BOOK REVIEW | The Wilderness Retreat by Jennifer Moore

Genre: Adult Thriller

Publication Date: 22nd February 2023

My Rating: ★★★.5

Goodreads Page

Blurb:

I release myself from the shackles of the outside world and embrace the wilderness within.

As Bella drops her son off at university, she’s devastated. It’s been the two of them ever since Asher was born. The only thing helping her through is the upcoming week-long wilderness retreat in Sweden. It’ll be her chance to reconnect and recharge.

At the retreat, Bella basks in the beauty of the modern lodge, with its luxury rooms and picture-perfect views, the glistening lake and lush forest. For the full detox effect, everyone must surrender their phones.

The holiday seems idyllic until the person who ruined Bella’s life years ago arrives, threatening everything she’s worked hard for and will do anything to protect. Suddenly, a terrified Bella is trapped in the wild, knowing someone wants her dead…

**Spoiler-Free Review**

I received this book from HQ Digital via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I was looking for a good thriller to start the year, and this sounded right up my street.

My favourite part of this book had to be the writing and the perfect atmosphere Moore created. The isolated retreat in the middle of the Swedish forest was so incredibly creepy. The mindfulness of the retreat was also a great reason for the characters not having access to the outside world with their mobile phones. I loved seeing Bella's relationship with Asher, and how she interacted with the various people at the retreat. The other guests were the perfect mixture of annoying and suspicious as well. The books starts off extremely strong and the first 30% were filled with suspense and intrigue.

I will say that the middle of the book did drag for me a little. I felt like the same few things were happening for a few days in a row (bad night sleeping, bad day, drinking, throwing up, nails on wall). It also had far too many dream sequences that became repetitive and boring; I found myself skimming the fifth or sixth one because it was so obviously a dream. The main character also made a few silly decisions throughout the book and saying things like 'this is the sort of stupid thing someone would do in a horror movie', but still proceeding to do it, doesn't make it any less stupid.

I'm happy to say that I didn't see the twist coming, but I also didn't feel like it had enough of an impact. I wish Bella was more lucid at the end to get more answers, because there are a few extra things that I wanted to know. I'm actually amazed that Bella didn't realise how badly her maths was off in the final chapter though. When she said she dropped out of university the next week, my main thought was 'that's ridiculously quick', and I was right. 

I did really enjoy the Epilogue though and the relationship between all the characters, that actually felt really good and it tied everything up very nicely. Overall, I would say this is an extremely atmospheric thriller; so if you're looking for that creepy, isolated feeling, then look no further. I think other people might enjoy the twist more than I did, so don't let that put you off. Pick this up if you're looking for your next twisty read.

BOOK REVIEW | Her Majesty's Royal Coven by Juno Dawson

Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy

Publication Date: 31st May 2022

My Rating: ★★★★.5

Goodreads Page

Blurb:

At the dawn of their adolescence, on the eve of the summer solstice, four young girls--Helena, Leonie, Niamh and Elle--took the oath to join Her Majesty's Royal Coven, established by Queen Elizabeth I as a covert government department. Now, decades later, the witch community is still reeling from a civil war and Helena is now the reigning High Priestess of the organization. Yet Helena is the only one of her friend group still enmeshed in the stale bureaucracy of HMRC. Elle is trying to pretend she's a normal housewife, and Niamh has become a country vet, using her powers to heal sick animals. In what Helena perceives as the deepest betrayal, Leonie has defected to start her own more inclusive and intersectional coven, Diaspora. And now Helena has a bigger problem. A young warlock of extraordinary capabilities has been captured by authorities and seems to threaten the very existence of HMRC. With conflicting beliefs over the best course of action, the four friends must decide where their loyalties lie: with preserving tradition, or doing what is right.

Juno Dawson explores gender and the corrupting nature of power in a delightful and provocative story of magic and matriarchy, friendship and feminism. Dealing with all the aspects of contemporary womanhood, as well as being phenomenally powerful witches, Niamh, Helena, Leonie and Elle may have grown apart but they will always be bound by the sisterhood of the coven.

**Spoiler-Free Review**

I received this book from Harper Collins UK via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've read a couple of Juno Dawson books in the past and I enjoyed Say Her Name so I was looking forward to reading a book by Dawson that wasn't a horror, but did have a spooky vibe. This 100% didn't disappoint. 

