Mini Blog Hiatus

So, you might have noticed that I've not been reading or updating this blog much lately. I'm going through a busy time in my personal and work life and, sadly, have had less time for reading. I've been prioritising other things in my life to maintain my mental health and sometimes that means not reading as much. Because of this, I'm going to take a mini-break from this blog for a little while and return when I'm feeling back to my usual self. I might still post wrap-ups, but we'll see! Anyway, I will see you all in my next blog post, hopefully not too far in the future :)

July Wrap-Up | 2023

Welcome to my July Wrap-Up! Once again, I didn't read as much as I normally would, but I'm definitely not mad about it because I had a really fun time mood reading this month. Unfortunately, this was my worst reading month of the year which only 11 books and 4548 pages read, however, I still mostly enjoyed what I read, and now I'm super hyped for the Magical Readathon in August! (Keep an eye out for my TBR!)

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1. The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz ★★

This is an adult thriller and the premise intrigued me when I first heard about it: Five attendees are selected for a month-long writing retreat at the remote estate of Roza Vallo, the controversial high priestess of feminist horror. Alex, a struggling writer, is thrilled. Upon arrival, they discover they must complete an entire novel from scratch, and the best one will receive a seven-figure publishing deal. Alex’s long-extinguished dream now seems within reach. But then the women begin to die. Trapped, terrified yet still desperately writing, it is clear there is more than a publishing deal at stake at Blackbriar Estate. Alex must confront her own demons – and finish her novel – to save herself.

The first half of this book was incredibly interesting and it really delivered on the premise. The writing initially kept me hooked and I liked the way Bartz set everything up; I love books about writers and their process, and the idea of an isolated writing competition was right up my street. I enjoyed the beginning; seeing all these characters come together, hearing about the past between Wren and Alex, and seeing the competition turn even more fierce. It was nice to see so much representation in a thriller too. 

Unfortunately, I really didn't like the way the second half of the book went; it turned almost absurdist and it wasn't what I expected at all (but not in a good thriller twist kind of way). A lot of setup from the first half of the book just fell to the wayside and became irrelevant (I understand red herrings, but this felt more like it was just pushed to one side out of ease). The characters were all so unlikeable too. I disliked Roza and Wren from the start, and then Taylor was just as bad. And the actions of the characters were so unrealistic (or if it was realistic, then they were delusional to think they could just get away with what they were trying to do). The synopsis is also quite misleading; it implies women start dying like a murder mystery, but it's not like that at all. I found the ending to be a bit lacklustre and it solidified my feelings about Alex. Overall, it was an okay thriller but sadly the twist and turning point meant the book went in a direction I didn't enjoy.

2. For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing ★★★★.5

I had low expectations because I'd heard mixed reviews, but this adult thiller was pleasantly surprising for me. It follows a host of characters, but primarily focuses on Teddy Crutcher, an esteemed teacher at a private school. But something isn't right at that school. It starts with a techer falling sick. Rumours about a former pupil going off the rails. But who could've guess it would end in murder?

This book was so twisted and tense and every character was morally grey or somewhat unlikeable, but you always had some reason to root for them in some way. In all honesty, the way the characters were portrayed felt very reminiscent of a combination of Death Note and Confessions by Kanae Minato and I loved that; the build up of suspense where you are seeing if someone will get caught, but also kind of not wanting them to get caught, even though you know they're a terrible person. Yes, it had all of that. The writing was so well done, with short chapters and switching perspectives to keep the reader hooked - and it worked. There was just so much going on throughout the book: between Crutcher, Zach, Fallon, and Frank especially. Crutcher was an awful human, but very clever and interesting to read from to see his twisted logic. I enjoyed hearing more about Zach too and I liked how different everyone's relationships were with their families and friends.

I enjoyed that there wasn't just one big twist too, it was a series of tense events that built up over time, with mini twists to keep the reader surprised. I will 100% be picking up more books from this author; it was a fantastically written thriller and exactly what I needed right now.

3. You Will Get Through This Night by Daniel Howell ★★★★

I've been watching Dan's YouTube videos since 2010 and have always been a huge fan. So when I saw he'd released a non-fiction, mental health book I thought I would pick it up. Written by Daniel Howell, in conjunction with a qualified psychologist, in an entertaining and personal way from the perspective of someone who has been through it all - this no-nonsense book gives you the tools to understand your mind so you can be in control and really live. Split into three chapters for each stage of the journey: This Night - how to get through your toughest moments and be prepared to face anything; Tomorrow - small steps to change your thoughts and actions with a big impact on your life; And the Days After - help to look after yourself in the long term and not just survive, but thrive.

