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Beloved Poison follows Jem Flockhart - an apothecary working in St Saviours hospital in the 1800s, with a secret. Jen is actually Jemima but has pretended to be a man her entire life in order to inherit and continue her father’s apothecary business. When Jem finds six tiny coffins in the abandoned church in the hospital, and people begin showing up dead, she knows she has a mystery on her hand and with the help of her architect friend Will, sets out to solve it.
This was a really, really interesting book and I highly enjoyed my reading experience of it. First off, the main plot of the coffins and murders is expertly crafted and the horror of it is weaved magically throughout the books. The tone of the book is set very early on with the discovery of the coffins, which contains small dolls soaked in blood. I really enjoyed figuring out the mystery with Jem and while normally I feel like I have a strong idea on who the mysterious killer is, this time I really had no clue. I was jumping between all the characters.
This book mixes horror and delight in equal measure. It has a strong gothic horror feel to it, and there were times it had me squirming in my boots. From the doctor’s body being gleefully used for ‘medical science’ by his nemesis, cracked open, bones boiled, the lot to Jem touching tongues with a corpse to taste the last thing they had eaten. SHUDDER!
And now I want to talk about Jem because I found her fascinating. I’m going to be using female pronouns for her as when she was talking about herself it’s what she used and she did describe herself as a woman typically, though once she did use the term a “man trapped in a woman’s body.” I would definitely class Jem as being on the queer spectrum but I wouldn’t necessarily call her transgender as she was forced into the role by her father when she was young - she is very tall and broad with large hands and feet and so doesn’t seem to have a problem passing as a man. I also should mention her birthmark which covers the top half of her face - the writing about this was also really great and the little tics Jem has to ‘hide herself’ away from the world and how people tend to view her when they see the birthmark (though again, they probably would view a man with this birthmark better than if she was a woman). I found Thomson’s writing of Jem absolutely fascinating and fantastic. Most of the time, I almost forgot myself that Jem was a woman! It was really excellent writing.
The only reason I didn’t give this five stars is because of all the foreshadowing. There was just too much of it and it spoiled the story a little bit for me. There were so many times Jem was describing a scene and then would say something along the lines of “if only I knew then what I know now…” and it was just too much really.
I really, really loved this one though and would 100% recommend. I can’t wait for more books in this series!
This was a really, really interesting book and I highly enjoyed my reading experience of it. First off, the main plot of the coffins and murders is expertly crafted and the horror of it is weaved magically throughout the books. The tone of the book is set very early on with the discovery of the coffins, which contains small dolls soaked in blood. I really enjoyed figuring out the mystery with Jem and while normally I feel like I have a strong idea on who the mysterious killer is, this time I really had no clue. I was jumping between all the characters.
This book mixes horror and delight in equal measure. It has a strong gothic horror feel to it, and there were times it had me squirming in my boots. From the doctor’s body being gleefully used for ‘medical science’ by his nemesis, cracked open, bones boiled, the lot to Jem touching tongues with a corpse to taste the last thing they had eaten. SHUDDER!
And now I want to talk about Jem because I found her fascinating. I’m going to be using female pronouns for her as when she was talking about herself it’s what she used and she did describe herself as a woman typically, though once she did use the term a “man trapped in a woman’s body.” I would definitely class Jem as being on the queer spectrum but I wouldn’t necessarily call her transgender as she was forced into the role by her father when she was young - she is very tall and broad with large hands and feet and so doesn’t seem to have a problem passing as a man. I also should mention her birthmark which covers the top half of her face - the writing about this was also really great and the little tics Jem has to ‘hide herself’ away from the world and how people tend to view her when they see the birthmark (though again, they probably would view a man with this birthmark better than if she was a woman). I found Thomson’s writing of Jem absolutely fascinating and fantastic. Most of the time, I almost forgot myself that Jem was a woman! It was really excellent writing.
