4/5

Book two in the Magnus Chase series and our heroes are charged with finding the hammer of Thor as well as figuring out why the trickster Loki has struck a marriage bargain between Sam and the giant Thrym.

- The same fun twists on Norse mythology. I enjoyed exploring more of the nine worlds and getting to know our characters better (especially Hearthstone) as well as being introduced to some new ones.

- Considering this is a middle grade fantasy book, Riordan really manages to explore some difficult topics well, including toxic family, knowing yourself and personal growth and the concept of mixed success and failure.

- Alex is possibly one of my favourite characters completely, not just in this book. I've not found a lot of genderfluid representation before and this is perfect. This is also explored sensitively and kindly for which Riordan gets major kudos.

An excellent second book and now onto the third, and final, book. 

4/5

Picked up this book and its sequel during a trip to the local bookshop as wanted an easier but spooky read for the season. Teenage seer Charlie Frith is pulled into a mystery involving the disappearance of ghosts from his home city of York. Teaming up with fellow seer Sam and some other friends, both alive and dead, they set out to solve the mystery.

- I really enjoyed the characters' personalities and how they grow and change over the course of the story. They are resilient and despite their own personal struggles they keep going.

- The setting is well done and well set up. I've been to York a few times and this book really captures the vibes of the city. 

- I'm intrigued by the magic and spirit systems in this book. The author has taken pains to dip us into bits of it but also leave enough unknowns that I want to know more. I hope the next book goes into that more.

Spooky, enjoyable and well set. Perfect for October reading.

3/5

Weird but interesting. Told from the view of a mountain lion, this book explores poverty, politics, climate change and the problems caused to animals by human interaction.

- Forget punctuation, spelling and grammar. This is written as if the mountain lion itself wrote it. It's a quirky format and works for this book.

- This book is oddly philosophical and political. It explores homelessness, the callousness of some humans towards others, the effect of human activity and catastrophe on the wild world. It's odd looking at these through the lens of a lion.

- Amongst the more academic stuff is a general struggle for survival. The lion talks about hunger, thirst, danger from humans and wilderness. There is a philosophical lens to it but it does bring BC the nature of the narrator.

Odd. If you like books that have different perspectives and explore what it is to be human, or cougar, then give this a go.

4/5

Volume 3 of Dinosaur Sanctuary and Suzume has made it out of her probationary period and is now learning as part of a team. We meet a pachycephalosaur who keeps being startled and hurting himself, the restructuring of the Dinoland's enclosure and a friendship based around a spinosaurus.

- Same cosy but scientific premise. We also get to know the keeper's background a little more and the world building keeps on improving.

- I love the artwork of the dinosaurs. They're so well done and filled with personality and charm.

- The snippets at the end of the chapters are, as always, very informative. I like how they explore how research comes about and is published, helping to enlighten readers to that process.

As wonderful as always. Cannot wait for volume 4.

3.5/5

A cute and surprisingly emotional graphic novel. Villian Lord Blackheart gains a shapeshifting sidekick and together they work about taking on the corrupt Institute. They battle together against bad rulers and their champion Sir Goldenloin.

- The artwork is simple, effective and impactful. It fit the story very well and I enjoyed it's use of colours.

- There's a theme of "who are the good/bad guys really?" throughout the book which I enjoyed. As a dungeon master for D&D it's the kind of thought process I like to encourage in my games.

- The characters are sweet and become more complicated as the story goes on. The book is mildly queer but it's more of a background thing than a main plot point.

A good graphic novel for D&D enthusiasts and those who like redemption archs.

4.5/5

Audiobook narrated by Greg Wise.

A classic horror for spooky season. Do I really need to sum up this tale? We start with Jonathan Harker who journeys to Transylvania to meet with a client, Count Dracula, and endures horrors there. Back in Britain, a patient in an asylum starts acting more peculiarly and a young woman is taken deathly ill as though her blood has been drained from her. A group of companions must wade through the horrors and mysteries and ultimately work to end the terrible Dracula.

- There is an essence of books written in the 19th and early 20th centuries that I love and Dracula most certainly has it. The language is so full, rich and evocative and says exactly what it needs to. Applied in this book, it adds a layer of intrigue and horror to the story.

- The story is told through letters, diary entries and other means of epistolary. I enjoyed this and it gave perspectives from each character. It also helped with the sense of confusion as no one character had all the puzzle pieces and the reader, looking down from above, has access to the wider picture. I enjoyed each character but my favourites were Mina and Van Helsing.