I've read a lot of mental health and self-help books over the years and this is definitely one of the better ones. It's the sort of book I wish I'd had 10 years ago when I was really struggling. Dan's witty humour keeps the tone of the book upbeat, even when dealing with difficult topics. I really liked that it didn't dwell too much on the humour, or even on Dan's personal experiences, and it really delved into the psychology of our mental wellbeing and small actions we can take to help ourselves. While 80% of the content in this book included things I already knew, I still took a few things away from it, and it was helpful to read. I think if you haven't explored much of this topic before, are new to your mental health struggles, or even if you've had them a long time but have never had help, then this book will be perfect for you. It's a toolkit you can refer to at any time and the split chapters really help to know what to focus on. I highly recommend this book.

4. Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid ★★★★

This is the seventh Taylor Jenkins Reid book I've read and while it wasn't my favourite, I still enjoyed it a lot. In this historical fiction, we follow the Riva family in Malibu: August, 1983. It's the day of Nina Riva's annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous Rivas: Nina, the talented surfer and supermodel; brothers Jay and Hud, one a championship surfer, the other a renowned photographer; and their adored baby sister, Kit. Together, the siblings are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over-especially as the offspring of the legendary singer, Mick Riva. The only person not looking forward to the party of the year is Nina herself. By midnight the party will be completely out of control. By morning, the Riva mansion will have gone up in flames. But before that first spark in the early hours before dawn, the alcohol will flow, the music will play, and the loves and secrets that shaped this family's generations will all come bubbling to the surface.

As always with Reid's books, this was beautifully written; I loved the alternation between the past and present, the previous generation and the current generation and how they all got there. Every family member felt so real, and that is one of the skills of this author, she makes every character so realistic you can't believe they're not actual people. Seeing everything June and Nina went through was heartbreaking. There were so many trash men in this book that had no excuses for their behaviour except that society let them get away with it; it made me so angry, but it was also good to see the portrayal of strong women and make the story more about them. I loved the seeing the family rise from nothing to riches too. I always love to see the dynamic between large groups of siblings, because it reminds me of my own childhood, and the Riva siblings loyalty to one another was so well done. I will say, as the youngest myself, that I really felt for Kit throughout too. Overall, not as compelling as some of her other books, but still a beautifully crafted novel that will stay with me.

5. That Weekend by Kara Thomas ★★★

I've read a few thrillers by this author and really enjoyed them, so I thought I'd pick up her latest release. This YA thriller has a premise that intrigued me: Three best friends, a lake house, a secret trip - what could go wrong? It was supposed to be the perfect prom weekend getaway. But it's clear something terrible happened when Claire wakes up alone and bloodied on a hiking trail with no memory of the past forty-eight hours. Three went up the mountain, but only one came back.

It's not a unique blurb for a thriller, but I was still looking forward to it nonetheless. It did start strong and I'm a big fan of Kara Thomas's writing; she's got a great way of builiding suspense while also progressing the story at a good pace. However, the reason I didn't enjoy this one very much was that I found all the characters to be incredibly unlikable - even to the point where I found Claire to be too frustrating to read from. The one good thing about Claire was that she never tried to solve anything herself and always got adults/police involved, which felt realistic and I appreciated that she was an intelligent protagonist. I also did like the twists that we got and, while they didn't blow me away, I didn't see them coming at all.

However, despite the twists being good, the ending was a bit lacklustre and certain parts felt a bit rushed (like the death scene). We also still had a few unanswered questions and loose threads at the end that I really wanted to see resolved. Especially Claire and Jesse's relationship, but there were a couple of other things that I won't say because of spoilers. I found that the POV shift that we got later on was a bit strange, but I do think it worked well overall. If you're a fan of YA thrillers or this author, then pick it up and give it a try. It wasn't the best thriller I've read by the author, but it was still an enjoyable and quick read.

6. Hide by Kiersten White ★.5

This is my fourth Kiersten White book and, although I'd heard very mixed reviews, I did have high hopes for this adult horror novel. However, it really missed the mark for me. The premise: spend a week hiding in an abandoned amusement park and don't get caught. The prize: enough money to change everything. Even though everyone is desperate to win - to seize their dream futures or escape their haunting pasts - Mack feels sure that she can beat her competitors. All she has to do is hide, and she's an expert at that. It's the reason she's alive, and her family isn't. But as the people around her begin disappearing one by one, Mack realizes this competition is more sinister than even she imagined, and that together might be the only way to survive. Fourteen competitors. Seven days. Everywhere to hide, but nowhere to run. Come out, come out, wherever you are.