The witchy atmosphere in this book permeates every page and character. Honestly, reading this book about all these strong women with solid female friendships just filled me with everything I needed for spooky season. This book felt like it embodied everything I wanted from a modern-day witch book. I really loved Niamh - she was so sweet and kind, but also a complete badass. Leonie's coven was great to see and it was interesting to explore the politics of this world through her newly-created coven.

Dawson also explores so many important topics within this world: feminism, racism, and LGBTQA+ rights, just to name a few. She handles these topics so well and sensitively. Theo is thought to be an incredibly powerful warlock until it's discovered that she identifies as a woman; the book cleverly explores the impact her gender has on the society of witches, because it doesn't seem like they've ever thought about how trans witches or warlocks can fit into their world comfortably. Reading from the perspective of someone who is a white supremicist TERF is incredibly frustrating (mostly because of how sadly realistic that sort of character is in our world), but we also get the perspectives of progressive women who support Theo and Leonie, and that is wonderful to see.

I really enjoyed reading about the politics of the witches' world and how it fits into the world we have now. I wish we'd seen more of the world, and the main character's pasts in the war. I would love to see a book about that showing how the four women were friends and how they grew into the women they are in this book.

My only issue with the audiobook arc that I listened to was that it was sometimes difficult to distinguish which perspective you were listening to. It would take a few minutes of the narrator talking before it became obvious who it was. Some of the side characters were easy to get muddled up with as well because they weren't given enough time on the page for the reader to remember who they were  in relation to the main characters. I'm really looking forward to get a physical copy to see if it's easier to pick this up on re-read rather that listening to the audiobook.

Overall, I really loved this book and it's perfect for the autumn/witchy season. If you're looking for a fantastic urban fantasy with great queer representation then I highly recommend picking this book up. I already can't wait for the sequel, especially after that cliffhanger ending.

BOOK REVIEW | Babel by R.F. Kuang

Genre: Fantasy

Publication Date: 23rd August 2022

My Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Page

Blurb:

1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he'll enroll in Oxford University's prestigious Royal Institute of Translation — also known as Babel.

Babel is the world's center of translation and, more importantly, of silver-working: the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation through enchanted silver bars, to magical effect. Silver-working has made the British Empire unparalleled in power, and Babel's research in foreign languages serves the Empire's quest to colonize everything it encounters.

Oxford, the city of dreaming spires, is a fairytale for Robin; a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge serves power, and for Robin, a Chinese boy raised in Britain, serving Babel inevitably means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to sabotaging the silver-working that supports imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide: Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence? What is he willing to sacrifice to bring Babel down?

**Spoiler-Free Review**

I received this book from Harper Collins via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This dark academia book has been compared to both The Secret History and Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, two books that I absolutely loved. Combine that with how much I adored Kuang's Poppy War trilogy and this was a must-read for me.

I am very happy to say that I adored every second of this book. The entire book embodies dark academia and the atmosphere captures it perfectly: the thrill of the overworked student aesthetic, the camaraderie between students, the addiction of knowledge, and the dark undertone throughout the novel of politics, deception, and colonialism that academia is built upon. It truly encompasses dark academia but it also challenges the whiteness of it all.

It's obvious just how much research went into this book's creation. I loved learning about the etymology of words and how it tied to a magic system. The friendships between Robin and his cohort were wonderful and they really embodied the bubble that people end up in while studying - especially at university. Of course, one of the most wonderful things about this book is how it challenges the racism and sexism happening at this time. Obviously, this is a historical fiction, but it sheds so much light and truth on how the British Empire exploited and harmed both other nations and their people. Showing a society that was built on the shoulders of oppression while it attempts to seem progressive is so realistic and important. The way white characters act as well is extremely realistic and hard to read because of that. I love that Kuang's characters are always challenging societal 'norms' and willing to do anything to make things right.

My only complaint about this book include wanting to see more of their time at the school in Oxford. I would've adored seeing multiple books of their years at the school so we could see the characters' friendships develop over time and also grow to love the city of university as much as Robin and his friends do. The ending was heart-breaking and I wish we'd seen just a little bit more in the Epilogue, but it was still the perfect ending for this book.

