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wordsofclover
CW for just about everything: assault, brutality, gore, violence, sexual assault, stalking
Blindsighted follows Grant County local doctor and coroner Sara as she visits the local diner one afternoon and discovers the victim of a brutal murder in her last moments of life in the bathroom. As Sara and her ex-husband, the local Sheriff, look into the case, another woman goes missing and they realise they are on the case of a serial killer. As Sara struggles to deal with the brutality of the cases, and the memories they bring up of a traumatic moment in her past, she also needs to sort out her feelings for her ex as they work closely together again.
This book is jam-packed with action and a really intriguing crime trail as well as having a series of characters that are full of secrets and past paths that all twisted up with one another. I'm really looking forward to reading more of this series as I liked following the characters in this, and also liked the side characters we met who may have their own story in the future.
While this book is full of really traumatic and unpleasant scenes that are very hard to read, there is also a nice sprinkling of family moments and small town life, as well as a little bit of romance and chemistry.
I really enjoyed this book and felt very glued to the story. I think the trail of who the killer was became very obvious but this also heightened the tension of the story when no-one else knew yet, and I was reading in fear and trepidation for the safety of our main character as she interacted with the killer without realising. It gave a nice (yet heart palpitating) feeling to the story and added to the exhilaration of the crime plot.
Blindsighted follows Grant County local doctor and coroner Sara as she visits the local diner one afternoon and discovers the victim of a brutal murder in her last moments of life in the bathroom. As Sara and her ex-husband, the local Sheriff, look into the case, another woman goes missing and they realise they are on the case of a serial killer. As Sara struggles to deal with the brutality of the cases, and the memories they bring up of a traumatic moment in her past, she also needs to sort out her feelings for her ex as they work closely together again.
This book is jam-packed with action and a really intriguing crime trail as well as having a series of characters that are full of secrets and past paths that all twisted up with one another. I'm really looking forward to reading more of this series as I liked following the characters in this, and also liked the side characters we met who may have their own story in the future.
While this book is full of really traumatic and unpleasant scenes that are very hard to read, there is also a nice sprinkling of family moments and small town life, as well as a little bit of romance and chemistry.
I really enjoyed this book and felt very glued to the story. I think the trail of who the killer was became very obvious but this also heightened the tension of the story when no-one else knew yet, and I was reading in fear and trepidation for the safety of our main character as she interacted with the killer without realising. It gave a nice (yet heart palpitating) feeling to the story and added to the exhilaration of the crime plot.
4.5 stars
Narrated by Roshina Ratnam
An Elephant in my Kitchen is a wonderful non-fiction book about Francoise Malby-Anthony's life running a safari park in South Africa with her husband Lawrence, who wrote The Elephant Whisperer. This book begins shortly after Francoise is devastated by the sudden death of Lawrence and the prospect of running the park alone, and we get to experience different stories about her time in the bush and how her confidence grew and she began to fulfil her dreams.
This book is wonderful for animal lovers and anyone interested in conservation and nature - and perfect for anyone who has dreamed of going on a safari trip and seeing animals like elephants and rhinos in the wild. There are great stories about the different elephants in the herd, including the grumpy matriarch and Francoise's difficult relationship with her, to a rhino who as he gets more used to the wild turns on his human carers.
This book, like any dealing with animals - especially those of endangered species, is extremely heartbreaking at times and when I say extremely, i mean it. It will leave you feeling broken and upset, but also angry and wanting to see a change in the world, and a passion to defend these wonderful creatures.
I 100% recommend the audio version of this book. The stories really suit being told through an audio narration, and Roshina Ratnam's voice is just so soothing - which really helps with some of the really sad parts.
The most tragic story was near the end, and I still felt a bit down and broken about it when I finished the book so I wasn't able to give it 5/5 stars due to this feeling. But maybe when I heal a bit, it will be!