The premise itself drew me in and I was so intrigued by the Prologue, but so many things didn't work for me. Firstly, this reads far more like a YA than it does an adult novel (the only thing that made this 'adult' was the amount of swear words). Secondly, this was barely a horror; nothing scary ever really happened, everything was very 'fade to black', and the most horrifying things in the book were barely alluded to. That meant that the book wasn't a horror, barely a thriller, and also far more paranormal than I was led to expect from the synopsis (which was disappointing to me). The scariest thing about this book was Mack's past and that was it.

We're also introduced to 14 characters in quick succession, meaning that we don't get enough time or backstory from any of them to ever care enough when they died. Having two Ava's was needlessly confusing, and the actual days in the park itself were just plain boring. Half of the book was dialogue, and the other half was just sitting around waiting. Then the discovery of what happens is so convenient and ended up being a lot of exposition. Ava and Mack's 'relationship' was interesting, but I didn't feel like we ever got enough of anything to really be invested. The ending was lacklustre and abrupt with so many unanswered questions. It felt like the author just forgot to end it. I don't feel like you can have something that weird happen in the book and never really explain the how or why? Overall, this book wasn't enjoyable, didn't fulfil its promise to be an adult horror, and the best thing I can say about it was that it was a quick read.

7. The Name of All Things by Jenn Lyons ★★★★★

This is the sequel to The Ruin of Kings and second book in The Chorus of Dragons series. I gave the first book 5 stars and I'm happy to say I've given this book the same rating. It took me a long time to finish this one, not because I wasn't enjoying it, but because I've had a very stressful month in my personal life, but I'm so glad I've finally finished it because it was amazing. I love that it's told in a similar way to the first book: alternating perspectives of the past with conversation in between. Even though we're primarily following different characters, I really loved them all (especially Dorna and Qown). Even some of the more 'evil' characters are explored and we get such a different side of them. I especially loved seeing Janel's time with Duke Kaen and a certain someone with a polar bear cub (I did not see that twist coming - or any of them actually).

We still have a lot of Kihrin even though he's not the main focus, but most importantly, we get to see how the storyline in this book connects to the story in the previous book and it's so fascinating. I can only imagine that this continues in the sequels and I'm already so excited to continue the series to find out how everything is connected and why certain things are happening. One thing I especially loved in this one was that it felt far less confusing than the first book (maybe I'm just getting to grips with it more, or maybe there was less confusion in the sequel). Overall, this series is incredibly well-written and thought out - I'm very excited to continue even though it might take me a while. 

8. Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan ★★★★

In this LGBTQA+, YA fantasy, Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most oppressed class in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her father, where the decade-old trauma of watching her mother snatched by royal guards still haunts her. Now, the guards are back, and this time it's Lei they're after - the girl whose golden eyes have piqued the king's interest. Over weeks of training in the opulent but stifling palace, Lei and eight other girls learn the skills and charm that befit being a king's consort. But Lei isn't content to watch her fate consume her. Instead, she does the unthinkable - she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens the very foundation of Ikhara, and Lei, still the wide-eyed country girl at heart, must decide just how far she's willing to go for justice and revenge. 

This book was a lot better than I thought it would be. The setting and culture is captivating to read about; I especially loved reading about the lore and magic in this world. Ngan's descriptions were beautifully vivid and I felt like I could picture every part of the palace. Also, the food descriptions made my mouth water. The cast of characters were all very unique and I especially loved the supportive female characters that we saw. Lei is a somewhat typical YA main character in the sense that she is forced into a position she never wanted and we see her constantly fighting back against it. However, I like that her decisions never felt stupid. They were usually a result of careful planning or pure instinct. Aoki's character was sweet and her story really was heartbreaking with her only being 16. Wren was interesting, but I still feel like we didn't quite get to know her enough for my liking. And Blue... Blue was so unbelievably insufferable. There were moments where I was thinking 'oh good, here's the moment she becomes a better person', but nope. She was always terrible. Oh, also, nobody warned me about the horrific thing that happens right at the start of the book - it's something that I hate seeing in books so for anyone else, here's a warning: there is a pretty awful animal death in this book. Also, huge trigger warning for rape and sexual assault.

