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gimmebooksjoanna's Reviews (326)
This book is 100% aimed at Millenials!
This book began and from the off, I found it laugh out loud funny. It's very current (with references to Trump, Greta T and Beyoncé) and holds a mirror up at Christmas and in a light-hearted, tongue in cheek way highlights everything wrong with it. From feeding up turkeys simply to eat them, unsustainable wrapping and wasteful gifts to my personal favourite...Christmas Carol singers assaulting our ears so that we pay them to go away.
Very funny, possibly because there's a lot of truth in it, I might change a few of my habits. I already use recyclable brown paper for my Christmas wrapping. But I'll probably still have sh*t Christmas crackers, listen to all the old Christmas bangers and argue with everyone about why I don't eat meat.
It only wasn't 5 stars as I found it to get a bit tired towards the end.
This book began and from the off, I found it laugh out loud funny. It's very current (with references to Trump, Greta T and Beyoncé) and holds a mirror up at Christmas and in a light-hearted, tongue in cheek way highlights everything wrong with it. From feeding up turkeys simply to eat them, unsustainable wrapping and wasteful gifts to my personal favourite...Christmas Carol singers assaulting our ears so that we pay them to go away.
Very funny, possibly because there's a lot of truth in it, I might change a few of my habits. I already use recyclable brown paper for my Christmas wrapping. But I'll probably still have sh*t Christmas crackers, listen to all the old Christmas bangers and argue with everyone about why I don't eat meat.
It only wasn't 5 stars as I found it to get a bit tired towards the end.
I had a number of opportunities to read this book pre-release and I kept letting it pass me by. Eventually it got right under my skin and I needed to know what all the fuss was about. And I'm so glad I did.
Not even close to my usual go-to genre, Starve Acre is the haunting tale of Richard and Juliette Willoughby. The main focus of the plot is the grief held from the death of their five year old son. It takes hold in very different ways for both of them. Juliette is adamant she can hear her son's voice and enlists the help of The Beacons who seem to be a group of spiritualists for want of a better word. They're definitely supposed to give off a creepy vibe but I'm really up for stuff like that so enjoyed it rather than got creeped out.
Richard approaches things differently. He's much more rational but still believes that a different kind of evil lurks at Starve Acre.
There's no doubt that Hurley writes beautifully and can set a tone like no other.
Not even close to my usual go-to genre, Starve Acre is the haunting tale of Richard and Juliette Willoughby. The main focus of the plot is the grief held from the death of their five year old son. It takes hold in very different ways for both of them. Juliette is adamant she can hear her son's voice and enlists the help of The Beacons who seem to be a group of spiritualists for want of a better word. They're definitely supposed to give off a creepy vibe but I'm really up for stuff like that so enjoyed it rather than got creeped out.
Richard approaches things differently. He's much more rational but still believes that a different kind of evil lurks at Starve Acre.
There's no doubt that Hurley writes beautifully and can set a tone like no other.
Miss Iceland | Audur Ava Ólafsdóttir, translated by Brian FitzGibbon
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Don't let the 'chick-lit-esque' front cover and title fool you. This book is beautifully wistful.
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Set in Iceland in 1960, we follow Hekla (named after a volcano) who's in her 20s. She's on a quest to be a published author. A female author? No chance. She faces adversity in her attempts. Many think she shouldn't even be trying. Others think that if she'd just apply to be Miss Iceland or wear her skirt a little shorter, she'd get along fine. Actually, as it happens, Hekla has been published, but under a male pseudonym.
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It's not just Hekla's battle that we're privy too. Her best friend Jon John plays a huge role in this novel. We learn of his queerness and how that's frowned upon. He's at real odds with himself. He just can't be who he wants to be - if you're gay, you're also an assumed paedophile.
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I really enjoyed this novel. It took me a while to get into the writing style but it was beautiful. You go on a real journey with Hekla and Jon John and it's really quite moving. It's almost written as a series of scenes. It's an interesting concept but one that really worked for me once I got used to it. It just had this lovely wistful, dreamlike feel to it. It's unlike anything I've ever read before.
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Thank you so much to @netgalley for the ARC in exchange for this honest review.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5
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Don't let the 'chick-lit-esque' front cover and title fool you. This book is beautifully wistful.
.
Set in Iceland in 1960, we follow Hekla (named after a volcano) who's in her 20s. She's on a quest to be a published author. A female author? No chance. She faces adversity in her attempts. Many think she shouldn't even be trying. Others think that if she'd just apply to be Miss Iceland or wear her skirt a little shorter, she'd get along fine. Actually, as it happens, Hekla has been published, but under a male pseudonym.
.
It's not just Hekla's battle that we're privy too. Her best friend Jon John plays a huge role in this novel. We learn of his queerness and how that's frowned upon. He's at real odds with himself. He just can't be who he wants to be - if you're gay, you're also an assumed paedophile.
.
I really enjoyed this novel. It took me a while to get into the writing style but it was beautiful. You go on a real journey with Hekla and Jon John and it's really quite moving. It's almost written as a series of scenes. It's an interesting concept but one that really worked for me once I got used to it. It just had this lovely wistful, dreamlike feel to it. It's unlike anything I've ever read before.
.
Thank you so much to @netgalley for the ARC in exchange for this honest review.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5