Narrated by Roshina Ratnam
An Elephant in my Kitchen is a wonderful non-fiction book about Francoise Malby-Anthony's life running a safari park in South Africa with her husband Lawrence, who wrote The Elephant Whisperer. This book begins shortly after Francoise is devastated by the sudden death of Lawrence and the prospect of running the park alone, and we get to experience different stories about her time in the bush and how her confidence grew and she began to fulfil her dreams.
This book is wonderful for animal lovers and anyone interested in conservation and nature - and perfect for anyone who has dreamed of going on a safari trip and seeing animals like elephants and rhinos in the wild. There are great stories about the different elephants in the herd, including the grumpy matriarch and Francoise's difficult relationship with her, to a rhino who as he gets more used to the wild turns on his human carers.
This book, like any dealing with animals - especially those of endangered species, is extremely heartbreaking at times and when I say extremely, i mean it. It will leave you feeling broken and upset, but also angry and wanting to see a change in the world, and a passion to defend these wonderful creatures.
I 100% recommend the audio version of this book. The stories really suit being told through an audio narration, and Roshina Ratnam's voice is just so soothing - which really helps with some of the really sad parts.
The most tragic story was near the end, and I still felt a bit down and broken about it when I finished the book so I wasn't able to give it 5/5 stars due to this feeling. But maybe when I heal a bit, it will be!
I received a copy of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Hetty, Reese and Byatt live on an island off the coast of Maine where they were sent to boarding school, and are now trapped thanks to a mysterious illness they call The Toxthat turns animals wild with viciousness and hunger, and gives the girls strange deformities like skin over an eye, a second spine, weird bruises and blisters etc. When something happens to her friend, Hetty begins asking questions and that combined with a new job with more responsibility, makes Hetty become aware of questions she needs to ask about the illness and how they will ever survive it.
This is a great book full of some strong female characters who know how to fight, bite, scratch and shoot without a moment's hesitation. Hetty was a great character to follow - full of fight but also full of love for her friends - her best friend Byatt, and her love interest Reese. I enjoyed the journey to figuring out what was going on, and I feel like we didn't get to know too much, but also just enough to keep a reader really intrigued about where the story would go.
The story felt a little bit wild in all of the best ways due to the violent, strong comes first society the girls now live in with only two teachers to really exert any control or order over them. It's always fun, and a little scary, to think how quickly society can adapt and change to crazy things.
I enjoyed the romance in this book. It's subtle and doesn't take over the actual need to survive and fight but also has all the gentle tendencies and self-doubt that young love brings and it was nice to see this side of the girls too.
Hetty, Reese and Byatt live on an island off the coast of Maine where they were sent to boarding school, and are now trapped thanks to a mysterious illness they call The Toxthat turns animals wild with viciousness and hunger, and gives the girls strange deformities like skin over an eye, a second spine, weird bruises and blisters etc. When something happens to her friend, Hetty begins asking questions and that combined with a new job with more responsibility, makes Hetty become aware of questions she needs to ask about the illness and how they will ever survive it.
This is a great book full of some strong female characters who know how to fight, bite, scratch and shoot without a moment's hesitation. Hetty was a great character to follow - full of fight but also full of love for her friends - her best friend Byatt, and her love interest Reese. I enjoyed the journey to figuring out what was going on, and I feel like we didn't get to know too much, but also just enough to keep a reader really intrigued about where the story would go.
The story felt a little bit wild in all of the best ways due to the violent, strong comes first society the girls now live in with only two teachers to really exert any control or order over them. It's always fun, and a little scary, to think how quickly society can adapt and change to crazy things.
I enjoyed the romance in this book. It's subtle and doesn't take over the actual need to survive and fight but also has all the gentle tendencies and self-doubt that young love brings and it was nice to see this side of the girls too.
So happy I read this so early in the year and already have my five-star read and probably one of my favourite reads of 2020 already! Mary Robinson is just a gem!