I will say that while I loved the setting and magic, I did find the demons very difficult to imagine. They're more animal that human, but some of them were still described in human ways so I felt like I could never quite grasp what they looked like. Probably a me issue, but it was jarring to me every time. Overall, this was a really enjoyable book. I'll probably try to pick up the sequels from the library at some point, but I'm not in a huge rush to continue right now. I'd highly recommend this if you're looking for a queer fantasy that is a little bit different

9. In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead ★★★★★

This is an adult, thriller novel with hints of dark academia that I'd heard a lot of good things about and I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed. A college reunion turns dark and deadly: six friends, one unsolved murder, and the dark secrets they’ve been hiding from each other for a decade. Ten years after graduation, Jessica Miller has planned her triumphant return to southern, elite Duquette University, down to the envious whispers that are sure to follow in her wake. Everyone is going to see the girl she wants them to see - confident, beautiful, indifferent - not the girl she was when she left campus, back when Heather’s murder fractured everything, including the tight bond linking the six friends she’d been closest to since freshman year. But not everyone is ready to move on. Not everyone left Duquette ten years ago, and not everyone can let Heather’s murder go unsolved. When the six friends are reunited, they will be forced to confront what happened that night - and the years’ worth of secrets each of them would do anything to keep hidden. 

Although I'd heard good things, I was still very surprised by how much I enjoyed it, especially when the main character was so unlikable. All the characters have a lot of baggage and their own issues and Jessica is no exception. We see early on how self-centred she is to the point where I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy the book initially. However, seeing all these characters' secrets unravel and their personalities evolve over the course of the book was fascinating. The setting was peak dark academia: the cozy college, the ambition to succeed, and the tight-knit friendship group that is actually spectacularly fragile when you start looking at their secrets. I loved every second of it. The friendship group was interesting to delve into: I particuarly liked Jack and Coop. I also liked that we got a few different perspectives and seeing how they all viewed each other versus how they thought everyone looked at them. Cora was especially interesting in that way.

The writing itself was compelling and once I'd started, I couldn't put the book down and ended up reading it in a day. Winstead has great skill in revealing a lot, but managing to hold back enough to tempt you without leaving the reader feeling frustrated. And the twists were amazing. I only managed to see them coming a few lines before they were actually revealed. Overall, an incredibly thriller with brilliant pacing. I will definitely be picking up more of this author's works.

10. A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik ★★

I think this is my fourth Naomi Novik book and it will probably be my last. I love the concepts of her stories - this book included, but the execution just doesn't work for me sadly. A Deadly Education is set at Scholomance, a school for the magically gifted where failure means certain death (for real) - until one girl, El, begins to unlock its many secrets. There are no teachers, no holidays, and no friendships, save strategic ones. Survival is more important than any letter grade, for the school won’t allow its students to leave until they graduate or die. The rules are deceptively simple: Don’t walk the halls alone. And beware of the monsters who lurk everywhere. El is uniquely prepared for the school’s dangers. She may be without allies, but she possesses a dark power strong enough to level mountains and wipe out millions. It would be easy enough for El to defeat the monsters that prowl the school. The problem? Her powerful dark magic might also kill all the other students. 

This was a mixed bag for me. I loved the main character, El - her sarcastic humour and jaded view of the world was actually pretty refreshing; she had a lot of great lines throughout. I also liked the developing relationship between her and Orion; the line towards the end where he grabs her hand had me laughing because I'd fully believed El's point of view up to that point. The school setting was interesting, and I loved the magic aspects of the library and the work involved. However, I would say this is where the good things end for me. The worldbuilding wasn't great. It was equal parts info-dumping, yet weirdly I never felt like I got a good enough grip on the world as a whole to understand why things were happening. Also, I love a bit of exposition in a fantasy, but this was insane. It was pages upon pages of exposition in a stream-of-conciousness to the point where I'd forget what the character had initially been doing to get to this thought. I felt so detached from the story at times. It also meant that really not a whole lot happened in this book - if you took out the exposition, it's pretty minimal plotwise.

I can definitely see why people love this book and I think if you're looking towards a more romance-based fantasy and aren't too bothered by less plot, then you'd probably get on with it well. Overall, not for me and I won't be picking up the sequel.

