Goose

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Haha the cover is often a big influence on me reading a book or not!

The Surface Breaks – Louise O’Neill (YA, feminist, re-telling) 4.25/5 This book is a feminist re-telling of The Little Mermaid. I was a little apprehensive as this is quite a popular story when it comes to re-tellings and wondered what O’Neill could do to make it unique, however I was pleasantly surprised. Gaia is the youngest daughter of the mer-king and is closely approaching her birthday, the birthday that means she is permitted to go to the surface for the very first time. At the surface Gaia sees a boy who she is immediately drawn to, unfortunately however her controlling father hates humans and would forbid her ever to be with him. Desperate to get away from her father and the awful merman she is to marry Gaia seeks the help of the sea-witch. I really loved this book. I very much enjoy feminist focussed books but was worried it was going to take a very basic angle i.e. criticising the classic fairy tale trope of ‘love at first sight’, however it was so much deeper than I expected. The story explored many different aspects of being a woman in a male dominated world; how girls are taught to view each other and the impact this has on their relationships with each other, how women are taught that their value lies in how much they appeal to men, how women who stand up against how men treat them are cast out, plus more. I really enjoyed this book and think it is a good book for young girls and women to read Opening line: You are not ready my child, be patient, your time will come. Format: audiobook 309 pages Published in 2018

The Library of the Dead – T. L. Huchu (YA, urban fantasy, paranormal) 3.75/5 The Library of the Dead is set in a post-catastrophe Edinburgh that has become lawless and dangerous. Ropa is a young girl whose job is to speak to the dead of the city, in which she carries messages between them and their still living loved ones. Whilst doing her job Ropa learns that children have been going missing, and that although some of them have been found, they have been found awfully disfigured and mentally scarred. Ropa decides to investigate, a decision that takes her to the darkest places of the city. This book was overall and enjoyable read, I liked the setting and enjoyed learning about the way the city functioned. I did however find it a little lacking on an explanation of the reason as to why the world is in the state that it is, there is reference to the event but it is never really explained. This is the first book in a series however so this will possibly be explained more in future books. Also, despite being the title of the book, The Library of the Dead did not really feature much in the story, it also felt a little irrelevant to the main plot, however again maybe this is explored more later in the series. I probably won’t be reading anymore in the series, it just didn’t intrigue me enough. If you are very familiar with Edinburgh then I think you will enjoy this book as it refers to a lot of specific locations within the city. Opening line: I’m really not supposed to be doing this, but a girls got to get paid, so here we go. Format: audiobook 330 pages Published in 2021

The One – John Marrs (contemporary, romance, sci-fi) 4.25/5 I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book as, although it has a semi-sci-fi tone to it, it's really more of a contemporary, not a genre I read an awful lot of. The story follows five different POVs, each a person who has recently been informed that they have been matched with their true love. They live in a time where science has discovered the gene that determines who you are genetically predisposed to fall in love with, and by sending off your DNA you can receive the contact details of your match. The five people that the story follows all have very different experiences of the process and it takes their lives in directions they never expected. The book jumps between each POV and the chapters are pretty short therefore it keeps the book interesting and fast paced. I enjoyed all the characters storylines and felt invested in them. A TV series was made based on the book a number of years ago which I had watched and so I had an understanding of the premise however the storyline and characters were completely different so nothing had been spoilt for me. I would recommend this book if you like fast paced multiple POV stories. Opening line: Mandy stared at the photograph on her computer screen and held her breath. Format: audiobook 418 pages Published in 2018

Wild Beauty – Anna-Marie McLemore (YA, magical realism, LGBT) 3.25/5 The women of the Nomeolvides family have lived at and tended the gardens of a grand estate for generations, due to their families affinity with flowers, each having the ability to grow certain types of in abundance. There is a curse on them however that means that if they are to fall too deeply in love then the one that they love will disappear. One day a boy appears in the gardens who does not seem to know who he is, and the girls try to help him remember. This book was not as much of a fantasy as I was expecting, more so magical realism however this wasn’t a problem. The relationships the girls have with each other as well as the relationships they develop with others is explored in this book. I enjoyed the setting of the story, it felt like a warm summers’ day. I found the plot a little disjointed, there were a few different aspects to the storyline that I think could have been woven together a little better but overall, I enjoyed the book. Opening line: Later, they would blame what happened on the little wooden horses. Format: audiobook 340 pages Published in 2017

