Definitely the spookiest book I have read this spooky season! I had visceral chills at many of the sightings of the woman in black, and understand (despite never seeing it) how this novel made such cinematic film and theatre. This was an incredibly fun book to annotate due to all the literary devices, gothic themes, and historical language. Susan Hill definitely knew how to pack a full horror story into a short space.

This book was so much more than I anticipated, previously knowing only of Val Helsing and Dracula, I had no idea of the complex and familial relationships between our vampire hunting team of lovers! The first hundred pages I believed this story would be a five-star read due to the stunning writing style, vampire lore, and various gothic themes. However, the story became more and more slow paced despite the increase in drama. Similarly, I initially liked the epistolary fiction and journal entries as a structural feature of the book, but it became progressively repetitive hearing the same events from different peoples diaries. Overall, definitely worth reading, but be prepared to invest your time.

This story reads more like a report than an exciting non-fiction story, so if you want a scare or some excitement this is not what you are looking for! This book was written in a factual manner with a very slow pace. However, the epilogue and author's note were fascinating, considering many different interpretations of the events and clearly demonstrating his passion for the paranormal. 

I picked up this book as a light-hearted horror read for Halloween, expecting the level of cheesy romance and comedy found in a YA romance novel, but I actually got a lot more than that, and it clearly has an older target audience. This book is cinematic in it's gore and supernatural descriptions. There are some comedy moments, some uncomfortably cheesy lines, but ultimately this book was powerful. Moving descriptions of toxic families, traumatic pasts, new families, and a fast-paced plot with many unpredictable twists. This story has a lot to offer, and is perfect for anyone looking for an adult horror with a sprinkling of romance on top. 

I went into this novel blind to its themes, knowing only the popularity circulating online and interested in learning why. I was not disappointed. Zauner's prose was deeply moving. Each paragraph ended with a statement or question that caused a visceral shift in my chest. There were funny moments packed in, and drool-worthy descriptions of food creating a central theme in the text. Her study on grief was powerful, and created a sense of someone listening, of not being alone in my own grieving, healing heart. 

R.F. Kuang once again writes stunning prose, tackling complex themes and complicating readers' view of good and bad. Our morally ambiguous main character is both despicable and understandable. The plot was mysterious but ultimately predictable, which was a little disappointing. Nonetheless, I loved this perspective of the publishing industry, the relationships, the competition, and the unfairness. I will continue to read R.F. Kuangs novels, excited for what her talent will bring next 

imaginative, happy, wonderful. 

This memoir filled me with nostalgia for my childhood surrounded by Potter magic. Tom Felton describes, with such respect and joy, the relationships between cast-members and families, and showcases the inner workings of a film set invisible to many viewers imaginations. This book gave me a deeper understanding of what it may mean to work as an actor, and a greater understanding of the Potter films. It was particularly interesting to learn about Tom Felton's family and his mental health struggles, which were explored in a reassuring and hopeful manner. I listened to this as an audiobook (since it was read by the author) so his personality shined through, and the comedy of the book communicated well in a verbal form. Obviously writing is not Tom Felton's trade, and I cannot say this was the best structured book or particularly effective writing, but I thoroughly enjoyed this as a light-hearted read, and it was easy to listen to for hours without getting bored. 

This was not the best GMR I have read, which was disappointing given the feminist themes and unique female perspective of the Trojan war. Some extracts of the story were beautifully written, whilst others (particularly the imagined conversations between reader and Briseis) felt uncomfortable. Similarly, another narrator was introduced quite late into the story, which meant there was some unexpected changes to the writing style. I loved the main character nonetheless and have to give the writer some credit for her voice.