11. The Memory of Souls by Jenn Lyons ★★★★★

And here we have the third book in The Chorus of Dragons series. This was probably my favourite book of the series so far because so much starts coming together. In this one we follow a combination of the characters from the first two books and it pretty much directly follows the previous book timeline-wise. I won't say much about the plot because of spoilers, but I loved the way this one went. We see so many plotlines come together and finally pay off - especially with all the parents. But I think my favourite part was the way the 'evil' characters turned out and how a lot of things got flipped on their head in a way I didn't expect.

The humour was on point throughout. Between the parents, the 'children', and even with Senera and Xivan, there were so many times I was laughing aloud. I adored the relationship between Kihrin, Taereth, and Janel too and I wish we'd seen more of it. Also that plot twist towards the end with Suless - I did not see that coming - I was gobsmacked. And that battle at the end was epic; I could picture it so clearly and it was equal parts amazing and heartbreaking. It was great seeing Talon back in this book too. Overall, a fantastic addition to the series and I'm so excited to continue.

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And those are all the books I read in July! Definitely not my best reading month, but I had a lot of fun with the books I read. What did you read in July? Or what did you think about any of the books I've talked about, if you've read them?

Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag | 2023

Welcome to another Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag 2023 edition! That's right, we're already here again; the year has flown by. This year I've already read 101 books so far, which means it was pretty tough to narrow down the choices for the questions (especially since I've had 25 five star reads this year). As with previous years, I will not be mentioning any re-reads here because they're generally books I've already enjoyed or talked about. Also, it's worth saying that I've generally picked more than one book per answer because it was too difficult to choose just one book. So, let's get on with the questions! 

1. Best Book You've Read so Far in 2023?

Yellowface R.F. Kuang or Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I genuinely couldn't just pick one book for this.

Once again, Taylor Jenkins Reid has made me care so much for a fictional band and characters that never existed to the point where I wanted to look them up and start listening to their music (although thankfully it has a TV show so it's bit easier this time). I was worried at first that Daisy would end up being a manic pixie dream girl type character, but instead we see someone who is both truly, authentically herself, but also struggling with a severe drug addiction. The way the book handles drug addiction from two different perspectives is also beautifully handled and I thought it was so well done to see how Billy and Daisy responded to their situations. I loved the whole group and their dynamic; the tensions, the cameraderie, the undercurrent of everyone thinking something different about the exact same event. The female friendships in here were so well done too; there was so much power between them, even when they didn't agree about how to do something, there was no tearing each other down at all. An easy 5 star read. To see my full review on this - check out my May Wrap-Up.

And then we have Yellowface. Unlike Kuang's previous works, this is an adult contemporary/thriller following two authors: Authors June Hayward and Athena Liu. They were supposed to be twin rising stars: same year at Yale, same debut year in publishing. But Athena's a cross-genre literary darling, and June didn't even get a paperback release. Nobody wants stories about basic white girls, June thinks. So when June witnesses Athena's death in a freak accident, she acts on impulse: she steals Athena's just-finished masterpiece, an experimental novel about the unsung contributions of Chinese laborers to the British and French war efforts during World War I. So what if June edits Athena's novel and sends it to her agent as her own work? So what if she lets her new publisher rebrand her as Juniper Song - complete with an ambiguously ethnic author photo? Doesn't this piece of history deserve to be told, whoever the teller? That's what June claims, and the New York Times bestseller list seems to agree. But June can't get away from Athena's shadow, and emerging evidence threatens to bring June's (stolen) success down around her. This book has left me speechless, to be honest. I read it in one sitting because I could. not. put. this. down. It's definitely not a thriller in the most conventional sense, but it's definitely filled with tension from start to finish. It was also incredibly different to her other fantasy books; she is clearly not limiting herself to one genre and we should all be thankful for that because her writing is amazing. Again, another very easy 5 star read. To see my full review on this, check out my June Wrap-Up later this week!

2. Best sequel you've read so far?

The Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercombie

This was, thankfully, an easy one for me. I cannot believe how much I ended up loving the entire First Law trilogy; I didn't have particularly high expectations going in, but now Abercrombie is one of my favourite fantasy authors. I won't say too much about the plot of this book, but I will say that I loved the direction the story went. It was perfectly paced and not once did it feel like I needed more or less. In this trilogy we follow: Glokta, a cripple turned torturer; Jezal dan Luthar, a paragon of selfishness and solider-to-be who thinks of nothing more than winning glory in the fencing circle; and Logen Ninefingers, an infamous barbarian that has finally run out of luck. They were all incredibly fascinating characters and it's amazing to see how far they come by the final book. Easily a 5 star trilogy for me. If you want my full reviews for these books check them out in my wrap-ups or on my Reviews page.

