Audiobook narrated by Cynthia Farrell & Emily Woo Zeller.

One of my favourite books of last year, when the audiobook came up as a daily deal, I snapped up the chance to relive the story. This Is How You Lose the Time War is a quirky, sci-fi romance which is purple to the point of beauty and deliciously tangled.

- I loved the dynamic of the two characters and the way they communicated and over time changed each other.

- The language at first seems a little over the top but as you delve further into the book, it makes perfect sense to have such rich and complex prose.

- The feelings this book generates as it goes through the story... I loved it as much as I did the first time, if not more.

- The only downside of the audio version: the narrator mispronounces some names and words and each time it broke my immersion.

One of my favourite books and I would recommend it to everyone and anyone but especially those that enjoy meaningful LGBT+ relationships, time travel and gorgeous prose.

Audiobook narrated by Ray Porter.

The story in this installment of Bobiverse is a lot more spread out than the two. As the Bobs continue to multiply and diversify, the more different perspectives we the reader get to see.

- The way different Bobs have become their own is fascinating. Some Bobs are fighting to re-embrace their humanity and physical presence in human/sentient society, others are more focused on the universe at large and exploring it and others have niche aspects to their plans and goals. The Bobiverse has grown.

- The big threat in this book has so much potential to it and, for me, the way things planned out for that was a little too convenient. At no point did I feel scared for the Bobs and their protectees.

- The closure on certain storylines was satisfying and slightly disappointing on others. This book does seem to wrap up a lot of the ongoing plots from the last two books and makes me wonder how the fourth book Heaven's River will take things from here.

I've really enjoyed the concept and execution of the Bobiverse so far. The ideas it presents are many and very interesting. I'm not sure how book four will continue but I look forward to it.

Horrible Histories were books I adored as a child. Most of my knowledge of history came from those books and I loved how funny and kooky they were. My mum likes to tell the story of the time I wrote "Nil desperandum auspice deo" on all my SATS papers because there was a line in Stormin' Normans suggesting to do so.

So recently it came to my attention that my knowledge of US history is somewhat lacking. In a time when a lot of consumable media contains references from this, it was beginning to annoy me that I didn't know exactly what the references were from. I did what any adult would do and did a little Google search and confused myself further. I needed something easy to understand, succinct, and covering as much of the relevant history as possible... Enter Horrible Histories: The USA.

- This book is clear, chronological for the most part and, as it is really a children's book, very comprehensible. It covered most of the events I could think of plus lots I had no idea about.

- As you would expect from the Horrible Histories series, the book does not shy away from the more gruesome, vicious and bloodthirsty elements of history. There are many violent anecdotes told.

- Whilst this book does mostly focus on things from a white POV, there is a lot of focus on how the white colonists were not nice to Native Americans, BIPOC and other minority groups. It is made very clear that was was done to these groups is not okay. The section on racism at the back of the book was a nice touch for a twenty year-old book but could have been much larger and more detailed. The achievements and treatment of BIPOC, Native Americans and other minorities in the 20th century are not really touched upon at all which I feel is a really sad oversight and drags down an otherwise really good book.

I think you could do much worse than reading this book as a beginner's guide to US history but I would advise that anyone reading this should then go on to research more about the twentieth century and especially focus on the achievements of those (BIPOC, Native Americans, etc) who are omitted from this book.

Audiobook narrated by Ray Porter.

A solid second entry for the Bobiverse series. This book begins to shift the focus away from Sol, showing how the different Bobs differentiate from each other and the problems in the universe at large.

- The Bobs are changing more drastically with each generation and it was great to see the different opinions they have and the inter-Bob conflict.

- As there are now more Bobs, there are now more points of view in the narrative. I liked how this allowed different mini snippets and plotlines to develop.

- I like how the way different Bobs view physical life is changing, how some are still very connected to humanity/sentient races, and others find them to be too fleeting. 

- Where as the first novel focused more on the benefits of being a replicant, this book definitely begins to introduce the downsides and limitations of such an existence and makes the reader think about the moral, ethical and personal aspects of being a non-physical sentience.

I really enjoyed For We Are Many and have already started All These Worlds which I'm hoping will take the series to even more thought-provoking heights.

I received an eArc copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. 