The Invisible Library – Genevieve Cogman (urban fantasy, mystery, sci-fi) 3.5/5 The Invisible Library is set in a world where a library exists outside of reality, and from it you can enter endless different alternative universes. Librarians from the library are sent on missions to retrieve various significant books to bring back to the library where they can be preserved. Irene is one of these librarians who ends up being sent on a highly dangerous mission to an alternate in chaos. I have mixed opinions about this book. I found the premise highly intriguing as I love the concept of alternative universes, however the book fell a little flat for me. I think overall I found that the mission of retrieving a book didn’t seem worth it compared to the adversities the characters were facing. This is sort of discussed by the characters, if it is a justifiable cause or not, however perhaps not to the extent I would have liked. I also found the relationship between Irene and her assistant to be a little confusing. It felt like Cogman couldn’t make up their mind as to whether they wanted the characters to become an item or not. However, this is the first book in the series and therefore this may be explored, as well as the topic of the justification of retrieving book. I did enjoy the explanations of the world the library resided in, it felt very fantasy but was grounded in scientific explanation. Unfortunately, I don’t think this first book has intrigued me enough to continue with the series however I do think it was enjoyable overall, and a unique concept. Opening line: Irene passed the mop across the stone floor in smooth, careful strokes, idly admiring the gleam of wet flagstone in the lantern-light. Format: ebook 329 pages Published in 2015

Have you read it yet? If so, did you enjoy it?

The Faerie Hounds of York – Arden Powell (folk, LGBT, atmospheric) 4.5/5 William Loxley has been cursed by a terrible fae creature that wants to use him to open a door to faerie. After waking up on the moors in Yorkshire Loxley meets John Thorncress, a man who seems to have vast knowledge of faerie and tries to help Loxley break the curse. As they spend more and more time together Loxley finds it harder and harder to deny his attraction to Thorncress, but being that it’s the year 1810, the results of such an attraction may lead to just as dire fate as being trapped in faerie. I really loved this book, it was so atmospheric and I appreciated the more evil and sinister depiction of fae. I don't really read horror so I don't know if it would qualify as horror - I have certainly seen it labelled as so - but it definitely errs on the side of creepy. I really liked all the classic faerie related lore like using rowan and iron to ward off the fae, and the significance of hawthorn trees. I enjoyed the characters and their relationship although I didn’t find that aspect of the book as memorable, however I am not really interested in reading romance so that may be why. I would really recommend this book to anyone who likes fae depicted in a more creepy way. Before reading the book I was a bit unsure of the historical setting as I am not a huge fan of this, however I didn’t find this an issue at all so don’t be put off if that’s not usually your thing either. Opening line: Loxley woke cold and stiff. Format: ebook 208 pages Published in 2020

Five Minds – Guy Morpuss (sci-fi, mystery, gripping) 4/5 Five Minds is set in a future where, in order to reduce the human races impact on the planet and it’s resources, people can opt to become part of a commune – the minds of five different people all sharing the same body. Living as a commune requires all the individuals to work together however in Alex, Kate, Mike, Sierra, and Ben’s case, unfortunately not all parties are always as dedicated to the wellbeing of the body as others. As members of their commune start to disappear and other strange things start happening, they must try and work together to figure out what is going on. I didn’t really know what to expect with book, it was clearly a dystopian, sci-fi setting but with a murder mystery plot within it. The main storyline follows the group as they try to work out what’s happening to them but there are also flashbacks that help give the reader context and more understanding of the relationships between the characters and the events that have led them to where they are now. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with this book. Murder mysteries are not really my thing but this had enough else going on that it didn’t really feel like a murder mystery. It did feel a bit YA, although the commune are technically 42 years old the individual personalities are much younger. I would recommend this book; it kept me guessing right until the very end. Opening line: Are you ready to die? Format: ebook 320 pages Published in 2021