3. New release you haven't read yet, but want to?

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

I'm sure everyone has heard of this book by now and it's certainly doing the rounds on TikTok and YouTube. But if you don't know, it's a fantasy romance centring around a dragon training school. While the romance part doesn't interest me as much, the dragon training school is something that immediately caught my attention. If you know me at all, you'll know I love books with dragons, schools, or competitions, and this sounds like it has all three. I've not heard a single bad word about the book yet so I'm excited to read it and see where I fall.

In this we follow twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail, who was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books. Now, the commanding general - aka her mother - has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders. But her body is smaller and brittle and dragons don't bond with "fragile" humans. They incinerate them. She'll need ever edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year?

Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare

I had to pick Sword Catcher for this one. I grew up as a teenager reading the Mortal Instruments as they came out and I used to love them. While I'm not as invested in the Shadowhunter world anymore, I do still find Cassandra Clare's writing addictive and interesting. And this is her first book that isn't connected to the Shadowhunter world. It's an adult fantasy set in the vibrant city-state of Castellane, where the richest of nobles and the most debauched of criminals have one thing in common: the constant search for wealth, power, and the next hedonistic thrill. Kel is an orphan, stolen from the life he knew to become the Sword-Catcher—the body-double of a royal heir, Prince Conor Aurelian. He has been raised alongside the prince, trained in every aspect of combat and statecraft. He and Conor are close as brothers, but Kel knows he has one destiny: to die for Conor. No other future is possible. Lin Caster is one of the Ashkar, a small community who still possess magical abilities. By law, they must live behind walls in the city, but Lin, a physician, ventures out to tend to the sick and dying of Castellane. Despite her skills, she cannot heal her best friend Mariam without access to forbidden knowledge.

After a failed assassination attempt brings Lin and Kel together, they are drawn into the web of the mysterious Ragpicker King, the criminal ruler of Castellane’s underworld. He offers them each what they want most; but as they descend into his world of intrigue and shadow, they discover a conspiracy of corruption that reaches from the darkest gutters of Castellane to the highest tower of its palaces. It sounds very interesting to me and I'm really intrigued to see if I'll enjoy this as much as her other books.

5. Biggest disappointment?

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager
Five Survive by Holly Jackson

Sadly, I've read a lot of 1-2 star reads this years, so I have quite a few choices for this. I've listed a few here and I'll just give a quick rundown of why I found them disappointing. It's worth saying that just because I found it disappointing, it doesn't always mean I found it bad, just that I expected more of it.

So, the one I didn't like was The House Across the Lake. Okay, where to start with this one? The first thing I'll say is that I like Sager's writing a lot; I've loved two of his other books. I also liked the isolated lake setting and the descriptions of the area. However, that's probably the only good thing I do have to say. The majority of the plot in this one was quite boring; it was just a lot of Casey sitting, drinking, spying (very Woman in the Window vibes), and not really anything else. Casey herself is quite an unlikable, but equally boring character, and her unreliable narration wasn't really handled in the best way (especially because it linked to one of the major plot points of the book that I guessed quite early on). However, the thing that really dragged this book down for me was the supernatural aspect. One of the most interesting parts of reading a thriller is the guessing as a reader, but can you really guess literally anything if something supernatural comes in out of nowhere? It completely changed the genre of the book and it absolutely isn't what I read Sager's books for.

Next up we have The Starless Sea and Five Survive. These 100% weren't bad books, but they just weren't for me. Let's start with the controversial one: The Starless Sea. Let's start with what I liked. I loved the discussion of story and especially how they relate to video games. As someone who works in the video games industry, it was really fascinating to see someone studying that in a book. Morgenstern is also a beautiful writer; there were so many individual lines that will stick with me because of how well they were written. Honestly though, I was more interested in the book within the book and those stories, rather than the main plot with Zachary. When we get to Katrina's point of view, I found it the most compelling part of the whole book; I kind of wish the whole book had been about her looking for Zachary. I will say that the start of the book was a bit of a struggle for me. I couldn't quite keep all the characters aligned whilst also trying to figure out how the short stories connected to the main plot. Sometimes it felt like entire scenes were missing, and there was so much abstract description that I really struggled to picture anything, despite the beautiful writing. The vague, speculative magic just wasn't for me either unfortunately. I would say that if you enjoy lyrical, magical writing and speculative fantasy/fiction, then definitely give this a try. Sadly, it just wasn't for me.

