The pace really picks up in Psychopomp. Much more action but the background drama is there all the same.

- Lana's romantic life continues to be eventful and occasionally violent.

- Some of the events of this book were very predictable but still gave me an emotional punch in the stomach. If the last book ended happily, this takes that happiness and prizes its atoms apart with tweezers.

- We learn new things about the deities and especially some interesting background on Grim, though I wish that had been explored further.

- I took off half a star for "released a breath I didn't know I was holding". I can't stand that seriously clichéd and nonsensical phrase.

Things are hitting up in Limbo and I'm eager to see what Death Wish has to offer next.

More from Lana Harvey, reaper-extraordinaire of Limbo City. The romance is more palatable and the dangers are mounting up.

- Again, I loved the intertwining nature of the various deities depicted in this book. Getting to know the Fates more was a real treat.

- The romance was a lot steamier but much less dramatic than in Pocket Full of Posies. 

- The plot was fast-paced and twisting. It kept me engaged throughout.

- There is an scene near the end of the book that definitely should have had a TW/CW for torture. Whilst the book itself isn't exactly nonviolent this scene was out of character with the rest of the book and definitely jarring.

Another great book and looking forward to Psychopomp.

Steeped in 90s nostalgia, this little book is a fun look about how the Spice Girls influenced the children of that time and how that influence has affected their lives into adulthood. 

- Bravo does a great job of recreating that warm fuzzy feeling that you get when remembering something fondly. As a child, I adored the Spice Girls and reading this book reconnected with six year-old me and let me relive some of the amazing fun of that time.

- This book discusses some serious topics such as feminism, how we judge women who try to make something of themselves, sex education, motherhood and politics. Despite the light nature of this book, these themes are not made light of and is a good thing.

- The chapter markers often had little skits or lists to lighten the mood or make the reader laugh. Some of these were great fun.

A fun read for any ex-kid who once dressed up as their favourite Spice Girl (Sporty was my pick) and danced around their living room singing along to Wannabe. 

Audiobook narrated by Hollie Jackson.

A fine and cosy second entry in the Lana Harvey Reapers Inc series. Our trouble-magnet of a reaper gets to deal with relationship drama, studying new subjects and being stalked by a whip-wielding demon. Fun times to be had indeed.

- I continue to love the way the author adds in bits of religion and mythology and melds it together to make a pretty decent story. You can tell she has researched and has good knowledge of various religions and myths.

- The relationship drama was drawn out. In all honesty, I'm not entirely sure how it lasted as long as it did. And I'm a million times happier with the direction Lana's love life has taken now.

- The ending was explosive but the build up took a long time. I've noticed with both this book and Graveyard Shift that at several points I though the book was ending but then carried of for a few more plot points and chapters. This is a little jarring and occasionally and me thinking "Oh get on with it!".

A fun sequel and continues my cosy recovery from some heavy books. Onto For the Birds!

The Reapers Inc series is a guilty pleasure of mine. It's not high literature, not a deep commentary on any facet of life or death but it is fun, easy to digest and makes me happy. 

- The concept of the setting I find interesting. The idea that human beliefs and souls have manifested a physical afterlife and all the internal workings that entails is clever and fresh to me.

- The characters or not deep and complicated but like the rest of the book, they make for easy reading and a bit of fun.

- In this book, the main character Lana, a reaper who harvests souls of the dead, has to find a specific soul and over come a lot of danger to do so. Whilst the story is compelling, I never felt at any point like Lana would fail or the danger would have consequences for her.

If you're not expecting a lot and you need something light to read, you could do a lot worse than Graveyard Shift. I plan to carry on and complete the series as I need something that just makes me happy right now.

This well-woven and classic sci-fantasy was an absolute delight to read/listen to. With the film due out soon, I was keen to finish it before and I'm so glad I did.

- Teh story is very slow to start, which for me is always frustrating but in this case, it is justified due to the amount of complex and intricate detail required for the plot to play out.

- I don't often enjoy very political stories but Dune got past this predisposition and made me excited for how the plot would play out. 

- I switched between the beautiful physical copy I have and an unabridged full cast audiobook and enjoyed the story in both forms. The only downside of the audiobook for me was it occasionally has atmospheric music accompanying the story which distracted me a little. I did enjoy that each of the main characters had their own voice actor and it added to their profile in my mind.