2023 Highlight Reel and Stats My five favourite books of the year and why, plus some stats. Top five are in no particular order. Top Five: The Moss Series – Melissa Harrison: truly heart-warming book with lovable characters and set in nature Faeries of the Faultlines – Iris Compiet: absolutely beautiful illustrations of faerie creatures exactly how I picture them to be The Ocean at the End of the Lane – Neil Gaiman: wonderfully creepy and speaks to your inner child Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries – Heather Fawcett: I really liked how the fae were presented Silver in the Wood – Emily Tesh: set in an enchanted woodland and very atmospheric Honourable Mentions: Piranesi – Susanna Clarke: surprisingly gripping and a loveable main character Stats: Shortest book: The Tea Dragon Society – K. O’Neill - 72 pages Longest book: Winter – Marissa Meyer - 832 pages Oldest book: The Time Machine – H. G. Wells - 1895 Newest book: Stolen Heir – Holly Black - 2023 Most read author: Marissa Meyer - 5 books Books completed: 45 Books DNF'd: 10

The Midwich Cuckoos – John Wyndham (sci-fi, speculative, classic) 3.75/5 The Midwich Cuckoos is set in a quiet English village where usually nothing remarkable ever happens, until now. One day all the people of the village suddenly fall unconscious. No one can determine what caused it, only that a strange object has appeared. All seems fine for a while until it becomes obvious that all the women of childbearing age are pregnant. I had watched the TV adaptation of this book earlier in the year which was enjoyable and wanted to read the book. The book had a very different feel to the TV series, much less dramatic which I really appreciated. The book had a very British feel to it, keep calm and carry on, and all that! There was an obvious lack of inclusion of the women in this story, particularly considering it was the women who were most effected. I think this can be viewed in two ways, commentary on how women are often not included in conversation, even in matters concerning them, but also a reflection of the time in which the book was written. Having watched the TV show I did therefore know what to expect but this didn’t spoil it for me, however if you were to go into the book blind, I can imagine it to be more shocking. I listened to this as audio read by Stephan Fry which was an added bonus! Opening line: One of the luckiest accidents in my wife’s life is that she happened to marry a man who was born on the 26th September. Format:: audiobook 239 pages Published in 1957

The Golden Enclaves (The Scholomance Series #3) – Naomi Novik (dark fantasy, YA, monsters) 3.5/5 This is the final book in Novik’s Scholomance series and starts immediately after the previous book finishes. El and her friends have made it out of the school and have simultaneously made the world a safer place for wizards. However, things aren’t quite as great as they’d hoped. Someone is taking out all the big enclaves and an enclave war is brewing. This book was quite different from the first two as it was not set in the scholomance. I enjoyed this change as it meant we were able to get an idea of the wizarding world outside of the scholomance. I did overall however find the book a little flat. I had started to get tired of El in book two and it didn’t really improve in this one, there is so much internal monologue it gets tedious after a while. The series overall was still enjoyable, it’s a unique storyline and creative idea. I would still recommend this series as others may not have issue with the same things I did and as I said it is an interesting premise. Opening line: The last thing Orion said to me – the absolute 'person of dubious parentage' – was “El, I love you so much”. Format: audiobook 407 pages Published in 2022

It's been on my tbr for a long time. Have heard lots of good things about it!

Nettle & Bone – T. Kingfisher (fantasy, dark, adventurous) 3.5/5 Marra is on a mission to save her sister who is trapped in a political alliance marriage to an abusive prince. Marra visits a gravewitch who joins her on her quest along with her demon possessed chicken and along the way they are joined by a godmother and a knight. I was slightly disappointed with this book. To me it did not live up to the reviews I had read saying that it was filled with humour and a loveable group of characters. I absolutely love the found family trope but for me this didn’t hit that mark. I didn’t feel any real connection to any of the characters and didn’t think there was enough dialogue between them all to make their relationships with each other feel genuine. There were elements of this story that I did really love however, particularly the part where they visit the goblin market. This felt so magical and immersive that I wish more of this was included throughout the book. The beginning of the story we join Marra in a place called the Scorched Lands and again this really intrigued me, I just wish there was more of it. I would still recommend this book, it was an enjoyable read overall. Opening line: The trees were full of crows and the woods were full of madmen. Format: ebook 292 pages Published in 2022

