5/5

Audiobook narrated by the author.

A perfect cosy book to snuggle up with this winter. Viv has tired of the adventuring life and seeks to open a coffee shop in a new city. Heartwarming and endearing things happen as she meets new people and ventures into the world of business.

- The ambience of this book was chill, snuggly and relaxed. The story and characters really warm your heart and I will never get tired of reading happy fantasy books.

- The characters are so vivid and vibrant. I particularly love the ratkin Thimble and the mysterious Madrigal. They all intertwine so well and develop a relationship with the reader. You feel you are there at the titular café, watching Tandri revamp the sign, smelling Thimble's latest bakes and listening to Pendry strum away on the lute.

- The Dungeons & Dragons-esque feel to the book was wonderful but not omnipresent. Yes, someone familiar with the games would pick out classes and tropes but equally the book could be enjoyed by a complete fantasy novice. In fact, I would highly recommend this book as a soft and welcoming entry to fantasy.

Firmly set amongst my favourite books. If you need a pick-me-up, a palette cleanser or something relaxing to read, this is perfect for you.

3.75/5

A collection of short stories from one of literature's greatest crime writers: five featuring M. Poirot and one with Miss Marple. 

- All the stories were enjoyable. I particularly enjoyed the titular Adventure of the Christmas Pudding and how festive it was. The other stories are not related to the holiday season but enjoyable nonetheless.

- There was a range of murder motives and methods across the stories and it helped give each its own flavour and spirit. 

An enjoyable compilation of short stories. Recommended for murder mystery fans or those looking for short mysteries.

3.5/5

Audiobook narrated by Joe Leat.

I went into this book expecting a book with quirky facts about various animals and instead got a book about aging and the factors affecting it. NB: Read the blurb before commencing a book.

- Despite being different to what I expected, this book was pretty interesting and well researched. The author talks about a wide range of studies, cases and methods for determining how different factors affect aging in both animals and humans and you can tell that lots of effort and research has gone into this book.

- The narrator of the audiobook (English translation) did an excellent job of maintaining an engaging and amusing tone andade the subject matter easier to enjoy.

If you like lay science books, especially about human physiology then give Jellyfish Age Backwards a go.

5/5

Audiobook narrated by Ramon de Ocampo.

Imagine if the son of the US president and a British prince transcended rivalry and started a romantic relationship. That is the basic premise of Red, White & Royal Blue and yet the story feels so much deeper and involved than that.

- The story is told from the perspective of Alex, a biracial American man who happens to be the son of the first woman president. Alex is very focused and set on what he wants to achieve with his life and at times it makes him a little short sighted. After an incident at a royal wedding, Alex is forced to play nice with Henry, prince and grandchild of the in book monarch. Henry seems to Alex aloof, disinterested and uncaring. However, as the two become better acquainted they learn more about each other and also begin to change each other.

- McQuiston does not shy away from the intimate and gritty details of Alex and Henry's relationship. She does however really detail the difficulties of engaging in a queer relationship, especially when one or both of the participants are in the public eye. The book discusses coming out (to family/friends and the wider world), systemic homophobic and homophobic hate acts, the physical and sexual interactions of two queer men, love and closeness and the burden of duty and expectations. These are all handled so well and brought lots of emotion and depth to the book.

- I love how McQuiston sets up the ambience and tension and allows little small trickles of pay off throughout the book but only gives the reader the full satisfaction of the conclusion at the exact right moment. it is a well planned book and I loved how it kept me hanging on.

A perfect and emotional but ultimately happy queer romance. I would recommend it absolutely and it was one of my favourite books of this year.

4.5/5

A Psalm for the Wild-Built is a soothing and reflective journey for both the characters and the reader. Sibling Dex starts out a new path as a tea monk in a futuristic world set on a moon. On a particular excursion they encounter the robot Mosscap which is a bit surprising as no one has seen a robot for many years.

- There are lots of interconnected themes within this book that blend beautifully. The job of a tea monk is to listen to people who need to talk and provide them with a space and environment to do that. This book fulfills the role of tea monk for the reader, letting you reflect on the themes discussed as applicable to your own life or just simple enjoy the journey of the story.