- The mixture of legend, the training of the Bene Gesserit, the mysterious and intricate culture of the Fremen was fantastic and well done. Herbert also describes things beautifully and with nuance to create the incredible atmosphere of Arrakis.

With the film coming out soon I'm even more excited to see it and compare. I've also added the next two Dune books to my wishlist and hope find out what becomes of the Fremen and Arrakis in the future.

A worthy sequel to The Fellowship of the Ring. The tone in this sequel is a little different: darker and with more tension but still maintaining the beautiful storytelling of the first book.

- The story is told in two separate parts following different members of the company. Whilst this does make sense and creates some excellent juxtaposition between the two narratives, it does feel a bit odd to follow one set of characters for half the book then abruptly switch to the others and not return. 

- We get to see returning characters in different lights and meeting different challenges from Fellowship. Of the Company, I think I came to love them all a little more but, above all, Samwise Gamgee has a new place in my heart! 

- New characters where interesting and curious. The creepiness and sneaking of Smeagol was just amazingly well done. Saruman everything you could want in a morally-lacking wizard and the ents were just fantastic.

- The atmosphere in each setting was wonderfully portrayed. This book is clearly building up to a climax and Tolkien just weaves that tension and anticipation through, showing its effect on every facet of middle earth. This book no longer meanders through the comfort of the Shire or the beauty of Lorien but the angst of Fangorn, the deceit of Orthanc and the looming danger of Mordor.

- Although occasionally present, I did miss the songs and poems that occured so often I'm Fellowship. This likely mirrors the cha he in tone but I missed it all the same.

I loved this book only slightly less than Fellowship and it really has built up the stakes ready for The Return of the King.

An exciting YA fantasy that blends Arthurian legend, traditional rootcraft, American culture and history. The protagonist Bree's mother dies in an accident shortly before she starts at a new boarding school. Bree has to balance school, magic and processing the death of her mother.

- I loved how well the magic and the history intertwined, how legend, myth and fact were melded seemlessly into the narrative. The magic systems involved were well-crafted and nuanced. I was particularly interested by the chapters covering root magic and how it worked.

- This book does not shy away from the reality of how black people, and other IPOC, are and were treated in the US and how the racism is so systemic and integrated into American/western society. The book holds no punches on this and it is exactly how this should be shown in literature. 

- I'll admit I am not well read in Arthurian legend but from my humble knowledge, I enjoyed the references and the nods to various well known knights and events. 

- The way this book explores mental health, particularly grief, was extremely well done and it is plain that Deonn has done a lot of research on the matter. Legendborn would be an excellent book for someone who is processing grief or battling mental illness as both an escape and a subtle learning tool.

I loved this book and cannot wait until the next one is released. In the meantime I plan to read more Arthurian inspired books and find out more about rootcraft magic and its historical origins. Highly recommend.

Audiobook narrated by Carrie Hope Fletcher.

I've read a few heavier books recently so wanted something a little easier and lighter. Scrolling through my Audible library I saw The Secret Garden. And so began my delightful little adventure at Misselthwaite Manor.

- Surprisingly deep for a children's book and explores themes such as grief, changing perspectives and self discovery very well.

- The imagery of the garden, nature, characters, everything is beautiful and vividly described. You are immersed in this wonderful world. Yorkshire comes alive through the narrator and you can't help but adore it.

- The subtext of "mind over matter" is very well done and put in a way that I would imagine even a younger child could understand. This book would be great to read with children to discuss things like self care, self esteem and mental health in general. 

Very enjoyable and heartwarming. I will work on generating my own piece of "the magic" and look forward to reading this again with my children in the future.

A dark and bizarre mystery story. A man gets kicked out by his girlfriend mid-lockdown and goes to his uncle's house. There his aunt and his uncle's mistress are living with a baby, both claiming to be his mother. Creepy and odd things begin to happen as the truth begins to reveal itself.

- This is the first story I've read set in the pandemic and it does capture the lockdown vibe very well.

- As with Braithwaite's other novel I've read (My Sister the Serial Killer), this book keeps you guessing until the end but when it ends, you're still not sure what just happened.

- The £1 price is very appealing and I'm glad to see that a book of that price far exceeded its sales value.

- With larger than average font and quick pacing I can see this book being great for adults who struggle with reading or who have issues reading smaller print.

For a book less than 150 pages long and costing pocket change, The Baby is Mine does an excellent job. Well worth £1 and I plan to put this in my local free library for someone else to enjoy.