her title of ‘Queen of French Noir’ with this cunningly crafted gothic thirller. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Published September 15th, 2022 by Orenda Books. Buy here.

Fyneshade by Kate Griffin

It’s been the year for gorgeous gothic fiction, and Fyneshade was the most huanting and disquieting of all. A story of betrayal, temptation and dark secrets, this is a story where the monsters not only lurk in the shadows, but inside your own mind. Marta is a wonderful protagonist who was nothing like I expected and everything I could have wanted. Filled with mystery and suspense, this is a bewitching novel you won’t want to put down.
Published May 18th, 2023 by Viper Books. Buy here*

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

A haunted house story with a dash of fantasy, Starling House was gorgeously dark sotry filled with magic, monsters and mystery. Dreamlike and bewitching, this is a book that lives up to the hype.
Published October 31st, 2023 by Tor. Buy here*

His Favourite Graves by Paul Cleave

Paul Cleave just keeps getting better. Menacing and mind-blowing, I couldn’t put this book down. I loved that Cleave never did what we expected, giving me book whiplash from the many twists and turns.A must read for any thriller-lover.
Published November 9th, 2023 by Orenda Books. Buy here.

The Temple of Fortuna by Elodie Harper

The Wolf Den Trilogy comes to a bittersweet end in one of my most anticipated books of the year. Will Amara and her friends survive the eruption of Versuvius? You’ll have to read to find out.
Published November 9th, 2023 by Head of Zeus. Buy here*

Upstairs at the Beresford by Will Carver

Will Carver delivers another original and deliciously diabolical thriller in this prequel to The Beresford. Just read it. You’ll thank me.
Published November 9th, 2023 by Orenda Books. Buy here.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte


I’m ashamed that it has taken me until I’m almost 45 to read this classic, but the advantage of that is I got to read it in a buddy read with author Polly Crosby that was so much fun. I now get the hype. If you haven’t ever read this one, I suggest giving it a try.
Published September 27th, 2018 by Chiltern Publishing. Buy here*

Anna O by Matthew Blake

Anna O hasn’t opened her eyes since the night four years ago when her two best friends were found brutally murdered and she was discovered in a deep sleep. Anna is the only suspect but ever since the debate has raged: is she innocent or guilty? Doctor Benedict Prince is the man charged with waking her so the world can finally decide. This astonishing debut is best described as Sleeping Beauty meets The Silent Patient and is going to be the thriller everyone is talking about it 2024. This is one you don’t want to miss.
Published February 1st, 2024 by Harper Collins UK. Pre-order here *

None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell

This heart-pounding thriller was my favourite audiobook this year. A gripping thriller filled with delicious anticipation and sucker-punch twists, it keeps you on your toes from start to finish. Just make sure you’ve got a lot of free time when you pick this up as you’ll not want to put it down until you’re finished.
Published July 20th, 2023 by Century. Buy here*

Yule Island by Johana Gustawsson

It’s safe to say I’m a certified Johana Gustawsson fan after this year. A story of unsolved murder, dark secrets and Norse mythology, Yule Island is an addictive thriller with a jaw-dropping twist I’m still trying to recover from. A must read for fans of thrillers and gothic fiction, this was a sensational start to a new series.
Published November 23rd, 2023 by Orenda Books. Buy here.

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So, what is my favourite book of 2023? Drumroll please….

It’s Fyneshade! This was a hard decision as so many books could have taken the title.

Have you read any of these books? What was your favourite read this year?

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

*These links are affiliate links

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2024 Readalong Support Debuts Tandem Readalong

READALONG REVIEW: Anna O by Matthew Blake

Published February 1st, 2024 by Harper Collins UK
Crime Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Medical Thriller, Psychological Fiction, Psychological Thriller,

Welcome to my review for Anna O, the phenomenal thriller that is set to be everywhere in 2024. Thank you to the Tandem Collective for arranging the readalong and offering me a place, and Harper Collins UK for the proof copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

ANNA O – THE WORLD WILL KNOW HER NAME

‘Certain to be one of the year’s best thrillers’ LEE CHILD

‘Reads like a dream but unsettles like a nightmare’ A J FINN

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*The instant global phenomenon*

*Publishing in over 30 territories*

*The thriller that will wake up the nation*

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ANNA O HASN’T OPENED HER EYES FOR FOUR YEARS

Not since the night she was found in a deep sleep by the bodies of her best friends, suspected of a chilling double murder.