In Climate Justice, Mary Robinson talks to different people (mostly female, POC and from indigenous tribes across the world) about the actual effects they have seen, lived through and battled of climate change and how it has changed their daily way of life. From women in Chad who have suffered both flooding and drought, and people believing the devastation was the wrath of God as they had no idea what climate change was, to an indigenous tribe in Eastern Europe whose reindeer are starving due to the effects of freezing and refreezing ice on tree lichen. The book also takes a look at working class people who depend on the fossil fuel industry to live, and how these people can be brought into the renewable sector without being left behind and left jobless/penniless, as well as privileged women in Australia who do their best everyday with a few household changes.
Mary Robinson says in this book, and in other media, that climate change is a human rights issue when you see how those most effected are generally people in lower class communities, and often those in POC communities and women fighting for their families. Women are agents of change, and can be so powerful with their voices when they speak up and begin to enact change. This book is full of stark realities about climate change, but is also full of hope, feminism and justice.
I loved reading the different stories - from islands in the Pacific, to New Orleans and Australia (it was particularly poignant reading about how bushfires a few years ago sparked change knowing now the devastation that has happened in recent months). I found each story was no more important than the next and everyone had so much important things to say, and how easy it is for those speaking to be drowned out by world leaders' voices - people from whose country wreck the most damage and are at most cause to what is happening in poorer, smaller countries.
A great book about climate change, and the people we need to start fighting for as well as ourselves.
In Climate Justice, Mary Robinson talks to different people (mostly female, POC and from indigenous tribes across the world) about the actual effects they have seen, lived through and battled of climate change and how it has changed their daily way of life. From women in Chad who have suffered both flooding and drought, and people believing the devastation was the wrath of God as they had no idea what climate change was, to an indigenous tribe in Eastern Europe whose reindeer are starving due to the effects of freezing and refreezing ice on tree lichen. The book also takes a look at working class people who depend on the fossil fuel industry to live, and how these people can be brought into the renewable sector without being left behind and left jobless/penniless, as well as privileged women in Australia who do their best everyday with a few household changes.
Mary Robinson says in this book, and in other media, that climate change is a human rights issue when you see how those most effected are generally people in lower class communities, and often those in POC communities and women fighting for their families. Women are agents of change, and can be so powerful with their voices when they speak up and begin to enact change. This book is full of stark realities about climate change, but is also full of hope, feminism and justice.
I loved reading the different stories - from islands in the Pacific, to New Orleans and Australia (it was particularly poignant reading about how bushfires a few years ago sparked change knowing now the devastation that has happened in recent months). I found each story was no more important than the next and everyone had so much important things to say, and how easy it is for those speaking to be drowned out by world leaders' voices - people from whose country wreck the most damage and are at most cause to what is happening in poorer, smaller countries.
A great book about climate change, and the people we need to start fighting for as well as ourselves.
4.5 stars
A fast-paced, addictive domestic suspense novel that honestly left me on the edge of my seat until I had read every last page!
Livia and Adam married young, and have struggled for a long time before settling into the comfortable life they have now with their two children Josh and Marnie. Livia is about to celebrate her fortieth birthday with a lavish party - the type of celebration she's been dreaming off for years - and her daughter is planning to return home from studying abroad to surprise her. But Livia is praying that Marnie won't come because she knows something terrible about her daughter. In the hours of the party, Adam also learns a different, terrible, secret and the two dance around each other for the whole night, holding inside of them bombs that could ruin their family forever.
This was such a good book with such a pleasant, innocent setting - the family home - but with two people who know and love each other so much but are afraid to communicate in case they ruin each other's lives forever. I loved the back and forth style of the narrative, and how it jumped from character to character as we learn everything Livia and Adam know about different family secrets. I honestly felt for them both so much, particularly Adam as the truth he was holding was so awfully tragic, I couldn't blame him for not saying anything.
I really liked the emotion that came out in this story. I really felt the love in the family unit - particularly between Livia and Adam who have had a tough start to life becoming pregnant very young and forced into a marriage before they were ready.
While this isn't a psychological thriller like other BA Paris books I've loved, like The Break Down, it like all of her books just grasped me and didn't let me go until I had devoured the entire book whole.