- Cosy is the best way to describe almost every aspect of this book: plot, characters, themes, world, pantheon. I adored Sibling Dex and Mosscap and how they both learn from each other. This book is like being immersed into a metaphorical cup of tea, comforting, slow and gentle.

- Shout out for the amazing use of they/them pronouns. It's so great to see characters having these used well and also in a setting where there is seemingly no judgement, transphobia or vitriol about it. 

Like a hug and a warm, soothing drink. For anyone who needs a short and positive fantasy/sci-fi story.

3/5

Drawn in by the beautiful cover, I have been reading this book on and off since September. It is a collection of folklore and fairy tales from cultures around the world featuring witches or similar beings.

- I suppose it makes sense as it is a collection of stories but the language and tone of each tale varies drastically. Some are written very plainly and clearly, others written in an accent or old-fashioned language. I don't mind this but I would have preferred it to be consistent as the jumping around made it hard to switch from sorry to story.

- The collection of tales itself is quite broad considering this was originally published in the early 90s. That said there is a slight slant towards western and specifically British and Irish tales so if you're looking for a fully world spanning trip, this may not quite hit the spot.

An interesting little book which I would recommend to those beginning to look into folklore or witchcraft.

1/5

To complete my Alphabet Book Challenge this year I needed to read a book beginning with X. I found this for cheap on kindle and thought I'd give it a go. I really wish I hadn't.

- This book reads like someone got a plethora of the worst twilight fan fiction they could find, mixed in a very liberal dose of "not like the other girls"/"hidden secret powers" blended it together and then sprinkled a bunch of cliches on top. 

- The main character is a two dimensional Mary Sue who is frankly unremarkable apart from the ridiculous spelling of her name. The other characters were equally flat and boring and the interactions between them uninteresting.

- The plot? Some drivel about saving a friend from a creepy dude but there's werewolves and a vampire etc.

Unless you are an avid reader of Twilight-derived pseudo literature, avoid at all costs. I very optimistically bought this book as part of a bundle with its two sequels and nothing on earth could compel me to read them.

4.25/5

A winding but satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. We follow our band of adventurers as they are split up and carve very different paths through the war with the Queen of Darkness.

- More D&D-esque adventures. The story, as before, reads like a transcribed campaign and its twists and turns are engaging and have you wondering what will happen next. The dungeon master within me occasionally pinpoints where a natural 20 or a natural 1 was rolled though.

- I appreciated the character development that happened in this installment. Several characters went through a lot of hardship, turmoil and difficulty and I was very pleased to see that this affected them and changed their natures appropriately.

- The conclusion was wrapped up well. There were satisfying conclusions to several story arcs but also enough left open ended for further books and stories to pick up from if desired. 

Well finished, exciting and enjoyable. I would recommend this trilogy to anyone who enjoys classic fantasy, litRPGs or interwoven storylines.

4.25/5

The Wendigo is a short and creepy horror novel set in the Canadian wilderness. It follows a hunting party who experience some strange and horrifying events.

- Despite the short length, this tale feels very fleshed out and detailed. The atmosphere created by the author is so compelling and once I started reading I found it hard to unimmerse myself from the story.

- The horror is subtly but poignant. As with any good mystery, things are hinted at and tidbits thrown in here and there. The reader is left wondering what is real and what isn't.

Compelling, creepy and atmospheric. Perfect for those who enjoy horror, short stories of a campfire-style nature or books that suck you into the scene. 

4/5

Fluffy like snow. A fun sapphic fluff romance centred around a mountain lodge and the rivalry between a skier and a snowboarder.

- Having read the previous books I can say that Fletcher's writing has definitely improved over the series. There's still a lot of dialogue but it felt relevant and suited the plot. 

- A typical enemies to lovers story that progresses well. The two main characters have more depth to them though I wish the book had been longer and we'd learned more about their backgrounds and pasts. 

My favourite of the Midwest Weres series and if you're looking to lighthearted shifter fluff, then I'd definitely recommend.