For Doctor Benedict Prince, a forensic psychologist on London’s Harley Street, waking Anna O could be career-defining. As an expert in sleep, he knows all about the darkest chambers of the mind; the secrets that lie buried in the subconscious.

As he begins Anna O’s treatment – studying his patient’s dreams, combing her memories, visiting the site where the horrors played out – he pulls on the thread of a much deeper, darker mystery.

Awakening Anna O isn’t the end of the story, it’s just the beginning.

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MY REVIEW:

“Anna O, Sleeping beauty, a figure of myth and reality.”

Anna O hasn’t opened her eyes since the night four years ago when her two best friends were found brutally murdered and she was discovered in a deep sleep. Anna is the only suspect but ever since the debate has raged: is she innocent or guilty? And was she sleeping or awake? Answers are needed and time is running out, so the Ministry of Justice charges Doctor Benedict Prince, a forensic psychologist and expert in sleep, with the task of finally waking Anna from her long sleep in order to get them. If he succeeds, his part in the Anna O case will be a defining moment in his career, but will his theory finally wake the woman her detractors call Sleeping Beauty? After all, waking Anna O isn’t the end of the story but the beginning… 

WHAT. A. BOOK! Quite simply, Anna O is a masterpiece. Sleeping Beauty meets The Silent Patient, this astonishing debut left my jaw on the floor. Deliciously dark, atmospheric and unnerving, this has bestseller and blockbuster movie written all over it. From the moment I first heard about Anna O I knew it was a book I needed to read so I jumped at the chance to take part in a 100-strong readalong organised by the Tandem Collective. Before reading we were asked to vote if we thought Anna was sleeping or awake. I voted for sleeping, but would I be proven right? Or was Anna actually awake that night?

There’s always a danger with a much-hyped novel that you will be disappointed, but this one exceeded all my high hopes. Matthew Blake writes like a veteran of the genre and I am still in awe that this is a debut novel. He expertly intertwines masterful storytelling, compelling characters and vivid imagery to create this tour-de-force. He then adds references to real crimes, Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, Shakesphere, Hitchcock, and real conditions such as resignation syndrome that all add that feeling of authenticity, making it feel like you’re reading a true crime novel rather than a work of fiction. It is a Russian doll of a mystery; the many layers and multiple mysteries all hidden inside one another and then slowly revealed alongside the cleverly placed red herrings that held me in his thrall and kept me guessing. The multiple points of view and timelines in mixed media heightened the tension as Blake drops clues like breadcrumbs for us to follow. I HAD to know the truth and confess that I raced ahead of the reading schedule, but I was unprepared for a twist so shocking it threw me to the ground, stamped on me and left me for dead followed swiftly by that unforgettable finale. I’m still reeling.

Dealing with both the aftermath and build-up to a brutal crime, the book explores the ripple effect violent crimes have on not just those who knew the victims, but those who knew the person accused of the crime. A beautiful woman accused of a brutal crime and an enigma because she has been sleeping since that night, Anna is the epitome of a ‘femme fatale’ and leads perfectly into Blake’s examination of our prejudices and preconceptions about those who kill. He also examines our fascination with true crime, asking what it is that makes a murder capture the public’s imagination and attain infamy. Most unsettling of all, he shifts the fabric of our reality and turns our dreams into nightmares as he explores the things we don’t remember from while we are sleeping and the darker side of the human psyche. 

Suspenseful, twisty, cryptic and unputdownable, this phenomenal debut is destined to be THE thriller of 2024. A must-read for your TBR next year, pre-order this now to discover if Anna is innocent or guilty. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

After discovering that the average person spends thirty-three years of their life asleep, Matthew Blake felt the pull of a story. He began extensive research into sleep-related crimes and into the mystery illness known as resignation syndrome, research that sparked a thrilling question: if someone commits murder while sleepwalking, are they innocent or guilty? And so his novel Anna O was born.

Before writing fiction, Matthew worked as a researcher and speechwriter at the Palace of Westminster. He studied English at Durham University and Merton College, Oxford and now lives in London.

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SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: Her by Mira V Shah

Published November 23rd, 2023 by Hodder & Stoughton
Psychological Thriller

Welcome to my review for Her, the sensational debut that is the Squadpod Book Club pick for November. Thank you to Alainna at Hodder & Stoughton for my proof copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

YOU WANT TO BE JUST LIKE HER. BUT DO YOU REALLY KNOW HER?


