Favourite Books of 2024 – Emma's Biblio Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

Published January 29th, 2015 by Pan Macmillan
Historical Fiction, Romance Novel, War Story, Historical Romance

Today I’m sharing my thoughts on this masterpiece. Thank you to BookBreakk and Pan Macmillan for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The Bestselling Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

Soon to be a major motion picture, Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale has captured the hearts of millions of readers becoming a number one bestseller across the world. It is a heart-breakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the endurance of women.

This story is about what it was like to be a woman during World War II, when women’s stories were all too often forgotten or overlooked . . . Vianne and Isabelle Mauriac are two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals and passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path towards survival, love and freedom in war-torn France.

It is a novel for everyone, a novel for a lifetime.

‘A rich, compelling novel of love, sacrifice and survival’ – Kate Morton, author of Homecoming

‘Movingly written and plotted with the heartless skill of a Greek tragedy, you’ll keep turning the pages until the last racking sob’ – Daily Mail

‘I loved The Nightingale . . . great characters, great plots, great emotions, who could ask for more in a novel?’ – Isabel Allende, bestselling author of The House of the Spirits

‘A griping tale of family, love, grief and forgiveness’ – Sunday Express

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MY REVIEW:

Astonishing, breathtaking, phenomenal, heart-rending, courageous and powerful, The Nightingale, is an unforgettable masterpiece. Like most of Kristin Hannah’s novels, this book had been languishing on my shelf for far too long when I finally decided to pick it up on a whim this month. Why did I wait so long?

The story explores what it means to be a woman during war, telling the story through the eyes of sisters Vivianne and Isabelle as they live through World War Two. The pair are separated and have very different experiences but each possess strength, an unbreakable determination to survive, and a strong moral compass that sees them taking huge risks in order to help others.

A tearjerker that is filled with kindness, joy, connection and bravery, I was an empty shell when I finished this book. Masterfully told, hauntingly evocative and devastatingly real, it is easy to see why this story is considered a modern classic and so highly recommended. Rating this is one of the easiest five stars I’ve ever given. It left me with the biggest book hangover and even now, over a week after finishing it, the characters and story are still with me and I think about it daily. It has taken a place in my heart and on my list of favourite books of all time. And that final line! Oh, my heart 💔😭

When the year started I had a number of Kristin Hanah’s books on my TBR but hadn’t read any of them. Now, as it ends, I’ve read two of them, they are both in my list of favourite books this year. Ms. Hannah is undoubtedly now one of my favourite authors and I will be prioritising her backlist in 2025.

I can’t recommend this magnificent story enough. If you haven’t read it, please do ASAP. Just clear your schedule first because once you start you’ll not be doing anything else.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

*I listened to this on Bookbeat. You can listen for 60 days free by clicking my affiliate link here*

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

From Kristin’s Website: Kristin Hannah is the award-winning and bestselling author of more than 20 novels including the international blockbuster, The Nightingale, which was named Goodreads Best Historical fiction novel for 2015 and won the coveted People’s Choice award for best fiction in the same year. Additionally, it was a selection of the Reese Witherspoon Book Club in 2023. It was named a Best Book of the Year by Amazon, iTunes, Buzzfeed, the Wall Street Journal, Paste, and The Week. In 2018, The Great Alone became an instant New York Times #1 bestseller and was named the Best Historical Novel of the Year by Goodreads.

The Four Winds was published in February of 2021 and immediately hit #1 on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Indie bookstores’ bestseller lists. Additionally, it was selected as a book club pick by the both Today Show and the Book Of the Month club, which named it the best book of 2021.

The Nightingale is currently in production at Tri Star, with Dakota and Elle Fanning set to star. Tri Star has also optioned The Great Alone and it is in development. Firefly Lane, her beloved novel about two best friends, was the #1 Netflix series around the world, in the week it came out. The popular tv show stars Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke and Season Two is currently set to conclude the series on April 27, 2023.