This book, in my opinion, would also make an excellent screenplay for an on-stage adaption as there would only be the need for one set - the house and the garden - and different lighting for past and present. It would be so, so, good and I need this to happen!
A fast-paced, addictive domestic suspense novel that honestly left me on the edge of my seat until I had read every last page!
Livia and Adam married young, and have struggled for a long time before settling into the comfortable life they have now with their two children Josh and Marnie. Livia is about to celebrate her fortieth birthday with a lavish party - the type of celebration she's been dreaming off for years - and her daughter is planning to return home from studying abroad to surprise her. But Livia is praying that Marnie won't come because she knows something terrible about her daughter. In the hours of the party, Adam also learns a different, terrible, secret and the two dance around each other for the whole night, holding inside of them bombs that could ruin their family forever.
This was such a good book with such a pleasant, innocent setting - the family home - but with two people who know and love each other so much but are afraid to communicate in case they ruin each other's lives forever. I loved the back and forth style of the narrative, and how it jumped from character to character as we learn everything Livia and Adam know about different family secrets. I honestly felt for them both so much, particularly Adam as the truth he was holding was so awfully tragic, I couldn't blame him for not saying anything.
I really liked the emotion that came out in this story. I really felt the love in the family unit - particularly between Livia and Adam who have had a tough start to life becoming pregnant very young and forced into a marriage before they were ready.
While this isn't a psychological thriller like other BA Paris books I've loved, like The Break Down, it like all of her books just grasped me and didn't let me go until I had devoured the entire book whole.
This book, in my opinion, would also make an excellent screenplay for an on-stage adaption as there would only be the need for one set - the house and the garden - and different lighting for past and present. It would be so, so, good and I need this to happen!
I received this book from Jo Fletcher Books in exchange for an honest review.
In the city of Tevanne, four merchant houses rule, well, everything. They are able to place certain magic on objects, called scriving, which can makes things more powerful than what they really are. However, in the places in between each house quarters, the Commons is ruled by criminals and people struggling to survive without any form of magic. When Sancia takes a job that could cure all her problems, she ends up in even bigger trouble when the object she steals ends up more valuable than she could ever imagine. Teaming up with a group of misfits, Sancia and her new comrades prepare to take on the biggest heist imaginable and potentially change the city as they know it.
This is a really well-written, well-thought out fantasy book that right from the start delivers attitude, atmosphere and characters you can't wait to read more from. Straight away we are delivered into a city with a rich history and a huge array of leading figures and characters.
This is definitely a book you need to devote time to, and as a reader, you need to give the book a chance to deliver its rich world and knowledge to you. Scriving is a magical skill that seems to have so many parts to it to make it happen, and even then it's not fully explainable - so it can be challenging to begin reading the book and not fully understand what is happening. But gradually, it all begins to click into place.
I really loved all the characters we got from Sancia and Clef to Gregor, Berenice and Orso. We're left with loads fulfilled and changed but so much more yet to come. I'm really excited to see what Shorefall brings.
I think this book is perfect for fans of The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch!
In the city of Tevanne, four merchant houses rule, well, everything. They are able to place certain magic on objects, called scriving, which can makes things more powerful than what they really are. However, in the places in between each house quarters, the Commons is ruled by criminals and people struggling to survive without any form of magic. When Sancia takes a job that could cure all her problems, she ends up in even bigger trouble when the object she steals ends up more valuable than she could ever imagine. Teaming up with a group of misfits, Sancia and her new comrades prepare to take on the biggest heist imaginable and potentially change the city as they know it.
This is a really well-written, well-thought out fantasy book that right from the start delivers attitude, atmosphere and characters you can't wait to read more from. Straight away we are delivered into a city with a rich history and a huge array of leading figures and characters.