Aaand Five Survive: The premise of this is great: eight hours, six friends, one sniper. I liked the build of tension and how quick to read this was. I also really liked Red as a character and her jumping thoughts. However, this definitely requires you to suspend your disbelief a lot and , if you're able tog et past that, we also then have a group of friends that we don't really get to know well enough to care too much about the reveals. I spent the entire book just despising Oliver. He is the worst human being I've ever had the misfortune to read about with not one likeable quality. We also don't get to see enough of him beforehand which means I'm sat wondering why this group of people ever made friends with him/dated him to being with? Because of my focus on Oliver, I kind of cared less about the actual whodunnit. And once we found out what the situation was, I was kind of disappointed by it. Even Oliver's secret was kind of more interesting. It's a trope I don't like in many books for one thing and it all felt either unrealistic or plain weird. The romance was also very wedged in once the situation was revealed and didn't feel necessary. I did like that it tied multiple mysteries together at the end and I also loved that certain characters got their comeuppance too. Overall, this was a fine YA thriller. I think if it's one of your first thrillers, you'll probably enjoy it more.

6. Biggest surprise?

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig or Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A.F. Steadman

Again, a couple of answers for this one. The Midnight Library was a huge surprise for me because, although I love Haig's non-fiction, I've always found his fiction to be so-so for me. But this was just so poignant and beautifully written. It very much has a mixture of A Wonderful Life mixed with The Butterfly Effect. I love seeing the What Ifs of parallel universes and this book truly delivered on that front. We first see Nora in the life she's struggling with, and then we get to see the infinite possibilities of the ways her life could have gone. Not only that, but we get to see her discover new things about herself and her life that she was never able to see previously. I feel like this is such a short book that I don't want to talk much about what the various worlds were, but I will say that I'm glad we got to see the multiple extreme possibilities for Nora. The dive into depression, addiction, and anxiety is incredibly well done, and Nora becomes such a relatable character. While the ending wasn't at all surprising, it was heartwarming and everything that I wanted it to be. I highly recommend this to anyone that needs an uplifting book, but I'd definitely read the trigger warnings before you go into it.

And Skandar and the Unicorn Thief, although I'd heard good things about it, I didn't have high expectations for this fantasy middle-grade because I'm not a huge fan of unicorns; however, this blew me away. Instead of pink rainbow unicorns, we get bloodthirsty creatures that wield elemental magic - yes! I love elemental magic and this book uses it perfectly. I liked that the power of the magic came with the bond to the unicorns too, and it was dependant on their control of their unicorn. This really mixed some of the best elements of Eragon + magic school and it worked so well for me. The world was cleverly created; it was great seeing it set in the UK, but also within a fantasy setting. The school is amazing and my only gripe was that I wanted to see more of it. It made me wish Skandar had an easier time in the school so we as the reader could enjoy it more with him. The descriptions were beautiful and I felt like I could picture everything. I will say that Skandar's decisions weren't always the best, but I love his three friends and I feel like they kept him grounded (no pun intended!). Mitchell, Bobby, and Flo were so sweet and the way their relationships grow and thrive throughout the book is great to see. Skandar's relationship to his sister was one of the most heartwarming sibling dynamics I've seen in a middle-grade and it made my heart happy. I also didn't really see the twist coming at the end, and it's definitely a story I want to continue. Sure, it had a lot of tropes, but I feel like they worked well together and made me really enjoy the story.

7. Favourite new author? (Debut or new to you)

Jenn Lyons 

For this, I would have to say Jenn Lyons (I would say Joe Abercrombie, but I don't want to repeat answers if I can avoid it!). Lyons wrote A Chorus of Dragons; a five book series which I am 1.5 books into and really loving. Her writing is humorous and the worldbuilding and characters are incredible.

8. Newest favourite character?

I didn't want to repeat books in my answers but I definitely have to repeat them here because Glokta from the First Law trilogy is definitely one of my new favourite characters. He is morally grey to the extreme and I always weirdly wanted to root for him, even when he was doing terrible things.