A former attorney, Kristin lives in the Pacific Northwest.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

BOOK REVIEW: The House in the Cerulean Sea (Cerulean Chronicles, 1) by TJ Klune

Published September 16th, 2021 by Tor
Fantasy Fiction, Contemporary Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy, Fantasy Comedy, Paranormal Fiction, Gay Fiction, Book Series

Welcome to my thoughts on this quirky and mesmerising fantasy. Thank you to Tor UK for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

A cosy, enchanting story about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place – and realizing that family could be yours. The House in the Cerulean Sea is an uplifting, heart-warming queer fantasy from TJ Klune.

‘I loved it. It is like being wrapped up in a big gay blanket. Simply perfect’ – V. E. Schwab, author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

Linus Baker leads a quiet life. At forty, he has a tiny house with a devious cat and his beloved records for company. And at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, he’s spent many dull years monitoring their orphanages.

Then one day, Linus is summoned by Extremely Upper Management and given a highly classified assignment. He must travel to an orphanage where six dangerous children reside – including the Antichrist.

At the orphanage, Linus must somehow determine if these children could bring about the end of days. But their guardian, the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, will do anything to protect his wards. And, as Arthur and Linus grow ever closer, Linus must choose: his duty, or his dreams . . .

A New York Times, USA Today and Washington Post bestseller.

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MY REVIEW:

“A home isn’t always the house we live in. It’s also the people we choose to surround ourselves with.”

A ray of sunshine. A feast for the imagination. A balm for the soul. These are just some of the descriptions that come to mind when I think about The House in the Cerulean Sea. A warm hug in book form, this is a gorgeous and quirky story about found family, the lasting footprints we leave in each other’s lives, and finding the magic in the ordinary. And it captured my heart and soul completely.

It follows Linus Baker, 40, who lives a solitary life in his small house with only his cat, Calliope, for company. Linus works as a Case Worker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, overseeing the well-being of children who live in government-sanctioned orphanages. One morning, Linus is unexpectedly summoned to a meeting by Extremely Upper Management and given a highly classified assignment: travel to and assess Marsyas Island Orphanage to discover if the six dangerous children who live there are going to bring about Armageddon. But these curious children aren’t the only secret being kept on the island and Linus is unprepared for what he is about to discover.

Last month, when I realised that I was about to listen to my 50th audiobook of the year, I knew it had to be something special. So, I decided to continue my journey into TJ Klune’s backlist, choosing this one in anticipation of reading the follow up later this month. I was apprehensive about all the hype, but this extraordinary story did not disappoint. I became an instant fan of Klune when I read Under the Whispering Door earlier this year and this extraordinary story has solidified his status as one of my favourite authors. Klune is a master storyteller and he brought every word and character to life with his beautiful storytelling and richly imagined and evocative descriptions. His stories are guaranteed to brighten your day and this one is a glorious burst of vivid technicolour. But among the brightness and cheer, Klune also weaves more serious topics into the narrative, this time tackling prejudice in its many forms.

Then there are the characters. What a unique and entertaining motley crew they were. I loved Linus, the honest and sweet protagonist who goes through life mostly unnoticed. Linus is human, but his job involves magical creatures, including the children at the orphanage. Living at Marsyas Island Orphanage are a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. These children are dangerous and have some frightening quirks, but what I loved about them is that they are like any other children at heart. I even found myself having a real soft spot for Lucy, the twisted but undeniably childlike son of the devil himself. Then there is Arthur, the orphan’s caretaker. Arthur is very mysterious and we can tell he’s hiding something which makes it hard to know if we really can trust this charming man. But what we do know is that there is chemistry sizzling between Arthur and Linus, which I loved and I was willing Linus to give into his feelings. Marysasy Island Orphanage and its inhabitants have a profound impact on Linus and change his life for the better. I loved watching Linus blossom from a wallflower into who he was by the end of the book and the beautiful relationships he formed with the other characters.

Charming, witty, whimsical, heartfelt and uplifting, this mesmerising fantasy is a clear-your-schedule, lock out the world and read in one sitting affair. And that final line! Oh, my heart. I am so glad I only have a few more days until book two.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

*I listened to this audiobook on Bookbeat. Click here to get 60 days of listening free with my affiliate link.*

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

TJ KLUNE is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling, Lambda Literary Award-winning author of The House in the Cerulean Sea, The Extraordinaries, and more. Being queer himself, Klune believes it’s important—now more than ever—to have accurate, positive queer representation in stories.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx