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I picked up The Honjin Murders on a whim, mostly because of the cover, and ended up completely addicted to this series. Featuring one of the great detectives of Japanese crime fiction, these books were so much fun to read and left me wanting more!
This book follow Kosuke Kindaichi, a brilliant detective, as he solves the mysterious murder. The Honjin Murders is a classic locked room mystery with clever twists and solutions. It is a really fun mystery plot, heightened by the author's foreboding writing style.
I admit I haven't read a lot of crime fiction, but I can safely say that Kindaichi is probably my favourite fictional detective. He doesn't fit the stereotype of fictional detectives that we think of today — the heavy drinking, gloomy, fairly unpleasant but brilliant men who are constantly showing up the police. Instead he is an odd, slightly goofy, and squeamish character who's deductive powers feel more human than supernatural. He feels like a much more pleasant and realistic character than some of the great fictional detectives, past and present, and he's a joy to read about.
I am totally addicted to the Kosuke Kindaichi books and I am impatiently awaiting the publication of the third book in December!
Content warnings: blood and murder, misogyny (as fitting with the time period)
I picked up The Honjin Murders on a whim, mostly because of the cover, and ended up completely addicted to this series. Featuring one of the great detectives of Japanese crime fiction, these books were so much fun to read and left me wanting more!
This book follow Kosuke Kindaichi, a brilliant detective, as he solves the mysterious murder. The Honjin Murders is a classic locked room mystery with clever twists and solutions. It is a really fun mystery plot, heightened by the author's foreboding writing style.
I admit I haven't read a lot of crime fiction, but I can safely say that Kindaichi is probably my favourite fictional detective. He doesn't fit the stereotype of fictional detectives that we think of today — the heavy drinking, gloomy, fairly unpleasant but brilliant men who are constantly showing up the police. Instead he is an odd, slightly goofy, and squeamish character who's deductive powers feel more human than supernatural. He feels like a much more pleasant and realistic character than some of the great fictional detectives, past and present, and he's a joy to read about.
I am totally addicted to the Kosuke Kindaichi books and I am impatiently awaiting the publication of the third book in December!
Content warnings: blood and murder, misogyny (as fitting with the time period)
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(Slightly edited from my review of The Honjin Murders -- I initially reviewed them together)
I picked up The Inugami Curse after reading The Honjin Murders, and ended up completely addicted to this series. Featuring one of the great detectives of Japanese crime fiction, these books were so much fun to read and left me wanting more!
These books follow Kosuke Kindaichi, a brilliant detective, as he solves a series of gruesome murders. The Inugami Curse is a dark and gory mystery surrounding a murderous family after a great fortune. It has clever twists and solutions and are such satisfying mysteries, all heightened by the author's foreboding writing style.
I admit I haven't read a lot of crime fiction, but I can safely say that Kindaichi is probably my favourite fictional detective. He doesn't fit the stereotype of fictional detectives that we think of today — the heavy drinking, gloomy, fairly unpleasant but brilliant men who are constantly showing up the police. Instead he is an odd, slightly goofy, and squeamish character who's deductive powers feel more human than supernatural. He feels like a much more pleasant and realistic character than some of the great fictional detectives, past and present, and he's a joy to read about.
I am totally addicted to the Kosuke Kindaichi books and I am impatiently awaiting the publication of the third book in December!
Content warnings: attempted rape, murder, misogyny (as fitting with the time period)
(Slightly edited from my review of The Honjin Murders -- I initially reviewed them together)
I picked up The Inugami Curse after reading The Honjin Murders, and ended up completely addicted to this series. Featuring one of the great detectives of Japanese crime fiction, these books were so much fun to read and left me wanting more!
These books follow Kosuke Kindaichi, a brilliant detective, as he solves a series of gruesome murders. The Inugami Curse is a dark and gory mystery surrounding a murderous family after a great fortune. It has clever twists and solutions and are such satisfying mysteries, all heightened by the author's foreboding writing style.
