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totallytales's Reviews (1.9k)
So ludicrous it is laughable...
It is certainly the most insane reason I've ever read for killing 5 people!
It is certainly the most insane reason I've ever read for killing 5 people!
Fabulous, feel-good romance!
Natalie and Will were brilliant together and their misadventures and the sharp, snappy banter had me greedily turning the pages to find out it ended.
I was swept from my cosy reading spot to Marrakech, the sumptuous descriptions felt authentic and vivid, I felt like I was really there.
It just missed out on 5⭐ because I found it a bit slow to start with, though I'm glad I stuck with it because it soon picked up and I was hooked.
Overall, an entertaining rom-com with the perfect setting and wittiness. Perfect for curling up in the garden on a sunny afternoon.
A huge thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for gifting me a copy in return for an open & honest review.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Natalie and Will were brilliant together and their misadventures and the sharp, snappy banter had me greedily turning the pages to find out it ended.
I was swept from my cosy reading spot to Marrakech, the sumptuous descriptions felt authentic and vivid, I felt like I was really there.
It just missed out on 5⭐ because I found it a bit slow to start with, though I'm glad I stuck with it because it soon picked up and I was hooked.
Overall, an entertaining rom-com with the perfect setting and wittiness. Perfect for curling up in the garden on a sunny afternoon.
A huge thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for gifting me a copy in return for an open & honest review.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
A chilling debut packed with twists & turns.
I love the premise of this novel, it was an interesting unique story, split between to timelines present-day and 16 years earlier when the girls went missing. It kept me guessing until the very end.
The relationship Leah had with her son Luke is so heartwarming and Bunty was a fabulous stand out character smart and funny she provided the perfect tonic for the unsettlings, disturbing events happening to Leah.
It missed out on 5⭐because it was a slow burner, to begin with, although the pace picks up in the second half.
Overall, a creepy debut well worth a read for all psychological thriller fans!
A huge thanks to Katya Ellis & Quercus Books for gifting me a copy in return for an open & honest review.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⠀⠀
I love the premise of this novel, it was an interesting unique story, split between to timelines present-day and 16 years earlier when the girls went missing. It kept me guessing until the very end.
The relationship Leah had with her son Luke is so heartwarming and Bunty was a fabulous stand out character smart and funny she provided the perfect tonic for the unsettlings, disturbing events happening to Leah.
It missed out on 5⭐because it was a slow burner, to begin with, although the pace picks up in the second half.
Overall, a creepy debut well worth a read for all psychological thriller fans!
A huge thanks to Katya Ellis & Quercus Books for gifting me a copy in return for an open & honest review.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⠀⠀
A beautifully written novel.
The gloomy dark, relentlessness of nature around this Newfoundland cove is vividly portrayed. I enjoyed the gorgeous language and the unique Newfoundland-isms within fascinating, to pick one of many the idea of a person being ''grumbletonian'' really tickled me.
I loved Ada and Evered's relationship at the beginning but as the characters and the plot develops my own reader's comfortability is pushed too far (think raw, unsettling). The key thing to remember is they are innocent and it is understandable in the context of this novel - I do understand why, but it is and will always remain an exploration I don't care to read about.
Overall, this book would make an incredible book club read as it is certain to provoke conversation. Crummey's powerful, lyrical writing resonates and I'll certainly hunt out and read his previous books.
A huge thanks to Anne Cater & No Exit Press for gifting me a copy in return for an open & honest review.
⭐⭐⭐
The gloomy dark, relentlessness of nature around this Newfoundland cove is vividly portrayed. I enjoyed the gorgeous language and the unique Newfoundland-isms within fascinating, to pick one of many the idea of a person being ''grumbletonian'' really tickled me.
I loved Ada and Evered's relationship at the beginning but as the characters and the plot develops my own reader's comfortability is pushed too far (think raw, unsettling). The key thing to remember is they are innocent and it is understandable in the context of this novel - I do understand why, but it is and will always remain an exploration I don't care to read about.
Overall, this book would make an incredible book club read as it is certain to provoke conversation. Crummey's powerful, lyrical writing resonates and I'll certainly hunt out and read his previous books.
A huge thanks to Anne Cater & No Exit Press for gifting me a copy in return for an open & honest review.
⭐⭐⭐
A complex, character-driven & moving debut!
This novel is a slow-burner but it creeps up on you and pulls at your heartstrings. Set over the course of one evening in a dive bar on the edge of town main character Emma is musing the life and loss, she wasn't always alone but she is now.... why? what happened?