The Stolen Heir (The Stolen Heir Duology #1) – Holly Black (fantasy, fae, YA) 3.75/5 This book is set in the same world as Black’s Cruel Prince series and takes place eight years after the third book. This story follows our main character Suren who is the daughter of the evil queen of the Court of Teeth, however after being mistreated and tortured as a child Suren fled to the human world where she now lives in the wild. She crosses paths with the prince of Elfhame (the faerie land) and together they embark on a journey to overthrow Suren’s mother. I really love the world Black has created and to me is exactly how I imagine the faerie world to be, magical and enchanting, but evil and dark as well. I found the story a little on the lacking side however for me the characters and setting make up for this. We meet various different creatures which is always one of my favourite aspects of fae books. This is a nice addition to the Cruel Prince series and itself is part of a duology, the second of which I will most likely read at some point. Opening line: A passer-by discovered a toddler sitting on the chilly concrete of an alley, playing with the wrapper of a cat food container. Format: audiobook 356 pages Published in 2023

A Marvellous Light – Freya Marske (LGBT, urban fantasy, romance) 2.75/5 A Marvellous Light is set in an Edwardian England that has a secret society of people who can do magic. Robin Blyth unknowingly exposes himself to this secret and the dangers it poses when he accepts a job in a minor government post. He meets Edwin Courcey, an uptight magician and they reluctantly embark on a mission together to solve the mystery of Robin’s missing predecessor. This book turned out to not be quite what I expected it, it is much heavier on the romance as opposed to the fantasy. I enjoyed to magic system used in this world however overall felt that the story didn’t really know where it was going and it wasn’t entirely my cup of tea. The element that I did really like however were the characters Robin and Edwin. They are almost opposites of each other and I enjoyed seeing their relationship develop. I would recommend this book if you like romances with a slight fantasy edge, however if you are looking for a more fantasy heavy story the I wouldn’t say it was for you. Opening line: Reginald Gatling’s doom found him beneath an oak tree, on the last Sunday of a fast-fading summer. Format: ebook 384 pages Published in 2021

The Last Graduate (The Scholomance Series #2) – Naomi Novik (dark fantasy, YA, monsters) 4/5 This is the second book in Novik’s Scholomance trilogy and in this instalment El is now in her final year, the year in which she has to fight her way through the graduation hall of monsters to freedom. While I still really enjoyed this book, I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first one in the series and I found the two main characters, El and Orion start to get a bit tiresome. El is standoffish and snarky however she started to become just plain mean. Although I wouldn’t want her character to change completely it didn’t feel that there was much development to her, especially as things had changed quite a lot for her since the first book. Orion has this hero complex and paired with El’s unmeasurable power I did find they became a bit insufferable. Also, not a lot really happens until right at the end. However, I do still really love the setting of these books and will definitely be reading the next one. After the ending of this book, I am hoping that book three will give us a fresh canvas with lots of room for exciting new information and detail about the world. Opening line: Keep away from Orion Lake. Format: audiobook 388 pages Published in 2021

The Android’s Dream – John Scalzi (sci-fi, light-hearted, aliens) 2.75/5 DNF 22% The Android’s Dream is set on an Earth that has connected with outer space and the alien species that live out there. Harry Creek finds himself mixed up in a mission to save the planet after an incident in which a human diplomat kills an important member of a superior alien race. The key to fixing this mess? A sheep. I had had this book on my TBR for quite a while so was excited to get into it, but unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed. I think the biggest issue for me was that I struggled to connect with the characters and often this can be a make or break for me. I think I also just found it a bit too silly. This surprised me as I tend to struggle with books that I feel are taking themselves too seriously and love a bit of humour, however I think it was just a bit too far the other way. I think that this is probably quite an enjoyable book to read but I just found I had no great desire to continue reading it. I may one day pick it up again but for now I will just leave it there. Opening line: Dirk Moeller didn’t know he could fart his way into a major diplomatic incident. Format: ebook 396 pages Published in 2006

I'm sure none of you will regret it! I've been recommending them to all of my friends and family! If you use BorrowBox (you can borrow audio books and ebooks for free as it links to your local library - not sure if it's available outside the UK though) then the audiobooks are on there too.