I admit I haven't read a lot of crime fiction, but I can safely say that Kindaichi is probably my favourite fictional detective. He doesn't fit the stereotype of fictional detectives that we think of today — the heavy drinking, gloomy, fairly unpleasant but brilliant men who are constantly showing up the police. Instead he is an odd, slightly goofy, and squeamish character who's deductive powers feel more human than supernatural. He feels like a much more pleasant and realistic character than some of the great fictional detectives, past and present, and he's a joy to read about.
I am totally addicted to the Kosuke Kindaichi books and I am impatiently awaiting the publication of the third book in December!
Content warnings: attempted rape, murder, misogyny (as fitting with the time period)
Listen. I read Ice Planet Barbarians and thought it was a hoot. So I thought that I, a new *spicy book reader*, would pick up something else I saw on TikTok.
Turns out this was way too hardcore for me. Oops!
Turns out this was way too hardcore for me. Oops!
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I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
I'm not much of an urban fantasy reader, but I was intrigued by The Library of the Dead -- I loved the premise and the setting (Edinburgh is a city very close to my heart and one I know fairly well). I went into this book a little cautious because it didn't suit my usual genre, but I ended up loving it.
I totally fell in love with Huchu's vision of a ghostly Edinburgh. The book is so wonderfully atmospheric and evokes the spirit (no pun intended) of Edinburgh, but also the strangeness of Huchu's post-apocalyptic-ish, totally spooky version of the city. There are some books that just capture the essence of a city so perfectly, and I think The Library of the Dead is one of them.
Ropa is an amazing character with a unique voice, amazing attitude, and so many layers of complexity. I loved the way you could see her using humour as a way to cope with her difficult life and losses, making her feel all the more relatable and human. I believed in her every action and thought, even when she did things I wouldn't have considered.
The Library of the Dead is a wonderfully layered urban fantasy story perfect for readers of the Rivers of London series (although I think this is better!) and fans of paranormal fantasy stories. I can't wait to read more from T. L. Huchu!
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
I'm not much of an urban fantasy reader, but I was intrigued by The Library of the Dead -- I loved the premise and the setting (Edinburgh is a city very close to my heart and one I know fairly well). I went into this book a little cautious because it didn't suit my usual genre, but I ended up loving it.
I totally fell in love with Huchu's vision of a ghostly Edinburgh. The book is so wonderfully atmospheric and evokes the spirit (no pun intended) of Edinburgh, but also the strangeness of Huchu's post-apocalyptic-ish, totally spooky version of the city. There are some books that just capture the essence of a city so perfectly, and I think The Library of the Dead is one of them.
Ropa is an amazing character with a unique voice, amazing attitude, and so many layers of complexity. I loved the way you could see her using humour as a way to cope with her difficult life and losses, making her feel all the more relatable and human. I believed in her every action and thought, even when she did things I wouldn't have considered.
The Library of the Dead is a wonderfully layered urban fantasy story perfect for readers of the Rivers of London series (although I think this is better!) and fans of paranormal fantasy stories. I can't wait to read more from T. L. Huchu!
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
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I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
Why is writing reviews of books you loved so hard? Here's an attempt:
Easily my favourite book of the year so far. I have been struggling to put into words how incredible this book is, so here's a list of bullet points:
-Multiple complex, layered women filled with ambition and drive.
-Tackles the topic of colonialism from multiple angles -- both from the coloniser, the colonised, and someone trapped between both worlds.
-Luca is the definition of ''no one is the villain in their own story." She is the greyest of grey-area characters and is so frustrating, but Clark does a fantastic job with her story arc.
-Touraine is one of the best characters in fantasy. Enough said.
-The romance is so complicated and layered and ARRRGGGG.
Please read this book
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
Why is writing reviews of books you loved so hard? Here's an attempt:
Easily my favourite book of the year so far. I have been struggling to put into words how incredible this book is, so here's a list of bullet points:
-Multiple complex, layered women filled with ambition and drive.
-Tackles the topic of colonialism from multiple angles -- both from the coloniser, the colonised, and someone trapped between both worlds.
-Luca is the definition of ''no one is the villain in their own story." She is the greyest of grey-area characters and is so frustrating, but Clark does a fantastic job with her story arc.
-Touraine is one of the best characters in fantasy. Enough said.
-The romance is so complicated and layered and ARRRGGGG.