9. A book that made you cry?

Trial by Fire by Scott James

It's always the non-fictions that make me cry. I decided to pick up this True Crime book after seeing it on Books of Amber's channel. This book follows the tragedy of the Station Nightclub fire that happened in 2003. In only 90 seconds, a fire in the Station nightclub killed 100 people and injured hundreds more. It would take nearly 20 years to find out why and who was really at fault. In this book Scott James investigates all the central figures, including the band's manager and lead singer, the fire inspector, the maker of the acoustical foam, as well as the brothers. Drawing on firsthand accounts, interviews with many involved, and court documents, James explores the rush to judgement about what happened that left the victims and their families, whose stories he also tells, desperate for justice.

As you can imagine, this was an incredibly difficult read and heartbreaking read. However, James covers the story so well and with a lot of compassion. He also delves into every area of the story, revealing things that were previously unknown and shed more light on who was responsible. I will warn that this book talks in great detail about the fire, the injuries, and the deaths that occurred, so if you don't feel like you can read that, then maybe skip this book. It also references a video that was taken at the time of the fire, which is still viewable on YouTube; the video is graphic and I recommend viewing with caution. Overall, this book was incredibly well researched and written, but it was also a very difficult read and it's haunted me to this day.

10. A book that made you happy?

Orange by Ichigo Takano

I've been hearing about this YA sci-fi/contemporary manga for years now and I thought it was about time that I finally picked it up. On the day that Naho begins 11th grade, she receives a letter from herself ten years in the future. At first, she writes it off as a prank, but as the letter’s predictions come true one by one, Naho realizes that the letter might be the real deal. Her future self tells Naho that a new transfer student, a boy named Kakeru, will soon join her class. The letter begs Naho to watch over him, saying that only Naho can save Kakeru from a terrible future. Who is this mystery boy, and can Naho save him from his destiny? 

Let's start with the premise. I love the idea of changing the past to affect the future in media, so this book is right up my street and it's fascinating seeing how the future is obviously changing as the book moves along. The main thing I want to talk about though is this group of friends. They are the most incredible group of friends I have ever read about; not only are their dynamics realistic and funny, they are so kind to one another and seeing them all stick up for each other was heartwarming. I love that they pull Kakeru into the group and he fits in seemlessly with them. I also loved the dynamics between Naho and the other girls in the group; they stick up for her all the time. Naho is such a sweet person too. She cares about everyone around her so much. My only frustration is when she still refused to do what the letter said sometimes, even though she knew it would help. I do get it though, she's 16 after all. Suwa is probably the most kind and incredible person in this manga. The fact that his future self once to change what happened despite what he has is unbelievably selfless.

This book deals with a lot of heavy topics including suicide and the death of a parent; however, it also handles these difficult topics so well. Kakeru's struggles are clearly so huge and it's so lovely to see this group of friends rally around him to help. This is a very character-focused story and I recommend it to anyone that enjoys a contemporary manga with a twist. It's heartwarming, will probably make you cry, and will definitely make you want to pick up the next volume.

11. Favourite book to film adaptation you saw this year?

This is book to TV Show but I'll definitely say Daisy Jones and the Six. The TV show was incredibly well done, despite the changes made, and I loved hearing the music!

12. Favourite review you've written this year

I don't really feel like I have a favourite review, but I have written a review of every book I've read so far this year, so I'm happy with that!

13. Most beautiful book you've bought so far this year (or received)

Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan

Age of Myth inaugurates another six-book series set in Elan. Since time immemorial, humans have worshipped the gods they call Fhrey, truly a race apart: invincible in battle, masters of magic, and seemingly immortal. But when a god falls to a human blade, the balance of power between humans and those they thought were gods changes forever. Now only a few stand between humankind and annihilation: Raithe, reluctant to embrace his destiny as the God Killer; Suri, a young seer burdened by signs of impending doom; and Persephone, who must overcome personal tragedy to lead her people. The Age of Myth is over. The time of rebellion has begun.

The plot sounds super interesting and the cover is gorgeous, in my opinion, so I'm looking forward to reading this.

14. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?

As always, there are so many books I need to read by the end of the year. I've chosen five that are my highest priority because I've had them on my TBR for a while now:

1. From Below by Darcy Coates

2. A Time of Dread by John Gwynne

3. The Memory of Souls by Jenn Lyons

4. Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel

5. The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

So that was the Mid-Year Book Freakout tag! There are obviously tons of other books that I've loved this year, but I can't list them all here. If you want more of my thoughts on any of the books I've read this year, then check-out my wrap-ups or my Reviews page where you can find the full reviews! Let me know if you've read any of these (especially the ones I still need to read) and if I should prioritise any of them. Also, if you've done this tag, link it below and I'll check it out.