The Moss Series (#1 By Ash, Oak and Thorn & #2 By Rowan and Yew) – Melissa Harrison (middle-grade, enchanting, heart-warming) 5/5 Moss, Burnet and Cumulus are Hidden Folk, they are about as tall as your hand is long and are protectors of the wild world. After waking up from their winter sleep they are shocked to find that one of them has started to disappear. In an effort to find the answer to this mysterious fading they set off on an adventure, helped along the way by the many creatures that inhabit the countryside. I absolutely fell in love with these books. I usually borrow ebooks and audio books where I can, or wait for things to come on kindle unlimited, and if I really enjoy them, I will then buy a paper copy. I got about ten minutes into listening to the first book and immediately decided to order both of them! Harrison is a nature writer as well as a novelist and this really shines through, the detail of the natural world that the story is set in is wonderful and as someone very interested in nature, I really loved this. The characters in the book were what stole my heart. As well as the three main characters there are lots of side characters, some that are only present for small portions and others that remain throughout both books. Almost the entire cast are either Hidden Folk or animals and I loved this. It does feel quite obvious that you are reading a middle-grade however this didn’t bother me at all and I believe the books can still be enjoyed by adults. A big theme of the books is friendship and how important it is to support, care and respect each other. The main message of the books however is that we need to look after the natural world and ensure it is given a place in modern society, and I think Harrison did this beautifully. If you are looking for a truly heart-warming read then I couldn’t recommend these books more. They will have pride of place on my bookshelf and I can’t wait to read them to my future children. I would also really recommend the audio book read by Sam Crerar and Melissa Harrison, many of the characters are given distinct voices, including a roadman starling! Opening line: It was the kind of March day that feels springish, despite the weather not yet having warmed up. Format: audio book Book 1 – 248 pages Book 2 – 243 pages Published in 2021

Her writing I feel has a lot of maturity to it which I really like. Spinning Silver was a lovely book, its a while since I read it but I remember the atmosphere it created very vividly. A Deadly Education does this too, just a very different atmosphere! Really looking forward to reading the rest of the series and I definitely want to pick up more of Novik's work in the future.

Sea Witch – Sarah Henning (YA, re-telling, mermaids) 3.5/5 The Sea Witch is a re-imagining of how Ursula, the villain in The Little Mermaid came to be. The story follows Evie, a fisherman’s daughter who is best friends with the air to the throne, Prince Nik, and who also happens to be a witch. Years ago, Evie and Nik’s friend Anna drowned in the ocean, but one day a girl turns up who looks just like her but claims to be someone different. This new girl has many secrets, some that she shares with Evie and some that she doesn’t, and all that lead to a tragic end. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I sometimes find that mermaid books can be a bit lacking in substance, however this wasn’t the case here. The majority of the story is told from Evie’s point of view but there are also flash backs to the day that Anna died and the events following. It was interesting as by doing this the truth behind things is revealed to the reader before the characters become aware. The only thing I didn’t necessarily like was that Evie’s love interest is portrayed as being very in love with her and most of the book is dedicated to her relationship with him, however at the end when things go awry, he doesn’t hesitate in throwing her under the bus. I think it just felt a little abrupt and unsatisfying. However, I guess this is something that adds to why Evie ends up turning into the sea witch. I wasn’t blown away by this book but I did enjoy it, it was a little more romance focused than I was expecting but that didn’t bother me. It suffers from the unavoidable issue of the ending being, to some extents predictable, we know its not going to be a happy ending as it’s the origin story of a villain. However, I found the story interesting enough that this wasn’t an issue. There is a second book but I'm not sure that I am likely to read it. Opening line: Two small pairs of boots echoed on the cobblestones – one pair in a sprint, the other in a stumble and slide. Format: ebook 368 pages Published in 2018