Rani has always felt like an outsider. First growing up among her white, wealthy peers. And now next to her successful, child-free friends. From the tiny rented flat she lives in with her family, she imagines being the kind of woman who owns the beautiful house across the street.

Then Natalie moves in. With her expensive clothes, adoring husband and high-powered job, she has everything Rani wants, and Rani can’t help but be drawn to her new neighbour.

But as the two women strike up a friendship and begin open up, Rani wonders – is Natalie’s perfect-seeming life too good to be true?

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MY REVIEW:

As Natalie moves into her new home on the quiet street she has no idea her neighbour is watching. Her picture-perfect life, blissful marriage and beautiful house are all Rani has ever wanted but instead she’s stuck in a tiny flat, a stale marriage and plagued by regret. But what glitters isn’t always gold and there is something dark simmering underneath the polished image Natalie and her husband portray. And Rani is determined to find out what it is…

OMG. What a book! Heartpoundingly tense, twisty and addictive, Her is a sensational debut that left me reeling. A story of dark secrets, fractured people, complex relationships, trauma, obsession and the evil that can lurk inside us, it sucked me in from the opening pages. But this was nothing like I expected in all the best ways. Skillfully written, intricately plotted and addictive, there’s an inherent darkness and danger, a feeling that something is going to happen but you don’t know what it is keeping me on the edge of my seat. There were shocking revelations and surprising twists that never felt predictable, even when I guessed them correctly.

The story is narrated by both Rani and Natalie, giving us a glimpse into the inner thoughts and fears of both women. They are both unreliable narrators with secrets and things they are hiding from their husbands. I was suspicious of Rani and her obsession with her dream house from the start while Natalie appears much more sympathetic due to the nightmares that haunt her and the mystery of what is in her past. But both women also have something that draws you to them and makes you root for them, even when they are making the wrong choices and I was here for their blossoming friendship despite the hint of foreboding that lurked alongside it.

So if you’re looking for a tantalising and twisty psychological thriller that you won’t be able to put down, then pick up this book. Mira V. Shah is an author to watch and I will be excitedly picking up whatever she writes next. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Mira V Shah is a writer, former City lawyer turned legal editor and the proud owner of three good dogs. She is the daughter of Indian African parents and lives in North London with her husband and the pack – merely a few miles from where she grew up, although she often dreams about retiring in Italy should her intermittent lottery entries prove successful.

She wrote her first ever novel in 2020 during the first UK lockdown after studying on the Curtis Brown Creative novel writing course.

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SQUADPOD REVIEWS: Don’t Believe the Hype by Natalie Lewis

Published April 13th, 2023 by Hodder Paperbacks
Humorous Fiction, Urban Fiction

Today I’m sharing my review for one of our Squadpod Reviews titles, Don’t Believe the Hype. Thank you to Hodder Paperbacks for the invitation to read this book and the gifted copy.

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SYNOPSIS:
‘An addictive, glorious romp . . . Don’t Believe the Hype feels like spending time with your funniest, most gossipy, best dressed friend’ Clare Pooley


The world of fashion is supposed to be glamorous . . . isn’t it?

Meet Frankie Marks: the world’s least likely fashion PR. She got the job by fluke, she doesn’t know the first thing about designers, she’s always hungry, and she struggles to think before she speaks. When Frankie crash-lands in the prestigious GGC agency, her friends and family can’t believe it – least of all her long-term (and long-suffering) boyfriend, James.

Frankie quickly realises she needs to use everything she’s got to survive life behind the scenes of this glamorous and chaotic industry – with its eccentric characters, towering expectations, and quite frankly ridiculous requests. But first, she needs to learn the difference between velour and velvet . . .

As the pressure builds and Frankie’s personal life begins to take the hit, she starts to wonder if she’ll ever manage to escape the strange world of fashion unscathed. And, for that matter, does she even want to?

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MY REVIEW:

Frankie Marks is not your typical fashion PR. But finding a job that utilises her History of Art degree has been far from easy, and she’s getting desperate. So, she applies for a job at the prestigious GGC agency, feeling certain she’ll not get the job as she knows nothing about fashion. But to the surprise of herself and all those who know her, Frankie is hired. Forced to take a crash-course in the chaotic world of fashion PR, Frankie soon realises she has a lot to learn if she’s going to succeed in her new role. But does she really want to succeed? And if so, what will she have to sacrifice along the way?

