I stop/started this book on Kindle for a while and for some reason just couldn't focus on it. I decided in the end to go with the Audiobook and I'm so glad I did. It is such a beautiful gothic tale. I absolutely loved the world building in this one, especially Starling House itself, for a dark imposing 'haunted' house, once inside it is actually very warm & inviting. I definitely felt that sense of coming 'home' when Opal started to settle into the house. I've seen it compared to a retelling of Beauty & The Beast, which I kind of get, but I felt links to Alice in Wonderland, Ninth House & The House of Wind from ACOSF more. I loved the sentience of Starling House and thought it was very well written, magic realism is always something I'm drawn to and Alix E Harrow does it very well. I really enjoyed the footnotes throughout the book, this for me added to the magical realism and made it feel more fact than fiction.

As far as characters go it's pretty simple, you've got the typical stubborn FMC Opal, and her vulnerable Brother Jasper who she would turn the whole world upside down if it meant he got a better life, Arthur, the typical gloomy, introverted stranger to lover, and of course our villian, Baine and the Gravely family.

As a main character I really like Opal, although as far as FMC go, she is very basic with her troubled childhood, sassy fiery attitude, and knack for getting in and out of trouble, surround by her found family.  Despite the basic FMC blueprint I thought she was very well rounded and I routed for her throughout, I felt her sadness and desperation and just wanted her to win. 
A gorgeous book and another firm favorite from Alix E Harrow for me.

I really struggled to get through this one. The shift in POV from 3rd to 1st person, as well as the switching between Nesta & Cassian threw me a little. As well as this change in writing style, about 1/3rd of the book is sex. I don't mind a bit of spice but tbh I got a bit bored of it. It just felt unnecessary and the book could have been shorter, whilst still being a fantastic read. Once you get past all the sex, the storyline in this book really is as good as the rest, Nestas character development is honestly phenomenal. It's clear Maas has either personal experience or extensive research in Mental Health, I really enjoyed seeing Nesta find her own family and pull herself out of the dark with their help. I absolutely loved the way Maas incorporated mindfulness and meditation into the world of fantasy.

Scripted is a contemporary fiction with a hint of Sci-fi, about Jade, a 32 year old people pleaser, feeling stuck in her life and pushed over by everyone around her, until one morning returning from a run she finds a script, detailing a conversation to come later that day with her boyfriend Adam. These scripts turn up throughout the following weeks in the lead up to her sister's wedding. Through this time Jade starts to really see how much she needs to change to find happiness, and learns to say no, and change 'the script' and direct her own life. 

I really liked Jades character, I felt like I really knew her and understood her frustration with life, of feeling stuck and unimportant to all those around her. Near the end of the book I was struggling to pull myself away from it, desperate to know how it ended for Jade, and if she found her confidence to take back control. I really feel like Faerne has put all of her knowledge on mental health and happiness into this fiction debut. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to see what Fearne does next in the fiction world. 

Juno Dawson has done it again with this magical historical fiction, centering around Anne Boleyn and her ladies in waiting, aka her coven. As always the varying POVs are easy to follow and flow well along with skipping between timelines. I really enjoyed the 'flashback' chapters, these felt like reading through rose tinted glasses, that beautiful whimsical way we hold on to our memories before being thrust back into the the heavy reality of the present.
This Novella is part of the HMRC series, offering us insight into where it all began, however I think it works just as well as a standalone for anyone that hasn't read the HMRC books, or has no interest in them but enjoys Historical fiction with a dash of magical realism. 
HMRC was the standout book of my reads last year and I honestly can't wait to see what the final book has in store for us.

When I first heard of The Burnings I knew I had to give it a read, it's a local author, writing a fictional retelling of one of the most prolific witch trials in British history. I saw Naomi at a talk discussing this book during Newcastle Libraries Local History Month back in May, and came away really intrigued and excited to read it and learn more about British Witch history. 

Naomi takes us back to the Jacobean era of King James VI and his child bride, Anne of Denmark. Whilst the theme of the book is largely around the conspiracy to end the Kings lineage, the main POV is that of Margareta, Queen Anne's lady in waiting, and Geillis Duncan, a maid and apprentice midwife. Through these 2 characters the story of the Berwick Witch trials unfolds from within, with at times, grueling detail. What I liked about this book is that the writer hasn't shied away from the atrocities the Women, and Men faced during this time, the torture they endured is laid out in brutal detail. I understand a lot of people will find this difficult to read, but I find it an injustice to those who suffered to sugar coat what they went through. Naomi's writing is very well researched and at times poetic, I got chills at Geillis's final words. 
The storyline that surprised me the most was the love that developed between Margareta and her forced marriage to John Weymes. I wasn't expecting them to develop such an affection towards each other, I feel like this added a much needed softness to this book, alongside the love and friendship that ultimately developed between our FMCs Margareta & Geillis. 
To anyone with an interest in the British History of witches I'd definitely read this book, the historical accuracy gives us enough insight into what truly went on, alongside Naomi's incredible storytelling and characterizations of the people we know very little about. 