Overall, I loved this book. While reading it the atmosphere felt all encompassing and I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys dark academia with an alternate historical twist.

BOOK REVIEW | The Lucky One by Jessica Payne

Genre: Thriller 

Publication Date: 14th September 2022

My Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Page

Blurb:

We were all there that prom night, but one of us didn’t make it home…

Ten years ago: We laughed together on the dance floor that night, our dresses glittering in the swirling lights. One final night of fun before the rest of our lives. We couldn’t have known that for one of us, it would be our last…

Now: They say that I’m the lucky one, the survivor. But no one knows the truth—the thing I’ve been running from all this time. How I escaped.

Back in my hometown a decade later—the place I’ve avoided—I can feel the questioning eyes on me, the whispers. The rumors.

I can’t shake the feeling that I am being followed, the shadow of a reflection in the glass storefronts, the murmur of footsteps before I turn to look. But no one’s ever there, and I tell myself it’s all in my head. Then the anonymous messages land in my inbox, overly familiar and insistent: I’m watching. I’ve been waiting for you.

I should have known I couldn’t run forever. I want to feel safe surrounded by my best friends. But everyone has something to hide, and I don’t know who I can trust.

Someone out there won’t let me forget what really happened that night, what I promised. What if, this time, I’m not so lucky?

**Spoiler-Free Review**

I received this book from Bookouture via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I requested it because I was looking for the next good thriller; it's been a long time since I read a one that really surprised me and kept me captivated and intrigued from start-to-finish like this one did. I don't want to say too much in this review because the best part of a thriller is uncovering the story as you go along.

I loved the process of reading this book. I read it in pretty much one sitting and couldn't put it down; I just needed to know what was going to happen next. The short chapters and flashbacks to the past made it so easy to keep turning the pages. Also, for a thriller and such a fast-paced book, the characters were really well-developed. I loved Norah and her strength both mentally and in her fitness. I wish we'd seen more of her best friend, but I still really liked their friendship throughout. Rob and Owen were also both really interesting characters.

To be honest, I thought I had this book figured out pretty early on, but it was only around 70% in that I realised I'd got it wrong. I did find it strange at the 50% mark where the main characters were so certain they'd caught the person responsible, but they didn't even have much evidence of the fact (although, maybe that's just because I knew there was so much more book to get through).

My biggest complaint is that I wish we'd learned a bit more about Norah's father and especially her mother (both what happened overall and when Norah was growing up). I feel like we heard a lot about what they were like, but we never actually saw very much. I feel like adding that would have made some other reveals have a bigger impact towards the end of the book. Overall though, this is a really great psychological thriller that will keep you on your toes. Definitely pick it up if you enjoy thrillers!

BOOK REVIEW | Seasonal Fears by Seanan McGuire

Genre: Fantasy/Sci-Fi

Publication Date: 3rd May 2022

My Rating: ★★★.5

Goodreads Page

Blurb:

Melanie has a destiny, though it isn't the one everyone assumes it to be. She's delicate; she's fragile; she's dying. Now, truly, is the winter of her soul.

Harry doesn't want to believe in destiny, because that means accepting the loss of the one person who gives his life meaning, who brings summer to his world.

So, when a new road is laid out in front of them - a road that will lead through untold dangers toward a possible lifetime together - walking down it seems to be the only option.

But others are following behind, with violence in their hearts.

It looks like Destiny has a plan for them, after all...

"One must maintain a little bit of summer even in the middle of winter." - Thoreau

**Spoiler-Free Review**

I received this book from Macmillan/Tor via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this book because Middlegame was easily one of my favourite books of last year. Roger and Dodger's story has stayed with me since I read it. Seanan McGuire is also one of my favourite writers; her books are so lyrically written and incredibly diverse.

I did enjoy this book a lot, but I didn't enjoy it quite as much as Middlegame, sadly. Let's start with what I liked. The embodiment of the seasons was such a cool concept and McGuire wrote it beautifully. The battle for the crown was a clever idea and the way different people fought for the crown was so interesting. I adored the brief cameos that we got of the characters from the first book. I like that we got to see more of the Alchemists and some more backstory on Reed too.

I loved Jack and Jenny and their role in the whole Coronation. They were probably the most interesting characters even though we didn't get to see a whole lot of Jenny. As with all of McGuire's books, this was beautifully written and was a joy to read even when not a whole lot was happening. I'm so interested to see how this series is going to tie together overall.