Entertaining, witty, gossipy, snarky and stylish, Don’t Believe the Hype pulls back the curtain to offer us a glimpse of what it’s really like to work in the crazy world of fashion. Debut author Natalie Lewis sets the tone perfectly, opening each chapter with a faux press release that correlates to that chapter. Perfect for reading in the sun with a glass of wine, it feels like dishing the dirt with your bestie, or reading a tell-all memoir. 

Frankie is a great protagonist. She’s someone we can relate to, and starts out at GGC as a real fish out of water. After all, this job is just a brief stepping stone to help her in her ‘real’ career. But, to her surprise, she finds herself being drawn into this relentless, exhilarating, absurd and stressful world, and is no longer sure she wants to leave. But as her personal life slowly begins to fall apart from neglect, you have to wonder if it’s all worth it, and there were many times I wanted to reach into the book and shake her yet also wanted her to keep entertaining us by remaining in this strange world. The cast of background characters has been filled with some eccentric, memorable people who were an absolute joy to read. And we can’t forget the must-have conflict that is provided courtesy of Dominic Carter, the handsome but irritating character who runs a rival PR company.

Fun, lighthearted and totally readable, I highly recommend this brilliant debut. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Natalie Lewis was a leading fashion pr for three decades. As an agency owner she launched brands including net-a-porter and Jimmy Choo before going on to work with several designers and high-profile clients such as Claudia Schiffer, Bella Freud and latterly Victoria Beckham. After deciding she couldn’t discuss camera angles or lighting up nostrils any longer she retired from the industry in 2020 to concentrate on writing.

Her first novel features Frankie Marks, the most unlikely fashion pr in London. Fashion isn’t her forte, she’s always hungry and sometimes she doesn’t think before she speaks. As she navigates her way through a sometimes-absurd fashion world trying and failing to balance her professional and personal lives, she provides a contemporary take on insider access to the worlds of fashion and celebrity pr. Don’t Believe The Hype will be published in Spring 2023.

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SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: Death of a Bookseller by Alice Slater

Published April 27th, 2023 by Hodder & Stoughton
Mystery, Thriller, Suspemse, Psychological Thriller

Welcome to my review of the deliciously dark debut, Death of a Bookseller, which was the Squadpod Book Club pick for April. Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton for the gifted copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:
A BOOKSHOP. A TRUE CRIME CASE. A DEADLY FRIENDSHIP.

THE UNMISSABLE DEBUT THRILLER.

Roach – bookseller, loner and true crime obsessive – is not interested in making friends. She has all the company she needs in her serial killer books, murder podcasts and her pet snail, Bleep.

That is, until Laura joins the bookshop.

Smelling of roses, with her cute literary tote bags and beautiful poetry, she’s everyone’s new favourite bookseller. But beneath the shiny veneer, Roach senses a darkness within Laura, the same darkness Roach possesses.

As Roach’s curiosity blooms into morbid obsession, it becomes clear that she is prepared to infiltrate Laura’s life at any cost.

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MY REVIEW:

“The path to understanding the human condition was soaked in blood and guts, it was stalked by serial killers and sadists and mass shooters, and it was laced with upsetting stories of violence and death, of neglect and abuse. If we really wanted to better ourselves as a society, we had to be prepared to deal with the unsavoury parts as well as the nicey-nice parts.”

Deliciously dark, sinister, disturbing and addictive, Death of a Bookseller is one of those books that grabs you by the throat on the first page and doesn’t let go. True crime, books, toxic female friendship, and obsession; this book had everything my dark heart loves and I was on the edge of my seat from start to finish.

I love a book with a complicated and unreliable protagonist, and this has two of them.  Roach and Laura are both unlikeable yet magnetic characters who seem to have little in common. Laura is a bubbly, outgoing, social butterfly who loves bookselling and writes found poetry to illuminate the lives of victims of violent crime, while Roach is a strange, macabre loner who is obsessed with true crime and views customers as a nuisance. Roach thinks the pair are destined to be friends, but Laura wants nothing to do with her. Determined to win Laura over, Roach foists herself upon her in a way that’s oppressive and deeply uncomfortable, her obsession becoming increasingly fanatical until it spirals out of control. But Roach’s obvious psychopathic tendencies, I couldn’t see her as the ‘bad guy’. Laura’s mean-girl antics rubbed me the wrong way and left me ultimately sympathising with Roach, even after we dig deeper and discover the fractured girl haunted by trauma that is hiding beneath Laura’s mask. Yet overall, there is no clear villain and no winner, just two very troubled young women.

