bookswithlydscl's Reviews (639)

The Wall

John Lanchester

3.25

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

3.25* - great concept but felt it lacked the world building i love and crave in these kinds of books

Normal Women: Nine Hundred Years of Making History

Philippa Gregory

4.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

Overall a really interesting read. Little repetitive and thin in places - probably could have been edited down or ordered differently but still overall really glad i read it

The Sixth Lie

Sarah Ward

3.5

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

A really enjoyable read overall but just fell a little flat when everything unravelled. Really enjoy the budding partnership between Mallory and Harri though.

A Death in Diamonds

S.J. Bennett

3.5

adventurous dark informative mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Took me a while to get into but when it clicked I really enjoyed it

A Recipe for Murder

Verity Bright

4.0

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Finally Lady Eleanor and her beloved Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon are walking down the aisle but there's just the pesky matter of a murder or two to solve before they can say their 'I do's'.

I love this series but I especially enjoy when the gang are together and close to home. This time the village as a whole is affected when a mass food poisoning outbreak turns out to be a very deliberate act resulting in the death of Ellie's wedding caterer. Along with incidents relating to the wedding, Ellie begins to wonder if she may be a target too. Along the way we are introduced to the community on 'the other side of the bridge' which gives us a much more working class and industrial angle to the usual idyllic country life. With a larger pool of suspects than usual and red herrings abound there is plenty of investigating for Ellie and co to dive into all set against the ticking clock of the imminent wedding day.

I always love the mysteries on offer in this series but a lot of the joy I get comes from the characters and the relationships that have been built up over the course of the series. I'm so happy Ellie and Hugh have finally taken the next step and that we've had the Henley Hall crew be so instrumental in the action of this book. Looking forward as always to the next instalment - romance and murder in Paris will make for a great read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital review copy of "A Recipe for Murder " in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

Much Ado About Nothing

William Shakespeare

4.0

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

The tragedies are my preferred plays but this is one my favourites from the more lighthearted plays. This bbc radio production is superb with an incredible full cast performance.

10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World

Elif Shafak

4.5

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

4.5*

Another stunning piece of writing from Elif Shafak (my second by her). Sad, deeply moving, and full of love from untraditional sources. So very human and full of life even with death being its focus.