While this is definitely Young Adult, it was really trying hard to be a sexy, magical version of something more grown up - but in the best way possible for the youngsters! I would let my teenage daughters read this… The story had enough little twisty turns to keep you captivated & while the ending felt a bit rushed, it was definitely leading somewhere to hook you in for that second installment. 

Last thoughts on a purely aesthetic level, the book covers are beautiful & I’m a sucker for a good cover for my shelves. 

I did not read the Bridgerton books in sequence. I read the couples I was most interested in & then the rest… I stan Polin, just so we’re clear. So this is the 3rd installment for me.

I have always loved Benedict’s cheeky nature, but this book really shows another side to him. It felt a bit removed from the other Bridgerton stories with Sophie’s life being a big part of how their love evolves. 

While this one wasn’t my favourite, I definitely look forward to the screen adaptation of this one! 

There was *so* much going on in this one. As with all of Hammer’s books it was impeccably written, but I did start to lose track of characters at some stages, just because there was so many. 
I will definitely be searching out the remaining Martin Scarsdin books that follow this one. While it was a lot, it got me hooked! 

This is the second book of Trent Dalton’s that I have read. He is so beautifully articulate in the way he describes the emotional journey of others & I have such an appreciation for the way he writes, the words he uses. It did take me a while to really get into this story & to be honest, I felt like I wasn’t going to enjoy it, I almost gave up, but I’m glad I persevered. While it didn’t touch me the way it seemed to touch others, I did end up invested in the “artist’s” story. 

Surprisingly this was actually a tough read & I’m reluctant to give a proper review as I don’t want to make further judgements on the life of someone who has already suffered so much. At times I was overcome with sadness for how her life turned out & the obvious trauma she now lives with but I was mostly just feeling very uncomfortable by the poor decisions that were made by her & everyone around her. Her life could have been so different. I hope that sharing her story has at least brought her some peace to give her side.

Wow! I barely made it out of the prologue before it took me right back… I was in that worship space immediately, reliving my childhood through his descriptions. 

Having grown up in Pentecostal churches, this book had been on my radar for some time. I could fully appreciate the battles that Tom experienced throughout his life spent in the church. This was such an interesting memoir as I related to it all too easily. I recommend every ex-churchie read this one. 

What a banger! Chris Hammer is insanely good at this. I really enjoy the way he writes, the knowledge he incorporates, the descriptions he uses & the characters he is able to create with his stories. He is quickly rising to the top of my favorite authors list. 

Well that one was a bit different to her usual formula, wasn’t it? 😳 It can only be described as the most disturbing, nail-biting, twisty-turny, hard-to-put-down book I’ve read in a very long time. It was honestly Hoover’s best work. But I definitely understand those book hangover comments, safe to say I may not sleep tonight. 

It has taken me weeks to get through due to busyness, a lack of motivation & quite honestly… not enough draw from the story itself! 😬 It’s kind of slow & if ever a book felt like it was written in a monotone… this might be it. Sorry! 🫣 It just didn’t hit the right spot for me. There was so much potential in this story… it pains me to have not liked it more.

This was an easy to read, twisty little psychological thriller. While I enjoyed the suspense & pace of the story, it did contain some pretty serious issues within. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea & I could see why some people might find the ending a bit disappointing, but I found it was the kind of book I needed to break my reading rut