- The spookiness and horror elements were classic. I can see how this book has become embedded in pop culture and has influenced many further pieces of media. 

A pinnacle of horror. I would recommend it to those seeking a classic horror story which is well done.

4.25/5

Audiobook narrated by Aysha Kala.

A delightful sequel to A Marvellous Light. Robin's sister Maud is travelling on an ocean liner from America to Britain as a lady's companion. However, her mistress is murdered and the killers are after her piece of the contract. with help from the beautiful Violet, the reluctant Lord Hawthorn and less than honest Mr Ross, Muad must work out who is responsible and stop them from retrieving what they desire.

- The characters were super fun and distinct, each with their own attitudes and mannerisms. Also the wonderfully queer nature of the book was amazing and well written within the characters.

- The book struck an excellent balance between mystery, comedy and spice. I laughed so hard at some points (Maud's book purchases) and some of the scenes made me sweat but it was all well spaced and thought out.

- As is often the case with middle books in the trilogy, there's a lot of continuation from the first book and then a lot of set up for the final book. This is the case here. However, I feel the book is enjoyable and carries its own story very well without relying too much on what has happened before and what is to happen next.

A fun installment and I'm now very excited for the third book, coming in November.

4/5

Audiobook narrated by Cherise Boothe.

Sci-fi meets the antebellum South with added queerness. Aster, a low ranked worker on the ship Matilda, strives to find a connection between her mother's death and the illness of the sovereign and uncovers secrets about the ship's destination.

- This book gave me Bioshock and steampunk vibes. There's a lot of science but it's also mixed in with so much striation, racism and horrible historical accuracies that it feels older rather than modern. 

- Bar the space ship setting, this book could have been written about the absolute horror and abomination that was slavery, specifically plantations. The controlling and disgusting way black people are treated and the violence and disregard for their humanity was sickeningly vivid, as it should be. This book does not shy away from those horrors.

- Aster and Theo are brilliant characters. Aster I felt so much kinship with in the way she views and understands the world and how hard that can be when you're different. The queer elements of the characters are well done, fit the setting and fit fluidly within the story.

If you like afrofuturism and dark sci-fi, I would highly recommend An Unkindness of Ghosts.

5/5

Audiobook narrated by the author.

A charming, detailed and insightful adventure showing off the botanical delights of Britain and Ireland. The author spends a year cycling the land, getting to know the diverse range of plants and habitats these countries have to offer.

- The structure of the book as an ongoing journey was excellent. Each chapter focuses on a particular place and plant or habitat and it creates a good flow that keeps the reader interested but not overwhelmed. 

- Conservation features heavily in this book. There was barely a chapter that went by without mention of degraded or disappearing habitats, climate change, shrinking populations and changes to biodiversity. And that is how it should be. Organisms do not exist in isolation and especially now humans need to act and realise how much harm we are doing to our planet. Everything deserves a chance and a place to exist, even if it doesn't benefit us as a species (though usually nature does).

- Bersweden's enthusiasm for wildflowers and botany is infectious and you can't help but get excited with him. As I listened to the audiobook, I had no picture references (though there are resources on the book's website) and despite having to try and visualise these plants entirely in my head, I loved hearing about these dinky little flowers or slimy seaweeds or bits of moss. I've also noticed that when I'm out and about, I'm more aware of the plant life around me and want to find out exactly what something is.

Perfect for nature lovers or those who enjoy nonfiction with a flow. Highly recommended. 

3.25/5

Audiobook narrated by Steven Crossley.

As a kid I loved Clement-Davies' book Fire ringer. I borrowed The Sight from my school library but never actually finished it. When I noticed it was included with my audible membership I decided to give it another go. 

A family of wolves go on a great journey, navigating a legend and a curse, and discover much about themselves, nature and man.

- The characters in the book were very good and I enjoyed how different the author managed to make each appear. A small gripe is that many names sounded very similar, especially when listening to the audiobook and it would take me a moment to remember which character was being referred to.

- I don't particularly enjoy Christian allegory and for a while I hoped that this book would subvert it but alas I was disappointed, especially because at certain points, the book seemed on its way to breaking free of it.

- The narration was very good and added to the story. Honestly, at certain points the narrator made the book more interesting that it would otherwise have been.

I'm glad I've read it finally but I'm probably not going to reread it. I would imagine those who enjoy wolves, chosen one type fantasies and religious overtones would enjoy it more.