A big part of what I didn't enjoy that was down to the over-explanation of the Seasons and the Coronation. I understand that McGuire wanted the reader to learn about the world, and there that there was a plot reason for the amount of explanation, but it just got so boring and tiring in the first 40% of this book when the same explanation happened over and over again. Very little else happened at the start of the book other than this.

Mel and Harry were also a lot less interesting as characters as Roger and Dodger too, which pulled this down a little. I think part of it was that Roger and Dodger were so powerful and you didn't see what was happening to them until much later in the book, while this book was very straightforward and the character's didn't seem to have much power. Their romantic relationship also felt a little odd to me, mostly because it was pre-established so we never got to see them growing into their relationship together.

The ending was also slightly lacklustre. I think this is probably my bad though because I assumed it would be as twisty and mind-blowing as Middlegame but it was overall a much slower paced book instead. I think if I hadn't had those expectations already, I would've enjoyed it more.

Overall, this was a good installment in the series and if you like Seanan McGuire then you'll probably enjoy this book. I'm really looking forward to seeing where she takes this series next and I'll definitely still be picking up the next book.

BOOK REVIEW | Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Genre: Contemporary/Romance

Publication Date: 3rd May 2022

My Rating: ★★★★.5

Goodreads Page

Blurb:

Nora Stephens’ life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.

Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away—with visions of a small town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.

If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.

**Spoiler-Free Review**

I received this book from Penguin Random House via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I requested this book because I have absolutely adored Emily Henry's previous two books and I've been looking forward to this one since I heard about it.

First thing's first, I loved this book. Nora is a wonderful character - she's incredibly witty and I loved her dry humour. I also really liked that we got to see this badass, powerful woman and how good she is at her job, but we also saw her insecurities, especially about how others perceive her. It's so important that we see more of the double-standard that's expected of women in the working world to be strong but not too strong, or else you're a threat. Emily Henry captured this feeling perfectly and it was brilliant seeing that Nora never gave up anything to be herself, both in her personal life and home life.

The banter between her and her sister was also on point throughout. I really enjoyed the intrigue throughout the book about Libby and her life as well; it really kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen next. The list was a great addition and I always love when contemporaries add challenges like this with their characters. I liked the small town setting romance mixed with hints of why the main character loves the city - it really felt like a breath of fresh air to see the two sides to it.

Sadly, the book didn't quite get 5 stars like her previous ones but that's because I felt like we didn't see quite enough of the love interest to get as fully invested in him as we did with her previous books. That might just be a me thing though! The romance overall was still well done and I did really like the way Nora and Charlie interacted with one another when they were together, I just wish we'd seen a bit more of it.

Overall, this was a fantastic adult contemporary for anyone who needs a good laugh and wants to see the small-town romance flipped on its head. I will 100% be picking up any future books from Emily Henry and I highly recommend you try this one out.

REVIEW | The Wedding Season by Katy Birchall

Genre: Contemporary/Romance

Publication Date: 26th May 2022

My Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Page

Blurb:

Freya Scott is getting married. Her wedding to Matthew, her long-term boyfriend, is the first of eight in her calendar this year, and as someone who prides herself on being meticulously organized, Freya is intent on making it the perfect day to remember.

But when Matthew calls things off hours before they walk down the aisle, Freya’s entire life plan goes up in smoke. Humiliated and heartbroken, the last thing she wants is to attend a summer of other peoples’ nuptials on her own.

Fortunately, her friends have an idea: together they devise a series of outrageous challenges for Freya to complete at each event, designed to distract her from Matthew and what might have been. From getting stuck in an old church bathroom and needing to be rescued by the vicar to making out with a barman at a French chateau, Freya realizes that despite herself, she might just be having fun.

By the time the final wedding arrives, she will discover that the road to a happy ending sometimes has unexpected detours, that “I do” is only the beginning––and that perhaps her own love story isn’t over just yet.

**Spoiler-Free Review**

I received this book from Hodder & Stoughton via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I've read from Katy Birchall, and I believe it's her first foray into adult contemporary romance books.  This books follows Freya, whose fiancé breaks up with her after 12 years, on the day before her wedding. She then has 5 wedding to attend throughout the year so her friends come up with a list of challenges that she has to complete to distract her from the breakup. 