Please read this book
Check out more bookish thoughts and videos on my YouTube channel
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
I loved so many bits of this book, but ultimately had a complicated relationship with it. Jess is a fantastic character and I loved her journey of self-discovery as she leaves university and moves to Malaysia with her parents. I always love reading characters who deal with displacement at pivotal moments in their lives. When you add in the paranormal, folklore, and cultural aspects of this book, you have some damn good reading.
However, parts of the book felt a little choppy, especially toward the end. I know that this is a proof copy and changes will be made, so I'm curious to see how those aspects of the story will be smoothed over. Also, there are some things that come out of left field, such as a very graphic, on page attempted rape -- it felt totally random and like a different book crept in!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
I loved so many bits of this book, but ultimately had a complicated relationship with it. Jess is a fantastic character and I loved her journey of self-discovery as she leaves university and moves to Malaysia with her parents. I always love reading characters who deal with displacement at pivotal moments in their lives. When you add in the paranormal, folklore, and cultural aspects of this book, you have some damn good reading.
However, parts of the book felt a little choppy, especially toward the end. I know that this is a proof copy and changes will be made, so I'm curious to see how those aspects of the story will be smoothed over. Also, there are some things that come out of left field, such as a very graphic, on page attempted rape -- it felt totally random and like a different book crept in!
Check out more bookish thoughts and videos on my YouTube channel
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
Another late review of a book I loved. I am not very good at putting my thoughts into words a few months after reading, but here's an attempt.
Am I late to the game here? Yes. Was it absolutely worth it to finally sit down with this book? YES.
A Memory Called Empire is a smash hit for a reason. It has some of the best world building I've ever read. The way Martine combines linguistics and poetry to create a complex and layered culture is just incredible. I loved the clash between Mahit's culture with the Teixcalaani empire's complexity -- Martine creates a powerful fish-out-of-water story. The characters had so much depth and I loved every single one.
I have a feeling this book will be a fantastic reread, with many new things discovered upon each reread. I'd highly recommend the audiobook for this one!
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
Another late review of a book I loved. I am not very good at putting my thoughts into words a few months after reading, but here's an attempt.
Am I late to the game here? Yes. Was it absolutely worth it to finally sit down with this book? YES.
A Memory Called Empire is a smash hit for a reason. It has some of the best world building I've ever read. The way Martine combines linguistics and poetry to create a complex and layered culture is just incredible. I loved the clash between Mahit's culture with the Teixcalaani empire's complexity -- Martine creates a powerful fish-out-of-water story. The characters had so much depth and I loved every single one.
I have a feeling this book will be a fantastic reread, with many new things discovered upon each reread. I'd highly recommend the audiobook for this one!
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
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I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
A tiny, much delayed review of a book I loved:
Black Sun was one of my top 10 books from last year. I had never read anything by Roanhorse before, but I feel like I can confidently say I am a huge fan now. Black Sun is a gorgeous book with stunning world building, complex and morally grey characters, and a story that is totally unputdownable. I cannot wait for the second book!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
A tiny, much delayed review of a book I loved:
Black Sun was one of my top 10 books from last year. I had never read anything by Roanhorse before, but I feel like I can confidently say I am a huge fan now. Black Sun is a gorgeous book with stunning world building, complex and morally grey characters, and a story that is totally unputdownable. I cannot wait for the second book!
Check out more bookish thoughts and videos on my YouTube channel
The Turn of the Screw was a classic I hadn't read yet, but had been on my radar for years. It was recommended to me by my mum because it's the archetype for the 'spooky country house' horror novels I've been enjoying so much over the past few years. I was absolutely blown away by this fabulous novella and have been kicking myself for not reading it sooner!
