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beckys_book_blog's reviews
645 reviews
The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Maiden by Kate Foster
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This evocative, gritty murder mystery set during the Seventeenth Century in Edinburgh (and based on a true story) had me hooked from the first page. I loved it!
In October 1679, Lady Christian is arrested and charged with the murder of her lover (and Uncle) James Forrester. Only a year before Lady Christian was respectably married. What caused her to begin this affair? Did she actually commit murder or was it one of the other women that also had a motive to end his life?
The brutality and hardships that some women faced at this time (even those who were privileged in society) was brilliantly brought to life. I loved the dual narrative by both Lady Christian and Violeta who is first introduced working at Mrs Fiddes whorehouse. Both have very different backgrounds but their two lives collide as the story progresses.
Interspersed in these two narratives are clippings from the newspapers from the time, reporting on all of the sordid details!
The characters in this story were so well written and historic Edinburgh was vividly brought to life. The tension and drama is unrelenting and I read this in just two sittings!
This was a captivating story, made even better by the knowledge it was based on true events. A definite 5 star read for me. I would highly recommend it!
In October 1679, Lady Christian is arrested and charged with the murder of her lover (and Uncle) James Forrester. Only a year before Lady Christian was respectably married. What caused her to begin this affair? Did she actually commit murder or was it one of the other women that also had a motive to end his life?
The brutality and hardships that some women faced at this time (even those who were privileged in society) was brilliantly brought to life. I loved the dual narrative by both Lady Christian and Violeta who is first introduced working at Mrs Fiddes whorehouse. Both have very different backgrounds but their two lives collide as the story progresses.
Interspersed in these two narratives are clippings from the newspapers from the time, reporting on all of the sordid details!
The characters in this story were so well written and historic Edinburgh was vividly brought to life. The tension and drama is unrelenting and I read this in just two sittings!
This was a captivating story, made even better by the knowledge it was based on true events. A definite 5 star read for me. I would highly recommend it!
The Midnight News by Jo Baker
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This was such an original story and one that immediately grabbed and held my attention.
I found the setting of the book; in London during the start of the Blitz fascinating. It must have been such a horrifying experience to live through and this tense, difficult climate is brought to life exceptionally well in this book.
Within the background of the Blitz comes an intriguing mystery. Who is the mysterious man following Charlotte and what does he want? What happened to Charlotte's friends and were their deaths accidental (as part of the nightly bombings) or had something more sinister happened?
As events unfold throughout the book I wasn't sure where the story was going but for me it made the story more gripping. I was reading into the early hours to find out Charlotte's fate.
This was such a great combination of war/love story/mystery and I loved it!
I found the setting of the book; in London during the start of the Blitz fascinating. It must have been such a horrifying experience to live through and this tense, difficult climate is brought to life exceptionally well in this book.
Within the background of the Blitz comes an intriguing mystery. Who is the mysterious man following Charlotte and what does he want? What happened to Charlotte's friends and were their deaths accidental (as part of the nightly bombings) or had something more sinister happened?
As events unfold throughout the book I wasn't sure where the story was going but for me it made the story more gripping. I was reading into the early hours to find out Charlotte's fate.
This was such a great combination of war/love story/mystery and I loved it!
Go as a River by Shelley Read
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This was a powerful and emotional read that will definitely stay with me.
The story follows Victoria (Tori) as she grows up on her families peach farm in Iola, Colorado. Following the death of her mother at age twelve, Tori has to grow up quickly, keeping the household together as well as helping on the farm. As the only female in a household of men she leads an isolated life. The story is narrated by Tori as she finds her first love and tries to navigate life in what she suddenly realises is an intolerant and racist rural community.
This is such a beautifully written story that portrays love and loss so well. There were some unbelievable moments of Tori's life that were very hard to read. She was a brilliant character and her resilience was remarkable. The imagery of the book was breath taking and I could imagine the setting vividly from the author's descriptions.
This is a brilliant debut and I'm looking forward to reading more books by this new author.
