elementarymydear's Reviews (967)

 Set against the backdrop of the Trojan War, Elektra follows three women – Clytemnestra, Cassandra, and Elektra – and their trials and difficulties through the war.

I was intrigued going into this book as I wasn’t a huge fan of the author’s previous book, Ariadne. However, given that my least favourite thing about that book was the title character herself, I decided to give the author a second chance and I’m very glad I did!

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Jennifer Saint creates a vivid depiction of life for these three women. I particularly enjoyed Clytemnestra’s storyline – if you are familiar with the story of the Trojan War you will know the tragedies that occur to her family, and to read them from her perspective was incredibly moving. Cassandra is another interesting perspective, as we got to experience her frustration first-hand with being always right but never believed.

It’s clear that this book is titled Elektra to echo its predecessor, as Elektra herself felt like the least present of the three main characters. That being said, this book was still gripping, atmospheric and provided a fresh perspective on a well-known tale. This isn’t necessarily the best introduction to Greek mythology; if I didn’t already know what happened I would have found some parts hard to follow, but it’s a welcome addition to the shelf if you enjoyed The Song of Achilles and The Silence of the Girls.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a complimentary copy for review. All opinions are my own. 

 What a marvellous little romance!

In Get it Right we follow Finn, trying to get back on her feet after serving a prison sentence. As she pounds the pavement for work she bumps into Vivi, a nurse who used to work at the same prison. Vivi has a lot going on in her life, not least her feelings for a certain someone…

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This was such a lovely story, gripping from the get-go with a fantastic main couple. There was a really great supporting cast too, and despite the short length of the story all the characters felt incredibly fleshed out and leapt off the page. I read the whole thing in one sitting, desperate to find out what happened and to cheer the characters on in their triumphs. Despite dealing with a lot of heavy topics the story still felt light-hearted with some really funny moments adding warmth to the whole story.

If you’re looking for a queer romance filled with family, community, and heart, this is the one to go for!

Thank you to the author for providing me with a free copy for review. All opinions are my own. 

 

In modern-day London we meet Terry, a young man old before his time and at the lowest point in his life, and Jake, a successful career man in an unhappy marriage. Both of them are haunted by strange dreams and strange goings-on, but the only thing they have in common is possession of a centuries-old token from the Waterman.

As things turn darker and more mysterious, there are more and more real-life consequences to whatever ties their threads together. Will they find out what is causing it all before it’s too late?

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I am very picky about my ghost stories, and while this one didn’t have me on the edge of my seat, it did draw me in with its sheer expanse and historical depth. There were so many layers to the mystery, and it was gripping to watch them be peeled back one at a time from the very start to the final reveal. If you like your ghost stories with historical heft to them, this is definitely one to go for!

Thank you to the author for the complimentary review copy. This review was written as part of Love Books Tours.

 

 It’s rare that a book meets my exact expectations laid out by the blurb and the cover, but this is one of those times. I expected beautiful writing, an introspective character-driven story, and an exploration of queerness through art and self-expression. Lauren John Joseph delivered on every one of those counts and I’m incredibly grateful for it!

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Our main character - known to us only as Bibby, a nickname used by a former lover - is reminded out of the blue of said former lover, who has since passed away, and reflects on their relationship. It was a very formative relationship for them, if not a particularly healthy one, that found its way into every aspect of their life.

Lauren John Joseph has created an incredibly evocative work of fiction, immersing us in the bohemian lifestyle of the queer scene in the early 2000s. You can’t help but be transported there, and while I’m sure I’m not the only queer person who has romanticised this lifestyle at some point or another, it is presented with all its reality here.

The only drawback of this book for me was its length. Usually I complain that books aren’t long enough - this one was perhaps too long, and would have packed an even stronger punch had it been a hundred pages shorter. That being said, it’s an astounding work of queer literary fiction, and I can’t wait to see what Lauren John Joseph writes next.

Thank you to the publishers for providing me with a free copy for review. All opinions are my own.