I haven't really read any classic ghost stories (the one exception being A Christmas Carol, which is not my favourite), so I was sure that the haunting in The Turn of the Screw would be downplayed somehow -- I didn't expect any ghosts to actually make an appearance in the novella. Oh, how wrong I was! The Turn of the Screw is obviously the foundation on which the modern horror genre is based on. It contains so many of the delicious tropes I love:
- A isolated house in the countryside
- Creepy children
- Watchful figures at a distance
- Faces peeking in windows
- An unreliable narrator
- The sense of being watched when you are alone
This is not a book in which you get too attached to the characters, but they absolutely play up that unsettled feeling for the reader -- whether they are the cause or the victim, you can decide. The descent of the unnamed governess's descent into terror and possible madness is so well done, and I loved the way the book ended. There is a lot of reading between the lines that must be done -- as with many classics -- so a deeper look is required to really get the most out of this story.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
The Turn of the Screw was a classic I hadn't read yet, but had been on my radar for years. It was recommended to me by my mum because it's the archetype for the 'spooky country house' horror novels I've been enjoying so much over the past few years. I was absolutely blown away by this fabulous novella and have been kicking myself for not reading it sooner!
I haven't really read any classic ghost stories (the one exception being A Christmas Carol, which is not my favourite), so I was sure that the haunting in The Turn of the Screw would be downplayed somehow -- I didn't expect any ghosts to actually make an appearance in the novella. Oh, how wrong I was! The Turn of the Screw is obviously the foundation on which the modern horror genre is based on. It contains so many of the delicious tropes I love:
- A isolated house in the countryside
- Creepy children
- Watchful figures at a distance
- Faces peeking in windows
- An unreliable narrator
- The sense of being watched when you are alone
This is not a book in which you get too attached to the characters, but they absolutely play up that unsettled feeling for the reader -- whether they are the cause or the victim, you can decide. The descent of the unnamed governess's descent into terror and possible madness is so well done, and I loved the way the book ended. There is a lot of reading between the lines that must be done -- as with many classics -- so a deeper look is required to really get the most out of this story.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
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I had never read any Shirley Jackson (other than The Lottery, which I think every school child in America has to read at some point), but have had a couple of her books sitting on my shelf for years. After binge watching the Netflix adaptation (which is fantastic) I decided to pluck the book up off the shelf and give it a read.
This book is a very interesting one, as I had expected a full-on horror story. However, I've now seen it described as a work of terror rather than horror, and I think that perfectly suits the book. We follow Eleanor's thoughts as she leaves her mundane and quite sad life behind for a summer studying the paranormal phenomenon at Hill House. As she spends days at Hill House, she begins to descend into a state of...what? Possession? Madness? Guilt over past actions? That's the thing I really enjoyed about this book -- it's so open ended and she's such an unusual character that you can read it in a number of ways.
While this book isn't all horror all the time like you might expect, the horror moments in The Haunting of Hill House are some of the best I've read. In fact, some of these moments are pulled directly from the book into the show and they translate so well to the screen -- the horror is so cinematic and visual. I wont say too much about these moments because of spoilers, but there's a bit with hands that I still, unfortunately, think about every night. Urg.
The Haunting of Hill House is a must-read for horror fans, whether or not you've watched the show. It is incredibly accessible, readable, and has so much potential for excellent re-readability!
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
I had never read any Shirley Jackson (other than The Lottery, which I think every school child in America has to read at some point), but have had a couple of her books sitting on my shelf for years. After binge watching the Netflix adaptation (which is fantastic) I decided to pluck the book up off the shelf and give it a read.
This book is a very interesting one, as I had expected a full-on horror story. However, I've now seen it described as a work of terror rather than horror, and I think that perfectly suits the book. We follow Eleanor's thoughts as she leaves her mundane and quite sad life behind for a summer studying the paranormal phenomenon at Hill House. As she spends days at Hill House, she begins to descend into a state of...what? Possession? Madness? Guilt over past actions? That's the thing I really enjoyed about this book -- it's so open ended and she's such an unusual character that you can read it in a number of ways.
While this book isn't all horror all the time like you might expect, the horror moments in The Haunting of Hill House are some of the best I've read. In fact, some of these moments are pulled directly from the book into the show and they translate so well to the screen -- the horror is so cinematic and visual. I wont say too much about these moments because of spoilers, but there's a bit with hands that I still, unfortunately, think about every night. Urg.
The Haunting of Hill House is a must-read for horror fans, whether or not you've watched the show. It is incredibly accessible, readable, and has so much potential for excellent re-readability!
Rating: 4.5 out of 5