The only reason I didn’t give this five stars is because of all the foreshadowing. There was just too much of it and it spoiled the story a little bit for me. There were so many times Jem was describing a scene and then would say something along the lines of “if only I knew then what I know now…” and it was just too much really.
I really, really loved this one though and would 100% recommend. I can’t wait for more books in this series!
I received this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
CW: Attempted date rape, mental health decline (bipolar episodes/hallucinations/ intrusive thoughts), suicidal ideation, talk about previous suicide attempt and witnessed suicide. A lot of drug use and casual sex.
When Alice ends up finding a mysterious invitation to an elite party called Wonderland in her search to find the missing Bunny, she knows she must go and ends up in a world of trouble and highly privileged teenagers. Avoiding ending up on social media site Caterpillr, getting high with the Tweedle twins and being followed around by a mysterious girl she calls Cat is a lot of work - and Alice has her own issues to be dealing with, and keep hidden as well.
Juno Dawson honestly can't do any wrong. Once again, she brings forward a character who is so likeable yet tough, and has so much depth to her. I really enjoyed following Alice through her time in Wonderland (the part takes place over a long weekend so the pacing of the novel is fast which I also liked) and her thought process around different things. All of Alice's fears and then the joys she takes by plunging over the edge were all so sharp and kept me gripped to the end.
There was also some fun mentions and cameos of other characters from other Juno Dawson's books in this one. Lexi from Clean is mentioned a few times, as Alice's school crowd ran with her or knew of her, and Felicity from Margot & Me is actually Alice's therapist which was a small scene but it was SO lovely seeing Felicity again!
Alice is a transwoman, and is pansexual in this book, and I really loved seeing this representation and how Alice talked about her gender identity, and the ups and downs she's had to go through and then also her slow realisation on her sexuality and realising she is also pan. She has sexual relationships with both men and women in this book, and we love to see it! There were some real discussions about the daily upkeeps and things trans girls have to think about when they have transitioned but haven't had an operation such as tucking and I haven't seen that I a book before.
I also loved how accepting everyone was and really do think and hope that the way most people react when Alice confirms she's trans, is how people will continue to react in the future and it won't actually be a real deal. And Alice's realisation that she can meet people who are attracted to her and the genitalia she has, or doesn't have, doesn't actually make a difference to the desire and the sexual relationship she can have with people.
There was one small chapter in this book which was a bathroom scene, and a list of questions Alice was asked about her trans identity and it was so much but also so enlightening. It was exhausting to read and I really wish people, certain people who shall remain nameless, could read such a chapter and realise the type of questions the trans community deal with on a daily basis when all they want to do is urinate in peace.
The Alice in Wonderland references and connections in this book are very in your face but I really liked it, and it was just a fun thing throughout the book. And even though the connections were really obvious, I still felt clever when I connected them up with the classic tale.
I really felt like Alice had a lot of growth in herself and her confidence in her own identity and continuing to travel the world as a proud, beautiful woman and not being afraid to step up and be seen.
Juno Dawson's books are YA but are aimed at mature teenagers rather than 13/14 year olds and I love that. I really feel like Juno understands the teenagers who are reading her books and created characters that while are going through so much, can be really relatable and are good people. She knows that teenagers will understand and be able to handle the darker parts of her stories and doesn't condescend or try and cocoon them in fluff and bubble wrap like precious beings that could break at the slightest mention of a penis or popping pills.
Juno Dawson remains one of my favourite writers and I CANNOT recommend her books enough.
CW: Attempted date rape, mental health decline (bipolar episodes/hallucinations/ intrusive thoughts), suicidal ideation, talk about previous suicide attempt and witnessed suicide. A lot of drug use and casual sex.
When Alice ends up finding a mysterious invitation to an elite party called Wonderland in her search to find the missing Bunny, she knows she must go and ends up in a world of trouble and highly privileged teenagers. Avoiding ending up on social media site Caterpillr, getting high with the Tweedle twins and being followed around by a mysterious girl she calls Cat is a lot of work - and Alice has her own issues to be dealing with, and keep hidden as well.
Juno Dawson honestly can't do any wrong. Once again, she brings forward a character who is so likeable yet tough, and has so much depth to her. I really enjoyed following Alice through her time in Wonderland (the part takes place over a long weekend so the pacing of the novel is fast which I also liked) and her thought process around different things. All of Alice's fears and then the joys she takes by plunging over the edge were all so sharp and kept me gripped to the end.
There was also some fun mentions and cameos of other characters from other Juno Dawson's books in this one. Lexi from Clean is mentioned a few times, as Alice's school crowd ran with her or knew of her, and Felicity from Margot & Me is actually Alice's therapist which was a small scene but it was SO lovely seeing Felicity again!
Alice is a transwoman, and is pansexual in this book, and I really loved seeing this representation and how Alice talked about her gender identity, and the ups and downs she's had to go through and then also her slow realisation on her sexuality and realising she is also pan. She has sexual relationships with both men and women in this book, and we love to see it! There were some real discussions about the daily upkeeps and things trans girls have to think about when they have transitioned but haven't had an operation such as tucking and I haven't seen that I a book before.
I also loved how accepting everyone was and really do think and hope that the way most people react when Alice confirms she's trans, is how people will continue to react in the future and it won't actually be a real deal. And Alice's realisation that she can meet people who are attracted to her and the genitalia she has, or doesn't have, doesn't actually make a difference to the desire and the sexual relationship she can have with people.
There was one small chapter in this book which was a bathroom scene, and a list of questions Alice was asked about her trans identity and it was so much but also so enlightening. It was exhausting to read and I really wish people, certain people who shall remain nameless, could read such a chapter and realise the type of questions the trans community deal with on a daily basis when all they want to do is urinate in peace.
The Alice in Wonderland references and connections in this book are very in your face but I really liked it, and it was just a fun thing throughout the book. And even though the connections were really obvious, I still felt clever when I connected them up with the classic tale.
I really felt like Alice had a lot of growth in herself and her confidence in her own identity and continuing to travel the world as a proud, beautiful woman and not being afraid to step up and be seen.
Juno Dawson's books are YA but are aimed at mature teenagers rather than 13/14 year olds and I love that. I really feel like Juno understands the teenagers who are reading her books and created characters that while are going through so much, can be really relatable and are good people. She knows that teenagers will understand and be able to handle the darker parts of her stories and doesn't condescend or try and cocoon them in fluff and bubble wrap like precious beings that could break at the slightest mention of a penis or popping pills.
Juno Dawson remains one of my favourite writers and I CANNOT recommend her books enough.
I received this book from Amulet/Abrams & Chronicle in exchange for an honest review.
Genie Lo has just become the new Guardian of California, appointed by the Jade Emperor himself and now on top of deciding where she wants to go to college, and what exactly she wants to do with her life, she needs to babysit a bunch of Chinese demons called yaoguai stuck on earth and under her control. But even more evil is coming her way, and Genie may have to team up again with her boyfriend Quentin aka the Monkey King and Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin to defeat it.
This was a fun sequel to The Epic Crush of Genie Lo, and continued Genie and Quentin's adventures together as demon squashing, couple goals. I enjoyed the deeper look into Chinese folklore which I loved learning about in the first book, and I appreciated that we learned about a few more legends in this one, and there was an appearance of a few more Gods as well.
I definitely think this book lacked some kind of energy that the first one had, and definitely didn't shine quite as brightly for me as The Epic Crush did. I don't think Genie had that much more character progression as she did in the first as well, and The Epic Crush could have been left as a stand alone without any real damage being done to the overall story. This book also takes places over a shorter period of time (one long weekend versus the several months of the first) but the pacing felt a lot slower for some reason.
I do still love Genie's friendships in this book - particularly with Yunie, and we see her friendship with Guanyin really deepen in this one as well which is lovely. I can't see speak for the representation in this book but I appreciate how much I learned from it and the new zest I have tor read more stories based on Chinese folklore as it's so entertaining and bad-ass!