I'm happy to say that this has become one of my favourite contemporaries of all time. First, let's start with the reality. Birchall perfectly encapsulated life in your late twenties/early thirties - lots of weddings and the occasional, very tough break-up. The way the break-up was portrayed was so realistic and it almost mirrored break-ups I've seen friends go through. I adored the way she showed Freya healing throughout the book and I love that the romance came into the story a bit later and that the story was spread over nearly a year.

Next up, the relationships. The friendships with both friends and family were so well done. This book had me laughing at the jokes between both her best friends, and her father and brother. The humour was perfect. The wedding challenges were great to read about and I love that Freya was never too overwhelmed with bitterness towards her friends (which I've seen in other books). There was no bitchiness in the book and it made me so happy. I also liked that Freya was repairing a relationship that had broken down within her family, showing that she was actually gaining something from her new life.

The love interest was also great. I liked that the 'miscommunication' was barely there and the usual third act in contemporary books was done very differently in this, which I much preferred. 

Overall, this was a fantastic adult contemporary for anyone who needs a pick-me-up and a good laugh. I will 100% be picking up any books from Kat Birchall in the future. Also, for anyone wondering, this isn't a steamy romance book, so if you're picking it up for that, you might be disappointed!

BOOK REVIEW | The Cold Cold Sea by Linda Huber

Genre: Suspense Thriller

Publication Date: 1st August 2014

My Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Page

Link to Buy: Amazon

Blurb:
'They stared at each other, and Maggie felt the tightness in her middle expand as it shifted, burning its way up . . . Painful sobs rose in her throat as Colin, his face expressionless now, reached for his mobile and tapped 999'.

When three-year-old Olivia disappears from the beach, a happy family holiday comes to an abrupt end. Maggie is plunged into the darkest nightmare imaginable – what happened to her little girl? Further along the coast, another mother is having problems too. Jennifer's daughter, Hailey, is starting school, and it should be such a happy time, but the child is increasingly moody and silent. Family life has never seemed so awkward, and Jennifer struggles to maintain control. The tide ebbs and flows, and summer dies, but there is no comfort for Maggie, alone now at the cottage, or for Jennifer, still swamped by doubts.

'A psychologically astute, edge-of-the-seat story.' Hilary Johnson

'Unsettling and disturbing . . . I couldn't put it down.' Rebecca Muddiman

'Breathtaking and utterly compelling.' Debi Alper

**No Spoilers**

Once again, I am thrilled to be on the blog tour with Love Books Group, this time for The Cold Cold Sea by Linda Huber, for which I have a spoiler-free review of the book to share. Thanks so much to the lovely Kelly from Love Books Group for sending me a copy of this book to review!

Thrillers, especially suspense and psychological ones, are one of my favourite genres of all time, and this book reminded me of why that is. The Cold Cold Sea is wonderfully written; it is a combination of beautiful and stunning descriptions, whilst also equally conveying the emotional intensity and suspense that surrounds the characters. The first chapter alone was so beautifully done that I knew I was going to love the writing style of this book. It is so emotive and follows the very difficult topic of losing a child and the effect this can have on different families.

I enjoyed reading from the perspective of every single character in the book. Huber has a skill for writing realistic characters that are interesting and understandable, whilst also being frustrating and making choices you know they'll regret. Every choice the characters make is completely understandable yet I still found myself shouting at them to change their minds. I really loved the teacher and child dynamic in this book, as well as the relationship between the two couples. They just felt so real to me that I could imagine them vividly.

I will say that if you're looking for a thriller with a dramatic twist, then this book doesn't really have that. I does have a twist that made me re-read a chapter just so I could see the hints I missed earlier, but it does mostly deal with the suspense of the situation, and I loved that. This book was so fast paced that I would have read it in one sitting if I'd had the time. Every chapter hooked me and kept me wanting to know what was going to happen. The ending was also beautifully done and it just felt so right.

Overall, this book was riveting, suspenseful and filled with some of the best written characters that I've ever seen in a thriller. I will 100% be picking up more of Linda Huber's books and I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys this genre, or even to people who want to experience the genre for the first time!