This is definitely a book you need to devote time to, and as a reader, you need to give the book a chance to deliver its rich world and knowledge to you. Scriving is a magical skill that seems to have so many parts to it to make it happen, and even then it's not fully explainable - so it can be challenging to begin reading the book and not fully understand what is happening. But gradually, it all begins to click into place.
I really loved all the characters we got from Sancia and Clef to Gregor, Berenice and Orso. We're left with loads fulfilled and changed but so much more yet to come. I'm really excited to see what Shorefall brings.
I think this book is perfect for fans of The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch!
3.5 stars
I received this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Joan Guildford was one of the lady-in-waitings in Queen Elizabeth's court during King Henry VII's reign, and helped her friend the Queen throughout numerous challenges including her marriage, the births and deaths of children and a lot of political upheaval in between - including the emergence of a boy claiming to be Elizabeth's brother Richard - and heir to the throne.
This was a nice historical fiction which I enjoyed reading. I knew nothing about Joan Guildford, and I liked her voice (though at times she was a little bit of a Plain Jane), and the events she encountered. I know a good bit about this time in history through other fiction and non-fiction books I've read, so I wasn't completely excited in different parts of this book and I felt some exciting things were generally happening off page due to Joan obviously not being involved in action due to her gender, and also sometimes being away from court as well and at home with her children.
One of the interesting parts of this book was Joan's life living in the Tower of London due to her husband's position and it was just cool to hear about what that was like. While I feel Joan's obsession with the ravens was never really explained, and sometimes the way she would always bring back everything to the ravens could be tedious, I still liked learning about the bird's history and connection to the Tower of London.
Some storylines felt a bit flat for me - such as the weird antagonistic relationship between Joan and Henry Wyatt. The fact it went on so long, and things only happened between them two or three times in the span of over 10 years, it felt like a storyline that didn't really need to be included.
I did enjoy this writing, and would read more of Joanna's books. I would love another book about Joan's later life as we only got a bit here, and I think her time with Princess Mary in France, and during King Henry's reign would be very interesting to read about.
I received this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Joan Guildford was one of the lady-in-waitings in Queen Elizabeth's court during King Henry VII's reign, and helped her friend the Queen throughout numerous challenges including her marriage, the births and deaths of children and a lot of political upheaval in between - including the emergence of a boy claiming to be Elizabeth's brother Richard - and heir to the throne.
This was a nice historical fiction which I enjoyed reading. I knew nothing about Joan Guildford, and I liked her voice (though at times she was a little bit of a Plain Jane), and the events she encountered. I know a good bit about this time in history through other fiction and non-fiction books I've read, so I wasn't completely excited in different parts of this book and I felt some exciting things were generally happening off page due to Joan obviously not being involved in action due to her gender, and also sometimes being away from court as well and at home with her children.
One of the interesting parts of this book was Joan's life living in the Tower of London due to her husband's position and it was just cool to hear about what that was like. While I feel Joan's obsession with the ravens was never really explained, and sometimes the way she would always bring back everything to the ravens could be tedious, I still liked learning about the bird's history and connection to the Tower of London.
Some storylines felt a bit flat for me - such as the weird antagonistic relationship between Joan and Henry Wyatt. The fact it went on so long, and things only happened between them two or three times in the span of over 10 years, it felt like a storyline that didn't really need to be included.
I did enjoy this writing, and would read more of Joanna's books. I would love another book about Joan's later life as we only got a bit here, and I think her time with Princess Mary in France, and during King Henry's reign would be very interesting to read about.
Narrated on audiobook by Kimberly Farr. 5/5 stars for the audiobook, Kimberly Farr is a brilliant narrator and I really feel she made this book for me. The way she narrated each chapter was wonderful, and I really think she captured every person's voice and feelings perfectly. The way her voice softened in different places, and harsher in others depending on the character's thoughts and feelings was just wonderful, and so skilfully done.
I really enjoyed this book, and I really see what everyone means when they talk about Elizabeth Strout's writing. I have read My Name is Lucy Barton but the way Strout writes places and characters is really strong in Olive Kitteridge. The complexities of peoples' relationships with each others, and all the thoughts, feelings, and intricacies that equal just living life, and having a zest for living, really comes across so well.