A Deadly Education (The Scholomance Series #1) – Naomi Novik (dark-fantasy, monsters, YA) 4.75/5 This book follows El who is enrolled in a boarding school for wizards where she learns spells, how to create magical objects, and most importantly, how to kill monsters. El in is her second to last year with the hopes of graduating the following year, however she is yet to make any alliances with her fellow students, something that could mean the difference between life and death. However, what the other students don’t know is that El has incredible power that could wipe out all of them. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, more than I was expecting. I read Novik’s Spinning Silver a while back and although I did enjoy it, I found it a little difficult to get through therefore I was unsure if this would be something I’d experience with A Deadly Education. This wasn’t the case at all and I was surprised how different this book felt in style to Spinning Silver. Due to the stakes in the school being life and death, naturally everything the students do is strategic in ensuring their survival, including the friendships they make. Novik has done a great job in developing an intricate political system within the school with regards to this. El however does not want to subscribe to making friends purely for strategic purposes, even though she knows she is more likely to live if she befriends students who are part of powerful Enclaves – large groups of wizards outside of the school who help each other. I really loved El’s character, she is witty, clever and unafraid to show people the immorality of their actions. The world building in this book was fantastic, Novik spends a lot of time explaining to the reader the magic system early on so that the reader has a good understanding right from the go. I have mentioned in previous reviews that I sometimes struggle to get on board with magic systems as I am such an avid Harry Potter fan however the magic system in this story for me even rivalled HP. Wizards use ‘mana’ to perform magic, however the wizard needs to generate the mana beforehand. Mana is generated by effort expended by the wizard; the more effort involved the more mana produced. Wizards can also use Malia which is taken from other living things but this is seen as cheating. The monsters in the story are called maleficaria and feed off of a wizard’s mana. Although measures have been taken to limit the amount of maleficaria that can enter the school, systems failed long ago which is what has led the school to become such a cut throat place to live. The book explores the divide between those who grow up with resources, opportunities and privilege, and those who have to fight for everything they have. The kids from Enclaves don’t have to work nearly as hard to survive as El does and its clear they have a leg up right from the beginning. It also highlighted how oblivious those in privileged positions can be to how much better off they have things. There are two more in the series which I have reserved on BorrowBox and am looking forward to reading them. I would highly recommend this book, even if you don’t usually go for YA I would say it’s still worth a shot, to me it didn’t feel like reading a typical YA, other than the fact the characters are all teenagers. Opening line: I decided that Orion needed to die after the second time her saved my life. Format: audio book 336 pages Published in 2020

Silver in the Wood (The Greenhollow Duology #1) – Emily Tesh (LGBT, enchanting, folklore) 4.75/5 Silver in the Wood is centred around Tobias, the Wild Man who lives in the woods of Greenhollow, and who cares for and tends to the woodland. One day Henry Silver, the new owner of Greenhollow Hall enters his life and Tobias’ life becomes entwined with Henry’s in ways that can only mean danger for them both. This was a truly beautiful book. The atmosphere Tesh creates is captivating, I had been craving a story set in an enchanted woodland and this satisfied it perfectly. The setting and atmosphere were what I loved most about the book, and how it was steeped in nature and folklore. Tobias shares the woods with his Dryads – spirits that inhabit trees – which added to the fairy tale feel. The two main characters are opposites, Tobias an opposing, rough man of few words, and Henry, young and handsome, full of childlike wonder. I really loved the contrast between the two and the tender relationship they developed. The story explores how deeply past relationships can hurt you and how long the hurt can last, but that there is the hope for new love, and the ability to move on. I would highly recommend this book if you want something that creates an enchanting atmosphere, that is emotional but ultimately hopeful. This book is the first in a duology and I definitely plan on reading the second one at some point. Opening line: It was the middle of an autumn downpour when Tobias first met Henry Silver. Format: ebook 112 pages Published in 2019