The writing is all-encompassing, amusing in places, and heartbreaking in others. There are some brilliant lines in the book, I found myself highlighting throughout it is so quotable.
"You can worry all you want, but you'll never predict the thing that will destroy you."
The atmosphere in the bar is perfectly captured, you can easily imagine you are sitting right there, part of the community.
It's ending is devastating but it leaves you with a sense of hopefulness. There is only so far you can run before you have to confront your emotions in order to move forward.
This is a fascinating accomplished debut! Perfect for fans of Celeste Ng. I can't wait to see what Bruno does next.
A huge thanks to Anne Cater & Scribner for gifting me a copy in return for an open & honest review.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
This novel is a slow-burner but it creeps up on you and pulls at your heartstrings. Set over the course of one evening in a dive bar on the edge of town main character Emma is musing the life and loss, she wasn't always alone but she is now.... why? what happened?
The writing is all-encompassing, amusing in places, and heartbreaking in others. There are some brilliant lines in the book, I found myself highlighting throughout it is so quotable.
"You can worry all you want, but you'll never predict the thing that will destroy you."
The atmosphere in the bar is perfectly captured, you can easily imagine you are sitting right there, part of the community.
It's ending is devastating but it leaves you with a sense of hopefulness. There is only so far you can run before you have to confront your emotions in order to move forward.
This is a fascinating accomplished debut! Perfect for fans of Celeste Ng. I can't wait to see what Bruno does next.
A huge thanks to Anne Cater & Scribner for gifting me a copy in return for an open & honest review.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
A gritty, dark & twisty novel!
'Sometimes what is underground should stay buried...' what a tagline! This novel is intriguing from the start and I didn't want to put it down until the end.
Bilal's writing is engrossing & filled with tense moments. I love Drake & Crane as lead characters they have a really interesting dysfunctional dynamic.
It just missed out on 5⭐because found it dragged slightly at some of the financial details but otherwise it was an engrossing read.
The perfect read for crime fans looking for more than the routine thrills. I certainly will be looking out for the next book in the Drake & Crane series.
This is book two in the series, I didn't feel at a disadvantage having not read the first installment, I think The Heights can certainly be read as a standalone but I am off to find it so I read it now and I don't miss out.
A huge thanks to Anne Cater & Black Thorn for gifting me a copy in return for an open & honest review.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Sometimes what is underground should stay buried...' what a tagline! This novel is intriguing from the start and I didn't want to put it down until the end.
Bilal's writing is engrossing & filled with tense moments. I love Drake & Crane as lead characters they have a really interesting dysfunctional dynamic.
It just missed out on 5⭐because found it dragged slightly at some of the financial details but otherwise it was an engrossing read.
The perfect read for crime fans looking for more than the routine thrills. I certainly will be looking out for the next book in the Drake & Crane series.
This is book two in the series, I didn't feel at a disadvantage having not read the first installment, I think The Heights can certainly be read as a standalone but I am off to find it so I read it now and I don't miss out.
A huge thanks to Anne Cater & Black Thorn for gifting me a copy in return for an open & honest review.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
There is a line from the novel: "So much passion simmering under the surface of things'' It is one that perfectly captures how I felt about it. It is a very reflective read with a lot of the depth coming from all the things left unsaid.
I loved being transported to India the sense of place drawn is so vivid and colourful, you can easily imagine you are there alongside Byrd and Jamshed. Ooty is given enough depth is it certainly a character in its own right by the end of the novel.
I felt disappointed by the ending, it felt flat and rushed to me in comparison to the rest of the story.
I read this as part of the Tandem readalong and it went down like marmite some loved it some not so much but it provided great topics of conversation so would make a brilliant book club pick.
A huge thanks to Tandem Collective & Granta Books for gifting me a copy in return for an open & honest review.
⭐⭐⭐
I loved being transported to India the sense of place drawn is so vivid and colourful, you can easily imagine you are there alongside Byrd and Jamshed. Ooty is given enough depth is it certainly a character in its own right by the end of the novel.
I felt disappointed by the ending, it felt flat and rushed to me in comparison to the rest of the story.
I read this as part of the Tandem readalong and it went down like marmite some loved it some not so much but it provided great topics of conversation so would make a brilliant book club pick.
A huge thanks to Tandem Collective & Granta Books for gifting me a copy in return for an open & honest review.
⭐⭐⭐