Genie Lo has just become the new Guardian of California, appointed by the Jade Emperor himself and now on top of deciding where she wants to go to college, and what exactly she wants to do with her life, she needs to babysit a bunch of Chinese demons called yaoguai stuck on earth and under her control. But even more evil is coming her way, and Genie may have to team up again with her boyfriend Quentin aka the Monkey King and Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin to defeat it.
This was a fun sequel to The Epic Crush of Genie Lo, and continued Genie and Quentin's adventures together as demon squashing, couple goals. I enjoyed the deeper look into Chinese folklore which I loved learning about in the first book, and I appreciated that we learned about a few more legends in this one, and there was an appearance of a few more Gods as well.
I definitely think this book lacked some kind of energy that the first one had, and definitely didn't shine quite as brightly for me as The Epic Crush did. I don't think Genie had that much more character progression as she did in the first as well, and The Epic Crush could have been left as a stand alone without any real damage being done to the overall story. This book also takes places over a shorter period of time (one long weekend versus the several months of the first) but the pacing felt a lot slower for some reason.
I do still love Genie's friendships in this book - particularly with Yunie, and we see her friendship with Guanyin really deepen in this one as well which is lovely. I can't see speak for the representation in this book but I appreciate how much I learned from it and the new zest I have tor read more stories based on Chinese folklore as it's so entertaining and bad-ass!
In Shaker Heights, planning is everything. And Elena Richardson has everything in her life planned out from her college boyfriend turned husband to her four (almost) perfect children. Everything turns upside down for Elena when artist Mia and her teenage daughter Pearl arrive to rent out her apartment. Soon, thanks to Mia, the community is involved in a paternity battle involving a fostered baby and her Chinese mother, and everything perfect is beginning to burn up in the flames.
This book is set in the 90s I think which I quite liked but also kept forgetting until I realised no-one seemed to be using modern technology. I wasn't sure why the author decided to have it set in the past, but I did like some of the points brought up about the importance of identity, heritage and seeing yourself reflected back to you in your surroundings - and how, 20 years later, we are still having the same conversation. Things are better but not perfect!
Little Fires Everywhere is a book I flew through but I wouldn't say it's a book I actively enjoyed. I had a lot of conflicting feelings about what was going on in this book and the conversation and opinions expressed by characters. There's a lot of gray areas here about the rights a mother has to her child but also a really great discussion into what makes a parent? Does it all come down to blood and biology or should it be more than that - the ability to provide for a child and raise it in a home where it will want for nothing.
I didn't like any of the characters in this book but I don't think I was suppose to. Even Mia, I found a little bit self-righteous and I struggled with some of the decisions she made that seemed to mess with people's lives - in the past and in the present. Elena Richardson was definitely a bit of a 'Karen' character all round. The teenagers in this did my head in a bit too be honest - mostly Izzy - but I'm not sure if this was the fault of the book or just the media I'm consuming this week which seemed to be full of stroppy teenagers (Sweet Magnolias on Netflix!).
The writing did grip me and I found this book really easy to read, and I liked that it made me think a lot and challenge myself with some of my initial thoughts I had from the start of the book to the end,
This book is set in the 90s I think which I quite liked but also kept forgetting until I realised no-one seemed to be using modern technology. I wasn't sure why the author decided to have it set in the past, but I did like some of the points brought up about the importance of identity, heritage and seeing yourself reflected back to you in your surroundings - and how, 20 years later, we are still having the same conversation. Things are better but not perfect!
Little Fires Everywhere is a book I flew through but I wouldn't say it's a book I actively enjoyed. I had a lot of conflicting feelings about what was going on in this book and the conversation and opinions expressed by characters. There's a lot of gray areas here about the rights a mother has to her child but also a really great discussion into what makes a parent? Does it all come down to blood and biology or should it be more than that - the ability to provide for a child and raise it in a home where it will want for nothing.