The story follows Victoria (Tori) as she grows up on her families peach farm in Iola, Colorado. Following the death of her mother at age twelve, Tori has to grow up quickly, keeping the household together as well as helping on the farm. As the only female in a household of men she leads an isolated life. The story is narrated by Tori as she finds her first love and tries to navigate life in what she suddenly realises is an intolerant and racist rural community.
This is such a beautifully written story that portrays love and loss so well. There were some unbelievable moments of Tori's life that were very hard to read. She was a brilliant character and her resilience was remarkable. The imagery of the book was breath taking and I could imagine the setting vividly from the author's descriptions.
This is a brilliant debut and I'm looking forward to reading more books by this new author.
The Red Bird Sings by Aoife Fitzpatrick
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
This was such an atmospheric, original book and I found it a captivating read. I loved the fact it was based on real events in West Virginia from 1897.
Zona Heaster dies a few months after marrying Trout, the handsome blacksmith. Following her death Zona's mother Mary has a vision and as a result both Mary and her best friend Lucy believe that her death was not accidental. What follows is a court case where Trout is accused of murdering his new wife.
I enjoyed the different elements of the story which were told through court proceedings, letters as well as the narration from Zona's mother and her best friend.
Although the story starts quite slowly, the book really reaches a crescendo in the final chapters and I couldn't put it down. It was hard to predict the end result of the court case. I really enjoyed the ending!
I would recommend this to historical fiction fans who like a gothic twist with some hints of the supernatural. This is a fantastic debut.
Zona Heaster dies a few months after marrying Trout, the handsome blacksmith. Following her death Zona's mother Mary has a vision and as a result both Mary and her best friend Lucy believe that her death was not accidental. What follows is a court case where Trout is accused of murdering his new wife.
I enjoyed the different elements of the story which were told through court proceedings, letters as well as the narration from Zona's mother and her best friend.
Although the story starts quite slowly, the book really reaches a crescendo in the final chapters and I couldn't put it down. It was hard to predict the end result of the court case. I really enjoyed the ending!
I would recommend this to historical fiction fans who like a gothic twist with some hints of the supernatural. This is a fantastic debut.
The Secrets of Hartwood Hall by Katie Lumsden
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I love gothic mysteries set in old houses and I couldn't put this one down! This was a five star read for me.
The story is narrated by Margaret Lennox who joins Hartwood House as a governess following the recent loss of her husband. Not everything is as it seems at Hartwood house. Charlotte Eversham is extremely over protective of her ten year old son Louis and isn't keen for him to leave the old mansion house or visit the town. The servants speak of ghosts and strange occurrences within the house. No one is allowed to enter the East Wing of the house under any circumstances.
This is such an atmospheric and creepy story. The characters are well written and I couldn't stop reading to find out more about the house and its occupants. There is mounting tension as the story progresses and a gripping resolution in the final pages. This is a brilliant debut and I'm looking forward to reading more by this author in the future.
The story is narrated by Margaret Lennox who joins Hartwood House as a governess following the recent loss of her husband. Not everything is as it seems at Hartwood house. Charlotte Eversham is extremely over protective of her ten year old son Louis and isn't keen for him to leave the old mansion house or visit the town. The servants speak of ghosts and strange occurrences within the house. No one is allowed to enter the East Wing of the house under any circumstances.
This is such an atmospheric and creepy story. The characters are well written and I couldn't stop reading to find out more about the house and its occupants. There is mounting tension as the story progresses and a gripping resolution in the final pages. This is a brilliant debut and I'm looking forward to reading more by this author in the future.
A Flaw in the Design by Nathan Oates
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The It Girl by Ruth Ware
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I loved this book and was hooked from the first page. I read it as part of a buddy read but I got so involved I finished it in 2 days (sorry buddy readers!)
The story follows Hannah as she starts at Oxford University and finds herself sharing a room with the 'IT Girl' April who quickly becomes her best friend. We find out early on that April is murdered.The story has a dual time line and the story alternates between University life and 10 years later when Hannah starts to doubt that the right person was convicted of her friend's murder.