“My life really started when I gave up trying to fit in, when I settled into myself, like an alligator sinking into a swamp.” 

Alice Slater is a debut author to watch. She knows how to sink her claws into her reader and not let go, making this one of those books you clear your schedule and lock out the world for. From the opening pages something sinister crackles in the air and the tension continues to build as you read, reaching a fever-pitch as we approach the finale; I can still feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins just thinking about it. Exquisitely written, astutely choreographed, and intricately crafted, Slater takes the reader to some unsettling places in her exploration of the dark underbelly of female friendship, toxic obsession, and the darkness that can lurk inside a twisted mind. She also exposes our infatuation with true crime and reminds us that these monstrous acts are not merely for our entertainment, but leave behind a ripple effect of grief, heartbreak and trauma that can last a lifetime. But don’t get it twisted, this isn’t a sombre novel, and to offset the darkness there are lots of cringey, awkward moments and ink-black humour that lightens the mood. And how can we forget Roach’s giant African land snail, Bleep, who slowly crawls along the bottom of the book’s pages in a brilliant creative detail. 

Quirky, compulsive, messy, chilling, and dark as night, Death of a Bookseller is one of those books that manages to be both relatable and off-the-wall insane. So, if like me you enjoy uncomfortable, creepy novels about dark things, then this is a book you have to read. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Alice is a writer, editor and ex-bookseller from London. She co-hosts the literary podcast What Page Are You On?, and edited Outsiders: A Short Story Anthology (3 of Cups Press). Her fiction has been shortlisted for the Bridport Prize and appeared in Dear Damsels, Cunning Folk, and On Anxiety (3 of Cups Press). She is working on her first novel. 

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Signed Indie Edition – Goldsboro Books | The Feminist Bookshop

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BOOK REVIEW: The Secrets of Hartwood Hall by Katie Lumsden

Published: March 30th, 2023
Publisher: Michael Joseph
Genre: Gothic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Historical Mystery
Format: Hardcover, Kindle, Audiobook

Welcome to my review of this atmospheric, haunting and eerie gothic debut. Thank you to Michael Joseph for the gifted proof copy, which was the Squadpod Book Club pick for March.

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SYNOPSIS:

The mysterious and atmospheric debut novel perfect for fans of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, Stacey Halls and Bridget Collins

‘I loved this fresh take on the gothic genre. Vivid, haunting, surprising’ STACEY HALLS, bestselling author of The Familiars

‘A full-blooded gothic mystery with bite, great characterisation and heaps of atmosphere’ EMMA STONEX, bestselling author of The Lamplighters

‘With echoes of Jane Eyre but with a heart of its own . . . A suspenseful and beautifully crafted novel filled with atmosphere, rich characters and plenty of layers to keep a reader hooked right to the end’ SUSAN STOKES-CHAPMAN, bestselling author of Pandora
_________

1852.

Margaret Lennox is offered a position as governess at Hartwood Hall. She quickly accepts, hoping this isolated country house will allow her to leave her past behind.

But Margaret soon starts to feel there’s something odd about her new home, despite her growing fondness for her bright, affectionate pupil, Louis.

Strange figures move through the dark.
Tensions rise between the servants.
The east wing sits eerily abandoned . . .

Even stranger is the local gossip surrounding Mrs Eversham, Louis’s widowed mother, who is deeply distrusted by the nearby village.

Margaret is certain that everyone has something to hide.

But as her own past threatens to catch up with her, she must learn to trust her instincts before it’s too late . . .

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MY REVIEW:

“Folks say it’s cursed, but I dare say a lady like yourself wouldn’t believe such talk.”

1852. Newly widowed Margaret Lennox is offered a position as governess at Hartwood Hall. She swiftly accepts, hoping that the isolated country house will be the new start she needs. But it isn’t long before Margaret feels that something isn’t quite right at her new home and begins to wonder if there are dark secrets being hidden at Hartwood Hall…

A Victorian gothic mystery with themes of shadows, darkness, secrets, grief and ghosts interwoven into the plot, The Secrets of Hartwood Hall is a truly magnificent debut. Atmospheric, eerie and subtly tense, I was hooked from the first lines and sure this was going to be a book I loved reading. And it was. So much so that I had to force myself to put it down in the early hours after reading most of it in one sitting. I was so desperate to keep reading to the end that I even considered cancelling my plans the next morning. But the next day I found myself delaying picking it up as I was torn between wanting to know what happened and never wanting it to end. 