I didn't like any of the characters in this book but I don't think I was suppose to. Even Mia, I found a little bit self-righteous and I struggled with some of the decisions she made that seemed to mess with people's lives - in the past and in the present. Elena Richardson was definitely a bit of a 'Karen' character all round. The teenagers in this did my head in a bit too be honest - mostly Izzy - but I'm not sure if this was the fault of the book or just the media I'm consuming this week which seemed to be full of stroppy teenagers (Sweet Magnolias on Netflix!).
The writing did grip me and I found this book really easy to read, and I liked that it made me think a lot and challenge myself with some of my initial thoughts I had from the start of the book to the end,
3.5 stars
I received a free digital copy of this book from the publishers/author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In the New York 1 per cent, there’s a whole different type of royalty when it comes to the teenagers of the rich and privileged. When 16-year-old Anna K meets Vronsky on a journey home to New York to help her cheating brother placate his girlfriend, she’s struck with love at first sight. The only problem is, Anna already has a boyfriend - the perfect Alexander. And Vronsky has been dating Kimmy, who believes she’s in love with him too - even though she’s dazzled poor Dustin who knows he doesn’t have much of a chance with the third hottest girl in school. Between parties, dog shows and Coachella, there’s a whole lot of drama as Anna and Vronsky face their feelings for one another, despite whatever burns down around them.
This is a very fun, flavoursome teen version of Anna Karenina which just enough crazy parties, alcohol and drugs to really keep a reader fulled for more, more, more. I think squishing Anna Karenina down into a teen story would be a really tough job but I think Jenny Lee definitely did a great job here with characters who despite being wealthy beyond measure, are not total scumbags either and are actually characters full of heart and who you really want to root for. I actually liked these teen characters way more than the original characters they were based off - which could be down to the air of teen innocence they all still had clinging to them, despite the copious drugs they had sampled in their short lives.
Think Anna Karenina, meets Gossip Girl, meets Cruel Intentions - and you’ve got Anna K!
While I enjoyed this read, and I really felt like the dramatics were ramped up enough in the last 20%, I just couldn’t put it down, I don’t think this book will be for everyone. You need to love the unbelievability that is the life of a rich New York teenager - think Gossip Girl and 90210 - and the absolutely dramatics that comes with teenage characters not akin to Georgia Nicholson in Full Frontal Snogging - but at a whole other level! Some people will absolutely hate the level of crazy and over the top everything is in this book from the very first scene that is Lolly finding out Steven cheated on her while in the Hermés store, and then locking herself in his mother’s closet and taking naked selfies in his mother’s fur coat. There’s a lot of teenage slang in this book as well which I found quite hard to read a lot of the time as it’s not something I like in books at all. A lot of it is really cringe, and I do find it hard to believe that teenagers actually talk like that (but hey I’m an old person now so what do I know!).
I 100% do not think this book will age well, and will only have a few golden years to it from its publishing date which is a shame because you can tell how much heart and effort was put into the book. There are just one too many pop culture references in it, that in a few years time and as young people now grow into teenagers and pick up this book, they probably won’t care much about. I can’t see 16/17 years old now wanting to read a lot about Justin Bieber and One Direction, and I do think this will be the same in this book in a few years albeit Ariana Grande and Billy Eilish. There’s also way too much unneeded movie info dumps in this book due to some of the characters being movie buffs. This does come from the author being a TV producer and obviously a film fan, but I just think a lot of that dialogue could be cut and wasn’t necessary.
I really liked Dustin and Kimmy’s story which wasn’t a surprise as Kitty and Levin were my favourite in Anna Karenina. I do wish Dustin and Kitty together got a little bit more time on the page as that didn’t really happen as much as I wanted it to.
You also have to be okay with insta-love with this book, due to it being based on a book that is all about love at first sight! And also teens doing hardcore drugs a lot of the time too, obviously.
