billykmaguiree's reviews
157 reviews

Heir to Thorn and Flame by Ben Alderson

3.25

 I’d been in a reading slump for a few weeks before picking up this novel and this novel helped me extraordinarily get out of it. I’m a huge fan of fantasy, and believe that queer voices should be represented a whole lot more, so seeing a fantasy novel that normalised LGBT+ voices was the first thing that drew me to picking this up. The second was an increased social media presence of Ben Alderson and because of this, I was delighted when I got approved for an e-arc through Netgalley.

Now the actual story wasn’t bad, in fact, I think it’s one of the first books that I’ve actively looked forward to binge-reading in a few months. The execution was good and the plot was enthralling, I just couldn’t feel a connect with the characters. There was a bond between me and the writing, it just wasn’t strong enough for me to care more than a three star. Quick, enjoyable and fast-paced but lacked the connection that would’ve made this a four/five star.

If anyone’s interested in a video review, I’ll be posting one on my Tiktok @billyslifeonline for anyone interested on August 3rd 2023. 

Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong

4.5

Chloe Gong's Shakespeare retelling of Romeo and Juliet comes to its head in the finale of an epic duology. There's betrayal and love and angst and of course death but what Gong does so beautifully is the interplay between each character in relation to the events as a whole. Some of the plots are different enough from each other that your wondering, 'how will they overlap' and Gong's portrayal of these overlaps is majestic. 

RomaJuliette are the loves of my life and whilst I'm sad that their tale is over, I cannot wait to dive into more of her works. She really is a phenomenal writer that blends fantasy, history and mythology into beautiful words and characters that feel alive!

A solid four stars. 

tiktok / instagram : @westbr00ks

Midnight Sherbet by Emma Smith, Emma Smith

2.75

As a fan of Emma Smith's first novel, 'Guided' I picked up Midnight Sherbet through Kindle Unlimited to explore another one of Smith's works. Though this was a different genre to Guided, I wanted to love this. I just couldn't.

I liked the characters, but I couldn't connect to them as a potential couple. The vibe was off, Remy was creepy, considering he'd saved Carmel from sexual assault and then decided that he needed to stalk her. The infatuation with Carmel was odd, to say the very least and I couldn't find myself rooting for them. I liked Remy until he became an absolute creep.

Carmel's arc was heartbreaking and yet I believe her trauma at the start of the story was overlooked as more than a plot device. There was a lot that could've been done but just fell flat to me. 

IG - @westbr00ks
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dates: June 9th 2023 - June 10h 2023

The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

3.0

Brutes by Dizz Tate

3.0

Outline by Rachel Cusk

5.0

The Sharp Edge of Silence by Cameron Kelly Rosenblum

challenging dark 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? Yes

4.5

 

The Sharp Edge of Silence by Cameron Kelly Rosenblum had me fucking sobbing from beginning to end in a way that I would never have thought possible from a book. Although this book is centred around themes that some readers may find uncomfortable/unsettling, (rape culture and toxic masculinity), Rosenblum’s prose serves as a constant reminder that ‘boys will be held accountable,’ and will not get away with anything anymore. 

 

We live in a changing society and Rosenblum’s narrators are no different to the ever-changing societal expectations. We have Charlotte, ‘Q’ and Max and all of these narrators have different opinions on rape culture and toxic masculinity throughout the book. Q’s role throughout the first half of the narrative is the ‘silenced victim’ who refuses to speak out despite wanting to get revenge until she meets Charlotte in the woods. These women ally themselves against toxic men at Lycroft Phelps amid fears that they two will become victims. 

 

What I found most stunning about this, was the fact that Rosenblum managed to capture Q’s anger in such a way, that her spiralling became the spiralling of the reader. You could clearly tell that Rosenblum placed a lot of thought into the consequences of characterising Q in a way that initially turned from anger and I think that it’s most striking that the reader managed to connect with Q’s change from anger to pain to anger again. It was equally as heartbreaking when Q confided in Charlotte about the sexual assault and Charlotte immediately believed her. 

 

Though there were a few parts that I thought were slow-paced and I genuinely believed the book was going to end with the death of Colin Pearce but it didn’t. I believe that summing up the narrative as ‘Q’s way to healing,’ is wrong because it doesn’t just allow, and shouldn’t allow for her to heal, this narrative is controlled carefully and doesn’t skip corners: Q’s revenge on Pearce is thwarted and there is a sense of resolution around the rowers’ being punished, and yet we are left hoping for Q’s journey to help her heal, alongside other women in the narrative. 

 

A huge thank you to the team at Netgalley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Sexual assault, Rape, Misogyny, and Sexual violence

The Stolen Heir by Holly Black

5.0

Gold Within the Storm by Cleo Cassidy

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

 I was lucky enough to be sent a copy of Gold within the Storm by Cleo Cassidy through Booksirens and am leaving this review entirely voluntarily.

The first thing that introduced me to Gold within the Storm was the blurb stating that it was perfect for fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses and The Cruel Prince and as a huge fan of one of these series and a dislike of the other, I knew that I was going into this with mixed expectations and yet I found myself starting to enjoy this from the very first page.

So, you may be wondering, ‘Why is this a two-star review?’ And let me tell you, I was so torn between three and two stars, but the pacing was so off, it led to a lack of immersion in the story. Every time, I thought I knew what was happening, there would just be a completely unexpected and unnecessary plot twist that completely threw me out of the story. I just feel like with better pacing and not so many plot advancements that could’ve been cut, it would’ve been a solid three stars. The characters were loveable, I devoured the book, yet I just had no idea what was happening?

Will I pick up book two? Probably not if I’m completely honest, it just didn’t hit as it should’ve. 

with your friends. by William Grant

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

 I would like to thank the team at Netgalley and William Grant for sending me an advance reader copy.

William Grant explores mental health in a stunning tale about friendship, family and love that I fucking devoured. This book is just beautiful. Every single scene felt pivotal to the plot and the romance? You could clearly tell that this captures the longing for your youth after graduating and heading to college/university and it lowkey made me almost cry, like WOW.

This book deserves nothing short of five stars. It's a fantastic debut, and I cannot wait to read more from this author! Sprint to grab a copy ASAP! You will not be disappointed, I promise. A spectacular tale with, a splendid cast of characters and a soft romance subplot, what is not to love?

@billysloree -- insta, tiktok & youtube