A short story collection, I really liked my time with this, it's the end of the year and I needed something short, I was hoping it would be more light hearted than it was but as it goes I still enjoyed it.

The illustrations in this book are really lovely and made it feel a bit magical or like a story book, and most of these stories are about young kids and their lives. 

I enjoyed some of the stories more than others which is why I gave it 3.5 stars, but i truly did think this was a worthwhile read. 

I ran through this book, I absolutely devoured it in a day, I thought it was really good but extremely predictable.

I felt that all the characters were well fleshed out and felt completed, I really enjoyed my time with it and I definitely see why this was as popular on socials as it was. 

Easy to digest full of intrigue and a total page turner. 

Couldn't put it down. 

This book was good, I enjoyed it a lot and I can see myself recommending this to a lot of people.

Without spoiling it, I really enjoyed the slow build up to the crescendo, however I did feel that the last act all happened so fast and it wasn't as satisfying a pay off as I would have liked.

The tension I feel was ripped off like a plaster and before I caught my breath we had moved on to the end. 

I liked the atmosphere of this book a lot, but wish there was more ending. 

I really wanted to love this book, and I really thought the idea and premise of the book could lead to something really interesting, and thought provoking, and while I still like the concept of Wintering I gel with this book at all. 

I found the tone of the book off and spoke of upper middle class privilege I found it extremely hard to relate to in most aspects. 

The author is able to take extended time off from her job to "recover" from stress, and while this may be the best route it's not practical for most. 

When her child is struggling in school she has the funds, resources, time and education to take him out of the school system which is amazing for her child but again not practical or possible for most. 

She comes off as someone who is a little removed from the world I know, and she does little to address her circumstances and how impossible her coping methods are. 

I have suffered with depression and while I think she has some good ideas about ways to cope and heal she does not take into account how unlikely it is that most will be able to afford her solutions. 

I will say I loved the chapter cold water, and felt the most connected to her in that chapter but overall it just feels a bit tone deaf. 

I'm sure that this will speak to people and I know it has got a lot of good reviews but honestly it's not one for me. 

I also really feel a lot of this book is filler and not a lot of it is killer. 

P.S she nicked the title from a Sylvia Plath poem and I much preferred the poem, to this book. 

Put me into a reading slump, extremely depressing and a lot of child abuse, was not for me. 

This book was lovely, and heartbreaking at times, however, I understand the hype that followed the book when it was released. 

All the magical children are unique, sweet and engaging and the grown-ups are just as endearing. 

I enjoyed reading this a lot, and look forward to reading this again, a comfort book in the making. 

This was such a fabulous book, like a avant-garde punk version of Daisy Jones and the Six, with so much more to say. 

Steeped in conversations about race and gender, the winners and losers and who should be getting the spotlight, and how so many times the system fails women and people of colour. 

Nev is still a highly successful, white "rock star" but with all the ego and none of the sparkle, a talented musician sure, but a man who is willing to step on anyone to get the fame, and who allegedly started a riot, that ends up killing a man. 

Opal is by far the stand out of the pair, vibrant, powerful and with a richly layered past, brings a fire to the music and performance Nev can only wish, but as is the way, Opal is the one who is sidelined and not taken seriously, and ridiculed. 

I really enjoyed this book, and I understand why this was on the women's prize shortlist. 

I enjoyed learning about Patricia's mad childhood and then her frankly odd return to her parents house.

I thought that this was quite insightful, and I learnt a lot about what it is like to grow up in a highly religious household, and how that affected them all in small and bigger ways. 

I laughed out loud at a few of the anecdotes about the soon to be priests who lived with her family whilst studying. 

I also quite enjoyed how her husband was mostly baffled by it all. 

A very introspective look at an unusual family, who clearly love each other. 

I really enjoyed this book, it was a special type of no plot all vibes.

I would say tread carefully if you have any issues around eating or body dysmorphia as this is detailed in its description of food, starving yourself and all that stuff. 

To me this was one of those books I knew I would like immediately and it's a very strange book so difficult to say who I would recommend it too. 

I found this like a recovery self help book, and her ability to eat again comes when she meets Miriam an orthodox Jewish woman who keeps over serving her at a frozen yoghurt parlor. 

Their relationship is complex and I think Rachel really over analyses every move she and Miriam make but Miriam guides her to a easier state of living, this book is a weird ride but the payoff is quite lovely. 

Did not expect to be saying this but I found the ending quite hopeful even. 

I chose this for my in person bookclub and it was an easy enough read, very fast paced and action packed.

I would describe this as Civil War America zombies, a part of history I don't really know much about, which I think may have added to my enjoyment if I knew more about it. 

The main character Jane is fairly likeable, although very headstrong she wants to protect those close to her, but she is also rather frustrating as she is a teenager. 

Parts of this book could definitely have been cut out and I feel it was about a 100 pages too long, a fun romp but it definitely overstayed its welcome. 

For a YA book I think it tackles the ideas of race well enough, and brings the idea of the native schools that existed around that time and ripped young people from their cultures to instill "European" Christian culture and put them to work in hard back breaking labour, a thin cover for what was essentially slavery. 

An interesting take on an alternative history, overall enjoyable, and I will eventually read the follow up Deathless Divide, as I would like to know what happens to Jane, Kate and Jackson.