In the acknowledgements, it seems this book is being made into a TV show before it’s even being published and that is interesting after reading the whole book. And looking back, it makes some sense that the book seems written for the sole purpose of becoming an on-screen adaption. It will be intersting to watcher and I’m looking forward to seeing the modern day Anna K and Vronsky come to life.
Full video review (spoiler free): https://bit.ly/3cNeTjj
I received a free digital copy of this book from the publishers/author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In the New York 1 per cent, there’s a whole different type of royalty when it comes to the teenagers of the rich and privileged. When 16-year-old Anna K meets Vronsky on a journey home to New York to help her cheating brother placate his girlfriend, she’s struck with love at first sight. The only problem is, Anna already has a boyfriend - the perfect Alexander. And Vronsky has been dating Kimmy, who believes she’s in love with him too - even though she’s dazzled poor Dustin who knows he doesn’t have much of a chance with the third hottest girl in school. Between parties, dog shows and Coachella, there’s a whole lot of drama as Anna and Vronsky face their feelings for one another, despite whatever burns down around them.
This is a very fun, flavoursome teen version of Anna Karenina which just enough crazy parties, alcohol and drugs to really keep a reader fulled for more, more, more. I think squishing Anna Karenina down into a teen story would be a really tough job but I think Jenny Lee definitely did a great job here with characters who despite being wealthy beyond measure, are not total scumbags either and are actually characters full of heart and who you really want to root for. I actually liked these teen characters way more than the original characters they were based off - which could be down to the air of teen innocence they all still had clinging to them, despite the copious drugs they had sampled in their short lives.
Think Anna Karenina, meets Gossip Girl, meets Cruel Intentions - and you’ve got Anna K!
While I enjoyed this read, and I really felt like the dramatics were ramped up enough in the last 20%, I just couldn’t put it down, I don’t think this book will be for everyone. You need to love the unbelievability that is the life of a rich New York teenager - think Gossip Girl and 90210 - and the absolutely dramatics that comes with teenage characters not akin to Georgia Nicholson in Full Frontal Snogging - but at a whole other level! Some people will absolutely hate the level of crazy and over the top everything is in this book from the very first scene that is Lolly finding out Steven cheated on her while in the Hermés store, and then locking herself in his mother’s closet and taking naked selfies in his mother’s fur coat. There’s a lot of teenage slang in this book as well which I found quite hard to read a lot of the time as it’s not something I like in books at all. A lot of it is really cringe, and I do find it hard to believe that teenagers actually talk like that (but hey I’m an old person now so what do I know!).
I 100% do not think this book will age well, and will only have a few golden years to it from its publishing date which is a shame because you can tell how much heart and effort was put into the book. There are just one too many pop culture references in it, that in a few years time and as young people now grow into teenagers and pick up this book, they probably won’t care much about. I can’t see 16/17 years old now wanting to read a lot about Justin Bieber and One Direction, and I do think this will be the same in this book in a few years albeit Ariana Grande and Billy Eilish. There’s also way too much unneeded movie info dumps in this book due to some of the characters being movie buffs. This does come from the author being a TV producer and obviously a film fan, but I just think a lot of that dialogue could be cut and wasn’t necessary.
I really liked Dustin and Kimmy’s story which wasn’t a surprise as Kitty and Levin were my favourite in Anna Karenina. I do wish Dustin and Kitty together got a little bit more time on the page as that didn’t really happen as much as I wanted it to.
You also have to be okay with insta-love with this book, due to it being based on a book that is all about love at first sight! And also teens doing hardcore drugs a lot of the time too, obviously.
In the acknowledgements, it seems this book is being made into a TV show before it’s even being published and that is interesting after reading the whole book. And looking back, it makes some sense that the book seems written for the sole purpose of becoming an on-screen adaption. It will be intersting to watcher and I’m looking forward to seeing the modern day Anna K and Vronsky come to life.
Full video review (spoiler free): https://bit.ly/3cNeTjj