I love Dark Academia and this is definitely one of my favourites. A well written story with a fantastic setting, a great plot and some brilliant characters. I found it very hard to predict the perpetrator.
A 5 🌟 read for me.
The story follows Hannah as she starts at Oxford University and finds herself sharing a room with the 'IT Girl' April who quickly becomes her best friend. We find out early on that April is murdered.The story has a dual time line and the story alternates between University life and 10 years later when Hannah starts to doubt that the right person was convicted of her friend's murder.
I love Dark Academia and this is definitely one of my favourites. A well written story with a fantastic setting, a great plot and some brilliant characters. I found it very hard to predict the perpetrator.
A 5 🌟 read for me.
The Company by J.M. Varese
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
3.5
I loved the premise for this book. My favourite type of stories are Victorian gothic mysteries. I was intrigued by the real-life arsenic wallpaper controversy of the late 19th century too as I hadn't heard of it before.
I loved the atmosphere of this novel and the feeling of impending doom really grabbed me from the outset. I thought the book was well written and I loved the creepy vibe and the mysterious nature of the house, with it's hauting wallpaper that possibly caused hallucinations!
The characters were well written and interesting. I particularly liked the elusive, sinister Mr Rivers.
For me, this book was let down in the final chapters. I was expecting an explanation and a resolution to the mysterious story but I found far too much left to the imagination of the reader! As a result I was left feeling confused and had a lot of unanswered questions!
If you enjoy immersive Victorian gothic novels with a touch of the supernatural then I would definitely recommend this but be prepared to draw your own conclusions!
3.5 🌟
I loved the atmosphere of this novel and the feeling of impending doom really grabbed me from the outset. I thought the book was well written and I loved the creepy vibe and the mysterious nature of the house, with it's hauting wallpaper that possibly caused hallucinations!
The characters were well written and interesting. I particularly liked the elusive, sinister Mr Rivers.
For me, this book was let down in the final chapters. I was expecting an explanation and a resolution to the mysterious story but I found far too much left to the imagination of the reader! As a result I was left feeling confused and had a lot of unanswered questions!
If you enjoy immersive Victorian gothic novels with a touch of the supernatural then I would definitely recommend this but be prepared to draw your own conclusions!
3.5 🌟
One Moment by Becky Hunter
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
' If you could go back, knowing everything that happens after, everything that happens because of that one moment in time, would you change the course of history or would you do it all again?'
This was such an emotional story with the importance of friendship and love at its core. I loved it!
The story is narrated by two best friends, (in their late twenties) Evie and Scarlett. In the first chapter we are told that Scarlett is about to die.
The story follows Evie as she comes to terms with her grief over her best friends death and her own battle with an illness (MS)
Evie begins a friendship with Nate who was the last person to see Scarlett alive before she was tragically killed (and who was partly to blame for the accident.)
I loved the two central characters in the story and the alternating narratives as well as the flashbacks into the past. I really emphasised with Evie as she was trying to adjust to life with a difficult illness and thought this was insightfully written. I also enjoyed reading from Scarlett' s perspective after she'd died. I loved the romance element and I was rooting for Evie to find love and experience some happiness again. I thought the final chapter was very clever and one I kept thinking about afterwards.
Overall this is a fantastic debut that I would definitely recommend.
This was such an emotional story with the importance of friendship and love at its core. I loved it!
The story is narrated by two best friends, (in their late twenties) Evie and Scarlett. In the first chapter we are told that Scarlett is about to die.
The story follows Evie as she comes to terms with her grief over her best friends death and her own battle with an illness (MS)
Evie begins a friendship with Nate who was the last person to see Scarlett alive before she was tragically killed (and who was partly to blame for the accident.)
I loved the two central characters in the story and the alternating narratives as well as the flashbacks into the past. I really emphasised with Evie as she was trying to adjust to life with a difficult illness and thought this was insightfully written. I also enjoyed reading from Scarlett' s perspective after she'd died. I loved the romance element and I was rooting for Evie to find love and experience some happiness again. I thought the final chapter was very clever and one I kept thinking about afterwards.
Overall this is a fantastic debut that I would definitely recommend.