About Linda Huber

Linda Huber grew up in Glasgow, Scotland, but went to work in Switzerland for a year aged twenty-two, and has lived there ever since. Her day jobs have included working as a physiotherapist in hospitals and schools for handicapped children, and teaching English in a medieval castle. Currently she teaches one day a week, and writes psychological suspense novels and feel-good novellas with (most of) the rest of her time. 

Her writing career began in the nineties, when she had over fifty short stories published in women's magazines. Several years later, she turned to psychological suspense fiction, and her seventh novel, Death Wish, was published by Bloodhound Books in August 2017.

Linda's latest project is a series of feel-good novellas, set on the banks of Lake Constance and just minutes from her home in north-east Switzerland. She really appreciates having the views enjoyed by her characters right on her own doorstep!

Links:

Amazon Author Page

Facebook

Twitter

Wesbsite

Check out the rest of the blog tour below!

BOOK REVIEW | Billionaire's Banquet by Ron Butlin

Genre: Literary Fiction/Humour

Publication Date: 15th April 2017

My Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Page

Link to Buy: Amazon

Goodreads Summary:

1985, Edinburgh. Thatcher's policies are biting deep - fat cats and street kids, lovers, losers and the rest struggle to survive. Hume sets up a business catering for the rich and their ever-growing appetites. But by the new millennium, these appetites have become too demanding.

Powerful, challenging and very funny, Billionaires' Banquet is an immortality tale for the 21st century.

About Ron Butlin

With an international reputation as a prize-winning novelist, RON BUTLIN is a former Edinburgh Makar/Poet Laureate. Now over to Ron -

Before becoming a writer, I was a pop-song lyricist (3 records and a brief appearance in a justly-neglected film. I was also a footman attending parties for the great and good, the rich and bad (see my forthcoming novel 'Billionaire's Banquet'), a barnacle-scraper on the Thames and a male model. My work has been widely translated, and 'The Sound of My Voice' has been twice been awarded a ‘Best Foreign Novel’ prize as well been made into a film, a rather short film.

I am a novelist, poet, children's author, opera librettist, playwright - one of these, on a good day. I have been auctioned twice for charity, and put in a cage outside parliament for The Day of the Imprisoned Writer. All very character-building. I have given readings world-wide including at the House of Lords, John Knoz's pulpit in St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, and an Arab tent in Bahrain.

I live in Edinburgh with my wife, the writer Regi Claire, and our dog (Note - Nessie, as she's called in the book, features in my first novel for early teens, 'Steve & FranDan Take on the World' which is due out this spring. She is great fun on paper and in real life).

**No Spoilers**

I’m thrilled to be on the blog tour with Love Books Group for Billionaire's Banquet by Ron Butlin today and to have a spoiler-free review of the book to share. Thanks so much to the lovely Kelly from Love Books Group for sending me a copy of this book to review!

This book is a humorous literary fiction novel that follows an interesting group of Edinburgh students living in Thatcher’s Britain in the 1980s: Hume, Cat, St Francis, DD and Electric Boy. All of them are dreaming of wonderful futures they think their lives will hold, while in the present they are enjoying the drink, fun, and shared accommodation of their youth. This is a very character-driven story and focuses mostly on their dreams and hopes. I loved Butlin's characters, they were so three-dimensional and well created. They were all equally flawed but also fascinating to follow. I especially enjoyed the female characters in the book as they were so vastly different and always reacted as I expected them to. Butlin is great at making a social commentary using his characters and that can be seen throughout this book.

One thing that I didn't expect, but still absolutely loved, with this book is the jump to present-day Edinburgh. It was so interesting to see the characters so many years later and to see how much the city and its inhabitants changed (or didn't change) in that time. There is so much dark humour woven within the story as it portrays the measures of 'success' through wealth and how the characters see themselves.

Having only been to Edinburgh a couple of times in my life, I wasn't able to fully appreciate the setting as much as I'd hoped. However, Butlin does create a vivid picture of many areas in the city and I found myself frequently looking them up to see where the characters were in relation to what I knew. I'm sure someone who knows Edinburgh more than me would really appreciate Butlin's beautiful descriptions of the city.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I found the characters to be incredibly engaging and the story kept me hooked as I wanted to know what happened next. I found this to be very reminiscent of The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst so I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who was a fan of that! I will warn that there is explicit content in this book so if you're younger then please be aware of that!