“When I think of Hartwood Hall, there are moments that come back to me again and again, moments that stain me, that cling like ink to my skin.”

Laden with vivid descriptions, a cast of secretivecharacters, and a gripping plot, Katie Lumsden has crafted a twist-filled mystery that lingers long after reading. She sets the atmosphere perfectly, giving me vibes of Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca as the sense of dread deepens and the unrelenting darkness becomes more prominent. Yet, it never feels too heavy as Lumsden cleverly balances it out with slices of love, hope and joy interwoven into the narrative. The lines between reality and imagination are expertly blurred as Lumsden creates a chilling atmosphere with a supernatural undercurrent, making us question what’s really going on. Then, when she’s lulled you into thinking you’ve got things all figured out, she whips the rug from under you to reveal something else entirely. 

Without great characters and a compelling protagonist I don’t think you can really connect to a book. Thankfully, this has both of those in abundance. The narrator, Margaret, is an intelligent, fierce, curious and determined woman who also has a mystery surrounding her past that keeps the reader guessing. Very recently widowed and left with nothing, we know Margaret is looking for a fresh start after her miserable marriage but there is also the sense that she’s running from something, both literally and metaphorically. I loved her bond with her young charge, Louis, which features prominently in the story. A strange, isolated, sickly looking child, Louis is actually very sweet. His excitement about the little joys in life that others take for granted was infectious and I quickly developed a strong affection for him, just as Margaret did. 
Louis’ mother, Mrs Eversham is an elusive character and the history of her and her son is a mystery to both the villagers and the reader. I was never sure if I could trust Mrs. Eversham and got the sense that she was keeping secrets from the start. She also seemed strangely overprotective of her son and had some rules that seemed quite over the top. Like Margaret I was eager to know what it was she was hiding. Could it really be something sinister? 

“I supposed that hers had not been a happy marriage either, that she, too, had found both guilt and relief in widowhood. 
Well, we were both free now. A strange link to hold the two of us together.”

Exploring themes of women’s rights, the story is told in a time where women had few rights, were owned by their fathers or husbands, and a woman without a man was viewed with suspicion. We see this in Mrs. Eversham’s character and the talks of a curse that surround Hartwood Hall. These are rooted in the fact that she came to the village alone, leading villagers to surmise that she is clearly up to no good. But we know little about her past and it is through Margaret that we mostly see this topic explored. Margaret has found freedom from her bad marriage in widowhood, and is trying to find the parts of herself she lost during those years. As a woman who has the privilege of modern independence and rights and having been in an abusive marriage, the idea of the law supporting abusive husbands and giving them ownership of their wives and children fills me with horror. I am so grateful to have had the right to leave, get divorced and keep custody of my child. I enjoyed reading a story featuring women who are attempting to take control of their own destinies and assert their independence.

Claustrophobic, haunting and suspenseful, The Secrets of Hartwood Hall is a sensational debut. Gothic and historical fiction fans will love this spine-chilling mystery, particularly those with a taste for Victoriana. Highly recommended. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Katie Lumsden read Jane Eyre at the age of thirteen and never looked back. She spent her teenage years devouring nineteenth century literature, reading every Dickens, Brontë, Gaskell, Austen and Hardy novel she could find. She has a degree in English literature and history from the University of Durham and an MA in creative writing from Bath Spa University. Her short stories have been shortlisted for the London Short Story Prize and the Bridport Prize, and have been published in various literary magazines. Katie’s Youtube channel, Books and Things, has more than 25,000 subscribers. She lives in London and works in publishing.

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BLOG TOUR: All the Little Bird-Hearts by Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow

Published: March 2nd, 2023
Publisher: Tinder Press
Genre: Humorous Fiction, Domestic Fiction
Format: Hardcover, Kindle, Audiobook

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for the extraordinary All The Little Bird-Hearts. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to tkae part and to Tinder Press for the gifted copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

‘Glorious. Unforgettable’ Melissa Harrison
‘Funny, lyrical, deft and devastating’ Amy Sackville
‘A distinct and poetic new voice’ Clare Pollard

I lived for and loved a bird-heart that summer; I only knew it afterwards.