I went with the audiobook format on this one, and I'm so glad I did thanks to Rhianna McGreevy's fantastic narration. Her range of accents is honestly incredible, every character was easily distinguishable after a couple of chapters which made the book flow really well, and there was no confusion between narration and characters. 

Overall, I absolutely loved this audiobook despite how dark and at times difficult it is. I'll definitely be keeping and eye on Naomi Kelsey and look forward to what History she brings to life next! 

If Adam Silvera & Sara Nisha Adams had a bookish love child, this would be it. It's got the sci-fi and magic realism of They Both Die at the End, and the found family, community coming together and importance of connections that The Reading List brings us. And this is exactly what drew me to this book, it's not often I read Romance, but as a fan of contemporary fiction and the paranormal element I was hooked. It's got all the tropes you could wish for, rivals to lovers, forced proximity and the dreaded one bed, there's somewhat of a love triangle. It terms of spice it's very mild bordering Lemon & Lime, which honestly felt perfect for Delphies character.
Speaking of which, I really loved the character development throughout this book, Delphie especially, she's witty, funny and sassy for someone who has spent her adult life as a social recluse. I especially loved her relationship with Mr. Yoon.
I really felt like all the characters in this book brought depth, and no one felt like a 'filler' character. Well ok, except maybe Eric he felt like a bit of an afterthought to wrap up Merritt's story.

Overall I surprised myself with how much I actually loved this book and how quickly I read it.

 When I found out I was pregnant, I decided to keep a journal, my plan was to write in this journal throughout my pregnancy, and up until my baby turned 1. I don't think I got far past the first scan tbh. But if I had, it would probably read much like this book! To know, that someone as inspirational as Paloma Faith, who I genuinely look up to as a working Mother, who I thought had it all, feels the same way I do about pregnancy and motherhood, honestly it was just so affirmative. I absolutely devoured this book, I laughed out loud, I felt emotional and found myself wiping tears away, I felt rage as a Woman and the amount of snippets I showed to my husband to try and reaffirm some of the things I've been telling him for the last 2 years (since having our son).
I can understand why some people may have seen it as a 'winge fest', but isn't it time Women spoke up about all things womanhood, in such a raw and honest way? I really wish there were more books like this. I wish it were more common place to talk about our lives and our bodies and experiences as humans in such an open way. Why are Women's bodies still so taboo?!

Thank you Paloma for writing this book and being so honest, and Thank You NetGalley, as always for giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts in exchange for this wonderful book. 

If ACOTAR had a Christmas special, this would be it.
I really enjoyed the slow pace and coziness of this book, it definitely reads as a filler book, as apposed to a full novel, a little spin off giving us a peek into what normal life in Velaris might look like, or at least as normal as things can be after a war and the decimation of The Wall. 
at first I struggled with the different POVs, mainly because I've been so used to reading from Feyre's POV that I kept forgetting and getting confused, but once I got my head around it I enjoyed the other characters perspectives. 
It's definitely not a 5 star action packed novel like the others, but it is a nice break from the battle scenes and overall trauma we have experienced so far in this series. Something I didn't expect from SJM, but was pleasantly surprised by.

By far my favourite in this series so far. Incredible plot development in this one, and those battle scenes were so tense! Full of plot twists that genuinely had me gasping. Souch character development, never thought I'd have such strong feelings for the Suriel 😭 

 I absolutely loved this book. I'm honestly obsessed with the writing style. Definitely reminiscent of the Emily Wilde books, but in it's own way. It's also taking me back to my days of playing bioshock! I'd love to see an illustrated version of this book given how descriptive and poetic some of the writing is. I could definitely see this as a Fairyloot/illuminate/owlcrate etc special edition.

I'm surprised by how easy it is to follow the story in the format of letters amongst a variety of different recipients. Initially I thought I might struggle to keep up, but the way it flows and all fits together is so seamless. This book has absolutely exceeded my expectations in all ways and I will definitely be buying a physical copy to add to my bookshelf.

Thank you @netgalley and @orbitbooks_uk for the opportunity to find treasures like this and review them for everyone else to fall in love with.