Oliver Kitteridge isn't a particularly pleasant character, yet she's someone you come to love - even if it's for her straight-talking! Seeing her from other people's perspectives, from her long-suffering husband, neighbours and others who may not like her so much was so interesting, and I loved everyone's different stories and peeking into their lives. I feel like I was looking into a dollhouse of the Maine town, and each chapter was a light on in a different room.
I can't wait to read Olive, Again, because I have not had enough of Olive Kitteridge yet!
I really enjoyed this book, and I really see what everyone means when they talk about Elizabeth Strout's writing. I have read My Name is Lucy Barton but the way Strout writes places and characters is really strong in Olive Kitteridge. The complexities of peoples' relationships with each others, and all the thoughts, feelings, and intricacies that equal just living life, and having a zest for living, really comes across so well.
Oliver Kitteridge isn't a particularly pleasant character, yet she's someone you come to love - even if it's for her straight-talking! Seeing her from other people's perspectives, from her long-suffering husband, neighbours and others who may not like her so much was so interesting, and I loved everyone's different stories and peeking into their lives. I feel like I was looking into a dollhouse of the Maine town, and each chapter was a light on in a different room.
I can't wait to read Olive, Again, because I have not had enough of Olive Kitteridge yet!
Luna loves her job and is a happy-go-lucky person which is a surprise considering the tough upbringing she had as a child and the fact she has been fending herself since she was 18, and pretty much raised her three younger sisters by herself. Luna has avoided relationships but harbors a secret crush on her older boss Rip, who is gruff and cold. But as things begin to go wrong in Luna's life, she begins to see a warmer side of Rip as he becomes the person she can depend on.
This is a really slow burn romance which is Mariana Zapata's forte but when I say slow burn, I mean sloowwwwwww burn. I really liked the build-up of the romance between Luna and Rip and I like that they already had a bit of a past, having worked together for a few years. They both also had secrets they were keeping hidden about their pasts, and there was a lot of similarities between them while also being enough differences that the interactions between them were fun to watch.
Luna is a lovely character but there were times she seemed a bit unbelievable considering all the crap going on in her life, and how badly literally everyone in her life treated her. It was really hard reading about how her sisters just walked all over her and treated her so, so badly. And frustrating that Luna always just let things lie and never seemed to stand up to herself properly.
There's a large enough age gap between Luna and Rip which some people may not like but I didn't mind. I did have a little bit of a problem with the romance which is more so just that Rip is not my type of guy. When I'm reading romance, I like to have the warm and fuzzies about the main love interest and I didn't really find this with Rip EXCEPT when he called Luna 'baby girl' which made me melt into my socks.
I liked this book but there were times it was very, very slow and the romance literally doesn't actually happen till about 95% into the story.
This is a really slow burn romance which is Mariana Zapata's forte but when I say slow burn, I mean sloowwwwwww burn. I really liked the build-up of the romance between Luna and Rip and I like that they already had a bit of a past, having worked together for a few years. They both also had secrets they were keeping hidden about their pasts, and there was a lot of similarities between them while also being enough differences that the interactions between them were fun to watch.
Luna is a lovely character but there were times she seemed a bit unbelievable considering all the crap going on in her life, and how badly literally everyone in her life treated her. It was really hard reading about how her sisters just walked all over her and treated her so, so badly. And frustrating that Luna always just let things lie and never seemed to stand up to herself properly.
There's a large enough age gap between Luna and Rip which some people may not like but I didn't mind. I did have a little bit of a problem with the romance which is more so just that Rip is not my type of guy. When I'm reading romance, I like to have the warm and fuzzies about the main love interest and I didn't really find this with Rip EXCEPT when he called Luna 'baby girl' which made me melt into my socks.
I liked this book but there were times it was very, very slow and the romance literally doesn't actually happen till about 95% into the story.