Branching out a bit from my usual reading niches of fantasy, sci-fi and mystery, this book was a joy to deviate with.

- The characters were vibrant and multifaceted. The friendship between Krystal and her two gal pals was particularly well portrayed and felt FRIENDS-esque in it's warm and cosy friendship feel.

- Whilst several plot points were reasonably easy to predict, the storyline was very enjoyable and, again, cosy. 

- The author has clearly researched well and it shows in the details of the book, especially the astrological elements.

- Krystal's grandad is a wise, wise man and his advice resonated with more than his granddaughter.

- The mental health advice included in this book is very sound and it made me so happy to see it discussed in a book.

My little adventure outside of my comfort zone was well worth it and What Planet Can I Blame This On? really made me laugh, smile and think. I can't wait to read more from this author.

I picked this up via Libby from my local library purely based off the gorgeous cover and it was beautiful. I loved the world that was unrolled before me and how the characters changed and grew.

The Good:
- A different and diverse fantasy. The way leadership was set up was interesting and different from anything I've read before.
- The many facets of the land were beautifully described. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of Swana.
- The ending was just right in that it wrapped certain things up but also created lots of routes the second book could go down.

What Could Have Been Better?:
- I'm aware this is YA but sometimes the characters behaved in ways that seemed too young or out of character.
- Some of the plot lines were more interesting than others and consequently made for different enjoyment levels during different parts of the book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and am looking forward to the sequel which, I believe, is out in August.

Audiobook narrated by Ray Porter.

A fun but poignant sci-fi story with an interesting idea behind it. Bob is revived over 100 years in the future as a virtual consciousness called a replicant with the idea being he will control a space probe with self building capabilities. I loved the idea behind it and how the story spread out.

The Good:
- The book managed to work different moods in well: there were humourous parts, existential and sober thought parts and parts where the wonder of discovery prevails. 
- The way the world had changed was nuanced and believable, if a little sad.
- Bob's development over the book was great and seeing how things spread out was very satisfying. 
- The narrator did a great job and made the book even more enjoyable.

What Could Have Been Better?:
- Some sections of the book felt a little long for the content and probably would have been more enjoyable if shortened.
- It was occasionally a little confusing when switching points of view but this does get more distinct as the plot develops.

I enjoyed this very much and have already dived into book two: For We Are Many.

Audiobook narrated by Chiwetel Ejiofor.

The atmosphere of this book is incredible. The plot follows the sort-of eponymous Piranesi who spends his life living in, roaming and documenting a vast network of intricate, statue-laden halls. How he came to be there and the reality of his world is the main focus of the book. Susanna Clarke shows incredible control of her writing that really brings this story to life.

The good:
- incredibly immersive and visual writing. I truly felt I was within the world portrayed.
- The mystery elements were well done and kept me guessing all the way through.
- Piranesi himself is a fascinating person. Very well sculpted and shown to the reader.
- The book provokes existential thoughts and ideas.

What could have been better?:
- Some of the sections discussing events with side characters felt short. Whilst it definitely fits with the asthetic of the story, I wanted to know more of the backstory of Piranesi and the Halls.

I finished this book almost a week ago now and I'm still thinking about Piranesi. This is a book I will read again in a few years and see if my thoughts are different a second time round.

A surprisingly deep Murderbot short story from the point of view of Dr Mensah. I enjoyed the parts discussing what it means to be a slave and whether being a made sentience/intelligence makes something less of a person. There was also insight into Mensah's mental well-being after the events of Exit Strategy that were well portrayed and made my heart hurt for her a little. Despite all that it was still light-hearted and a fun little dip into the Murderbot world.

Fast-paced, tense and dramatic. One of my favourite Murderbot installments yet and I can't wait to see where the series goes next.

The Good:
- Brilliant tension and pace, no section felt like it was unnecessary or delaying the plot.
- Murderbot's development and interaction with the side characters was lovely to see and show how far they have come since the first novella.
- The ending was well done and it will be interesting to see what path Murderbot takes next.

What could have been better:
- Though it didn't necessarily detract from the story, I would have liked to know more about our main side characters and see their development more. Also, I miss ART!

I have the fifth book on hold from the library and I hope to read it and the newest book soon.