Sunday Forrester lives with her sixteen-year-old daughter, Dolly, in the house she grew up in. She does things more carefully than most people. On quiet days, she must eat only white foods. Her etiquette handbook guides her through confusing social situations, and to escape, she turns to her treasury of Sicilian folklore. The one thing very much out of her control is Dolly – her clever, headstrong daughter, now on the cusp of leaving home.

Into this carefully ordered world step Vita and Rollo, a couple who move in next door, disarm Sunday with their charm, and proceed to deliciously break just about every rule in Sunday’s book. Soon they are in and out of each others’ homes, and Sunday feels loved and accepted like never before. But beneath Vita and Rollo’s polish lies something else, something darker. For Sunday has precisely what Vita has always wanted for herself: a daughter of her own.

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MY REVIEW:

“I lived for and loved a bird-heart that summer, I only knew it afterwards.”

An enthralling and beautifully crafted debut, this book stole my heart. Filled with joy, anguish, judgement, honesty, and love, this is a story about being an outsider,  and about overcoming the difficulties life throws at us. Lyrical and poetic, it is so exquisitely written that I lost myself in the prose and could have highlighted every word. Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow is a phenomenal new talent and definitely one to watch. I still can’t believe this is a debut novel  and am very excited to see what she writes next. 

“I still believed, then, that my way of not seeing only made me strange and unpopular; I did not know, then, that it blinded me to all the fires that were not in the fields.”

And while the writing is a huge part of the beauty of this book, what makes it extraordinary for me is the protagonist, Sunday Forrester. Sunday is the outsider. The oddity. The one who is always misunderstood. But inside she is kind, loving, genuine and funny; the sort of person we should aspire to be. Sunday also has autism. And she takes centre stage in the book, telling her own story in the first person; her acerbic, eye-opening and witty observations permeating the narrative. This puts the reader inside her head, offering us a unique insight into how it feels to see the world differently and giving us the chance to experience what it’s like to navigate a world you don’t really understand. I laughed with her, cried with her, felt her joy, and felt her pain. She has taught me so much about humanity and acceptance and is now one of my favourite protagonists. 

“I do not expect to know another Vita. She was a person-shaped precious stone, something mined and brought up to the surface to live among the pebbles, a shiny reminder of our comparative dullness. Where I am pale and insubstantial, Vita was dark and deliberately formed, as real as a piece of marble.” 

The other characters were also brilliantly written. I loved watching the friendship between Sunday and Vita grow, how Vita opened Sunday up to things she had never experienced, and how she was the yin to her yang. We know from the start that something went wrong between them and a sense of darkness and foreboding hovers over the pages. Yet I couldn’t quite decide how things would play out and was kept guessing right up until the end, creating a tension you can’t escape. 

“I existed already in a form of maternal grieving, a refusal to accept that I had somehow lost my greatest love while still living alongside her.”

I also enjoyed how the author explores the complexities of the mother/daughter relationship throughout the book through many of the characters. But it is most evident in the relationships between Sunday and her mother, and Sunday and her daughter, Dolly. Sunday’s love for Dolly is all-consuming. She doesn’t understand her, but loves her fiercely and is incredibly proud of her headstrong only child. At 16, Dolly is full of teenage disdain for her mother and Sunday is left trying to navigate this new dynamic to their relationship. As a mother of two teenagers, I could relate to this, as well as to the pain Sunday felt at having lost her child in some way already, even though she was still there. But Sunday isn’t a good mother by example. Sadly her own mother never shows her any love and is often cruel and dismissive. She sees her as strange and wrong because of her autism. Sunday’s pain at this rejection leaped from the pages in heartbreaking clarity, as did her determination to ensure Dolly never feels the same rejection and pain she did. This made me love her character all the more.

“I do not envy other people’s ability to adapt; I find it alarming. Their minds are like caught fish, shining and struggling and engaged in a perpetual and pointless circular motion. Those like me swim on, unaffected by the change in currents around them.”

Illuminating, magnificent, heartbreaking and hopeful, All The Little Bird-Hearts is an unforgettable debut. It will stay with me for a long time and I cherish the new understanding it has given me. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow left school without any qualifications. When her youngest children started school she began studying too, and earned first-class undergraduate and postgraduate degrees followed by a PhD. Her first book, All the Little Bird-Hearts, will be published in 2023 and she is currently writing her second novel.

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