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  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. Have you read it yet? If so, did you enjoy it?
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. 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
  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
  11. 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
  12. It's been on my tbr for a long time. Have heard lots of good things about it!
  13. 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
  14. 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
  15. 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
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