clairewong's reviews
9 reviews

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

adventurous emotional mysterious relaxing medium-paced

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

The Pantomime Murders by Fiona Veitch Smith

lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

A Woman Made of Snow by Elisabeth Gifford

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

A beautiful book from Elisabeth Gifford, exploring the relationships between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law, with a dual timeline narrative, a castle with a mysterious past, Inuit folklore, cross-cultural relationships and some surprising twists.

The Summer Birdcage by L.C. Tyler

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

4.0

Like the rest of the John Grey Mysteries series, this is an entertaining, sharp-witted mystery in the Stuart Era. There's politics, conspiracy, a dead body, and any number of suspicious characters for John Grey and Aminta to investigate.

Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

adventurous inspiring slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

The Leaden Heart by Chris Nickson

mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

This is a fast read, and an enjoyable mystery (or rather, multiple interwoven mysteries). The historical setting is Victorian-era Leeds and the author's knowledge of the city is evident. I read this in two days flat, largely while on trains to and from Leeds!

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Content Warnings

Minor: Violence

Die Laughing by Carola Dunn

lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

The Death Beat by Fiona Veitch Smith

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

This is a fun historical mystery set in 1920s New York and delivers all you'd hope for a novel in that era: raucous parties, speakeasies, glamorous flapper outfits and uncovering corruption. In my opinion, it's the best paced of the series so far, getting the balance right between plot, historical setting, and the inner lives of the characters. An enjoyable adventure!

The Diary of a (Trying to be Holy) Mum by Fiona Lloyd

funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Written in diary format, this is the funny story of Becky, mum of 3, as she navigates family, faith and friendship. It's a lighthearted and warm novel, hugely relatable to anyone who's felt like a frazzled parent or been on a church rota. The main character is one of the real strengths of this book: Becky is exactly the kind of Christian mum friend I want in real life!