I did not know what to expect from this book and I am really pleased I picked it up. This book was a very informative and emotional read about gender inequality in Korea from 1982 to the present day. About the life of a mother, Kim Jiyoung, experiencing "strange" representations of mental illness, this book is divided into the eras of her life where readers (particularly those from other cultural backgrounds, such as myself in England) learn the processes of life in Korea as a woman; life influenced by misogynistic laws and expectations. Not only was this book well-researched (with footnotes included in every chapter) and interesting, the language was moving and engaging. I believe it was an important structural choice to write this fictional story within the context of real Korean historical changes because it likely emulates with and represents the livelihoods of many Korean women today, which provided an additional emotional layer to the reading process. The twist in narrative POV in the final chapter was also illuminating, offering a more diverse range of perspectives on the same topic. I could not praise this book more, if you are debating reading it - read it!!

I borrowed this book from a friend after she recommended it as a silly read. It certainly lived up to her review, making me laugh out loud on multiple occasions and involving so much drama I could not put it down. Easily a book to finish in a weekend. Personally I would have enjoyed a deeper exploration into the Arthurian Legends and greater world building around Camelot, but for a fictional YA romance this certainly met criteria and I could not have asked for more. Although there were plot twists and dramatic wars, the characters were all loveable and the story was light hearted; I would recommend it to anyone who wants to get out of a reading slump. 

This was a super fun read! This classic adventure felt like reading a fairy tale, with rhymes and poems throughout and fun characters throughout. Lyrical, musical, and beautiful, this book feels extra special knowing J.R.R Tolkien wrote this book for his children. However fun the language is, I can't say it is going into my favourites. 

The first half of this book was beautiful and had a solid structure as transcripts and reflections from a series of therapy sessions. The narrative came to a comfortable conclusion with notes from the psychotherapist and an epilogue about Baek Se-hee's life. However, the book then continued an internal reflection in a seemingly unnecessary way with multiple chapters after the conclusion, which made me feel uninterested. The writing was good and should have been involved in the main structure instead to avoid it feeling rambling. 

Having read this book in one sitting, I would recommend doing the opposite; dipping in and out of the content when in times of need. If you read it all in one go it can feel a little draining and repetitive. However, Matt Haig once again performs great companionship to (and representation of) those struggling with poor mental health. There are many epiphanies and reassurances which I will take with me in my toolkit for survival, and I would recommend this book to someone who needs a little bit of calm and a lot of space. 

Tsarina is a long read, with complicated Russian names and geography that may not be familiar to everyone (I required some research.) The story is very intense for someone unaccustomed to the violence, war, and rape often found in historical fiction books. The first half of the book contains graphic depictions of rape (to which I almost DNF) whilst the second half of the book involves horrific descriptions of torture and death. Only read this book if you are prepared to face those challenging scenes - they are pretty inescapable in this one. 
That being said, I loved Ellen Alpsten's writing style. She clearly has a passion for this period in history and all the characters she discovered there. The book was evidently well researched, with many quotes now underlined in my copy. I have learnt a lot about Russian history, customs, and cities which I had previously been ignorant of. Catherine (Martha) is a well developed main character, and the discussions of femininity, fertility, and family in the midst of war were emotional to read. 
I would recommend this, but go into it prepared for a battle through hardship (as Catherine always was.)

I read this book to challenge myself and to learn more about nature due to my sibling's interest in conservation. Whilst this book was challenging in places for someone uneducated in geography, geology, or the natural world, it was incredibly interesting. Knoll explains lab studies and references his personal experience as a geologist and the people he met, including

the palaeontologist who theorised and proved that the dinosaurs were made extinct by a meteor.

Knoll interspersed his own wit and comic language between his descriptions of the earth's history, and placed the reader's imagination in the nature of the prehistoric world through excellent writing. I only reduced the rating to 3.75 because I often zoned out when reading and therefore couldn't maintain my own interest or comprehension (but maths and science were never my forte.)

Frederik Backman writes about people and community so well! Despite being disappointed by A Man Called Ove, Beartown exceeded my expectations as the highest rated book on my tbr. It was beautiful. 
This story asks and answers so many of humanities deepest questions within the constraints of a story about a hockey town and a scandal in the community. Although there are some distressing themes, each character was well-developed and substantial. Despite not being a sports fan or having any knowledge of hockey, Backman's voice placed my whole sense of self into the game - the story is punctuated with the sound of a hockey stick hitting a puck.